DREAM WORLD
by Eri
(This is my very first attempt at writing original fiction.... yeah, it's kinda cheesy.... reminds you of my usual fanfics that I've written... but anyhow... I decided to just post them here in FF.net after a very long time of writing this. For those who have been reading my Card Captor Sakura fanfic, Stuffed Animal, gomen nasai.... I've completely lost ideas regarding that so I'm not able to finish. I thought writing something that's "out-of-the-ordinary" would help me out, so... here's my little attempt. It's not something to "rave" about for an original fic, but read it anyway. Thanks.)
Lesley Ren
CHAPTER 1 - Jumpin' Jacks and Jivin' Jills
Naha, Okinawa--- a small, tiny island all the way down south in Japan.
It has been four months after Dad's death and we're here in a place in Japan called Naha, Okinawa. It was not even anywhere near Tokyo; but in a secluded island all the way down south of the main island-- Honshu, I think? My mother Chiharu Onizuka-Ren was born and lived only here in Okinawa for nine years, then she and her family immigrated to America. While growing up, she met my father--- her old classmate in junior high named Jason Ren, a Nisei (second-generation Japanese-American). They ended up falling in love, got married, and then they had my older brother Wesley and me. Four months before we moved here in Naha, my father was killed in a car accident. It was a hit-and-run with a drunk driver and thank God that Wesley survived--- but instead of losing his life, he lost his ability to be free and do all the active things he can do. He is now bound to a wheelchair and who knows when he would even try to attempt to get up from that chair and start to walk again.
Things during the first days in Naha were not that smooth, but then again, it was expected to be that way. Wesley and I had to cope through the semi-traditional ways that my mother's side of the family have been practicing while living their daily life. I'm not saying that Wesley and I do not embrace our own original roots but it is also difficult for the two of us American-born Japanese kids to go through this transition of becoming nothing else but being Japanese. The good thing about it though is that we do understand the language--- we just couldn't speak it orally in return, nor that we can even read or write the native script--- actually we can, thanks to those Japanese classes that we've been attending, but we're flat-out illiterate. We were totally in disadvantage.
Mom enrolled Wesley and I to U.S. Military-sponsored schools in Naha so we wouldn't get lost being the only Japanese kids in an all-Japanese school who could not speak, read, or write Japanese. Wesley went to a nearby high school while I stayed in junior high. He and I met a couple of kids who were on the same boat as we are--- American-born Japanese kids who know a lot about the Japanese culture with the exception of language in general. There were some American-born Japanese kids who were able to speak, read, and write Japanese, and they tell us non-Japanese-speaking Japanese kids the latest stuff and news in Japanese pop culture and all other things. Even if I was doing well in Japanese class, I was still unable to speak a single word or even memorize all 2000+ Kanji characters just for me to read straight. I still have to rely on my new best friend Maureen Hayase to read all the pop magazines she has a subscription on.
After school we would hang out at a local burger place where there's a lot of foreign-born kids. It was not that we're trying to segregate ourselves from the majority, but the fact that we feel like we were being treated less than any non-Japanese just really make us a bit uncomfortable. While we were there, just hanging out, eating our burgers and snacks while studying for school, Maureen and her other friend, the very trendy and outgoing Japanese native Hinagiku Omomo, would translate and read out all the articles in all the teen magazines they have subscriptions on about our favorite Japanese stars. I personally don't pay attention to the pop culture here in Japan, since my mind was still stateside. I still listen to good ol' American pop music, which really gives me a nice, good-feelin' time. In addition, it also influenced me in to getting in to singing and songwriting--- my biggest obsession and my main hobby. I have other hobbies too but my soul, my heart, and my mind has always been through music.
My dad worked as a songwriter, composing songs for movie soundtracks, and he was also a college professor in music. He taught me and got me into playing the guitar when I was only seven. He tried me to be enrolled in playing the piano but I didn't put any effort to it, so he had me try the guitar and I ended up getting in to it. He also taught me the basics and the insights about songwriting and music composing, which was even more challenging than learning how to play the guitar. But I got my mind delved in to it, even mimicking my dad's composing style, and eventually I was able to adopt it and make it in to my own. Ever since then I filled about five long notebooks of lyrics and numerous music sheets written with all the notes and clefs and other stuff on the musical scales and I was currently filling up my sixth notebook. I wrote a lot of songs about life and happiness, currently I've been writing inspirational songs dedicated to my father and brother, and even though some of them sounded a bit depressing, my mom and my brother often tell me to write happy-themed songs like I always did back then. Dad would've liked that, they both said.
Everybody among my friends knew about my knack for songwriting, my singing, and my guitar-playing. Some of them were even disappointed because none of the songs I wrote were "pop"-type or even have the romantic themes like most popular songs are right now. I told them that I was not much of a romantic in the first place, since I never really experienced romantic love at this age, nor I ever watched any cheesy romantic-themed shows and movies ever. Maybe I am a bit more realistic when it comes to life in general and even more realistic when it comes to love. Love does not just apply to romance, but in life in general as well. That is what I say.
Few days later Obaa (Granny) and I went out to the main marketplace in Naha to do some farmers' market-style shopping for fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, fresh meat, fresh fish, fresh everything. During that time Obaa even had this crazy idea that we should visit the local fortune teller to see what my future was going to be. Obaa was very gracious to me ever since we first met after living in the U.S. and haven't seen my mother's side of the family for a very long time. She still knew how to speak English even if she and the late Ojii (Grandpa) moved back here in Okinawa when they retired from work in the U.S. I asked her why it was necessary for us to go see a local fortune teller but replied to me with the words: "Every Okinawan always has a bright future, and to be sure that they do, the local fortune teller shall state and have to be sure that they do have a bright future." I went along with it and visited the local fortune teller.
The fortune teller was speaking to Obaa in some Okinawan dialect that I couldn't understand. If it were just plain Japanese, it would be acceptable, only the fact that I would not be able to reply in Japanese in return. The fortune teller read my right palm, pointing at some lines and explaining what every line meant to Obaa. Obaa explained to me in English: "You will have a very bright future--- a future that will change not just your life, but the face of Japan as well." Whatever it was, I thought, my future must be very big and important. We left the local fortune teller, proceeded with our shopping, and went back home.
