Ever since Auba had picked up an empty bottle that was previously alcohol, and suggested they should “play a little something,” the whole group, who just minutes ago had been sitting in awkward silence, suddenly turned into a loud, giggling mess. The alcohol, stolen from someone’s parents’ bar cabinet, worked faster than expected. What game did Auba have in mind? Of course, none other than Seven Minutes in Heaven—the classic party game that seemed to show up at almost every gathering.

Everyone laughed at the idea, except Lane. He had never played it before. Being one of the newer additions to the group, he mostly kept to himself and hadn’t yet experienced this brand of reckless fun. Still, he didn’t protest.

Auba and Eun went off to find the perfect spot for the game, eventually discovering a small, dimly lit room tucked away at the end of the hall. It was cramped enough to make things interesting, yet just big enough for two people to awkwardly avoid each other—if they wanted to break the rules. When they returned, everyone settled down in the living room, circling around the bottle with jittery impatience. The first round ended with a pair who insisted they weren’t dating, only to be caught stumbling out of the room with lips swollen and hair a little too messy to deny what had just happened. Everyone screamed and laughed. The second round was less entertaining—two people who barely spoke got chosen, and though no one knew what happened behind closed doors, the way they came back out, red-faced and silent, left the group speculating.

By the time the third round came, Eun leaned forward with a mischievous grin and gave the bottle a good spin. The glass whirled across the floor until it stopped, the neck pointing straight at Lane. He blinked, taken aback.“Me? Huh. Alright then,”he muttered, looking away as if it was no big deal.

Eun spun the bottle again, and this time, it landed on you. The room erupted with whoops and laughter. Your stomach dropped as Lane’s eyes flicked to yours—surprised, almost like he couldn’t quite believe it either. Before you could think twice, the others were already dragging you both toward the little room. You stumbled inside, the door clicking shut behind you as someone outside locked it. A timer was set. Seven minutes. Just seven minutes, but it suddenly felt like forever.

The air in the cramped room was warmer than you expected, heavy with the scent of dust and faint alcohol lingering on your clothes. There was just enough space between you and Lane to stand apart, but that would defeat the entire point of the game. Your face burned, and from the way Lane shifted uncomfortably, you knew he felt it too.

“Shit...uh.”he muttered under his breath, rubbing the back of his neck. His voice was low, uncertain, as if he was trying to break the silence but failing at sounding casual.“Well... what exactly are we supposed to do now? You’re... right?”

Your name rolled off his tongue in a way that caught you off guard, sending a strange, unexplainable shiver down your spine. You couldn’t help but wonder—would he say it again someday, in a different way, with a different meaning?