CNBLUE have just performed “Y, Why” and Seo Joo Hyeon finally opened her eyes. She had a special feeling of floating in between clouds, and finally went down slowly back to earth. Fifteen minutes through the acoustic performance, she was ready to testify that one, CNBLUE sounds so much better live. Two, they were all very handsome up close, especially her idol, Jeong Yong Hwa. And three, she felt like she was the luckiest girl in the world to attend this fanmeeting.

“Annyeonghaseyo, everyone” Jeong Yong Hwa greeted the fans, crooked tooth and grin in place, “Thank you all for coming today. Thank you for being a loyal fan. How are you feeling? Are you happy?”

Answers of “Ne…….!” could be heard by everyone, and he continued. “We all really want to get closer with our fans, and we really like the idea of this fanmeeting. So please enjoy yourself because we still have more songs to sing for you all!”

After the clapping, CNBLUE performed Intuition, In My Head, and Hey You smoothly, Yong Hwa heating the atmosphere by constantly asking them to sing along. Joo Hyeon could tell that CNBLUE members had a good relationship, since they were goofing around every chance they got. Yong Hwa and Jong Hyun sang Love Girl face to face at one point. Yong Hwa kept on teasing Jung Shin with his height, his endless collection of funky clothes, and his neatness that could defeat even an ahjumma. He also mentioned many times how he thought Kang Min Hyuk was looking exceptionally handsome that day, eye smile in full force.

By the way they responded to him, it was clear that it was one of their favorite ways of passing time.

Needless to mention, her eyes were zoomed in to Jeong Yong Hwa. The way he talked, the way his eyes crinkled that she loved, the way he closed his eyes when he sang slow songs, and the way he danced clumsily while playing his guitar for the upbeat songs.

“I really want to say something to Yong Hwa Hyeong that I’ve been keeping for a while” Min Hyuk announced.

“Jjinjja? What is it?”

“Please stop dancing.”

Everyone in the room exploded in laughter. Jung Shin doubled over in glee while Jong Hyun snickered.

“Why on earth are you telling me to stop???” Yong Hwa asked, though he was probably the loudest who laughed.

“Because Hyeong……..you really can’t dance. It’s embarrassing. You’re supposed to be a rocker” Min Hyuk answered warily behind his drum set.

“I like Hyeong dancing. I think it’s ridiculously funny” Jung Shin blurted in.

“Ah. Jung Shin is defending Hyeong” Min Hyuk chimed in.

“It’s my right to dance when I want to. Whether I’m good or not, I don’t really think about it” Yong Hwa explained himself.

“Hyeong is a rocker who likes to look funny” Jong Hyun added.

Min Hyuk realized he wouldn’t get back-ups so he just shrugged and the matter was dropped.

“What about you Jung Shin? Do you have something to say?” Yong Hwa continued.

“I…………”

“What?”

“I haven’t got used to……all this. I think I never will. I’ll continue feeling awed.”

“If you talk like that no one will understand you” Jong Hyun said on his mic.

“Us…….you know………being here. Singing, performing. Having fans who buy our CDs………”

The fans cheered.

“It’s just that……it’s like only yesterday we were singing in Shibuya while people walked by. And now we’re winning mutizens every four months. It feels………unbelievable, you know? Still.”

“I get what you mean” Jong Hyun agreed.

“I am…..really grateful to all of you” Jung Shin continued, suddenly giving a 90 degrees bow to the audience.

When Jung Shin straightened himself again, his eyes were wet and he laughed nervously.

“Jung Shin and his mood swings” Yong Hwa commented, as the fans and Jung Shin laughed. “But he’s true. We’ll never stop feeling blessed with what we’re having and what our fans give us. For that, jeongmal gamsahamnida”

Min Hyuk gave a flourishing beat on his drum as everyone inhaled and basked in the same mood.

“Jong Hyun-ssi” Yong Hwa started.

“Ne?”

“At least one hundred people have asked me your ideal type”

The fans murmured in agreement and Jong Hyun raised his eyebrows.

“Please relieve me from this burden and just answer the question.”

“Um……….”

“I know” Jung Shin said.

“Don’t say anything” Jong Hyun warned.

“Jong Hyun Hyeong like feminine girls with S-line and a lot of aegyo”

“Oooooooh……….” the fans murmured together while some giggled.

“You need to answer it is true to make it official” Yong Hwa reminded.

“Ne. It’s true”

Jung Shin played some loud tunes in his bass and Min Hyuk laughed.