That dusky afternoon I was strolling the sidewalk along the shores of the island while pushing Wesley along in his wheelchair. Despite of him being in a wheelchair for almost four months he still looked very fit as if he was just more of lounging on that wheelchair instead of looking miserable, struggling to have this horrid disability. He still has his very neat, hip-looking bottom-shaved Marine-style hair, he still wears his usual hip-looking casual clothes, he still wore his Nike athletic shoes. His whole body was still completely fit that you really can't tell that he's actually disabled. He still had his scars from the accident beneath his clothes but other than that, he looked really fine and dandy. Just by looking at him and by the way he spoke and the way he expressed himself, he does have determination that he wants to walk again.
I brought along my guitar and mini-backpack with me so that I would probably work on another song while playing the guitar and entertaining Wesley while we both watch the sunset together. Being with Wesley became a vital part in my life since Dad died. Normally back then I would always go out to the beach with Dad and we would watch the sunset together while we have a little picnic, singing and playing the guitar just to soothe ourselves in a very stressful day. Wesley was an all-around athlete, he always spent his whole spare time with his friends at the basketball courts or at the fitness center, getting themselves in good shape. In addition he was very talented in writing as well. His ambition was to become a famous writer someday. Now that he was bound to a wheelchair, he may have lost the opportunity of doing something big as an all-around athlete, but knowing him well, I was sure that his handicap would not stop him from pursuing his future goals. I just hope that he would not give up from this point on because he could not even move or twitch his legs at all.
We sat underneath a nearby palm tree with me singing another one of my songs written and Wesley just looking delighted while listening to my music. He always praised me with how good and talented I am that he often teased me on how I would become a famous singer and songwriter someday, and that I would have such a huge profile that everyone would end up worshipping me for how wonderful I am. I just shrugged it off and told him to be quiet because a career in songwriting is what I was really aiming for and not to become a famous singer or something like that. Besides, I really did not have the looks and glamour to be a celebrity singer anyway and I prefer writing songs for other people and have them sing and promote it themselves--- good for their discography, good for my personal credits.
I was singing with the accompaniment of my guitar about the sunset at the ocean's horizon alongside Wesley, sitting on the ground next to his wheelchair right underneath a palm tree. The breeze was at a perfect level, blowing gently through my hair and through Wesley's fresh face. I glanced at him while I was singing, wondering what he has in mind. Certainly it has been few months since Dad passed away that sometimes it actually takes this long for someone to overcome the tragedy. After I proudly sang my song I rested my hands from hitting the strings and spoke to him: "What's on your mind, Wesley?"
"A lot of things," he answered. "About... what's going to happen to us in the near future.. now that we're living here in Japan. Isn't it a bit strange...?"
"Strange?" I asked.
"Strange the fact that we're living in a country where our roots originated from--- and yet we just don't feel the essence and the importance of all the culture here in to our life."
"Oh," I answered. "I never really think of things like that. I'm just... trying to fit in."
"You're doing well with life in school, Lesley," he said. "I don't get what you mean by that."
"I don't mean 'fitting in' with people who have the same experiences as we do. I meant--- fitting in--- with our own kind."
"Oh... that." He grinned with confidence at me as if he was not too worried about it. "It's alright, it takes awhile to adjust. We're barely even here for a month, you know, but we're progressing and we're adjusting..."
"How about you, Wesley? I mean... how do they treat you at your school?" I scratched my head, worrying that the kids at his high school were bullying him just because he was bound to a wheelchair.
"Oh, they were really nice," he replied. "They learned from the teachers that I used to be an athlete and I got in a car accident months ago. They were willing to support me in helping me get up again, you know?" He chuckled softly at me and continued: "You shouldn't worry too much about me, Les. I'm not helpless--- just disabled at the moment, but I'm not helpless. If I can get up from this wheelchair just to reach out for the cupboard in the kitchen I would." He turned to me and patted me on the cheek. "Really soon I'll be able to walk again and do all the crazy stuff that I used to do back then."
I chuckled softly and whispered: "Ever since we moved here--- you've always been my inspiration for songwriting, Wesley. There's this... spark... burning inside of you that really intrigued me to tell everyone your life story through music!"
"I noticed," he grinned at me. Then, he cleared his throat and changed the subject. "You're growing up really fast, Les. It's never too early to start thinking about your future while you're still in your last few years of junior high."
"I know, but I'm not thinking about that right now, Wesley."
"I think you should think about the songs you wrote. I think you should sample them and turn them in to a recording studio."
"If you're talking about a recording studio back in the U.S., I have no chance... and I've never heard of the all-English songwriting concept getting accepted in recording studios in Japan either..."
"You won't know unless you try, Les. It looks like you're afraid of rejection, but how would you know if all your doubts are true if you don't try?" I sat there silent, thinking of what he just said as he continued on: "I bet you one day, your name will become famous. All the songs you've written and turned in will become hits. Every single recording artist would want to sing one of your songs and add it to their discography. And I bet every single artist would even want to meet you in person and work with you too!"
I giggled softly and shook my head. "Stop it, Wesley..."
"I'm serious, Les!" Wesley chuckled in return. "No really... why don't you think about it and try it out, hm?"
"Wesley, I don't... I mean I can't... speak Japanese..."
"You have Maureen and Hinagiku... and those two other girls whose names I forget. You even have me too, Les. Just don't worry about that language barrier thing. You have a lot of people to support you; don't forget that you're never alone on this one. I'm sure Mom and Obaa would even help you out too."
"Thanks," I replied. I stretched out my arms and got up. It was ready for us to head home. "Let's go home before Mom and Obaa get worried about us."
"Yeah," he smiled. I pushed his wheelchair back to the concrete land again and strolled our way back home.
