The Shine Hour.
A weekly radio show that features the brightest upcoming stars in the nation. Once you've been invited to appear as a guest on that show, you know you're doing something right.
My...
Well, Kisuke, my former self's dad, Kira Kamijiro has been the host of the show since it first started 25 years ago.
I remember as Kisuke, 22 years ago when my dad would drag me to those recording sessions. Giving me the opportunity to meet many different people.
As Sarina's treatment became more frequent, I found myself following my dad to more of the weekly sessions. It was there that I came face to face with even more celebrities.
But fame wasn't my forte. I craved the rush of victory more than the adoration of millions, which was why I'd always dreamed of becoming an athlete, not an entertainer.
What really drove me to pursue a career in sports, though, was my desire to give Sarina my eventual gold medal. Her Olympic dreams may have been shattered, but she'd always been a champion in my eyes, and she deserved every bit of glory that came with that medal.
Prior to the show going live on-air, Kira gave me the chance to meet his guests, shake their hands, and maybe even nab an autograph or two.
Everyone I met was ambitious and full of life, but none more so than a certain rising idol.
She reached out her hand, offering the chance to shake it, and I was left dumbstruck.
AI: "Hm, helloooooo? Is everything alrighty in there?"
KISUKE: "Oh, uh, sorry."
I took her hand in mine, and we shook for what felt like an eternity. Even now, I can still feel the warmth of her grip, the spark of her personality.
AI: *Giggle* "You're cute!"
KISUKE: "Wh-Wha-?!"
ICHIGO: "D-Damn it, Ai! You can't say that to boys outside of fan meets so casually!"
AI: "Hmm? But he's a fan, and this is a meeting. So that counts, right?"
KISUKE: "Actually I...don't know who you are."
AI: "Eh? That's new."
KISUKE: "Uh, what do you mean by that?"
AI: *Chuckle* "Who knows?~"
KISUKE: "Anyway, I'm Kisuke Kamijiro. My dad actually runs this show."
AI: "Oh my goodness! Is he really your dad? Wow, you must be so lucky! I wish I had a dad like that!"
ICHIGO: "GAH!"
AI: "Oh, come now! You can tell me, what's he really like? I bet he's such a sweetheart, isn't he? I just know he is!"
KISUKE: "Oh, well... I suppose he's just like he sounds on the waves. Nothing too out of the ordinary there."
As far as talk show hosts go, Kira Kamijiro is about as genuine of an article you can get.
AI: "Oh, that's boring."
KISUKE: "Boring or not, he's totally dedicated to this town. Getting Takachiho on the map is a big part of his vision for the future, which is what inspires him to host this show."
AI: "Takachiho, hmm? That means you're a local, right? Is it a nice place to live? I've never been before now, but I've always wanted to visit here! Do you think it's worth the trip?"
KISUKE: "Yeah, it's a nice place. It's on the quieter side, which can be a nice change of pace from city life. Although I can see how some might find it a little boring, having lived here all my life."
AI: "Secluded and away from city life... I might keep that in mind! You know, if I want a vacation or something."
KISUKE: "You're an idol, so I imagine you're a pretty busy person. I'm sure fans are constantly asking for your attention, and you must always be surrounded by other talent, right? What's it like being an idol? Do you like being one?"
AI: "How old are you?"
Huh, like the professional Ai was, she dodged my question with one of her own.
The master of deflection herself.
KISUKE: "I'm eleven."
AI: "Wow! Samesies! We're a perfect match!~"
KISUKE: "Eh?!"
ICHIGO: "AI!"
AI: "Oh, come on now! We're the same age, so we have matching ages. There's nothing bad about that! It's just a funny coincidence, and we shouldn't make a big deal out of it. Do we have matching shoe sizes as well, Kisuke? Ha ha ha! Just kidding."
ICHIGO: *Sigh* "Your wording could get me into a lot of trouble someday... Please be more careful, I don't want to be dragged down to hell."
And then, there was this guy in sunglasses who kept stepping in at every opportunity to stop Ai from saying something reckless. It was interesting to watch him try to reign in her more reckless tendencies.
He seemed determined to prevent her from making any slip-ups that might damage her reputation. But I couldn't help but wonder why he was so concerned with what she was saying. Was he protecting her, or was there something more to it?
A manager? A father?
KISUKE: "Is this your manager?"
AI: "Yeah! C'mon, don't be shy! Introduce yourself, Ichigo! We won't bite! Unless you give us a good reason to, that is. Ha ha! Just kidding!~"
ICHIGO: *Sigh*
AI: "But seriously, it's time to face the music! We don't have all day, you know!"
