Behind the Mask

Bingo

I woke up the next morning to a shrill ringing sound piercing through the quiet morning air. Next to me, Chiho stirred, her tiny body snuggling closer to mine. I kissed her forehead softly, feeling the warmth of her skin against my lips, before reaching over to grab my phone.

I answered it sleepily. "Hello?"

"Good morning, Ms. Wakita," a calm voice said on the other end. "My name is Ryota Inoue. I'm Ken Sato's lawyer."

I frowned, sitting up in bed. "Kenji doesn't have a lawyer," I said.

"As of yesterday evening, he does," the man replied smoothly. "The Kaiju Defense Force has granted him legal representation. I've been assigned to his case."

I blinked, trying to process the information. Chiho shifted beside me, her tiny hand clutching my sleeve. I gently disentangled myself from her grasp and swung my legs over the side of the bed, my mind racing.

"What's happening? Why now?" I asked, the questions tumbling out in a rush.

"There have been developments," he said. "I'd like to meet you at the KDF headquarters and discuss the case."

"Okay, I'll be there," I agreed.

"Excellent," he said. "I'll see you soon, Miss Wakita."

We hung up, and I sat for a moment, my thoughts whirling as I glanced around the room. The morning light filtered through the curtains and danced across the floor.

I tapped my phone against my chin thoughtfully. This wasn't part of the plan, but it was a good development. It meant I could at least see Kenji, talk to him. A small smile tugged at the corners of my lips.

"Mama?"

Chiho's voice was still tinged with sleep, and her eyes fluttered open, gazing up at me. I hurried back into bed, wrapping my arms around her small frame and hugging her happily. I kissed her forehead. "Good morning baby, did you like sleeping next to me?"

She smiled, rubbing her eyes with her fists. "Yeah," she answered. "Are you going to see Kenji-san today? Can I come?"

My chest tightened. "Uh, not today, honey."

Chiho yawned and snuggled closer. "I saw him on the news, Mommy. They said he's Ultraman. Is that true? Is Kenji-san really Ultraman?"

I pressed my lips together, not knowing how to respond. I had hoped to keep Chiho away from all of this, to shield her from the chaos that had engulfed our lives. I sighed. Juri was supposed to be in charge of what Chiho was watching.

"That's so cool," she said, her voice rising with excitement. "Ultraman was in our house and he's my friend!"

Her giggles filled the room, and despite everything, I found myself laughing along with her. She was so innocent, so blissfully unaware of the complexities and dangers that came with Kenji's secret. I didn't have the heart to even tell her that he wasn't Ultraman.

"Come on," I said, climbing out of bed. "Let's go have some breakfast."

After breakfast, I headed to my room, took a bath and got dressed. As I combed through my hair, the door creaked open, and my mom walked in. She smiled.
"You look nice," she said, sitting on the bed. "Going out again?"

"Yes," I replied, setting the comb down for a moment. "The KDF has assigned a lawyer to Kenji's case. They might be able to permit me to see him today."

She stared at me for a moment, then walked around the bed and picked up the comb. "Let me help you," she said as she began to run it gently through my hair. "Kenji, that young man, is lucky to have my daughter," she added quietly.