Few days passed and it was Friday. My friends Maureen Hayase, Hinagiku Omomo, Harumi Yoshimoto, and Nancy Inoue came along for our all-weekend slumber party. Wesley spent the night at a friend's house while Mom and Obaa stayed over at one of Obaa's friends' house so we can have the house to ourselves. We actually had real food to eat for dinner, thanks to my cooking, plus the girls and I worked together to make dinner, clean the kitchen, etc. That night around 9:30 in the evening we sat around the TV set with popcorn and cans of soda on the coffee table. We sat relaxed at the carpet with our own little bean bag seats as Maureen flipped the channel.
"It's Totemo Daisuki Yo time, girls!" Maureen cheered happily. The girls have been raving about this teen drama series but I seem to not pay attention to anything popular. My mind was still adjusting to anything purely Japanese because my mind still says that Jewel and Savage Garden still rule to my taste, but since this was a slumber party, I might as well get my first tastes in to Japanese pop culture.
"It's the last episode of the series too!" I heard Hinagiku raved from behind. After finding that channel, the theme song was playing. I turned the lights down low and kept quiet as we watched.
Though my first Japanese teen drama episode was the last episode of the series, it actually intrigued me with my curiosity completely peaked. I glanced at the actors and the characters they played. The actor playing the main male character of the series really intrigued me the most. Shall we call it "love at first sight"? His complexion did not look like the "typical" Japanese complexion at all. He had the loveliest eyes I have ever seen as if they always twinkle everytime he faces the camera. He had a perfect build--- not too skinny, not too buffed up, but just right. He also had the cutest smile ever-- so cute and so adorable that just one small shy grin would immediately sweep you off your feet! It looks like the teenager in me was about to come out, begging the girls to give me the name of that actor.
The ending was very sweet. The female main character reminded me of Wesley a lot. She was bound to a wheelchair because of a car accident and tried all her might to get up from that chair and start walking again. She was often teased by all the kids around her because she was wheelchair-bound. But one boy--- the male main character--- intrigued her and had a heart of gold. He decided to be the female character's first friend. They got to know each other and became the best of friends. But then later on the female main character falls for the male main character gradually, but at the same time he was also seeing a girl, who happens to be one of the girls who constantly teased the female main character. The female main character was completely hurt by this and so she tried to avoid him at all costs and even tried to attempt to walk again on her own without any help from him or from anyone. The final episode was when the female main character suddenly fell from her attempt to walk and just couldn't get up. She even fell in the middle of the road too that she was at risk of being hit by a car. Then, a truck was about to be on her way and she was still lying there. Then from out of nowhere, the male main character jumped out from the side, covered her and rolled away to the other side of the road before the truck hits the both of them. He carried her back to her wheelchair while the girl was crying. She asked him one single question: "Why...?" Then he tells her: "Because I am in love with you." She cries, they kiss, and they live happily ever after.
I know I did not make any sense trying to tell the brief story. I will have to watch the whole series when that comes out in video.
After the show the girls started to talk about that final episode-- how sweet that was, and all that shnazz. The main characters were only around our ages, according to them. I was still curious about the kid who played the male main character in that drama series, so I decided to ask: "I know I'm sounding stupid, but who was that guy...? The one who played Shinnosuke-kun?"
The girls chuckled a bit. Nancy sighed deeply and answered my question: "That cutie, dear Lesley Ren, is Kai Mizuhara.... he is like the god of all the Jumpin' Jacks in the J-Pop industry..."
"Eh?" I blinked my eyes, scratching my head.
"Okay... let me explain further, girlfriend," Harumi jumped in. "Kai Mizuhara is considered the most popular, not to mention the hottest, young teen idol of today! Only at age thirteen, he already reached that title too! I definitely would want to meet him someday when I get a chance..."
"Kai Mizuhara! Kai Mizuhara!" Maureen chanted his name over and over and also fainted like Nancy. "He's... he's... he's... he's..."
Hinagiku grabbed one of her teen magazines, flipped the pages, and showed me some photos and articles about him. Majority of Maureen's teen magazines even have that idol Kai Mizuhara at the front cover along with some other guys and one female teen idol with her arms around him. I read a bit of it even if I stumbled and struggled through the Kanji characters written in there. I was pretty amazed at how much stuff they've written about him, how many interviews that he had with the magazines and other things like that. And what struck me the most was that he was not just a talented young actor, but a talented singer too! He was also part of an ongoing young group of male potential teen idols known as the "Jumpin' Jacks." They sing, they dance, they act in major variety shows and dramas and other TV specials as extras and sometimes as part of the main cast. Only the "elite" ones (or the ones considered "elite") were lucky enough to appear or even act in the silver screen to expand their name and their reputation to the pop world. There were other articles about him that talked about girls in general and the girls that he has been seeing. Like the Jumpin' Jacks, there were the female version known as the "Jivin' Jills." (Jack and Jill... how cute...) It seems that the boys in the Jumpin' Jacks and the girls in the Jivin' Jills are always paired up--- they're like the "major" popular in-crowd of kids with talent, look, and style throughout the whole Japanese pop culture. The Jack-in-the-Box Agency does not accept people who sign up or volunteer to be part of the Jumpin' Jacks or the Jivin' Jills, but rather, the picky agents from Jack-in-the-Box are the ones who search around the country looking for potential teens to be part of either the Jumpin' Jacks (if you're a guy) or the Jivin' Jills (if you're a girl). While reading all these articles about Kai Mizuhara and more about the "Jumpin' Jacks" and the "Jivin' Jills," I even overheard the girls talking about how they were going to get themselves trained in to performing arts just so they can get discovered by the top agents from Jack-in-the-Box.
That's silly, I thought to myself. Why would they even want to go all the way down south here to Okinawa to look for talented hip teens to be part of those two groups anyway? They got all of Tokyo and Osaka and all the major cities up north that they can go to... and besides, what exactly is down here in Okinawa besides the sun and the beaches anyway...?
"I really do want to be part of the Jivin' Jills.... not only because I can get to entertain people, but I get to hang out with all the coolest Jivin' Jill girls and even with Kai Mizuhara and his Jumpin' Jack buddies too!" Nancy exclaimed, looking at herself in her pocket mirror.
