8:32 PM – Backstage
The room still smelled like makeup, sweat, and that one cheap perfume that had sunk into every inch of the furniture. Lyra sat on the padded bench in front of the mirror, tapping her fingernails against the wood. Her outfit was almost ready, just the bunny ears missing.
The music from the club was nothing but a dull throb bleeding through the door.
Hana wasn't there.
Lyra had shown up early. Maybe hoping to catch her first. Maybe thinking she could get a few words out before the noise started up again. Before the makeup swallowed the last traces of their faces.
But Hana kept her waiting.
Lyra glanced up at the clock above the door. 8:33.
Way too late to just be "late."
She bit the inside of her cheek. Stupid habit, never really gone.
Hana, where the hell are you?
Her eyes kept darting to the door. No one. Then back down to her lap.
That one sentence was still stuck in her head.
"Satsu would have…"
The one Hana had tried to say in the park.
The one Lyra hadn't let her finish.
She'd strangled it in her throat.
And Hana along with it.
I'll apologize. Tonight.
Lyra stared into the mirror. Her reflection looked determined. The girl staring back didn't. No makeup could hide that.
The door fell open rather than being opened.
Hana clung to the frame, her whole weight hanging there. Her legs trembled like they were seconds from giving out. The makeup wasn't just smudged. It had melted. Black mascara streamed down her puffy cheeks. The tights were ripped at both knees. Her hair stuck to her forehead in sweaty strands.
Her eyes stared straight ahead but weren't really seeing anything. Her pupils responded sluggishly to the harsh neon glare.. Her lips moved with effort, mumbling out broken syllables.
"L… ly…" The word snapped in half.
The stench of alcohol was gross. Not just one kind, but a biting mix of spirits that seemed to ooze from her pores. Blending with the stale tang of cold sweat.
"Hana…?", Lyra's breath caught.
Hana slowly slid down the doorframe. Her legs wouldn't hold here anymore. She crashed to her knees, one hand groping for anything to hold on to.
But before Lyra could even move, Rudi was there.
Out of nowhere. Like always.
"Well lookit here, my sweet little bunny."
His voice was sugar, his grip iron. He clamped onto Hana's arm and yanked her up.
"Your VIP's already waitin', bunny. Asked for you by name. So pull yourself together."
Hana lagged behind, like her brain was on delay. A weak nod. A slurred mutter.
"Y… yes… b-boss…" The words came out chopped up, like she had to dig up every single letter one by one.
"I… I'm… here…"
She tried to stand on her own, but her knees buckled instantly. Only Rudi's grip kept her from falling again.
"Rudi, stop", Lyra cut in, stepping toward them.
"She can't work like this."
Rudi turned halfway to her but didn't let go of Hana.
"She's awake and movin'. That's all the customers pay for."
"She's drunk."
Lyra's voice sharpened.
"So what is new?", Rudi shrugged.
Hana staggered a few steps, her free hand reaching into empty air. A choking sound rattled out of her throat.
"Not like that", Lyra hissed, biting her cheek again. "Are you stupid? She's gonna collapse."
"I'll handle it", Lyra blurted out. "I'll take the customer, or explain it to him. But she can't work."
Rudi's eyes narrowed, then he frowned.
"You got any idea how much he's payin'? He wants Hana. Nobody else."
Lyra took another step closer.
"If you shove her in there like this, she'll probably puke in his lap. You really wanna risk that?"
Rudi's face stayed stone cold as he answered:
"Then he'll just take her from behind."
He shoved Lyra aside.
Her cheeks burned. Fear, shame, maybe both. Each heartbeat pounded hot up her throat, feeding the fire of guilt and the desperate scramble for some way out.
Then, a thought. Instantly thrown out loud.
"Fine. Then I'll go with her. Pretty sure he won't complain about an extra bunny.
Rudi paused, then shook his head.
"You got your own clients, girl. Forget it."
"And what if I satisfy mine first? Then I could come over and…", she gagged a little on the words, "…help out? At least the tip would make up for babysitting her.."
"Didn't nobody ask you for that", Rudi shot back.
