The real challenge finally came. The true way to know if Haida could accept and still love Retsuko for who she really is. Something that very few knew of her real self. The karaoke where she letted out her rage. Her frustrations of the modern day world. Whenever she letted out her death metal voice it is always in the karaoke. Very few know of her rage. All they saw in her as she walked on by was a normal mundane girl, a rug to walk on, or a calendar to mock at. If anyone discovered her true self and witnessed her wrath filled voice, then they would feel their soul escaping their bodies. Shocked and turned into stone. Frozen in wariness as what their eyes have gazed upon and their ears have perceived.

Retsuko felt that looming dread come back into her mind. Sitting right in front of the dressed up red panda was the dressed up hyena. Both of them had finished their dinner date half an hour ago. Now they both were ready for whatever Retsuko had planned. She paid for the karaoke since it seemed equitable as Haida had paid for their meals.

They sat in the same room she always goes in. The door at the end of the hallway. To hide out in secrecy away from prying eyes. Thankfully only a handful of mammals were inside of the room so that putted Retsuko's mind unconcerned and feeling slightly keen. It still didn't help her nerves not even for a second as Haida was still going to be her audience of one. She had to bear with it though if she wanted to see if the luck of love would be in her favor.

Retsuko held the pad in her hands with her looking down at the white screen with blue tabs of song names and categories of genres. K-pop. Soft rock. Classic. You think of a type of music, and they would have it for you. It's pretty impressive to have so many songs on here. It's crazy. Retsuko knew the number of the song she wanted to play. That same powerful melody that would unleash her bottled emotions. Yet she was afraid to type it in. What if Haida wouldn't love her anymore as soon as she let out her ghastly scream of blazing terror? Maybe it would make him dismay her and avoid all contact with her? It's stupid to think like that, but it inside of her rushing brain was the non-existant images looping of the hyena calling her a freak beyond all sorts of nature.

"Retsuko?" Her thoughts were vanquished away by Haida who looked worried for her wellbeing. At least she hoped that was what his emotions on his face were showing.

"Oh. Sorry. It's hard to find it." No it wasn't. She knew the song number right away. She kept scrolling through many tracks while acting as casual as she does in her workplace.

Haida leaned back against the comfortable sofa as he watched her. He knew that look of vexatiousness whenever she had a problem behind the scenes. She wasn't that easy, but her admitting her problems was the hardest part about her.

"You know the song's name?" Haida questioned Retsuko as he started to lean back again. "I could help."

"Oh no no." Retsuko quickly but politely declined his offer. "I know of it."

"You know the number for it right?" He asked another hard question that was making her feel as if it was time to rip the bandaid and get it over with.

"I mean...I guess I do?" Retsuko felt idioctic trying to make up lies in front of him. She knew that eventually it would crumble down and no longer function to be successful. She letted out a deterred sigh.

The hyena knew that this date was making her nervous. He always knew of how everytime she sent a guy over to this location they always tended to leave her. So far it was two and now he was the third guy, so she had every right to be skittish with picking her music. Is her voice bad? Is her taste of music so horrible? He would never mind her singing or her love of different music. He didn't judge others from the outside. Still, he seemed wired to know what was going to be her choice of music.

She kept scrolling through the tabs while her mind was rushing with her inside voice filling her brain to overload on being panicky on this date. What if it goes wrong? What if the real Retsuko scares him to death? Like, literally to death! Maybe she could play a different song. She would be hiding her true self but at least will not petrify her final shot at love. It wasn't in the right, yet she wanted to make it work. She had too.

"Thanks by the way." Again, her mind was broken off to pay attention to her date. She felt herself become cool headed to a degree.

Retsuko was also confused to hear Haida say that. What on earth could he possibly mean? "Huh?"

"I said thanks." The hyena could feel his cheeks heating up with a tint of red being exposed.

"For what? I didn't do anything."

"For this date and giving me a chance."

Now she was really muddled by what he was saying. Thanking her? The date wasn't even ending yet. She hasn't even got the chance to pick the song. Yet here he was sitting here with a big smile formed on his lips while he started to hold his hands together. Was he just acting affable to make her happy?

"But I never did the song though. How could you know our date will be good?" She never saw him go inside of this place until now. So how could he still like her if he never saw this terrifying real her? Did he know? Is it all just a ploy?