"You can't dance, you can't sing, you can't even act or even memorize a single line in a script, Nancy!" I heard Harumi teasing her. "Plus, they're actually looking for really good-looking, really attractive kids too! Look at us-- we're not even NEAR as pretty as girls like Minako Tamura or Sanae Tachibana... and they're the ones who pair up the guys and the girls when it comes to acting too! Like Kai Mizuhara? He's paired up with Saki Murase in nearly all the movies and in drama series with the exception of the one we just watched--- it was Momoko Otaru at that time."
"Hey, speaking of Kai Mizuhara and the Jumpin' Jacks..." I heard Hinagiku interrupting them. She went over to me and grabbed one of her teen magazines that had the cover of Kai Mizuhara and three more other teen idol guys along with him. She showed the cover to all of us and explained: "Pretty soon, Kai Mizuhara, Tomohiro Hayashibara, Jun Tokuda, and Kenji Kozakura are going to be leaving the Jumpin' Jacks because the Jack-in-the-Box Agency are going to establish another pop vocal group that will have these four guys in them! Oh my gosh, I can't wait till I get to hear them sing altogether!"
"What's the name of the future group? Why are they taking so long if they already have plans for them to withdraw from the Jumpin' Jacks already? Shouldn't they have established that pop group right now?" Maureen asked. Ah, girl talk. Ah, gossip. I listened along looking very curious and moronic at the same time, but at least I was trying to join in the conversation.
"Well, it's actually an all-guy, one-girl group that they're going to establish," Hinagiku answered, "meaning that there's going to be one female member to join these four guys and become that one pop group! According to the article written in this magazine that Kai Mizuhara, who was noted as the most popular among the Jumpin' Jacks, always looked up and idolized Kenji Kozakura, who used to be the most popular back then before Kai Mizuhara joined. Kenji was supposed to be the leader of this whole group because he's the one who will be singing lead most of the time, plus he's got a lot of talent and experience. Kai felt that he wasn't too confident to be the leader and he didn't want to upstage his role model in this one. He already felt really bad that the fans liked him more now than Kenji that he felt like he owed something really big to Kenji, so when he heard about the top peeps at the agency forming a new pop group that would have Kenji Kozakura as lead, Kai jumped in and decided to join as well. Isn't that amazing...?"
"Awww.. that's so sweet..." Nancy sighed deeply. "I didn't know that Kai always looked up to Kenji..."
"And the fact that Kai wasn't chosen to be part of the group--- he wanted to BE in the group! It's like wherever Kenji goes, Kai goes!" Maureen added.
"In addition, isn't Kenji older than Kai?" Harumi asked.
"Four months older," Hinagiku replied. Boy, Hinagiku seemed to be the Kai Mizuhara expert in this group. She continued on: "The cause of the delay was that they haven't found the perfect female singer for the group. Obviously they've been auditioning the Jivin' Jills to join that group but so far, they haven't found the right one."
"Why don't they just scout around outside the agency instead?" I finally was able to say something in this foursome conversation. "I mean, isn't it obvious that they should turn to look outside the agency if they can't find the right singer for the group among the Jivin' Jill girls?"
"They'll eventually going to do that anyway, Lesley," Hinagiku informed me. "They always do. The thing is, it won't come out in public until they finally find their new addition to the Jack-in-the-Box Faimly of Teen Idols. When it comes to scouting outside they always try to keep themselves low-key from the public. I think it's a good thing--- it's a total surprise for all the fans, you know?"
I shrugged and said: "Oh... the entertainment industry just loves surprises after all."
Finally it was time for bed. We have had enough fun for the night and the girls and I decided to cramp together in my bedroom with me in my own bed while the other three in their sleeping bags. That night I decided to call Wesley's friend's house just to check up on Wesley. Sometimes I thought to myself if I have been a bit overprotective on Wesley, but that would be weird because Wesley is supposed to be the one who should be overprotective on me. Mamoru Anzai, Wesley's friend, informed me that Wesley's doing fine and that they're just having a blast there. I did speak to Wesley for a bit just to say goodnight and talk about quick stuff. That is how close Wesley and I are.
"The girls let me check out their teen magazines and we watched a teen-oriented drama series--- well, the final episode," I told him.
"Totemo Daisuki Yo, right?" Wesley chuckled on the other line. "The guys and I watched it too--- only because Mamoru and the other guys were drooling on Momoko Otaru in that show."
"Who's that?" Here I am again with my moronic-sounding curiosity.
"The actress who played Ayame? You know.. the wheelchair girl."
"Oh!" I giggled softly. "Well, she is really pretty..."
"You need to catch up on what's up with today, Les." He continued to tease me a bit, then we talked a bit more.
"I guess you know about the guy who plays Shinnosuke, right?"
"Kai Mizuhara? Who wouldn't know him? Oh yeah, that's right-- there's you."
"Very funny, Wesley.." I heard my brother laugh even more, as I joined in the chuckling as well. "Um... I didn't know that he's that popular..."
"Are you kidding? That guy's like--- THE BOMB--- in pop culture, girl! Every single girl I've come across in school always drooled and swooned on him everytime someone mentions his name!"
"Um... he's okay-looking... I saw a couple pics of him in their magazines..."
"Uhh... sure thing, Les. I'll take your word for it." I can tell that he was snickering on the other line right when he said that. Typical Wesley. He may be in a wheelchair but he was still the same-- including his hidden nasty "big brother" personality.
"Hey Wes," I said. "Now that I mentioned about it... I wonder how teen idols like him can cope with that popularity so high in life..."
"Every person has their own way of coping publicity, Les. I don't read that many pop magazines anyway; I just look at the pictures. A female friend of mine in school lately that in real life, Kai Mizuhara's a really shy person, but he has a way of actually getting through all this popularity stuff. She's been an avid Kai watcher since he even came out in public."
"That's kinda scary," I said. "I mean... for people like Kai anyway."
"Yeah," he answered. "But people like Kai aren't stupid when it comes to fans like that. They always have a backup plan."
"Yeah."
"Awrighty then, squirt... I'm heading to bed. My legs are hurting from lifting my upper body just to talk to you on this phone. I wish they had a cordless phone, heh."
"Okay, Wes, you take care of yourself. Goodnight!"
"Goodnight, Les. Sweet dreams."
