#NewClassicILIB

Chapter 16
Love

"New Classic! New Classic! New Classic!"

Everyone was screaming at the top of their lungs, after all the lights went out. They were ecstatic and way too excited for the band's entrance.

It was finally the release of Love, which is their third mini album. Instead of holding a livestream album showcase like what they did for the past two albums they released, they decided to do it live in person, so that they could spend it with us.

Of course, before it was even announced, I already knew about the event. My mother kept me well-informed. Hindi ko nga lang sinabi agad kina Aya at Dawn dahil baka kumalat. I trust them, but I didn't want to risk it.

The tickets for Love's showcase were all sold in a speed of light. Only two thousand tickets were released. It was very limited. Everyone went crazy, trying to get a slot. The website crashed so badly that most of the fans who resorted into online ticketing, instead of lining up, failed to get their tickets. And so, New Classic decided to spoil First Class and do a livestream of the showcase, too.

Dawn and I were fortunate because my mother gave us her two complimentary tickets. As usual, Aya couldn't come with us. She's already residing outside the country―in New Zealand. May bahay na pala talaga sila roon at hinihintay lang ang kanilang papeles para doon na manirahan.

It was a pity that I didn't get a chance to meet her before she left to migrate. However, she promised that she'd try to comeback for a vacation. And when she does, she would contact me to meet up.

"Ang tagal naman―ah!" Magrereklamo pa sana si Dawn dahil sa tagal lumabas ng banda, ngunit nang biglang umilaw ang stage ay agad siyang napasigaw.

Highway 143 oh-oh...
With just you and me eh-eh...

The moment they sang the new song all together and the curtains fell at the same time, we all lost it. I didn't bother holding myself back and just screamed my heart out with everyone.

The stage had a romantic set design, but it still looked cool. The members of New Classic fit perfectly on the stage. They were wearing different types of suits in diverse shades of pink.

Shh!
Let me tell you a story

All instrumentals were abruptly cut off, while Isaiah was saying those words with a husky voice―or bedroom voice, like what Dawn told me. He even put a finger against his lips as he hushed us through the lyrics.

Once upon a time,
I put the keys into the ignition
Buckled your belt and said,
"We're gonna go on a mission"

The lyrics made me feel like Isaiah was really narrating a story.

One hand on mine as we go
And we won't ever let go
All through day and night we're driving

There was a build up on the instrumentals as Sic played his drums louder, along with the more aggressive strumming of Ike.

Highway 143 oh-oh
With just you and me eh-eh
Leaving past street into downtown
Off to a place where we can't found
1-2-3 hundred miles with me
In Highway 143

(Highway 143
In Highway 143
Highway 143)

As they sang the chorus, I couldn't believe that it's just a B-side track. It sounded so beautiful. But to be honest, New Classic doesn't have any bad song. Their whole discography was a masterpiece.

The teaser for the music video of Elements―the title track for their third mini album―was released the other night, but it didn't give any highlight on how the song would sound. However, if the B-side track was already this good, I had high hopes for the title track.

The sound of sirens drowned my voice,
Screaming your name
I held your hand,
But it slipped away
Leaving me in pain...

I had goosebumps all over me as Isaiah held on to the high note. I'm not an expert when it comes to singing, but I was sure that―so far―that's the highest note he ever hit from their songs. To think that it went on for a few seconds, I couldn't blame the crowd for screaming out in amusement for his vocals.

Once upon a time,
I put the keys into the ignition
Buckled my belt and said,
"I'm gonna go on a mission"
Yeah...

Highway 143 oh-oh
Without you with me eh-eh
Leaving past street into downtown
Off to a place where you can be found
Heads up to the sky and hope
You're happy in Highway 143

(Highway 143
In Highway 143
Highway 143)

We all cheered and gave the band around of applause as they ended the song perfectly.

"Woah! Ang galing ninyo!" sigaw ni Dawn sa aking tabi. "Ike ang guwapo-guwapo mo talaga! Nakakainis na!"

