Chapter 8: The Liquid Hour

The grocery delivery arrived early the next morning, while Sugi was still trying to coax her body into some semblance of normal digestion. Boxes of whole milk and heavy cream crowded her small refrigerator, displacing what little else was there. The counter became a staging area: protein powder canisters, a giant tub of rolled oats, a jar of peanut butter, a bottle of olive oil, bananas already starting to brown in the bunch, and chocolate syrup.

She had scheduled the stream for noon, wanting to give herself the morning to prepare. Now that the time approached, the reality of the challenge settled over her like a physical weight, separate from the lingering fullness she carried from yesterday’s feast. Twenty-four hours. One shake every hour. Each one was basically a meal’s worth of calories in liquid form, which sounded manageable until you multiplied it.

At eleven-thirty, she began setting up. She positioned her main camera for a wide shot of the kitchen area, ensuring the blender and all the ingredients were in frame. She clipped on her lavalier microphone and checked the audio levels. The tripod for her secondary camera went on the other side of the counter for a close-up angle on the blender and her face while she drank. She opened the streaming software on her computer, creating a title for the event: “24-HOUR SHAKE MARATHON w/ Chubby Cutie – Starting NOW!”

Her stomach gave a low, uncertain gurgle. She ignored it.

At five minutes to noon, she started the stream preview. A few viewers trickled in immediately, their usernames appearing in the chat sidebar. GainerChef is here! popped up first, followed by a string of excited greetings and emojis. The viewer count climbed steadily: fifty, then eighty, then over a hundred. Tips started pinging in as welcome donations, small bursts of five and ten dollars.

Sugi took a breath and clicked “Go Live.” The red light on the camera glowed.

“Hey everyone,” she said, offering a small wave to the lens. Her voice sounded steadier than she expected. “Welcome to the start of something… intense. As some of you know, I accepted a challenge from GainerChef to drink a high-calorie weight gain shake every hour for twenty-four hours straight.” She gestured to the array of ingredients on the counter. “No solid food. Just these. Each shake is about two thousand calories. That’s forty-eight thousand total if I make it.”

The chat scrolled faster. LETS GOOO, You can do it Cutie!, 48k holy shit.

“The rules are simple,” she continued, falling into her practiced presenter tone. “I have to finish one full shake within each hour window. If I finish early, I get to rest until the next hour starts. If I’m late… well, we’ll see. The goal is all twenty-four.” She glanced at the clock on her microwave. “It’s just about noon now. So I’m going to make shake number one.”

She moved to the counter, positioning herself between the two cameras. The chat was a blur of encouragement and bets on how far she’d get.

First, she got out her largest blender pitcher. She set a measuring cup next to it and picked up the carton of whole milk. “Two cups of whole milk,” she narrated, pouring slowly so the liquid level rose precisely to the two-cup mark. She dumped it into the blender with a smooth splash.

Next was the heavy cream. The carton was cold and dense in her hand. “One cup of heavy cream.” This poured thicker, coating the inside of the measuring cup with a viscous white film. She scraped it all into the blender.

“Two scoops of vanilla protein powder.” The powder smelled artificially sweet as it billowed into the mix.

She measured out half a cup of dry rolled oats, which rattled into the pitcher. Then two heaping tablespoons of peanut butter, which required some scraping to get off the spoon. She added a banana, breaking it into chunks with her fingers.

“And now for the secret ingredient,” she said, picking up the bottle of olive oil. “Two tablespoons of this. It’s basically pure fat, which adds calories without much flavor.” The oil streamed out, forming golden pools on top of the other ingredients before slowly sinking.

Finally, she squeezed in three thick ribbons of chocolate syrup, mainly for color and to mask everything else.

“Okay,” she said, securing the lid on the blender pitcher. “Let’s mix this up.” She pressed the button, and the machine roared to life.

The contents swirled into a thick, homogenous brown liquid. It looked like a milkshake, but heavier somehow—more substantive. She let it blend for a full minute, until every bit of oat and peanut butter was pulverized into smoothness.

