Chapter 9:

An Hour!?

"Hi Yusuke!" "Hey Keiko. ...How's it going?" "I dunno. ...I haven't been talking much today when I know I want to." Yusuke and Keiko, passing each other in the hall in front of Sukari, were speaking in a sort of secret code. "Oh. Can I talk with you, then?" "Hm... okay." Keiko followed Yusuke into his room. He closed the door.

"So what happened?" "Well, Botan and I told Sukari, and she was thrilled." "Hah! Told you." "So how'd it go with Hiei?" Yusuke sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Not too well. I think he's gonna hate me for about; hm, the rest of my life, and possibly after." Keiko laughed. "Hopefully he'll forgive you if you're right about him and Sukari." "Don't worry, I'm sure. He just needs a push in the right direction, that's all." "I hope so. For his sake, and yours."

* * *

"Hm..." Sukari was lying on her bed, staring at her wallscroll of Hiei on her ceiling. If she had harbored the thought 'I can't take my eyes off him', she would have been right in more than one way; there was, literally, not an inch of wall that was not covered with a poster, wallscroll, or something else that had to do with Hiei. She sighed and started to assess her thoughts again.

She knew she was starting to like Hiei as more than a celeb crush. She knew Hiei didn't hate her anymore. Those two feelings were probably interwoven, right? 'I mean, he probably likes me a bit... right?' She sighed. This wasn't her main problem right now, anyway. Her main problem was the game of 'spin the bottle' that was awaiting her and the rest of the cast in less than half an hour. And yet, it was surprising how one problem could solve another; if she spun and landed on Hiei, and he kissed her... than that would prove his feelings. If she spun, landed on him, and he refused...

"Gah! I have no time to think. I have time to act." She got up and decided to go talk to Hiei, if for no other reason than she knew he would be in a bad mood. There was no way Yusuke had got him to play willingly.

* * *

*Knock knock* "Hn. Who is it?" "Um, it's Sukari. Can I come in?" The second he heard her voice, Hiei was immediately launched into a vision of being locked in a wardrobe with her. He would have liked to say it disgusted him... but what did disgust him was the fact that it didn't.

Hiei shook his head to clear it as Sukari walked in the room. "Hn. What do you want?" He asked, subconsciously deciding to take out her anger on her. Sukari blinked. "Oh, nothing. I just wanted to talk." "Hn. What about?" "...Well, you know the group's going to hang out this afternoon... right?" "...yes." "Nervous?" "Why should I be?" "...Other than the fact that you're blushing? No reason." Hiei's face darkened more. "...Hn." "So..." Sukari mumbled, sitting down on the foot of Hiei's bed. "'So' What?" "You know that we're playing spin the bottle, right?" "...Right. I know. Y...Yusuke told me." His teeth clenched at the mere mention of the name of the human who had caused him so much confusion.

Sukari gave him a confused look. "What's wrong? You mad at him or something?" "...I dunno." "Oh." There was a short silence. "I--" Sukari and Hiei both looked up and started to say something. And at that precise and opportune moment, (not) Kurama decided to knock on the door. "What?" Hiei and Sukari asked at once. "Oh, you're both in here?" Kurama said, walking in. "Everyone's in the living room." Hiei and Sukari stared at him like dead fish. "Um, that's where we're going to play spin the bottle?" "Ah." "Oh." Hiei and Sukari stood up and followed Kurama into the living room. And to Hiei, what felt like his certain doom.

"So, now everyone's here!" Yusuke said cheerfully, as Kurama, Hiei, and Sukari walked in the room. He grinned apologetically at Hiei, who gave him quick death glare and then turned away. Yusuke sighed exasperatedly.

As soon as everyone was seated, Yusuke cleared his throat to start speaking, and congratulating himself on his brilliant idea. ...however, Sukari had other ideas. "Hey, where's Kuwabara?" "Hn. Who cares?" "You know what, I never noticed he was gone." Botan replied, turning to Yusuke. "Oh, him. I think he went off to try to figure out where Yukina is. Had he known we were playing spin the bottle... I dunno. Anyway."