“Okay. So next song is…….L.O.V.E Gir!l”

They played happily as the fans sang with them and continued with “Sweet Holiday” and “Friday”.

Seo Joo Hyeon really wished those cameras around were for making this event into a DVD. Because she definitely needed to remember every second of this occasion.

“You will be given thirty minutes to take pictures of each members of CNBLUE. Afterwards, we will eat lunch together.”

All four members went to a different corner of the room, effectively parting the fans into four, as they automatically went to their favorite members first.

Joo Hyeon went with the other twelve fans and concentrated on not stumbling on her own feet.

The first woman that asked for a picture together was a middle aged woman that was as talkative as a seventeen year old, commenting how she liked his current hairdo, his radio show, and his new song for the new girl group.

He good naturedly responded, posed for a picture, and signed the woman’s CD. Several fans then followed, and he took picture with all of them. Afterwards, the cameraman gave the polaroid picture to the fans. One girl said, “Jeong Yong Hwa-ssi, you are daebak!”.

His cheeks burst into a popping grin and on they all went.

Jung Yong Hwa noticed this pretty girl standing a bit far away, just looking into his direction. He turned to her several times but she gave no response. Maybe she was too shy to come closer. While signing a CD, he tried smiling to that girl in encouragement, but she didn’t move, and seemed to be frozen on her spot.

Ten minutes before the time was over, while the other fans have stepped back and admired each other's pictures with him, he walked to her.

She looked like she wanted to run away.

But she didn’t. She just looked at him approaching with something close to horror in her eyes, one hand clutching the side of her skirt.

“Annyeonghaseyo” he greeted.

She bowed in panic, “An…..anyeonghaseyo……”

“Do you want to take a picture? The time is almost up.”

“I……I do. I mean—please. If you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind” Yong Hwa smiled, “It’s basically what I need to do today.”

The girl nodded and they faced the cameraman.

“Smile” Yong Hwa urged.

The picture was taken and the cameraman gave the polaroid to Joo Hyeon.

“Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome. Is there anything you want me to sign?”

She produced the MTV Unplugged Performance DVD in Japan and he commented in appreciation. “Oh! You bought our Japanese DVD!”

“Ne……”

Yong Hwa took the marker from his pocket, “What’s your name?”

“Seo Joo Hyeon.”

Yong Hwa’s hand stopped above the DVD. “Have you come to our fansign before?”

“I did.”

That’s why your name sounds familiar, Yong Hwa thought, as he signed the CD with, “Please keep supporting us, Seo Joo Hyeon.”

She gave the DVD back to her, as the MC announced time was up and they should start eating their lunch prepared by the Event Organizer then.

“I will” Joo Hyeon said.

“I’m sorry?”

“Keep supporting CNBLUE. And……and y—you.”

There was something adorable in the way this girl stuttered and struggled to speak. “Thank you so much. Thank you for everything” Yong Hwa said gratefully, giving out his hand for her to shake.

She stretched her hand too, he closed the distance, and shook her hand.

He had shook thousands of fangirls’ hands on fanmeetings, but it was the first time he felt his heart strings were tugged, and most definitely it was the first time he took really good attention in the way the fan’s eyes lighted up and how she smiled.

The second passed and he let go of her hand, bowing back to her.

They stood silent for one confusing moment before he said, “Take care, Seo Joo Hyeon” and he turned away, back to his bandmate, as they went backstage for their lunch.

*********************************************

“It’s amazing. There are three girls who said they always come to every single weekly music shows since we debuted” Min Hyuk said.

“Wow. Queuing every week to hear us singing one song live? Awesome” Jong Hyun said, eating his bulgogi.

“I think I have the youngest fangirl here. Only 10 years old” Jung Shin said.

“I have fanboys. Imagine that. Said he plays drum in a band too. Only in high school, and wanting to debut like us" Min Hyuk added.

“Yong Hwa Hyeong is so quiet. Wae? No one assaulted you, right?”

“Huh? No. I have good fans.”

“All swooning and excited, I’m sure” Min Hyuk teased.

“As if your fans don’t.”

And like that, the topic passed from him and he continued his lunch until it was announced that they have to go back outside.

************************************************

“To get the chance to have a personal dinner with your favorite CNBLUE member, each fan here have given gifts and letters. But four persons, each for each member, have said they want to give a performance. So please welcome, from fans to CNBLUE!”

Everybody clapped their hands and a little girl came on stage, singing “Just Please” for Lee Jung Shin, some tunes were off, but cute nevertheless. She ended the performance with forming a heart with her hands, saying, “Jung Shin Oppa! Saranghaeyo!”