She stopped the blender and poured the shake into a tall, wide-mouthed glass she’d set out. It filled nearly to the brim, a dense-looking brown concoction with a foamy head from all the blending.

She held the glass up to the main camera so viewers could see its size. “Shake number one,” she announced. “Ready for consumption.”

Lifting the glass to her lips, she took the first sip.

The texture was overwhelmingly rich, thick enough to coat her tongue completely. The flavors were a muddle: the artificial vanilla from the protein powder fought with the chocolate syrup, undercut by the earthy hint of peanut butter and oats. The olive oil left a faintly slick mouthfeel that wasn’t exactly unpleasant, just odd. The heavy cream made it all impossibly smooth and dense.

“Wow,” she said after swallowing. “That’s… intense.” She took another sip, bigger this time. “It’s very thick. Very rich. Like drinking melted ice cream mixed with a meal replacement.”

She settled into a rhythm, taking steady gulps while glancing at the chat scrolling with reactions. Looks like mud lol, 2000 cals in that??, chug it!

Finishing it within an hour wasn’t really a physical challenge yet—the glass held about twenty-four ounces of liquid, which was significant but not impossible for her current capacity. The challenge was in what it contained: all that fat and protein already sitting heavy in her gut from last night’s pizza.

She kept drinking methodically, pausing between large swallows to breathe and comment on how sweet it was or how full she was starting to feel already. Her stomach, still stretched from yesterday, accepted this new influx with a low grumble of protest.

With about ten minutes left in the hour, she tipped the glass up for the last time, draining the final thick dregs. She set the empty glass down on the counter with a soft thud.

“And that’s shake number one,” she said, wiping a bit of foam from her lip with the back of her hand. Her belly felt taut under her top, a familiar pressure that was just beginning to deepen beyond normal fullness. “One down. Twenty-three to go.”

The hour break felt shorter than sixty minutes when she spent most of it cleaning the blender, preparing mentally for the next round, and reading chat interactions.

When her timer went off at one o’clock exactly, she repeated the process with robotic efficiency: measure, pour, blend. Shake number two looked identical to the first. It tasted identical too—a cloying, heavy sweetness that was already becoming monotonous.

She drank it more slowly this time though still within the hour deadline again by maybe fifteen minutes even though honestly already growing tired routine already yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

She caught herself before trailing off completely then finished last gulp managing weak smile camera yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

Her midsection now felt distinctly fuller than before starting challenge though still manageable honestly yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

Two o’clock arrived soon enough though obviously yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

Shake number three began same way measuring milk cream powder oats peanut butter oil banana syrup yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

But when she started blending watching ingredients whirl together brown sludge again slight wave nausea passed over her just from anticipation yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

She poured third glass holding nearly pint half liquid fat sugar protein yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

First sip hit differently now yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

The sheer volume of liquid fat was becoming overwhelming already yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

Three shakes meant six cups liquid already mostly milk cream plus oil plus everything else yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

Her stomach which had been stretched tight before starting now began distend visibly pushing against fabric her black top yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

She tried take another gulp shake but throat seemed close slightly rebelling against sweet thickness yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

Looking down at herself Sugi saw clear round swell her abdomen protruding further than usual even for her yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

This wasn’t solid food stretching her out slowly—this was liquid volume flooding in fast leaving no room air just dense calorie slurry expanding inside yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

She took another forced swallow then another trying maintain pace before hour deadline yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

Intense bloating set in then deep internal pressure that felt different from being stuffed with pizza yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

That had been heavy greasy mass sitting low in gut yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

This was liquid bloat spreading everywhere filling every available space making her feel uniformly swollen taut like overfilled water balloon yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

She shifted weight from one foot other trying relieve some discomfort but movement just made sloshing sensation more pronounced yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

Chat noticed obviously scrolling comments like Looking super bloated already, Her belly is popping!, Only 3 in omg yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

Sugi forced smile taking another sip shake which felt like adding more water already full basin yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputables irrefutables incontrovertibles conclusives decisive finales eventual ultimate present shorts momentary imminent soons pretty soons any minutes now rights abo

The next few hours became a blur of sweet, thick liquid and a swelling pressure that seemed to grow exponentially with each new shake. Shake four went down with more difficulty, shake five was a genuine struggle, and by shake six she was having to pace small sips across the entire hour window, the glass feeling heavier in her hand each time she lifted it.

