field research.
starter for @inezistent – ! 💌
There was something different about the city today. It always looks bright, brimming with life and energy. Another busy day for the city of Tokyo. Yet for some reason Kinam couldn’t help but maintain his gaze on the metropolis below. He squinted his eyes and tilted his head in front of the grand windows that adorn the Ishikawa building, something was itching within him. Within the city. Something about the city was calling for him.
But there was just one problem. He can’t leave. Well, he can’t leave on his own. Unless there’s some type of schedule or a proper reason to step beyond the walls of the building he calls home. And while he knew this to be true, he couldn’t help but focus on the fact that he needed to go down there and see the city. Seeing it from up above in this ivory tower was doing Kinam no good.
Truth be told, while he enjoys the atmosphere of this building and all those who live and work inside it, he’s been hoping for the day that he could go down and explore the city. He’s never seen it up close and personal – never for pleasure, only for business. This is as close as he can get to it. And that fact alone can cause his good mood to crumble and make tears fill the corners of his eyes. He can’t share this with anyone though, he’s already in hot water as it is for his poor performances... “Your dancing needs more work.” or “Your singing isn’t sweeping us away.”
But he truly thinks that the answer to his problems is something called “passion”. Yes, “passion”. That’s what all of the idols of the past centuries have had. And with that “passion” they’ve managed to connect with their audience and give mind blowing performances that haven’t been forgotten even after all these destructive years of division between humans. “Passion” is something that Kinam wants to obtain. Maybe with some of that “passion” he, too, could give an earth shattering performance that’ll put him in Mr. Shiwoo’s good graces... And if there’s one thing he’s passionate about, it’s that urban sprawl just below him. With its incredible neon lights, skyscrapers that seem to touch the heavens, and a mass array of characters with unique stories to tell about their day to day lives just living in this city. Kinam sighs fondly as he admires the holographic advertisement of some new product.
Minutes tick past...
Eventually, Kinam removes his palms from the glass of the window. Shutting his eyes to really allow his mind to process the decision he’s crafted. He’s going to walk out of Ishikawa. He’s going to go out into the city and see it for himself.
No security.
No managers.
No band mates.
No one but himself...
As he dashes to the nearest wardrobe room, he makes a mental note to forbid himself from calling this another day of “exploration”. Finding the simplest clothes he could, he makes another mental note to forbid himself from making eye contact with anyone, lest they identify him and he ends up in worse trouble. Once he’s dressed in a plain black t-shirt, black jeans, and black hoodie he stops before the mirror and frowns. “Not good enough yet...” he scans the room and smiles once his eyes land on a cap. “Perfect!” This is what is called “street casual”. At least, this information is correct to his knowledge.
“What do I call this? How should I categorize this? Well...” he ponders to himself as he maneuvers his way down each floor as expertly as he can, avoiding running into people or androids who could hold him back from this.. this.. this experience he’s been craving for as long as he’s been staring out the windows. Once he reaches the main lobby floor, he feels a rush of energy surge through him. Just beyond those lobby doors lies in wait, the wondrous city of Tokyo. He shuts his eyes and braces himself one last time to slip and dodge past anyone who could cause trouble. It seems to be rush hour, so many employees are leaving at once. There’s so much momentum going on that Kinam doesn’t even notice once he’s just steps away from the grand entrance doors. His straight faced expression melting into a smile as he pushes himself from the building’s entrance and steps foot onto the concrete just outside.
Everything is so much larger. “What do I call this?” Everything is so much louder. “How should I categorize this?” Kinam lets out a small chuckle and slowly tears up seeing the glowing signs all around him letting him know his location, Akihabara... The Heart of Tokyo...
It’s all too much. It’s euphoria and at the same time it’s fear. But he worked too hard to back out now. He’s doing this for MANIA, for Ishikawa, for himself. This is it. Kinam stuffs his hands into the pockets of the black hoodie he borrowed from the wardrobe room - hopefully no one notices these articles of clothing are missing. Walking into the mass moving crowd of people, Kinam smiles to the sky and the skyscrapers. “Well... calling it an ‘exploration’ just doesn’t do it justice.”
“From my previous observations, Akihabara never seems to sleep...,” Kinam thinks to himself as he gazes at the enormous glowing advertisements and the crowd of people moving to and fro getting bigger and bigger as he makes his way down the street. “Observations..... that’s it. I know what to categorize this experience as.”
“Category: Field Research.”
