What happened afterwards completely caught me completely off-guard. Due to some unfortunate scheduling, the next stage greetings were scheduled within the hour way across town. Without any warning and like a tornado, most everyone blew out of the cinema. Shoving, pushing, elbowing all present.
Well, what goes up must come down… so yep, more cardio for us - it’s running 5 circles around 5 sets of escalators back down. We must have looked pretty silly to the public. No, I'm sure we looked silly. In fact, we were quite the Saturday pm entertainment for all the families out shopping with their young kids. Saw some of them pointing at us and staring at our shirts – you know, the one with the humongous BYJ face on it. I can hear them now, “ Now children, take a good look at these ladies - please don’t grow up to be like, well, like “THEM” ….” Hahahaha OK, ladies, I’m only kidding, alright?

Blindly, madly, I just followed everyone down and out the Cineplex.

Whoops!
But, ….where were we?
Hmmmm…nothing looked familiar. Us big group of ladies turned around and started running like pin balls in different directions. We asked a local and was pointed in another direction. Ran there, but nope, wrong again. Found the security guard, and was given still another set of directions. Ran there too, but aigooo! Wrong again. By this time, the group was panicking and scattered all about, and finally there were just a few of us that stuck together. Turned out that this Cineplex wass completely surrounded on all sides by multiple parking structures, and there was no way to know which one we needed. And by this time, our direction sense was completely lost, having bounced around this great big mall too many times. Anyway, by our 4th try, some of our sisters were seriously losing their mind. And their temper! Wow, no offense, but I’d never seen such spit-fires before! Sigh…..I guess it’s perfectly understandable - the thought of missing out on YJ can really be fairly devastating.



In my mind, I was thinking that if one sister could get that mad, I didn’t even want to think about what wrath we were about to incur from the busload of sisters, if we caused them to be delayed. Actually, I was even more afraid of having to relive the “Mo-Yung” nightmare. Hahahaha!
Somehow, at that moment, I remember feeling fairly liberated, having quickly come to the conclusion that I’d been really lucky to see YJ a good few times already, so it was alright if I didn’t make it to the next greetings. Really, I really thought that.


Thank goodness out of the group, there was one person with an international cell phone. I know some thought it silly, but if not to make good on that promise to call coco from the premiere meeting, there’d be no way I’d have this piece of saving grace. And my bag collection? Yes, a complete address book with everyone’s contact number. I was really loving this moment - I guess it’s true what they say. Everything in life happens for a reason, doesn’t it?
So, we whipped out the cell phone and made speedy contact with Rie on the coach. And...... asked them to go ahead without us.

Meanwhile, us 4 felt we should still at least try to make a run for it by cabbing it. Hmmmm…but we were in a foreign city, with absolutely no idea where to go, how far it was. Yes, the planning was that flawed. But, ……remember the earlier mistake of handing out the tickets too early? Unlike the other sisters, Liz & I actually already held the tickets in our hands for the next showing. Time, place all clearly documented on it. Yes, everything in this puzzle of life was falling neatly into place piece by piece.

We hailed the first cab we could find, and sped off hastily. Read the cinema's name to Mr. Cab Driver who assured us he knew the way…..that is, after multiple cell phone calls by him and several u-turns later. Traffic was seriously a big problem, and found the cab getting on and off the freeway and zig-zagging through small side streets, adding to the confusion. Really developed a few ulcers on the way there.

Sister, "How many more minutes?"
Cabbie, "10 minutes."
10 minutes later, "You said 10 minutes."
Cabbie, "5 more minutes."
5 minutes later, sister, "Are we there yet?"
Cabbie, "Soon."
A few more exchanges like this went on.

Boy, did he regret picking us up! hahaha

Finally, we were there! Right at the exact hour printed on the ticket, and not a minute to spare. We all exploded out of the cab, and broke into a sprint.. Again we encountered a huge mall, but when I looked up….hey, this is………Oriental Plaza! You know, where I was nosily bothering the ticket salesgirl on Day1!! Yep, another puzzle piece just locked in!

Of my limited array of know-hows, I can say this - there is no mall mishio cannot conquer in 1 day, so of course, no confusion this time. Knew this mall like the back of my hand, and we found Star City Cineplex effortlessly. Liz and I got to enter, but the 2 other sis had to wait outside for their group to claim their ticket.

When we got to our seats (What???? Last row???? Aigooo! ), thank goodness nothing had started yet. Barely took 2 good breaths, and my phone rang. It was Rie from the coach,

“M, where are you?”

M: “I just got to the cinema. Where are you?”

R: “Still on the bus. We were stuck in traffic, and the driver got lost. Has BYJ started yet?”

I’m suddenly reminded how lucky to have escaped mister driver’s antics today.

M: “No, don’t worry. Nothing’s started. But please hurry.” Tried to give them directions.

Did I mention that I don’t do well sitting still?

Ran out and reassured the other 2 sis outside about their group’s whereabouts. On the way in, ahhh….my lucky stars have finally found their way back to me…..I ran right into Mr. Hwang at the door of the cinema. Out of sheer desperation, I pleaded,

M: “Oh Mr. Hwang! There are 2 busloads of family stuck in traffic on their way here. Would you kindly please tell BYJ to try to delay the greetings as much as possible until they arrive?”

I was so embarrassed my face was beet red. What a stupid question from a silly fan. As if………the cinema could really delay movie start times. As if......one teeny little fan had the right to ask so much of them.

Mr. Hwang, squarely facing me, responded politely, “Oh yes, I understand. I will try my best to arrange. I will try.” Turned out they experienced traffic themselves and fully understood.

I’m seriously beginning to admire this man…. A WHOLE WHOLE LOT! That glimmer of hope was enough for me.


Well, as they say, there are superstars and then there are special stars.

Superstars wait for no one, but are instead waited on hand and foot.

And then there are SPECIAL STARS……. well, you get what I’m saying.

I thanked him and went back to rest in my seat. Time’s a ticking…..10mins…15 mins….I was getting seriously worried. Called Rie again – can you believe it? They had just gotten dropped off, a whole block from the mall and on opposite pole from the side where the cinema was situated!

Aigooogoooo!!

This was the final parting Coup de Grace from mister you-know-who.

Too nervous again to sit… I wandered off once more to give the 2 sis another update. On the way out and in, I noticed some of YJ’s entourage and Mgr Yang just leaning in a laid back pose against the wall right outside the cinema, just patiently waiting. Oh yes, now I certainly know my lucky stars had really found their way back home. I don’t know what I said to them , but it was most certainly something meaningless and utterly unimpressionable. Did not matter. I just wanted to make sure they knew us poor US fans existed out there, and supported YJ wholeheartedly. I know I mentionned that.
Anyway, to our good fortune, Mgr Yang didn’t even hesitate to agree to a picture (“Ah…Ok-kay!!” Spoken exactly like the last time!) So I got roomie to come help. Here’s him & Liz – (thanks Liz, you’re a good sport.heehee) Before our welcome was overstayed, we expressed our "thanks" and I zoomed zoomed out of the way again, as fast as I could.

Attention Liz, your notice has been served as well. You're now officially blacklisted!! hahahahahaha