Kankokujin (韓国人) III

Yes, a sequel. This was probably by far the most touching night of my life in Japan. It involved a serious eye-opening moment that really changed a lot of things for me as of late, though I can’t really say why or how. It’s one of those mysterious events that you just kind of make note of and hope that something happens that will help you understand it later.

Like I said in my last post on my Korean classmates, it was Uni-san’s (28th) birthday this week, so again, we would go to our usual weekly hangout, the Don-chan (どんちゃん: little piggy) restaurant in Shin-Okubo (新大久保). However, I had to take out money from the ATM before we went, so Jin-fun-san and I went to do that, while Uni-san, Lisa, and Kensei-san went to the restaurant.

After I withdrew my money near school in Shinjuku-Gyoen-Mae (新宿御苑前), we went down the main street to Shinjuku (新宿) and from there to Shin-Okubo (新大久保). However, we happened to stop by a UFO-Catcher store (we call them “crane machines” in America), and, of course, Jin-fun-san is somewhat obsessed with playing these games. He wanted to win some things for everyone for tonight. So he stopped and played for a bit.

Once we got to the restaurant (with many stuffed animals in tow), they had already been through two rounds of pork, though there were many left to go. (I’ll explain the pork-eating process more when I upload pictures.) Also, Namyung-san (another of my Korean classmates, whom everyone thinks is the cutest girl in the class) was there, which was a nice surprise. I think she took a break from her part-time-job that day to hang out for Uni-san’s birthday. Jin-fun-san’s girfriend, Hana-san, also came to celebrate.

So, like usual, we had pork and I had a couple ringo sawas (りんごサワー, apple-flavored alcoholic malt beverages). This time, however, since it was a special occasion, they also ordered Kankoku shochu (韓国焼酎) which is basically distilled Korean liquor, so I had to take part in the toasting and drinking my portion of the shochu.

I didn’t get Uni-san anything yet, mostly because I’m not sure what to get her, but during our little celebration, Lisa, the manga-ka (漫画家, comic-book-writer)-in-training, drew Uni-san a very nice picture of the five of us. I had seen Lisa do a few pencil sketches in class, but this was the first time I had seen something that she had finished. I was extremely compelled by the picture, and took many pictures of it (so you’ll see it soon enough).

This was the eye-opening moment. Though the picture itself (no offense to Lisa) is still kind of amateur, it is extremely well-done and thought-provoking. The first thing I thought of was when the five of us finally have to part directions. It was actually kind of sad. Though, now that I have a picture of the drawing (it’s my desktop wallpaper now), I can look at it whenever I want to. It’s interesting because sometimes I look at it and want to cry, and other times, I look at it and feel really happy. Either way, it’s of people I’ve barely known for a couple months, but we obviously have such a strong bond that it provokes a high emotional response in me. It’s very strange.

(For the severely limited amount of people reading this blog who understand the reference, it makes me think of the end of each episode of Weiß Kreuz Glühen. As the guys are singing Stone Roses, the last thing you see is an empty room, with an open window and the curtains blowing lightly. On the nightstand by the window is a picture of the four Weiß boys, and then the scene fades to black. Once I move to the dorms, if someone sends me an episode, I can take stills and up them to my picture area later so everyone understands what I mean.)

So that was the eye-opening moment. As for the continuation of the evening, everyone had a lot of fun, and we ended up moving to another restaurant for more drinks. Uni-san and Namyung-san taught me to call them Uni-nuna and Namyung-nuna, since nuni is the Korean equivalent of senpai (先輩, means senior). And yes, I realize “Uni-nuna” sounds really strange for a name. I didn’t invent the Korean language.

At the new restaurant, I finally had a chance to try a Kyoho (grape) sawa, which was amazing, even though I was having a little more Kankoku shochu at the same time. By ten thirty or so, I had a fairly good alcohol buzz, which actually felt kind of nice. The last time that happened was back at school with the whole 2004 Beaujolais Noveau incident of about one year ago this month. (By the way, just to clear things up, I wasn’t “drunk;” I was just on the drunk side of tipsy.)

Anyway, it was about time to head back, and though I tried to explain that I was ok, the girls were worried about me, so instead of walking to Seibu-Shinjuku station (西部新宿駅), where I needed to go, they asked me to go instead to the Shin-Okubo station (新大久保駅), which was much closer. The thing was that Shin-Okubo station would only take me further out of my way really, since I couldn’t take a train from there to Seibu-Shinjuku station, and that was where my train bound for Kodaira (小平) was. I recalled seeing Seibu-Shinjuku station (which I had only used for two days already) when Jin-fun-san and I were walking to Shin-Okubo, so I decided to try to walk to Seibu-Shinjuku station, regardless of my intoxicatedness.

This is where everyone waits to read what trouble I got into. Sorry to disappoint you, but I know my limits a bit better than that. Not only did I walk from Shin-Okubo to Seibu-Shinjuku station, but I got on the train and back home with no problems whatsoever. By the time I got to Takanodai station (鷹の台駅), the alcohol’s small effect on my perception had already worn off, and I walked home just fine. I woke up the next morning, refreshed, ready for school, and hangover-less. It had been a good night.

I’ve been looking at Lisa’s picture at least once every day since then. I guess the best way to describe it is that it will always be a sort of memory for me of the times that the five of us will share together over the next few months, though once we say goodbye, it will be really sad. I am not looking forward to that moment.