Title: Listen to Your Heart
Rating: PG; sorry to disappoint. maybe later...
Dislcaimers: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. blah zee blah
Warnings: Yaoi... inaccurate account of a museum director's job and life. is there even such a position? sorry, it's lame, but I couldn't think of Yami doing anything else... AU...ignorant author...errors...
Summary: Eight years later, after everyone has gone their separate ways, Yami tries to live a normal life, but it gets disrupted again when Kaiba comes back from America.
Yami dropped the magazine back onto the table at the café. He was sitting on a black leather sofa and sipped his coffee, looking at the man on the cover of the American magazine Cosmopolitan. Several other scattered magazines on the table had pictures of the same person, and he was beginning to wonder why he liked this place so much, or if the owner of KC had secretly bought it and was settling for shameless self-propaganda.
" Kaiba Seto and Why He's Untouchable."
" Successful as Much as He is Hot"
" Blue Eyes and Why Every Female Loves Them."
After eight years since Kaiba had left Domino for America permanently, but he was never truly gone. There were still buildings with his logos and influence, and billboards with his merchandise. Kaiba Seto could never completely disappear from somewhere he had been. He always had to leave a trail behind. Yami smiled at that. He really should not have expected anything less from the ambitious CEO. It was only a matter of time before Kaiba would move his corporation onto bigger things. It was only a matter of time.
And it was eight years ago.
He sipped at his coffee again, studying a picture of Kaiba more closely in one female-inclined magazine and could not help but feel a pang of jealousy; not because of Kaiba's publicity (Yami got his fair share, at times) or popularity with the women (ditto, again), but because of the fact that the journalist actually got an interview. Kaiba was very exclusive, as proven in the short interviews and biographies (yes, Yami did read them). Japan had beenlucky if Kaiba would meet with a reporter other than for the national news or newspaper. Granted, the entertainment magazines only had trivial pieces of information about him -- both similar to each other, yet something different -- but what intrigued Yami the most was how Kaiba posed and what he wore...
Cosmopolitan. Kaiba Seto and Why He's Untouchable. One silver briefcase in hand; other hand in pocket. Ocean blue background. Dark red suit. Two buttons of the dress shirt undone. Loose black tie around the collar. Same sable hair. Same penetrating eyes.
At 26, the brunet's intense appearance had only enhanced with age, Yami decided. Of course, it was not the first time that Yami had admitted to Kaiba's attractiveness. It was simply a given. Whether or not he said it out loud, the fact remained consistent: Kaiba was very handsome and was probably going to be for the rest of his life.
'Kaiba Seto and why he's untouchable.'
Yep, that was true. Kaiba could not be restrained romantically, either because he was simply incapable of being as such, or did not want to be, hindered by ambition or personal reasons. Yami would know from experience what it was like to be rejected by the CEO.
After the materialization of his own body by using his great power gained from the God Cards and his Memories, Yami approached the CEO at his manor with the excuse of a duel. It was not invalid, after all, since they met occasionally for a challenge, especially at Kaiba's whim.
In the middle of their battle, the Yami had admitted his feelings for him.
Kaiba had ended the duel discreetly and told Yami to leave. Hurt, the former Pharaoh had done so obediently and submissively, but thankful because, quite frankly, it could have been worse. That was the last time Yami spoke to or saw the brunet. A week later, the Kaiba's left permanently to the States in the birthing of the new Kaiba Land.
Yami had always been attracted to Kaiba. His feelings just made themselves more apparent when he obtained his memories. It was something that had been developing for a while and then suddenly grew beyond Yami's control. By the time he had admitted them to Kaiba, he couldn't stand thinking about Kaiba. The brunet had haunted his dreams and... but apparently, it wasn't meant to be.
Even after eight, long years, Yami often wondered about the CEO. He was not left completely ignorant of Kaiba's life, however. With the growth of Kaiba's success, the media was never too far behind. The CEO had started a little rocky, but eventually warmed up to the more sympathetic citizens, since Kaiba Land was technically a haven for orphans and he was able to get investors and such. Yes, Yami kept track of all this, and he was elated with the CEO's accomplishments. What was once a childhood dream was becoming a reality. Even without the Kaiba name and financial security, Yami didn't doubt that Kaiba would still have gotten where he was today.