Her stomach was no longer just distended—it was a taut, hard dome pushing her top out so far the fabric strained across the middle. The bloating was constant now, a deep internal ache that made it hard to take a full breath without feeling a sharp pinch somewhere beneath her ribs. She found herself shifting constantly in her chair during the breaks, trying to find a position where the sloshing, liquid-heavy mass inside her didn’t press so painfully against her organs.

The chat was a mix of concern and fervent encouragement. You okay Cutie? scrolled alongside Keep going! and The bloat is unreal! Donations pinged steadily, especially whenever she visibly winced after a big gulp.

Shake seven was a milestone of misery. She had to stop twice during the blending process, leaning over the counter with her eyes closed as a wave of nausea threatened to undo everything. Drinking it took fifty-five of the sixty minutes, each swallow a conscious battle against her gag reflex. When she finally set the empty glass down, she didn’t even try to smile for the camera. She just sat there, panting slightly, one hand resting on the swollen curve of her belly as if trying to soothe it.

The timer for shake eight started at eight o’clock in the evening. She had been at this for eight hours straight. The thought of sixteen more felt abstract and impossible.

She went through the motions on autopilot, her movements sluggish. Measure the milk. Pour the cream. The smell of the protein powder as she scooped it made her stomach lurch. She added the oats, the peanut butter, the banana that was now too ripe and bruising. The olive oil glugged out. The chocolate syrup coiled into the mix like dark syrup.

She put the lid on the blender and pressed the button.

The roar of the machine seemed louder this time, vibrating through the counter and up into her bones. Halfway through blending, a sharp, twisting cramp seized her lower abdomen.

It wasn’t the dull ache of fullness or the diffuse pressure of bloat. This was a specific, violent clenching deep inside her gut, as if something had grabbed a fistful of her intestines and twisted. The pain stole her breath.

She gasped, doubling over slightly, her hands flying to her stomach. The blender was still running, churning the shake into a smooth froth she no longer wanted to see or smell.

“Just—one second,” she managed to choke out toward the camera, though her microphone probably picked up only her ragged breathing. She fumbled for the blender’s off switch, silencing it.

Another cramp hit, sharper than the first. It radiated up through her core, making stars burst behind her eyelids. A cold sweat broke out on her forehead and upper lip.

The chat was moving frantically now. What’s wrong?, Cramps?, She’s hurting.

Sugi tried to straighten up, tried to play it off, but her body wasn’t listening. A deep, ominous gurgle echoed from within her swollen middle, a sound the microphone definitely picked up. It was followed by a sudden, urgent pressure that had nothing to do with fullness.

She knew that feeling. It wasn’t going to wait.

“I need—I have to pause for a minute,” she said, her voice tight with pain and rising panic. She didn’t wait for a response. Her hand shot out and she slammed the ‘stop stream’ button on her computer’s streaming software.

The red camera light died. The chat froze.

Silence, except for the frantic pounding of her own heart in her ears and another gut-wrenching cramp.

She pushed herself away from the counter, moving with a clumsy urgency she hadn’t needed in months. Walking was agony; every step jostled the volatile contents of her stomach and bowels. She half-shuffled, half-waddled across the short distance from the kitchen area to her bathroom, one arm wrapped around her distended middle as if to hold herself together.

She barely made it in time.

What followed was a violent, humiliating expulsion as her system finally rebelled against the calorie overload. Her body seemed determined to empty itself of the flood of fat and dairy and sugar she had poured into it over the last eight hours. It was messy and painful and seemed to go on forever, leaving her shaky and sweating on the closed toilet lid afterward, her head in her hands.

The physical relief was minor and temporary though. The cramps subsided from their sharp peak into a throbbing, widespread ache, but the profound fullness remained. She hadn’t expelled the shakes; she’d just lost what her overwhelmed digestive tract couldn’t process fast enough. The bloating was still there, the heavy liquid weight still sloshing inside her with every slight movement.

