Recommended listening: 'All You're Dreaming Of' by Liam Gallagher.
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Following that momentum, we released our first and second albums, [Definitely Maybe] and [(What's The Story) Morning Glory?]. If you're wondering why we dropped two albums at once, it's because our songwriting capacity was at its absolute peak—great songs practically poured out of us with every breath.
For instance, watching President Saito enjoy a cigarette with his drink inspired Yokishi to write 'Cigarettes & Alcohol'—a track that had reached number 7 on the UK charts in my previous life. Another song, 'Digsy's Dinner,' was born from a melody Ai was absentmindedly humming, which sparked a sudden wave of inspiration.
Ultimately, Shuji and I couldn't agree on how to arrange all those masterpieces, so we decided to release them as a double feature.
[Definitely Maybe], which was filled from start to finish with hope and optimism for the future, was my project. [(What's The Story) Morning Glory?], an album that flowed with an organic, narrative structure, was Shuji's work.
Our debut releases, alongside the previously released singles, completely conquered the US Billboard charts, selling a combined 65 million copies.
Literally, the entire United States was holding its breath, waiting for Enfants Terribles to begin their tour.
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"Hide, congrats on sweeping the Billboard charts."
"Cut the crap. You guys will be catching up soon enough, won't you?"
The man at the center of this global syndrome, Hide, was on the phone with Ueda Tatsuya, the leader of [KAT-TUN], who had once been called Enfants Terribles' rival.
"Tell Ai-chan I'm sorry I couldn't make it."
"Got it. Don't worry, there are plenty of people here to celebrate for you."
"Yeah, well, you should be the one taking care of your girlfriend anyway."
Ueda Tatsuya, my close friend and the leader of [KAT-TUN], seemed to be misunderstanding my relationship with Ai. We were nowhere near that kind of involvement. To begin with, she was only just turning fourteen. For someone like me, whose mental age was well over thirty in my past life, seeing a child like her as a romantic interest would just be wrong.
Though I felt like I'd become more emotionally sentimental recently compared to when I first arrived in this world, she was still like a daughter to me.
"Disgusting..."
"Oh, look at you, acting like you hate it when you're actually happy. 😃"
"Anyway, I'll pass on the birthday wishes to Ai for you."
That was right. Time had flowed on, and it was now December. Along with the early snowfall, Ai's birthday had arrived. To the members of Enfants Terribles, Ai was like a second family, and we were currently in the middle of preparing her birthday party.
"Hey, stop popping the Musclemon balloons!"
"Baldy, what am I supposed to do? They pop the second I touch them!"
Of course, the preparation process was a complete mess.
"We won't see her for a while once the world tour starts, so let's do this right."
""Got it!""
We were planning a quite grand party because we had to leave for the US tour the day after Ai's birthday. Technically, we should have left a week ago, but we pushed the schedule back specifically for this party.
"Oh! Nishijima, you look like you've finally brightened up a bit?"
The members of [AAA] had also come to our rehearsal studio to help with the party preparations. [AAA] had been discarded by their previous agency, but they managed a narrow escape thanks to our help and were now active under [Ichigo Production].
'The [B-Komachi] girls' skills really improved after they joined.'
The members of [AAA] were doubling as trainers for [B-Komachi] in their spare time. Perhaps because they were still at a growing age, the girls absorbed the teachings like sponges. Now, all the [B-Komachi] members had become performers capable of truly shining on stage.
"Teaching those kids wasn't much. They're bringing in professional instructors soon anyway."
"Nishijima-kun, you stayed up every night planning their training routine, though."
Uno, the only female member of [AAA], spoke up while playfully nudging his shoulder.
"Hide-kun, by the way, what did you get for Ai-chan's present?"
"Something incredible."
I had prepared something incredible. Something precious that no one else but me could give her.
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For a girl named Hoshino Ai, a birthday was never a day to look forward to. Having never known her father and being abandoned by her mother, her birthday was merely a day that reminded her of her [deficiencies].
That was why, after all her schedules were finished, she was heading toward the Enfants Terribles' rehearsal studio like any other day. Though this routine would end tomorrow when they left for their world tour, they were the people who always welcomed her—the ones who allowed her to show her [sincerity].
She opened the studio door, thinking about how she should tease Hide, who had been acting more sentimental lately.
"BANG!!!"
"""""Happy Birthday!!! Ai!!!"""""
The girl stood there dazed. The only person she had told her birthday to was President Sato, through her personal information when signing with [Ichigo Production].
"How did you know today was my birthday...?"
"Because you told me on your way home once."
The one who answered her question was her 'Oshi,' the blonde-haired Hide. She had certainly babbled about various things while excited in front of him. But even though she had mentioned it in passing, he had remembered it.
"You remembered that...?"
"Of course. It's your birthday, after all."
In all her life, she had never been [sincerely] blessed by someone on the day she was born. There were formal congratulations, but they were nothing more than [lies]. Being surrounded by so many people celebrating her birth was a first.
She felt like she was going to cry at this first experience of genuine blessing from others.
"Oh? You can't cry yet. Look over there."
She looked up and saw Uncle Yoki and Uncle Shuji dressed in Santa suits, holding their instruments.
"It's a replacement since we can't be here for Christmas!"
"Our mascot, Ai, you're always welcome to come here whenever you're feeling down. Enfants Terribles was with you from the start, and we'll always be on your side."
Though their tone lacked the usual playfulness, their faces were full of mischief, making her laugh. Then, Hide threw on a Santa suit and stepped between the two muscular men.
"This is my birthday present to you. Naturally, the copyright belongs to you."
The Ai who had gripped my sleeve with her frail hand when I was heading home after busking when I first fell into this world... she had looked so desperate.
That was how we started talking, and I realized that behind the child's artificial smile, a dark shadow was hidden. Her sky was one that had given up on any expectations for the world.
I tried to look away from her at first, but I couldn't in the end. I eventually decided that I should be the one to fill the [deficiencies] of such a wounded child.
Actually, there wasn't a major reason. I simply couldn't ignore her as an adult who had experienced the world before she did.
I came to know that what the wounded girl wanted more than anything was [love]. But simultaneously, I learned that paradoxically, the girl who craved love more than anyone else was also the most afraid of it.
The wounded girl was a [coward]; she was terrified that the love she gave might be betrayed, or that her [sincerity] might be rejected.
And I realized that Enfants Terribles, having thrown away all pretense, had miraculously become her sanctuary.
This song contained the message I wanted to convey to that girl.
It was a track that said I, at least, would always be on her side and [love] her just the same, no matter what she looked like. It was a story telling her that even if I leave for a while, I'm always on her side, so she shouldn't feel too lonely.
As the song reached its end, I stepped down from the stage and slowly approached Ai. The girl herself seemed quite flustered by my actions.
I finally stopped right in front of her and met her eyes.
"Happy birthday. Sincerely."
With all my heart, I left a kiss on her forehead.
That day, the first time she had ever truly experienced a real birthday, was a day full of blessings for her.
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It was the walk home to see Ai off, just like any other day, but today, the return trip was filled with the sound of crunching snow rather than the sound of conversation.
"Ah, we're here."
It was at that moment, when I was about to see her into her house as usual.
'Eh?'
A kiss... on the lips?
"The rest will happen after you get back! You have to come back healthy!"