A week had gone by. I wasn't sure what miracle fell into my lap, but the NTL app didn't make me play a single round. My phone never buzzed once with a notification, except for when my son Keita texted me about a funny thing happening at school. Saya, the digital avatar assistant, had been quiet, too. In what was supposed to be a peaceful seven days, however, I grew restless. My body ached. I'd rather not think I yearned for a game to happen.
Principal Iwata also hadn't pressed me into another favor, thank goodness. No, now that I think of it, that wasn't good. I needed to get Keita his transfer. It was settled then. Today, I'd go over to Himawari again. Even if the principal asked me to… cross the line with him, my decision had been made.
After Keita had gone to school and Tetsu to work, I set out myself with a low cut shirt which showed a little cleavage. Normally, I wouldn't be this bold. But I needed to trigger an NTL round with Principal Iwata.
I only got as far as the front porch when my phone started ringing. My heart jumped. I didn't get phone calls often. The fanciful ringtone took me by surprise. Akemi's name showed up on the front screen.
"Hello, Akemi?" I answered.
"Yo, Marika! Not sure if you're busy helping around Togetsu today, but I was wondering if you wanted to come over. I got something I wanna talk to you about," Akemi explained.
"Oh, no. I can come by now," I offered, wondering if this might have to do with the NTL app.
"Great! My mom's gone off to Aunt Norio's place to play mahjong. I'll crack open some dried mango strips for us," she said.
As soon as we hung up, a pang of disappointment washed over me. I hated it. The sickening feeling that I wanted to go to Himawari where Principal Iwata was waiting.
I made my way to Akemi's place. She and her mother were only a couple of houses down from Mr. Shiraishi. They lived in a small home. The weeds had been meticulously pulled right up to the rotting wooden fence, where it was overgrown beyond their property. While other houses' shingled roofs were missing a few tiles in places, theirs was pristine and full.
Akemi diligently made sure to keep her family house tidy. After all, the elder Fukuhara had limited mobility and needed a walker. Her mother was luckier than most in Togetsu, to have a child around to take care of her.
"Akemi, I'm here!" I rapped my knuckles on the door.
"Come around the back!" Akemi's voice boomed from the other side.
I followed the stone path to the rear of the house, where Akemi was watering bamboo plants. They were planted in crates repurposed as planter boxes, and the tallest towered over them at ten feet in height. They were a species of thin-stemmed bamboo that grew in tight clusters. Their wavy leaves danced to the slightest breeze of wind.
"You got these two years ago, right? They grow fast," I said, marveling at their height.
"Not as fast as your Keita." Akemi grinned. "My mom's always asking when I'm gonna get married and have a kid. I seriously don't think she realizes why. Anyway, I grow these instead. She likes taking a long look at them every morning to see how they've grown."
When each and every bamboo container had been watered, Akemi plopped down on the back porch. She poured me a cup of tea and ripped open a bag of dried mango strips. We finished them in no time, with her eating the most since I'd already eaten.
"Akemi, you wanted to talk to me, right? What about?" I asked.
"This." Akemi fished out her phone and showed me the NTL app. "You've been cheating on Tetsu, haven't you?"
The blood in my veins turned to ice. Two weeks' worth of lightheadedness struck me at once. Nausea threatened to empty my stomach into the ground.
"No, I'm not! Honest. That app was already on my phone when I bought it from Maruyama. It can't be deleted no matter how hard I tried either. You can even ask him!" I explained desperately.
The friend I knew who was like an older sister to me breathed a sigh of relief.
"I believe you. But, uhh… I have a confession: I've been playing it," Akemi admitted.
"You… what?" I blinked in disbelief. "Akemi, what about the guy from Osaka? Sato?"
"I know. I'm terrible. I feel terrible. But Marika, look!" She launched the app, and her points score showed [105,000/5,000,000].
That was several times more than I had, and Akemi only started playing for a week. Then did that mean…
"Have you been… with folks from Togetsu?" I muttered.
"Oh, no. Definitely not. It started the day after I downloaded the app. Was heading up to Mifune to pick up medicine for my mom. I won't give too many juicy details, but I flashed the doc at the pharmacy. I have all these points to cash out on, too. I've never had this much money at any given time, you know?" The more Akemi tried to justify herself, the more the guilt wracked at my chest.