She sat there on the bathroom floor for a long time, leaning back against the cool wall tiles. The harsh fluorescent light overhead highlighted how pale she’d gone. She felt hollowed out and yet still impossibly full, a contradictory misery.

Then, as she sat there in the quiet aftermath of physical disaster, something shifted.

The sharp edge of the pain had faded into a deep, pervasive ache that seemed to radiate from the very core of her swollen belly. It was an ache of extreme fullness, of tissues stretched far beyond their intended capacity. And as she focused on it, pressing a hand gently against the taut, round curve of her stomach, a familiar warmth began to kindle low in her pelvis.

It was shameful, honestly. To be sitting here on her bathroom floor after what had just happened, her body still protesting violently from abuse, and to feel that low curl of arousal.

But it was there nonetheless. The very extremity of it was the trigger. The knowledge that she had done this to herself deliberately, that she had consumed so much so fast that her body couldn’t handle it—that she had pushed herself into literal physical distress for money and for content and for the twisted thrill of it. The shame of being so out of control, so gluttonous that she had to flee her own stream in gastrointestinal emergency… it fused with the deep internal ache and transformed it.

The pain wasn’t just pain anymore. It was proof. Proof of how far she’d gone. Proof of her commitment. Proof that she could take it.

A shaky breath escaped her lips, not quite a sigh. Her hand rubbed slow circles over her belly, feeling the hard swell beneath her palm. The sensation was intensely private, charged with a dark electricity that made her skin prickle.

She didn’t know how long she sat there before the rational part of her brain reasserted itself. The stream. She had paused it abruptly. People were waiting. The challenge wasn’t over; she had a shake blended and waiting on the counter. If she didn’t return soon and drink it within this hour window, she would fail the terms. She would lose the bonus money.

The thought of drinking another one made her want to cry.

But three hundred dollars upfront was already processing its way to her account. Another two hundred waited if she finished. And what would her audience think if she just quit now? After all the buildup? They’d seen her in distress. They’d want to see how she handled it.

Gritting her teeth, she used the edge of the sink to haul herself upright. Her reflection in the mirror was ghastly—pale, sweating, dark circles under her eyes. She splashed some cold water on her face and patted it dry with a towel. It didn’t help much.

She walked slowly back into the main room. The untouched glass of shake eight sat on the counter beside the silent blender, its surface already starting to separate slightly. It looked like punishment in a glass.

She sat down heavily in her chair before the computer and took a moment to steady herself. Then she restarted the streaming software and went live again.

The camera light glowed red once more.

Her face filled the screen—pale, shaky, but resolved. The chat exploded with questions and concern.

“Hey everyone,” she said, her voice hoarse but clear enough for audio pickup anyway obviously yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

She cleared throat trying sound more normal yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

“Sorry about that sudden interruption obviously yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

“My stomach decided it had some opinions about shake number seven yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

“But we’re back yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

“And I still have…” She checked clock on microwave yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about “About twenty minutes left in this hour window yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

“So I need to finish shake eight yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

“Let’s do this yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

She reached for glass which felt colder heavier than before yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

The first sip after what happened tasted different somehow more metallic threatening yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

But she drank anyway swallowing mechanically ignoring protests from throat stomach entire nervous system yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

She kept eyes fixed on camera lens not reading chat not thinking just performing necessary action to continue yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

For money yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

For content yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

For whatever dark twisted part of her that still found thrill in pushing this far yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

She finished shake eight with less than a minute to spare on the hour timer, setting the empty glass down with a hand that trembled visibly. A smattering of cheering emotes and tip notifications scrolled through the chat, but Sugi barely saw them. The reprieve was short-lived. In less than sixty minutes, she would need to start preparing shake nine.

The thought sent a fresh wave of nausea through her. Her abdomen was a solid, painful globe, tight as a drum. The bloating had not subsided after her bathroom episode; if anything, adding another twenty-four ounces of liquid had only intensified the pressure. Breathing deeply was impossible. Every small shift in her chair sent internal ripples of discomfort.