Yami stared into his half full cup of steaming, brown liquid, lost in thought for a moment.
Anyway, Yugi was currently in New York with Jounouchi and Mai, vacationing with the engaged couple for the summer and taking a break from college. Yugi was going to medical school to be a pediatrician in Tokyo with Yami's help and scholarships. Jou was studying to be a lawyer, and Mai turned out to be a model and Broadway actress. The others were out doing their own thing, and Yami spoke to them once in a while. Anzu often visited from California, and Honda and Otogi found time to hang out with Yami sometimes here in Domino.
If only Yami were as happy as they were. He really didn't know what to do with his life. He lived it long before, and to do it again was more than he asked for. He just… didn't have a purpose. Yugi can more than take care of himself, and the threat of the overwhelming Shadow Realm has been quiet for years. What more was there? Yami supported himself by winning national Duel Monster competitions and working as the director of the Domino museum. His fascination and broad knowledge of history apparently came in handy, and Yami spent most of his days with books, artifacts, sponsors, students, and tourists since the retirement of the former director, whom Yami knew well. Of course, there were many more than capable professors who were aligned for the job but the former director, Aurther Hawkins, insisted that Yami take his place, and the historical society didn't second guess Prof. Hawkin's recommendations. To say the least, Yami was pleased and grateful and sent Rebecca Christmas and Birthday gifts in Germany.
Ah, well, Yami shouldn't expect so much from this life. He did, after all, have less responsibilites. Since the death of Sugoroku Mutou three years ago, the Game Shop closed, and Yami lived alone upstairs, surrounded by volumes of ancient history, schedules, and silence. Sometimes he just felt like reentering the Puzzle and staying there with Yugi as he did before, but he decided to continue to support Yugi as much as possible. Besides, there was still time. For what, Yami did not yet know, but he knew that something needed to be done.
Yami finished his drink and tore his gaze away from the magazines.
He returned home with naught much else to do, except he might go to the museum later in the afternoon. The words Kame Shop had been taken down, and the first floor no longer served as a store, but as a little anteroom of some sort, with a genkan, shoes and coat racks, and a little mat on the floor that read yookoso. Yami locked the door behind him and walked up the stairs after taking off his boots and slipping on his house slippers. He found three messages on his answering machine upon arriving on the second floor. He took off his jacket and threw it on the off-white couch farther into the living room as he pressed 'play'.
"Tuesday, 10 o' 5 a.m." came the mechanical, female voice, later replaced by another, more familiar one. " 'Hey, Yami, it's me. I just thought I'd say hi, again. The summer is almost over, and I should be coming back soon. Guess what? The whole gang might be able to get together this Christmas! It's been nearly forever... Two years since we've all been in the same room? I miss everyone.' " Jounouchi's and Mai's voices could be heard in the background. " 'Yeah, and Jou and Mai say 'hi' and ' love you'. Mai's going to Europe this Fall. Isn't that cool? Well, I'll just call you later. Take care! I love you!' "
The beep ended the message. Yami smiled fondly and sat on the stool beside the small table of the phone set, address books, and pens, suddenly feeling better. A Christmas with all his loved ones? He couldn't wait...
Tuesday, 10 thirty a.m. " 'Hi, Mister Yami Mutou? This is Miyako Sampson from DG. Well, we'd like to do another article with you, especially with the upcoming Duel Monsters Convention coming up here. Please give me a call as soon as possible. Thanks. Bye.' "
Another interview? Yami sighed. He guessed he could…
" Tuesday, 11 o' 8 a.m.…"
It was silent, but there was white noise in the background, as if the caller was in a restaurant and some public place. Yami frowned and stood, looking through the Caller ID on the set. The number was in the area, but nothing he recognized.
" Who was that?" he wondered aloud, but paid no particular interest. He just deleted that last blank message and pulled out his wallet from his back pocket. Opening it and pulling out Mrs. Sampson's card, he took his cordless and dialed the number as he walked into the living room to plop lazily down on the couch with his jacket.
" Sampson."
