Takase Mana blog: Kakizaki Memi's graduation

Idols

Takase Mana
2019.06.22  21:55


Good evening, everyone (｡･ω･)ﾉﾞ
It's Takase Mana

Kakizaki Memi's graduation and Hamagishi Hiyori's hiatus have been announced.

Hiyo-tan
Hiyo-tan is really an honest kid, everyone's little sister, someone who sees everything around her and is kind to people.
With her continuing poor health, even when she was able to take part in activities, she sometimes had to rest. But she continued to do her very best.

Speaking personally, for Kyun she was in the position next to me and always made me laugh!
When she was not able to take part in lives or TV recording, I felt quite lonely.
With Hiyo-tan not there, we change our positioning a bit to fill the gap, and for bigger performances we make changes in our movements.
Hiyo-tan should not worry but just relax and rest, so that when she returns she will be able to perform and work even harder.
Hiyo-tan's place will be here for her whenever she returns. We'll wait for you!
Since you've decided on a hiatus, I want you to rest properly and become better, and return with your usual smiling face.

And then, Memi.

Ahh...honestly, I don't know what to write, or how.




When we first met at the auditions, it already seemed to me that Memi might be fated to be my friend.
She thought I was younger and spoke to me, and after we were accepted we were part of the "regions" group and stayed in a hotel together for several months. Thinking about it now, I realize that we have spent a lot of time together from the beginning.

We were partners in Re:Mind.
In the dressing room or on a bus, Memi would point to a seat beside her and say: "Takase's here."
And she secretly encouraged me in her blog.
I haven't had the chance to say this to her directly, but it all made me so happy.

When she was in her rebellious phase, I really didn't know what to do. When it came to an end I was quite relieved.

She was young, but would always hold firm to her own ways of thinking, which were always well thought out.
For that reason, I think her decision to graduate has also been well thought out.

I have been close to Memi, and have been well aware of her feelings, and of the changes in her mind and body. Being an idol is not an easy job, so trying to stop her from resigning was not something I could do so simply.

Of course it's lonely. I don't want her to resign. There are more things I want to do with her, to fulfill with her. But I want to send her off with a smile and no worries!

When the announcement was made, I contacted her and said: "Really, I'm just sad." "You're being unusually honest," she replied. I thought how great it would be if we could continue to talk this naturally, in our normal way.

I never, ever thought Memi would be the first to graduate.
When she resigned, I felt nostalgic for the time when we all talked about resigning together.
I knew it was impossible, but at that time I somehow thought that none of us would ever graduate.

But I suddenly realize it is already more than three years since we became members of Hiragana Keyaki, and that our chances of all performing together are gradually disappearing.
I think it's an amazing thing that we have all come along together this far.

Over such a long period of time, the atmosphere of the group has been changing, too, and graduation has become a natural thing.
However, the fact that Nagaru and Memi were there and part of Hiragana Keyaki, that will never change, and I hope will never be forgotten.

It makes me sad to think that I will have just about no more chance to work with Memi the idol again.
But since right now we have an appointment to go out to eat, rather than feeling sad, my optimistic feelings of wanting the ordinary girl Memi to enjoy her life are stronger!

I expect to be a close friend of Memi's when we are both old ladies.

Finally, since I was told to praise you a lot, I will give you some praise.
You have worked very hard. Thank you for your effort.
That you were accepted into Hiragana Keyaki; that you drew Hiragana Keyaki forward; that you worked so hard in Hinatazaka, as well...for all these I thank you.
I feel as if I could say "thank you" to you over and over again and never stop.

I never thought I would meet someone in my life I could be such close friends with.

When we meet someone, we don't know when we will part...

So from now on, too, every moment is important.
I wanted to tell you what I think before I regretted never having said it.

I hope that Memi's time as an idol will be at least a bit of an enjoyable memory.
Thank you for being my partner!

To Hiyo-tan and to Memi, all the best from now on!


Thank you for reading to the end.


Takase Mana ／(o・ω・o)＼


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Members' blog posts about Memi's graduation are being well translated by theblueslope on Twitter. But since Memi is so important to me and to this blog, I'll gradually do my own versions, with the original photos, so people can always find them here with her own blog posts.

Here's the blog post where Memi secretly encourages Manafi.