Just the Same… But A Lot Different.

It was all worth it.

The moment I stepped in to Araneta, I knew it was going to be different. Because this time, I knew I did my part. For nine long months, I waited and prepared together with people who share the same goal as mine: to give Super Junior the best of what they deserve from the Philippine ELF.

And I was right. It was really, entirely different from all others.

Sorry, Sorry was the first song. Again, it was the fish who I have set my eyes upon first. He was lifted from the circular LCD screen and he looked so perfect to me even from afar. Then the members appeared, standing and kneeling like life-sized mannequins. They were all glowing in white and I could hardly differentiate them from angels.

Then comes song after songs. Truth is, I compiled the fan projects and the fan chants but I was mentally blocked when I saw Super Junior. Indeed, one glimpse of these perfections can be fatal. Good thing I gathered back my thoughts and came back to myself – a fan girl.

But you know what? This time, I couldn’t scream loud. I couldn’t jump with them. I couldn’t even take pictures and fan cams even though my camera was on. It’s not that I was dumbfounded. It’s not that I haven’t fully recovered yet from the starstruck…

It’s just that I gave myself a chance to really feel what Super Show 3 Manila is all about.

I spent almost half of the concert sitting on my seat, crying, listening to the ballad songs and waving my lightsticks and project materials. During lively songs, I stand up and jump and scream but ended up being speechless whenever a member passes by my section. I was in the front-most row of the corner area, by the way.

But on the event that I cannot control the ubiquitous fan girl in me, I reach out for the boys’ hand, scream, jump, sing along and go gaga. Lucky me, I got to touch the angel’s hand and I tell you, my knees shook for like a minute or two afterwards. The angel has the softest skin I’ve ever touched. I even felt shameful because mine was rough. Nevertheless, I got to touch him.

And it felt like heaven.

The joy was further emphasized when I learned that the fans really put their hearts to the projects started by my friends in SUJU MAD. When I first saw the whole Araneta covered with No Other hearts, I started tearing up. I suddenly felt my heart flutter. You see, making people cooperate is as difficult as making Heechul happy. But Philippine ELF were united, and so the boys were obviously overjoyed.

We did it, guys. I can’t be any prouder.

And the fan chants? I didn’t hear it because the whole Araneta was too busy singing the whole song with the boys. I do not want to take the credits but I am hoping and praying that somewhere behind the success is the compilation I did. Because if it really helped, I knew I succeeded and all the annoyance and headaches are nothing. Same thing goes to the UYUBITKKAL KIM HEECHUL, SARANGHAEYO KIM HEECHUL and the URINEUN ELPEU-O-E-YO chants. I really couldn’t be any happier hearing it that night.

Indeed, this Super Show 3 Manila taught me a lot of things. Through it, I realized that miracles need time to reveal themselves. Patience is a real virtue which each one of us must learn. Because at the end of the day, even amidst the frustrations and disappointments, something worth it is waiting.

As the house lights of Araneta Coliseum went on, I saw Jungsoo’s gesture towards the grandmother who watched the concert. That’s when I realize once more that I am in the best fandom and I have the made the right decision in sticking with Super Junior and my fellow ELF for the rest of my life.

I stepped out of the concert venue and felt the very same feeling I did after Super Show 2, only a lot better because I know I did something this time. Everything has gone back to normal but after the concert, I knew that nothing will ever be the same again.

Thank you, Super Junior. Thank you very much.