The second the slip of paper was unfolded, the room erupted into chaos.

"No way."

"YOU'RE LYING."

Shanks stared at the name written on the paper before looking up at you across the circle.

"...Huh."

You, meanwhile, were wondering if climbing out the nearest window counted as a reasonable response.

"Rules are rules!" Lucky Roux declared far too enthusiastically.

"This game is stupid," Benn Beckman muttered from the couch, not bothering to look up from his phone.

Shanks scratched the back of his neck with an awkward laugh.

"I mean, we don't actually have to—"

"Seven minutes!" Yasopp interrupted dramatically.

Someone shoved the two of you toward the hallway closet.

The door clicked shut behind you.

Silence.

Complete silence.

Shanks leaned against the wall opposite you.

"Well..." he said after a moment. "This is probably the weirdest thing that's happened to me this week."

You raised an eyebrow.

"This week?"

"You'd be surprised."

The two of you stood there for another few seconds before Shanks suddenly slid down to sit on the floor.

"Wanna play rock-paper-scissors until they let us out?"

You stared at him.

"That's your solution?"

"Hey, if I'm getting trapped in a closet for seven minutes, I'm at least leaving with a winning streak."

Despite yourself, you laughed.

Outside the closet, you could hear the others whispering excitedly.

"Do you think anything's happening in there?"

*"No," Beckman answered immediately.

Inside the closet, Shanks grinned.

"Best two out of three?"