This boy. This boy takes alone the steps up to Tokyo Dome's stage before the encore. He is the first of the group to appear.
He stands, head held high and smiles before more than 60 thousand people and speaks heartfelt words of gratitude for eight minutes.
He never stutters, his voice never wavers and he never looks down or lost.
People in the audience are crying, but then he smiles and makes some jokes to lift the mood.
He is the ultimate Prince character of his agency, and holds to that title and shows a comedic appearance more than often.
Really, he is a serious and hardworking person (see just one example
here) but he rarely lets the public see that.
And he is proud of it, the fact that he can really LIVE his idol prince persona when he is in public, whether it is as a member of NEWS or alone in his own schedules.
So be happy, you who have seen him pour his heart out on NEWS 10th anniversary stage.
You perfect little being, I am so proud of you and so proud to be your fan.
♥ ❤ ❥♥ ❤ ❥♥ ❤ ❥♥ ❤ ❥♥ ❤ ❥♥ ❤ ❥♥ ❤ ❥♥ ❤ ❥♥ ❤ ❥♥ ❤ ❥♥ ❤ ❥♥ ❤ ❥
Tegoshi's encore speech ( the eight minutes), part one translation:
Thank you for today.
Today was really fun, and I'm truly happy. Thank you.
Well, we have somehow come to reach 10 years as NEWS, but when I look around I think that we have lived through many things that a group usually would not.
There are many things that happened during those ten years; we have been the reason for some sad memories, and made you worry...
Somehow, during this national tour in, in each concert when seeing everyone's lovely smiles when you're cheering us on enthusiastically with pure feelings, there were so many times when I thought that NEWS's fans are amazing.
You're the best!
Truthfully speaking, this ship called NEWS has been close to being broken so many times in these ten years. I think there have been times when you have noticed a little of them.
Like.. it's come to a point where NEWS is the group that no matter how many times we disappear, it's not unusual.
Like you know, I who has only ever been playing football (soccer), entered Johnnys' company and due to, I like to call it, fate, was added to a group called NEWS. And from there on my life completely changed.
At that time, I thought that we'll make it to the top with this group, with these members. Back then I hated losing (I still do now, but then it was more clearly visible) and I was single-minded with it like in sports that I'd always played: We'll definitely reach the utmost top with this group, with these members! We'll be the number one in Johnnys and when people would be talking about the group that brings happiness not just girls but also fathers and mothers, children and boys, they would be talking about NEWS.
But when I think about it, there were times when our activities were halted, when the members' opinions and thoughs didn't match each other, when we wanted to make a real national tour but only could have concerts in Tokyo and Osaka.. That wasn't how it was supposed to go.
But even in those bad times, there were thoughts that maybe we should try it once more with this group. And not to whitewash the past, but simply because everyone (of you fans) was there.
And so we made a comeback as a 4-member NEWS last year. I truly thought that I wouldn't ever stand on a stage with them anymore, for there really was the option that NEWS would be disbanded and I would only continue in Tegomasu.
Everyone gave their encouragement, but if asked if I had 100% confidence in everyone approving the new 4-member NEWS, I couldn't have wholeheartedly said yes. But after releasing Chankapaana and taking the concert tour to see everyone around the country, thoughts like ”I'm so happy that I continued for these fans' sake” and ”I wonder how we are this loved” and ”I'm so happy now” suddenly increased rapidly when we were together as NEWS.
This year too, when the tour was decided on I was really really happy; it is after all our 10th anniversary year. But when we start thinking about it, we don't really feel like it's been 10 years. That is because we couldn't have activities for all of those years and caused everyone much worry and sadness. But after all when this 10th anniversary event was decided, I thought that 10 years is really something to be proud of.
(
part 2 here)
//edit. thank you very much for the nice comments. Sharing is caring =)