In a typical tour schedule, it is rare to return to one's home country after touring only the UK and the US. Usually, the domestic tour is scheduled as either the grand finale or the very first leg.
Normally, they should have swept through the rest of Europe before returning. However, the schedule had shifted abruptly because of a miscalculation by Ichigo Production.
World tours are generally planned with the premise of performing live sets only. However, Enfants Terribles had forced through a grueling pace, releasing two singles in the middle of their tour, and as a result, the physical condition of the band's leader, Hide, was spiraling toward its worst.
Consequently, Ichigo Production decided to temporarily postpone dates in other European countries like Germany, France, and Italy. While they would have to pay some cancellation penalties, Ichigo Production now operated at a scale where such costs were trivial.
Even putting Enfants Terribles aside, Ichigo Production was the agency behind top-tier groups like AAA and B-Komachi, who were currently dominating the Japanese mainstream. Furthermore, numerous bands born from the recent rock craze had flocked to the agency, leaving their finances incredibly flush.
"Cancel all the scheduled variety show guest appearances and get in touch with Ichigo Production."
"Pardon? But those have been scheduled for months..."
"Shut up and clear the slots! Enfants Terribles is coming back to Japan!"
Broadcasting stations were moving frantically at the news that Enfants Terribles would be returning home, even if only for a short while.
"World stars born in Japan are coming back; we have to get a piece of that action! Didn't you see the ratings jump by 14% last time just during the segment featuring Enfants Terribles?"
To the broadcasters, Enfants Terribles was a goose that laid golden eggs. In the entertainment industry, the ultimate weapons are name recognition and popularity. And Enfants Terribles were stars who currently commanded the entire world.
The stations waited with bated breath for the band to return from the UK.
Knebworth House, England.
It is a megaton-scale concert venue, the largest in the world, capable of holding 120,000 spectators at once. It was the same legendary site where a band called 'Oasis' once performed for 250,000 people over two days.
"This is history, this is history!!"
"Right here, right now, this is history!!!"
I was currently rewriting the record. Beyond the 250,000 Oasis had drawn in my past life, I was finishing a massive run that drew 360,000 people over three days.
'Oasis... a band I loved in my previous life.'
The stage was nearing its end.
Yokishi and Shuji began to raise their voices to cover for my rasping, breaking throat. Ever since the performance in Liverpool, the state of my vocal cords had been precarious at best.
'Champagne Supernova' was a song that captured the hollow essence of the Britpop craze in 90s England—the very moment that brilliant light began to fade.
In a way, 'Champagne Supernova' also represented my current state of mind. In just over a year, Enfants Terribles had become the undisputed kings of the rock genre they had revived.
We had gone from being an unknown, 'who-is-that' group to superstars in a single year. We had endured well enough until now, but I felt that we couldn't keep going simply by being drunk on the atmosphere.
The UK, in particular, was not an easy place for me to be. Didn't I find myself at a loss for words just the other day when I met the critic 'Paul McCartney' on a British music program?
Of course, right now was the time to lose oneself in the moment. The 120,000 people in front of me had come to see the greatest stage Enfants Terribles could offer.
Yokishi's drums surged violently during the climax, while Shuji's bass calmly anchored the center of the track.
In this situation, wouldn't it be irresponsible for me to hold back just because I was exhausted?
I began to wrap up the song, squeezing out the last remnants of a voice that didn't want to come out. Behind me, Yokishi and Shuji added their vocals to support me.
Amidst the cheers of 120,000 fans, we concluded a month of concerts in the UK.
The UK leg had been a truly hellish schedule.
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Once I entered the waiting room, my body refused to move. Only now did I truly understand why rock stars put so much emphasis on managing their physical condition before a concert.
'I have been running around like a madman...'
I lowered my head and closed my eyes, trying to catch a brief moment of rest.
"Nice work, boss!"
"Leader, let's actually get some rest when we get back to Japan!"
Yokishi and Shuji grabbed my shoulders and started rambling about one thing or another.
"Wait, Japan? Wasn't our next tour stop in France?"
"Boss, I asked them to postpone it."
A camera was pointed at us as we conversed. A man holding the lens began to ask us to give a few comments for the fans.
'Ah... the concert DVD.'
When bands play large-scale shows, they often sell separate DVDs of the performance, mixing in behind-the-scenes footage.
After all, a band is still a business.
"Shuji, my voice is shot."
"Leader, I don't have anything to talk about besides music anyway."
Ah... I had briefly forgotten. This guy was a perfectionist mad scientist who cared for nothing but music. We usually never talked about anything except music, so it was a fact I easily overlooked.
"By the way, I heard you're returning to Japan. Is there anyone you're looking forward to seeing there?"
"I plan to buy some flowers and visit my mother," Yokishi answered.
Someone I wanted to see back in Japan... Honestly, besides Ai, there was no one in particular.
Since I had formed no deep personal relationships in this life outside of the Enfants Terribles members and Ai, I naturally thought of her at the PD's question.
"For me... I suppose I'll go see a precious dear friend."
As I spoke, I checked the text messages on my phone. Indeed, excluding professional band business and conversations with Michael Jackson about music, the only person I had private conversations with was Ai.
- Buzz.
─────────
● Hoshino Ai ●
- Hide, good job on the concert!! ദ്ദിˊᗜˋ)
─────────
Right on cue, my phone vibrated with a message from Ai. Just as I was about to type a quick reply, Yokishi and Shuji shot me envious looks.
"Leader... that smile. You just got a text from our little sister, didn't you?"
"Seems like the boss has a monopoly on our mascot's affection..."
But don't they text Ai as well? Why are they looking at me like that?
"Don't you guys text her too?"
"Not as often as you do, boss."
Hearing that, the gloom I'd felt from my fatigue began to lift. Special treatment always feels good. I gave a wink to the camera filming us and headed out into the hallway.
"Yokishi, Shuji! If you're jealous, you should've been nicer to Ai!"
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"Oi, gimme an autograph."
A man with a rugged appearance, wearing worn-out factory clothes, spoke to me. The security guards were slumped over as if the man had beaten them sensible.
"Give me a pen. I don't have one on me."
I looked up from my phone to give the signature.
'Liam Gallagher...?'
Reality is sometimes harsher than a movie. Especially if this was the UK's final parting gift to me.
Seeing his face, I couldn't keep smiling.
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