Page 6-7
The two of you were sempai-kouhai in high school. Can you please recall the days when "you were together every day" in the Junior era while reading these old issues of ST? Can you start from the student days?
Toma: We often played together on our way home. Although he was in a lower grade, Yamashita was good friends with my friends. Yamashita was a freshman, me a sophomore, and MatsuJun in his 3rd year, so our group was very strong. We even had a welcoming party for this new student.
Yamashita: I had a really large welcoming party! My friend's brother was also a senior.
Toma: When we all convened, there were a lot of people.
Yamashita: Around 20 people? All of us would go karoaking or something.
Toma: We would go fool around in sempai's homes. Even sempais wouldn't torture Yamashita too much.
Yamashita: I was in a pretty good position.
Toma: It's always been like that! I'm the one who gets teased.
Yamashita: When I'm next to Toma, I'm safe. But honestly, everyone respected the sempais.
Toma: Come to think of it, have I ever lent you my PE uniform?
Yamshita: Yep! When I forget I would borrow Toma's.
Toma: When I look at the window at the courtyard, I would see Yamashita wearing a shirt that says "Ikuta."
Yamashita: Because the size was the same, so it didn't feel uncomfortable.
Toma: If you covered the name, no one would notice. We also ate lunch together in the cafeteria. Our seats were pretty much set. We ate at the largest table near the entrance. I only ate curry, with seven flavors, which was popular the time.
Yamashita: The first person who ate that way was me. Although everyone considered me stupid at first, it slowly became popular. Everyone's probably forgotten, but I was the first one!
Toma: It was the first time I've seen someone eat that way.
Yamashita: Because the cafeteria curry wasn't flavored enough.
Toma: it was a little sweet.
Yamashita: And we would always buy potatoes. What else did the cafeteria sell?
Toma: [This one dish that I don't know the name of...lol]
Yamshita: It was soft. (Laugh)
Toma: Yep!
Yamashita: But, it was very yummy. If you don't go early, it'll sell out.
Toma: I would stand in line for a long time, and sometimes kouhais would call and say "please buy two"
Yamashita: We would go to each other's hosues. The two of us still live at home, so we often speak of "we must move out!"
Toma: Once, I found Yamashita's swimming cap in Yamashita's closet! (Hysterical laughter)
Yamashita: I completely don't remember. It's often like this! Well, it was probably because we went swimming. I went to Toma's house and I ate fish bowl three times!
Toma: Really? (Laugh)
Yamashita: Yep, it was yummy. <3 Because Toma's parents are from Hokkaido, so someone probably gave them that.
Toma: Even so, I don't want to feed you that 3 times! (Laugh) Because I like it a lot myself. Also, when we're together, somehow it'll feel like"Let's go bathe," so I've taken baths with Yamashita many times.
Yamashita: Like when we go on tours and stuff.
[T note: *snicker* Someone...fic! fic!]
Toma: In the small hotel bathtubs, one person will be in front, the other person behind, and while waiting for the other person to finish showering, we would say "hurry up! it's freezing!"
Yamashita: And then, after we half finish washing, we'd switch spots. It was very popular! Why do little kids like to shower together? Retrospectively, it's a pretty crazy habit.
Toma: But, I think guys can understand. Yamshita's pretty shy, so he'd always hide in the front. (Laugh)
Yamashita: But when News went on tour, everyone went to the bathing room. I don't feel embarassed anymore. It's only during my youth that I feel shy.
Toma: Coem to think of it, I've always went to the onsen with Yamashita's grandmother.
Yamashita: Yep!
T: Why do I go on trips with Yamashita's entire family?
Y: It was when TakkiTsuba debuted.
T: Yamashita called and said, "We're goign to the onsen, wanna come?" When I asked with whom, he said " with my family."
Y: Huhuhuhu
T: I definitely said, "Um, I don't think I should go"
Y: My attitude was, "There's no problem! Stop worrying. Come along, please!"
T: We would put out futons in the same room and lay side by ide.
Y: Yeah, I remember. We went to the onsen together a lot, even though sometimes it was for work.
T: Once, I went with Yamashita to take photos in Hokkaido. I lived at Grandma's place, so when they took me to the airport, we saw my grandma and cousin.
Y: Yeah! We took a picture togehter too! I remember! But, because we've been together for so long, even if we do something weird, it's still nothing surprising. But when the two of us talk, sometimes I will suddenly start playing with my cell phone or listen to music.
T: When we rode the bus home together and stuff, we're together, but Yamashita will listen to his MD. Back then, I thought "Wtf?"
Y: When I was confronted with " What are you doing?" I would ask " What are you talking about? But I guess it's a pretty weird situation. But because it's Toma, I don't feel like I need to face him carefully.
Toma: I was really empathetic back then. But Yamashita was the type that was like" No problem, no problem," so we would often argue. Although it's like that now too, it's not as bad.
Y: We were a group once, and at that time, Toma's moves were really amazing. And then during actual performances, I would say " And then? And then?" Also, I wasn't good at MC, so Toma would say "say some more!", work hard. I said we should be like Tegumassu and do something together, and film a drama.
Toma: Yeah, we haven't acted together.
Y: If our characters had a good relationship, we would make it heart-felt. "Kurosaki" type characters probably aren't fitting.
Toma: When I was watching Kurosaki, I thought I liked Yamashita as a dark character. How should I say, I don't think have that sort of angsty spirit. Nobuta's Akira was kind of idiotic, but actually, he also had a tragic side.
Y: I definitely like Hanakimi's energetic feel. I like Toma's actions. It's pretty special. But, Toma showed your true self in HC.
T: [Nakatsu is] Fiery, huh.
Y: It's pretty clear. Although there's a feeling of Kyabikyabi, but there's also a feeling of gacu gacu. Like that. [T note: Um...I dunno what that means.]
T: I also think that Yamashita can turn a pretty set into something interesting and full of energy. Like Nobuta and Kurosagi.
Y: Because I think a lot about it everyday.
T: Normally, we don't really talk about the details of filming. In comparison, we talk about things further away, like what are we going to be like in ten years? Etc. That's sort of thing we talk about when we meet. I want to be surrounded by good friends and do work that I have confidence in and taste good wine.
Y: Compared to before, we haven't really changed much. It's only that we don't bathe together anymore? (Laugh)
[T note: *cough* You should...]
T: Yeah
Y: From today onwards too. Our relationship will not change. Only our surroundings will change.
T: Although I think to not change is very hard. Compared to before, the surroundings have really changed a lot. Ultimately, change might be seen more often than not. But, Yamashita's not like that. I believe it!
Y: Me too! Please take care of me in the future too!
Page 8
To Yamashita:
Although it's a little...to say it now (Laugh)
I REALLY like the Yamashita's that's filming a drama.
So I want us to act together once as people who haven't known each other for a long time. What do you think?
To Toma:
When we're thirty or forty, let's be neighbors!
I really want my friends to convene and live nearby.
I want the distance to be so close we can borrow soysauce and stuff.
But if it's around forty, we'll probably arlready be married huh?
_________________