Behind the Mask

A Viral Sensation

There are moments when it feels like the universe is toying with you, when an unseen force can't bear to let you be at peace for too long. Everything goes so well, it is all good and then, suddenly, the world comes crashing down. It's as if something drags the rug from under your feet, reminding you that you have no control over anything. Everything can go from good to bad in the blink of an eye. This is exactly how I felt when I heard Akiko's words.

"I... I don't know what you're talking about," I stammered, feeling the blood drain from my face.

My heart pounded in my ears, and I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me. How did she know?

Akiko's eyes widened further, her nervous smile faltering. "It's just... everyone's been talking about it. We read the article. We heard the recording."

I forced a laugh, though it sounded hollow even to my own ears. "What are you talking about Akiko?"

She blinked. "It's the company's latest article," she said, pulling out her phone from her pocket.

I stared at her, a knot forming in the pit of my stomach. An article? What was she talking about? She turned the screen towards me. It was opened on our company's website, and on the top of the page was a huge headline.

'STAR ATHLETE BY DAY? SUPERHERO BY NIGHT?'

I stared at the title, unable to believe what I was seeing. This was impossible. There was no way someone knew. I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Who wrote that?"

"Yuto Kubo," Akiko answered, pulling the phone away.

Kubo...

A group of men walked past just then, eyeing me with an almost accusatory expression. Their gazes lingered for a moment longer before they disappeared down the hall. I couldn't breathe.

"Thanks, Akiko," I said as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open.

I stepped inside, my legs feeling like jelly. As the doors closed, I leaned against the wall, trying to steady my breathing. The whispers, the stares, Akiko's question—it all swirled in my mind, creating a storm within me. My heart thundered in my chest, and I clenched my jaw, trying to push down the fear that threatened to consume me. My mind raced as I tried to make sense of what was happening.

How had this gotten out? What did it mean for Kenji—and for me?

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I took it out quickly. It had just connected to the office's WIFI, and the notifications stormed in from all the social media platforms I followed. They were all variations of the same theme.

'Ken Sato is Ultraman.'

I closed my eyes, willing myself to stay calm. I needed to contact Kenji but not before I found out how this happened.

The elevator dinged again, and the doors slid open. A handful of employees stepped inside; their faces solemn. They stared at me with curiosity, but there was something else there, something that unsettled me.

I kept my gaze fixed on the floor, ignoring them. I couldn't think about them, not when the weight of this discovery was threatening to crush me. As the elevator climbed higher, the air became stifling, the tension thickening with each passing second.

Finally, we reached the editorial floor. The doors slid open, and I hurried out, my footsteps echoing in the hallway. As I passed by the other employees, their whispers grew louder. I didn't stop until I was in front of Rin's office. I knocked twice, my hand shaking.

"Come in," he called.

I opened the door and stepped inside. He was sitting behind his desk. When he looked up at me, it was with a huge smile on his face. "Ami," he greeted. "Good morning."