Scooped! Hiroto Wakai of Mrs. GREEN APPLE and NiziU’s Nina Caught on a Private Date at Their New Place

A secret meeting in full disguise with mask and cap

On the last day of the early-November long weekend, Tokyo was clear and sunny, though hit by strong winds—the season’s first kogarashi (winter wind). Around 3:30 p.m., a luxury car pulled up to the driveway of an elegant apartment building in a prime area of central Tokyo. Stepping out was Mrs. (Mrs. GREEN APPLE) guitarist Wakai Hiroto (29), currently in the middle of a five-dome tour. It was the day after finishing the Sapporo Dome show, and he had just returned home.

About five hours after Wakai arrived, at around 8:30 p.m., a taxi entered the same apartment’s driveway. The woman who stepped out and walked into the building had a strikingly slender figure—an unmistakable aura suggesting she was no ordinary person. She hid her beautiful face completely behind a mask and wore a cap pulled low over her eyes.

As she walked past the concierge at the front desk, she tugged the brim of her already-low hat even further down with one hand—her guard was up to the maximum.

Who was this woman trying almost unnaturally hard to erase her presence, fully disguised in a mask and cap?

Her true identity was Nina (20), the youngest member of the nine-member girl group NiziU. Nina, born to an American father and Japanese mother, is a strikingly beautiful half-Japanese beauty.

Earlier that day, she had performed at a music festival hosted by TV Asahi in Makuhari, Chiba Prefecture. After her appearance, she went straight by taxi to meet the man she had in mind.

That man was—Wakai.

I can’t see you not until I move

“The starting point was last year, when Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s Motoki Ohmori (29) provided a song for NiziU. As Ohmori and the NiziU side exchanged contact information and grew closer, I heard that Nina—who had already been interested in Wakai—asked Ohmori through someone they both knew to introduce them. They’ve also appeared together on TV and at events many times, and I often saw them making eye contact on set.

The members of Mrs. originally watched the audition program Nizi Project together, and I’m told that Wakai’s favorite was Nina from the very beginning.” (male acquaintance)

He continued:

“Nina doesn’t have much dating experience and currently lives in shared housing with the other members. Meanwhile, Wakai had previously been photographed by FRIDAY during a private meeting at his home with a gravure idol, so he had become cautious of the media. I heard he told Nina, ‘I can’t see you until I move (into my new place).’ A few months ago, he finally completed his move, so this must have been their long-awaited new home date.” (same acquaintance)

Earlier this March, FRIDAY had scooped Wakai’s overnight date with I-cup gravure idol Ichika Miri (26). As the guitarist of a nationally beloved band, his popularity with women is in full force.

—Nina reappeared about five and a half hours after arriving at Wakai’s apartment. Around 2 a.m., just past midnight, the taxi she had called pulled up to the building’s main entrance. Still fully disguised, she got into the taxi and left.

So what exactly is the relationship between the two? When FRIDAY sent a written inquiry to both parties’ agencies, the following response came from Sony Music Labels, which manages NiziU:

“It is true that they recently became friendly through their shared interest in guitar. They are strictly in a respectful senior–junior relationship.”

On the other hand, Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s agency, Project-MGA, did not respond by the deadline.

Will the romance between a star guitarist of a national band and a popular member of a girl group continue going forward?

(Updated November 5, 13:30)