ICHIGO: "It is a pleasure to introduce myself. I am Ichigo Saitou of Strawberry Productions, and you may refer to us as IchigoPro for short. Our company strives to provide the best entertainment and services for our clients, and we value professionalism and integrity in all that we do."
He bowed deeply and handed me his card with a gentle smile. I couldn't help but admire the craftsmanship and professionalism that went into the design, and the way it perfectly represented the individual that gave it to me. It felt almost disrespectful to put it in my pocket, where it could get all crumpled up.
ICHIGO: "Please excuse me for a moment. I need to check on a few things with Miyako. In the meantime, can I trust to leave you alone, Ai?"
AI: "Of course!"
The professional looking man excused himself from the table briefly to make some final preparations for the broadcast with his assistant. In the meantime, it felt like the air in the room suddenly became much quieter. It was as if the man's presence and professionalism had created an invisible bubble around us, and now that he was gone, we could finally speak freely.
I had to say something to break the ice.
KISUKE: "He seemed a little tense..."
AI: *Giggle* "It comes with the job."
KISUKE: "Oh. So, as an idol, you have to be careful with what you say, right? Is it a part of the job that you really struggle with, or is it no big deal? I mean, we all have things we're good at and things we're not."
AI: "Yeah, yeah, but you know, they're just paying customers, right? We're here to give them what they want! It's all about telling the people what they want to hear! Well, at least sometimes. I mean, we can't always be that sweet all the time, right?"
KISUKE: "Um... Yeah. That's kind of the same with radio."
AI: "At least in radio, you can hide your face. No one needs to know who you really are, or what you look like. No one knows what you're wearing, or what you're doing at any given moment. And I think that's what makes it so tantalizing, you know? Just being able to be whoever you want to be, without all the baggage that comes with being an idol."
KISUKE: "Eh?"
AI: "Nothing. Wait... If you don't know who I am, then what about your dad? Does he know who I am?"
KISUKE: "Oh don't worry, trust me, he wouldn't have invited you if he didn't know every little detail about your career. I mean, he's really passionate about doing his research, and he takes his guests seriously. I'm sure he's spent a ton of time pouring over your interviews, videos, and anything else he could get his hands on. He loves digging into that stuff. So you can bet he knows practically everything about you."
AI: "Ah, I'm glad to hear that! So, any tips or instructions on what topic we'll be talking about? I'm really excited to chat with him, but I wouldn't want to bring up something that he's not interested in. But, hey! I can tell he's a professional, so I'm sure he'll just roll with whatever we throw at him, right?"
KISUKE: "I don't know the ins and outs of what my dad does. You'd be better off asking the man himself."
AI: "Oh! So, I should talk to him before the show, huh? I definitely don't want to end up stuttering on live TV! Although, in a weird way, I kind of enjoyed all the attention I got after my last concert. I stuttered slightly during my solo song, and it ended up going viral! All eyes on me! Haha!"
In my short exchange with Ai, I got a glimpse into what idols must go through to maintain their spotless public image. It seems that even the slightest slip-up can lead to harsh criticism from the public and can have significant consequences for their career. It's a high-pressure job with a lot of expectations.
KISUKE: "Well, I'll leave you to your work now. It's not every day I get to talk to an idol like yourself, but I don't want to take up too much of your busy schedule. It was nice chatting with you."
AI: "Hm? You're not going to be watching the show?"
KISUKE: "Oh, yeah I'll be here for that."
AI: "You will? I'm so glad to hear that! I was nervous that I might have bored you with all my talking. Oh, I can be so silly sometimes!"
At the time, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something off about her. It was as if something was wrong beneath that bright façade. And the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if there was more to her story. I still haven't been able to shake that feeling, even now.
So I asked her my earlier question.
KISUKE: "I have a question of my own."
AI: "Oh? I'd be happy to answer it!"
KISUKE: "Do you like being an idol?"
AI: "..."
he seemed to pause, as if weighing her words carefully before speaking. In the silence that followed, it felt as though the room itself was holding its breath.
KISUKE: "Please be honest."
And then, finally, she spoke. Her words were measured, almost rehearsed, as if she had said them a hundred times before. But beneath the surface, there was something else. A hint of something hidden, something just beneath the surface.
AI: "I mean, I do actually enjoy being an idol although it's a little stressful at times. You know, as I'm constantly being exposed to the media, and I have to constantly uphold this 'perfectionist image'. I represent the ideal for every fan after all...
