Aoi Hitorigoto - 28. Depth - by Katô Shigeaki
I love university, because I love my japanese classes. However, I must admit that I really like having the free time during my semester break now, having finally the time to be translating whatever I want (not somethign from a textbook). It's so much fun!
Aoi Hitorigoto - 28. Depth
A familiar purikura* peeked out from the back of the desk drawer. It was taken five years ago with the members in
Ôsaka, when NEWS had just been formed. There was me, who looked huddled, stretching out from behind
everyone with an awkwardly crumpled smile. Although the appearance hasn't really changed much, at that time I
thought about a lot of things, and was worried. Surely, the me from then has formed the present me. I wonder how
much I was able to change from that time.
I found a pretty key chain in the back of the accessory case. I couldn't recall right away when I got this, but the
moment I remembered it, my chest tightened. I got this instead of chocolate on Valentines Day from girl in class
who said she liked me. The girl was wonderful as someone choosing a pretty key chain for me, who doesn't like
sweet things. However, I wasn't able to respond to the feelings of that girl. I couldn't bear it, because she was too
lovely. In order to escape and avoid it, I didn't get involved with her. It was impossible for me to really use the pretty
key chain I got from that girl. It's an unbalance for spoiled people like me. That's why I put it in the back of the
accessory case. Even now, after so many years have passed since then, the key chain shines sparkly, like maybe
scolding the me from that time. I wonder, am I still the same as I was back then?
There is a notebook put away in the back of the bookshelf. What's written inside are messages to me from lots of
friends from the countdown party for my 21st birthday. Things like “Shige is still a baby, isn't he.”, “I can't help it but
love you”, “Don't become an adult!”. There were a lot of people who are close to me, and I felt that thanks to those
people I was able to breath. It's all right. I'm still boy with a long way to go.
I previously wrote an essay with the title “Neighbour”. The content was about the people next to me saying great
things, but recently I noticed that this has changed a bit. The people who I thought were at my side, are not only
next to me, but also behind me. From a certain point of view, it seems to look like someone is right beside me.
However, if the angle is changed, the person is behind me and will be probably not to be seen. That is “Depth”.
The person next to me is also behind me, and the person behind me is also next to me.
I'm afraid this topic has become a bit complicated but in other words, there are a lot of wonderful people behind me.
The members, and the girl from back then, as well as the many friends who celebrated my birthday, they are all
behind me. In the essay about “Neighbours”** I wrote
“A friend next to me suddenly said something.
'Shige is like the blue sky' (omission)
All the people at my side are like blue skies to me.
If those blue skies tell me that I'm a blue sky, I am content with that.”,
but if I'm a blue sky, those behind me are the universe. Friends who tell me wonderful things are stars sparkling in
the darkness of the universe that wraps up the blue sky. If I'm the blue sky, all of them are stars. Not bad, is it.
When looking at it from the earth, the stars behind the blue sky can't be seen, but if the blue sky gets swallowed up
by the darkness, the stars always add light there for sure. If there is something I can't do alone, everyone around
me will help out. At times like that I know what love is.
If so, then how in the world can I be seen from the stars on the other side?
I wonder if there is a blue sky behind that light.
_________________________________________________________
* photo cards and stickers from a photo booth, which are often traded among friends
** He quotes himself (the bit written in italic) on his essay “ 21. Neighbour” from the March issue of Myojo in 2008
>>> I love the last part about his friends being the sparkling stars who light up the dark. That's such a lovely imagery!
Please note that English is not my native language. Although it doesn't feel like a foreign language to me, I'm aware that sometimes the phrasing might not be completely correct. So, I'm open for any corrections, regarding the Japanese-English translation or just the English in general.
And please don't take/re-post my translation without my permission, thanx.
:)
Aoi Hitorigoto - 28. Depth
A familiar purikura* peeked out from the back of the desk drawer. It was taken five years ago with the members in
Ôsaka, when NEWS had just been formed. There was me, who looked huddled, stretching out from behind
everyone with an awkwardly crumpled smile. Although the appearance hasn't really changed much, at that time I
thought about a lot of things, and was worried. Surely, the me from then has formed the present me. I wonder how
much I was able to change from that time.
I found a pretty key chain in the back of the accessory case. I couldn't recall right away when I got this, but the
moment I remembered it, my chest tightened. I got this instead of chocolate on Valentines Day from girl in class
who said she liked me. The girl was wonderful as someone choosing a pretty key chain for me, who doesn't like
sweet things. However, I wasn't able to respond to the feelings of that girl. I couldn't bear it, because she was too
lovely. In order to escape and avoid it, I didn't get involved with her. It was impossible for me to really use the pretty
key chain I got from that girl. It's an unbalance for spoiled people like me. That's why I put it in the back of the
accessory case. Even now, after so many years have passed since then, the key chain shines sparkly, like maybe
scolding the me from that time. I wonder, am I still the same as I was back then?
There is a notebook put away in the back of the bookshelf. What's written inside are messages to me from lots of
friends from the countdown party for my 21st birthday. Things like “Shige is still a baby, isn't he.”, “I can't help it but
love you”, “Don't become an adult!”. There were a lot of people who are close to me, and I felt that thanks to those
people I was able to breath. It's all right. I'm still boy with a long way to go.
I previously wrote an essay with the title “Neighbour”. The content was about the people next to me saying great
things, but recently I noticed that this has changed a bit. The people who I thought were at my side, are not only
next to me, but also behind me. From a certain point of view, it seems to look like someone is right beside me.
However, if the angle is changed, the person is behind me and will be probably not to be seen. That is “Depth”.
The person next to me is also behind me, and the person behind me is also next to me.
I'm afraid this topic has become a bit complicated but in other words, there are a lot of wonderful people behind me.
The members, and the girl from back then, as well as the many friends who celebrated my birthday, they are all
behind me. In the essay about “Neighbours”** I wrote
“A friend next to me suddenly said something.
'Shige is like the blue sky' (omission)
All the people at my side are like blue skies to me.
If those blue skies tell me that I'm a blue sky, I am content with that.”,
but if I'm a blue sky, those behind me are the universe. Friends who tell me wonderful things are stars sparkling in
the darkness of the universe that wraps up the blue sky. If I'm the blue sky, all of them are stars. Not bad, is it.
When looking at it from the earth, the stars behind the blue sky can't be seen, but if the blue sky gets swallowed up
by the darkness, the stars always add light there for sure. If there is something I can't do alone, everyone around
me will help out. At times like that I know what love is.
If so, then how in the world can I be seen from the stars on the other side?
I wonder if there is a blue sky behind that light.
_________________________________________________________
* photo cards and stickers from a photo booth, which are often traded among friends
** He quotes himself (the bit written in italic) on his essay “ 21. Neighbour” from the March issue of Myojo in 2008
>>> I love the last part about his friends being the sparkling stars who light up the dark. That's such a lovely imagery!
Please note that English is not my native language. Although it doesn't feel like a foreign language to me, I'm aware that sometimes the phrasing might not be completely correct. So, I'm open for any corrections, regarding the Japanese-English translation or just the English in general.
And please don't take/re-post my translation without my permission, thanx.
:)