Josei Seven - Ohno's Letters of Friendship
Ohno eloquently recalls episodes of friendship with each Arashi member in this series of letters. Get your tissues, because it's going to make you go, "I'm so glad I love Arashi!"
To Aiba:
Aiba-chan, do you remember? This happened about 5 years ago, right after our anniversary concert. We returned to our hotels, and everybody was supposed to gather in my room. You were the first member to arrive. You came to my room, saying, “Let’s drink!” And we proposed a toast before the others arrived.
As the two of us reminisced about the path we had taken, saying, “Ten years went by! They were great!” Aiba-chan said, “I’m glad I met you, Leader,” and began crying. Then I too, got caught up in the moment and started crying. We wept, didn’t we? With our faces close to each other, saying, “I’m glad we’re in Arashi.” At that point, Sho-kun came into the room, saw the both of us, and got really creeped out. Even though it seems like a funny story now; at that time, when we shed tears in that hotel whilst reminiscing the path we walked, I felt that our friendship deepened even further. Aiba-chan, and the other members too, thank you for always being there for me. Please look kindly on me from now on too.
To Sakurai:
Sho-kun, do you remember? About 10 years ago, Matsujun, Sho-kun and I appeared in the musical, West Side Story. Matsujun played my adversary, so his dressing room was separate from ours. Sho-kun and I were in the same dressing room at the time. However, the funny thing was, when we ordered takeout, we’d always somehow end up ordering the same thing. I would want to eat what Sho-kun wanted to eat, and vice-versa! So we kept ordering the same foods. We staged the musical over one month, so we practically ate the same foods for a month! What’s more, we had two performances each day so I’d be in the same room as Sho-kun from morning till 9pm at night! For one entire month! I would bathe (at the theater), and since I borrowed shampoo and body wash from Sho-kun, we used the same toiletries too. We kept playing Destiny Child in the dressing room, so we listened to the same music too.
We did everything together, and it would seem that we might be annoyed by each other after sharing the same space for so long, but strangely, things didn’t turn out that way. “If it were Sho-kun, maybe I could live with him,” I thought. We’re like brothers. [T/N: Yeah, more like husband and wife.] Although it’s a funny story now, our friendship deepened during that one month we spent together. Sho-kun, and the other members too, thank you for always being there for me. Please look kindly on me from now on too.
To Matsujun:
Matsujun, do you remember? Last April, we talked about how we wanted to go for a meal together. Although we agreed on Chinese food, we had some time so you swung by my place.
“Wanna come up?” I asked, and you replied, “Sure, I’ll come up.” I was a little excited. When you stepped into my house, I got really psyched. I mean, it was the first time a celebrity had stepped into my house. We went for karaoke after that, but we spent the whole time talking and didn’t sing a single song. I said to you, “It would be good if you kept a journal.” Recently, it seems that you’re writing in your journal, which made me happy. Matsujun, don’t you think our friendship deepened when we talked until the wee hours of the morning?
To Ninomiya:
Dear Nino. This happened 6 years ago, during our concert in Shanghai. I was unwinding at the hotel when Nino came to my room. Since Nino took the trouble to visit, I thought of ordering room service. But when I looked at the menu, I couldn’t read (the Mandarin words) at all!* I was stumped. Even though we were supposed to spend the night together… Somehow, I managed to order noodles and something that was written in English.
[T/N: Even though kanji is derived from Chinese words, the names of Chinese foods are quite different what is usually shown in the Japanese language.]
“Something-noodles please!” I said. It went without a hitch, “OK!” said the receptionist. Alright! I got lucky! However, it didn’t come no matter how long we waited. After waiting for about 30 to 40 minutes, just as I said, “How strange…” The doorbell rang! When I opened the door, there was a uniformed employee carrying a single plate, standing outside. With an amazing smile. An awesome smile. I wonder why… During the time we spent with empty stomachs in a foreign land, our friendship deepened.
Article source: @yu31049