Still, he hesitated.
He'd smelled money.
One could almost hear the rusty gears grinding in his skull. His nostrils flared as he stared down at his golden Rolex, like he was squinting at some fine print.
"Your next client's at ten."
He shrugged, knocking Hana's head on his shoulder forward against her jaw.
"Ow…", her sound was barely more than a groan, but Rudi ignored it and kept his eyes on Lyra.
"If you're done faster, I don't care."
Lyra exhaled and lowered her gaze. Relief flickered but then got chased off by the sight of Rudi's yellow toenails poking through his worn down leather sandals.
"Careful, princess. I'll ask the client afterwards how he liked it." His voice dropped lower, rougher. A tone she didn't hear from him very often.
"If he didn't, you'll fuck him two more rounds. Did I make myself clear?" His outstretched sausage finger cast a threatening shadow across her face.
"And don't think you're getting a cent more than the tip."
One last hard stare, then he let Hana go and left the room.
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Five minutes earlier.
Asaki walked down the narrow alley toward the club, clutching the small gift box in her hands. "Happy Sugar Life". She'd wrapped the manga carefully in tissue paper.
Tonight, she would finally do it. Give Hana the gift and tell her the truth. Who she really was. The gray little girl from the clinic, the one Hana had saved every single day. With every word, every smile, every tiny spark of hope.
She rounded the corner to the back entrance. And froze.
There was Hana. Leaning against the wall by the door, one hand pressed to the bricks, head hanging forward. Her whole body swayed. Even from a distance Asaki could see how hard she was struggling to stay upright.
No… no, please.
Asaki ducked behind a parked delivery van, watching as Hana pushed off the wall. She barely managed two steps before collapsing again, her hand clawing for something to hold onto. Her legs buckled again and again. When she reached the door, her trembling fingers kept sliding off the handle. It took a few attempts before she finally managed to drag herself into the building.
That wasn't the strong, sparkling Hana from the clinic. Not even the tired but fighting Hana Asaki saw here every day.
This was someone who had given up.
Asaki followed at a safe distance through the back entrance, clutching the gift tight. The hallway to the dressing rooms was dim. Perfect for staying unseen.
She reached the doorway just as Rudi's voice cut through the room. From the crack in the door, she saw everything: Hana collapsing. Rudi treating her like meat. Lyra for once showing something human, even if she usually was all ice.
But why did it have to be her? Why did Lyra get to hold Hana, to steady her, as if she had the right? The same girl who tortured Hana every day.
Asaki's breath caught. She had never wanted to see Hana like this. Not the person who once gave her hope. The one who helped everyone who needed her.
Not you, Asaki thought, tears sliding down her carefully made-up cheeks. Not the person I love. You don't deserve any of this.
She stepped back, into the shadows of the hallway. Her manicured nails dug into the giftwrap.
Back then I was weak. Useless. But now…
She thought of the months of hard work. The money she'd poured in. The connections she'd built. All for Hana.
Now I'm strong enough for both of us.
Hold on, Hana.I'll give everything. I'll knock Lyra off her vain throne.
And then… when I'm at your side… I'll save you.
Just like you once saved me.
Clutching the manga to her chest, she slipped back into the dark.
⋯───⋱───⋯──⋱───⋯──⋱───⋯
Now.
Hana swayed in Lyra's arms, her legs giving out.
"What… what the hell's gotten into you?!", Lyra barked.
Hana's head lolled sideways. Her lips moved, but only gibberish slipped out. Her booze-soaked breath, hitting Lyra like a slap.".
She twisted her face in disgust.. "You're just…" Lyra stopped short. "Fucking gross" almost slipped out but jammed in her throat.
She lowered Hana onto the bench and dragged a shaky hand through her own hair.
Fuck. Fuck. FUCK.
Lyra had to help her into the bunny outfit, because Hana sure as hell couldn't do it herself. Like some nursing home caretaker. Humiliating. But no time for pride now. Her thoughts spun in messy fragments, none of them clicking into a plan.
She knew her next client. Too well.
