Consider this a sequel to "Spin the Bottle".

Kagerou Project belongs to Jin.

"By unanimous vote…!" Ayano pointed at the two seniors, laughing behind her crimson scarf. "Takane and Haruka, you shall be playing the game first!"

"N – no way!" Ah, so there was Takane's backlash. She wouldn't be Takane without it. "Who said we were even playing the game?! I'm not letting you guys stick me in a closet with him – !"

"It seems like a fun game, Takane!" Haruka's persistent optimism really bothered the girl. Did he have any idea about what could even happen in there? Or maybe he did and he just wanted to see how long it would take for the girl to completely break down in some type of screeching and yelling. "Let's do it!"

"Come on, Enomoto." Shintaro's usually monotone voice seemed…enthusiastic. It was totally creepy and weird. Takane wanted to erase hearing that statement from her memory. "Scared of the dark?"

"Hey, don't get into this!" Please someone smash her face for being so hot. No, not "pretty" hot, if that's what you were thinking. It was more along the lines of being as hot as the sun, and she pretty much blended in with Ayano's signature neck-warmer and hair clips. "Besides, you and red hero over here are going to end up doing it too, so don't look so smug!"

The boy's face turned a slight pink, and Takane couldn't help but feel prideful. His voice turned into something seemingly forced, or at least one that seemed as if he had to choose every single word carefully. "Who says we're going after you? Maybe you'll spend more than seven minutes in that closet."

"Want to bet?"

"You have nothing to bet except your dignity, Enomoto."

"Oi, you – !"

That's when Takane and Shintaro battled each other with sharp words and jaded insults, Haruka and Ayano watching from the side. While Ayano could laugh along (because she had no helpful input to, well, input), Haruka blinked, confusion crossing his features more than once.

What a lovely quartet of people.

"Have fun!"

Ayano's voice became muffled as she spoke through the door, the lock clicking from the outside, signaling that the game was in session. Takane could feel that Kisaragi boy snickering from the outside, which only irritated her even more. She would have kicked the door down and maybe kicked that boy in the face as well, but her position was too awkward to do such a thing. How lame.

The closet they found had turned out to be the custodian's closet, and it just so happened to be the tiniest closet in existence. It barely reached six feet in width and length, which led to some shifting of cleaning products and brooms before the two seniors could squeeze themselves in. The ceiling wasn't too far up either, and it was definitely shorter than Haruka's five-foot ten, because he practically had to sit down on the floor and bend his legs at a weird angle.

As for Takane, there had literally been zero room left and it was decided (and by decided, she meant Shintaro lightly pushing her down but just enough for her to stumble and fall) that she'd fit right on Haruka's lap, uncomfortably close to his face and just everything Kokonose related.

(No, stop right there. Don't even go there. She didn't ask for this.)

It didn't help that his arms were looped around her either, because they had no other place to go. She was basically huddled up against the boy, which wasn't really the most pleasant position to be in. By the time seven minutes were up, she'd have cramps all over.

She was pretty sure Ayano's wacky game ideas came from Kenjirou.

Nothing could stop her head from starting to spin and her heart from starting to panic, which she didn't really need at that moment. Instead, she jumped a little when Haruka placed his chin on the top of her hair, because Takane was actually just extremely tiny compared to the gentle giant that was Haruka Kokonose. It was actually kind of ridiculous to see such a small girl yelling and being angry and irritated all the time.

"Don't do that!"

The boy laughed at the statement, tightening his grip. Seriously, it felt like he was teasing her. "Your hair tickles, Takane! But it's so soft!"

"Get your head off of my head!" The way Haruka's jaws moved to talk bothered Takane. Then again, that was the least of her problems. Luckily there was a light bulb on the ceiling, and she could see where everything was. She was pretty close to knocking over some floor cleaning substance. "Agh, how long has it been?!"

"I don't know, but hugging Takane's been pretty fun!" The girl tensed at that statement, and he laughed again, continuing like there was no tomorrow. Did he feel her tense up? "Hey, I heard from Shintaro that you exchange secrets and questions in this type of game!"

"Don't listen to what that Kisaragi boy says!"

"Do you think I'm good-looking, Takane?" His chin was finally off of her head now (which was good, because it was starting to hurt), but it didn't help that he bent over so that his face was near her ever-warming face. "I just want to know!"

