I know that this is a day late, but yesterday was busy, sorry. Anyway, I have it ready now so let's get to the reviews.

Rinto: True, he has grown up a little

Lightgiver: But cliffhangers are my specialty

Jaemin3: Thank you, this story isn't over yet, so be ready for a few more chapters

DQRS guy: Well, you'll find out soon

Dapper64: Thank you, I'm glad that you stuck around for so long

Guest: What do you mean dead? It's just a small fandome.

Takagi and her friends stared at the open box in disbelief. "And now it's done." Takagi said as she let out a sigh of relief.

"So what's in it?" Mina asked.

"Oh right, I almost forgot." She opened the lid more and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "It's … a note?" She unfolded it and began reading it to herself.

Takagi

If you're reading this, then it means you've managed to open the puzzle box. Honestly, I'm not surprised, you've always been extremely intelligent, and you've always been able to know exactly what I was thinking, or how I would react, and you always knew just the right way to get under my skin. You drive me insane and honestly, that's one of the reasons I like you. You're also kind, and supportive, even if it is hard for me to tell when you're being nice and when you're trying to tease me. Thing is, you've become such an important part of my life that it's become difficult for me to see a future without you in it. I could go on, but I'm just going to cut to the chase.

Takagi, I love you and you mean a lot to me, will you be my girlfriend?

Signed Nishikata

Takagi stared at the note as her face turned a slight shade of red.

"Well, don't keep us in the dark." Mina began. "Tell us what it says!"

Takagi quickly folded up the letter and put it back in the box, closing the lid on top of it. "I … he … explains a lot actually."

There was a snapping sound, and she looked up to see Sumire holding up her phone. "I'm never going to get another chance to see you flustered, might as well savor the moment."

"I'm going to get back at you if you keep that."

"I'll take the chance." She said as she put her phone away. "So it looks like I was right, you really aren't ready for him to confess."

"I'm totally ready, I just … didn't expect him to be so honest."

"Well you're going to have to give him an answer, right?" Sanae asked.

Takagi blushed again as she stared at the box in her hands. "I … I … well, I know what I want to tell him."

"You have no idea, do you?"

Takagi sighed and shook her head.

"I thought so."

Takagi dropped her head for a moment before taking a deep breath and regaining her composure. "Okay, can we please not talk about this anymore? I have a lot I need to think about."

"Just crawl on top of him and make-out with him."

"SANAE!"

At that moment, Yukari walked through the gate and began making her way towards the others. "Hi guys, what'd I miss?"

"Takagi got a love letter from Nishikata." Mina said, prompting Sanae to grab her cheek.

"Takagi told us not to talk about it anymore."

"What happened!?" Yukari exclaimed. "Tell me, I need to know!"

"We're not talking about it." Sumire replied. "But I did get a picture of her after she read it."

"SUMIRE!"

Elsewhere, Nishikata was making his way down the street, trying to ease the sting in his chest. "Takagi, how long are you planning on waiting on opening that box?" He sighed and shook his head. "Maybe this was a bad idea, now I just want to tell you myself … no, I can't do that, all she has to do is open it, then I'll be hers." He blushed and quickly shook his head. "I mean … she'll be mine! I mean, we'll be each other's, but …"

He placed a hand on his chest. "I'm already hers … I've been hers for a long time and I didn't even realize it."

He continued on his way until he reached the mall, and subsequently the food court, where his friends had already arrived. "Hi guys." He said as he walked up to their table.

"Nishikata!" Nakai greeted. "Glad you could make it."

"Yeah, well, Mr. Tanabe said I had to clean the science room again for being disruptive in class."

"I don't recall you being that disruptive recently." Kimura stated.

"He postponed my punishment on account of the exams coming up, but now that they're over, it was time to face my punishment."

"Please don't remind me of those." Hamaguchi stayed as he grabbed his head. "I've never studied so hard in my entire life, and I still barely got into my high school."

"Same here." Takao added. "I thought my parents would kill me if I didn't get in."

"How about you Nishikata?" Kimura asked. "I heard you spent a few weeks studying with Takagi, did that help?"

Nishikata blushed and turned away before nodding. "Yeah, getting a tutor really helped boost my grades. She was amazing at explaining difficult concepts to me and saved me a lot of time studying."

"Mano also mentioned how helpful Takagi was at teaching, maybe I should have asked her for help as well."

"So what'd you have to give up to get her to teach you?" Takao asked jokingly.

"Wasn't much of a loss, I just had to apply to the same highschool as her."

There was an awkward silence at the table until Hamaguchi slaked his fist down. "DAMN IT! I should have tried to get into the same one as Houjou!"

"Isn't she going to an all girls school?" Kimura asked.

Hamaguchi dropped his head onto the table. "I did hear something like that." He slammed his fist on the table. "Now I have till graduation to confess to her." He looked up and flared at Nishikata. "Bet you're happy now that you have a whole three extra years to confess to your crush."

"Oh, actually, I've already confessed to her." There was another awkward silence at the table as Nishikata felt the need to quickly add context. "I mean … I kinda have. I wrote a letter and put it in a puzzle box and gave her a week to open it."

"Has she?" Hamaguchi asked.

"Last I checked, no."

"Then what happens if she can't open it in time?"

"According to her challenge, she has to confess to the guy she has a crush on."

There was another awkward silence which began annoying Nishikata. "Okay, can someone say something?"

"Why so many games?" Hamaguchi asked. "It's kinda obvious you two like each other, why not just confess and get it over with?"

"I am, that's what the letter was for. And it's not as easy as you say it is, or can you just walk up to Houjou and tell her how you feel?"

"I … don't have the right timing." He looked away. "And time seems to be running out all together." He began to look down. "In a few months, we won't be hanging out as much."

"Don't bring us down, man." Takao said.

"You never had the chance to tell her while she was tutoring you?" Kimura asked.

"Never got around to asking her, it seemed like she was feeling rather nervous about it as well, I didn't want to bring her down."

"Well you want her to never find out?" Nishikata asked.

"What? No, of course not!"

"Assume for a moment that she doesn't want to get together with you, what is the worst thing that could happen?"

"Why are you-"

"Just answer."

Hamaguchi thought to himself for a moment before answering. "Well, it would suck … but I would never see her again so … it's not like things will be awkward forever."

"And if she does like you, what is the best possible outcome?"

"I …" He had to think to himself again. "We … get together … and … I don't know, what do couples do?"

"Okay, and, regardless of whether she likes you or not, if you say nothing, what is the best and worst possible outcome?"

"Um … I never know?"

"And you'd be left without closure."

Hamaguchi looked down and sighed. "Well … that's true."

"And that would be worse than her not returning your feelings. At least if she doesn't, you'll have closure."

He sighed and nodded. "You do have a point there … where'd you hear that from?"

"Takagi mentioned it when she made the bet with me, something about not seeing any of our friends for a while and it's better to confess sooner rather than later."

"Almost sounds like she has a crush on someone else." Takao said.

Nishikata shivered a little and shook his head. "Don't … even joke like that … I'm worried enough assuming she does like me back."