The guys didn't give us a chance to calm down. They all lined up at the center of the stage to greet us with their iconic tagline, which made us more hyped up.

"Welcome to Love Showcase!" they all enthusiastically said, after their greetings and individual introductions.

"We are so fortunate that we have a chance to do our album showcase with you all, instead of just doing a livestream like what we did with our past two albums," Ike said. "We've been very busy for the past months, so we are really grateful to meet you all right now."

Ike was right. They did promotions overseas, but they didn't get a chance to perform on our local music shows. Once they were back in the country, they immediately proceeded into planning and recording for their new album. We really couldn't see them since the start of the year.

"Ike's right! So, let's not waste this time and have fun today, okay?" Sic lifted everyone up.

"Yes!"

Some of the staffs sneaked behind them to put four stool chairs on the stage. Habang naglalakad sila patungo sa kanilang upuan ay kinaukausap nila kami.

"Anyway, did you all have a copy of our album already?" Sic asked us.

"Yes!"

"Can you show it to us?" Jirro sounded hopeful.

Like the others, I also pulled the album out of my bag to show it to them. At the entrance of the venue, the staffs were giving out a copy of Love album to each attendee.

"We also have ours!" Sic said and showed a copy of the album, too.

The other members also got their own copy from the table at the back.

"It's our first time seeing our album..." Ike said, while scanning the album. "Shall we do unboxing all together?"

"Yes!"

Ike nodded after we responded. "Okay. We will unbox the albums as we introduce each track."

Gaya nga ng plano ay sabay-sabay naming tinanggal ang plastik na balot ng album. Sic was even playfully teaching us how to remove the plastic, like it was something that couldn't be done easily.

Like the past albums―the new album had a minimalistic layout design. It had a pastel theme, which was refreshing to the eyes. It fit the romantic concept of their new album.

"So, Love is our third mini album," Ike said as he raised the album. "We read some comments before that some First Classes are making theories about the name of our albums and its concepts―but this time, it's pretty simple."

Bahagya naman kaming napatawa. Even the other members chuckled.

"We named our third album 'Love' because it contains songs we wrote, which express different concepts of love," Ike continued to explain to us the meaning of the name of their album. "So, let's have Sic introduce us the first track."

Nilingon naman ng ibang members si Sic.

"Our first track is You Make Me," Sic stated. "This is the song Isaiah spoiled two months ago on his Insta live, which led him to be scolded by our manager."

The fans laughed, and so were the other members. Isaiah bit his lower lip, stopping himself from smiling wider. I couldn't laugh with them, though. He spoiled us without the permission of their management. I was feeling worried for Isaiah a bit, but he looked so chill. They could even joke about it.

"You Make Me is a song about falling in love," Sic told us. "It describes what a person thinks and feels as they start to realize that they are finally falling in love."

Your eyes brought sunshine to my life
Your voice is like that warm summer breeze
And your lips made me fall down on my knees
Eh-eh-eh...

You make my heart go dudu duru dudu
Dudu duru dudu
You make me go crazy
You make me fall, baby, baby
You make me

During his live, Isaiah played the song a little bit slower with his acoustic guitar, but the song actually has an upbeat rhythm and melody. It made my heart flutter with excitement.

"For the next one, our title track, let's have Isaiah introduce it because it's solely written by him," Jirro said and nudged Isaiah with his elbow lightly.

My lips slightly parted in awe. Knowing that the song he wrote himself was chosen as the title track of their new album made me feel prouder. I think proud is even an understatement. I couldn't find the exact words to describe what I felt.

Isaiah cleared his throat before he spoke. "Elements is the song I wrote about confessing your love to someone―and that someone is your everything―your one and only."

My heart warmed up, but at the same time, I felt a light twinge inside.

I never thought about this before... Did Isaiah already experience falling in love? Or is he currently in love?

I don't know anything about his dating life. He also doesn't have dating issues. It's a bit unusual because he's good looking, and it also seems like he's the type of person who'd be loyal to his lover. I could even imagine him writing songs for the person he loves.