Yusuke scanned the group for a moment. "Okay, people. There needs to be a slight change in seating." The cast looked at him, completely lost. "...Look, am I the only person who knows how this game works?" There was assorted mumbles, some no's, mainly negative. "I take that as a 'yes'?" The cast nodded shamefully. "Okaaay... ...look. I'll sit here. Sukari, you sit next to me, right here." Sukari got up from between to Hiei and Botan, and mutely sat next to Yusuke. "And Kurama, you sit next to her." Kurama also obeyed. "Keiko, you're next to him, then Hiei, than Botan." Everyone got up and sat back down according to Yusuke's directions.

(Note: The link after chapter 9 on the CC link page is a seating chart for the cast's STB game. Take a look at it if you're confused!)

Yusuke nodded approvingly as soon as everyone was in order. "Okay! I think we're ready to start! Who wants to spin first?" Silence. "...Wow, don't all go after it at once." Yusuke snapped, annoyed at the minimal enthusiasm. "I'll go first, if no one minds." "Thank you Keiko." Keiko reached for the bottle... she put her hand on it... she was about to spin... *clap!* "Oh! Wait a minute!" Yusuke had clapped his hands together in remembrance, making everyone jump about a foot.

"I forgot to say the rules. Okay, here they are. You spin the bottle. If it's a girl spinning, whichever boy she lands on has to kiss her. If it's a boy spinning, the girl has to kiss him. Good?" Everyone nodded, starting to get impatient. "And if someone were to refuse to kiss in public... well, we'll discuss the options when-- ...Uh, I mean if... that occurs.

Hiei glared icily at Yusuke, but Yusuke pretended not to notice. "Okay! Gomen Keiko, you can spin it now." "Domo arigatou, Yusuke." Keiko said dryly. But she spun the bottle.

It spun around once, twice, three times... it was slowing down... four, five, ...six... seven... it was definitely stopping... it had stopped! And it was pointing at none other than... Yusuke!

Immediately, Keiko and Yusuke both turned bright red, but the rest of the cast, (excluding Hiei, obviously) starting chanting "Do it! Do it!" Keiko closed her eyes and Yusuke leaned over, pecking her quickly before returning to his seat. His face was burning as the cast cheered loudly; but his best reward was glancing at Keiko and earning himself an embarrassed wink.

* * *

Ten minutes into the game, and the bottle still hadn't landed on Hiei or Sukari. Yusuke frowned at Keiko, indicating his frustration that his plan was taking so long. It was Kurama's turn to spin. The cast watched as Kurama spun the bottle and it slowed down... slower... slower... stopped! Right in front of... Hiei!? The cast stared at first Kurama... then Hiei. Yusuke snickered. Unfortunately, this made the rest of the cast absolutely lose it; they totally cracked up, all harboring different visions of Kurama and Hiei kissing. (BTW, gross!) "Hn." Hiei snapped, snatching the bottle away from his friend and spinning it fiercely.

The cast managed to get control of themselves, as the bottle began to slow down. It seemed like slow motion... as the bottle slowly... came... to... a... halt. Right in front of... Sukari!

Sukari's face was suddenly flushed bright red, and she grinned nervously. Hiei suddenly decided that the floor was very interesting, and that he couldn't take his eyes off it. Sukari seemed to agree, and also locked her eyes on the ground. "...Um, Hiei? Any year?" "Hn." Hiei mumbled something. "Huh?" Yusuke leaned closer. "I don't wanna." "I still can't hear you." "I... w-what are the options if you don't want to... in front of... everyone." *jab*

Yusuke grinned. "Oh, okay. You can either change your mind and do it here, or... we can lock you two in a wardrobe." Sukari looked up, still slightly hurt, but grateful to Yusuke. "Hn. ...I'll... ...go with the wardrobe." Sukari gasped, but then her face broke in to an absolutely brilliant smile. 'Hm... possibilities...' Yusuke grinned. "Okay. Come on, everyone." Yusuke got up, followed by Hiei, Sukari, and the rest of the cast.

"In here." Yusuke said, pointing into a fairly good sized wardrobe. Hiei stomped inside and sat in the left corner. Sukari followed him, and sat in the right corner. This left about a foot between them, and that was if they sat cross legged; or hugged their knees, in Sukari's case. Yusuke gave Sukari a half smile, and slowly swung the door shut. Sukari listened to his footsteps start to walk away... but... "Wait!" She called out, suddenly remembering something. Yusuke's footsteps stopped. "How long are we in here for?" There was a slight pause. "An hour." And then he turned and walked away.