Oh no he didn't. Not today of all days. She didn't need this kind of question right now, especially in their condition. But finding the boy's (angelic even in horrible lighting) face next to her, his wide eyes blinking back at her with a look of impatient expectation, she was able to stammer out a reply. Of course, just because she did that meant that she knew what she was saying.

"O – of course!" It came out high-pitched and squeaky, but she capitulated to the nervousness that welled up inside of her. It would help to point out that she was shaking a little, too. "You're, er, pretty good-looking, I guess."

("Pretty good-lucking" being equivalent to "Extremely handsome and amazing", but who's doing the math here?)

Then there was a silence, which gave Haruka time to contemplate on how cute Takane had said those words, and how her red face didn't betray them, either. Takane was just cute all around, even when she was angry at him for being so naive. He kind of deserved it, actually, to have her point out all the dumb things he'd done. But he knew that she didn't mean everything she would say, and that Takane was capable of actually being honest. The statement from before was pretty much a good example of that.

Finally, the girl spoke up, anxiously picking at the ends of her pigtails. Her bashful tone really did seem to be true, and Haruka was surprised to find the girl in such a mood. "Do you think I'm good-looking? J – just saying, since you asked the same thing!"

"Yes, of course!" There wasn't even a moment of hesitation. Sure Takane wouldn't think much of herself, but he was constantly blow away by how amazing she looked even when she was so tired. He wished he could pull off the look himself. "Takane's always pretty!"

And then another silence. It was because they knew each other too well to even say anything important, and none of them were really comfortable. And Takane wasn't able to comment back on anything, because she never really considered herself to be all-around pretty when her hair was easily messed up whenever she was angry (for starters to Takane's appearance, at least). Takane shifted in her seat, the heat on her face still pretty much there no matter how much she wanted to get rid of it, while Haruka lingered close to her face.

It'd be pretty awkward if Kenjirou found them.

Finally, Haruka broke the silence, his cheerful tone being as genuine as ever. Takane could feel him talk, being so close to him and all (did she mention uncomfortably close?), and it was actually kind of a nice feeling. And she would have savored it if it hadn't been for the fact that Haruka's following statement didn't shock her as much as it did. "I play the triangle! Did I ever tell you that?"

"Eh? The triangle?" Takane couldn't help but snort a little. What a nerd. "Like, that thing you just ding every once in a while? What good is that?"

"Well…" The boy really did contemplate his answer, and he would have kept on doing that if it weren't for Takane trying to (slowly) wriggle out of his hold, but he wouldn't let her escape the easily. Rather, it was the fact that he hadn't been this close to Takane ever, and he was going to make the best of it. "I know how to play 'Hot Cross Buns'!"

Takane shook her head, pigtails swishing near his neck, tickling him a little to send him peeling in laughter. It was so much so that he had bumped into one of the shelves, knocking a bottle of wipes over and hitting Haruka then Takane on the head. This sent him laughing some more, and Takane rubbed her head in frustration.

"Hey, stop that!" She pouted, although the closeness was enough to make her pout a little less than usual. "You're going to knock whole self at this point!"

"Maybe I could serenade you with my triangle one day, Takane!" Haruka's laughter died down, which was good for Takane because it meant she wouldn't move anymore, since the laughing had messed with her position a bit. "Ahh, one more thing, actually!"

It was quick kiss on the cheek, but it was unexpected enough for Takane to jump up in the air and hit another shelf. Luckily nothing fell over like before, but the deed was done, and Takane was once again a flustered mess as the door opened behind them, the seven minutes going by faster (or slower) than they ever thought.

"Time's up!" Ayano chirped, taking in the scenery of Takane still miraculously on Haruka's lap despite all the movement, her face covered in her hands as a result of the aforementioned action of the ruthless, absolutely ridiculous Kokonose boy. "How's that little taste of heaven?"

"Get me out of here!"

Takane's wail was practically loud enough for the whole hallway to hear. And while she hated to admit to herself that she actually enjoyed such a thing, to be stuck in a closet with nothing but cleaning supplies and Haruka, she would enjoy admitting that…

Nothing. She hated herself for thinking that the game was actually not as bad as she thought it would be. The silence was an added bonus.

"Let's do that again, Takane!" Haruka was now up, reaching down to where Takane was still sitting. How did he even get up? The mysteries of Haruka Kokonose.

"Absolutely not!"