To be continued...
by Eri
(This is my very first attempt at writing original fiction.... yeah, it's kinda cheesy.... reminds you of my usual fanfics that I've written... but anyhow... I decided to just post them here in FF.net after a very long time of writing this. For those who have been reading my Card Captor Sakura fanfic, Stuffed Animal, gomen nasai.... I've completely lost ideas regarding that so I'm not able to finish. I thought writing something that's "out-of-the-ordinary" would help me out, so... here's my little attempt. It's not something to "rave" about for an original fic, but read it anyway. Thanks.)
Lesley Ren
CHAPTER 1 - Jumpin' Jacks and Jivin' Jills
Naha, Okinawa--- a small, tiny island all the way down south in Japan.
It has been four months after Dad's death and we're here in a place in Japan called Naha, Okinawa. It was not even anywhere near Tokyo; but in a secluded island all the way down south of the main island-- Honshu, I think? My mother Chiharu Onizuka-Ren was born and lived only here in Okinawa for nine years, then she and her family immigrated to America. While growing up, she met my father--- her old classmate in junior high named Jason Ren, a Nisei (second-generation Japanese-American). They ended up falling in love, got married, and then they had my older brother Wesley and me. Four months before we moved here in Naha, my father was killed in a car accident. It was a hit-and-run with a drunk driver and thank God that Wesley survived--- but instead of losing his life, he lost his ability to be free and do all the active things he can do. He is now bound to a wheelchair and who knows when he would even try to attempt to get up from that chair and start to walk again.
Things during the first days in Naha were not that smooth, but then again, it was expected to be that way. Wesley and I had to cope through the semi-traditional ways that my mother's side of the family have been practicing while living their daily life. I'm not saying that Wesley and I do not embrace our own original roots but it is also difficult for the two of us American-born Japanese kids to go through this transition of becoming nothing else but being Japanese. The good thing about it though is that we do understand the language--- we just couldn't speak it orally in return, nor that we can even read or write the native script--- actually we can, thanks to those Japanese classes that we've been attending, but we're flat-out illiterate. We were totally in disadvantage.
Mom enrolled Wesley and I to U.S. Military-sponsored schools in Naha so we wouldn't get lost being the only Japanese kids in an all-Japanese school who could not speak, read, or write Japanese. Wesley went to a nearby high school while I stayed in junior high. He and I met a couple of kids who were on the same boat as we are--- American-born Japanese kids who know a lot about the Japanese culture with the exception of language in general. There were some American-born Japanese kids who were able to speak, read, and write Japanese, and they tell us non-Japanese-speaking Japanese kids the latest stuff and news in Japanese pop culture and all other things. Even if I was doing well in Japanese class, I was still unable to speak a single word or even memorize all 2000+ Kanji characters just for me to read straight. I still have to rely on my new best friend Maureen Hayase to read all the pop magazines she has a subscription on.
After school we would hang out at a local burger place where there's a lot of foreign-born kids. It was not that we're trying to segregate ourselves from the majority, but the fact that we feel like we were being treated less than any non-Japanese just really make us a bit uncomfortable. While we were there, just hanging out, eating our burgers and snacks while studying for school, Maureen and her other friend, the very trendy and outgoing Japanese native Hinagiku Omomo, would translate and read out all the articles in all the teen magazines they have subscriptions on about our favorite Japanese stars. I personally don't pay attention to the pop culture here in Japan, since my mind was still stateside. I still listen to good ol' American pop music, which really gives me a nice, good-feelin' time. In addition, it also influenced me in to getting in to singing and songwriting--- my biggest obsession and my main hobby. I have other hobbies too but my soul, my heart, and my mind has always been through music.
My dad worked as a songwriter, composing songs for movie soundtracks, and he was also a college professor in music. He taught me and got me into playing the guitar when I was only seven. He tried me to be enrolled in playing the piano but I didn't put any effort to it, so he had me try the guitar and I ended up getting in to it. He also taught me the basics and the insights about songwriting and music composing, which was even more challenging than learning how to play the guitar. But I got my mind delved in to it, even mimicking my dad's composing style, and eventually I was able to adopt it and make it in to my own. Ever since then I filled about five long notebooks of lyrics and numerous music sheets written with all the notes and clefs and other stuff on the musical scales and I was currently filling up my sixth notebook. I wrote a lot of songs about life and happiness, currently I've been writing inspirational songs dedicated to my father and brother, and even though some of them sounded a bit depressing, my mom and my brother often tell me to write happy-themed songs like I always did back then. Dad would've liked that, they both said.
Everybody among my friends knew about my knack for songwriting, my singing, and my guitar-playing. Some of them were even disappointed because none of the songs I wrote were "pop"-type or even have the romantic themes like most popular songs are right now. I told them that I was not much of a romantic in the first place, since I never really experienced romantic love at this age, nor I ever watched any cheesy romantic-themed shows and movies ever. Maybe I am a bit more realistic when it comes to life in general and even more realistic when it comes to love. Love does not just apply to romance, but in life in general as well. That is what I say.
Few days later Obaa (Granny) and I went out to the main marketplace in Naha to do some farmers' market-style shopping for fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, fresh meat, fresh fish, fresh everything. During that time Obaa even had this crazy idea that we should visit the local fortune teller to see what my future was going to be. Obaa was very gracious to me ever since we first met after living in the U.S. and haven't seen my mother's side of the family for a very long time. She still knew how to speak English even if she and the late Ojii (Grandpa) moved back here in Okinawa when they retired from work in the U.S. I asked her why it was necessary for us to go see a local fortune teller but replied to me with the words: "Every Okinawan always has a bright future, and to be sure that they do, the local fortune teller shall state and have to be sure that they do have a bright future." I went along with it and visited the local fortune teller.
The fortune teller was speaking to Obaa in some Okinawan dialect that I couldn't understand. If it were just plain Japanese, it would be acceptable, only the fact that I would not be able to reply in Japanese in return. The fortune teller read my right palm, pointing at some lines and explaining what every line meant to Obaa. Obaa explained to me in English: "You will have a very bright future--- a future that will change not just your life, but the face of Japan as well." Whatever it was, I thought, my future must be very big and important. We left the local fortune teller, proceeded with our shopping, and went back home.
