ahh! I had the best day yesterday!!

PART I
First, I went to my first Hyper Class since I got back. I didn't want to walk myself since it's so pitch black now, so I had e-mailed Yayoi-san to ask about the bus, and so we ended up meeting in Yokohama, and going to Hyper together. We got there really early, but it was a lot of fun to go with her, and chat the whole way. We hugged when met up on the platform, and were both really happy to see each other. This happy homecoming feeling continued as we got to the Rapport, and I met up with people as they came into the dressing room. Yayoi-san told me before other people came that everyone had missed me and wanted me to come home quickly. That made me really happy, because I had missed everyone too. So continued the gleeful repetition of 'Okaeri!!' and 'Tadaima's, as we all walked up to the lesson room and sat waiting outside for Pop to be done. I just had a big smile on my face the whole time. Anna-san's okaasan caught sight of me through the window in the door, and waved with a smile. I waved back.
Then we went into the room, and I gave my card to Anna-san's okaasan, who said Okaerinasai, and asked me if America had been fun. I was standing talking to people, when Anna-san caught sight of me.
She shrieked 'Ahhhhh!! A-chaaaaan!!!', and ran towards me with a huge smile on her face. She caught me up in a hug, and said 'Okaeriiiii!!!!' I made sure to hug her tightly back. 'Tadaima!!' She felt so small in my arms. I noticed later that she seems to have lost a bit of weight. Or maybe it's just that I haven't seen her in so long, and forgot how tiny she is. But she was just as beautiful as I remember, if not more so.
Anyway, when she released me, she said again, 'A-chan, okaeri!' in her MC voice, and everyone clapped, even AtsuYuu, who had bemused smiles on their faces. Namio-kun said 'Welcome to Japan!' in English, and we all laughed. Then the Okaeri! clapping thing was repeated. I said 'Tadaima!!' and waved to everyone, although I felt a little self-conscious.
Then we started the lesson. Even just the start of the Excercise song, 'One, Two!', made me so happy. I was so glad to be back.
Then Anna-san asked who had not learned the 'Miami' dance. (To the song that goes 'Welcome to Miami!' I think it's by the Miami sound machine or something) This turned out to be me, and Momo-chan. So we were relegated to Atsushi for one on two lessons. It was my first time being taught by Atsushi, (who was wearing a gray green towel wrapped around his head) and he is a very good teacher. He teaches everything in his quiet, serious manner, very thoroughly, and earnestly, asking frequently if you understand or have any questions. So the dance went pretty well, until Yuuta, in his thick gray headband thing wandered over, and started making weird faces at Atsushi, because it was rather distracted. But I got everything pretty well until we had to go back and join the group, when I realized that it was one thing to learn the dance in bits and pieces carefully from Atsushi, and quite another to have to do the entire thing at once, with everyone else and the music, which I couldn't really do. Basically at all. LOL
Then we were divided up into groups, for the first section of the dance, which is more like acting. I was in the 'mother daughter' group, although my partner, a high school/ middle school aged girl with short hair and a hat, who's name I don't know, was a 'student on a school field trip', and I was, as Anna-san proclaimed, laughing at the sheer appropriateness of it, 'a American'. So Anna-san taught us our dance steps to the group part. They sort of compliment each other, and in the end we pose with one half of the pair on one knee, and the other lunging behind them. There's one part where we're supposed to look at eachother, and the first time we did it, my partner and I laughed, because both of us had these terrified, deer in the headlight expressions. This dance didn't go very well either, because I realized that it's hard to check the dance steps when the other two people doing your part are 7 years old. The worst time was when my partner and I were spacing out, or talking, and suddenly realized that our group had already started, and Anna-san was waving at us frantically to walk out with them. LOL
When we were practicing our parts separately, I noticed AtsuYuu practicing a dance on their own, and I had to stop and watch them for a bit. They are just as cool and slashy as ever. Watching, I really felt like begging them to sleep together at one point. LOL
Then lessons were over. Yayoi-san had told me that Wakane-san and Nami-chin (both Actor's instructors, and BB members, who I love very much) who recently formed a duo called Mystic, and have been performing at clubs around the country, were performing in Yokohama, and a bunch of the Hyper class was going to go. So I decided to go as well.
So we all waited in the lobby for a long time. I passed Anna-san in the hall and she said 'Otsukare!!' with a big bright smile. As we waited, I talked to Emi-chan a bit, which was fun. Then Anna-san came out with her Okaasan. Anna-san said, 'A-chan, your outfit is so cute! It looks very American.' I said, with a smile, 'Well, it is American.. I bought it over there.' She smiled. 'It's really cute.' I was very pleased.
After a while, figuring I should seize my chance when I could, I went over to where Anna-san was sitting, and told her I had practiced the wave, but it had come out kind of backwards. She asked me to show her what I'd practiced. I did. As I suspected, it was wrong. LOL She didn't say as much, but she stood up and taught me how to do the wave again. I watched her, copied, and then practiced with her watching a couple times. She nodded with a smile. 'Renshu shite ne!'
Then they left in Ma-kun, Anna-san's car. The rest of us took the bus. AtsuYuu happened to be on the bus. I glanced back and did a double take, because Yuuta looked indecently hot. He had his gray hair band on still (his hair is to about chin legnth), and a form fitting white wife-beater. His YUUTA tatoo on his chest peaked through the strap and the neckline. Then us Hyper members who were going to see Mystic headed out into the night.