He loved inching closer, savoring every second of having full control over her body. And he hated it when she tried to take charge herself. What most guys were into seemed to turn this one off. And of all nights, he had to book her tonight. Tonight, when she needed it over with fast.
How am I supposed to pull this off?!
How? How? How?
Her thoughts jammed, same as the damn zipper on Hana's bunny suit. Lyra cursed, yanking hard to get it shut.
Meanwhile Hana mumbled nonsense.
"Girls!"
Rudi's voice tore through her tangled thoughts. He wasn't even at the door yet, but Lyra knew she sure as hell couldn't let it get that far.
Not tonight.
"On our waaaay! ~", she chirped, forcing a sugar-sweet tone while sliding the headband onto Hana's head. No reaction. Hana's eyes just stared into nothing.
Lyra hauled her up onto shaky legs and had to hold her up right away. Hana barely helped keeping herself from collapsing, leaning heavily against Lyra's shoulder.
Lyra's eyes dropped to Hana's tits. "At least he'll have something to stare at while you drool all over yourself."
Instead of an answer, a hiccup came, sending a twitch through Lyra's body. She bit back another curse. Not like it would help anyway.
"Okay, listen to me", she hissed in Hana's ear.
Hana's head lolled sideways, smiling in some warped version of her profile picture.
Lyra ignored it, sharp voice cutting on.
"You're just gonna try and get through it, alright? Just close your eyes and let him do his thing. So you don't puke the second you see him."
Hanas vacant smile barely twitched. Lyra kept talking. More words meant more chances some of it would sink in.
"I'll hurry and get him off quick. No problem." She tried to sound confident, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her."Then I'll come over and save your ass. Literally…"
She should've ended with an "okay?", but what was the point?
With her dead weight slung over one shoulder, Lyra moved. Her heels peeled off the sticky floor. She snatched the bunny ears from the table. Crumpled, but whatever. No time left for a final glance in the mirror.
Didn't matter tonight.
She didn't have to win.
But still, she had to give her everything.
Even if she didn't fully understand it herself.
Lyra stepped over the threshold of the dressing room with Hana, straight into the hall lined with VIP lounges. A portal to a dimension of booze, sweat, and choking perfume, lit by buzzing neon and walls stained with countless human stains.
At least we got some time until the cage dance, she told herself.
Before the performance, both girls had two VIP booking. By then, Hana needed to be either sober, which was very unlikely, or at least sent home. But Lyra knew Rudi had no mercy when it came to shows and clients. You should've just stayed home, idiot…
Lyra's heels clicked through the grimy corridor, softer than usual. Hana's shuffled beside her.
Two VIP doors stood open.
The noises spilled out hungry grunts, slick wet sounds.
Through it all came the faint rattle of Rudi's gold chain, in rhythm with his impatient foot tapping. Arms crossed, he stood by the last door, eyes already locked on them.
Lyra glanced at Hana one last time. Her head sagged weak on Lyra's shoulder, still mumbling broken words.
Yeah, she knew about Hana's drinking. But this? This was different. In a second, she'd have to leave Hana alone and just hope she survived.
But what if she didn't?
What if she passed out?
What if the guy did whatever the hell he wanted?
Photos?
Videos?
What if he—
"Yo, sugar tits!" Rudi's voice cut the worst case thought in half.
"Your room's up front. Now dump her already."
"Of course…", she obeyed.
She propped Hana against the wall. Hana's head hung sideways, eyes blank. Even Rudi noticed when he gave her a quick once-over. Nozomi's words from back then flashed through his mind.
He spun around. "Be right back. Watch her", he growled, vanishing into the dark hallway.
Lyra was left staring, confused, with Hana slumped beside her. What the hell was that? Why was he suddenly leaving her here?
She looked down at Hana, slumped against the wall and struggling for breath. Her eyes were shut, yet her whole body kept shaking.
⋯───⋱───⋯──⋱───⋯──⋱───⋯
Rudi shoved the office door open without knocking. Nozomi sat at the desk, numbers glowing on her screen.
"Nozomi, Hana's a total mess. But the VIP's payin' a hundred thousand yen."
