[20] Beneath the Mask

I woke up early, careful not to disturb Marin as I slipped out of the futon. She mumbled something in her sleep and rolled over, clutching my pillow. I couldn't help but smile at the sight.

In the kitchen, I opened the fridge, searching for creamer. Empty. Great. I sighed, realizing I'd have to make a grocery run. Throwing on a hoodie, sweatpants, and the bucket hat Marin had given me, I headed out.

The morning air was crisp, the streets just beginning to stir. As I walked, I noticed a couple across the street pointing their phones at me. Not very subtle. I kept my head down, trying to blend in, but it was useless.

Whispers followed me down the block.

"Is that him?"

"It can't be..."

"But look at his face!"

I picked up my pace, conflicted about the attention. Part of me basked in it - isn't this what I'd worked for? To be recognized? But another part felt naked, exposed.

Rounding the corner, two girls about my age rushed up to me.

"Excuse me," one said, her voice shaky. "Are you... are you Akira Hoshino?"

I paused, weighing my options. Deny it? Try to cling to some normalcy? But what was the point? This was my new reality.

"That's me. How can I help you ladies?"

They squealed, digging through their bags. "Could you... would you mind signing our manga?" the second girl asked, producing a copy of "Sweet Today."

"Sure thing," I said, taking the pen. As I signed, I asked, "So, what did you think of the first episode?"

They gushed over each other, praising every detail. I nodded along, drinking in their excitement. It felt good. Really good.

I signed a few more autographs and posed for selfies before excusing myself to continue my errand. As I walked away, I heard one of the girls exclaim, "Wait till I tell my friends I met Akira Hoshino in his pajamas!"

At the convenience store, I grabbed the creamer and a few other essentials. The cashier did a double-take as I approached the counter, her eyes widening.

"You're... you're him, aren't you?" she stammered.

I nodded, offering a small smile. "Guilty as charged."

She fumbled with my items, nearly dropping the creamer. "I... I loved the first episode. You were amazing."

"Thank you," I said, genuinely touched. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

As I paid, she hesitated, then blurted out, "Could I maybe get a quick picture?"

I glanced at the line forming behind me, then back at her hopeful face. "Sure, why not?"

Back at the apartment, I found Marin sprawled on the futon, scrolling through her phone. She looked up as I entered, her face lighting up.

"There you are! You won't believe what's happening online!"

I set down the groceries and flopped beside her. "Let me guess, I'm trending again?"

She nodded excitedly. "Even more than yesterday! And look at this!" She shoved her phone in my face, showing me a series of tweets. "#AkiraInPajamas"

I groaned, burying my face in a pillow. "You've got to be kidding me."

Marin laughed, ruffling my hair. "Aw, come on! It's cute. People love seeing the real you."

I peeked out from the pillow. "The real me, huh?"

Her expression softened. "Yeah, the real you. The one I get to see every day."

I sat up, pulling her close. "And what do you think of the real me?"

She leaned in, her lips brushing against mine. "I think he's pretty amazing."

As we kissed, I felt that familiar warmth spreading through me, pushing back the shadows that always lurked at the edges of my mind.

The rest of the morning passed in a blur of social media notifications and text messages. Mio called to congratulate me on the successful premiere and to discuss upcoming promotional events. Kana texted to share her excitement about the positive reception and to coordinate our plans for the next episode.

By the time 3pm rolled around, I felt drained. I collapsed onto the futon, throwing an arm over my eyes.

"How do people do this all the time?" I groaned.

Marin sat beside me, gently stroking my hair. "It's a lot, isn't it? But you're handling it like a pro."

I peeked up at her. "You think so?"

She nodded, her smile radiant. "Absolutely. But maybe it's time for a break, yeah? How about we go out for lunch? Get away from all this for a bit?"

I hesitated, thinking about the fans I'd encountered earlier. "I don't know... what if we get mobbed?"

Marin's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Leave that to me. I've got an idea."

Thirty minutes later, we were walking down the street, hand in hand. I wore a pair of thick-rimmed glasses, a baseball cap pulled low over my eyes, and a medical mask.

"See?" she said, squeezing my hand. "No one's even looking twice at us."

