Bunny Club1:06 A.M.
When Asaki entered the dressing room, she was greeted by the usual wave of smells, sweat, deodorant, and perfume. Disgusting, really. But buried somewhere in that mess was a faint trace of Hana's scent. A hint of familiarity that reminded her not to give up. So she's not going to give up today either.
The late shift wasn't easy, but what had Nozomi said again?
"If you sweat at night, you shine twice as bright during the day."
The old woman's saying sounded silly. But somehow… also wise. And if Asaki wanted to make it to the top, she wasn't going to ignore any kind of wisdom.
She dropped her gym bag next to the bench and started changing. The bunny costume fit snug as always. With precise strokes, she gave her eyeliner the same tiny bit of cheekiness Hana always wore.
When she was done, she sat down on the bench and turned on her phone.
1:21 A.M. Perfect. Nine minutes until her first customer. Enough time to run through how she should say it one more time.
She pulled the manga wrapped in silk paper from her bag and placed it on her lap.
Tonight, she would show Hana the manga.
Tonight, it had to work.
Tonight, Lyra wouldn't get in the way—
"Hiii, Asaki!"
Three bunny girls entered the room. Momo in front, followed by Yuyu and Riri. Momo's short black hair bounced with every step as she flashed Asaki an overly friendly smile.
"Hi, Momo-chan!" Asaki chirped back just as sweetly. "How was your night?"
Momo plopped down on the bench next to Asaki, uncomfortably close, and gushed in a high-pitched voice.
"Oh my god, tonight went suuuper great for me! I served a group of tourists and really hit it off with one of them," she gestured wildly, then leaned straight into Asaki's personal space. "We had sooo much fun, especially after the talking. And guess who gave me his number!"
"No waaay, as if," Asaki replied, her eyes widening with the exact amount of fuck she gave about Momo.
Yuyu sighed from the other side of the room as she stripped out of her bunny outfit.
"Yeeees!!" Momo sang back. "I got his number, and maybe, just maybe, he's the prince who'll finally get me outta this shithole. Hehehe."
For a few seconds, no one said anything. Then all the color drained from Momo's face.
"Uh— uhhhahaha, oopsie, must be the alcohol, hihi—uh," she stammered, nearly slipping off the bench.
"I get it…" Yuyu smirked while fastening her black bra.
"No, it's not what you think." Momo's voice suddenly dropped, serious.
"My family and I… we're deep in debt. That's what I meant," she lied, pulling the most tragic expression she had in stock.
"Oh, how did that happen?" Yuyu asked.
While Momo launched into her fake sob story, Asaki's gaze drifted back to the manga cover on her lap. She had more important things to worry about than the biography of some broken woman.
"I hope you remember."
No, too vague. What if she doesn't get it?
"Do you remember back then?"
No, that's too direct and indirect at the same time.
"Oh right, have you guys heard about the incident yet?" Momo's voice cut through Asaki's mental rehearsal, but she ignored it.
She exhaled irritably and tried again.
"This manga was recommended to me by someone who means a lo—"
"The thing with Hana and Lyra?"
Asaki froze.
This time the words yanked her back into the room. Riri also stopped practicing poses in front of the mirror and turned toward Momo.
Momo had already changed into street clothes and was carefully combing her hair. "Some guy apparently beat them up. Well, at least Lyra got messed up pretty bad. Serves that bitch right, hahahaha."
Riri's eyes went wide. "Oh god, that's awful! Why did Lyra let him do that to her? She definitely paid him back twice as hard afterward!" She fangirled over her idol, throwing mock punches into the air. Her tits bounced along with the movement.
Asaki let out a slow exhale. Part relief, part something darker. A hint of schadenfreude. She lifted her gaze from her lap. "Oh no… what did those two even do?"
Momo shrugged and slung her black handbag over her shoulder. "No idea exactly. The client wanted them to make out with each other. Guess they did, a little too well."
A giggle slipped from her lips. "Maybe it was so hot he completely lost his mind, hihihi."
"Pff, wouldn't surprise me, the way those two have been throwing looks at each other lately," Yuyu added.
"Totally." Momo agreed. "Anyway, after that Rudi gave them some time off and then they did what I'm about to do now."
She smiled and raised her hand in farewell.
"Which is go home. Byeee!"
Momo disappeared from the room, leaving behind the sugary scent of her perfume and the fading echo of her heels clicking away.
But in Asaki's head, she left behind more than she could have known. With every fucking click, her disgusting words echoed louder.
"...make out with each other?"
Asaki didn't notice how her fingernails dug deeper and deeper into her own cheeks.
"...so hot he completely lost his mind?"
The room drained of color until everything turned black and white. The shapes in front of her blurred and doubled, stacking over each other like a broken TV screen.
"...go home together?!"
Right in front of her, she saw Lyra. Wearing that arrogant, vicious grin. She had Hana by the hand, her claws dug in so tight that blood ran from Hana's palm. They disappeared. Further and further away.
And Asaki couldn't do a damn thing about it.
"Asaki?" Riri's ample chest snapped her back to reality.
"Everything okay, sweetie?"
For a split second, Asaki stayed frozen. Then she smiled, sweet as sugar, like flipping a switch. "Yeah, Riri-dear, I'm totally fine, thanks!" she lied effortlessly..
Yuyu shot her a serious look while pulling on her black coat. "Don't overdo it, okay? You've been training really hard lately. Take a break sometimes."
"Yes, Officer Yuzuki!" Asaki saluted dramatically.
Yuyu gave her one last eye-roll but smiled anyway as she left the room.
Riri was already back at the mirror, practicing cute gestures and poses. Asaki noticed how often she mimicked Lyra's exaggerated, obnoxious movements.
Lyra. She wants to tear Hana away from me. That stupid, arrogant whore.
Then she felt something rough under her fingers. The pages of the manga were completely crumpled.
No.
Asaki's hands started to shake. So badly that the manga slipped from her lap and hit the floor.
No. Why? Why— why did I—?
"What was that?" Riri turned toward her.
Asaki's teeth pressed together, but her voice stayed light.
"Nothing. Just an old sandwich from yesterday… was gonna throw it out anyway."
Riri grinned and turned back to the mirror. "Ah, typical. You only give your body the best."
"Of course," Asaki smiled.
This is all Lyra's fault. Because of her, I—
She picked up the silk paper with its crumpled contents and shoved it into her handbag.
You won't get away with this, slut.
Without another word to Riri, she stepped into the dim hallway, where the first VIP room was waiting for her. Her movements were smooth and elegant, betraying nothing of the storm raging inside her.
This time you've gone too far. I won't just stand by and watch you take her from me anymore. I'm going to stop you.
She paused briefly.
No. I'm going to destroy you.
Then she kept walking, straight toward room number five.