Nozomi looked up, her smile vanishing.
"What do you mean, 'total mess'?"
"Can barely stand. Talkin' nonsense", Rudi scratched his gut. "But the client—"
"No." Her voice was sharp as glass. "Forget it."
"But—"
"Rudi." She pushed herself up, her eyes burning with a dangerous spark. "I was out there myself. I know where the line is. And if a girl can't even stand—"
"He's payin' a hundred—"
"Fuck the money!" Nozomi slammed her hand on the desk. "You want cops storming the whole place?"
Rudi shut his mouth.
"Bring her home. Now."
She stepped closer, placing a hand on his cheek.
"I know the money's tempting. But if Hana collapses, she won't be making us anything anymore"
"Damn it…", he muttered.
Nozomi's fingers slid into his, her voice soft as her touch.
"Baby… it's just one night."
Rudi froze, letting it sink in, then nodded.
"You're right, babe."
He brushed his thumb over her hand once more before heading out.
⋯───⋱───⋯──⋱───⋯──⋱───⋯
Minutes dragged by, Lyra's nerves winding tighter with each. What the hell was going on? Rudi was never the patient type, always the one to push. And now…?
Footsteps echoed down the hall. Rudi returned, irritation written all over his face,, heading straight for them.
"C'mon, bunny." He grabbed Hana's arm. She barely reacted, legs almost folding under her as he tugged her off the wall.
Lyra stared. Where the hell is he taking her?
She grabbed Hana's other wrist.
"Wait– what are you doing?"
In that moment, Hana slowly lifted her head. Her eyes struggled to focus, her mouth opening with effort. "Ly… ly…" The words came stuttered, broken. "In the park… wanted to say…"
A hiccup cut her off.
Then, barely a whisper:
"…Satsu never wanted… us to end up like this."
For a heartbeat, time froze. The red in Lyra's iris shrank.
Her mouth stayed open.
Rudi jerked Hana's arm sharply. "You two gone fuckin' stupid or what?", he growled, his voice a deep rumble that shook through Hana into Lyra.But Lyra didn't let go. She stood there, stiff as stone. Her once shaky hands locked like cuffs around Hana's wrist.
Rudi snapped. He released Hana and pulled back his right hand, ready to slap Lyra back into reality.
Lyra's body moved on instinct.
She spun with Hana in a half-turn, like a twisted dance, and Rudi's slap hit nothing but air.
No pause, no triumph. Just momentum. She broke off Hana, shifted her weight, and swung her right leg up.
Her heel brutally crunched his balls.
Rudi's scream tore the hallway apart, pain tearing through his throat and making his beady eyes tremble.
"YOU FUCKIN' LITTLE BITCH!!", he snarled through a whine, rolling and twisting on the sticky floor, his expensive leather jacket getting smeared in it.
His scream snapped Lyra back to reality. Her pupils widened.
And she saw what she'd done.
The chaos she'd just dropped herself and Hana into.
What am I doing?
But none of that mattered. Not right now.
There was only one important thing right now.
Run.
She grabbed for Hana's wrist again, she was standing exactly as Lyra had left her. Hana hadn't noticed a thing Lyra just did.
Better that way, Lyra thought.
She sucked in a breath, like she might hold it forever. Then moved.
"Come on!", she barked.
Hana mumbled nonsense in return. Almost sounded like agreement.
"YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR THIS, YOU FUCKIN' WHORES!!" Rudi's curses trailed after the sound of their heels in the corridor, like a poisoned echo.
Lyra pushed the steel door open.
Outside, the light hit her hard. After the dark hallway, it was so bright she had to squint.
She coughed, too. A sharp smell of smoke hung in the air.
By the back entrance, Serena leaned against the wall. One of the Bunnygirls, nowadays getting paid more to work security than to fuck clients.
"Well, well… if it isn't the club's flagship bunnies."
She had a cigarette in one hand and used the other to sweep her blonde hair aside, sizing them up with those mismatched eyes. One blue, one red, like a damn 3D glasses set.
