A Ray of Light Seen from 30 Million Yen in Debt: The Real Revival Story of Former Host 'Daichi'
Under the neon lights of Shinjuku, there is a name I once lived by as 'another self.' That is the stage name 'Daichi.' Originally, I was just an ordinary office worker, and when I started working as a host as a side job, the owner of the bar in Kabukicho where I was working part-time gave me that name.
A salaryman by day, a host by night. My body was falling apart from the double life, but the nightlife was even more stimulating, fun, and had a kind of narcotic addictiveness. Alcohol, women, gambling—everything was driven by impulse, and I don't think I gave much thought to the future at all.
In the midst of that, dreaming of a 'one-shot reversal,' I dabbled in real estate investment. The result was a huge failure. I was shallow, jumping into sweet talk without any knowledge. Before I knew it, I had 30 million yen in debt. My life changed completely, and my marriage fell apart, leading to divorce. We didn't have children, but the mental damage was immeasurable.
28 years old, divorced, 30 million yen in debt.
At that time, I was truly at the bottom of my life.
Still, I had to keep living. I quit being a host and went back to being a full-time salaryman. On the surface, it was a 'decent' life. But my heart was empty, and every day looked gray. I even felt that the 'Daichi who just rushed forward on impulse' back then was living more like a human being.
In the midst of that, I tried my hand at selling adult content as a side job again. Honestly, at first, I was skeptical. I was just attracted to the ease of starting with just a smartphone without showing my face.
However, when I started, I got an unexpected response. The first month's revenue was 15,760 yen. It might be a small amount, but for me, it was a solid feeling of having 'earned it with my own power.'
From then on, I started working on it seriously. SNS management, researching customer demographics, and devising prices and structures... The 'ability to read people' and 'intuition for reading the room' that I had cultivated during my time as a host unexpectedly came in handy.
Now, in addition to my income as a salaryman, I finally have a little room in my life thanks to the earnings from my side job. Paying off the debt is still a long way off, but the realization that I am 'moving forward' is my greatest salvation.
I am still active as 'Daichi.' However, it is not a name for running away. It is a name for accepting my past and taking another shot at life.
My goal is, first, to pay off my debt completely. And then, to further grow my current side job and become someone who can deliver hope to others who are suffering, showing them that 'you can start over.' I want to prove to myself that it is never too late in life.
You cannot change the past. But you can recreate the future yourself.
This story is still in progress. But I am now properly looking forward.