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Posted by Shiso TH STAFF Thursday, January 31, 2013

Lead's Nakadoi Hiroki to graduate from the group

TH STAFF
allkpop



It was announced on Lead's official site that member Nakadoi Hiroki will be graduating from the group after the final stage of their fan club event "Leaders Party 10!", which is schedule for March. According to the announcement, Lead will continue their activities with three members, Taniuchi Shinya, Furuya Keita, and Kagimoto Akira, after April.

Their official blog was also updated, and Nakadoi revealed his thoughts. The translation for the blog post titled "To all of you" is as follows:

I am sorry for�surprising�you with this sudden announcement.

As announced�earlier, I, Nakadoi Hiroki, will graduate from Lead after the fan club event "Leaders Party 10!", and will end all of my activities in the entertainment industry.

One day, I began feeling that I was the only one who was not being able to catch up with Lead's growth as a group. Everybody still stands firm and keeps on living despite anxiety or distress. So, I thought that I also need to overcome it as well, but I kept spending days with no self-confidence in my talent and capability.

I tried to face my feelings sincerely and continually answered my�own�question over and over again, which brought me to the conclusion that I wanted to challenge myself in a new world, something not related to singing or dancing.

When I first told the members how I felt, they firmly opposed. They encouraged me, saying, 'You might be able to somewhat change your mind if we worked together harder, so let's do our best together,' and they also told me how big of a deal it is to lose a member.

Because of the members' encouragement and support from staff members and other parties�concerned, I once again roused myself. Also, my ambition started growing again when I was honest with my feelings, which arose when I communicated with Leaders (fans) through events and blog and when we held live concerts. I was also able to express the feeling genuinely�in our works and performances, and it was worthwhile for me. Especially last year, our 10th anniversary year, I could experience that 'hardship' existed to feel 'joy' by making our dream come true with the Leaders. While feeling the joy about being able to be a part of Lead from the bottom of my heart, I worked frantically for everything. I've felt impressed many times and also felt a sense of accomplishment, and my gratitude about my surroundings has increased.

However, I could not have confidence in myself as a Lead member after all.

After facing it once again, my feelings, that I shouldn't be with the members who are aiming higher and I couldn't keep relying on the kindness of the staff members who always held me back and the Leaders who always believe in me, became firm.

I told my members how I felt and the agency at the end of last year, and in the end, they accepted my wish to graduate.

After receiving the�opportunity�to debut at the age of 17, the past 10 and a half years I spent as a member of Lead was the wonderful time beyond words. I was able to get here thanks to the support from many people, and I was also able to experience things that not everyone can experience, something irreplaceable in my life.

I am full of gratitude toward the Leaders for choosing Lead, always staying by our side while believing us, having our back, and taking our side even during hard times. Because of you all, I have been able to come this far.

In order to be true to the Leaders who looked at the same goal,�laughed about same thing, got impressed by the same thing, felt bitter about the same thing, I will walk a new path with responsibility and awareness.

Although I know it is very difficult for you to understand my decision right away, please allow me to ask you a favor. Shinya, Keita, and Akira will continue standing on the stage as Lead with their steadfast thoughts, so please continue watching over Lead warmly without being disappointed at them because of my decision. It may sound selfish, but I beg it of you.

I will be standing on stage for the fan club event in March as I wanted to tell the Leaders about my graduation directly.

Though the remaining time for me to spend as a Lead member is very short, I will try my best to show you the performance that will make you have expectations for Lead's future.

Please continue to support Lead.

Nakadoi Hiroki

-----
When Hiroki revealed his thoughts at first, our minds just went blank.

Until then, we thought that it's just natural for the four Lead members to stick together, but because of the unacceptable reality that it would not be natural anymore and the fear that we might disappoint Leaders, it took quite a long time for us to speak about it. After that, we kept discussing the issue, while expressing each of our feelings.

To be honest, there was a time that we thought we should end Lead if it's impossible to stay as four members, but Lead doesn't exist only for four of us. When we think about the staff members who support and care about us sometimes even more than ourselves and Leaders who have chosen us and walked together with us, it brought us to the decision that we must keep going no matter what until we have no choice but to end it, rather than ending it ourselves. As a result, we have decided to accepted Hiroki's graduation and to continue our activities as three members.

From now on, Hiroki will start walking a different way from us. However, please allow us to tell you this as people who were the closest to him.

This past 10 and a half years, Hiroki has been taking the initiative in thinking about Lead and Leaders and has been going forward with responsibility as a Lead. Sometimes, we were depending too much on Hiroki's small back, but he still tried the hardest to protect Lead as the leader. Also, we know it was no lie when Hiroki said "Thank you" and "We will do our best" to the Leaders, because Hiroki never lied about Lead.

It is such a big thing that our leader is graduating, but we, three of us, will continue holding up Lead's motto 'Stand and Fight', and keep on going as Lead with our full effort, in order to see an even more vivid future with you Leaders.

As all of you know, we are not easily discouraged by adversity. Though it's not easy at all, we who know how to stand firm, do not intend to make this our peak nor to fall apart.

We will aim higher more, more, and more, since there is no reason for us to give up when you Leaders let us have a place to work hard.

Please continue to support Lead.

Taniuchi Shinya, Furuya Keita, Kagimoto Akira

=====

Source & Image: Lead official site + official blog

Thanks to Usagi for the tip!

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