On this day, July 14th 2021, I turned 20.
Thank you everyone for your continuous support. Thank you so much everyone for all the love you continue to give me.
I joined Nogizaka46 when I was in my 3rd and final year of middle school, at the age of 15, and so the word ‘twenty’ still feels awfully strange to me. I wonder if I’ll get used to it from now on. Even in the eyes of everyone else I am now seen as a 20-year-old, I need to be more adult like, don’t I?
As a 19-year-old, that age was a age of enrichment and overflowing happiness, much more than I imagined it to be. Usually, it unfortunately feels like time passes in the blink of eye, but it is almost like this year the flow of time was defied, and the axis of time flowed slower. It was also a year where the dreams I spoke of were fulfilled, and I learned the power of words. Even though not everything came to fruition I can say with certainty that 19 was a blessed age for me.
Ever since I was born until the day that is today arrived, I had an innumerable number of encounters. Each encounter is precious to me, and it is through these indispensable and important encounters that I have been sculpted into the person I am today.
First of all I would like to express my feelings of gratitude for my parents. Ever since I was small my parents would constantly preach to me to “Please do what you want to do.” Whether it be in school, entrance exams, my dreams for the future, what ever I said they would always respect my wishes. Me, not being able to understand how grateful I should be, I was probably selfish and defiant on many occasions. But even then my parents continued to watch over me. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
One day, just like my mother, I want to be kind and be extremely concerned about the wellbeing of those around me. One day, just like my father, I want to think ahead and be someone that silently loves others. In order to become like them I will live a strong life. I hope you will continue to look after me, I love you both.
Next, to all the various staff and crew I’ve encountered, and to Manager san. I am overflowing with gratitude for everyone that was involved in helping me do my job. I think everyday “As expected, I love this job don’t I.” Me, who hates losing and who is greedily working on trying to get stronger. Thank you very much for being a part of the life of the one known as Kubo Shiori.
Next too all the senior members, same generation members and newer member. Why am I so lucky to have been able to meet such lovely and important people during my life. There have been greetings and farewells, but this is not an environment we can stay forever. But even then, the unchanging fact is that I can think that “the reason I started to love Nogizaka46 is because everyone is here.” I will continue to always love you.
Next, to everyone who continuously supports me. If I’m happy about something, together we are happy. If I’m frustrated with something, together we are frustrated. Thank you so much everyone for always being the ones supporting me. I wonder how my idol career is displayed in the eyes of everyone supporting me.
There are a lot of things I made everyone worry about, sometimes I think “If I went down a different path, the time everyone would spend smiling could have been increased.” That being said, the existence of everyone seeing the same dream as me is truly immense. After meeting everyone, for the first time in my life, I knew and could only think “I’m not alone,” and “my heart can move forward this much.” Kubo “I want to become stronger”. Up till now it has been a bumpy road and yet everyone still cheered me through it and therefore I also want to be the strength for everyone else. Please make sure to still stand firm and put my feelings of strength into your heart.
Living as a 20 year old, I’m going to make sure to cherish this year. I don’t want to turn my back on these feelings that have grown in my heart. If I feel like I want to challenge it, I’ll try it once. If I make a wish, don’t think it’s impossible, chase after it. If I think I want to take a break, take sufficient time to recuperate. Just like that, I want to think, without lying to myself, that “In order to be held responsible for my words and my actions, I need to face myself.”
One more thing. I want to believe more in the power of words.
There are times when words attack just like a weapon. Occasionally there are moments when they attack even unintentionally. Never forgetting this truth, I want to be able to use words like a shield and have strong awareness of their harm to others. One day, I would like to use that shield to protect those that are important to me. If I can use my experiences to help others, I think I will live a much stronger life.
Because becoming an adult is a once in a lifetime thing, I think it’s something special and amazing. All around me I hear voices of people longing to become adult. With a mixture of various emotions, in some respects, I felt as though the countdown to my 20th birthday was a lot heavier than others. But now that my birthday is here, I feel relieved! No matter how old I get I will always be me. Nothing has changed, but there are of course things I want to change. Without forgetting my original intention, I want to always have the moments called “in those days” to start accumulating without me forgetting them.
The lovely Matsumura san. For the first and last time she asked me “let’s take a picture!” Congratulations on your graduation. I want Matsumura’s smile to continue its stay for as long as it can. ☺︎
Finally, today is the day that curtain lifts on our “2021 midsummer whole country tour.” !!! The summer of Nogizaka46 has returned. From the bottom of my heart I’m so glad, just like this, we’re able to go and meet everyone again for the first time in 2 years. Today, even though we couldn’t hear anyone’s voices, I had the strong feeling that we were able to communicate through our hearts. This made me so very happy. “Be sure to come,” “See the dream of an enjoyable future,” until the very end I want to be able to deliver the best things I can now and I want to do it with everyone! Together let’s create the best memories!
Once again, I have now turned 20 years old. I’m truly thankful as always. Even by a little, even one by one, I want to be able to make dreams come true. My stride may be short, but please continue to look after me.
I’ll write again soon.
Kubo Shiori.
This next year of my life, I have a clear goal and I’m going to work steadily to accomplish it. Small and big dreams, I have both of them. The world reflected in my eyes is one full of color. The dream I have now is to do a play. I want to try competing in the outside world and one day, until the day comes where I’ll be able to repay this group I’ll be here continuing to fight. I’m looking forward to my life as a twenty year old!
Mikuma's Nogi Translations 