Enfants Terribles' second album took flight, propelled by the momentum of their previous success and the shifting tides of the era.
On the charts, their dominance showed no signs of slowing. Since the album's release, Enfants Terribles had occupied the number one spot on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard 200 without interruption.
Their decision to pivot toward a heavier, more profound, and grittier sound—breaking away from the shadow of their debut masterpiece—had been a massive triumph. Critics, who traditionally favor complex and experimental soundscapes, gave the second album even more favorable reviews than the first.
Given the scale of their initial success, many expected the band to simply self-replicate their previous hits, but critics praised the band's gamble to venture into new territory.
While some reviewers expressed regret that the message of hope found in their debut had shifted, even they couldn't help but applaud the sheer quality of the music.
Many groups reach the summit only to lose their form and slide back down; the consensus was that Enfants Terribles had masterfully utilized their peak popularity and recognition.
Consequently, while the first album possessed more mainstream appeal, the second album was smashing commercial records far more aggressively.
The band moved forty million copies each of their versions of [OK Computer] and [Nevermind]. With experts predicting that the sales of Michael Jackson's double albums might even surpass [Thriller], the public viewed Enfants Terribles as the Mike Tyson of the music industry.
They were a band that charged forward regardless of the opponent, knocking everyone out, never letting a fight go to ten rounds, and completely disregarding the need for point-scoring.
Even back in their home territory of Japan, Enfants Terribles was currently challenging the all-time record of 7.7 million copies held by Utada Hikaru.
[ENFANTS TERRIBLES!!! RANKED #1 IN MOST EUROPEAN COUNTRIES!]
In the current reality, such headlines barely garnered attention, as they had become almost routine. The frenzy that had started with the single 'Stairway to Heaven' had only one ultimate destination.
The Grammy Awards. A feat never achieved even in the world where rock once thrived: dominating the General Field categories for two consecutive years.
Having already swept the American Music Awards, countless bookmakers were betting heavily on their victory at the Grammys.
Though, there was one volatile element that no one knew about—except for those within the band's inner circle.
The day after the second New York concert, Hide took advantage of a rare moment of rest to do absolutely nothing.
Aside from going out for breakfast, he stayed in bed all day. Part of it was the mental exhaustion from everything that had suddenly been thrust upon him, but more than that, he was reeling from having ruined a stage that was supposed to be a sacred space for him as a 'rock star.'
The root cause was, of course, that man who appeared claiming to be his father. Because of the series of events that unfolded after his appearance, Hide had compromised the performance—one that should have been the band's finest hour.
"I can't let this happen at the Grammys."
Hide thought of the possibility of winning consecutive Grammy sweeps, an achievement that could represent the pinnacle of his career.
The metrics Enfants Terribles had achieved were at a level no one else could touch. While new rock stars like Guns N' Roses and Avril Lavigne were rising, they still needed more time before they could realistically challenge the band's prestige.
Enfants Terribles was a band at its zenith; the others were still rookies. And yet, Hide's heart felt heavy.
Unlike the previous year, this upcoming Grammy ceremony felt like the final station of his career.
"Fucker..."
The night his father had shown up, Hide had spoken on the phone with Saito Ichigo, the head of Ichigo Production. The topic was, naturally, how to handle the current situation.
The most important currency in the entertainment industry is 'interest.' Because of this, those in the industry do not hesitate to act—even if it means destroying someone's life—just to garner the public's attention. This rule of the showbiz world applied equally to the press.
Hide recalled the conversation while pondering these thoughts.
"That damn star power. I can bury this quietly. But if I do, Enfants Terribles' momentum won't be what it used to be."
"How many people did you say rely on Enfants Terribles for their livelihoods?"
"A lot... more than we can count."
At Enfants Terribles' current weight class, they could survive just by maintaining their core fandom. Even if the public branded them a 'disgraceful band' due to family scandals, they could still operate to some extent.
However, much more was riding on the band's shoulders—or rather, Hide's shoulders. Even if the band survived, groups associated with them, like B-Komachi, would likely fall into a period of stagnation.
Above all, if Enfants Terribles—the icons of the era—were to vanish, Ichigo Production, which had only just begun to spread its wings as a major agency, would surely collapse under the relentless onslaught of competing firms.
This was because Ichigo Production was a thorn in the side of the existing industry cartel, having smashed traditional practices and unfair norms in favor of artist-friendly policies.
"Then there's no helping it. I suppose this is just the life of a rock star."
"Hide... this label will follow you for the rest of your life. It will become fodder for gossip that haunts your footsteps forever."
"Saito, like you said way back after Utakon ended... this is business."
"Right... business... You're right."
Once the news of Hide's family history went public, the audience would no longer see him for who he was. They would view him through a lens of pity or idolization, regardless of what he actually did.
It's not like I'm trying to be Kurt Cobain or anything...
After meeting Liam Gallagher, he had resolved to become a true rock star who spoke only with sincerity, yet Hide had ultimately ended up as a liar full of contradictions.
Hide felt like throwing everything off his shoulders and simply disappearing somewhere far away.
.
.
.
.
.
That night, Hide put a cigarette in his mouth for the first time since coming into this world.
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