Kung sino man siguro ang mahahalin niya, napakasuwerte siguro ng taong 'yon.

Because my thoughts got deeper, I couldn't follow his talk anymore. Nabalik lamang ang atesyon ko nang si Jirro na ang nagsasalita.

"The third track in Love album, Highway 143, is the song we sang earlier during our opening performance," Jirro said. "All four of us wrote the lyrics to the song. It talks about a story with a 'runaway love' concept. However, fate is too cruel for the both of them. They might have escaped those who wanted to break them apart, but at the end, they still couldn't be together."

"It's tragic." Sic did a side comment, and everyone laughed.

Now that I recalled the lyrics of the bridge and the last chorus, it gave me chills. I was enjoying the song because of Isaiah's vocals and the other members' choir singing for the adlibs, but I didn't realize how heartbreaking the lyrics were.

At the first two chorus, the song was narrating about their trip. It talked about the two of them being together. However, at the last chorus, the lyrics changed―the protagonist was already alone without his/her lover.

Wow... The song could be written as a tragic novel...

"And lastly, If You Go..." Ike started to introduce the last track in the album. "In this song, we also want to express how love can also bring pain. It's about loving someone who doesn't really love you or someone who replaces you with someone new. It's that kind of love which would make you question yourself. A love that's destructive."

If you go, go, go
I want to know, know, know
If you did love me
Or if you just lied to me

So, now if you go, go, go
I thought I should know, know, know
Is it easy?
To leave me for somebody new?

I knew I talked about how I loved New Classic singing a rock ballad songs, but this time, it hurt. I could feel the raw emotions Isaiah gave into the song while singing. It felt like I also got heartbroken, even though I had not been in a relationship yet or I had not experience something romantically painful.

"It's a pity how time flies so fast..." Sic pursed his lips, pouting a bit. "We're finally down to the last part of the showcase."

"Yes, we actually want to do this longer, but the album will be released in a few minutes, so we have to end the showcase," Ike added.

"Aww..."

Usually, their showcase only lasted for an hour, so I wasn't surprised that they already had to end it.

"But before we perform our title track, we have some announcements to make," Isaiah said and looked at Ike again.

"That's right! I almost forgot." Ike chuckled. "Kidding aside, we are preparing for our second concert, which is also the first world tour that we will do. So, don't be sad that we have to part today because we will be meeting each other again soon."

We all cheered, filled with too much excitement.

"Wala na akong pera, pero sige lang!" Sigaw ng fan na nasa harapan namin ni Dawn.

I chuckled, though I was also amazed that they'd be going for a world tour this time. I was sure that my mother already knew about this. Ito lang ata ang itinago niya sa akin na event ng New Classic ngayong taon.

Ike smiled up to his eyes, seeing us ecstatic about their upcoming concert. "So, yeah, let's not drag this any longer―Got Music?"

"New Classic!"

All the lights went off, after the members got off the stage. We were quiet, waiting for the band to go back on stage.

Oh-oh...
Yeah...

Slowly, the stage went bright as Isaiah started to sing. They added a fake cherry blossom tree on the stage as an addition to the set design they had earlier.

The sun had fallen
And the moon starts risin'
Walking at the sidewalk
On that Friday night

Your touch that lingers
On the tip of my fingers
I can still feel your warmth
Like you're just right by my side

The lyrics were so descriptive. It was so easy to picture everything inside my head.

There I saw Isaiah, walking with a blurry faced woman who isn't me. They were walking hand-in-hand at the sidewalk―looking so happy and comfortable with each other that I wanted to stop myself from thinking about it.

Bringing my head down instead of watching the performance, I bit my lower lip hard that it hurt. It was supposed to be a sweet and romantic song, but I couldn't help feeling a different emotion.

Won't you please, please hold me?
I want you near me
You're my fire
You're my wind
You're my light
You're my sky
You are everything for me

Won't you please hold me?
I want you here with me...
Please, baby
Believe me
You are my one and only

The song ended, but my thoughts were still running a mile. As I was unable to decipher my own feelings, I got more confused and frustrated.