PART II

There were quite a lot of us. It was me, Yayoi-san, Yumiko-san, Nori-chan, the OL with the black hair who's name I forget, the Obaasan with the curly hair who's name I don't know, Fukuda-san, and Uchida-san. I think that's it.
We called the club, and found out the Mystic was supposed to be on at 1:30 (am), so we all went to a restuarant, where we talked about AtsuYuu not being very friendly sometimes, and Namio's teaching skills sucking, making Odagawa=kun join the ladies group and be a drag queen (because it's Miami), One of the OLs running into Maiko-san at the Okinawa airport, etc. I also got a big kick out of imaging Yuuta and Atsushi as Cpt. Jack and Will respectively. They're personalities fit, a bit. LOL Plus Yuuta in eyeliner = very pretty image. LOL
Then we headed over to the club at around 12 pm. I had never been to a club before. This club, Logos, was very small. It had a bar and tables in the front, and in the back a dancefloor (with a discoball with red and blue lights), and a little raised platform for a stage, in front of the DJ booth, which took up the back wall. I'm sure this was a little sedate club, because aside from loud the music itself it was quiet, and we weren't smashed like sardines, not that it was spacious by any means. We found Rina, who is an OAS instructor at Yokohama, and very nice. She remembered me, or at least said she did. LOL Then we danced.
I found out that I like clubs. Sedate, not wild and crazy ones at least. Because they are just cooly lit (and pretty dark, actually) places to dance with your friends. Which I like. I was pleased.
Until my jetlag started to kick in. Then it was horrible. I had to keep dancing, otherwise I would have fallen asleep, or collapsed, I think. I got to the point where my body was just kind of moving of it's own accord, and I couldn't feel it anymore. It was all I could do to stay alive, and pray that Wakane-san and Nami would come out soon.
Eventually they did, at almost 2 am.
The first song they did was the singing part of Gansta's Paradise. They also did several songs from their mini album, which was selling at the door for 100 yen (!), as well as some other covers, including that 'Hey mister dj keep playin that song, on and on and on....' song, and I believe that did 'That's the way love goes' as well. Wakane did most of the MCing, mostly in English, which I was impressed and happy about.
All I can say is, they are absolutely incredibly, in every single aspect. I mean, they are the top members of BB WAVES (erm, I mean, the Dream Planets). Wakane has a 5 octave range. Nami also has an amazing voice. Their voices compliment each other very well, because Wakane's is more husky and strong, and Nami's is a bit softer and higher. Great for harmonizing, which they are amazing at. And they are incredible dancers, as well. They control they have over their bodies is amazing. And the most amazing thing is that most of the time it was freestyle, but they really have an amazing artistic sensitivity, so it looked fabulous. Some parts of their dancing was soooo sexy (or should I say erotic?) it was incredible. Nami-chin is very sexy herself, and Wakane...well, I have now learned that Miss Neychin is Walking Sex. Oh. My. God. (Including the part when the pushed her shirt up to her chest...oh god...) And they have amazing chemistry together! Like when they put their arms around eachother, and sung back to back, moving sexily. Wonderful. (And everyone knows, and it shows as well, how close these two are) So in other words, I have comandeered the Wakane/Nami-chin ship, and we're sailin' to Tortuga.
They're outfits, which were really cool, also contributed to their sexy-ness, and overall coolness. Neychin's hair is still curled, and poofy, and now it is dyed brown, and cut in a big sexy Tina Turner like style. Only Neychin could look hot in it. LOL She was wearing a silverish bra, under a pink mesh shirt, and jeans with rhinestones, which were cut a lot, in many places, especially high on her thighs.
Nami-chin's hair is long and silky and black, parted in the middle, and she is beautiful. She was waiting a red baseball uniform style tight shirt, which was opened to reveal the top of a white satin bra, and more rhinestone covered jeans, as well a a big sparkly belly button ring and a rhinestone belly chain that seemed to come from either side of it. Apparently she has a small tatoo of a black circular pattern on the small of her back.
But the best part of their live was not the amazing singing or dancing, or the sexiness. It was the warm, distinctive Actor's energy that makes you watch the entire live with a huge smile on your face. The love and warmth you can feel pouring into you from them. The way they look you straight into the eyes and sing just for you, with a huge warm smile. Although Neychin did this of course, Nami-chin has all of this energy in spades. So many times she looked right at me, with her warm, wonderful smile, and eyes. And I knew that they both remembered me. At one point in the concert, they gave away 3 copies of their mini-album, asking who wanted one. I raised my hands and screamed gleefully. And to my half-real suprise and utter delight, Nami-chin came over, and presented me with one of the CDs, with a big smile. I grinned back and yelled my 'Arigatou!' and clutched it joyfully. When they announced that they were going to do the last song, us Hyper crowd all yelled 'Eeee!' disappointedly. After the last song, Wakane gave a big speech in English about how this is the one life you've got, so choose your own path, believe in it, and live the life you want to live!
The girl that performed next was named Asuka, and she was from Osaka, and had debuted professionally in the summer. She was alright, but her songs were really long, and she couldn't dance, not that she really tried, only gave half hearted attempts at shimmying around. I felt really bad for her, because the audiance wasn't responsive at all. It was just...no one can follow Wakane and Nami. It just can't be done.
When the event was over, and us Hyper group shuffled off the dance floor, Wakane and Nami came out to greet us. Because of course they knew everyone of us. I thanked Nami for the CD again, and we kind of half hugged, grinning. Then I said 'Wakane-saan!' and we squeezed hands. She said warmly in her confident English (most likely Anna-san taught, because she has a great accent, she sounds like a Japanese person who has lived in America for several years) ,
'Thank you for coming!!' I replied, 'You're welcome!! Thank you!! Arigatou!'.
We glimpsed them again as they were leaving, and Nami, who caught sight of me, waved with a big smile.
Then, after chatting with Rina-san for a bit, we walked to Denny's, where we chatted, mostly about the live, until the trains started up again. I rode most of the way home with Yumiko-san, and we chatted to keep eachother awake.
I got home at about 7am, and fell into bed, exhausted, but so happy...