"Because spending time with you will always make our dates good." Haida could feel his blushing grow and burn more while Retsuko started to show the similar rosiness.

"Y-you're only saying that to make me feel better." Her finger stopped pretend scrolling to find the song she voices her rage to.

"I'm being serious." Haida said as his smile grew more and did a half chuckle for only a second. "Hanging out with you at work is good and all, but getting to actually hang out with you out of business activities is too damn good. Wouldn't you say?"

Retsuko had to admit that despite the near-ending fate of the balance of love being close to her door, she had fun with Haida. Laughing. Sharing stories. Just having fun together for the first time as a couple. It felt nice. It actually felt good to be by Haida's side. Granted, it felt amazing to be back into the saddle of a relationship and her past boyfriends were just a thrill to her like even now with Haida. But the hyena was very different. He wasn't rich. He wasn't distracted so easily. He paid attention to her and was willing to spend much on her even though he was short on yen.

He was doing this all for her. To try to make her night so special and so memorable. Candidly he was actually doing his best to show how much he meant to her. How serious he was with wanting to commit a relationship with her. Now it was making her ponder. Could she really try to hoodwink him? If he was being himself then why should she fabricate her own true nature?

"Haida...if I do play this song, will you still be with me?"

Haida raised an eyebrow over the confusing inquiry. "Of course I would Retsuko."

"Even if it meant that you would see the true me?" She pressed a button on the pad which made a beep noise.

"The real you is something I wanted to know for so long." Beep.

"What if it scares you and ruins your soul and vision?" Beep.

"I can handle anything, but I want you to be honest with me. Lying to me is something I can't handle. I want the truth. I want to see the real Retsuko." Beep.

"Once I do this, just know that you asked for it and if you get uncomfortable then you have every right to leave." Beep.

"I accept it. Just know that when you let out the real you, then it means this relationship will work together...just be you Retsuko." Beep.

Well…" Retsuko bites her lower lip and hovers the finger over the final button to press. Doing this would mean she will continue and not stop for nothing. The path that will not halt for nothing.

Beep.

The green button was pressed and she started to put the pad down. She waited for that song. That heavy bass guitar to strum its strings and for the music to turn heavy. Deadly. Everything that was quite opposite of the sweet and innocence she carried.

The death metal guitar solo started to come on. The world felt like it was shaking now. Haida looked at the screen. He remembered that type of music. He has heard of some death metal before during his youthful days but nothing like this song. Although he started to question why she picked this track? The good caring Retsuko listening to something this hardcore? It's strangely special.

'It seemed as if Retsuko put on the wrong music?' That idea in his head was shortly lived as he turned back to his date to see she was in her small purse she always carried by her side. She was reaching for something with one hand. She found it in a jiffy. A microphone was now gripped in her hand. She started to get herself up and began to stand on the couch.

She stood on the same spot she usually did whenever she got into her mood of letting her rage take over.

There she felt it. Her rage symbol appeared on her head. The indication that she was now ready to let out her voice. She knew Haida would be all sorts of freaked out over what he would witness. She knew he would pretty much be stone because of her. Although she refuses to, she had to if she wanted to show Haida the true Retsuko.

This was it. She started to let out her rage. Her real inner self.

She screeched loudly with her voice being so far different. Haida was hearing someone else now instead of the red panda that was right in front of him just seconds ago. Now he was seeing that infuriated demon. This strange beautiful devil that took the body of Retsuko and painted it with death metal vibes. Now he was starting to get what she meant.

"THE TRUTH IS FINALLY FREE!"
"NOW YOU CAN REALLY SEE ME!"
"THE REAL 'RETSY' THAT YOU WANTED TO GREET!"
"NOW HERE I AM LOOKING LIKE A FREAK!"
"OF NAAAATTTTTTTTTUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
"THE INNOCENCE IS GONE! THE OLD ME IS A FAKE!"
"THE REAL ME IS RAGING AT THE WORLD FOR HELLISH SAKE!"
"RAGE IS IN MY BLOOD! RAGE IS IN MY VOICE!"
"RAGE IS WHAT KEEPS ME GOING SO I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE!"
"THIS IS THE REAL MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
"I AM THE REAL 'REETTTTTTTTTTTSSSSSSSSSSSSYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY'!"
"DEATH METAL IS MY ONLY SENSE OF CLOSUUUUUUUURE!"
"TO OTHERS I'D BE A FREAK OF NAAATTUUURRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

After letting her inner being come out to expose her true self she started to catch a breath after letting out what her heart was telling her to say. She never did that before after singing her death metal songs. Retsuko knew that it truly came from the heart.

