Light the Fuse

November 27, 2019

8:26am

I was just finishing up my morning coffee when I heard a soft knock at the door. My heart skipped a beat, instantly recognizing the familiar pattern. Ai.

There she stood, her face mixed with excitement and nervousness. Just like me.

"Hey," I said softly, stepping aside to let her in.

She entered, her eyes scanning my apartment as if checking that I was really ready.

"You look great," she said, a note of pride in her voice. "Very idol-worthy."

I chuckled, running a hand through my hair. "Thanks. I had some help picking it out."

Ai took a step closer, her hand finding mine. "How are you feeling?" she asked, her voice gentle.

I let out a long breath. "Nervous. Excited. Terrified. A whole mix of things."

"That's normal. This is a big day. A huge moment for you and the group."

I squeezed her hand, drawing strength from her touch. "I know. I just want to do it justice."

Ai's other hand came up to cup my cheek, her thumb brushing over my skin. "You will. You already have. Look at how far you've come, Akira... it's all led to this."

I leaned into her touch, my eyes fluttering closed for a moment. When I opened them again, Ai was looking at me with such warmth, such belief, it took my breath away.

She leaned in, her lips meeting mine in a soft, lingering kiss.

When we parted, I rested my forehead against hers, just breathing her in. In that moment, all the nerves, all the fears, seemed to melt away.

"I love you," I murmured.

"I love you, too," she whispered back. "Now go out there and show them what Akira Ueno is made of."

With a final squeeze of my hand and a bright, encouraging smile, Ai slipped out of the apartment, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

11:37am

The drive to the venue was a blur, the city passing by in a haze. As we pulled up to the towering building, I took a moment to just breathe, to center myself in the here and now.

Stepping out of the car, I was surprised on how intricate this was going to be. Staff members rushed to and fro, carrying equipment and barking orders into headsets. Fans had already started to gather, their excited chatter filling the air. Wait, fans are here?

I spotted the rest of X-Factor huddled near the entrance, looking just as jittery as I felt. Kenji was pacing, his brow furrowed in concentration. Haruto was quietly humming to himself, no doubt running through the vocal arrangements in his head. Daisuke and Satoru were engaged in what looked like an intense thumb war, their way of burning off nervous energy.

As I approached, they looked up, their faces breaking into grins. "There's our fearless leader," Satoru quipped, giving me a playful punch on the arm.

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help smiling. "More like the non X-Factor," I joked, falling into step with them as we headed inside.

We were ushered to our dressing room, a spacious area already filled with racks of clothing and tables overflowing with makeup and hair products.

Settling in, I took a moment to check in with each member. Kenji was quiet, his jaw set in as he reviewed the choreography in the mirror. I placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "We've got this," I said softly. He met my gaze in the reflection, giving a firm nod.

Haruto was warming up his voice, running through scales with a focused intensity. I caught his eye, giving him a thumbs up. He grinned, returning the gesture.

Daisuke had his headphones on, nodding to some music. And Satoru… well Satoru was scrolling through twitter, liking any post of fans saying they were excited to see the performance.

A knock at the door signaled that it was time for soundcheck. We made our way to the stage, the enormity of the space sending a fresh wave of nerves through me.

But as we took our positions, as the first notes of our songs filled the air, something settled in me. This was what we'd worked for. This was our moment.

We ran through the set, ironing out any last kinks, getting a feel for the stage and the acoustics. With each run-through, I could feel us hitting our stride, the pieces falling into place.

Heading back to the dressing room, the energy between us was electric. We were ready. Come hell or high water, we were going to give the performance of our lives.

Gathered in a huddle, our arms slung around each other, I looked at these men who had become my brothers. "This is it, guys. This is our shot. Let's make it count."

"X-Factor on three," Kenji said, his hand outstretched.

We piled our hands on top of his. "One, two, three... X-FACTOR!"

The studio was buzzing as we took our seats, the bright lights and cameras a stark reminder that this was no ordinary chat. This was our debut, our chance to reintroduce X-Factor to the world.

Across from us sat Mika Nakahara, one of Japan's most renowned music journalists for Music Buzz. She had a reputation for being tough but fair, always digging for the real story beneath the polished idol veneer.

As the crew did their final checks, Mika leaned forward, her eyes sharp and assessing. "Relax, boys," she said with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I don't bite. Much."

I forced a laugh, trying to ignore the butterflies rampaging in my stomach. This was it. Showtime.

The director counted down, and then the red light on the camera blinked to life. Game on.

"Welcome back to 'Inside the Industry'," Mika began, her voice smooth and practiced. "Today, we have a very special treat. Please welcome the new and improved X-Factor!"

There was a smattering of applause from the crew, and we bowed our heads in acknowledgment.

"Now, X-Factor has been through quite a journey," Mika continued. "A meteoric rise, a shocking departure, and now, a hotly anticipated comeback. Akira, as the new leader, how are you feeling about all this?"

All eyes turned to me. I could feel the weight of their expectations, the heat of the spotlight. But I also felt the reassuring presence of my members beside me, the strength of our shared bond.