Another puff of smoke right into Lyra's face.
"Looks like I just saw something I shouldn't have." Her tone was easy. Her stare was sharp as the smoke. "What are you two up to?"
"You bitc—"
Lyra coughed again. No time for insults. Nor for explanations.
"You didn't see us."
Her red eyes locked onto Serena's, almost drilling through.
"Got it?"
Serena crushed the cigarette against the wall, unfazed. A soft crackle, followed by a soft laugh. She trailed one finger down Lyra's cheek.
"Oh… I didn't?", her grin stretched wider than Lyra liked.
No time to play.
Just as fast as she'd kicked Rudi in the balls, she grabbed Serena's arm, closing in on her. Her grip was so tight the joint cracked."No idea what YOU saw. But WE don't have time for your bullshit mind games."
Her voice was calm, yet every word from Lyra seemed to crawl right under Serena's skin. With her other hand, Lyra rummaged through her purse.
With Lyra's grip gone, Hana slowly tipped backward, caught by the wall as her body sagged into itself.
Lyra's gaze was still locked on Serena's when she finally pulled a 10.000 yen bill from her purse, shoving it roughly under Serena's blazer, the one she always wore over her bunny suit.
"You. Didn't. See. Us.", Lyra repeated.
"Hey, hey, hey! It's fine!", Serena raised her hands like Lyra had a gun on her.
"Easy, kitty… no need to show the claws just yet."
Her words stayed playful, but the bead of sweat on her cheek betrayed her. "I didn't see a thing."
"Good." Lyra let her go and grabbed Hana again.
"Mmh..?", Hana groaned as Lyra hauled her off the wall.
"No time. Move."
With one last, piercing look at Serena, Lyra pushed past her, dragging Hana along, who stumbled after her in a wavering step.
Once they were gone, Serena slumped back against the wall. This time, her laugh wasn't playful or fake.
"Cute."
She pulled the bills out, pocketed them, fished out her cigarettes, just to lit another one. Just as the click of the lighter sparked the glow, the metal door swung open again. This time, it wasn't sweet Bunnygirls stepping through, but a broad figure built more like a mountain than a man.
Manji Nakamura — better known as Manni.
One of Rudi's muscle.
His sunken eyes locked on Serena.
"Two chicks just walk outta here?"
Serena took a long drag, like she had to think about it. Then shrugged. "Nope. Not that I noticed."
"Okay…", Manni grumbled, staring at her a little too long.
"What? Something on my face?", Serena tilted her head.
"Uh… nah." The heavy rumble of his voice followed the door slamming shut again.
Was there some blush in the big guy's cheeks? Serena paused for a moment, then blew the question away with a shrug. The smoke drifted off, fading into the warm evening sun.
"Must've been my imagination…"
When Lyra dragged Hana and herself out of the filthy alleys of the red-light district, she didn't stop. They had to keep moving.
Further away. She didn't know where, just away.
The streets of Osaka were already sinking into the shadows of the tall buildings. Only a few fleeting, dreamy rays of sunlight still clung to the outer walls. They'd already left a bunch of apartment blocks behind. Rudi couldn't reach them for now.
Lyra paused by a dumpster and gave Hana a quick once-over. That's when she noticed Hana had lost one of her heels. Probably somewhere on the stairs by the back exit. Seeing her limp gave Lyra an idea.
She pulled the remaining shoe off Hana's foot. It had been crushing her toes into a shape they were never meant for anyway. Then she slipped off her own pair and tossed all of them straight into the trash.
The sharp gravel bit into her bare feet, pain shooting through her with every step. But it felt good, like the sting was the first real feeling in forever.
Lyra took a deep breath, then glanced at Hana again.
What if she doesn't even want this?
She'd been running from that thought the whole time, now it had caught up. Lyra searched Hana's face for an answer but only found another worry.
Hana had gone pale. Chalk-white.
Not this too…
It wasn't hard to guess what that meant. Nausea. Any second, Hana would vomit out the cocktail of booze she'd drowned herself in.
Lyra's apartment was just one street away. She knew what had to be done, even if she hated it.