" This is Yami --"
"Mutou-san! Hi! Good to hear from you. How are things?" the suddenly energetic woman erupted. Yami vaguely wondered what time it was in Los Angeles, but said nothing of it.
" Alright, you can say. And for you?"
"Editor's breathing down my back, but that's a reporter's life." They shared a laugh. " So, can you do the interview? We're coming down there as soon as you give us the word."
"You're coming down here?" asked Yami, surprised.
"Yes, sir," replied Alicia cheerfully. " We did the last one in New York, where they had the Nationals just late last year, yeah? We've found an excellent opportunity to do another one with you in your hometown, you know, something a little more personal and in depth. You have a lot of fans, Yami."
"And here I was, expecting another free flight and lodging in the states," he joked, but felt excited. He'd never admit it, but he loved publicity. It must have been his past nature from being a pharaoh.
Miyako laughed. "Trust me. I'd want nothing more. Will this Saturday work for you?"
Yami arrived at the museum a little after lunchtime. It was closed during Tuesdays and Saturdays, since he needed to make sure that the artifacts were all well-kept and accounted for during the, usually, busy week. He entered through the back, whose lock required a 5-digit code. He walked down the narrow staircase that led to a dim hallway. There were restoring rooms and a safe that kept items under special security until allowed on display after an authenticity process.
He rounded a corner, passed the archive room on his left and the conference room on his right, to his office at the end of the hall behind mahogany double doors. He pulled out his key ring, selected the second to the largest key and proceeded to open the lock at the base of gilded handles.
Yami turned on the light, revealing his spacious, but cluttered, office. Against the wall were file cabinets, a giant white board with dates and times and names; before him was a large desk with stacks of paper and fat files, pictures, a computer, phone with headset, pens, and Post-Its of every color of the rainbow. The left wall had a giant world map accompanied by two full bookshelves of encyclopedias, atlases, dictionaries, and philosophical authors and renowned painters. There was a stand with the latest magazines accumulated yearly and then stored in a spare room on the other side of the hall; those of which consisted mostly of Time and National Geographic. Against the wall by the door was a bulletin board with various newspaper clippings of Duel Monsters competitions, articles on the museum, or anything relating to himself or to his friends. It was the only thing remotely "modern Yami" in the otherwise ancient atmosphere, or so Yugi had said.
Sighing, Yami made his way behind his desk and started his computer, knowing that he had a lot of sorting out to do, plus research, and reorganizing, and calling.
He really needed to duel someone, preferably Yugi or Jou. ...Kaiba would be nice, too.
The next day, Yami was bombarded with a group of middle school students and their teachers and some parents. He would have had a hired guide take them through the museum, but Yami thought it would help him keep his sanity if he had some social interaction with real people once in a while (emails and phone calls didn't count). All this week, different classes of the same school would be coming, easily filling his schedule from 9 am to 11am and then from 2pm to 4pm.
" ... which began the rise of the Samurai." Yami gave a soft sigh as he finished giving the last lecture on the last piece of history relevant to the Heian Period of Japan. He was so glad that he was giving a vague history to 4th graders rather than long, detailed history to 4th graders. "Are there any questions?"
The students, the tallest of which was a good head from Yami's height, all gazed at him with respectful eyes, but he knew how they were feeling inside. They wore white and purple with gold embroidery, each student with purple vests over a white long sleeved shirt and purple pants for boys or long skirts for girls. Yami wanted to commend the four teachers and handful of parents for having such a class of thirty behave so well.
"If not.." he said after silence, "you are free to go back for a second look. " He gave the teachers (two female, two male) an encouraging smile.
Adjusting her thick frames with slight blush, Hiroko-sensei addressed her charge. "Remember to stay with your partner and..." She waited for some sort of completion to her sentence, leaning her ear out to the children grouped together three feet away from Yami.
"Do not touch anything," they recited automatically. Hiroko-san gave a pleased smile and Yamada-san, a thin, tall and nerdy-looking man, gestured for the group to follow him and another female teacher, Hayai-san.
Hiroko-san turned to Yami and gave him a bright smile, lighting up her features even in her late middle age. "Thank you again, Mutou-san." It was the third time that day. She bowed.
