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Ata didn't know whose idea this was, or why he’d decided to participate, but he was already here, sitting on the floor in a circle in Taiju and Nanao’s dorm room with a scowl firmly set on his face. He really didn’t want to, but it was too late to back out without being ridiculed—he hated the thought of that even more.
It was probably Nanao’s idea, he was brazen and sadistic and didn’t do a very good job at hiding it. But then again, it could also be Ryouma’s doing—despite looking so innocent, he had quite the mischievous streak. But with the lineup of personalities in the room, it really could be anyone.
Ata really didn’t know how they had time for shenanigans like this when they should be studying. Even Taiju and Maasa, his friends who he thought were on the same wavelength as him, had no qualms participating! Ridiculous!
As for Ryouma and Kyoutaro… well, he’d be surprised if Kyoutaro would stay awake during even a portion of the game, he was hopeless. And then there was Ryouma who seemed quite eager, and his and Kyoutaro’s other friends: Taishi, Ichiro, and… Wakura Nanao.
Really, Ata didn’t know how Ryouma and Taiju could be so close to a guy like Nanao. He was unfathomable and impossible to deal with, an impudent senior from the same department. Usually Ata just tried to avoid him—that audacious person liked to tease anyone he came across, but a few unlucky individuals got the brunt of it, Ryouma being one of them. But really, his personality was something else.
It made Ata wish he had more power at Binan University so he could punish him for indecent misbehaviour. But then again, Nanao was Taiju’s roommate and friend and Ata didn’t want to do anything to inconvenience Taiju, so Ata was stuck being in this extended friend group.
“Alright, are we all ready to begin?” Nanao said with a mischievous smile as he held out a cup with eight chopsticks inside, the writing on them hidden from sight.
He was really not ready, but everyone else was grabbing one (even Kyoutaro), so Ata sighed and grabbed one too, hiding what was written on it like everyone else was.
“Oh!” Ichiro cheered. “I’m the king, I’m the king!”
“Oho,” Nanao said, raising an eyebrow. “What is the King’s first order?”
“Number four… has to give me a compliment!” Ichiro announced shamelessly.
Ata glanced at his number. Seven. He was relieved, not because he didn’t think Ichiro had any good points, but he didn’t know him well at all, and he didn’t really want much attention to be on him during this game.
“Ugh,” Maasa said. “That’s…”
“Oh, Maasa, it’s you?” Ichiro perked up.
Maasa looked annoyed. They were cousins, but Ata didn’t know what else was up with them, they clearly didn’t get along that well.
“If I can’t think of anything, then what?” Maasa replied flippantly.
“Ehhh…” Ichiro complained.
“I’m sure I can think of something good for the punishment for not completing the tasks,” Nanao said with a wink. “Perhaps some kind of public humiliation…”
Ata sat back, an icy cold sensation travelling down his spine. This senior really was a super sadist… what the hell?
Maasa’s eyes narrowed. Since the three of them (including Taiju) became acquainted, and then became friends, Maasa hadn’t shared too much about himself or his past, but Ata knew that kind of thing was a sore subject for him.
“Fine,” Maasa said, crossing his arms. “If I have to… Ichiro, you’re really cheerful and friendly. That’s nice, I guess.”
Ichiro smiled. “Thanks, Maasa!”
The chopsticks went back into the cup, and Nanao shuffled them up. It was now time to pull again. It really was nerve wracking, and Ata wished, by some chance, that he could get lucky and just not have to participate at all.
“Oh, it’s me,” Kyoutaro said with a yawn. There was no telling what kind of dare Kyoutaro of all people would come up with. Even though he, Ryouma and Kyoutaro were childhood friends, Ata thought Kyoutaro was a bit annoying, though usually predictable with his behaviour. This, however, was a whole different situation.
“Then… five needs to blow in one’s ear.”
“How plain,” Nanao teased. “Looks like I’m number five. Who could number one be… ah, Ichiro-kun?”
The way Ichiro’s face went bright red was a complete giveaway.
“Ahhh…” Ichiro trembled as Nanao crawled across the circle towards him, leaning in closely. If possible, Ichiro’s face went even redder.
Ata shared a look with Taiju, rolling his eyes. Sure, it was awkward, but what was the big deal? Taiju shrugged his shoulders in response.
After it was over, Ichiro tilted back like he was lightheaded and the sticks were collected again.
The game was very ridiculous. He knew, logically, that the purpose was to bond with your peers over moments of hilarity and vulnerability, but really, being a part of it… it was just silly.
As the game went on, Ryouma made Taishi and Taiju hug for five minutes, which was a very long five minutes for everyone. And then Taishi made Kyoutaro and Ryouma do some kind of weird slow dance, which somehow Kyoutaro was really good at, even though Ryouma was flustered and clumsy.
And then…
Drat.