Jung Shin clapped excitedly and gave the little girl a hug, before she bounced off the stage happily.

It was easy to predict that the fan who performed for Kang Ming Hyuk was the fanboy who were a drummer. He played the drum for “Hey You” and did it so splendidly that Jong Hyun and Jung Shin finally followed him with their guitar and bass, and earning a two thumbs up from Min Hyuk.

“You are a guy. This is extra ordinary. Why do you want to have dinner with Kang Min Hyuk-ssi?”

“I look up to him. Especially after he denied the rumors that CNBLUE couldn’t play live. I think he’s been through a lot, and finally succeeded. I want to be his friend. I want to follow his lead.”

The answer resulted in a cheering applause from other fans and Min Hyuk patted the boy on the shoulder.

Jong Hyun’s fan was a violinist who played “Love in the Rain” with a violin. The sound mesmerized the whole room and the idol himself.

“You really got talent. Keep it up. And thank you” Jong Hyun said afterwards.

And then the MC announced “Seo Joo Hyeon” and a piano had been brought in to the stage.

She was sure she had all her blood out of her face and looked as white as a sheet of paper as she walked to the stage while the MC said she was twenty years old and studying piano in Chung Ang University.

“Please introduce yourself, how long have you been a fan, and who is your favorite member?” the MC asked.

“A—anyeonghaseyo. I’m Seo Joo Hyeon. I have been a fan since I watched Minamishineyo. And……my favorite member is Jeong Yong Hwa-ssi.”

Jung Shin threw a teasing glance to his hyeong but managed not to actually mock him in front of his nervous fan.

“I am going to play and sing Imagine. I still have many shortcomings, so please bear with me. Please know that this is sincerely from my heart”

She prayed to survive this performance.

Less than 4 minutes, right? How many times have I performed on piano recitals or competitions? Why can’t I do this one?

Because the other performances never included a Jeong Yong Hwa on three meters distance, her mind answered.

Do you want that private dinner or not?

Yes.

So she took a deep breath, let her fingers danced on the keynote, and started to sing. She forced herself to forget that there were fifty people watching her, plus the members of her favorite band in the world. She began to sing, gathering strength in her stomach and looking to the fans standing in front of her, purposefully avoiding looking to the side, where CNBLUE sat.

The first thirty seconds were entirely nerve wracking and she wondered whether she would break down and cry.

But out of the blue she chanced a glace to Jeong Yong Hwa and he was calmly watching. That boosted her spirit.

At least I want to give him a good show.

And so she did everything in her power to make it a good performance. Playing and singing with her emotion.

Without realizing it, the whole hall turned into a hushed silence. Because she really could play piano very well, and apparently, she sang greatly too.

She enjoyed playing and singing the song because she had done it privately, many times before. Her hands flew on the key notes, her voice flew sweetly all over the place.

The silence went on after she finished playing, before everyone broke into a loud wave of applause. Even the CNBLUE members were enthusiastically praising her.

“Wow! You're amazing! You should go professional!” Jong Hyun said.

“That was great!” Yong Hwa said simply, making her flew to the moon.

She thanked them and went down the stage, the other fans were looking at her with keen interest and just a little envy.

“And now CNBLUE will go backstage for a while to choose who they will take to the private dinner”.

*****************************************

It was no surprise that Jung Shin chose the 10 year old little girl, and Min Hyuk chose his drummer fan. What was surprising was Jong Hyun. Instead of choosing the pretty violinist, she chose the mother whose three year old son is also an avid fan of him.

“Why her and not the violinist, Hyeong?” Min Hyuk asked to Jong Hyun.

He shrugged. “The boy will cry if I don’t choose them.”

For Yong Hwa to choose the “Piano Girl”, was also predictable. It would be strange if he didn’t choose her.

“Yong Hyeong is the luckiest. I get a little girl. Min Hyuk a guy. Jong Hyeong a married woman. And you. A pretty fangirl who can sing and play piano. Just how lucky can you be?”

“Who knows? Maybe she already has a fiancé?”

“Who’s talking about being attached or not? Or is it you who want her to be single?” Jung Shin threw back expertly, always loving the chance to make his Hyeong speechless.

“Oh, shut up!”

Jung Shin laughed cheekily, joined by the other two.

**********************************************

When her name was mentioned as the one chosen to have a private dinner with Jung Yong Hwa, she almost fainted right there and then on her seat.

