Okay, screw this, here's Day 2! (Part I)

I have attempted to write this shit out properly far too many times.
Therefore, please permit me to cheat by simply directing you to Nana's post here (look for it).
Now, my own post will consist of a very long bullet list. Because bullet lists make the world a better place, and, no shit, my heart can't take this kind of strain for extended periods of time before I collapse into another Tokyo Withdrawal Seizure (TWS for short).

Okay, so. Here we go.

• Breakfast, followed by arrival of our (Nana and myself) promised escort for the day, Ayako Ito-san. My dad officially handed us over to her in the lobby with a suspiciously wide grin, and the rest of my family -with no qualms whatsoever, might I add- leave to follow their own schedule as the three of us get into the taxi.
• Ito-san is beautiful. She is SO beautiful, I have decided that Ito/Jun (yes, MatsuJun) is my OTP3. Because she does deserve someone that hot. Oh, well, no wait. Maybe she deserves Toma, because he's hot AND nice. The only reason I abuse Jun is because he keeps getting in my OTP's way, shut up. Pft fine, I can see Qissay making puppy faces at me. I'll give Jun to Mao, because in all honesty she does look like she loves him already.
• Our first stop is Harajuku, Tokyo.
• We encountered our first idol shop. Nana first spotted the NEWS poster or whatever that was hanging outside this little subtle entrance that lead straight to a flight of downward steps. Steps that were lined with JE pictures. And when I say lined, I mean we couldn't see the original color of the walls OR the ceiling.
• We're already at the peak of our happiness, and we haven't even reached the foot of the damn stairs.
• Oh my GOD. The idol shop is actually just an extension of the staircase. I'm betting there was close to at least five thousand photos of brilliant, sparkly Asian men grinning up at us inside that 5mx5m space.
• The concept is to study closely the little thumbnails of photos that are arranged on the walls. Each photograph is given a number.
• Take a piece of paper and a pencil (which is provided in bulk in this adorable basket by the entrance); and write down the respective numbers of the photos that you want.
• Give the paper to the nearest shop assistant, and she will locate the photos for you.
• After staring and trying not to drool at the walls for a disgraceful length of time, we explored the shop- meaning, we turned a corner LOL.
• You know those little machines where you insert coins and then these little plastic balls come out, containing little figurines or keychains or whatever?
• Yeah they TOTALLY had like a whole wall of those just for JE.
• What I found awesome was that there was one for every band... except Arashi.
• You know why?
• Because Arashi had ten. That's right, bitches. BDv
• Somehow or other, I came to my senses (they fled for a while, screaming with pain for my wallet and joy for my hormones).
• And rather shakily, we exited the store. After all, our "main dish" (consider the above an appetizer) was supposed to be the motherchuckin' official Johnny's Shop in Harajuku.
• Interestingly, there are more than twenty of these idol shops on Harajuku street alone.
• After stumbling around (well, we stumbled, Ito-san strode confidently), we located the shop.
• I almost started breaking down in front of the building.
• Upon entering, both of us were tryna be all economical and shiz, stating "No more than 15 pictures each."
• Within five minutes, the rule is abandoned with glee.
• I will probably never disclose how many photos I bought. It's a sin.
• Let's just say, the receipt was 19cm long and people stared.
• The last thing we decided to do while on our photo-induced high was to eat some crepes (Ito-san treated, bless her little glamorous heart).
• Obviously, this is Tokyo and everyone's super fit so there's no seats anywhere and thus, we are forced to walk all the way until the end of Harajuku's street, which is where the main road is.
• Fate works in mysterious ways.
• For right in front of our eyes is a freaking billboard-sized poster of Arashi's au cm, through the glass window of the building across the street.
• Right next to it, of COURSE, is a freaking billboard-sized screen which plays said Arashi cm... repeatedly.
• Suddenly we were blessed with the ability to eat with the speed of light.
• Some snaps and giggles later, we are inside the building, dying slowly because Japanese phones can't be used in Malaysia exploring the gallery.
• I'm reluctant to go up to the next floor, but by some divine intervention I give in to Nana's wishes.
• Not a bad move- the entire walk up to the 2nd floor is a long, twisting Arashi gallery.
• TENSION UP 120%.
• Then, the first thing we see as the gallery ends is a big-ass bathtub.
• Slightly confused looks are exchanged.
• Slowly.
• Slowly.
• Slowly, it dawns on me.
• This is the same bathtub that Arashi utilized for aforementioned cm.
• You'd think that this is where the dream ends, right? Like a "No Pictures Allowed" will crop up somewhere, or the salespeople shoo you out for disturbing the public peace with your squeeing noises.
• No such (bad) luck! It's part of the freaking au promotion to take photographs with the bathtub.
• And after you manage to stop touching it while muttering excitedly to yourself "OMG NINO TOUCHED THIS OMG AN OHMIYA MOMENT OCCURED IN THIS OBJECT" (somehow, by some means), you're supposed to decorate it.
• With markers (of course we all know what the colors are).
• And then you're supposed to stick it up on the wall.
• I do take pride in being the one to notice that, "Hey! We're the first non-Japanese people here!"
• Being Malaysian has never felt this good. ;p
• Nana finishes beautifying our photo, and I get the honor of sticking it up on the wall. I was greedy, I'll admit, there was ONE remaining space left on the first row and I took it.
• In the taxi, all we could do was amuse ourselves with fantasies of how we left a piece of us behind with Arashi. ♥ ♥ ♥
• ILU Nano.

To be continued in part II!
Part II | Part III