“I’m the king,” Ata said. “But…”
He really didn’t have anything to say. Nothing was coming to him whatsoever.
“The more embarrassing the better,” Nanao said with an eyebrow raise (something he was somehow very good at). “Let’s make this a good one, Ata-kun.”
Ata’s face went warm. “Don’t call me so familiarly. We’re not close!”
Nanao chuckled, a teasing smile on his face. “But you always react so well. Don’t you want us to be closer than this?”
Ata’s mind was muddled with both fluster and fury and he didn’t know which one was winning out. Oh, he wished he could get Nanao to do something truly embarrassing and get him to have a taste of his own medicine.
“Number two… tell us a deep secret,” Ata ended up saying, narrowing his eyes at Nanao. Nanao glanced at his number and shrugged. Ata sighed, disheartened. Well, there had been a one in seven chance.
“Geh,” Taishi said. “What is the punishment if I don’t?”
“Hmm,” Nanao said. “I’ll hang your picture up on the bulletin board, saying how you failed at a simple game, and you must leave it there for a week. How is that?”
Ata glared even more at Nanao. He wished he could get Nanao to eat his words or lose his own game.
Taishi fiddled with his chopstick, looking down at his lap. “Fine. Ichiro already knows this, but in middle school… I used to be different.”
“Different how?” Maasa piped up.
“I used to get into fights all the time… I was a delinquent.”
“Hmm,” Nanao said. “I already knew that, too.”
“How?” Taishi asked, his eyes wide as he met Nanao’s eyes.
“I have my ways.” Nanao winked.
Ata’s eyebrows furrowed. Nanao was terrifying. As for Taishi’s secret, it didn’t bother Ata at all. He nodded his head in response. If anything, it was a surprise since Taishi appeared to be a put together person, a scholar who was good at studying.
“Next,” Nanao said. Ata swore that same grin had been on his face the whole time. Unnerving and annoying.
“Oh, I’m the king again!” Ryouma said, sounding happy. “I’m going to go for a truth question this time… umm. Number six, who would you rather kiss in this room?”
“Ooh!” a few of the others echoed with either intrigue or surprise.
Ryouma?! Ata inwardly died a little. His childhood friend usually seemed so innocent, but… was it that Nanao being a bad influence?
“Oh,” Kyoutaro said. “I’m number six.”
Ata had never felt so luckier than he did at this moment to avoid this question.
Kyoutaro’s eyes moved around the room before they locked on him. “Ata.”
Ata’s eyes widened, shock exploding within his veins, his cheeks burning. Why?! And why did Kyoutaro seem so nonchalant and unaffected?!
“Interesting, interesting.” Nanao smiled over at Ata. “I can’t say that your decision doesn’t make sense, Kyoutaro-kun.”
What the heck is that supposed to mean?!
After they pulled again, Nanao got the king, and posed the same question. “Because I thought it was an interesting question. Who would you rather kiss in the room, number three?”
Ata exhaled with relief to see that he was seven this time.
Ryouma, however, squeaked. “Eh…”
“Oooh, karma!” Ichiro said.
“You can dish it but can’t take it, Ryouma-kun?” Nanao teased.
Ryouma’s face was bright red as he stumbled out his words, “y-you… Wakura-senpai.”
Ata shook his head. He was really questioning Ryouma’s taste. Before this, if he got the question, he probably would have said Ryouma, but now he was mentally changing it to Taiju. Just so he’d be prepared if he got the question—really.
“Oh?” Nanao said with a smile. “Then maybe we could meet up after this, and you can see if it lives up to the hype?”
Ata gaped. So shameless!
Ryouma turned his head away, hiding his face in his hands. “Ugh, stop teasing me, senpai!”
And then Taishi got to be the king again, and he said, very plainly, “one and two do a princess carry.”
“Oh,” Taiju said. “Who will I be carrying?”
Nanao stood up with a grin. “Who said you will be doing the carrying?”
Taiju narrowed his eyes playfully. “I definitely don’t want to be carried by you, Nanao.”
“Same here,” Nanao said.
They were smiling at each other pleasantly, which was a tonal mismatch from the way that neither of them seemed to back down.
“Then just do janken!” Ryouma put in.
In the end, they did that, and Nanao ended up losing, which somehow gave Ata a bout of schadenfreude.
Taiju scooped Nanao up into his arms. They were both about the same size, but Taiju made it seem effortless. And Nanao, on the other hand, didn’t seem embarrassed at all, to Ata’s dismay. He put an arm around Taiju’s neck and gazed at him teasingly. His usual tricks. But Taiju also seemed unfazed.
The moment lasted a few long moments before Taiju set Nanao down, and they continued with the game.
Ata was getting grumpier and he didn’t know why. He should be more pleased for being able to avoid all these dares.
Taiju said next, “five uses seven as a chair.”
