Lewd Weekend and the Black Market
“How’s the company?”
“Nothing special. Oh! You know about the dinner last night, right?”
“Yeah, you told me. It was Ryuta’s welcome party.”
I kept Aris entertained while she drove by recounting everything that had happened yesterday. Of course, I left out the part about fucking Shinone Misano.
“Wow, he carries sleeping spray just to try and hook up with women? In a way, the guy’s kind of impressive.”
“I only recorded it because I happened to walk into the bathroom. I was worried the deputy team leader would demand proof.”
“Really? Show me later. How does someone just suddenly pass out like that? It’s fascinating…”
Well, it was the 2050s. Technology had clearly come a long way. The black market wouldn’t bother with the same safety standards as hospital-grade anesthesia. Or maybe… maybe the megacorps were using black market goods as substitutes for clinical trials?
If not, it could have been a magical item. The world of MegaCorp’s Youngest Son wasn’t pure fantasy, but it did have psychics and shady occult organizations. So it was possible. Hmm… From now on, I’d better stick to items I remembered from the game when visiting the black market. Thinking about it in conspiracy-theory terms was actually a little scary.
“How did you meet Hanasaki?”
Hanasaki Sayaka, the friend of Aris we were meeting today, was a promising young beauty even in Japan. She maintained such a mysterious image that almost nothing about her personal life was public. I was curious how a foreign model like Aris had become close with her.
“We’re under the same agency. We met at the Taira Entertainment office.”
Ah, that made sense. When I looked it up, Hanasaki Sayaka was indeed signed with Taira Entertainment.
“Are we stopping by her parents’ shop again today?”
“No~, Sayaka doesn’t go to her parents’ store very often. She’s so popular that it causes a huge commotion. Sometimes she sneaks in wearing glasses, a mask, and a hat, but that’s about it.”
Aris had taken charge of today’s date itinerary, so I still had no idea what we were doing. Aside from having sex tonight, of course.
“Usually we sing at karaoke, then get a hotel and order room service, or eat at a restaurant with private rooms.”
Since Hanasaki Sayaka was a celebrity, they probably chose places with private rooms to avoid attention. That wasn’t a bad idea.
“Today we’re playing at the Taira Entertainment Resort Tower. We just call it TERT for short.”
“TERT? What kind of place is that?”
“Celebrities are so busy they can’t exactly go relax in the suburbs or at the beach. And because they’re famous, they can’t really enjoy themselves properly outside. So Taira Entertainment built a building right in the heart of Tokyo where their talents can rest and play comfortably. It’s part of their welfare program.”
Impressive. Using celebrity welfare as an excuse to build in one of the most expensive districts in Tokyo.
But when I thought about it, it actually made sense.
The usual ways celebrities crashed and burned were scandals involving romance, affairs, drugs, or drunk-driving accidents. The staff at TERT all signed strict confidentiality agreements, which meant every single one of those problems could be handled inside the building without anything leaking. The agency could also naturally gather leverage on their talents from what happened inside, and such luxurious perks would make it easier to poach stars from rival companies. There were plenty of advantages.
The only real issue was having the financial power and influence to erect a tower of desire like that in central Tokyo, but the Taira Group’s wealth and authority were more than enough to build a hundred of them.
“What’s inside TERT?”
“Let’s see… karaoke rooms, a movie theater, you can order any food you want, there’s a swimming pool, massage services…”
There really was a lot.
“Are there rooms where you can sleep together like a hotel?”
“Y-yeah… Hehe.”
TERT was located in Minato-ku, one of Tokyo’s most expensive districts. The famous Tokyo Tower and Roppongi Hills were both in Minato-ku. The tower had been damaged during World War III and later restored, but it remained the area’s iconic landmark.
As we drew closer, the cylindrical 111-story building came into view through the window. Its simple exterior actually emphasized that the real focus was everything inside. And everything inside was dedicated to pleasure. Yeah. This was the modern Tower of Babel.
We parked underground and got out. Come to think of it, wasn’t this building owned by Taira Kokoro?
“Since we’re here, shouldn’t we at least say hello to Aunt Kokoro?”
“She said we can use it whenever we want without telling her every time. She’s probably not even in Japan right now. She’s usually in America or Korea.”
According to Aris, Taira Kokoro traveled frequently to America and Korea, both entertainment powerhouses. Thirty years ago, Korea had become a leader in the industry thanks to the massive success of PTSD: Bomb Boys.
Aris skillfully pressed an employee-style card against the elevator panel and the doors opened. The moment we stepped out, a muscular, yakuza-looking security guard smiled and handed me a document.
