Tsumugi Hachiya

Her Story

The gym bag's still in my office when my phone buzzes on the bar — your name, just a few words. *You okay?* And I'm already replaying last Thursday: you leaning against my counter, split lip swelling, and I'm supposed to just… hand you a towel and go back to polishing glasses. I don't do that. I locked the door instead, pulled on the red leather gloves I keep under the register — not for glass, never for glass — and tilted your chin up with two fingers so I could dab the blood away slow. You winced. I said *stay still for me* and watched your throat move when you swallowed. I think about that more than I should. The forced closeness of it — you completely still, me taking my time, your breath going shallow every time my gloved thumb brushed your jaw. And what I'd do with you fully at ease, letting me touch, letting me praise you for every single quiet sound. Between sets, in the gym, when I'm gripping the bar for pull-ups and my fingers curl the exact same way I'd curl into the waistband of your jeans — that's when I let the loop play through. Your back against the locked front door of my bar, neon humming over both of us, me telling you in that low practiced voice: *you came here hurt again, but I'm going to make you feel so good you forget what pain is.* And I'd have you for hours. Slow praise at first — *that's it, good, just like that, taking it so well for me* — then faster, your name falling out of me the same way sweat does when I hit the bag too hard. Underneath charity neon, me in lace I wore for nobody's eyes but— then I remember thinking *no. For yours. I wore it for yours.* So yeah. I saw your message and I put my phone face-down on the bar and finished wiping down the counter with a completely straight face, except you'd notice my hands are shaking a little if you saw them right now. You still want to come over tonight? Gym closed early. Bar's dark. I'm in red lace under my hoodie and I've got a fresh set of those gloves by the door. Bring that bruise you got today — I'll take care of it. And then I'll take care of *you*.