After a while, everyone had separated and headed home. Senpai and Nagatoro, however, were both headed in the same direction.
Nagatoro: "What kind of things do you want to do when we get to your house?"
Senpai: "Well, I was thinking we would head to my room and-"
Nagatoro: "Uwah! Senpai, what are you trying to do with me?"
Senpai turned slightly red.
Senpai: "I-I didn't mean anything by that! I just wanted to play some games! Didn't I already tell you?"
Nagatoro: "What were you thinking when I said that, Senpai? You're so lewd, Se~n~pai 3!"
Senpai let out an exasperated sigh. They headed into Senpai's room and began setting up blockcraft. While Senpai was doing that, Nagatoro was rummaging through Senpai's closet, although he didn't pay her any mind until he finished setting everything up.
Senpai: "Uh, Nagatoro? Why are you…"
Nagatoro: "I wonder where all the lewd magazines are?"
Senpai: "What?!"
Senpai tried to grab Nagatoro and pull her away from the closet. However, in an effort to grab her waist, he accidentally aimed a little higher, causing both of them to blush and Nagatoro to fling him onto the bed.
Nagatoro: "Of c-course you had to do that, Senpai. You're such a perv."
Senpai: "T-that was an accident! I was trying to pull you away from my closet!"
Nagatoro: "What's this? Senpai was trying to force his fingers on me? So lewd~"
Eventually, the teasing stopped and they began to play.
###
Meanwhile, back at the Nishikata household, Nishikata, Takagi, Kimura, and Mina were attempting to re-create the ramen that Nishikata'd had from the supermarket. After a few hours of Nishikata throwing in ingredients and the others occasionally providing an ingredient, he'd perfected it.
Takagi: "God Nishikata, I love your cooking so much."
Nishikata: "Uh, t-thanks, Takagi."
After they'd spent some time gaming, it was time for dinner. Once it was dinner time, they had the ramen they'd made before.
Takagi: "Hey Nishikata? Open wide~"
Nishikata: "Wha-"
Nishikata turned and saw Takagi holding a spoonful of ramen and soup to his face. He blushed, but kept his mouth open. After a moment, Takagi pushed it into his mouth.
Takagi: "You know, that was just an indirect kiss."
Nishikata: "S-so it was…"
Takagi seemed pleasantly surprised.
Nishikata: "Well, thanks for your guys' help."
Kimura: "No problem! Thanks for the ramen."
Mina and Kimura waved goodbye as they stepped outside of the house, leaving Nishikata and Takagi alone.
Takagi: "So…"
Nishikata: "So…"
Takagi had been building courage for the entire day. This whole weekend was for her to build enough courage to do… well… Something with Nishikata. She'd been dying to do so ever since the Summer festival all those years ago. That need had only intensified as they grew closer and since she'd met Senpai and Nagatoro.
Takagi: "I have a question, Nishikata."
Nishikata: "Y-yeah?"
Takagi: "What do you think of me? Be honest."
Nishikata: Huh? Does she know? I mean, probably, but still. Why would she ask, then? Wait… no, that's not possible. I… huh? "Y-you're a really close friend. Probably one of my closest."
Takagi: "Just a friend?"
Nishikata: ...She definitely knows… "I mean, I guess, yeah."
Takagi: So he's finally realized… You can do this, you can do this, you can do this!
Takagi: "Nishikata… Do you… Like me?"
Nishikata: *completely red* "..."
Takagi: *Cheeks slightly pink* "..."
Nishikata: She… she can't… I… She said that she wouldn't joke about it, but I can't… I can't believe it. I guess… No. She's teasing me, that's it.
Nishikata: "T-that kinda hurts, you know? You s-said that you wouldn't tease me about it anymore. Not after that one time you said t-that you loved me."
Takagi stared at Nishikata dumbfounded before taking a quick breath.
Nishikata: "I… think that you shouldn't give me… You shouldn't do that to me."
Takagi: I can't do this.
Takagi: *sweating* "Do what? I was just asking about you."
Nishikata: That's… fair. I don't really want to assume that she was trying to tease me like that again. "Alright. S-so I take it that it wasn't a… a confession?"
Takagi: "Why, do you want it to be?"
Nishikata: "No, of course not! I wouldn't want to… Remember? The status quo thing?"
Takagi: "So you don't want it to be a confession?"
Nishikata: "I… Stop teasing me!"
Takagi: "You know that I can't help but tease you, Nishikata!"
Nishikata: "Do you even want an answer?"
…
…
Takagi: "Yeah."
…
…
Takagi: "Are you… gonna give it? Or are you too nervous?"
Nishikata: "I… I don't… want to…"
Takagi: "Oh."
…
Nishikata: "I think that you're a great person and you're one of the people… closest to me. That's… all I'm comfortable with right now. Ok?"
Takagi: "Ok. Gotcha. Hey, did you hear about the dance?"
Nishikata: "Huh? You mean the valentines day dance? Yeah, I heard about it, even though it's not even on valentines day."
Takagi: "Mhm! It could still be fun! Do you plan on going?"
Takagi: That turned out just about how I expected… Though I think I could do something else.
Takagi: "Nishikata?"
Nishikata: "What now? Haven't you teased me enough?"
Takagi: "I just asked you a really important question! Is that teasing?"
Nishikata: "I guess not… Wait, you just did!"
Takagi: "What do you mean? I was just asking a question! Anyways, I have a contest idea."
Nishikata: "Huh? Yeah, sure."
Takagi: "Usual rules?"
Nishikata: "Works for me…"
Takagi: "Alright. If you can hold my hand, you win!"
Takagi reached out her hand. However, the 2 of them just stared at each other for a few moments.
Takagi: Even if he wins, it'll be fun to watch him-
Nishikata reached out and grabbed her hand, albeit completely red and looking away. Takagi merely stared at him going redder by the second. The 2 of them simply sat there in that position for a few minutes while Takagi's blush subsided and Nishikata's intensified.
Takagi: "So what's your punishment?"
Nishikata: "Uh…"
Nishikata somehow found a way to turn even redder.
Nishikata: "W-will you go to the dance with me?"
Takagi's blush returned in full force, practically illuminating the room. Fortunately for her ego, Nishikata was too busy being embarrassed to notice.
Takagi: "You know, you didn't need a punishment for that."
Nishikata: "Wait, I-" Hang on a second. Great idea, Takagi! "I didn't! Yeah, that's right, that wasn't your punishment! So I still have a… punishment…"
Nishikata: Wait, did I just…
Takagi: "Did you just ask me to the dance all by yourself?"
Nishikata: "Huh?! No! Not at all!"
Takagi: "So does that mean that you used a punishment?"
Nishikata: "No, I didn't. You said that I didn't need one and I never said that I was going to use one so I don't need to use it."
…
Takagi: "You know, I didn't expect you to be so underhanded today, Nishikata."
Nishikata: "Hey! I'm not- hang on, was that a pun?!"
Takagi: "Who knows? Besides, if you weren't asking me to the dance, what would you be doing?"
Nishikata: "I- You don't have to if you don't want to! I'm not forcing you or anything…"
Takagi: "No, I want to, but do you? Or are you trying to embarrass me?"
Nishikata: "Wha- Fine, I guess that that's part of it, but I still think that… it could be fun…"
Takagi: "Are you sure that that's it?"
Nishikata: "I'm not answering that."
Takagi: "Alright then~"
Nishikata: "I guess I'll be going then-"
Takagi: "No, you won't. It's far too cold outside. Why don't you stay here for the night?"