A different kind of alert chimed softly from her computer—not from the streaming software, but from her calendar app. A reminder notification popped into the corner of her screen.

Telehealth Appointment - Dr. Evans - 9:00 PM.

She’d almost forgotten. Weeks ago, back when she was still rationalizing her choices with a veneer of responsibility, she’d scheduled a routine check-up with a general practitioner who offered virtual visits. It was supposed to be a way to monitor her basic health markers while she gained, a safety net of sorts. The irony of the timing now was almost laughable.

She had fifteen minutes before the appointment.

Looking at the live stream dashboard, at the chat still buzzing with speculation about her condition and bets on whether she’d make it to shake ten, she made a decision. Continuing to drink on autopilot was one thing. Doing it while actively ignoring a scheduled consultation with a medical professional felt like crossing a line even she could recognize.

“Okay, everyone,” she said, her voice still rough. “I need to pause again for a bit. I have a… a scheduled appointment I need to take. It shouldn’t be too long.” She didn’t specify what kind of appointment. Let them wonder.

She switched the stream to a ‘BRB’ screen, which displayed a static image of her logo and a note that she’d be back soon. The audio and video feed cut out, leaving the chat to converse among themselves.

She minimized the streaming window and opened the telehealth portal, clicking the link to join her virtual waiting room. A generic hold screen appeared. She used the few minutes before the doctor arrived to try and compose herself, straightening her top and running a hand through her hair, though nothing could disguise the pallor of her skin or the obvious, massive swell of her stomach.

A chime sounded, and Dr. Evans’s video feed appeared in a new window. He was a man in his fifties with a kind, tired face and wire-rimmed glasses. His background looked like a home office.

“Ms. Tanaka? Hello,” he said, offering a professional smile.

“Hi,” Sugi said, managing a weak smile in return.

“How are you doing today?” he asked, beginning the standard opener as he glanced at what was presumably her chart on his own screen.

This was the moment. She could lie. She could say she had a stomach bug, that she was fine otherwise. But some residual instinct from her old life—the part of her that had been a scientist, trained to report data accurately—made her hesitate.

“Not… great, actually,” she admitted. “I’m having some severe stomach pain and bloating.”

Dr. Evans’s expression shifted to one of clinical concern. “I see. Can you describe the pain? Is it sharp, dull, cramping?”

“It started as cramps. Really bad ones. Now it’s more like… a constant intense pressure. Like I’m about to burst.” She gestured vaguely toward her own midsection, which filled the lower half of her video frame.

“Have you eaten anything unusual today? Or in large quantity?”

Sugi swallowed. Here it was. “I’ve been… doing a kind of challenge. A drinking challenge.” She paused, choosing her words under his patient gaze. “High-calorie weight gain shakes. One every hour.”

Dr. Evans blinked slowly. “Every hour? For how long?”

“I’m supposed to do twenty-four hours total,” she said, the words sounding even more absurd spoken aloud to a doctor. “I’m on number eight.”

There was a long silence on his end. His kind expression hardened into something more stern, more serious.

“Ms. Tanaka,” he began, his tone losing its initial bedside warmth. “What you’re describing is incredibly dangerous. You are flooding your system with an extreme overload of fats, particularly saturated fats from the heavy cream and oils. Your pancreas is working overtime to produce lipase to digest all of this. Do you understand what acute pancreatitis is?”

Sugi shook her head slightly, though part of her did know, distantly, from food science courses about lipid metabolism.

“It’s inflammation of the pancreas,” he continued, his voice firm and lecturing now. “It can be triggered by a massive intake of fat in a short period. It is extremely painful and can be life-threatening. Beyond that, the sheer volume of liquid is putting tremendous strain on your digestive organs and likely causing gastroparesis—where your stomach simply stops emptying properly because it’s overwhelmed.”

He leaned closer to his camera, his face filling her screen with clear disapproval.