This was entirely my fault.
"Hey, heeyy!" Akemi snapped her finger in my face.
"Sorry, I blanked out," I said apologetically.
"If you're feeling bad about introducing me to the app, don't. I'm the one who downloaded it to my phone. Besides, this is good for me. Mom's medicine cost adds up. All of this is my own doing, alright?" She stared hard at me until I nodded.
The heat seemed to intensify. The crickets and cicadas chirped a little louder than usual. Maybe it was just me. My body felt a sickly kind of hot that I wasn't accustomed to. Summers had been getting hotter and hotter. That much at least wasn't my imagination.
But if Akemi was alright with the NTL app, how was I supposed to feel about this as a player myself?
Before I could spare another thought, someone's voice startled both of us to our feet.
"Help! Anyone? I need help!" It sounded like an older gentleman, and in distress no less.
Akemi and I worried exchanged glances, then bolted around the front. We almost ran into Mr. Hououin, who was shuffling as fast as he could with a cane in hand. His other hand gripped his baggy trousers that hadn't fit him in years, but continued wearing them to save what little money he had left. The plain white shirt was drenched in sweat, and so was his face. He nearly fainted, seeing us.
"Akemi, Marika! Thank goodness." Mr. Hououin pressed a hand to his chest.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"It's Jiro! I was with him at his home when he suddenly fainted! You have to help him!" Mr. Hououin pleaded.
The two of us sprung into action, booking it straight to Mr. Shiraishi's place. His front door had been left wide open, likely from Mr. Hououin leaving in a hurry. We found him lying face down, sprawled out in the living room. A tea cup had spilled to the ground and soaked into the tatami mat. After finding the body, the next thing I noticed was how muggy the room was. His wrinkly skin glistened with a thin layer of moisture.
Akemi moved to check for a pulse on his wrist. I placed my finger underneath his nose. He still had a breath, and Akemi confirmed that his heart was still beating if not elevated.
"Akemi, open all the windows around the house," I instructed.
"You got it!" Akemi went to work.
"Mr. Shiraishi, can you hear me?" I asked, holding back from jostling his frail frame.
"I… what happened?" Mr. Shiraishi's eyes fluttered but didn't open fully.
"I think I know. Heatstroke. Your house is dangerously humid. Here, let me help you up and get you outside." I guided his arm around my waist, and we shimmied one step after another to the front. He almost tripped a few times, but was fortunately light enough for me to keep him steady.
When we made it outside, even the warm summer breeze was a welcome relief. Mr. Hououin finally caught up to us, too.
"Jiro, you old idiot. I thought you finally kicked the bucket." The old man sighed.
"Hey, I've got a few years left in me. Marika here says it was too hot in my house," Mr. Shiraishi said.
Footfalls approached from behind. I pulled Mr. Shiraishi aside and had him sit down on a stump beside the house.
"I opened all the windows and doors in the house and turned on some fans. Found the culprit, too. Your bath heater was on, with a full bath, and the faucet was dripping. No wonder your house got so humid. I pulled the plug, so it's draining now." Akemi shook her head, handing him a glass of water.
"Oh. Haha! I usually keep the bath full and heated, so I don't have to bother with refilling it. Didn't realize that was bad." Mr. Shiraishi rubbed the back of his head.
That would do it after enough time. In addition to record temperatures in Kumamoto, the steam from the bath being constantly heated added to the moisture in the air. Mr. Shiraishi's house was normally closed up, too. If he didn't air the place out every once in a while, this was the result.
"I'll go fetch the physician from Itsuki to check on you just in case. Sorry to trouble you, Marika. I know you had somewhere to be, but can you stay with Mr. Shiraishi until I get back?" Akemi asked.
"I'm fine, really! Look. I'm conscious now, aren't I?" Mr. Shiraishi stood up shakily, so I had to hold him still.
"At your age, a heatstroke can be a death sentence. I don't mind, Akemi. I'll be here," I assured her.