When she looked over to the hyena she saw the look she knew he was going to make. Stunned. Disbelief. Outright looked as if his soul left his shell of a body. It was a clear sign that she was proven right. She scared him. Now he was going to avoid her and never speak with her again. The date was ruined and all because of her.

She frowned to herself. Sighing in the mix of being disappointed with how much she was in the right. She started to get herself to sit down on the couch and was starting to put the microphone back in her purse.

"I'm sorry Haida. I told you that I would scare you." She almost felt like tears were going to be shed. "I know you think of me differently now. Especially with how I can be-"

"Awesome."

As soon as he spoke out after witnessing what seemed to be like the end of the world, Retsuko turned her head and now was starting to question him. She thought that he was broken because of her screams.

"Haida? Are you ok?" Retsuko asked while being ready to pull out her phone to dial the ambulance.

"Y-yeah! Just...wow. I never knew you could sing like that." A smile started to form on his face. Slowly his look of shock turned into amazement. He looked like he just witnessed the best concert of his life. Which, to be truthful, it was.

Retsuko felt her blush starting to appear again. Her cheeks are heating up more and feeling so flushed from hearing and seeing the enjoyment that Haida was showing without a care in the world. Even having to see his tail wag in excitement.

"Y-you're only doing this to make me feel good. If you want to leave then I won't stop you." She was ready to have Haida just accept and walk off.

"Are you kidding? Of course I won't! It was amazing Retsuko! Honest!" Haida was serious wasn't he? She could tell what was his truthful or his making up tone. He was being real with her like how she did for him just now. He...really loved her death metal? He still loved her?

"Y..you're being too kind." The red panda sensed it could just be a kind act he was following. Being a good character for her sake.

"Retsuko." He moved forward and his hands took a tender grab and held onto her hands. Now they were near each other with the table separating them but close enough to see their eyes clear as day. "I am being serious. I do understand your rage. I do accept this being your coping mechanism if it helps you without harming you. I ain't thinking of you differently because of your taste of death metal."

Now Retsuko felt her eyes widen and her mouth starting to open up. This is not a dream is it? A tortuous nightmare that was messing with her? Teasing her of what future she desperately wants? No. It has to be reality. It just has to be. Haida wouldn't be this kind to her powerful and terrifying rage would he?

"I still love you Retsuko."

Those words. The three important words that show the start of a relationship. Three little words that make a big impact on two lives. 'I. Love. You.'. Retsuko did it. She finally found love. After what felt like years of disastrous breakups, she finally got her last shot of love. She. Did. It.

"I...I love you too Haida." Now they both were becoming dorks having their faces becoming scarlet while still holding onto their hands and letting out small giggles and chuckles out of their lungs. The flushed hyena looked down to the floor to see his hands were still not letting go before darting his eyes back up to the blooming red panda.

"Hey...could you sing again?" Haida felt like he was asking so much out of her since he was mesmerized by her awesome vocals. "I-if you want to that is!"

Retsuko giggled again. Someone that wanted to hear her sing? Besides Gori and Washimi being the few that know of her hanging out at the karaoke, Haida was now the third to know the truth. Yet, he is the first boyfriend to hear her true inner self and not break up with her. With Haida she will be slow and steady. She didn't want to rush anything. She wanted to make sure this relationship could work. But with Haida accepting her as she is and still having deep feelings for her. She had little to no worries now. She felt like everything was starting to go her way. For the better.

"Of course I can."

(Authors Note: So...it is finally finished! I am glad to finish this chapter! And right on the end of August too aka Aggretsuko month as I called it that lol. But yeah, thank you guys for waiting so long on this chapter and I am glad to finally get it out of the way. However...I want to address one thing.)

(AN #1: I was in the work on this chapter around four days before the Season 3 premiere. (I was busy with family so I barely got the chance to finish it before S3) I am just as shocked as you are right now as I pretty much somewhat predicted the future lmao. I finished this chapter on August 30th so yeah. I just wanted to clarify things in case conspiracy theories started to build up lol.)