I took a breath, gathering my thoughts. "Honestly, Mika, it's been a whirlwind. Stepping into this role, into this group, it's been both challenging and incredibly rewarding."

I glanced at the others, a small smile tugging at my lips. "But what's made it all possible, what's kept me going, is the support of my members. We've grown so much, not just as performers, but as a team. As brothers."

Kenji nodded, a subtle but firm agreement. Haruto and Daisuke shared a glance, a silent affirmation of our unity.

Mika nodded, scribbling something in her notepad. "That's great to hear, Akira. But let's address the elephant in the room. Jiro's departure was a huge shock to fans. How did his comments, his criticism of the new X-Factor, affect you and the group?"

I could feel the tension ripple through the room. This was the question everyone had been waiting for.

I leaned forward, a flicker of irritation sparking in my chest. My mind flashed back to the meeting we had with Yumi, just a few days before the interview.

"Alright, boys," Yumi said, her eyes scanning over each of us. "We need to discuss how you're going to handle the inevitable questions about Jiro."

We shifted in our seats, the tension palpable. It was the topic we'd all been avoiding, the specter hanging over our comeback.

"You have two options," Yumi continued, her voice crisp and professional. "You can take the high road, play the innocent, aggrieved party. Express your shock and disappointment at Jiro's words, but emphasize that you wish him well."

She paused, letting the option sink in. "Or, you can be honest. Address his comments head-on, defend yourselves and your music. It's riskier, but it could also make for a more compelling narrative."

I glanced around at the others, trying to gauge their reactions. Kenji's jaw was tight, his eyes hard. Haruto chewed on his lip, deep in thought. Daisuke and Satoru exchanged a look, a silent communication passing between them.

"What do you think, Akira?" Yumi asked, her gaze settling on me. "You're the leader. It's your call."

I took a deep breath, weighing the options in my mind. The safe route was tempting. Deflect, defuse, move on. But something about it felt wrong, felt like a betrayal of everything we'd worked for.

"I think..." I started, my voice slow and deliberate. "I think we need to be honest. We need to stand up for ourselves, for our music."

I could see Kenji nod from the corner of my eye, a small, approving gesture. Haruto sat up straighter, his shoulders squaring as if bracing for a fight.

"Jiro threw the first punch," I continued, my conviction growing. "He tried to undermine us, to cast doubt on our abilities and our future. We can't just take that lying down."

Satoru grinned. "Damn right we can't. I say we go in there and give 'em hell!"

Daisuke, usually so quiet and reserved, spoke up. "I agree with Akira. We've worked too hard, come too far, to let anyone diminish that. Even Jiro."

Yumi leaned back in her chair, a small, satisfied smile playing on her lips. "Honest it is, then. But remember, boys, there's a fine line between defending yourselves and outright attacking Jiro. We need to strike a balance."

We all nodded, the weight of the decision settling over us. It wasn't going to be easy, exposing ourselves like that. But it was necessary. It was the only way forward.

"Alright," Yumi said, clapping her hands. "Let's prep some talking points."

I snapped back to the present, to Mika's expectant face, to the heat of the studio lights. This was it. The moment we'd prepared for.

"Look, Jiro made his choice. He decided to walk away, to pursue his own path. We respect that."

Satoru nodded vigorously, backing me up. Kenji's jaw tightened, but he remained silent, letting me take the lead.

I paused, letting the words sink in. "But the things he said, the way he tried to undermine what we're doing here? That's not respect. That's just bitterness."

I could see Mika's eyes widen slightly, could sense the others shifting beside me. This wasn't the diplomatic answer they thought we would give. But it was the truth, raw and unfiltered.

"The fact is, X-Factor is bigger than any one member. It's about the music, the message, the bond we share with our fans. Jiro forgot that. But we haven't. And we're here to remind everyone what X-Factor truly stands for."

My voice was firm, unapologetic. I wasn't going to dance around the issue, wasn't going to play nice for the cameras.

Satoru clapped his hand on my shoulder, a physical show of support. Haruto and Daisuke sat up straighter, their postures mirroring my resolve.

"We're excited about this new chapter," I continued, my gaze direct and unwavering. "We've poured our blood, sweat, and tears into this comeback. And we're not going to let anyone, not even a former member, detract from that."

There was a beat of silence, the weight of my words hanging in the air. I could see Mika scrambling to regain control of the interview, to steer it back to safer ground.

"Well, there you have it, folks," she said with a strained laugh. "X-Factor, unfiltered and unapologetic. This is shaping up to be quite the comeback."

The rest of the interview flew by, the questions turning to our new music, our creative process, our hopes for the future. The others chimed in, adding their own insights and anecdotes.

But through it all, I could feel the change in the room, the shift in the energy. We hadn't played by the rules, hadn't given the safe, polished answers everyone expected.

We had been real, raw, authentic. We had shown the world the fire that fueled us, the passion that drove us.

X-Factor was back. And we weren't here to play nice. We were here to light the stage on fire.

Like it's Dynamite.