Story:

“The idea,” Irina continued, becoming pinker, “is that you end up very close.”

Butterfly’s eyebrows rose.

Reika lowered her free hand to the table. “And you thought this was an appropriate introduction to karaoke?”

“It was supposed to be funny!”

Irina’s cheeks darkened as some private recollection apparently caught up with her explanation. Peach spared herself the details by picking up her drink.

Across the table, Ai looked at Mai. “Wouldn’t the biscuit break?”

“Probably,” Mai said.

“That sounds difficult.”

Shiki made a quiet, suspicious noise into her fist.

Violet touched her tongue briefly to her lower lip, considering the proposal with an expression Peach knew much too well.

Peach set down her glass. “No.”

Violet looked at her. “You don’t know whether I’ve won.”

“I know what you’re thinking.”

“How flattering.”

“No,” Peach repeated.

Reika nodded. “We agreed everyone could refuse. Let’s see if the loser want to accept the challenge or not.”

Irina opened her mouth, then looked at the twins’ puzzled faces.

After a moment, she sighed.