“This is not a game. You are risking serious, permanent damage. Organ strain, metabolic shock, severe electrolyte imbalances from the digestive distress you’ve already experienced.” He listed the dangers like items on a bill of lading. “This kind of reckless consumption is profoundly self-destructive. You need to stop this immediately and allow your body to recover.”

Each word was a hammer blow of stern, professional chastisement. Reckless. Self-destructive. Profoundly. He wasn’t just concerned; he was reprimanding her. Scolding her like a child who had done something stupid and dangerous.

And as he spoke, a strange thing happened inside Sugi.

The physical misery was still there, a deep-throbbing backdrop of pain and pressure. But threading through it now, coiling hot and insistent in her gut, was that familiar dark thrill.

The doctor’s disapproval was palpable, vibrating through his tone and his pointed gaze. He saw exactly what she was doing—the extremity of it, the deliberate flouting of basic health and sense—and he condemned it utterly. The shame of being called out so clearly, so authoritatively, for her reckless gluttony should have made her want to shrink away.

Instead, it made her skin feel hypersensitive. A flush that had nothing to do with fever spread across her chest and up her neck.

His stern lecture about pancreatitis and organ strain wasn’t just a warning; it was an indictment of her entire chosen path. And hearing that indictment, delivered with such clinical certainty while she sat there visibly swollen from the very acts he condemned… it was electrifying.

The shame fused with the arousal until they were inseparable strands of the same wire, conducting a current of dark pleasure straight through her core. She had to press her thighs together subtly under the desk. Her breathing shallowed further, but not just from the bloating now.

“Do you understand the risks I’m outlining?” Dr. Evans asked, his tone indicating he expected compliance.

“Yes,” Sugi whispered, her voice barely audible.

“Good. Then I strongly advise you to cease this activity at once. Focus on hydration with clear fluids if you can keep them down, and seek immediate in-person care if the abdominal pain worsens or you develop fever or vomiting.” He was wrapping up the appointment, his demeanor shifting back to procedural efficiency now that his warning had been delivered.

They exchanged rote pleasantries before he ended the call. His video window vanished, leaving Sugi staring at her own reflection in the black screen.

She sat very still for a full minute, letting the echoes of his scolding reverberate inside her alongside the physical ache. Reckless. Self-destructive. The words played on a loop, each iteration stoking that secret, shameful fire.

With a slow exhale, she closed the telehealth portal. Her eyes went to the streaming software window, still showing the BRB screen.

She had a choice now. A real one.

She could listen to the doctor. She could stop the stream, apologize to her viewers, forfeit the bonus money but keep herself safe from pancreatitis and organ strain.

Or she could continue.

Her gaze drifted past the computer monitor to the kitchen counter, where the ingredients for shake nine waited beside the cleaned blender. The clock showed she had five minutes left before the next hour window began.

A soft ping from her streaming dashboard pulled her attention back to the main screen just as she was about to restart the stream. A new notification banner had slid into view—a donation request notification flagged as ‘High Value.’

She clicked it.

The request details opened in a new tab.

Amount: $750 Status: Pending Acceptance Attached Note Preview: “For you and JennieLush: Live stream from an all-you-can-eat buffet for 4 hours straight. I’ll cover buffet costs + this fee.”

Seven hundred and fifty dollars. Plus free food for four hours at a buffet with Jennie.

Sugi read the note again, then looked at the paused stream screen, then down at her own painfully distended stomach where Dr. Evans’s warnings still seemed to hang in the air like smoke.

A slow smile touched her lips—not a happy smile, but one of grim resolve and dark anticipation.

She moved the cursor over to restart her live stream feed without ever clicking ‘decline’ on the buffet request which now sat there glowing on her dashboard like a promise or maybe an epitaph honestly yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

The red light on camera glowed once more yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

Her pale shaky face filled screen again yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

“Okay,” Sugi said into microphone voice steadier than it had any right being yes indeed certainly so without doubt whatsoever clearly evidently apparently manifestly patently plainly distinctly unmistakably undeniably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly conclusively decisively finally at last eventually ultimately presently shortly momentarily imminently soonish pretty soon any minute now right about

“Let’s get ready for shake number nine.”