She rushed Hana to the building, digging frantically through her purse at the front door. The keys were buried somewhere between her wallet and an empty blister. She missed the lock three times before it finally clicked.
Slowly, she pushed the door open, poking her head in first, listening.
Nothing. Just the low drone of the air vent.
The sweat on her face had turned cold. Step by step, like walking on eggshells, she pulled Hana inside with her. Hana was concerningly quiet now.
Don't you dare, Hana… don't you dare.
The stairwell floor was as cold as the metal railing she clung to while hauling herself and Hana upward.
Every single step felt like a fight.
Five floors.
Thinking about running into someone in these outfits made it feel like climbing Everest. But maybe the morning run-in with Mrs. Ishimori had bought her some cosmic karma. Because they made it.
Finally, in front of Lyra's door.
She fumbled the keys again, got it open, and tugged Hana inside. The door clicked shut behind them, and Lyra let out a long, heavy sigh.
"Home. Finally."
She propped Hana against the wall and leaned herself against the door. The grooves in the cheap faux-wood steadied her a little. She sank halfway down before forcing herself to look at Hana again.
Still slumped. Still quiet. But in the wrong way. Her hip jutted away, her head hanging low, her eyes almost slipping into a dazed cross.
Not good. Not good at all.
Lyra grabbed Hana's hand. The cold fingers nearly made her flinch. She hauled her into the bathroom, straight to the toilet.
"On your knees! Like you're used to with the guys. Go!" The words came out too flat to actually sound sarcastic, but they worked.
Hana sank to the rug in front of the bowl, propping herself weakly on her forearms over the seat.
"Good girl. Now get it out."
Lyra knelt beside her, patting her back with the flat of her hand, more rough than gentle.
A last hiccup tore through Hana's body.
Then it all came out.
She gagged. Her whole frame convulsed.
Lyra jerked her head away. "Ugh, what the fuck!"
The stench hit instantly, burning her eyes.
"Jesus, that's assault", she groaned, clamping a hand over her mouth and nose while thumping Hana's back with the other. "Come on… all of it. Get it out."
It took a while. Hana retched again and again, while Lyra tried to breathe shallowly through her mouth, fighting not to puke herself. Between bouts, she handed Hana water.
Glass after glass.
By the fifth one, a sound of relief finally slipped from Hana's throat.
"Thank God…" Lyra muttered, drained.
No reaction. Hana's head hung heavy over the toilet, eyes half shut.
They ended up sliding down to the bathroom wall, just sitting there. Hana somewhere between numb and gone, Lyra letting herself rest, closing her eyes for a second.
Not to think. Not yet. That could wait till tomorrow.
Tomorrow she'd have to explain what happened at the club.
Tomorrow she'd have to explain how she'd put both their jobs on the line.
And tomorrow she'd have to face the worst part. Something she couldn't even explain to herself.
Why she did it.
A glance at the little digital clock on the sink: 10:04 PM. Her VIP session with the client would've been ending right about now. A weak smile crept onto her face as she looked at Hana, already dozing off. Probably still better than having the customer…
The thought calmed her.
Some time later, she stood up, gently pulled Hana up with her. Hana stumbled along half-asleep. Lyra switched off the bathroom light, only the hall lamp lit the apartment now.
Hana's hand still rested weakly in hers, but warmer than before. You idiot, Lyra thought, but smiled.
Her gaze dropped. The warm hallway light made the latex bunny suit look different. Still wrong. Still tied to the job. But not quite as filthy as it did under neon.
Whatever. She pushed the thought away.
You'll have to sleep in it.
Lyra nudged Hana onto the left side of the bed, then slipped back into the bathroom. When she returned in her black pajamas, Hana had already cocooned herself in the whole blanket.
"I didn't save your fat ass just for you to hog the whole damn thing…" Lyra muttered. But Hana was already sleeping.
With a groan, Lyra crawled in beside her, yanked some of the blanket back, and turned off the light.
Darkness. Silence. Peace.
For now.
A last whisper, meant for no one.
"Good night."
And then she fell asleep too.