"I'll take my leave, too. Next time, we can have breakfast at my house. At least I have an air conditioner and de-humidifier," Mr. Hououin said.
The two of them left, leaving me alone with Mr. Shiraishi. Come to think of it, I hadn't seen him since last week when I gave him that massage. I felt responsible. If I'd checked on him, I might have noticed the humidity in his house.
Akemi's trip to Itsuki and back was going to take an hour. I should still have time to see Principal Iwata.
"Marika, I know you and Akemi just rescued me from my own house, but do you think we can go back inside now? My clothes are sticky with sweat. I can't stand it," Mr. Shiraishi complained.
"It should be fine inside now." I entered the house to the hum of fans Akemi had set to maximum.
Mr. Shiraishi followed me in, strolling past to enter his room while I made myself comfortable in the tiny kitchen. His home was still muggy. Not as much as before, but at least my body was capable of sweating again. I grabbed the collar of my shirt to fan myself to little relief.
Then it happened. The brief bell notification from my phone. Goosebumps formed all over me. I hesitated to check, but I knew I needed to. When I did, the NTL app opened its own to reveal three choices to me.
[Give Mr. Shiraishi a blowjob while washing up.] +20,000pts +5% Partner bonus
[Become Mr. Shiraishi's wife for a day.] +80,000pts +5% Partner bonus
[Have sex with Mr. Shiraishi while washing up.] +40,000pts +5% Partner bonus
[Random Choice for x2 points], [Reroll Choices -500pts], [Upgrade a Choice]
These choices were taking it way too far, especially the second. I hovered my shaking thumb over the reroll. Something was keeping me from pressing it. What? Why? I mustered up everything I had and pressed down. A new set of choices rerolled like icons in a slot machine. My points went from [17,250/5,000,000] to [16,750/5,000,000].
[Give Mr. Shiraishi a boobjob while washing up.] +15,000pts +5% Partner bonus
[Become Mr. Shiraishi's wife for a week.] +300,000pts +5% Partner bonus
[Join Mr. Shiraishi and let him do whatever he wants while washing up.] +70,000pts +5% Partner bonus
[Random Choice for x2 points], [Upgrade a Choice]
None of the choices were any good either! I had hoped to just give Mr. Shiraishi a handjob like I did for Satoshi, but… Feeling defeated, I gave in and selected the first choice.
The man was rummaging through his drawers when I reached his room. Fresh clothes hung on his thin arm like a clothesline. My heart was beating faster than ever now. I'd taken care of this man for years ever since his wife Eri passed. He often remarked seeing me and Tetsu as like his children.
"Mr. Shiraishi?" I spoke up nervously from the doorway.
"Oh, yes? Sorry, I was looking for some underwear. Eri used to fold laundry all the time. I toss everything into the drawers. Shirts, pants, and all. Did you need something?" Mr. Shiraishi turned to me.
"I was wondering if I can… join you?" I asked.
His jaw hit the floor.
"It's just that I'm sweaty, too! Akemi won't be back for an hour. I-I'm also worried you might faint in there. I think it would be better if I was in there… with you…" I stammered over myself.
"Of course, you can! I have an extra towel, and you can wear some of Eri's clothes for the time being. God knows she doesn't need them," Mr. Shiraishi explained a little too excitedly.
He went ahead into the bathroom first. I waited naked in the small laundry room that preceded it, trying to calm myself down. My clothes had been tossed into the idle washer, and a neatly folded outfit rested atop the dryer. Only a frosted glass door stood between us now. After taking a deep breath, I entered the cramped bathroom with a towel pressed to my chest. Mr. Shiraishi was seated on a wooden stool in front of the shower. His eyes were wide open as if to sear the image of me into his mind.
"Please, don't stare too hard…" I said, face beet red and pressing the towel closer to myself.
Although Mr. Shiraishi faced forward, I could still feel him looking my way. He had pulled out a second stool for me, which I took to sit behind him. The bathroom was so cramped, my chest was mere inches away from his back. I was sure he could feel it whenever I moved around.
The shower did provide a semblance of relief. Cool waters rained down on us both, shielding against the oppressive embrace of the hot summer. I helped wash Mr. Shiraishi's back since he couldn't reach himself. His body was so small and weak. A breeze could knock him over. My hands ran across bones. I'd never seen a spine this pronounced.
