Behind the Mask

Flickering Candlelight

On Saturday, I was up at 4 A.M.

The last time I woke up at 4 A.M was in college.

My eyes were heavy, but the adrenaline coursing through my veins kept me alert. My stomach was a knot of nerves, and my palms were sweating. I had barely slept, tossing and turning all night. I couldn't stop thinking about tonight.

My meeting with Kenji wasn't scheduled until seven, but I had already chosen the perfect outfit—a sleeveless blue dress with a deep V-neck, paired with black heels. It was nothing too fancy, but I thought it was pretty. Juri had spent the night in the guest room because she wanted to work on my hair and makeup.

I looked at the clock and decided to get up. Maybe a shower would help me calm down. I entered the bathroom and turned on the hot water, letting the steam fill the room. After a few minutes, I stepped into the shower, hoping the heat would wash away my tension. The water ran down my skin, but it did nothing for the knots in my stomach.

After my shower, I put on a pair of pants and a shirt and walked to the living room. The sound of my slippers slapping against the wooden floor echoed throughout the apartment. Juri was already awake, sipping a cup of coffee while scrolling through her phone.

"You're up early," she commented.

"Couldn't sleep," I answered, heading to the kitchen to pour myself a mug.

"Nervous?"

"A little," I replied as I walked into the kitchen. There was still a bit of coffee in the pot, and I filled my cup.

"It's understandable," I heard her say from the living room. "But don't be. I'm sure it'll go great."

"That's not what I'm worried about," I said, mixing in a spoonful of sugar and taking a sip.

What worried me was my reaction to everything Kenji did. His voice sent shivers down my spine, and the way he looked at me made me feel hot and cold all at once. I could barely handle talking to him on the phone. What would happen if we were close to each other again?

Would he ask to kiss me?

My heartbeat quickened, and my cheeks grew warm. I stepped out of the kitchen and my gaze drifted to the T.V. The early morning news was on, and the volume turned low. Juri was curled up on the couch, watching intently.

"What's going on?" I asked, leaning against the wall.

"There was a Kaiju attack somewhere in the city last night. Ultraman took it down," she answered, her gaze still locked on the screen. "Now The KDF is taking a stance against him They're saying he's not an authorized superhero and has no right to interfere in their battles."

"Oh."

"Ultraman has taken down more Kaiju than The KDF ever did," she added as I moved to the couch. I took a seat, narrowing my eyes at the screen. Footage of the Kaiju from last night, a towering, lumbering monster, played as the news anchor continued his story. The beast's enormous frame was covered in thick, scaly plates. Its arms were tipped with claws the size of cars. Its massive head swiveled from side to side.

"Yeah, but he's still illegal," I countered.

"Illegal, sure. But effective. The KDF has done nothing except lose men and money."

"I think the issue they have with Ultraman is the fact that he works alone," I said. "They don't know who he is. They don't know how he has the technology and resources to take on these Kaiju and it's frightening not having him on their side."

"Ultraman isn't for the KDF or the government. He's always been for the people and he's doing a great job," Juri said. "The last thing we need is a bunch of military idiots trying to control him. Wasn't it discovered that they were behind the bombing from last year? The same one Ultraman used his body to shield us from?"