𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐲 𝐚 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐡 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤
"When you get infected with the Coronavirus, you're supposed to announce a comment of apology, right? That made me feel a bit uneasy... Even when taking proper measures, the possibility of getting infected is still there, so I think it isn't something you're supposed to feel sorry about. But when I got infected myself, the reality was that countless apologies would well up inside of you. When the body weakens, mental health also grows negative. In my case it started with chills, followed by a fever. Even after my fever went down, I couldn't taste nor smell anything for a while. Fortunately, it didn't get worse, but I was quite depressed."
He wants to convey a message that will inspire and give someone a push on the back. Kitamura thinks so even while acting or singing. Even when he got infected with the Coronavirus, those feelings didn't change.
"Not knowing what could happen tomorrow makes you think negatively. But then I realized that doing such thing was no good. That would mean losing against the Coronavirus. Currently, people infected with the virus and people who aren't infected with it alike find tomorrow quite implausible. They probably don't carry any hope. I know many people are having a hard time dealing with Coronavirus, but I don't want them to lose hope. After staying in bed for a few days, my physical condition gradually improved. I absent-mindedly sat on a chair on the balcony for about three hours. I was alone, doing nothing, just sitting. But I felt truly alive. I felt like I could see a view that was different from before. I've been running recklessly for the past few years, but it's because I've stopped that I was able to learn things. First, believe in yourself, then believe in tomorrow. Do that, and hope will also be born. Having gotten infected, I feel that I have grown stronger now. I want to let many people know what I felt."
𝐈 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭
There are things you can gain in two weeks.
"Somehow, amidst my helplessness, I felt the affection of various people. My parents whom I couldn't meet in person left me plenty of meals at my doorstep, my bandmates talked to me more than usual, my old friends and friends whom I usually don't get to meet contacted me. All this time I thought I was running alone, but I'm actually surrounded by a lot of companions treading on the same path as I am. I am thankful and happy for that. I actually made four songs while I was on break. One of them I sang exactly just how I felt during that time."
When he got back to work, he felt the warmth of his friends.
"When I got back to the scene of the filming where I last left off, everyone was saying 'Thank you'. We had been filming under the intense heat for a long time, then there was a two-week break because of me. They said that if the filming continued in such a state, someone would have collapsed for sure. Our concert was also postponed, but because of that it was possible to gain more spectators and we were able to hold it at a time when there were less restrictions. I did think that I caused inconvenience, but because the people around me said it in such ways I became more optimistic. That saved me."
And now, Kitamura Takumi has started running again, with eyes looking only at the future.
"I felt that I've become more creative this year. I've made a lot of songs, I've stood in the recording studio for long periods, I've given detailed directions. I think about whether to play the bass with fingers or a pick. I'm conscious about the kind of atmosphere I want to bring. I was a bit surprised to learn that I'm the type of person who's particular about the small details.
I also had the opportunity to be photographer for the photobook of my actor friend, Kanta Sato. It was a very enjoyable experience. I won't say I'm glad that I got infected with the Coronavirus, but because of it I learned a lot. As to what kind of influence it will have on me, I look forward to it myself."
[From GQ JAPAN "Men of the Year 2021" January and February 2022 issue]
※ Translation may be inaccurate