As the internet erupted over the video of Enfants Terribles leader Hide and [B-Komachi]'s center Ai dating, Hide was at a broadcasting station preparing for a shoot.
[Asahi TV]'s 'Ametalk!' is a popular variety program that gains its popularity by conducting interviews with celebrities in a comfortable, tranquil atmosphere—much like SBS's 'Healing Camp' in Korea—allowing guests to naturally open up about their inner feelings.
"Ah, Hide-san, your microphone is crooked."
And Hide, the leader of Enfants Terribles, was scheduled to appear as a guest on that very 'Ametalk!'.
From the perspective of Asahi TV, which had been suffering from recent slumps in viewership ratings, Hide's appearance was like rain during a drought. Although there had been another guest originally slated for the slot, as soon as Hide expressed his intent to appear on 'Ametalk!', [Asahi TV] immediately pushed for the recording by arranging a schedule that involved shooting twice a week.
[Asahi TV] was staking everything on this shoot. Was it not 'the' Hide making a solo appearance on a variety show? While he had appeared on shows with Enfants Terribles before, this was the first time Hide was appearing on variety television alone.
"Alright! We're going to roll! Stand by, cue!"
A tense staff member set Hide's microphone and gave the cue signal, and the MCs, whose expressions had been stiff just moments ago, began to flash professional smiles.
"Alright! Hotohara-san! What is the reason we've gathered in such a hurry today?"
"Wasn't it because someone who is currently the ultimate trend decided to come see us?"
Hotohara Toru and Miyasako Hiroyuki, who serve as the MCs for 'Ametalk!', began their banter, and the rigid atmosphere of the set began to relax.
"Yes! That's right. If you live in Japan, there is no way you don't know this person! I honestly never imagined he would appear on our program!"
"I agree! He is known as the greatest genius Japan has ever produced! I knew he was busy with overseas activities, so when I heard he was coming here, I was absolutely shocked!"
"Alright! Then, let us introduce today's guest! It's the leader and frontman of Enfants Terribles, Hide-san!!!"
As the comedy duo act between Hotohara Toru and Miyasako Hiroyuki concluded, the cameras that had been focused on them turned in perfect unison toward a handsome young man with blonde hair. The camera then captured the image of the blonde youth holding a guitar and clearing his throat.
Once the rapid camera movements settled, Hide began to sing Enfants Terribles' representative track, 'Live Forever.' A song embodying the band's optimism, 'Live Forever' held immense significance in music history for its role in sparking the band syndrome.
The reason Hide chose this as the opening song was that singing 'Live Forever' allowed him to reclaim, even if only slightly, the emotions of those days—a time when he sang with [sincerity] and shouted a [positivity] fueled by self-assurance.
For this recording, Hide intended to return to a teenage sensibility and explain his relationship with Ai to the public. After all, wasn't the pure and fresh love of teenagers, uncolored by society, a subject that everyone raves about regardless of generation? Hide planned to exploit that public romanticism.
"Wow... I see why they call you a superstar! It's a pleasure to meet you, Superstar Hide-san!"
"Ah... yes. It's a pleasure to meet you both as well."
Following Hotohara Toru's greeting, Miyasako Hiroyuki jumped right in to offer his own.
"You really are a fantastic singer! I feel this every time I listen to your music, but your voice truly has 'soul.' Can you see the goosebumps on my arm right here?"
"Ah... well..."
Hide felt bashful at the praise from the two men. While he had seen plenty of compliments in articles, it was his first time hearing such praise from others right to his face. For Hide, who possessed a naturally blunt temperament, it was an environment difficult to adjust to immediately.
"I suppose I am doing quite well, aren't I?"
However, unlike in the past, Hide was now a 'pro' who could hide his [sincerity].
"Alright! We'll stop talking about your career for now. Hide-san, is there a specific reason you came on 'Ametalk!' today?"
Hide's ultimate goal in appearing on the show was to manage public opinion regarding his relationship with Ai, ensuring that even the smallest negative views were silenced so she wouldn't be hurt.
"Was there not a bit of a commotion recently regarding my dating life?"
"Ah! That's right! You were involved in a massive scandal with [B-Komachi]'s Ai-chan. It broke because of that photo taken at a table in front of a convenience store!"
Miyasako Hiroyuki mentioned the photo included in the articles to help viewers who might not know the details of the scandal. Of course, while almost every Japanese person likely knew, it is important in broadcasting to explain everything as if showing it to someone who knows nothing at all.
"Yes. I enjoyed a date for the first time in a long while, and it turned into a scandal."
"What were your thoughts at that moment?"
"First, I thought I had let my guard down. Since quite a few paparazzi have ended up with their lights punched out by my hands, there haven't been many around lately. Honestly, I never imagined a reporter from 'The Sun' would follow me all the way to Japan."
"Enfants Terribles certainly is famous for sending reporters to the emergency room! If that reporter had caught a hook to the jaw from Hide-san, he might have come to his senses and lived right! How tragic!"