Yami bowed lower. "You're very welcome. If you have any questions, I'll be here," he replied kindly. The woman bowed again and left to catch up with the rest of her class. Gathering around the old scroll containing a famous piece of waka concealed in a glass case.
He glanced at his watch. It was 10:30. He decided to walk around instead, visiting his favorite pieces of art as was his wont when he was alone.
The next section had nothing but art. It was a conglomeration of famous paintings all over the centuries meeting in one room. The selection was a little biased, for Yami had his personal favorites, but most of them were renown. There were little statues incased in the middle of the floor, standing on various podiums and covered with glass. Yami liked sitting in this roomsometimes, especially at night. The front wall was a floor to ceiling window with large, diamond-shaped frames.
Yami's shoes clicked on the marble floor as he walked to the left wall - the division before the last room - to visit A Night's Tale. The first time Yami had seen it, it had calmed his emotions yet reminded him of the very reason why he had been so miserable.
Living alone had its perks, Yami supposed, such as staying out late and working around your own time. It was nearing 6:30pm - two hours after closing - by the time Yami was able to escape the museum before becoming to engross with his work. He walked back home, not caring much about where he was going, who was around him, or how late it was getting.
During times of solitude, Yami always had this feeling that he was missing something. It wasn't Yugi - his aibou was inside of him. It wasn't his friends - they never stopped talking to him. It wasn't Duel Monsters because he had enough of that.
Just as he needed love and friendship, he needed the exact opposite of both. Yami constantly found himself missing the antagonism and sarcasm once expressed by a haughty and obsessed CEO on a regular basis. Yami accepted the fact that Kaiba probably wanted nothing to do with him outside of Duel Monsters, and he had come to terms with it a long time ago. But seeing Kaiba again would be nice, even if it meant verbal abuse and cold glares. He was used to it and knew better than to expect anything more.
He arrived at a particularly bright spot and looked up to see the headquarters for Kaiba Corporation looming over him. He could see several guards patrolling around through the glass doors at the entrance and several windows alight above, as if workers were staying back or pulling an all-nighter all for the sake of the corporation. Otherwise, the enormous building seemed to glow with a light of its own. The name gleamed in bold, red letters near the very top where it narrowed to reflective glass -- a single floor -- with several thin spires at the top.
Yami had been in that building many times before. He vaguely wondered if it had changed since the Kaibas have left to America. The main office hasn't been touched, he knew, since it was still belonged Kaiba Seto.
The clouds had thickened unbeknownst to Yami, and they began to release a slight drizzle on the city below. Yami continued walking, hoping to get home before a total downpour and cursed when, after five minutes, the light droplets suddenly became giant pelts of water streaming from the sky. He jogged towards a local cafe, Java Savvy, for cover and, since he was there, a light dinner.
The diner was small and comfortable with dimmed, colored lights and warm atmosphere. Yami was delighted to see it wasn't crowded and stood at the counter, looking at an array of assorted food put on display by the register then peering up at the menu overhead. He decided to settle on a chicken salad and 32oz of hazelnut coffee.
He sat by the window in a booth facing the wall and began to eat in the sounds of quiet chatter and the soft background music coming from the cafe. Yami spent most of his nights like these, and he was beyond feeling sorry for himself or even a little self-conscious at being alone. Although he, by nature, usually loved company, he understood that, as adults, his friends had more important things to do than wait on a 3,000 year-old spirit trying to make a new life for himself. He thought of Yugi for a moment and decided that he'd call his aibou as soon as he gets home.
"... and Jou-kun said that he'd do whatever it takes to be the best lawyer, if only to show off in front of Kaiba-kun."
"With his determination, I wouldn't put it passed him, aibou," Yami agreed proudly, laying on his bed and staring at the dim ceiling made barely visible by the lamp beside him. "I am very happy for him."
Yugi laughed over the phone, and it warmed Yami's heart to hear such a familiar sound so close to him, even if it wasn't in person. "Yeah, but I'm getting sick of it," he said playfully. "He keeps repeating himself. If all other motivation fails, at least he'd still have the desire to prove Kaiba-kun wrong in the end. I doubt that would ever go away."
"Un."
"So how are you doing, mou hitori no boku? You're not too lonely, are you?" Yugi's tone was sympathetic.