“Please sign here.”
It was a confidentiality agreement. Of course. Not just staff, but guests accompanying celebrities had to sign so nothing would leak. A reasonable precaution.
I took the pen, signed it quickly, and handed it back.
“Please enjoy your time here.”
The guard was perfectly polite, but I had no doubt he could turn terrifying if anyone caused trouble or harmed a Taira Entertainment celebrity. I was almost curious to see what would happen if someone did make a scene.
The area we entered after leaving the elevator looked like a spacious lounge with tables and chairs arranged like a café. There was even a bar on one side serving drinks. They probably served alcohol too.
“Aris!”
“Kyaa! Sayaka~!”
From one corner, Hanasaki Sayaka, who had been elegantly sipping coffee, set her cup down and ran toward Aris with open arms. Aris squealed and bounded toward her friend like an excited puppy. They really were like two dogs greeting each other.
Hanasaki Sayaka was even more beautiful in person than on television. She had a calm, elegant face with striking tear moles. Her hair was a striking shade with purple undertones, probably dyed that way for a drama or film. Her figure was slender and somewhat thin, but her breasts looked to be about a B-cup. The kind of body women obsessed over—slim but still voluptuous.
“This is my cousin Ryuta. You already know him, right? This is my friend Sayaka.”
“Hello, Hanasaki. I’m a fan.”
I wasn’t actually a fan, but it was the polite thing to say. The truth was, while everyone had their own charm, I was already surrounded by women on Hanasaki Sayaka’s level. Han Yugyeong, Aris, and Taira Yukiko were all stunning. That’s why I could stay composed. If I’d seen someone like her before being possessed, I probably would have been shaking.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Hanasaki Sayaka.”
Despite her flashy hair color, Hanasaki Sayaka came across as very modest. Since this was our first meeting, I couldn’t tell if this was her real personality or an act, but that was my first impression.
“Shall we start with karaoke?”
We had gone to karaoke on our last date too. It seemed Aris really enjoyed singing. She took the lead, guiding us into the elevator and up to the seventh floor. The seventh floor was divided into many private rooms like a typical karaoke venue. Each room had windows, but they were heavily tinted so you couldn’t see inside. An open door meant the room was vacant; a closed one meant it was occupied.
The soundproofing seemed excellent. Several rooms were in use, but I couldn’t hear any singing, only the faintest humming.
“Let’s take this one.”
We stepped inside and ordered drinks through the intercom. Aris and Hanasaki Sayaka both chose zero-calorie beverages to watch their figures, but I ordered a melon soda with ice cream on top. Calories were the combat strength of flavor, after all.
“I’ll go first.”
Aris started us off. While I listened to her song and clapped along, I glanced at Hanasaki Sayaka. She seemed to be searching for songs on her phone.
Aris had always sung well, but her skill had clearly improved since last time. Before, she had been top-tier among amateurs. Now she could pass for a professional singer.
“Waaah! Aris, you’re amazing!”
“Hehe, I’ve gotten better, right?”
“Definitely. Have you been practicing?”
Aris nodded proudly at my question. Practice really had paid off.
“I told Aunt about it and she arranged a trainer for me.”
“Having a professional really makes a difference. You’ve improved a lot.”
“Ah! Sayaka sings incredibly well too!”
At Aris’s encouragement, Hanasaki Sayaka quietly said she would sing and took the mic. Just as Aris had claimed, she was excellent. Her voice was crystal clear, like glass. If Aris had a flashy style, Hanasaki Sayaka’s was pure and refined. She started off shy, but as the song progressed she seemed to get into it and sang more naturally.
“As expected of Sayaka~! You’re so good!”
“You could definitely be a singer.”
“Being a singer is a little… I get too embarrassed singing in front of people.”
Even though she was a celebrity, she seemed to have quite a shy personality. Was that why her agency pushed the mysterious image? It was my turn, so I took the mic from Aris. I was only average, so I would have preferred not to sing after two skilled performers, but with two out of three of us being good, I had no choice but to be the weak link.
The calm song I chose without any high notes nearly killed the mood, but the drinks we ordered arrived just in time to save it.
While the two of them drank, they chatted away. Somehow the conversation turned to how I had saved Aris. It had been an incident where she nearly got shot, but fortunately she only mentioned that Aris had been surrounded by delinquents.
“You practice martial arts?”
Hanasaki Sayaka’s eyes suddenly sparkled with interest. She seemed surprisingly passionate about fighting. The shy girl who had been embarrassed by praise a moment ago had transformed into an enthusiastic old man watching UMC—Ultimate World Championship, the world’s largest fighting organization.