karened - Livejournal

Am battling against the September vox deadline but I cannot not post this. Listening to my mp3 shuffle, and this came on.

When I first heard this song, it was just another love song. But now....if you just overlook a few lines....it's like a song preparing us for days without him. The Japanese and Korean versions are very similar to each other. I was doing a check of the Korean lyrics and started singing along to the song. And within 2 lines, I started crying. I couldn't sing at all, and I sounded so bad, I had to turn up the volume to cover my embarrassing voice.

promise one  하루에 열 번 웃기로 해요
promise two 지금보다 두 배 행복하기로 해요
promise three 힘들 때도 세 번 눈물 참기로 해요
혹시 혼자 있대도 외롭다고 생각 마요
promise one Laugh 10 times each day
promise two Become 2 times as happy as you are now
promise three Even during difficult times, hold back your tears 3 times
Even if you're by yourself, don't feel lonely

Please do not repost the lyrics and translations anywhere without permission.

 

It was just...15 lines in 3 paragraphs, but it took me 2 whole days to read it. After reading the first 2 lines, I scrambled back into the shell of ignorance and pretended not to have received it. In between episodes of Slingshot (Which was great, and I'll get to it in a while), I kept convincing myself that "Even if I don't read it, he would have assumed that I've read since he has sent it out". But everytime, just as I start to pick up the card, logic will give up to fears. I managed to steal peeks at words. Words like "friends" and "hope" kind of hinted to me the gist of it all. Well, to be honest, the opening line already gve it all away. But today, the final deadline for sending a reply in time (he's out of country now, but will return soon), I finally mustered up the courage to read it in whole.

What could be worse than being rejected? (although that isn't too bad actually since I've already decided to end the 8 years of on-off feelings.)

That would be finding out that he already has a girlfriend since a few months back, the very same few months which held the best memories. How foolish it was to read too much into those moments.

But what came later was the final stroke. He said that he had screwed it all up after I confessed. As if misinterpreting things wasn't embarrassing enough, I have to find out that those incidents were most probably planned to send me a message of an entirely different kind.

Yet, I had the decency to think, "Gosh, he is still so cute."

I'm thankful that he wrote to me to clear it up and that he was very serious in that letter. He took it seriously, instead of trying to avoid and brush it off. That's someone worthy of being my one and only longlasting crush since Sec 2. That's someone worthy of being my one and only male best friend for a long time to come.

I wrote him a reply in a less serious tone, and even poked fun at him for concealing his girlfriend from our group of old friends. I planted a few small lies here and there. Why do people lie? Some lie to protect their image, some to get something they really want, some to protect something or someone precious. I lied because I really treasure the friendship we all share and the ease I feel when with him. Hopefully this impulsive act of mine doesn't changes things between us, or I'll really grow depressed. My friends used to say that I can act very well, refering to me acting to fish out information whenever we plan for birthday surprises. There's one final act I have to put up. That's when he's ready to introduce us to the girl. I think my heart will still ache, I'll still feel awkward, but for the sake of all of us, I'll have to pretend everything's fine. I hope that by then, I wouldn't have to pretend though.

So, another 'first' in 2009 would be: First Rejection.

あんたのことが好きだった。それだけで十分だ。今から忘れていく。

Now, enough with the melancholic reflections! On to raving about Slingshot.

Sometimes,
勉強是沒有幸福的.
把手放開或許能得到意料外的收穫.

I held little hope when I posted in the community asking if anyone was willing to sell me a tix to Park Yongha's concert on 3/12. Me, who is a foreigner. Me, who cannot speak Japanese too well. Me, who can only deal via a meetup. Me, whose mobile phone cannot be used in Japan. Me, who cannot be contacted other than via email.

True enough, I didn't get any reply.

And so, I kind of gave up whatever little hope I had.

And also, I was told that our plans had changed (again) and we'll head to Osaka instead of Tokyo first, meaning I won't be able to make it for the concert even if I had tickets.

So, I gave up all hope.

But you know, fate works in strange ways.

Good or bad, I don't know.

I reached home from bbq just now and found an email notification regarding a message received from the community.

I opened it without thinking and........

Someone offered to sell me a ticket.

I don't know how to reply...because now my plans has been changed.

So I worked on other stuff, putting it to one side first.

Then another email came.

Another offer.

Now I have two offers to consider,

and one day to try convince my family to revert back to the original plan instead.

Somehow, I feel really touched...that someone is willing to reach out a hand. Of course, they gain something in return. But the baka me gets touched by such stuff da yo. I am strange! Fate works in strange ways. Now, instead of me sobbing because I would been standing outside the concert hall while the concert starts inside, it may be me sobbing because I would have gotten the tickets but I am in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Oh well.............

Ok, this post will be non-fangirl related. Finally huh?

I went shopping yesterday to buy winter wear for my upcoming trip to Japan next week. The one I had the last time was too heavy so I wanted to get a lighter one so my arms won't break when I carry it around. Buying that was my purpose but I ended up buying much more stuff, like two pairs of pants, tops and a pair of shoes. Everytime an exam period ends, I will kind of go on a shopping spree. Not that those sprees always cost me a lot - sometimes they don't, but I just go buying stuff which catch my eye, not worrying too much about whether they're worth the money (although they usually do) or whether it's just impulsive shopping. Shopping does relief stress ne. But too much shopping is unhealthy!!

And the plan has been changed. Instead of one week at Hokkaido followed by one week in Tokyo, the latest plan is three days at Tokyo, then a few days at Kyoto/Osaka, followed by another few days at Osaka/Kyoto and ending with another three days at Tokyo. Plus, for the first time, we're getting a tour guide to help us with the Osaka and Kyoto trips! That's the plan I was informed of. There may be last minute changes, as usual. But with regards to this plan, I don't really feel good about it. I mean, so much travelling to do because we'll be going to three places. That also means less shopping because if we bought too much stuff at one location, we have to lug them all around with us as we travel! *shrugs*

Plus, I was looking forward to going out by myself one of the days in Tokyo. Harajuku, Shinjuku, Akihabara...I want to go to these places! But now I can't plan well because I'm still not sure where we will be at on which days.

Ok erm, a bit of fangirling here but...people who live in Tokyo/has been to Tokyo for concerts in Yokohama Arena, I need some help from you. The only good I saw from the change of plans is that most probably I'll be in Tokyo on the 3rd and Park Yongha will be holding his concert on that day in Yokohama Arena!! For those with experience, how long does it roughly take to travel from the Yamanote Line, say from Shibuya, to the Shin-Yokohama station and then to walk to the concert venue? I need to check to see if I can make it on time...but in any case, I first need to look for tickets ne. There're may people selling them online, some via meetups at the venue itself but then I'm not sure if they're willing to transact with me since they won't be able to contact me on hp (hey international calls are so ex!) so everything falls on the word 'trust'. I'll try my best because I really want to go for a Japanese concert (YES, any concert) as consolation for missing Arashi's =((((( ARGH!

Here are some very interesting videos I found on youtube. They're either very funny, comical or classical. Have a look!

[Unfortunately, SBS's copyright claims made most of the videos I originally posted unavailable. Here's what's left)

 

This is an extended version of the soccer match in one of the episodes which combined the actual scene in the drama, a BTS footage and a portion shown in the credits part of the episode.

Song by
Park Yongha - Don't give it Up

 

Their second kiss...ended badly.
 

A childish Young Eun wins the heart of Lee Kyung Min.

SCREENCAPS + SPOILERS