"I'm fine; and of course I am. It isn't the same with everyone gone."
"Don't worry. I'll be back soon, probably with Anzu-chan, too. She wanted to go back to Japan for two weeks before going back to dance class. They take breaks, too, you know. I did not know that."
It was Yami's turn to laugh. "Yes, they do, and I'd like for her to come and visit."
A brief moment of silence. "It's late, Yami. Won't you go to bed?"
"If I must," Yami said reluctantly. He didn't want to stop talking with his other half just yet, but they've been talking for over an hour. The distance between the two of them was killing him more than he'd like to admit. "Take care of yourself, and tell everyone I said, 'hi.'" He could hear Yugi doing just that, and two voices replied, muffled in the distance.
"They say, 'goodnight' and that they'll see you soon. Good night, mou hitori no boku."
"Goodnight, Yugi." He pressed the 'end' button on his cordless and turned the lamp off as he placed the device on his nightstand. A glance at the digital clock told him that it was 12 in the morning.
Yami woke up at eight and began breakfast after showering and donning a pair of boxers and a white, cotton shirt. As his bagels were in the toaster and his coffee, brewing, he replaced the phone back on its set and realized that there was a message on his machine. Puzzled, he placed the phone in its slot and pressed 'play'.
" Thursday, seven thirty-three p.m. ..." Again, no words. Just like Tuesday but without the background noise. Frowning now, Yami deleted the blank recording and went back into the kitchen to eat. He needed to go to the museum early in order to sort out some files and reschedule some meetings with the historical society since they were delayed in arriving with the artifacts for the new Ancient Greek exhibit.
'Finally, something a little more closer to home,' he had thought upon first hearing the news several months back. There hasn't been any exhibits on Ancient Egypt since the museum just held one a few years ago.
Yami would like to go to Egypt again someday. The last time was a little before Jii-san died. One day, everyone would be there, too.
The lithograph Ishizu had given him still stayed in the museum. By 1pm, when all pressing matters were done for the day, Yami liked to walk to the farthest end of the first floor and gaze at the stone tablet. He liked to believe that the main purpose of the piece was specifically designed to resurrect the memories of the pharaoh by High Priest Set. The reason for that, he did not dare to assume, and the memories that had returned did nothing to help.
For instance, was the pharaoh to regain his memories to control the Shadow Realm and stop evil from trying to break the barrier between this world and that? Was Yami supposed to then return home and rest in peace once everything was done? Did the High Priest have something else in mind, something so selfish yet so meaningful? Yami would have done well to accept all possibilities, but the last, he was more inclined to.
Perhaps High Priest Set did know about this whole "reincarnation" deal and wanted something a little more than just to help save the world from the Shadow Realm. Perhaps it was personal. Perhaps -- Perhaps Yami should just stop right there because dwelling too much on what little he knew would not get him anywhere or any happier.
He shook his head. Kaiba denied the past. There was no way... Never mind.
"I'm staying at the KCR Hotel. Do you think we can meet over dinner just to prepare for the interview?"
Yami blinked with his cell phone to his ear, nearly out of the museum. "Pardon?"
"I booked an early flight, and something came up so I have to get back to LA as soon as possible," Miyako explained. "I am very hungry, and I thought that things would proceed easier if we went over the basic interview."
"Ah, right. Sure. Where did you want to go?"
"Yamato Chain. Is that alright? How does thirty minutes sound?"
"Make it forty-five."
Yami had to rush home by bus, then shower, dress properly (no leather) and take a taxi to the said up-scale restaurant. He went in and noticed Miyako Sampson even before the waiter could approach him. Yami came over, and she gave him a hug -- Yami awkward all the while.
"It's good to see you. How have you been?" Miyako was actually half-Japanese, slender, with long, dark hair and brown eyes.
Yami smiled. "Well. And you?" They retained this formal acquaintance, as they had met once before a while back when she did an article on him after an old Duel Monsters Championship.
She nodded, opening her menu. "Ah. I could be better," she replied, but Yami could sense her humor.
