Loveless

He was right; she was new. The moment he saw her fighting with the school's bullies, he knew right then that she was. She had to be; for nobody has the guts to fight with them, except him, of course. Those scum would rather fail a subject than cross swords with the world's one and only CEO of the high and mighty, multi-billion Kaiba Corp. He smirks to himself as he thinks about this. Looking out of the window, he then turned his head to look at the teacher lecturing in front. Honestly, he thought, these teachers could never have anything better to teach to them but things that he already knew. He yawned for the 4th time; probably because of his lack of sleep these days.

Then there's the school bell. At last, classes are already dismissed, and he was out of that damned room already. He hurriedly walked towards his locker to get some of his things. After that he went outside and tried to look for some place peaceful. Probably under the Sakura trees at the back of the school building, he thought. So he went there and looked for a peaceful area by the Sakura trees.

Then BANG! He bumped into something, or someone? Seto stumbled to the floor and dropped his books, as the other person, whom he stumbled into, or excuse me; the one who stumbled into him, also stumbled onto the floor, but probably with much greater impact. Seto angrily looked at the person and shouted at her.

"DO YOU KNOW HOW TO WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING??? 'BECAUSE I DON'T THINK YOU EVER KNEW AT ALL!" He stood up as he patted his uniform to dust away the dirt, and glared at the person in front of him, who was still sitting on the ground, probably because of the impact, clutching her head.

It was her; the new girl. Her name's Hiyori Matsumoto, a 2nd year class A. She looks smaller in person, standing about a few centimetres shorter than him, and a lot more paler. She doesn't look a lot paler, but her pale skin looks sick. Her blonde hair's a bit messy, which extends up to her shoulder. Her deep blue eyes, which are slightly hidden behind her bangs on the side, match his, and her pink lips are probably the only thing that says that she's not sick. Her body looks frail and unhealthy, no wonder she could stumble to the ground as hard as that. Her right knee is bandaged, and her left leg has wounds and bandages also. She winced as she touched her forehead, which probably bumped into Seto's chest.

"Ow..." She looked up at him and met his eyes. She then stood up and looks at him uneasily.

"S-Sorry...about that..." was all she could say. She raised her right hand again to rub her forehead, and Seto saw that her wrist is also bandaged, as if she had wrist laceration. She hid her right hand at her side when she saw that Seto's looking at her wrist.

Seto then glared at her and knelt down to pick up his books. Hiyori also did the same.

"There..." She said as she handed him the last book. "Again, sorry"

Seto locked his blue orbs on hers, "If everything can be worked out just by saying sorry, then why there are still laws in this world? Why are there still police?"

"To make sure that people would never repeat their mistakes again." She retorted back.

Seto stared at her, "Oh, really?"

"Y-Yeah?" Hiyori said half-thinking.

"Then if they are there to make sure that people would never repeat their mistakes again, then why are there still criminals and unsolved cases? Why are there still murders and crimes again and again for them to solve? Are you saying that they're not doing their job correctly for these things to happen?"

Hiyori was quiet for a moment as if thinking of an answer to his questions. Then after a few seconds she spoke again, "But then maybe it wasn't the police's fault. It was the people's mistake for not learning how to forgive other people with their mistakes and not giving them a second chance. For our world to be peaceful, each one of us should learn how to forgive, because forgiveness is what everyone is seeking for, right? I think that our world would be less problematic if we could just know how it is to forgive and be forgiven." She said, although quite unsure of her statement.

Seto smirked and looked at her, "Just because you gave an awfully wordy statement, doesn't mean I already forgive you for stumbling unto me. Now go. I don't care about your forgiveness thing. Just don't bother me anymore next time."

Hiyori looks at him and blinked.

"Thanks!" She smiled as she bowed deeply and ran away.

Seto could only look at her running and smirking to himself. She's quite amusing, he may say.

It was already 6:30 PM, and Seto cannot believe time could just pass on like that. He sighed as he concentrated on his book and tried to read the last chapter.

He wouldn't want to go yet. These days have been hell busy for him, and he hardly had time for himself. Good thing he even manages to greet Mokuba every night, but rest is what he badly needed. If he were to go now, he's sure that he'd be working again. He'll have a time-out, just now.

He's lucky there's a lamp beside the tree, although the light's very dim, so he was able to read the book he's currently reading. However, he still cannot concentrate much on his book, which he is so eager to finish right now.

Just then, he heard someone panting. Then it came nearer, and nearer, until the sound can already be heard beside him. He thought it might just be someone lost in the dark, so he shrugged it off and didn't even bother to look. But his nerves got the best of him when the panting prevents him from concentrating on his book. He sighed heavily and turned to look at the person disturbing him.

"Do you mind—! "

Seto stopped once he saw who was sitting beside him. It was Hiyori.

"Wah!" She literally jumped in surprise. "You again??!"

--"What are you doing here?"—The two said in unison.

Seto stared at her, "So, who would've thought that it would be you who would once again be here to disturb me?!" He slumped back on the tree.

"I was just..."

She was cut short when a group of big guys arrived and got hold of her wrist and forcing her to stand. "AND WHY ARE YOU HERE TROUBLING SETO KAIBA?!?!" The leader shouted.

"Let go of me! I'm not doing anything! Let go!" Hiyori stumbled trying to loosen his grip.

"Hah! And you think you could ever let go from me! You nitwit, you're a lot weaker than the last time! You want me to give you another bruise??? Huh?!"

Hiyori tried and tried to let go from his grip, but to no avail.

"So, Kaiba-sama, what do you want us to punish her with? You sure wouldn't want to be disturbed by her again, would you?" He said while laughing with his peers.

Seto, who was earlier trying hard to be unnoticed raised an eyebrow and snapped the book close in his hands. He then turned to look at the big grumpy bully holding Hiyori's wrist. "Let go of her"

"W-What?" He muttered.