She was right. We blended into the crowd seamlessly, just another young couple out for a stroll. It felt... normal. Peaceful.

We found a small ramen shop tucked away in a side street. The owner, an elderly man with a kind smile, didn't seem to recognize me at all. We sat at the counter, ordering two steaming bowls of tonkotsu ramen.

As we ate, Marin chattered away about her latest cosplay plans and her upcoming exams.

"You know," I said during a lull in the conversation, "I could get used to this. The disguise, I mean."

Marin tilted her head, studying me. "Really? I thought you wanted to be recognized."

I stirred my ramen, considering her words. "I do, I think. But... it's intense, you know? Sometimes it's nice to just be... me. Whoever that is."

She reached out, taking my hand. "I get it. And for what it's worth, I like you best when you're just being yourself. Famous actor or not."

I squeezed Marin's hand, feeling a rush of warmth at her words. "Thanks. I'm still figuring out who that is, to be honest."

We finished our ramen and stepped back out onto the street. The disguise was working well, but I still felt a bit on edge, constantly scanning the faces around us for any sign of recognition.

"Hey," Marin said, tugging on my sleeve. "Want to do something fun?"

I raised an eyebrow. "What did you have in mind?"

She grinned. "There's an arcade a few blocks from here. We could go crush some games, maybe win a ridiculous plush toy?"

"Lead the way," I said, gesturing dramatically.

I followed Marin into the flashing lights and electronic beats of the arcade. She made a beeline for the crane machines, filled with colorful plush animals.

"Check it out!" she said, pointing to a machine packed with Sailor Moon prizes. "I've been dying to win one of those Luna dolls. Will you try to grab me one?"

She looked up at me with pleading eyes. I smiled and dug some coins out of my pocket. "Anything for you."

The machine whirred to life as I maneuvered the claw over the mound of stuffed animals. I went for a slightly buried Luna near the front, hoping that would give the claw enough grip. Marin watched anxiously as the claw descended and closed around the doll. Success! It lifted Luna up and over to the prize chute.

Marin squealed and snatched up the doll, hugging it tight. "You did it! My hero." She planted a quick kiss on my cheek.

It was a small thing, but making her happy meant everything. We walked around checking out more games when suddenly Marin gasped and grabbed my hand.

"Dance Dance Revolution! We have to play." She dragged me over to the flashing arcade machine.

I eyed it warily. "I don't know...dancing in front of a crowd doesn't seem like the best way to keep a low profile."

"Come on, live a little! No one's even paying attention. I bet I can beat your score," she added.

I couldn't resist a challenge. "Oh you're so on."

We stepped onto the platforms as Marin scrolled through the song list, selecting a fast paced J-pop hit. The beat started pumping as arrows flew up the screens. We moved in unison, focused intently on the steps.

Despite my initial reluctance, I found myself getting into it. The music flowed through me as my feet adapted effortlessly to the patterns. Muscle memory from years of dance training.

When the song ended, sweaty and exhilarated, we checked our scores. I'd narrowly edged out Marin. She stuck out her tongue. "Beginner's luck. I demand a rematch!"

Laughing, I started scrolling through songs for our next battle. My eyes landed on one called "Unbreakable."

"How about this?" I asked.

Marin's eyes lit up. "Oooh I love that one! Let's do it."

The music kicked in with a driving beat. Marin and I danced with even more energy, pushing each other to keep up. As we swayed and stepped in unison, I realized we made a pretty good team. Yin and yang. Darkness and light.

When the song ended, we collapsed onto a nearby bench, exhausted but elated. Marin cuddled up next to me, absently playing with her Luna doll.

"That was so much fun," she mused. "We make a pretty unbeatable pair, don't you think?"

I nodded, slipping an arm around her shoulders. "Definitely unbeatable."

She tilted her head up, eyes meeting mine. In that moment, nothing else existed except her smile, brighter than any neon lights.

"What do you say we grab some ice cream then head home?" she asked. "I'm kinda wiped out after all that."

"Sounds perfect."

I stood and offered her my hand. As she took it, giving it a light squeeze, I was struck by how normal this all felt. How right. No costumes, no pretenses. Just me and Marin.

With her, I could be me. And maybe, just maybe, that would be enough.