Yami had only been here once before, and that was for Yugi's birthday last year. Tristan and Otogi had come along as well. The restaurant was a little posh. It had velvet carpeting, small chandeliers that provided soft lighting, and a live orchestra. The walls were blue and gray marble with various paintings hanging, and a small fountain was placed by the entrance door. Yamato's Chain rarely accepted anyone with less than formal wear.
"May I take your orders?" asked a young waiter. Miyako ordered the salmon dinner, and, indifferent, Yami agreed on the same.
"So how's the magazine going?" Yami asked in an attempt to strike up a conversation. Miyako sipped at her water before replying.
"Well. We're afraid that the Duel Monsters hype might die out, though. It's been popular for a while. Maximillion Pegasus isn't reassuring anything."
Yami couldn't help but find that true. "I see."
"That was one of the questions I was going to ask you." She smiled ruefully. "What will the King of Games do when his kingdom is gone? ...Of course, I'm not going to word it like that..."
The man shrugged, suddenly at a loss. "I don't know. I can't imagine myself without it."
How was he to explain that he was a part of 'Duel Monsters' (Shadow Games, really), the game which was based on a real world with real creatures? To everyone else, it was just a card game, but what people didn't realize was that it had so many mysteries yet to be solved that could never "die out."
Miyako smiled genuinely this time, pleased. "I was hoping you'd say that."
"Ah, Yugi?"
Yami turned at the familiar name coming from unfamiliar lips and saw a handsome young man by the door. He was tall with shoulder-length black hair and wearing a white suit over a purple dress shirt. Yami tilted his head, confused, as the young man came closer.
"Don't tell me you don't remember who I am," he said lightly, cobalt eyes twinkling.
Yami's heart nearly stopped either from shock or delight. "Mokuba?" he all but exclaimed. He stood and the taller man engaged him in a tight embrace -- a habit he must have picked up in America.
"It's good to see you, Yami! For a moment, I thought you were Yugi." Laughing, Mokuba released his old friend and looked over at a gaping Miyako. "Oh, hello there."
Miyako stood and bowed hastily. "Ah! I'm so rude! Kaiba-san. It's a pleasure. I'm Miyako Sampson."
Mokuba smiled. "Nice to meet you," he replied politely, but turned to Yami, who was simply gaping up at him. The older man's forehead barely reached his chin, and he laughed, thinking that Yami noticed the difference, too. "Are you just going to stare at me, or can I sit and catch up?"
"Please do!" Miyako said, gesturing to an empty seat. She and Yami were at a table for four, although they expected no one else. It had been the only one available when she made reservations.
Yami couldn't find himself to speak as he sat, still staring at Mokuba, who was giving him a disarming smile. How old was the youngest Kaiba now: 20 -- 21? 'I feel so old... or older than usual, anyway,' he thought. They say that you feel your age when children turn into adults. Yami couldn't disagree.
"How have you been, Yami? Yugi emails me. He says that you work at the museum now. Is that going well for you? We didn't see you at the SX Tournament earlier this summer sponsored by KaibaCorp. Were you busy?" Mokuba paused his jumble of questions when he caught the amused expression on Yami's face. He flushed. "I'm sorry. After all these years, I still rant."
Yami laughed and shook his head. "No, it's alright. At least there's one thing about you that I still remember," he joked. "I'm doing fine. My job at the museum is slow, but demanding and requires perfection, believe it or not. You're taught that there's never a straight answer about history, and so it leaves openings for debates. Just the other day, I was arguing with Professor Tanaka about some Ancient Egyptian rituals. He didn't take my word on some things, you can say."
Mokuba laughed, understanding. He glanced at Miyako, who was silent and just watching the exchange. "I'm sorry. I'm intruding," he said, a little put-out. Miyako shook her head.
"No, please don't feel bad," she said, as if afraid Mokuba might leave. "You're welcome to stay." She turned to Yami across from her. "You never said you knew Kaiba-san."
Yami wanted to defend himself before Mokuba would get the wrong impression. "Well, you never really asked..."
"We go way back," Mokuba explained with pride to the woman. "Other than Nii-san, I looked up to Yami. We always found ourselves in the same situations. I was beginning to think that they were more than a little coincidental."
Yami caught Mokuba's eye, but his brows furrowed when he was met with an undecipherable expression. The moment was gone, however, when Miyako spoke.
