Round 5: Banana Peel Slip!
Mei-chan stood with both arms out like she was introducing a circus act. "Ladies and gentlemonkeys! Next up—Round Five! The classic gag: Banana Peel Slip!"
The lights seemed to dim again—why was this becoming a trend?
She pointed dramatically. "Each contestant will have five minutes to make Shin laugh with nothing but physical comedy… involving… this!"
She held up a single, shiny banana like it was a sacred relic.
Yuki and Aiko stared.
Aiko cracked her knuckles. "I got this."
Yuki's Turn
Mei-chan tossed the banana to Yuki like a grenade. He caught it with both hands, stared at it… then glanced at Shin nervously.
"O-Okay, um…"
He unpeeled it, hesitantly, then stared at the peel like it was a deadly weapon. Very carefully, he set it on the floor in front of Shin's desk.
"Here I go…"
He turned around to get a running start.
"Yuki, wait—!" Shin suddenly stood.
Yuki ran.
He stepped.
He slipped.
And then—
CRASH!
Face first, arms flailing, chair clattering—Yuki hit the ground with a loud thud, legs awkwardly tangled, hair poofing like a fallen kitten.
The entire cafeteria gasped.
"YUKI!" Shin was already out of his seat, rushing forward.
"I'm okay—!" Yuki's voice wobbled.
Shin knelt beside him, grabbing his wrist and gently helping him up. "You idiot, you fell too hard."
Yuki's cheeks burned as he stared up at him. Their faces were close. Too close.
"I… wanted to do it right," he mumbled.
Shin frowned. "You don't have to break your bones to impress me, dummy."
Yuki looked away, red to the ears, "Who wants to impress you?"
Mei-chan squinted. "Uh… disqualified?"
Shin looked up, still holding Yuki's hand. "Not funny. Just painful."
Yuki's heart fluttered anyway.
---
Aiko's Turn
Then it was Aiko's turn. She snatched the banana off Yuki's desk, peeled it with flair, and—without blinking—ate the entire thing in one go.
"…"
"…"
Mei-chan blinked. "Did you just—?"
"Don't question me." Aiko dropped the peel in front of Shin's chair like a trap, spun around dramatically like she was in a telenovela, and shouted, "FOR ART!"
Then she took off in a full sprint across the cafeteria tiles—
—hit the peel—
—WAAAHH!!
Her arms flailed like windmill blades as she soared in slow motion, the world holding its breath.
She landed with a wild tumble and a slapstick squeal right next to Shin's feet.
Shin blinked—
Then suddenly burst into laughter. "AHAHAHA—what even was that fall!?"
Aiko sat up, dizzy. "Did… it work?"
"YES," Shin gasped, clutching his sides. "That was the dumbest, most anime crash I've ever seen—!"
Mei-chan raised both arms. "POINT to Aiko!"
Aiko struck a victory pose with one eye twitching.
Yuki, back at his seat, rubbed his elbow and pouted. "Tch. Of course he laughs at that."
Shin turned back toward him. "You falling was concerning. Her falling was hilarious. Big difference."
Yuki blinked… then turned away, his heart doing flips anyway.
Scoreboard: Yuki – 5 | Aiko – 3
Mei-chan whistled. "That concludes Round 5! With one sore elbow, one traumatized banana, and two very dramatic idiots!"
---
Round 6: Cat Noises!
Mei-chan stood on a chair with a ruler like it was a microphone. "Round six, people! Time to turn up the nyaa! That's right—Cat Noises!"
The cafeteria burst into murmurs.
"Each contestant will have five minutes to do their best impression of a cat. Meows, purrs, whatever it takes to make Shin-sama laugh—or melt!"
Shin paled. "Melt?"
Mei-chan smirked. "Yes. Melt. That counts too."
Yuki's Turn
Yuki stepped up like he was walking to his execution.
"I-I don't really do impressions," he mumbled.
"Doesn't matter. You've got five minutes. Nyaa for your life," Mei-chan said, totally serious.
Yuki looked at Shin.
Shin looked back, already smiling like an idiot.
Yuki puffed his cheeks. "Don't laugh at me already…"
He inhaled.
And then—
"...Nyaa."
It was soft. Hesitant. High-pitched. Like a tiny kitten lost in the rain.
Shin visibly flinched. "H-Hold up—"
Yuki tried again. "Mmm… Nyaa~"
He tilted his head, brought his fists up like little paws, and blinked big, shiny eyes.
"Nyaaaa…"
Shin's face went red.
Mei-chan stared. "That's… that's illegal."
"N-Nyan… purr~" Yuki added shyly, pretending to nuzzle his cheek.
Shin clutched his chest. "I—That's not funny. That's criminally cute—!"
His ears flushed. His heart thundered. His legs shook.
"Did he just… purr at me?!"
Yuki stopped and covered his face. "I-I'm done—!"
Shin was just melting. Absolute puddle. Eyes shimmering, lips curled in a lovesick smile.
Mei-chan slowly raised a brow. "Okay, not laughter… but melt. That was dangerously sweet."
Yuki retreated back to his desk, face glowing. "I didn't even try that hard…"
Shin still hadn't recovered.
Aiko's Turn
Aiko marched up confidently, flicking her hair.
"Alright, amateur hour's over. I've had practice."
She stretched, then crouched low, hands in paws, and gave a sharp—
"Nyaaaa~n!"
She slinked across the floor on all fours.
"Nya~ nya~ Haa-nyan is here~"
She even swished an imaginary tail, tossed imaginary hair, and winked exaggeratedly.
"Nyaaaaa~! Feed me, Taa-kun~!"