"Didn't you hear me? I said let her go! Or do you still want me to repeat it for the third time?!" He said calmly.

The bully wrinkled his nose and deliberately threw Hiyori to the ground and walked away angrily, and left the two of them alone. Hiyori touched her wrist and winced a little, and then she looked at Seto at the corner of her eye. Surprisingly, he was also looking at her.

"Oh, t-thanks, again." She said to him, thinking that that was what he was waiting for her to say.

"What are you doing here at this time? Didn't you even think that those freaks would come and bully you after all that you've done??? Honestly, does your brain even work??" Seto shouted at her then slumped back again to the trunk of the tree. "You're out of your mind."

"Okay, okay, sorry! I'll never stay late again!" She frowned and looks away, trying to avoid his gaze. "How about you then, why are you up so late?"

Seto glared at her, as if mad why she even asked that question, "I was reading, can't you see??" He said as he waved his book in front of her.

"Yeah, right." Hiyori smiled sarcastically and shoved the book away.

Seto then stood up and gathered his things, "Whatever, I'm going now."

"Don't just leave me OW—" Hiyori nearly stumbled to the ground, if Seto had not caught her with his strong arms. She blushed slightly at this.

"Now what?" He asks as he put her down on the grass. Hiyori then looked at her knee and saw that it was badly bruised.

"Where did you get that?"

"I-I don't know..." She said, trying not to blush. "Might be when...I fall down the window and...I stumbled upon the broken glasses."

"Then why'd you still kept on running then?" Seto scolded her. "You could've just stopped you know, after you felt the pain."

"Maybe, but then if I stopped, then they might've reached me." She said biting her lower lip.

"And in that condition, you won't be able to walk."

The two were quiet for a moment.

Seto sighed, "You're such a pain."

He then knelt down in front of her and held her hand.

"W-What are you doing?"

"Just be quiet, I'm only doing this once so you should be thankful!"

"Hey"

"Do you want me to ride you home, or not? Because if not, then I'd be willing to leave you here all alone, unable to walk by yourself."

"Really?" Hiyori asked unbelieving.

"1..."

"Okay, okay..!" She then held her hand to his neck as Seto carried her on his back outside of the school. As soon as the two of them were out, the limousine was already in front. A coachman then went out and opened the door for them.

"Konbanwa" He bowed deeply as he greeted them.

"Where do you live?" Seto asks her inside the car.

"Just there, by the block, near the lamp post. I'm sure my sister would be outside waiting for me..."

As soon as they arrived, sure enough, her sister was there, with the look of worry evident on her face. Once the coachman opened the door her sister rushed towards her, "Where have you been at this time?!?!"

"Um...sorry!"

"Here, I'll carry you inside"

"Thanks, sis"

At that Seto moved a bit to her side to see how they're going, and saw how her sister really cared for her. He looked out to see their house. It's a cute two-storey house with a small garden full of red flowers and green grass, with a table with two chairs. It wasn't really that big, but it's not small either. He thinks that the house is just right for the two of them.

"You're parents' are not home yet?" Seto asks them.

Hiyori looked at her sister, then turned to him, "N-no, they're not here. They're dead."

"Oh"

"Would you like some tea, Mr Kaiba?" Hiyori's sister asks him with kindness, as Hiyori looks at him with eagerness from behind her.

Too bad he has a lot of things to do, he really wants to stay for a while and have some drink, "Sorry, but I have a lot of work to do." He said as he looked at Hiyori's eyes.

Hiyori's heart sunk, although she doesn't really understand why, but she would really love it if he would stay just a bit longer.

"I guess", Hiyori started, "Kaiba-san's busy running his company, right?"

Seto shrugged off and turned to look at the house, "Partly"

She was quiet for a moment, and Seto thought that she was going to say something. When she doesn't say anything, he started, "Not for now, I guess,"

Hiyori looked up at him, "Hm?"

"I said, I can have tea maybe next time, but not for now..." He finally said.

Hiyori's eyes lightened, as she smiles lightly and turned to look away, trying hard not to show the slight blush on her cheeks.

But Seto noticed it, and smirked to himself.

"So then, I guess I have to go now."

"Okay, see you"

"Bye" He finally entered his limo and rode off.

Inside the car, Seto can't get this weird feeling inside of him when he saw her blushing. It's a mixture of bewilderment, surprise, and... Happiness?

Seto shook his head; he couldn't possibly feel happy after seeing a girl blush. No, it can't be, especially someone like Hiyori. Annoying, clumsy, what else? Messy blonde hair, childish, unfriendly, unloved by everyone. She's not an ideal girl at all.

But there's something within her, which sorts of interests, or intrigues him a lot, that makes him want to talk to her more. She's the kind of girl that's different from every other girl he meets; other girls who winks at him whenever they see him; other girls dumb enough not to know who Christopher Columbus was; other girls who'd care more for retouching their make-ups than going to the next class; other girls who worry so much for their hairstyle and comb their hair every now and then; other girls who're only after his wealth, fame and looks, not for his feelings.

He's right. Right from the start, he knew his feeling was right. He knew that she's the type of girl who doesn't care much about the world. He knew that she's different from all the other students; she has a kind heart, and her feelings are sincere. Despite being loved by nobody, she still wants to be loved. She's eager to find someone, good enough to love her, and for her to love. Seto felt a slight twinge of loneliness upon realizing her feelings. Now he understands why she blushed when he saw her.

"It's a cruel and harsh world" Seto now remembers her saying on their way to her house. "But I don't care about the students in our school. I'd try my hardest, for the pursuit of happiness..." She smiles slightly, as she looked down and avoided his gaze.

"Don't worry," he assured her, "Maybe soon enough, you won't be unloved anymore."