That dusky afternoon I was strolling the sidewalk along the shores of the island while pushing Wesley along in his wheelchair. Despite of him being in a wheelchair for almost four months he still looked very fit as if he was just more of lounging on that wheelchair instead of looking miserable, struggling to have this horrid disability. He still has his very neat, hip-looking bottom-shaved Marine-style hair, he still wears his usual hip-looking casual clothes, he still wore his Nike athletic shoes. His whole body was still completely fit that you really can't tell that he's actually disabled. He still had his scars from the accident beneath his clothes but other than that, he looked really fine and dandy. Just by looking at him and by the way he spoke and the way he expressed himself, he does have determination that he wants to walk again.
I brought along my guitar and mini-backpack with me so that I would probably work on another song while playing the guitar and entertaining Wesley while we both watch the sunset together. Being with Wesley became a vital part in my life since Dad died. Normally back then I would always go out to the beach with Dad and we would watch the sunset together while we have a little picnic, singing and playing the guitar just to soothe ourselves in a very stressful day. Wesley was an all-around athlete, he always spent his whole spare time with his friends at the basketball courts or at the fitness center, getting themselves in good shape. In addition he was very talented in writing as well. His ambition was to become a famous writer someday. Now that he was bound to a wheelchair, he may have lost the opportunity of doing something big as an all-around athlete, but knowing him well, I was sure that his handicap would not stop him from pursuing his future goals. I just hope that he would not give up from this point on because he could not even move or twitch his legs at all.
We sat underneath a nearby palm tree with me singing another one of my songs written and Wesley just looking delighted while listening to my music. He always praised me with how good and talented I am that he often teased me on how I would become a famous singer and songwriter someday, and that I would have such a huge profile that everyone would end up worshipping me for how wonderful I am. I just shrugged it off and told him to be quiet because a career in songwriting is what I was really aiming for and not to become a famous singer or something like that. Besides, I really did not have the looks and glamour to be a celebrity singer anyway and I prefer writing songs for other people and have them sing and promote it themselves--- good for their discography, good for my personal credits.
I was singing with the accompaniment of my guitar about the sunset at the ocean's horizon alongside Wesley, sitting on the ground next to his wheelchair right underneath a palm tree. The breeze was at a perfect level, blowing gently through my hair and through Wesley's fresh face. I glanced at him while I was singing, wondering what he has in mind. Certainly it has been few months since Dad passed away that sometimes it actually takes this long for someone to overcome the tragedy. After I proudly sang my song I rested my hands from hitting the strings and spoke to him: "What's on your mind, Wesley?"
"A lot of things," he answered. "About... what's going to happen to us in the near future.. now that we're living here in Japan. Isn't it a bit strange...?"
"Strange?" I asked.
"Strange the fact that we're living in a country where our roots originated from--- and yet we just don't feel the essence and the importance of all the culture here in to our life."
"Oh," I answered. "I never really think of things like that. I'm just... trying to fit in."
"You're doing well with life in school, Lesley," he said. "I don't get what you mean by that."
"I don't mean 'fitting in' with people who have the same experiences as we do. I meant--- fitting in--- with our own kind."
"Oh... that." He grinned with confidence at me as if he was not too worried about it. "It's alright, it takes awhile to adjust. We're barely even here for a month, you know, but we're progressing and we're adjusting..."
"How about you, Wesley? I mean... how do they treat you at your school?" I scratched my head, worrying that the kids at his high school were bullying him just because he was bound to a wheelchair.
"Oh, they were really nice," he replied. "They learned from the teachers that I used to be an athlete and I got in a car accident months ago. They were willing to support me in helping me get up again, you know?" He chuckled softly at me and continued: "You shouldn't worry too much about me, Les. I'm not helpless--- just disabled at the moment, but I'm not helpless. If I can get up from this wheelchair just to reach out for the cupboard in the kitchen I would." He turned to me and patted me on the cheek. "Really soon I'll be able to walk again and do all the crazy stuff that I used to do back then."
I chuckled softly and whispered: "Ever since we moved here--- you've always been my inspiration for songwriting, Wesley. There's this... spark... burning inside of you that really intrigued me to tell everyone your life story through music!"
"I noticed," he grinned at me. Then, he cleared his throat and changed the subject. "You're growing up really fast, Les. It's never too early to start thinking about your future while you're still in your last few years of junior high."
"I know, but I'm not thinking about that right now, Wesley."
"I think you should think about the songs you wrote. I think you should sample them and turn them in to a recording studio."
"If you're talking about a recording studio back in the U.S., I have no chance... and I've never heard of the all-English songwriting concept getting accepted in recording studios in Japan either..."
"You won't know unless you try, Les. It looks like you're afraid of rejection, but how would you know if all your doubts are true if you don't try?" I sat there silent, thinking of what he just said as he continued on: "I bet you one day, your name will become famous. All the songs you've written and turned in will become hits. Every single recording artist would want to sing one of your songs and add it to their discography. And I bet every single artist would even want to meet you in person and work with you too!"
I giggled softly and shook my head. "Stop it, Wesley..."
"I'm serious, Les!" Wesley chuckled in return. "No really... why don't you think about it and try it out, hm?"
"Wesley, I don't... I mean I can't... speak Japanese..."
"You have Maureen and Hinagiku... and those two other girls whose names I forget. You even have me too, Les. Just don't worry about that language barrier thing. You have a lot of people to support you; don't forget that you're never alone on this one. I'm sure Mom and Obaa would even help you out too."
"Thanks," I replied. I stretched out my arms and got up. It was ready for us to head home. "Let's go home before Mom and Obaa get worried about us."
"Yeah," he smiled. I pushed his wheelchair back to the concrete land again and strolled our way back home.
