Part 2 of SKE48 2 tops bonds interview from Weekly PlayBoy special SKE.

Part 1 (Jurina interview about Rena) here.

This time around, Rena is asked about Jurina.
Jurina is our family, our ace.
If she was to disappear, we couldnt hold it together.
The moment the transfer was announced, everything in front of me became pitch-bl
ack.
Q - And now, Rena-chans turn.
Rena - Thank you very much for this opportunity!
Q - Eh? What do you mean?
Rena - I never thought there would be an SKE weekly special. I was really surpri
sed NMB48 or HKT48 arent with us?!
Q - Oh no no (laugh). Thats us who thank you! .. So, to start I would like to ask
you about Jurina-chan. Do you talk a lot together?
Rena - Even if we are not specially close, if we dont talk much to each other, I
think of her as a member of my family. Even though we dont often talk together in
front of everyone. Somehow, putting it like this could give the wrong idea that
we dont go along well (laugh)
Q - There is no such misunderstanding! (laugh) So, when do you actually talk?
Rena - Jurina tends to push herself to hard and it gets to her physical conditio
n. When that happened I thought she must have been worrying. So I go to visit he
r and tell her Right now, even though youre not there, everyone is working hard. Wh
en I went to report it, she was so relieved she had the same expression as a chi
ld, something I had never seen from her before. Seeing her expression I thought A
h She really makes the impossible to always push SKE48 forward..
Q - For you to understand this aspect of Jurina, it really does feel like youre a
family.
Rena - I think thats because the time we spend together has increased. Before ent
ering AKB48 selection, I had virtually never talked to her.
Q - When did you start taking notice of Jurina?
Rena - At first, I really didnt pay much attention to her. She didnt really stand
out much either. During the auditions I only noted Shes wearing a stripped top and
knee-high socks. And so when she was chosen for Oogoe Diamond and went to practice
with AKB48, I barely noticed she had disappeared. When I saw the jacket poster
I thought Jurina appears alone! Thats fantastic!. After that I first became aware s
he was missing during lessons.
Q - Thats being a bit too oblivious! (laugh)
Rena - Because at that time I was trying extremely hard to catch up with the lev
el of everyone in the team first. I didnt have the leisure to watch Jurina who wa
s standing at the center. At that time, my resolve wasnt enough to catch up with

Jurina great efforts. But gradually I realized I want to be in front and so I keep
working hard. Finally I was called to join 10nen Sakura selection.
Q - Why have you been picked then do you think?
Rena - Ive no idea! Even
Jurina was of incredible
tention to Renas needs).
d to be very reliable. So
ary student, I thought of

today it remains a mystery (laugh). But from that moment

help for me. (tln : in the sense Jurina paied great at
I kept inquiring her about a lot of things, she appeare
at the time I didnt have the feeling she was an element
her as someone of the same age as me.

Q - Indeed, she looks quite adult.

Rena - But she is also someone who needs to be pampered. If she doesnt have that
small dakimakura (body pillow) called BrownMama she cant sleep, everytime she goe
s to Tokyo her mother properly folds her clothes in her carry bag, but during th
e evening she makes a mess of everything and in the morning her luggage wont clos
e anymore It shows she also has cute traits fitting her age. Thats why I feel how
strong her resolve is, Ive to push SKE forward no matter what!when she stands in fr
ont of everyone. In fact, Jurina has a lot of different facets. She is like those
matryoshka dolls.
Q - Matryoshka?
Rena - Right now, it just popped in my mind, usually when she stands on stage, h
er figure is very much like the one of an adult, Jurina looks so mature! But whe
n she steps down from stage, the habitual Jurina returns, with the 15 years old
Jurina inside. She still looks adult on the outside, but for me she is even more
pure than the other girls her age. If you peel another layer, she holds a pure h
eart similar to one of a newborn.
Q - I see. You mean that if you keep looking deeper and deeper, youll find a puri
ty people usually lose when they grow up, exact?
Rena - Exactly, thats it. Like how matryoshkas work somehow.
Q - What does Jurina-chan, in your opinion, represents for SKE48?
Rena - For SKE, she is part of our family and our ace. If she was to disappear,
we couldnt hold it together.
Q - One could say she is SKE48 pillar or soul?
Rena - That would be perfectly accurate. Thats why when her transfer was announce
d in Saitama Super Arena, I thought SKE is over!.
Q - At first, they didnt say it would be a concurrent position right?
Rena - They didnt! Everything in front of me became pitch-black! (laugh) Right th
ere, I hold firmly Jurina who was standing next to me into my arms, thinking I ab
solutely dont want to let her go anywhere!. Other Team S members were surrounding
us, all crying aloud. Jurina was in an altered state of consciousness. But she he
rself let go of our hands, like if she was telling us Im going, everyone! and she w
alked forward, unsteadily.
Q - Always with that blank expression on her face
Rena - At that time, watching her back I thought Ah. Jurina must have made her mind
. No matter what happens, I have to support her. Then it was announced that she w
ould be holding the two positions and same was decided for Team B with Milky (Wa

tanabe Milky). When she spoke up, she presented herself as NMB Team N Watanabe Mi
lky! but Jurina, without anyone telling her to, presented herself as Team S and Te
am K Matsui Jurina!. I knew her resolution was real then.
Q - How do you think things will go for Jurina among AKB48?
Rena - Jurina will.. even if she is blended with AKB, she will stay herself, she
will carry a good wind. And I have faith she will bring back to SKE what she obt
ained there.
Q - Something like Our Jurina has gone to AKB to blow a new wind?
Rena - Yes. If its Jurina, there is no doubt she can do it. Ive the feeling everyb
ody in Team K will be like Jurina is incredible! We cant lose to her!. Im confident
in my judgement here. But Im also worried She just entered high school and her env
ironment is changing too, will her physical condition be fine? , thats something e
veryone in Team S probably has in mind. We rely on her, but she is also someone
we want to protect.
Q - Thats good to hear.
Rena - But at the same time our aspirations, for us all members of SKE, are grow
ing. So we need to firmly walk forward. Leaving empty the position for Jurina to
stand. I think SKE48 is the place for Jurina to come back, and nowhere else.