I'm straight.

After that last post, I was mightily amused to receive an email from 'Derrick' who asked me (very politely), "Are you gay? ;p"

No Derrick, I'm not. I'm straight. I have to clarify though - I'm not homophobic in anyway. In my experience, homosexuals actually make extremely loyal friends and they provide perhaps the best fashion advice around. In my opinion, every girl should have a best gay friend. They make life a little bit more colourful.

I am in love with Takuya Kimura though. I can't really explain it. I mean, hell, I'm like a 16 year old girl. In my room, there are 3 Kimura posters on the wall and there's a huge Kimutaku banner behind my bed. I most certainly don't wanna sleep with him - but I'm certainly in love with him.

It was Nov 1999 and I was an impressionable 17 year boy. I had taken on a 6 week long internship with a local law firm and had gotten very close to the two secretaries there, Violet and Sharon. Everyone else was caught up in the whole J-craze back then so I wasn't surprised to see that a magazine cutout of Kimura in a Kanebo ad taking centrestage at Vio's cubicle. (I wasn't into the J-craze back then. I thought that baggy socks were bloody ugly and that everyone was just blindly following the craze back, so I had little patience for people who were remotely into anything Jap.) I remember going, "Why are you even interested in a guy who advertises for lipstick?"

Remember this photo, Vio?

To which, she replied, "Shut up. I'll lend you a drama of his, you watch it and then talk to me again."

True to her word, she lent me her special edition copy of Love Generation which she had gotten direct from Japan. I watched it over that weekend and I was hooked. For life.

The next year, I returned to school crazy over Kimura. I remember huddling in the study corner with Maryanne and Kaini watching SMAP VCDs (I was trying to convert them. They were both into Gackt. Losers.) I walked around school carrying a file with a picture of Kimura on the cover. This picture -

If it wasn't for the fact that I was involved in a pretty high-profile relationship, I'm sure people would have thought that I was gay. (During my orientation, there were a couple of rumours that I was gay. chuckle. Ask Siva.)

Actually now, looking back, I realise that Kimura is the only celebrity idol that I have. Together with Newcastle United, these two constants have also been around in my life.

Now I can't wait to settle down and have a daughter. I solemnly swear that if she brings home a boyfriend that looks like Kimutaku, not only wouldn't I disapprove (even if he was a bum), I'd even pay for their wedding if need be. Can you imagine how gorgeous their offspring will be? I'd be the coolest grandfather with the most gorgeous grandkids.

Suddenly, life seems good again.