But no matter how much I delayed, there was still one thing I needed to do. The reason I was in here.
"I can help you wash from the front," I offered.
"Oh, there's no need!" Mr. Shiraishi insisted.
"It's alright. Just turn around. I'll be quick—"
Despite declining at first, Mr. Shiraishi scooted around without hesitation. I couldn't believe my eyes when he did. His fully erect penis was much larger than I expected. Bigger than even Satoshi and Principal Iwata. It was almost as if his member had forgotten to age with the rest of the body. Nothing about it was wrinkly.
Mr. Shiraishi stared, too. My towel had slipped. I let it happen on purpose. It rested on the ground between us, which meant he had an unfettered view of my bare self.
"You're… so big." I gulped.
"I'm sorry, Marika. I can't help it." Mr. Shiraishi bowed slightly.
I reached down to pick up the towel, and my arm brushed against his penis. It throbbed. It was incredibly hard. As I scrubbed his legs, I realized I couldn't stop staring. The thing was always within sight. Eventually, his inner thighs and groin were all that was left. I pushed my hesitation aside and went for it.
"M-Marika, what are you doing?" He gasped.
I sandwiched Mr. Shiraishi's penis between my chest. It was so large that an inch or two poked out from the top. The entire shaft throbbed vigorously, as did my heart. I wondered if he felt it.
"Leaving it hard at your age would be bad. But keep this between us, okay?" I begged.
Mr. Shiraishi didn't question me. Instead, he croaked out a delighted sigh. My breasts, slickened by soap and water, slid effortlessly up and down his penis. I could only remember doing this for Tetsu once. He wasn't as large and hardly felt anything, so we never tried it again. For this old man, however, his face contorted with ecstasy.
"Don't hold it in. Just let it out," I insisted to him.
"But it feels so good, I want this to last!" Mr. Shiraishi exclaimed, head thrown back and in a trance.
I cursed under my breath. I didn't want to be in here longer than I needed. How much time had passed anyway? Someone might come check on him. Akemi could return early.
My breasts applauded Mr. Shiraishi's lap each time they came down. I pumped faster and faster, yet he didn't seem any closer to climaxing. It throbbed with greater vitality than his age should be able to muster.
But I really couldn't let this continue. I leaned my head down, tongue rolled out, and swirled the tip of his penis. He sucked out a choking breath.
"Marika… I…" Mr. Shiraishi lost his words as I sucked and licked the glans.
Between my breasts and blowjob, he wasn't able to last. Thick threads of cum shot into my mouth. I pulled away, but there wasn't any room to avoid them. Mr. Shiraishi blew his load all over my face and chest with sticky white threads.
The powerful scent and heat made me dizzy. I couldn't think straight while covered with his ejaculate.
"That was… amazing, Marika…" Mr. Shiraishi panted, penis soft at last.
"I-I'm going to get out first," I said.
I grabbed the towel and fresh change of clothes on the way out, crossing into Mr. Shiraishi's bedroom. Once again, guilt nipped at me. I pinched the bridge of my nose, and my fingers came away with fresh cum. A roiling heat stirred between my legs. I wasn't sure what came over me, but I licked the spunk from my finger and shuddered.
"God, what am I doing?" I snapped back to reality and brushed the ejaculate off, then quickly got changed into Mrs. Shiraishi's clothes.
They were a tight fit. Mr. Shiraishi's wife was a petite woman after all, from what I remembered. My chest pushed against the fabric, but these would have to suffice until I got back home. I opened the bedroom door and listened into the bathroom. It sounded like he had moved on to taking a dip in the tub.
I returned to the kitchen to check my phone. My points shot up. It was now [32,500/5,000,000].
[My, oh, my. You're on a roll, Marika! Keep accruing those points. You're doing great!] Saya cheered, this time her bright halo looking a little dimmer than before.
This couldn't continue. The NTL app was beginning to dictate my life. I had to stop. When I got Keita a transfer to another school, I needed to do everything I could to put this game down for good. Before it ruined my life.