TRANSLATION: Tokyo Calendar 04.2021 (Kyomoto Taiga)

[viancii_caramel]

A Man Who You Cannot Just Leave

Kyomoto Taiga

His pale skin that is like transparent and his blond hair shine under the setting sun. Looking at a distant with his sorrowful eyes. What was being reflected in his eyes? Kyomoto Taiga. 26 years old. He is a member of an idol group called "SixTONES". He grew up with "a smooth sailing life" that no one doubts of, and has the title. While having both, he said with a bitter smile, "That is not entirely true at all. Since I was the very picture of an introvert." He hates to stand out in front of the people that he pretended to be sick to skip school plays and athletic meets. He entered the entertainment world, that is exactly the opposite of himself, when the late Johnny-san directly scouted him. Guided by a man who is called a genius who sees through talents, he is now standing in a place he never imagined. Welcoming their 2nd year of debut, asking Kyomoto Taiga-san who says, "This year is an important year.", the resolution of a man who keeps running away.

"Successful people continue to win against pressure." When I realized that, I started to stand firmly.

When I admitted to myself the things that I can do and I cannot do, I was able to say my complexes like "I am not good at sports."

Saying, "Be calm and composed!" to each other, our nervousness mysteriously goes away. The power of words is big.

KYOMOTO TAIGA-san, WHAT DID YOU SEE BEYOND YOUR「WEAKNESS」?

A mistake that was caused by a habit of running away. The turning point was when he was 20 years old.

He was always drawing inside the classroom. With his dreams for the future remained blurry, he could not draw them clearly. Standing under the light of stage, giving someone a dream. He never imagined that that kind of day would come.

「I did not even have an interest in entertainment world. I did not know that TOKIO-san and V6-san are in Johnny's. That is why I had a hard time when I entered this world. I knew too little of the names.」

He is an indoor boy who loves to spend time drawing. Games would not be bought for him if he did not get full marks on his tests, he grew up in a home that is the same with an ordinary family.

「If anything, I was not a materialistic kid. I would already be happy if I had a paper and a pen, I also have zero interest in clothes. I also did not look at the mirror. I run slow, I cannot swim, and I also cannot play ball games. Even during break times, I did not go out of the classroom. I have no recollection of being popular (LOL). I was really "the introvert".」

He does not like to be in the spotlight in front of people so he pretended to be sick to be absent during school plays and athletic meets. Even if he entered Johnny's when he was in 6th grade, that did not change.

「When I went to KAT-TUN-san's live to observe, Johnny-san told me to be on the live suddenly. When the live was done and I cooled down, the thing that came to my mind was "I have to go to school tomorrow." As was to be expected, an article "Kyomoto Masaki' Son, Stage Appearance" was written on a sports newspaper, so I skipped school (LOL). 」

He himself also admitted that he has a habit of running away [from the problems and emotions]. That led to a massive failure that caused a loss in a stage play when he was 20 years old.

「It was my first time to stand on a stage that is not produced by Johnny's, and everyone around me are legends. I was suddenly pressured by the reality that I must not quit from it and that pressure fall on my shoulder. But after the first day, I was praised by the director. I was told, "You might be suited in musicals. You have the talent." 」

At that moment, an emergency happened to his body that was enduring [everything] until it reaches its limit. He got hives all over his body, and his voice could not come out the next morning.

"Since I was trained hard during the training, I am happy to be recognized even just for a little. But, something completely happened the opposite way. With being praised, a bigger pressure fell upon me. 」

The result is suspension of his performance. Furukawa Yuta-san who serves as his double cast performed in place of him.

「He was in the middle of another work and he arrived in the theater an hour before the actual show. I had caused a lot of trouble but I was trying my best to keep myself together. From there, I thought whether I should resign from the role or do the remaining 40 shows. The fans, the director, my parents. I received a lot of words, from encouraging words to healing ones. 」

Finally, he was determined to stand on stage because he did not want the feeling of betraying the people who are supporting him.

「If it is just my feelings, then I would have run away. But after the suspension of my performance, just before the curtains rise, I could see Furukawa Yuta-san who is on a standby just in case anything happens. At that time, I moved forward for the first time. I thought, "I should not just depend on the kindness of others." I feel so indebted to Furukawa-san until this very day. I am so thankful to him. 」

It has been 6 years after that. Even now, there is a moment he wants to run away from.

「In last year's Kohaku too, I wanted to run away. I have a super high part in 『Imitation Rain』. I wonder what should I do when I am nervous that I could not hear my voice and the tempo from my heartbeat is going crazy, I am pressured every time. I got to experience various things and my nervousness got better but Kohaku is a big stage where I have never performed before. 」

The reason why he was able to overcome his nervousness was because of the power of words that works like a charm.

「[I was able to overcome my nervousness by] Saying out loud the words "Be calm and composed!" I got this from Shirota Yu-san. By saying this just before the show, I can feel at ease or I can calm down. I wonder if it is like the power of language. I have influenced my members too so now we say, "Be calm and composed!" to each other. Because in SixTONES, the mental strength of everyone is weak (LOL). (T/N: the word they really say to each other is "余裕")

Once again, to be able to confess about his weakness is also huge.

「Since the day where I caused a loss in a stage play, I was able to say things like not being good with sports and about my complexes. That event when I was 20, I think it was a major turning point for myself. 」

It is 2nd year of of him walking with colleagues who share the same intentions as him. From now on too, trials will probably visit many times. But he will not run away anymore.

「With all 6 of us loving music, the feeling of wanting to deliver good music is our major motivation. The first album that was released last month, we were able to release an album that is satifactory enough that we can be proud of. With that, the hurdle for our next release increased but I want to overcome that without running away. Especially this 2nd year [of our debut], I will hang in there. 」

From his eyes, a strong will that does not bend dwells.

Notes:
-Scans not mine
-Neither English nor Japanese native speaker
-Pls. feel free to correct me, thanks 
-proofread by ryomerisu