"Why didn't you go to the SX Tournament, Yami? A co-worker went to cover that story, and he said that he didn't see you."
Yami was about to give some lame excuse, but a waiter came and delivered both his and Miyako's food. Upon noticing Mokuba, the waiter quickly apologized and hastily asked to take his order. Mokuba ordered medium-rare steak, and the waiter left in a flash. Yami wondered if they even served steak.
"They don't," Mokuba said, smiling, as if he read Yami's, and possibly Miyako's (since she had the same confused expression) minds. "But oh,well." He gave what seemed like an evil chuckle. He had the 'Kaiba-complex' alright, but just had a better sense of humor about it. "You don't have to wait. Go ahead and eat."
After an hour of eating and chit-chat, Miyako excused herself, obviously feeling a little left out and as if she were intruding on some family reunion. She offered to pay for her own meal but Mokuba insisted that he'd take care of it. With that, she set the interview with Yami for the next day at 12pm.
"Would you like a ride?" Mokuba asked. "I can call the limo --"
"I'll be fine, Kaiba-san," Miyako said, bowing. "Take care, and thank you very much. See you tomorrow, Yami."
"Jaa," Yami said as she left. He took a sip of his red wine and licked his lips nervously. Now that Miyako was gone, surely Mokuba would ask him more personal questions. He didn't know how much the young Kaiba knew about anything, but he hoped that whatever he did know wouldn't go there. Besides, he doubted that Kaiba would even mention anything. Yami and his feelings were something that did not --
"Yami? You're awfully quiet."
Yami turned and saw Mokuba giving him a concerned, if not inquisitive, expression. "At a loss for words, I guess," he replied, which wasn't wholly a lie. "So many things to say, naa? It's been years. You've grown so much." 'I can see how you're Kaiba's brother.'
Mokuba flushed. "Err... thanks. I had an awkward time with it, but I guess I turned out alright," he replied modestly. "As for keeping in touch," he bit his lip, as if debating whether or not... "It's my fault," he confessed. "I should have come with Nii-san during his trips back here, but he insisted that I stay. He's been coming back to check on the KC headquarters and all. He came on Tuesday, too." He swirled the wine in his glass guiltily. Yami tried to remain indifferent.
"Ah, I see," he said, but it sounded lame even to him. "Kaiba is a busy man. Don't blame yourself, Mokuba. It's all business --"
"But --!" Mokuba looked at him just to turn away again. "Yeah, you're probably right."
Yami gazed at a couple sitting across from them. "So how was the SX Tournament? You said that KaibaCorp sponsored that?"
Mokuba chuckled. "Only Nii-san could think of such a corny name, so it was obvious." Yami laughed. "He didn't enter though. He said it wouldn't be a challenge unless," he paused, uncertain, "you know..."
"I was there," Yami finished.
"What happened anyway?" he asked, curious and a little impassioned. "I can't figure it out. Yugi-kun keeps saying he doesn't know, but I know he's lying to me. Nii-san just shuts me out whenever I try to ask about his relationship with you (in the platonic sense, of course). It's like your friendship never happened. And he dated this supermodel for two weeks then broke it off when she tried to get too intimate. Sometimes I think that going to America was a bad idea. We set out to help children who are like what we once were, but Seto only seems to be suffering more." He ceased and gave a deep sigh, shaking his head. "I'm sorry. I'm rambling again."
Yami gave a rueful smile. "You worry too much, Mokuba. Try not to read into the deeper meanings of things. They just get more complicated." What he didn't see was why Mokuba had to add in Kaiab's dating dilemma, but he supposed that it stemmed from a greater problem.
"I know. I know. It's just that -- how else will I be able to figure Seto out? He's just as cryptic as the software codes he makes and just as difficult to understand even it's in a language you can read. I remember when I was younger that I missed the Seto at the orphanage. Sometimes, if it were up to me, I'd give up our lives as heirs to Kaiba Corporation so that he can have his childhood back." Mokuba was staring intently at this wine glass and Yami could see his eyes brimming with tears. "God, he's been so difficult in America, even more so than here." He gave a humorless chuckle. "Can you believe that? He's not getting any younger, you know? I can't help but worry... I don't want him to be like Gozaburo."