But yeah, I do like being an idol! I love all of my fans who support me!"
KISUKE: " As long as you enjoy what you are doing, that's all that really matters. And your fans appreciate you for it. I've always wondered what it's like to be an idol. It must require a lot of hard work and dedication to maintain that image. But it's clear that you enjoy it and your fans appreciate your hard work, so that's all that really matters. Keep it up!"
I can still see her smile lighting up the room, the relief and joy in her eyes almost palpable. I knew then and there that my small comment had made a big difference to her. It was a beautiful moment, one that I'll cherish forever. She had been carrying such a heavy burden, and it was as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
AI: "Haha, yeah, I know what you mean. I'm always worried about letting my fans down too. But I try to remember that they're the ones who got me where I am today. And if I can keep making them happy, then I'll consider it all worth it. It's all about giving back to the people who love and support you, right?"
KISUKE: "Yeah, even if I'm not a fan myself."
AI: "Heh, no worries. I understand that not everyone has to be a fan of the same thing, right? I'm just glad that I could offer some encouraging words. To be honest, it's refreshing to hear from someone who isn't always just praising everything I do all the time.
I mean, it's nice to hear supportive words from fans, don't get me wrong, but sometimes it feels almost forced, you know? Like they have to say it no matter what. So just having a normal conversation with someone like you is actually pretty nice for a change!"
KISUKE: "Yeah, I can imagine that getting pretty annoying real quick. Sometimes it's like they're just repeating the same compliments over and over, like they're on autopilot or something."
AI: "Heh... You're not the kind of person to overly praise someone. You remind me of my manager."
KISUKE: "I do?"
AI: "Yeah! He's usually strict and not that emotional. The only times I see him smile are when I'm successful in something or if he's happy for me."
KISUKE: "Hmm..."
AI: "Oh and I don't mean that as a bad thing! It's nice to have someone being strict towards you. Ichigo is one of the best agents in the field, he has helped me a lot and the results are great on the field!
I'm happy to have him as an agent..."
KISUKE: "To get you an appearance on this show, he must be doing something right."
AI: "Ah haha, you're absolutely right on that!
My appearance on this show is going to be memorable, hopefully I will be able to do well on my interview."
KISUKE: "I'm sure you'll do great. I'll be supporting you."
The image of Ai's eyes lighting up still lingers with me today. She was truly a one-of-a-kind individual, with a certain spark that was impossible to ignore. The way her gaze seemed to shimmer with excitement and joy, as if all the light of the world was contained within her.
She was someone special, that much I know for certain.
AI: "Haha, hopefully I will. I'll be giving my best shot for this interview for sure.
Thank you for encouraging me and for reassuring me."
She reached over to a nearby table and picked up one of her photos, holding it carefully in her hands. With a swift motion, she grabbed a pen and started signing it. Her signature was fluid and graceful, looping and twisting with each letter. As she completed her signature, she held out the signed photo with a small smile, happy to have made another fan's day.
AI: "Hey, here's something to remember me by! A signed photo, just for you. Hope it brings back some good memories of me sometime in the future!"
KISUKE: "Oh, uh...thank you. Thank you so much for the photo."
I carefully accepted the autograph from her, my fingers trembling slightly as I held it. I didn't think much of it at the time, but now, I wish I had known how valuable something like that would become.
I would have treated that autograph with so much more care and reverence. It would have been one of my most treasured possessions. But alas, hindsight is always 20/20.
AI: *Giggle* "I'll be counting on your support, Kisuke!"
Her words stuck with me. As a man of my word I stayed for the broadcast and listened very closely. Kira would ask her questions like:
What did you eat today?
What book do you love?
Whenever you go out for fun, tell me, where do you go?
Every question. she would deflect, always acting so vaguely.
Ai... The genius idol.
She was radiant.
She was well-spoken.
She was beautiful.
I have to admit, that moment with her was definitely a turning point for me. If I wasn't a fan of idols before, that definitely changed my mind. I was hooked, and I just had to know more about her and her group. So that evening, I spent my whole allowance at the local video store, buying every B-Komachi CD and video tape I could find. It was love at first sight for me!
As soon as I got home that night, I immediately popped in the first video tape and started to watch. I was completely captivated by Ai and her ability to perform. She was like a magnet, drawing me in with every move, every expression. I was glued to the TV, bingeing every performance until the early morning hours. From then on, I became a diehard fan, and never looked back!
No matter how many false idols these days try to call themselves empresses...
Ai was the greatest of all time, unmatched!