Is this really happening? Am I not dreaming?

The other fans got home after another 5 songs performances by CNBLUE and the four chosen fans were ushered to the alternative exit.

The little girl was jumping around while her parents reminded her to behave. The fanboy leaned on the wall calmly, happy with the chance of a real friendship with Kang Min Hyuk. The woman who was Jong Hyun’s fan held tight the hand of her son, who was endlessly asking would the guitarist really have dinner with them and whether his mother was honest or not.

She was sure she was the only one who was close to passing out.

After a while, CNBLUE appeared, all smiles and eager to spend the night with the fans. Four vans would lead each member and his fan to different high end restaurants.

Jung Shin, Min Hyuk, and Jong Hyun walked with their chosen fan to the direction of the vans, as Yong Hwa and Joo Hyeon watched them walked away.

“Let’s go too. Are you ready?”

She nodded without being able to say anything, following him to the van.

“Earlier, you played the piano really well. Since when did you learn playing?”

“Si—since I was five”

“Ah. I see. Wow. I can play piano too, but I like guitar more, so…….”

“Ne, I know.”

Yong Hwa turned to her in surprise.

“What? Oh! You already know?”

“Well. I—I’m your fan……..”

Yong Hwa smiled. “Thank you for knowing. So you know quite a lot about me. But I know nothing about you. That seems a bit unfair.”

She didn’t know what to answer.

“You should tell me about yourself too.”

“Ne.”

He opened the van’s door and let her went inside first. Once they were seated, she immediately put on the seatbelt.

“You’re wearing the seatbelt? But we’re not in the front seat!”

“Being safe won’t hurt. I think it is best if you wear it too, Jung Yong Hwa-ssi.”

He stared at her for two seconds before breaking in a guffaw.

“Seo Joo Hyeon-ssi! Why are you sounding so stern all of a sudden?”

“I—I only……think it’s necessary. You won’t know when accident will hit.”

“You get a point there. Ahrasseo. I’ll wear the seatbelt” he declared, putting it on around him.

“There. Happy?”

“Ne. Gamsahamnida”

“No problem. And I hope you like Italian food.”

“I do.”

“Good. Let’s eat a lot.”

And the van was by the driver, soon enough, they drove out of FNC Entertainment building.

Joo Hyeon wanted to pinch herself, just to make sure this was real. But she restrained, afraid she would look strange. She was already clumsy to begin with. The last thing she needed was to look strange.

She turned to Jeong Yong Hwa again, for the sake of living in the moment, and he was looking at her too.

“Seo Joo Hyeon-ssi…….mind telling me about yourself?”

“Uh…..me? I’m ordinary.”

“It’s alright. I haven’t been ordinary for a while. Sometimes I wish I were still ordinary.”

“Algesseumnida. What do you want to know, Jeong Yong Hwa-ssi?”

“Hem……where are you from? Seoul or outside of Seoul?”

“I am originally from Seoul.”

“Oh, okay. I’m from Busan. But maybe you already know that too.”

“Ne”

“Any siblings?”

“I’m an only child”

“I have an older brother, and he’s in US, studying medicine.”

Saying “I know” would get boring after a while so she held her tongue.

“You look like you want to say you already know it again.”

“Ne.”

“Why do you keep saying “Ne?”” he laughed at her. “You sound like a child”

She must have looked confused because he corrected himself, “I don’t mean it in a bad way. I guess I can tell you things that I haven’t shared in public. To make this event reach its purpose. But you have to share about yourself too. Let’s talk like friends, shall we?”

She doubtfully nodded her head, trying to hear properly amidst escalating heartbeats.

“Please relax. I assure you, everything will be alright”

She tried to smile and succeeded. He smiled ath her too.

The private dinner was scheduled to end at 9 PM. It was only 5 PM. They have four hours together.

How would the night end?

***********************************************

Author’s Note :

Several readers asked for the continuation of Something Stupid (Like I Love You). I wrote the first part last year, in the excitement of the upcoming Bluestorm Jakarta. Alas, the show was cancelled and then I lost my motivation in writing this.

I finally got inspiration after watching CNBLUE’s MTV Unplugged. The presale ticket for SM Town Jakarta is stressing me out and I need something to cheer myself up. Plus, I read the other couple's blog post this morning and it upset me.

I feel much better now though.

I hope this part is not boring. I will try to update tomorrow.

Mianheyo for not editing, I have to prepare to go to a dinner. But I will come back to edit this as soon as I can.

***************************************************************

First published in Livejournal in August 5, 2012