Few days passed and it was Friday. My friends Maureen Hayase, Hinagiku Omomo, Harumi Yoshimoto, and Nancy Inoue came along for our all-weekend slumber party. Wesley spent the night at a friend's house while Mom and Obaa stayed over at one of Obaa's friends' house so we can have the house to ourselves. We actually had real food to eat for dinner, thanks to my cooking, plus the girls and I worked together to make dinner, clean the kitchen, etc. That night around 9:30 in the evening we sat around the TV set with popcorn and cans of soda on the coffee table. We sat relaxed at the carpet with our own little bean bag seats as Maureen flipped the channel.
"It's Totemo Daisuki Yo time, girls!" Maureen cheered happily. The girls have been raving about this teen drama series but I seem to not pay attention to anything popular. My mind was still adjusting to anything purely Japanese because my mind still says that Jewel and Savage Garden still rule to my taste, but since this was a slumber party, I might as well get my first tastes in to Japanese pop culture.
"It's the last episode of the series too!" I heard Hinagiku raved from behind. After finding that channel, the theme song was playing. I turned the lights down low and kept quiet as we watched.
Though my first Japanese teen drama episode was the last episode of the series, it actually intrigued me with my curiosity completely peaked. I glanced at the actors and the characters they played. The actor playing the main male character of the series really intrigued me the most. Shall we call it "love at first sight"? His complexion did not look like the "typical" Japanese complexion at all. He had the loveliest eyes I have ever seen as if they always twinkle everytime he faces the camera. He had a perfect build--- not too skinny, not too buffed up, but just right. He also had the cutest smile ever-- so cute and so adorable that just one small shy grin would immediately sweep you off your feet! It looks like the teenager in me was about to come out, begging the girls to give me the name of that actor.
The ending was very sweet. The female main character reminded me of Wesley a lot. She was bound to a wheelchair because of a car accident and tried all her might to get up from that chair and start walking again. She was often teased by all the kids around her because she was wheelchair-bound. But one boy--- the male main character--- intrigued her and had a heart of gold. He decided to be the female character's first friend. They got to know each other and became the best of friends. But then later on the female main character falls for the male main character gradually, but at the same time he was also seeing a girl, who happens to be one of the girls who constantly teased the female main character. The female main character was completely hurt by this and so she tried to avoid him at all costs and even tried to attempt to walk again on her own without any help from him or from anyone. The final episode was when the female main character suddenly fell from her attempt to walk and just couldn't get up. She even fell in the middle of the road too that she was at risk of being hit by a car. Then, a truck was about to be on her way and she was still lying there. Then from out of nowhere, the male main character jumped out from the side, covered her and rolled away to the other side of the road before the truck hits the both of them. He carried her back to her wheelchair while the girl was crying. She asked him one single question: "Why...?" Then he tells her: "Because I am in love with you." She cries, they kiss, and they live happily ever after.
I know I did not make any sense trying to tell the brief story. I will have to watch the whole series when that comes out in video.
After the show the girls started to talk about that final episode-- how sweet that was, and all that shnazz. The main characters were only around our ages, according to them. I was still curious about the kid who played the male main character in that drama series, so I decided to ask: "I know I'm sounding stupid, but who was that guy...? The one who played Shinnosuke-kun?"
The girls chuckled a bit. Nancy sighed deeply and answered my question: "That cutie, dear Lesley Ren, is Kai Mizuhara.... he is like the god of all the Jumpin' Jacks in the J-Pop industry..."
"Eh?" I blinked my eyes, scratching my head.
"Okay... let me explain further, girlfriend," Harumi jumped in. "Kai Mizuhara is considered the most popular, not to mention the hottest, young teen idol of today! Only at age thirteen, he already reached that title too! I definitely would want to meet him someday when I get a chance..."
"Kai Mizuhara! Kai Mizuhara!" Maureen chanted his name over and over and also fainted like Nancy. "He's... he's... he's... he's..."
Hinagiku grabbed one of her teen magazines, flipped the pages, and showed me some photos and articles about him. Majority of Maureen's teen magazines even have that idol Kai Mizuhara at the front cover along with some other guys and one female teen idol with her arms around him. I read a bit of it even if I stumbled and struggled through the Kanji characters written in there. I was pretty amazed at how much stuff they've written about him, how many interviews that he had with the magazines and other things like that. And what struck me the most was that he was not just a talented young actor, but a talented singer too! He was also part of an ongoing young group of male potential teen idols known as the "Jumpin' Jacks." They sing, they dance, they act in major variety shows and dramas and other TV specials as extras and sometimes as part of the main cast. Only the "elite" ones (or the ones considered "elite") were lucky enough to appear or even act in the silver screen to expand their name and their reputation to the pop world. There were other articles about him that talked about girls in general and the girls that he has been seeing. Like the Jumpin' Jacks, there were the female version known as the "Jivin' Jills." (Jack and Jill... how cute...) It seems that the boys in the Jumpin' Jacks and the girls in the Jivin' Jills are always paired up--- they're like the "major" popular in-crowd of kids with talent, look, and style throughout the whole Japanese pop culture. The Jack-in-the-Box Agency does not accept people who sign up or volunteer to be part of the Jumpin' Jacks or the Jivin' Jills, but rather, the picky agents from Jack-in-the-Box are the ones who search around the country looking for potential teens to be part of either the Jumpin' Jacks (if you're a guy) or the Jivin' Jills (if you're a girl). While reading all these articles about Kai Mizuhara and more about the "Jumpin' Jacks" and the "Jivin' Jills," I even overheard the girls talking about how they were going to get themselves trained in to performing arts just so they can get discovered by the top agents from Jack-in-the-Box.
That's silly, I thought to myself. Why would they even want to go all the way down south here to Okinawa to look for talented hip teens to be part of those two groups anyway? They got all of Tokyo and Osaka and all the major cities up north that they can go to... and besides, what exactly is down here in Okinawa besides the sun and the beaches anyway...?
"I really do want to be part of the Jivin' Jills.... not only because I can get to entertain people, but I get to hang out with all the coolest Jivin' Jill girls and even with Kai Mizuhara and his Jumpin' Jack buddies too!" Nancy exclaimed, looking at herself in her pocket mirror.
