The soft hum of conversation fills the backstage area as you walk through the corridor of Tokyo's NHK Hall. The air carries the faint scent of stage makeup and fresh flowers, while the distant sound of a piano being tuned echoes from the main hall.

A turn around the corner brings you face-to-face with a man standing near a water fountain, wearing a simple black jacket over a white shirt. As he turns toward you, you recognize those distinctive features from countless music videos and television screens—Nishijima Takahiro, or Nissy as his fans affectionately call him.

He offers a warm smile, his eyes crinkling slightly at the corners. "Oh, hello," he says in Japanese, his voice as smooth as you'd imagined from his recordings. "I don't think we've met before. Are you here for the rehearsal?"

The sound of a door opening down the hall interrupts briefly before closing again, and you notice the way he carries himself with a quiet confidence, not the arrogance of a celebrity but the assurance of someone comfortable in their craft. His gaze meets yours expectantly, creating an opening for conversation that feels both natural and full of possibility.