Chapter 33

He had to do it.

There was no other choice in the matter. He couldn't hide it anymore. And if he wants this relationship to mean something… honesty has to be part of it. Amai pulled out all the stops as he took Latina out for dinner. It was all her favorites, which surprised her. "You remembered?" she asked curiously.

He smiled and nodded. "Take your fill, then after, let's go for a walk, just the two of us."

She was blushing now, but he hoped she still would be after he has his talk with her.

The meal was divine, everything cooked to perfection and the pairing of wine was second to none. When they finished, she was in a good mood as her hand clenched on to his. "Let's walk off dinner!" she insisted.

He smiled and nodded. They would take in the streets, but Amai insisted on a nature trail. "It will be more intimate." He said.

She agreed.

The path led up into a small mountain, no one goes there at this time of night, and he made sure of that before planning the evening. As they walked, she cuddled into him, her head leaned on to his shoulder. He let go of her hand and gently grabbed her hip to bring her in even closer to himself. "This has been a perfect night," she cooed.

That what he was afraid of.

He was already second guessing himself, after all, it would ruin a perfect evening. She was content and happy, so was he… yet he knew he couldn't hide it forever. He sighed aloud. "What's wrong Amai?" she asked gently.

"I fear I may ruin this perfect night for you, and it's not intentional… I want this relationship to work, but I want the trust to be there between us. I… I've been hiding something for a while…"

She paused as she looked into his eyes. "You can tell me anything," she said.

He cupped her chin, as he gently gazed into her face. "It's not something to tell, but to show you…" he said. "Just a little farther,"

She appeared concerned now, but came along to the top of the hill. It overlooked the whole city! "What a great view…"

"It is, isn't it…" he paused as he looked about, no a soul to be seen. With that he took a deep breath. "Latina… I am not the man you think I am… in fact…"

"I already know,"

He froze.

Amai didn't move as he slowly looked up into her face. She smiled radiantly to him. "I already know your true self Amai, I was at the amusement park when it happened."

He felt sick, his hands began to sweat as he looked away. "I've lied to you, this isn't the real me!" he said.

"Yet the real you risked everything to save others from being killed. Isn't that what a hero is?"

"But the hero the people admire is a fraud!" he protested. "I cannot let other see the other side of me, the real side knowing how they will react to it all. I am a monster, like it or not. This… this is a travesty to say the least. You deserve better, you deserve someone who is honest to you and has NEVER doubted you… I did… and that was stupid on my part."

"It really was."

He stopped and laughed a moment. "If you knew… then why did you pursue this relationship?"

She shrugged her shoulders to it all. "After talking to Melee about you… she explained to me that you didn't look like this. When I told her I already knew, we got to talking about it. We spent two hours discussing you, what to do next and if perhaps it was worth going through with the relationship. I told her, that he saved a lot of people, sacrificing everything that he valued about himself. She agreed, but also knew that you wouldn't see yourself as a hero for doing that."

"If I were to bring that monstrosity out right now, before your eyes… what would you do?" he asked.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I wouldn't run, that's certain."

He looked at her oddly. "Are you…" suddenly he began to change. He grew bigger and his lavishing looks turned hideous before her eyes. When he looked into her face, there wasn't an ounce of fear to be found. "Are you sure about that… you are certain you can look into this face and see someone who is worth being called a hero?" he asked.

She merely smiled. Her hand cupped the side of his sunken face. "I'm still here aren't I?" she asked. "Amai… Beauto…."

He froze.

It was his name… his actual name. How did she know it?

"I am not going anywhere." She insisted. "Are you?"

He calmed himself. His lavishing looks returned as he felt the tears weald in his eyes. "I… didn't think I was allow to be happy." He whispered.

"Whoever told you that, needs to be shot!" She went in for a kiss, and he didn't refuse her. When they finished, she sighed aloud. "The Neo Heroes… I heard they are out to expose you…"

"They are, they can try since I can control this now."

She shook her head to that. "Why have them constantly come after you? Why not own it?" she asked. "If you tell the world who you are, show them by your own accord, they have nothing to use against you!"

"I can't… I'm not that brave yet…"

"You could confess it to me, but not to the people who have admired you for years?" she asked.

"I know their reaction!" he protested to her. "They will scorn me as they did before, some tried to pelt me with a rock had Saitama not caught it… God I would have hated to know what would have happened if it hit me… I may have gone mad with rage!" he said. "I… I can't let the world know yet."

She sighed and nodded. "When you are ready. I'll be there for you, I won't leave you."

He smiled to her, he has never felt this good before. "Okay… I will try and find my courage and let the world know that Amai Mask… has another side to him… but it will still protect them"

"Perhaps you need to speak to the professionals about this…" she hinted.

Amai cringed a little. The last thing he wants is to ask Garou for help again!