I have to say that Japan’s idol culture is really deeply rooted in people’s hearts. From gray-haired grandparents to newly weaned children, there are fan groups of idols.
The first house Amamiya and the others visited claimed that the whole family was a big fan of Nogizaka, including a 4-year-old and a 2-year-old.
The brothers were still sleeping when they were mercilessly awakened by their elder sisters.
My brother is shy. When he woke up and saw his beautiful sisters appearing in the bedroom, as well as the staff carrying cameras, he immediately ran out. The little brother was fearless and looked at Rina Ikoma cutely.
Although they are fans of Nogizaka, the two children obviously don't understand the kindness of their elder sisters.
The members clapped their hands while humming "Go! Bicycle", and the little brother followed suit and squirmed fearlessly. It feels like taking care of a child.
The second person to visit was the 10-year-old only daughter Nako. She discovered the group as soon as they entered the door.
The little girl covered her mouth and shed tears of surprise.
Everyone visited the little fan’s room together. There are posters and calendars of Nogizaka on the walls of her bedroom, and CDs of Nogizaka and photos of the members are neatly placed on the desk. Among them, most of them are photos of Mai Shiraishi. You can tell she is a fan of Shiraishi at first glance.
The little sister was so excited that she fell into a trance. Mai Shiraishi also specially made egg-yaki for her.
After eating the egg yolk, she was nervous and shy. Amamiya Sori couldn't help but touch the good child's head.
Cultivating fans starts from childhood, so the group went to a local judo gym and shocked the children who were practicing.
The last stop was Tachikawa City, Tokyo, where everyone visited the Matsui family where the three brothers and sisters are all fans.
Erika Ikuta, who joined temporarily, was playing the piano and waiting for the two little sisters to go home, but as soon as they opened the door, they thought they had gone to the wrong room.
The 7-year-old round-faced girl was also very cute. Her recommendation was Ikuta, and she happened to play a song with Ikuta.
It is indeed a very happy thing for fans to have an idol as a guest at home. Amamiya Sugawara and the others are also very happy to have such an opportunity to meet their cute little fans before Christmas.
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Work is always busy at the end of the year, and after holding a special Christmas event at the Nogizaka Building, Amamiya's packed schedule lasted for several days. It wasn't until the early morning of December 31st that the last task of 2012 was completed.
Nogizaka is still far from as well-known and popular as AKB. They can't participate in the Record Awards or the Kohaku Song Festival, but they are still much better than last year when they didn't debut.
The last project before the year was a New Year’s Eve live broadcast on TBS TV station CDTV. Nogizaka's appearance time was scheduled at 5 a.m., which was earlier than the morning news, and there was basically no audience in front of the TV. But it would be good if some of them participated, and Nogizaka is not qualified to dislike them yet.
Due to working time constraints, the members who participated in this episode were selected from those who were over 18 years old. There were 9 members in total, including Amamiya Sugawara.
Everyone got up before 3 o'clock and went to the scene to prepare, just for those short few minutes.
Because it was too early, the host Masahiro Nakai looked like he was awake during the MC session, but the members of Nogizaka had to maintain their energy.
Amamiya Sori was sitting on the sofa, trying hard to suppress the urge to yawn.
After watching the boring VTR review of the 1994 pop song charts, and waiting for another group of artists to finish performing, Nogizaka took the stage to perform.
The performance this time is the "Uniform Doll" by Shiraishi Mai at the C position, Nana Hashimoto and Sayuri Matsumura. It has a different style compared to the original version at the C position by Ikoma Rina. "Uniform Doll" is a song that has been performed many times recently. Everyone is very familiar with it, and the various hip twisting and squatting movements are done very well.
The ladies in the audience applauded vigorously.
After the performance, everyone who was too sleepy should go back to their dormitories, and those who should go home should go home.
Amamiya Shiori got into Shiraishi Mai's bed, hugged her and slept beautifully.
It wasn't until noon that the sound of Shiraishi Mai packing her luggage woke Amamiya Shiori up.
Today is a dark day, and in a dozen hours it will be the New Year.
Nogizaka’s work for this year has been completed.
Most of the members who did not participate in this morning's audio broadcast have already arrived at their hometowns.
"Mai~" Amamiya Shiori rubbed his sleepy eyes.
Mai Shiraishi put a change of clothes into the small suitcase.
"Are you awake?" She glanced at Amamiya Shiori who was huddled in bed.
"Well..." Amamiya Sori sat up from the bed.
Shiraishi Mai put on her windbreaker, walked to the head of the bed, and straightened Amamiya Shiori's messy hair.
"Xiao Zhi, I'm going home."
Amamiya Suga narrowed his eyes and nodded, "When are you leaving? I'll see you off."
"Two o'clock in the afternoon, just in time for us to have lunch and then go to the station."
It takes more than two hours by JR from Tokyo to Gunma, and less than an hour by bus back to Numata. When Mai Shiraishi gets home, she can help her mother prepare the New Year's Eve dinner.
"Okay!" Amamiya Shiori quickly got up.
Most of the members went back to celebrate the New Year, and the dormitory suddenly became extremely deserted.
Amamiya Shiori and Shiraishi Mai had a curry meal at a nearby restaurant.
At the entrance of Nishi-Kasai Station, pedestrians come and go.
"See you next year! Xiaozhi." Mai Shiraishi gave Amamiya Shizaki a deep hug.
"Yeah! See you next year, Mai, Mai-kun." Amamiya Shiori smiled, "Don't forget to say hello to Aunt Natsuki for me."
"Xiao Zhi said it herself on the phone!" Mai Shiraishi smiled slyly, "By the way, I can also say hello to Aunt Lin."
Amamiya Shiori smiled and was noncommittal.
Amamiya Lin was her mother's name. In fact, Shiraishi Mai had never met Amamiya Shiori's mother very often. After all, Amamiya Lin worked in a nightclub and her schedule was different from ordinary people's.
"I will." After hugging for a while, Amamiya Sori said perfunctorily.
She was going to send a text message then to finish.
After bidding farewell to Mai Shiraishi, and on the way back to the dormitory, Soi Amamiya thought about how to spend the next few days during the holidays.
Teacher Takeda’s daughter is back this year. It’s not appropriate to go to her house to disturb her. There will be many people at major scenic spots, shrines, and temples tomorrow. It’s boring to go out alone. After much thought, I can only stay in the dormitory.
"Alas -" a sigh, although it is the Gregorian New Year, not the Lunar New Year, and the weight in Amamiya Shiori's heart is not that heavy, but she is still inevitably affected by the festive atmosphere around her, and becomes a little homesick, thinking about this life. Home, I also miss the home of my previous life.