Konoko blinked her eyes open, the room bathed in soft midday light. She'd slept far longer than she meant to — the clock already creeping past one in the afternoon. Her body still felt heavy, but the stiffness in her back made her push the blanket away.
She slipped into a tank top and leggings, the fabric brushing against her still-sensitive skin, sending faint ripples of warmth through her core. The memory of the massage lingered — not in detail, but in sensation. Her body remembered too well, even if her mind tried to forget.
It had been innocent, she knew that, but her body had reacted in ways she didn't understand.
On the floor of her room, she spread a thin mat and began her practice. Slow breaths, gentle stretches, arms rising above her head, spine arching with a trembling pull. Her body was still overly sensitive, each movement causing little sparks inside her that shouldn't have been there.
Each movement sent subtle sparks through her muscles, as if her body was still echoing the touch from earlier.
She tried to ignore it, focusing on her breathing, when a voice came from the doorway.
"Oh! You're doing yoga?"
Gramps stood there with his familiar half-smile, leaning on the doorframe. "You know… I've always wanted to learn that. They say it's good for the joints, right? Maybe you could teach me?"
Konoko froze mid-stretch, her face flushing instantly. She quickly brought her arms down, sitting upright on her knees.
"O-oh, Gramps… um… y-yeah, it's good for the body. B-but I… I don't really k-know how to teach…" she stammered, trying to sound casual, though her thoughts were already spiraling.
Inside her head, panic swirled.
Of all times… why now? Her skin still tingled with the raw oversensitivity of her earlier state, and the thought of him joining her, moving beside her, made her heart pound in a way she didn't want to acknowledge.
Yet Gramps stepped further in, his voice cheerful, oblivious. "No worries! I'll just follow along. You don't need to explain much."
Her hands trembled on her knees. She forced a polite smile, though inside she was screaming.
Please… don't notice how nervous I am.
She didn't want him to notice how tense she was — not because of him, but because of herself. Dark Impulses.
Konoko pressed her palms together at her chest, trying to breathe slowly, to calm the racing of her heart. Gramps stepped closer, his shadow stretching across her mat, his tone still upbeat.
"Come on, Konoko, it'll be fun. Just a few poses, nothing too hard. You'll see—my body could use this."
Her smile tightened, nervous. "A-ah… b-but, Gramps, I… I usually do this alone. It helps me relax before eating…" She tried to sound casual, her voice thin and uneven.
Inside, her thoughts were sharper, frantic. She wasn't afraid of him — she was afraid of herself. Afraid her body would react again, and she wouldn't be able to hide it.
No, no, no, I can't let him stay here. My body's still too sensitive, I'll fall apart if he notices even a little…
Gramps chuckled, waving her words away. "All the more reason for me to join. You shouldn't be alone all the time—let's share the exercise."
Konoko lowered her eyes, hiding the flush creeping over her face. Her fingers dug into her thighs as she sat stiffly on her knees. He's not going to give up… he never does.
She inhaled shakily, then forced a small nod. "O-okay, Gramps… b-but just a little. I… I'll show you some simple ones…"
Her mind screamed the opposite. I don't want this—I can't handle this right now. Every nerve in her body was still raw, and the thought of him moving beside her, mimicking her stretches, made her chest tighten with an unbearable tension.
Yet she rose slowly, pressing her palms to the floor and easing into a gentle pose, her voice soft but clear enough for him to follow. "J-just… copy me, alright?"
Behind her, she heard him step onto the mat with a grunt of effort, his breathing steady and close. And though she kept her eyes on the floor, Konoko's pulse hammered louder, knowing she had surrendered to his persistence once again. Not from fear, but from the weight of her own overthinking.
The hot water beat down on her skin, steaming the small bathroom and blurring the mirror. Konoko leaned her forehead against the tile, arms trembling as she hugged herself.
Her thoughts swirled, too loud to silence. Why did my body react like that? She pressed her thighs together under the stream, trying to will away the memory of Gramps's hands on her calf, his thumbs pressing firmly, the way her skin had shivered and her breath had caught.
It wasn't pleasure. It wasn't. I don't want it to be…
Her fingers clawed at her own arms as the shame burned hotter than the water. Images came back—the massage oil glistening on her skin, her own helpless twitching every time he touched a sore spot, the way her spine had arched when his palm lingered just a second too long.
And then yoga—his rough voice beside her, his shadow so close, his clumsy movements trying to mirror her. Why did I let him? Why didn't I just say no?
Her chest heaved, throat tight. I felt dirty. Like I was betraying myself. My body betrayed me.
She covered her face with both hands, trying to block it out, but she could still feel it—the electric tingles left behind, the heat that had crawled up her thighs, the cruel way her body refused to obey her mind.
The shame twisted into nausea, a sick coil in her stomach. Repulsive… I'm disgusting. If he knew what my body felt, what it did without my permission…
The water rushed over her, masking her muffled whimper, as she wished she could scrub away every trace of it—every drop of oil, every flicker of sensation, every betrayal written into her trembling skin.
Why did my body react like that?