Behind the Mask

A Fantasy

I needed to get out of here.

Tears threatened to spill from my eyes, and my hands trembled. I pushed myself up, the chair's legs scraping against the floor. The sudden movement startled the waiter. He approached me, concern etched on his face.

"Miss Wakita? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I lied, keeping my head down and avoiding eye contact. I couldn't bear the thought of someone seeing me like this.

I reached for my purse and turned around, heading towards the door. From the corner of my eye, the hostess was walking towards me, a confused expression on her face. I walked quickly past her and headed for the exit. My steps were rushed, and my heart raced.

Outside, the night air hit me like a wall, cooling my flushed skin. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil inside.

Kenji had stood me up.

I slipped off my glasses and blinked away the tears, a mixture of anger and embarrassment bubbling within. What was I thinking? Did I honestly expect a man like him to want a woman like me?

No, wasn't this about an interview? It was his idea anyway. The least he could have done was show up.

The ground blurred. I slipped out a small cleaner from my purse and began wiping my glasses. I heard a car approach, and the sound of its engine filled the air. The vehicle pulled up beside me. I took another deep breath and put on my glasses, turning to face it.

The door to the car swung open, and a figure stepped out. He walked toward me, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the night. I watched as he came closer, and I could make out his features in the darkness.

Kenji.

His eyes widened as they met mine. "Ami, I'm so sorry I'm late."

I blinked, unsure of what to say. The anger and embarrassment were still fresh, and the sight of him only made them grow stronger. I exhaled softly. "I have to go," I muttered, turning away.

"Wait," he said, his hand shooting out and grabbing my wrist.

I froze, the sudden contact sending a jolt of electricity up my arm. I pulled my hand free. "Don't touch me," I hissed.

"I can explain, I swear," he said, his voice tinged with desperation.

"I don't want an explanation," I snapped, glaring at him. "What I want is to go home and forget any of this happened."

His shoulders slumped. "There was a Kaiju attack in the city. The roads were blocked. That's why I'm late. It took me forever to get here."

I blinked.

"Please don't go," he said, stepping closer and taking my hand. "Let me make this up to you. Let's have dinner."

I glanced over his shoulder at the sleek, black vehicle, and then back at him. He was staring at me, his eyes filled with hope. A lump formed in my throat, and I swallowed hard. Part of me wanted to run away out of sheer embarrassment, but another part couldn't deny the effect he had on me.

"Please, Ami. I'm really sorry," he said, his tone earnest.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "If you're lying-"

"You can look it up. There was a Kaiju attack. Ultraman took care of it," he said, squeezing my hand gently.

I bit my bottom lip, contemplating. After a moment, I nodded, giving him a weak smile. "Okay."

"Let's go inside," he said, his smile wide and genuine.

We walked toward the entrance, Kenji's hand still holding mine. The warmth of his touch was almost reassuring.