Hide gave a faint smile, as if agreeing with Hotohara Toru's ad-lib.
"Anyway, since I've never really talked about my private life to the public, all sorts of rumors started circulating. But I saw some rumors that might hurt Ai, so I came out to speak frankly. I only want Ai to see the good things in life."
"If bad rumors are spreading, doesn't that mean there are stories that might hurt you as well, Hide-san?"
"Well, I suppose so. Since I'm only human, hearing those things does weigh on me."
Saying it weighed on him was a roundabout way of saying he was being hurt. Hearing that he was pained by the public's reaction, Hotohara Toru and Miyasako Hiroyuki began to look at Hide with pity. No matter how much of a superstar he was, Hide and Ai were still minors.
Being placed in such a situation at an age when they should have the right to freely express themselves and enjoy happiness, Hotohara Toru and Miyasako Hiroyuki couldn't help but feel sympathy as adults.
"Ah... I see... Even if the whole world criticizes you, we will cheer for the love between Hide-san and Ai-chan."
"Speaking as an adult, Hide-san and Ai-chan are at an age where you are allowed to love freely. Which means, if someone has something to say about it, you have every right to hold up a middle finger and tell them to eat s***!"
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"Alright! Before we hear more about your love life, shall we take some time to learn about 'Hide the Human' rather than Hide the leader of Enfants Terribles? As you know from watching our program, we start by listening to stories from very early childhood. Even for a superstar like Hide-san, there are no exceptions!"
"Hotohara-san! That's why I brought them! Hide-san's school records and report cards!"
Hotohara Toru brought out a rolling whiteboard and began pinning Hide's school records and grades to it. As they looked over the grades, the eyes of the three MCs filled with astonishment.
"Wow... except for Music and Literature, your grades are basically scraping the bottom... I guess you had no interest in studying back then."
At Hotohara Toru's comment, Miyasako Hiroyuki—who had belatedly checked the report card—let out an exclamation of a different kind.
"At least I did well in Literature and Music. My ability to utilize my given talents was simply better than my ability to study."
To be honest, Hide didn't know much about his actions before he had reincarnated into this body. They surfaced in his dreams like fragments, giving him the general context, but he didn't know the specifics.
Honestly, it's getting harder to distinguish between my past life and this one now.
When he first took over the body, his past life experiences and current ones were clearly separated, but now the boundaries were becoming very blurred.
"That's certainly true! Then shall we take a look at the life records?"
"Oh... it's written here: 'He was an active and cheerful child until the age of 9, but he seems to require psychological counseling due to the deep scars left by his parents' divorce.'"
Ah, this was something that had recently surfaced in his dreams. Because the frequency of memories from before his reincarnation appearing had increased lately, I had already absorbed a significant amount of those memories.
"Ah... having your family fall apart is never a pleasant experience. Actually, what was more shocking than that was seeing my father—who said he would never remarry—get remarried anyway. Well, I was kicked out after expressing my resentment toward him."
As I finished speaking, the MCs of 'Ametalk!' looked at me with pitying eyes. Of course, because I felt the emotions of that time, I couldn't say I was completely indifferent. However, because the memories of growing up while meeting good adults in my previous life were so vivid, I could honestly brush off the events of that time as 'just something that happened.'
"It seems you faced many hardships after that. There's a note here: 'After bouncing between his aunt's, uncle's, and grandparents' houses, he eventually went to his mother, but was neglected by her as well. Seeing him living like a ghost at his paternal uncle's house makes me feel pity not just as a teacher, but as an adult.'"
This was a fact I hadn't known. I remembered being abused at my uncle's house, but the fact that I had been rejected by other family members and drifted from place to place was a memory that had never surfaced before.
"Ah... how did you endure that pain?"
"What was there to endure? I just held on by listening to old music. Artists like 'Chuck Berry'."
"They say musicians grow by swallowing pain... I didn't know Hide-san had such a background."
Every time memories from before the reincarnation surfaced, I thought about how many similarities there were to my past life. In my previous life, I had been abandoned by my parents and overcome that pain through 'music,' and it was the same for me in this life.
"Ah! Do you have something like a first love from your school days?!"
To lighten the darkening atmosphere, Miyasako Hiroyuki tossed out a question to change the mood.
"Uh... well..."
It was a bit sorry to Ai, but my first love was in my past life. However, since Ai was definitely the first love of this life, the words I was about to speak wouldn't be a lie.
"My first love is currently a work in progress."
"Ah, yes! I see!"
"We should ask about that story a bit later, so let's save that for in a moment!"
Then, the expressions of Hotohara Toru and Miyasako Hiroyuki, who were still looking through the school records, began to stiffen. Their hands trembled as if they had seen something they shouldn't have.
"This is... a very disrespectful question but... on the way to school, the uncle who was raising you... h-hung... h-him..."
"I'm sorry. Shall we skip this topic?"
After that question, the filming for 'Ametalk!' was temporarily suspended. For the first time in 'Ametalk!' history, a situation had arisen where the entire personal history segment might need to be cut from the broadcast.