UNMASKED (mha)

78

The press conference was going to begin in just a few minutes. Her mom had left to finish getting ready.

"May I speak with you?"
Tadashi asked Aiko after her mother had left. "In private."

Aiko nodded and walked with him into the room before the conference room. "Now, once again I apologize that your mother and I's relationship was revealed to you in this way." He said.

Aiko nodded and shoved her hands in her pocket. "It's fine, it wasn't your fault. And I get why you waited, I have a lot going on."

"Yes I know you do. I know that this all is happening rather quickly but... Well I guess I am just a fool in love." He chuckled and shook his head.

"You are? You do love her right?"
Aiko asked quietly.

He looked back at her in shock.
"Of course I do."

"...Alright."
She said, looking away.
"She loves you too."

"I sure hope so." He chuckled a little bit. "I do love her Aiko, and I'll do anything it takes to prove that to you."

"Alright, are you going to marry her?"
Aiko asked him.

He nodded. "Yes I want too, but I've been waiting... To talk to you about it."

"Oh..." She whispered. "Uh, okay."

"Aiko, can I marry your mother?"
He asked her with genuine sincerity.

Normally he would be asking Chiyo's father for his blessing and premission. Asking the father for premission to wed his daughter.

But Chiyo's father was no longer alive. She had no close male or female relative. Her only family was her teenage daughter Aiko.

"If... If you have any doubts whatsoever. Even a thought of divorce... You can't. I want you to be sure, I don't want her to go through the pain of being left again."
Aiko Whispered, hugging herself.

"I understand-"

"But... If you really do love her, a-and intend for this to be forever. For better or worse, healthy or sick. Richer or poorer. Then you may, with my blessing." She told him. "But only if you truly feel that way."

A smile grew across the man's face.
"I do. I really do Aiko. I swear I would never do anything that would hurt your mother. In any way, I'll do all in my power to protect her till my final breath."

"Then you have my blessing and my encouragement. In fact I think she's getting inpatient." Aiko said.

Mr Tadashi didn't say anything, he just pulled her into a hug.

"Thank you Aiko."

💖💖💖

Aiko sat with her mother to her left and Nishi to her right. Nishi kept leaning over and whispering to the other teen, covering up their mics and snickering.

Her mom and Mr Tadashi were holding hands under the table, but Aiko didn't say anything. Mr Tadashi assured them all that he would be doing most of the speaking. They were just there because they were family.

They all were family now.

But of course with Aiko's face at that table when the press came in it was safe to say people had some questions.

Lights flashed and people waited anxiously for Mr Tadashi to call for questions. He opened the conference by simply stating that the photos taken of him and Chiyo were inappropriate and unacceptable. Especially because they were technically at a private restaurant that had policies against it. That being said he would not press charges but would if something like this were to happen again.

Then he asked for questions.

He called upon a young female journalist in the front row. With long black hair and a white button up shirt.
"Why is it that Aiko Zhu is also attending this conference?" She asked, pointing her mic towards them.

Aiko glanced at him and he nodded at her.
Her face became hot and her heard a slight ring in her ears.

She hadn't expected to be this nervous.

"I uh..." She cleared her thoat. "Chiyo Zhu is my mother." She said simply.

More arms shot up and the crowd of reporters seemed surprised and excited about the news.

"Next."
Mr Tadashi said simply.

"Breath Aiko."
Nishi whispered to Aiko, covering her mouth.

"I trying."
Aiko Whispered back.

"How long have you and Chiyo Zhu been in a relationship. And do you intend for it to be permeant?"

What kinda question was that?!
Mr Tadashi cleared his throat.
"Me and C- Ms Zhu have been close for several months. And yes, I intend for this relationship to last for as long as she will have me."

"Awh."
Nishi mumbled to herself, though it was picked up by the Mic in front of her. Her father shot her a look and she just shrugged.

Chiyo put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a gentle look. Aiko smiled.

"Aiko Zhu! how do you feel about your mother being in a relationship with someone who is not your biological father?"
Another Reporter shouted.

She had never said he wasn't. But it was obvious that those two could not have had a baby that looked like Aiko. The question was quite out of pocket. Mr Tadashi and Chiyo both opened their mouths to reprimand the asker but Aiko spoke up first.

"As long as my mother is happy, I am happy. That's all that matters to me."
She said into her Mic calmly.

Her mother looked about ready to cry, while Mr Tadashi smiled proudly over at her.
Her heart swelled with the silent praise. She hadn't had a father look at her like that in a long time.

Now she was about ready to cry.

Fuck press conferences.

💖💖💖

Aiko walking into the dorms. It was pretty late, around Nine forty-five. She tried to be quiet and snuck into her bedroom. Opening the door and slipping inside. She was going to bed early, she was tired from everything that had happened.

She quietly closed the door and clicked on the lights. Only to see a small folded note on the floor of her dorm. Right above her feet.
Sealed with a tiny heart sticker.

She rolled her eyes and picked it up, slipping her finger under the sticker and unfolding it. Inside was the usual red writing.

.
.
.

"Can I borrow something of yours?"