"You can't dance, you can't sing, you can't even act or even memorize a single line in a script, Nancy!" I heard Harumi teasing her. "Plus, they're actually looking for really good-looking, really attractive kids too! Look at us-- we're not even NEAR as pretty as girls like Minako Tamura or Sanae Tachibana... and they're the ones who pair up the guys and the girls when it comes to acting too! Like Kai Mizuhara? He's paired up with Saki Murase in nearly all the movies and in drama series with the exception of the one we just watched--- it was Momoko Otaru at that time."
"Hey, speaking of Kai Mizuhara and the Jumpin' Jacks..." I heard Hinagiku interrupting them. She went over to me and grabbed one of her teen magazines that had the cover of Kai Mizuhara and three more other teen idol guys along with him. She showed the cover to all of us and explained: "Pretty soon, Kai Mizuhara, Tomohiro Hayashibara, Jun Tokuda, and Kenji Kozakura are going to be leaving the Jumpin' Jacks because the Jack-in-the-Box Agency are going to establish another pop vocal group that will have these four guys in them! Oh my gosh, I can't wait till I get to hear them sing altogether!"
"What's the name of the future group? Why are they taking so long if they already have plans for them to withdraw from the Jumpin' Jacks already? Shouldn't they have established that pop group right now?" Maureen asked. Ah, girl talk. Ah, gossip. I listened along looking very curious and moronic at the same time, but at least I was trying to join in the conversation.
"Well, it's actually an all-guy, one-girl group that they're going to establish," Hinagiku answered, "meaning that there's going to be one female member to join these four guys and become that one pop group! According to the article written in this magazine that Kai Mizuhara, who was noted as the most popular among the Jumpin' Jacks, always looked up and idolized Kenji Kozakura, who used to be the most popular back then before Kai Mizuhara joined. Kenji was supposed to be the leader of this whole group because he's the one who will be singing lead most of the time, plus he's got a lot of talent and experience. Kai felt that he wasn't too confident to be the leader and he didn't want to upstage his role model in this one. He already felt really bad that the fans liked him more now than Kenji that he felt like he owed something really big to Kenji, so when he heard about the top peeps at the agency forming a new pop group that would have Kenji Kozakura as lead, Kai jumped in and decided to join as well. Isn't that amazing...?"
"Awww.. that's so sweet..." Nancy sighed deeply. "I didn't know that Kai always looked up to Kenji..."
"And the fact that Kai wasn't chosen to be part of the group--- he wanted to BE in the group! It's like wherever Kenji goes, Kai goes!" Maureen added.
"In addition, isn't Kenji older than Kai?" Harumi asked.
"Four months older," Hinagiku replied. Boy, Hinagiku seemed to be the Kai Mizuhara expert in this group. She continued on: "The cause of the delay was that they haven't found the perfect female singer for the group. Obviously they've been auditioning the Jivin' Jills to join that group but so far, they haven't found the right one."
"Why don't they just scout around outside the agency instead?" I finally was able to say something in this foursome conversation. "I mean, isn't it obvious that they should turn to look outside the agency if they can't find the right singer for the group among the Jivin' Jill girls?"
"They'll eventually going to do that anyway, Lesley," Hinagiku informed me. "They always do. The thing is, it won't come out in public until they finally find their new addition to the Jack-in-the-Box Faimly of Teen Idols. When it comes to scouting outside they always try to keep themselves low-key from the public. I think it's a good thing--- it's a total surprise for all the fans, you know?"
I shrugged and said: "Oh... the entertainment industry just loves surprises after all."
Finally it was time for bed. We have had enough fun for the night and the girls and I decided to cramp together in my bedroom with me in my own bed while the other three in their sleeping bags. That night I decided to call Wesley's friend's house just to check up on Wesley. Sometimes I thought to myself if I have been a bit overprotective on Wesley, but that would be weird because Wesley is supposed to be the one who should be overprotective on me. Mamoru Anzai, Wesley's friend, informed me that Wesley's doing fine and that they're just having a blast there. I did speak to Wesley for a bit just to say goodnight and talk about quick stuff. That is how close Wesley and I are.
"The girls let me check out their teen magazines and we watched a teen-oriented drama series--- well, the final episode," I told him.
"Totemo Daisuki Yo, right?" Wesley chuckled on the other line. "The guys and I watched it too--- only because Mamoru and the other guys were drooling on Momoko Otaru in that show."
"Who's that?" Here I am again with my moronic-sounding curiosity.
"The actress who played Ayame? You know.. the wheelchair girl."
"Oh!" I giggled softly. "Well, she is really pretty..."
"You need to catch up on what's up with today, Les." He continued to tease me a bit, then we talked a bit more.
"I guess you know about the guy who plays Shinnosuke, right?"
"Kai Mizuhara? Who wouldn't know him? Oh yeah, that's right-- there's you."
"Very funny, Wesley.." I heard my brother laugh even more, as I joined in the chuckling as well. "Um... I didn't know that he's that popular..."
"Are you kidding? That guy's like--- THE BOMB--- in pop culture, girl! Every single girl I've come across in school always drooled and swooned on him everytime someone mentions his name!"
"Um... he's okay-looking... I saw a couple pics of him in their magazines..."
"Uhh... sure thing, Les. I'll take your word for it." I can tell that he was snickering on the other line right when he said that. Typical Wesley. He may be in a wheelchair but he was still the same-- including his hidden nasty "big brother" personality.
"Hey Wes," I said. "Now that I mentioned about it... I wonder how teen idols like him can cope with that popularity so high in life..."
"Every person has their own way of coping publicity, Les. I don't read that many pop magazines anyway; I just look at the pictures. A female friend of mine in school lately that in real life, Kai Mizuhara's a really shy person, but he has a way of actually getting through all this popularity stuff. She's been an avid Kai watcher since he even came out in public."
"That's kinda scary," I said. "I mean... for people like Kai anyway."
"Yeah," he answered. "But people like Kai aren't stupid when it comes to fans like that. They always have a backup plan."
"Yeah."
"Awrighty then, squirt... I'm heading to bed. My legs are hurting from lifting my upper body just to talk to you on this phone. I wish they had a cordless phone, heh."
"Okay, Wes, you take care of yourself. Goodnight!"
"Goodnight, Les. Sweet dreams."
To be continued...