 
I love Japan. LOL I just had a very nice experience....opening an account at the Post Office, and calling Toy Box to let them know it had went alright. The opening of the account itself was rather ordinary, I suppose; filling out forms, waiting a long time while the employees talked amongst themselves about when my birthday would be by Japanese reckoning, what to do about the difficult and seldom used kanji in Mutai, and the like. It actually took a pretty long time. But the mail guy who ended up handling it all for me was very nice, and didn't treat me like an idiot, the way the first mail lady did. And I felt such a rush when I looked at my brightly colored little book, another piece of legal paraphenalia making me that much more someone who 'lives in Japan'. It made me very happy. As I walked home through the beautiful, embracing heat of the afternoon, I thought happily that all I needed now to make my life complete was to be less paranoid about being murdered or kidnapped, a hard thing to do when i watch the Japanese news, and a lover. Hee hee
Then when I got home, I had to call Toy Box, the office that Love Junx is part of to let them know that I had been able to open an account (which I had to do because Love Junx changed their payment system to an automatic withdrawal type), At first I was dreading it, because, it's just a habit to dread those kinds of things, but it turned out to be the same Oneesan as the day before, who kindly cut in to my fumblings at explaining who I was with a 'Konnichiwa'. She was very nice. And for some reason I got a kick out of her answer when I asked whether I should send the paper I had to fill out to Toy Box. 'Oh, no, you can just give it to Anna-san's mother at lessons.' For some reason, both her calling Anna-san 'Anna-san', so familiarly just like we all do, and her calling Anna-san's mother 'Anna-san no Okaasan' just like we all do, was really nice. It really gave the feeling that Love Junx (with Toy Box) is just a big family, which I think it is.

 
Phew...I feel so relieved now, even though, given the circumstances, it's a bit of a funny feeling.
It all started with a cryptic e-mail from my sis, talking about how things change so fast, and asking me never to die, and talking about how my step-mom was crying and talking about her childhood, and how she and my dad were going to go down on Saturday. But she didn't explain herself, or give any names. So of course I thought that someone had died, and I was racking my brain to think who it could be, Aunt Edythe, or Pop-pop, or someone.
So after checking in vain for a more explainatory e-mail from someone, I called my Dad's house. He answered the phone, and seemed very pleased and suprised to hear from me, but I cut to the chase quickly and asked what had happened, if anyone was hurt or dead, and explained about Em's e-mail.
He sighed, and told me that was Leslie, my step-mother's sister, who has breast cancer. My heart lurched, and I felt myself grow cold, and then he continued to say that her husband had called and they are seriously discussing moving her to a hospice. Also that the doctors aren't going to give her anymore chemo, and we're really not sure how much longer she has. Even as he was explaining all this to me, I started crying, I couldn't help it. I was so relieved, because I was sure that he was going to say she had died. I don't know how much longer she'll be with us, I'm praying that it's longer than anyone thinks, or wants to hope for, but I was just so glad that she's still alive. No matter what the future may bring, she's still alive now. Thank god. Thank god.
I also talked to Em, in a weak, teary voice, and she apologized, in a voice with just a touch of the same strain, for worrying me. I said it was alright. I mean, what else could I say? I know she didn'T mean to. I just wish that she had thought a little more. But then again, on the other hand, in a strange way it makes this a lot easier to deal with, because I'm just so grateful for the time we still have, and because my imaginings were so much worse. But my emotions have really run the gamut in less than an hour, and I feel subdued and drained.
I'm glad I've got Hyper, and Anna-san, and everyone else, whom Yayoi-san told me were all looking forward to seeing me, to cheer me up tonight.