Shin blinked. "…"
Aiko leapt into a full twirl, landed on one foot, and purred with precision. Her voice was higher, playful, polished.
The class clapped.
But Aiko wasn't done.
She slowly crawled across the floor like a stalking housecat… straight toward Shin.
Yuki's eyes widened. "W-Wait, what is she—?!"
Aiko rose up beside Shin's chair, then—without any warning—plopped herself right onto his lap, curling into a purring ball like it was her rightful throne.
"Nya~ Haa-nyan is cold~ Taa-kun, give me warmth~"
The cafeteria froze.
Yuki froze.
Shin blinked once, twice—
Then startled when Aiko licked his cheek with a gentle, practiced motion.
Lick.
"W-What the—?!" Shin flinched, letting out an involuntary ticklish giggle.
The boys in the back row screamed and ascended spiritually.
"Did she just—?!"
"She did."
"I can die now."
Lick.
"H-Haa-Chan! That tickles!" Shin laughed again, hands instinctively landing on her waist to steady her as she leaned into him, nuzzling like a satisfied kitten.
Aiko purred proudly. "Nyaa~ I knew you were ticklish here~"
Shin was half-laughing, half-panicking. "You're gonna get me suspended!"
The entire room was short-circuiting.
Mei-chan, somehow still holding her clipboard, whispered, "...This round may need adult supervision."
Yuki's soul left his body.
He slammed his palm onto the table. "THAT'S ILLEGAL CAT BEHAVIOR!!"
Aiko tilted her head, lips curled into a smirk. "Jealous, Yuki-kun?"
Yuki hissed. "I'M NOT JEALOUS OF A FERAL CAT!"
But his eyes stayed locked on Shin's hands still resting on Aiko's waist.
Mei-chan sighed and shook her head. "As much as I want to disqualify her for... everything, Shin laughed, and them's the rules."
Shin looked dazed. "I need to sanitize my entire face."
Aiko hopped off his lap with a flourish. "I accept my point."
Shin nodded.
Aiko grinned smugly.
But then—Shin glanced at Yuki again. Still red. Still trying to disappear into his desk.
Shin smiled softly.
"But hers made me laugh. His made me feel things."
Mei-chan looked at the scorecard. "Fair point… but the rules say laugh. So winner of this round is—Both!"
Aiko fist-pumped. "YES."
Yuki sank in his chair, mumbling, "I should've just barked instead…"
Shin walked past, ruffled his hair, and whispered, "You still won my heart though."
"SHUT UUUUP!"
Scoreboard: Yuki – 6 | Aiko – 4
Mei-chan cleared her throat. "Aaaaand that's Round 6! One part adorable, one part FBI warning! Get ready for Round 7!"
---
Round 7: Shin's Sleep Voice Impression
Mei-chan adjusted her glasses like she was ready to hear war crimes.
"That was the end of round 6. Next up! round 7—Imitate Shin's sleepy voice! You've got five minutes each to pull out your best late-night Shin impressions! Let's see who can break him first!"
Shin visibly tensed. "Oh no."
Yuki stepped forward first, eyes narrowed with calculated mischief.
He cleared his throat, dropped his voice low and groggy, and murmured:
"...Mmm… Ai… don't move… Onii-chan's not done cuddling…"
Shin immediately jolted in his seat.
"WHAT?!"
Yuki continued, placing both hands dramatically over his heart like he was clinging to a pillow.
"Your hair smells like strawberries again... stay close... Onii-chan's gonna get cold…"
Shin flushed to his ears.
The room collectively leaned in.
Shin slammed his hands on the desk. "YUKI!! WHO TOLD YOU THAT?!"
Yuki blinked. "I—Wait, that was real?!"
Shin's face practically caught fire.
"NO COMMENT."
Mei-chan snorted. "Well, he didn't laugh… he just panicked."
"No point," she declared, biting her lip to keep from giggling. "But Yuki, excellent trauma-baiting."
Yuki bowed with a smirk. "My pleasure."
Now it was Aiko's turn.
She cracked her knuckles. "Alright. Time to break him."
She flopped dramatically to the floor and rolled over like she was tangled in imaginary blankets.
In a perfect sleepy mumble, she whispered:
"Ai... mmm… stop moving... you're warm… softer than the pillow…"
Shin shot straight up. "HAA-CHAN—!"
She stretched like a cat and yawned lazily, adding:
"Mm… don't go to school tomorrow… stay with Onii-chan…"
The room wheezed in unison.
Yuki gawked. "WHY IS THAT SO SPECIFIC?!"
Aiko winked. "Because I've heard his real sleep talk. Lucky me."
Shin stood up, slammed his hands on the table, and groaned into them.
"Please delete me."
Mei-chan, half-wheezing, half-choking, wiped her eyes.
"Okay, and I even had a spiritual experience. Both won."
Shin was still muttering into his arms.
"I can't believe she said 'softer than the pillow'—Ai is gonna kill me…"
Yuki's eye twitched. "Wait, that was real too?!"
Aiko patted Yuki's shoulder. "They're terrifying. Don't ever try to interrupt their cuddles. I did once. I still have the bite mark."
Yuki short-circuited.
"…THEY BITE?!"
Aiko nodded solemnly. "Ai bit me for waking Shin up. He apologized while hugging her tighter."
Yuki let out a whisper of despair. "Sis-Con… Bro-Con… Snuggle Demons…"
Mei-chan tapped the board.
"Still 7– 5! Moving on before Shin melts into a puddle of shame. Round 8 coming up!"
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END OF CHAPTER : 16 : ROUND 5-7 - MAKE SHINJI LAUGH/EMBRASS : PART 3
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