Title: Patience is a Virtue
Members: Staff of Arashi X Arashi
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I don't own Arashi
Summary: One group, one crew, a whole new bond.
It’s 2001 and you’re 21. You’re a fresh graduate complete with the ultimate dream to be a renowned director. You want to produce a show complete with a perfect hero and heroine to create the ultimate love story with a touch of suspense and humour because hey, isn’t that every director’s dream? So you search high and low for a vacant spot but things don’t come easy.
Then one day when you happen to be taking your usual walk, your phone rings and it’s one of your seniors. He’s telling you about a job offer and you quickly accept it without even listening to the details. You hang up and do a little jig in the middle of the road despite the eyes because you’re feeling on top of the world.
But your brain seems out to get you because during that cloud-nine moment, it recalls the conversation between you and your senior. Words like ‘there’s a vacancy’ or ‘you’re the best candidate’ don’t bother you but ‘variety show’ does. A whole lot.
You begin to realize that it’s impossible to obtain your ‘ultimate love story’ with this job. To add up, you hate variety shows. What exactly is so interesting about making lame jokes and making up a corner for some guest? Where’s the plot, the storyline, the heart-breaking scenes, the fabulous one-liners? You just don’t get it and you don’t think you ever will.
You dial your senior’s number intending to take back your words. But just as your thumb reaches the ‘call’ button, you stop and remember how tough the last few months had been when you were jobless. Now an opportunity shows up and you actually had the thought of turning it down. Fear of having to live through that once more makes you shut your phone.
You’ll take this as a stepping stone.
***
You’re new, the stars’ new, the crew’s new, it’s a new variety show, and every single thing is new. How in the world will this be a success?
It’s a new boy-band named Arashi. When you hear that, you think that this situation just couldn’t get any worse. Not only do you dislike variety shows, you absolutely despise boy-bands. They’re completely over-rated, you think. All they have to do is show a ridiculously cool face and they’ve got a minion of fangirls at their feet.
Now, isn’t that just stupid?
You walk into the studio and greet the people you pass. As you reach the dressing room of the stars, you force a smile and tell yourself to not snap at them no matter how bossy boy-bands normally are. Stopping your cheeks, you turn the door knob.
You had expected to see boys with flashy costumes, sitting with their arms stretched across the sofa and legs crossed. But what met you was a young boy staring at you with a finger in his nostril. You realize you’ve entered the wrong room and back out immediately while mumbling a silent ‘sorry’.
As you walk away from the room, you hear the door opening behind you. A voice sounding nasal calls for you, “Excuse me!”
You turn around.
“I apologize about that just now. He… Ohno-kun kind of spaced out while digging his nose with his gaze at the door. And… you kind of just walked in without a warning…”
You’re taken aback by the fact that an idol’s lowering his head for you. Your conscience tells you that it’s your fault.
“No, it’s was my bad. I should have knocked beforehand,” you utter.
Another boy appears and he says, “Sorry, that was me.”
You can’t help smiling at their kindness and introduce yourself. “I guess you must be Arashi.”
There are five young boys standing before you now and they nod.
You find out that ‘Arashi’ consists of Ohno Satoshi, Sakurai Sho, Aiba Masaki, NInomiya Kazunari and Matsumoto Jun. they smile and greet you.
As they’re telling you about how this is their first show, you perceive that they’re not telling lies when they tell you their nervous.
This group’s real.
Your strong dislike against boy-bands wavers a little.
***
‘Mayonaka no Arashi’. That’s the name of this show. What a stupid name, you think. But, you persevere and go on with the shooting, doing the best that you can. Because you absolutely cannot get fired at your first job - it’ll leave a scar on your life.
As your workload increases and you get busier and busier every day, you don’t realize that your mind leaves behind all the hate and your smile begins to surface. You absolutely love how there’s no gap between the stars and the crew and everybody’s like family.
So what if the show isn’t a hit, you start to think, producing it is hell a lot of fun. That’s right, that’s all that matters.
‘C no Arashi’ soon comes along and you’re still with the same cast. The show’s absurd and it asks of the impossible from idols. But these guys don’t understand the meaning of ‘impossible’ and you don’t know why they’re going to such extents just for the show.
You’ve never seen idols bow at the feet of others, get stuff thrown at them, heck; you don’t even see normal people do those. When you ask them, there’s a genuine tone in their voice when they tell you they don’t want to disappoint their fans.
You were right when you told yourself that this situation couldn’t get any worse; it could only get better.
When ‘Arashi no Shukudai-kun’ goes on air, you have a switch of dreams. You’re overwhelmed by their sincerity and sheer determination that all you want to see is them being at the top.
They work hard to make their show enjoyable and you help them make it funnier in any way you can. The staff adds sound effects and funny statements and you gladly take part. Work seems less like work now.
If you think back now, you can’t help laughing at the fact that the boy who stared at you while digging his nose could actually be such a breathtaking singer and dance. To add up to all that, Ohno’s humble and calm personality amazes you that such a being could actually exist.
The chubby-cheeked boy who called after you turned out to be a well-groomed man who you think among his band-mates is the only person who has the awareness of an idol. Even so, you agree with Nino’s letter that Jun’s kindness has warmness in it.
The first time you saw Nino eating cheap food, you were surprised that such a stingy idol could possibly be around. Despite all the money he owns, you’re glad that he never forgets his roots. You’re impressed by Nino’s observing skills as the mood-maker of Arashi - he doesn’t mind having to be the brat if it’s for Arashi.
After all the years of working together, you’ve never seen Aiba run out of energy. You know that there’s bound to be depressing events happening around him but it’s a wonder how his smile never disappears. A part of you tells you that Aiba’s existence is the reason for Arashi’s personality.
Sho is the first idol you’ve ever seen who graduated and is also a newscaster. But, he’s never arrogant about that and even takes part in all the idiocy. The balance in him is remarkable.
You think to yourself, Arashi is one of a kind.
***
It’s 2009 and you’re 28. You’re an active staff working in the variety show area with Arashi as hosts. You’re looking at records being broken rapidly and Arashi is everywhere.
But, when you look at them still being their dorky selves and when they say their success is all thanks to you guys, you confirm that this is the best job you could ever get.