“Hah!?” Taishi blurted out, showing his chopstick that had seven written on it. “What is the meaning of that?”
Nanao grinned. “Ah, we played games like that in high school. You will have to act as an invisible chair for the next person. They will sit on your lap.”
Taishi seemed flustered, more flustered than Ata had remembered seeing him before.
Maasa jumped up. “The other is Maasa!”
Taishi’s face was pink, but Maasa looked enthusiastic.
Taishi looked like he was debating the merits of doing this or the ‘punishment’ that Nanao had decided on.
But he sighed, adjusted his glasses and went up to the wall, bending down. Maasa went over and sat on him easily.
“Oh, Taishi, you’re pretty strong,” Maasa said with awe.
“Don’t speak,” Taishi breathed out, looking like he was struggling with keeping his composure. It wasn’t that he was weak, it looked like he was holding the position quite well, but… being that close to someone would fluster anyone, really.
Except maybe Wakura Nanao.
Maasa looked pretty comfortable himself, and snuggled into Taishi’s lap. Taishi’s face was red.
Ata was once again questioning his life choices that led him to this moment.
But after another couple of moments, Taishi collapsed, with Maasa falling down on top of him. Taishi somehow, in the moment of falling, used his arms to cushion Maasa’s head.
“Eh, are you okay?” Maasa asked, crawling up and leaning over Taishi.
“Fine,” Taishi wheezed. “What about you?”
“Wonderful,” Maasa said. “I’m realizing that you’re so much more than just a nerd.”
Taishi sat up and sighed as the two of them reentered the circle. “Thanks… I think.”
Maasa was the next king. He grinned. “Time for the secret weapon!”
Ata had a bad feeling.
“One has to…” Maasa said.
Ata’s stomach dropped. He was one. So much for avoiding it all.
“... kiss number seven!”
Ata inwardly swore—something he didn’t usually do, because he didn’t let himself be so vulgar. But this situation surely called for it.
Nanao waved his number seven chopstick in the air. “Who’s my lucky partner?”
“No way in hell,” Ata instantly spat out.
Nanao locked eyes with him. “Oh, it’s Ata-kun.” He grinned. “I’m glad. Come on over here~ or do you want me to come to you?”
Ata was frozen in place like vines had grown up from the floor and started to trap him. He hated this. He hated it.
No way this was going to happen.
Even the punishment of having his photo up, declared as a loser on the university’s bulletin board would be better than this.
“Maasa,” Ata said tightly. “We’re going to have words later.”
Maasa giggled. “Oopsie?”
Ata met Nanao’s eyes with a glare. Nanao looked like he was having so much fun. A bright, amused smile was on his face. His eyes were lit up with mirth, but he made no move to come over.
Nanao was teasing Ata with his gaze.
But it didn’t take much for the truth of the matter to hit Ata straight in the chest.
Nanao didn’t think he’d do it.
Nanao was expecting him to back out.
That’s why he was so joyful. Because Ata was a good mark to tease, to get flustered and angry, and he knew Ata was too proper to do such a thing.
It was just fun and games, and then he’d get to put Ata’s face on the bulletin board.
For some reason, a wave of anger and competitiveness washed over Ata just like that. Whether it was stubbornness, an unwillingness to lose or whatever else, Ata got up.
And then he walked across the circle to where Nanao was, and knelt down in front of him.
Ata got to see something good—Nanao’s eyes widened in surprise before he pushed their faces together in an awkward kiss. Numerous gasps filled the air.
Nanao smelled fragrant, like champagne rose, a scent that Ata happened to like very much. It was infuriating and unfair.
And as for the kiss… Ata had nothing to compare it to, but it was causing his face to easily feel like it was overheating. Nanao opened his mouth to deepen the kiss, and Ata’s mind was warring with itself. He didn’t find it as a gross as he imagined he would. No, in fact it was sending electrical pulses throughout his veins, a pleasant feeling that would become all-consuming if he let it.
And Ata was not going to let it.
He, somehow finding some semblance of his conscious mind, threw himself backwards and wiped his lips.
Everyone around them was completely silent. Nanao’s eyes were wide, his lips were darker, and his cheeks had a slight pink dusting to them.
Ata would stay and stare, revelling in his victory, but he was sure his heart was going to beat out of his chest and the temptation to go back into that kiss was too strong.
His eyes were also wide, but he managed to school his face into nonchalance. He stood up and looked down at Nanao.
“It’s my victory, senpai.”
Nanao opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Ata turned and left the room.
After he walked down the hall and entered his own room, his legs gave out and he collapsed onto his bed, his face flaming up, hotter than he’d ever felt it get, even at his most angry or most flustered.
Damn it, damn it, damn it!
That shameless senior—he and his ridiculous game might have unlocked something disconcerting within Ata.
He didn’t actually feel like he’d won at all.
Drat.