The line for the water slider slowly crept forward as Airi and I continued our conversation.
"Oh, looks like we’re almost there. Since this one is so popular, we really did have to wait quite a while."
"Really? I was talking to you, Ryouta, so it felt like it went by in a flash."
In a flash?
After our "special promise," she had spent most of the time rambling about her plans for raising stag beetles while I just nodded along.
"Anyway, it’s about time we call Rui and the others over."
"Roger that!"
Then, without warning, Airi looked down at her chest and slid her hand into the valley between her massive breasts. She pulled out her smartphone and—Wait, what?!
"Hey! Why the hell are you pulling your phone out of there?!"
"Huh? Because carrying a bag around is a hassle."
"That’s not the point!"
I had never seen someone actually pull a Fujiko Mine move in real life. Or rather, it wasn’t something you could even pull off with a normal chest. It was the "Huge Tits Pouch"—a perk reserved only for the chosen few.
"Ahem... Anyway, about that... could I borrow your phone for a second?"
"Sure, I don’t mind. Oh, are you going to message everyone for me?"
"Yeah! Exactly! I'll take care of it!"
"Geez, I know we promised to stay together the whole time, but you're being way too overprotective... Still, thanks, Ryouta."
Airi handed the phone over without a second thought, looking quite bashful. I wasn't entirely sure how she had come to that conclusion, but her convenient interpretation worked in my favor.
(Forgive me, Airi. This isn't out of kindness.)
To be honest, I was just overwhelmed by the classic virgin impulse to touch a phone that had been nestled between those giant mounds.
Feeling a slight twinge of guilt, I reached out and took the device from her... Oh god!
(It’s so warm!)
Having been sandwiched between Airi’s breasts for so long, the device was radiating body heat. Worse—or better—it was slightly damp from the steam and sweat of her cleavage.
Despite being subjected to that intense pressure and humidity, the phone functioned perfectly. As expected of Appl*'s engineering. It was thanks to their technical prowess that Airi could treat her chest like a storage compartment without hesitation. I owed the company my deepest gratitude. Thank you, Steve.
"Wait a minute. Why are you holding Airi's phone, Ryouta?"
While I was savoring the sensation of the "Huge Tits Smartphone," Yuria and the others suddenly reappeared.
Crap!!
"We come back just in time and find this... Hey, Airi. Why did you give Ryouta your phone?"
"Because Ryouta said he’d contact you guys for me."
"Huh?"
Yuria fixed me with a piercing glare.
"E-Err, well, this was done out of one hundred percent pure goodwill."
"Goodwill, you say?"
Despite the sweltering heat, I started sweating bullets. I felt exactly like a culprit being cornered during the climax of a Turnabout Trial game.
"My, how strange, Ryouta-kun. If the goal was to contact us, it would be much faster for Airi to just type the message herself, wouldn't it? It’s not very logical."
Rui approached me with a smile that was terrifyingly sweet.
"And if I recall correctly... while we were in the locker room, Airi mentioned something about carrying her phone in her chest..."
Rui leaned in close and whispered directly into my ear.
"Spot on, isn't it? My little deduction."
"Ah... yes."
It was a small mercy that she didn't announce her perfect deduction to the entire group.
"Ryouta-kun. Give that phone back to Airi right now."
"Y-Yes, ma'am!"
Prompted by the voice in my ear, I immediately handed the phone back to Airi.
"Hehe... Ryouta-kun really is a sweetheart, isn't he? He noticed Airi's fingers were damp with sweat, so he offered to handle the messaging for her."
"Eh?"
I couldn't hide my shock as Rui suddenly shifted gears and started defending me.
"Oh! Is that why you offered to type for me, Ryouta?"
"Heh—is that right, Ryouta?"
Airi and Yuria both looked at me for confirmation. I couldn't believe it. Rui... she actually saved me.
"Ryouta-kun is so kind! I totally thought he was just getting off on touching a smartphone that Airi-tan uses every day!"
"No, only Tanaka would think of something that twisted."
"Hey! Ichinose-san, that's mean!"
In the end, the tension dissipated as everyone turned to tease Tanaka. I had been saved, but I had no idea what Rui was thinking.
I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye and found her staring intently back at me.
"Um, thanks, Rui. You really helped me out there."
"You're welcome. But Ryouta-kun? If you've learned your lesson, try to keep your libido under control, okay?"
"I-I know... I'm reflecting on it."
"Fufu... well, if you ever reach a point where you just can't control those naughty urges... if you direct them toward me, you don't have to hold back. Got it?"
"Wait, does that mean..."
Rui gave me a wink and immediately rejoined the girls' conversation.
Between Airi, Yuria, and now Rui... they were all telling me it was okay as long as it was them. Just how devoted could they be? I was so happy I felt like I might cry.
(If Rui says I don't have to hold back, I guess I'll have to ask her for even more selfies.)
"Ryouta-kun, Ryouta-kun! If you're okay with it, since this water slider lets two people ride in a tube, would you like to slide down with me?"
"Wait, me and Tanaka on the slider...?"
"W-What’s that look for? Are you trying to say it won't be fun to ride with someone who has a 'feeble' body?!"
I didn't say that... talk about a persecution complex.
"Heh, so that's what Ryouta-kun thinks of us. I wonder how many times he plans to insult me today?"
"H-Hey, Tanaka! Look what you did! Now Rui’s pissed!"
"Wait! Don't blame me! I mean, Kuroki-san... well, except for her abs and her height, she isn't that different from me! There's no way the 'Perfect Beauty' Kuroki-san would be bothered by something like that!"
This girl! She was practically begging for a fight!
"Fufu... Tanaka-san, I used to think you were just a nuisance because you're the only one who rivals my test scores, but I didn't realize you were this annoying."
"A-Ahaha... I hear knuckles cracking... I-Ichinose-san! Help me!"
"No way, don't drag me into this! You're the one who set Rui off, Tanaka."
"Geez! Everyone, we have to get along!"
Because Tanaka—who had been a stuttering mess just moments ago—had finally joined the conversation, everything had descended into absolute chaos. Seriously, this girl was dangerous.
"Anyway, Rui, calm down. I think you're slender and beautiful, okay? I'm not making fun of you at all."
"H-Hmm... and what about Tanaka-san?"
"Well, Tanaka is... just a kid, obviously."
"Whuaaaaaat?!"
This time Tanaka flew into a rage and started pummeling my back, though it didn't hurt in the slightest.
"Look, back to the slide. Even if we use the two-person tubes, there are five of us. Someone is going to be left out anyway. I’ll just go alone, so you four should just pair up, right?"
Of course, my true wish was to ride behind Airi and hope for a "slip," or sit in front of Yuria and pray for an accident where her long legs would end up squeezing my waist. But I couldn't exactly voice those fantasies here.
"No way! That would be mean to Ryouta!"
"W-What do you mean, mean?"
"I'm with Airi on this. I don't have any problem riding with Ryouta, and I'm sure Rui feels the same, right?"
"Yeah, I'm fine with it."
As she said that, Rui shot me a sharp, burning look. What was with that gaze? I'm only human, you know.
"So, let's just decide with rock-paper-scissors. We'll keep going until we get a two-two-one split."
"Fine by me."
"Airi agrees!"
"Wait, h-hey."
Were they serious? That meant there was a genuine chance that I’d end up paired with one of the three beauties... or Tanaka.
"Okay, here we go. Rock, paper, scissors—!"