Yami had known Mokuba's concerns when they were younger. He had seen Mokuba's speeches to Kaiba when the elder was being too much of an arrogant ass or a heartless bastard. Honestly, Yami believed that Kaiba would have turned out to be the same either way because, frankly, that was his High Priest.
"I believe that Kaiba has to do what he must," Yami tried to explain in reassurance. "You know this. As an adult, you understand him more than before, right?" Mokuba nodded numbly. "Give it more time. And he'd never end up like your step-father; remember that. Kaiba is too good of a man to deprave himself like that."
Mokuba cheered up a little at Yami's words and looked up at him with a smile. "A duel has long been overdue, you realize. How about I force a day off on him, and you two get together? To be honest, you were the only one other than me who could get through to him." Yami opened his mouth to speak, but Mokuba gave him a pointed glance. "Don't deny it. If you went, he had to go, too. If you asked for it, he'd give you a hard time but eventually give in."
Yami shook his head, no matter how much he wanted to believe Mokuba's words. "He just has the innate obsession to beat me at something, if not anything, and would jump at every opportunity. Don't confuse that with admiration. It isn't there."
"That's where you're wrong, Yami," the young Kaiba said, suddenly serious. Cobalt eyes gazed into his crimson ones, firmly intent on getting his point across with looks as well. "He admires you more than you think."
The older man looked away, unwilling to let Mokuba read his emotions that might show through his eyes. 'Kaiba' and 'admire' did not being in the same sentence, especially if it was meant to describe how he felt about Yami.
"Come on. I'll take you home," Mokuba said invitingly. Yami nodded and stood. The younger man threw several large bills on the table and pulled out his cell phone to call the limo. Yami looked around and noticed that it was empty but for a group of four at a corner. He glanced at his watch and found that it was ten 'til 10, the closing time for the restaurant. "Yugi told me that Jou-kun proposed to Mai-san last year," Mokuba said when he got off the phone. "When's the wedding?"
"Not sure yet. Probably after Jou graduates," Yami replied as they walked outside. The limo was already there and Yami wondered where it had come from in such a short amount of time. "You don't have to take me home."
"I insist, Yami." The chauffer opened the door and Yami crawled in, Mokuba close behind. They sat across from each other. "To the Kame game shop," Mokuba said to the driver once he got in. "Do you still remember the way?"
"Yessir," the older man replied automatically. Mokuba then rolled the window up and faced Yami.
"I'm so happy for them both," he continued. "I always knew it would be those two."
Yami smiled. "It's going to be interesting to see Jou finally settled down. He has such a wild and carefree spirit. I'd never deemed it possible."
"Same here."
"I've seen Kaiba in popular American magazines...
Mokuba laughed. "Oh those? Yeah, his PR said it might be good, since we were getting so many offers from companies. He honestly hated doing it, but if would advertise KaibaCorp to a different type of audience (in this case, women) he just went through with it. He didn't 'appreciate' how they focused more on his body and money, but those get attention, too. He isn't even... Ah, as for myself, I just wanted to stay out of those kinds of things."
Yami nodded in understanding. Everything was so political to Kaiba. What Mokuba had just said made him feel relieved, however.
The vehicle came to a stop in front of Yami's home after ten minutes. Mokuba looked up at what was once his favorite ministore and gasped.
"Where's the sign? Do you still sell games and stuff?"
Yami found Mokuba's surprise endearing. "No. It's a house now, ever since Sugoroku-san died."
"Ah, right. I'm sorry about that. We should've gone..."
"Don't worry about it." Yami got out and turned back to Mokuba. "Thank you for dinner. It was nice seeing you again, Mokuba."
"Wait, are you busy on Saturday after your interview? I promised you a duel with Nii-san."
Yami shrugged. "I'm free, but if he's too busy, I wouldn't care otherwise." Then why was his heart racing?
Mokuba grinned. "You won't be disappointed. Good night, Yami."
"Good night." The door closed and the limo took off into the night. Yami stared after it a moment longer before turning in. He couldn't help but wonder if Kaiba thought about dueling him as much as he had.
Ack. super long. Please review if you liked it!