 
Yesterday I hung out with Kinoko-chan in Ikebukuro. It was great to see her again! First we went Karaoke. I was pleased to see they had a bunch of new songs.
Then we went to Junkudo, where I bought my book I have to read for my report due next friday. They also had an advertisement for calendars for this year. They had a hyde calendar, and a calendar for Aki Hatada, my favorite Popteen model (more on Aki-chan later). These made me very happy, and I may buy them, but…there was no MAX calendar. Now, maybe it will be added later, which is still a possibility, I suppose, but if not, it’s a very bad sign. It really means that Rising Pro is giving up on MAX more and more…
As for Aki-chan, I bought the Popteen from this month, and apparently she is pregnant and getting married!! She’s only my age, and I didn’t even know she was going out with anyone to begin with! It makes me sad, because she had such a bright future as a model. Unlike most of the models in popteen she’s not a reader model, she’s an actual model in a Model Agency now, and she is a model for Vivi, a woman’s fashion magazine as well, and she also came out with a (albeit soft cover) photobook this year. But now, even if she doesn’t quit modeling, she will have to take a long time off. And hopefully she would regain her figure after, because she has one of the most beautiful bodies I’ve seen. She’s just gorgeous.
But then again, my disappointment is all pretty selfish, since I don’t even know how she feels yet cuz the interview with her isn’t till next issue. And she did have her dog who she cared for and loved so so much, more than anything, so I think she’ll be a really good mother.
In others news of yesterday, I saw the hottest bishonen!! I think he was in high school, because he had what looked like a uniforms white shirt and black pants on, but he was very tan, and his hair which was parted on the side was straight and a bit shaggy and just touching his shoulders, dyed blond, with a good measure of black root. In one ear he had a dangly rhinestone cross earring. Now this is the stuff that good manga and j-rock bands are made of!

 
Well, so far my jetlag is under control. I still feel quite jetlagged, but I am up, and I've been eatting, which is good.
Ayako picked me up at the airport, and we chatted for a bit at MacD, and then we went home. When I turned on my keitai, I had 43 e-mails! Most of them were from the Vision Factory information thing, but still. It made me happy, I got a big rush of 'I'm home!' emotion. Japan is just so Japanese, it really couldn't be any other country. The first thing that struck me is how cool/cute everyone is here!! I just love every girl I see! LOL A lot of the guys too!
It's been so nice coming back this time, because I had Okaasan and everyone waiting for me (she and Haru-chan hugged me), and even Otoosan gave me a pat on the back. The first thing I did when I got home was write 'I'm back!' e-mails to all my fellow ryugakusei, and some of my friends. Not only did a get a flood of 'welcome back!' e-mails from them, including a really really nice one from Chen-san, but Kinoko-chan called me, and we talked for a little bit. Then I went online and posted at the LJ BBS. Anna-san wrote back right away, saying, 'A-chan!! Welcome home! It's been so long!! I want to see you soon!! I'll be waiting!!!', which made me really happy. All in all, I just felt so loved and like I really have a place here. It's such a nice feeling.
I also came home to find my MAX and Namie FC pamphlets, full of cute pictures, and my LoveJunx Official Live Video, all of which made me very happy. Okaasan also taped all my MAX shows, so I just watched then this morning.
There is actually a Hyper lesson today, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it. I don't really feel up to dancing. Maybe I could just go and sit in, if I feel like shleping over there. I'll see. I would really like to go and see everyone, if I can. Even if I can't get there today though, there are 3 classes next week since Tues is another holiday. (Today is Old People's Day) I'm also going to try to see Ayako and Kinoko-chan sometime this week. Erm, and read my book and write my paper, since school starts next week.
Lastly, I think the highlight of my flight was realizing that the stewardesses were all wearing eyeshadow to macht the color of their blouses, which are either green, pink, or blue. Even the pink shirted stewardesses have pink eyeshadow!! It was quite impressive!

 
Well, I've arrived safely in Japan! yay!! I will write a bit more later, but just to let you all know I'm here!!