hsjnewbie | Dear Okamoto Keito, Best of Luck!

Maybe I have no right to write this considering that I started becoming a fan when Keito was already on hiatus. But like I've always said, I fell in love with JUMP after watching the old Itajan on YouTube, and Keito was there. So yes, I've shared other fans' love and excitement for his comeback.

To be honest, I'm not surprised that he decided to leave, but I'm still sad. Heartbroken, but I still want to respect his decision. It's hard for us, fans, yes, and especially for Keito's tans, but I believe it's harder for Keito and JUMP. So if JUMP has the big heart to support him, then so can we, can't we?

Of course, what we feel is valid. Anger, heartbreak, disappointment, etc. After all, we've endured all these times waiting for him to come back, and that's what he promised too. We also say we always want the best for him and wish him the happiness he so deserves, but just because we love someone so much doesn't mean we'll forever be happy for them, right? Just because we love him so much, doesn't mean it doesn't hurt when he does something we don't want him to do, right? So please embrace that sadness, cry if you must, just so it doesn't turn into hatred, and just so we can keep loving and continue to support him afterward.

And it must have been uneasy for Keito, too. After all, it's not easy to decide something for our future. The thought of restarting from "zero", the thought of failures, the thought of "maybe it'd have been safer had I stayed with JUMP", etc. It's not easy. So let's applaud his courage in making this decision and sharing it with us first-hand. It's selfish, yes, but it will also be selfish of us if we force him to stay because, it's HIS life, not ours. So,

Dear Keito,
Thank you for showing us the courage. Your path ahead might be rough. But please know that you're already a winner for making this decision. You might see some of us sad, disappointed, and mad. But please know that it's because we love you. We'll need time to process our feelings. Just like you needed the time before finally coming to that decision. But please know that we, or at least me, will never hate you. I will always wish you the best, success, and happiness. Best of luck! ❤