Disclaimer: This is my first really serious Yu-Gi-Oh Fanfic. I won't do any
smiley's because, in my opinion, this fic is way too issue-oriented. In
case you didn't read the overview, this is a story about Seto's last day in
high-school. It also will include different perspectives in later chapters.
Basically, it's about Seto's coping problems and his lost childhood, thus
the title. Well, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, or Seto Kaiba, but if I did I would
keep him on a leash.
Lost Innocence
Seto sighed deeply as he let the warm water travel through his hair. He closed his eyes, running one hand slowly through the brown mass, leaning against the wall of the shower. Yes, this was a day to be remembered. A day when he officially came of age... A day of leaving the past behind and looking towards his future. It was time for Seto Kaiba to graduate from high-school. Of course, Seto had been selected valedictorian. He might have shot someone if he hadn't, for he knew that nobody in his class had even a third of the intelligence he had. Slowly, he opened his pale blue eyes, looking up at the streams of water. It was almost nostalgic to see the water running through his hands; like grains of sand out of an hourglass. Shaking his head, he cleared his thoughts and got out of the shower, wrapping a large white towel around his waist. He put on his school uniform; it was the last time he'd have to wear the ugly piece of blue fabric; this sad excuse for a private school uniform. Of course, Seto could have changed the dress code easily enough if he had really wanted to. Then again, there was something about blue... Seto finally finished dressing, buttoning the last golden clasp on the shirt. Straightening up, he looked at himself in the mirror. He was the same person... Nothing really had changed. Same brown hair, same blue eyes... same really pissed off look that took so long to perfect. Yes, this was him. The president of a multi-million dollar company with a really pissed off look on his face. He snickered. What a way for his classmates to remember him. Upon going downstairs, he was immediately hugged, or in his opinion, attacked by his little brother, Mokuba. "Congratulations, Seto!", Mokuba cried, looking up at his big brother in wondrous admiration. Seto smiled an odd half smile and ran his hand lovingly through Mokuba's hair. Nodding a word of thanks, Seto continued his morning rituals. It wasn't until halfway through his french toast that he realized something. He would never be able to feel this way again. There would never be another student to pick on him at school. There would never be another teacher to look up at him and tell him what a genius he was. There would never be another chance to take on Yugi, his archenemy. Seto had grown up, and although he was far more mature than his classmates, he wasn't ready. The real world was hard, yes, but Seto had been dealing with it for so many years... Always on top of some project, whether it be for work or for school. Always having something to do. But now, it really was the real world. There was no escape anymore. He could no longer tell his co-workers that he needed to stay home to finish homework. He could no longer be a child. "Leave me.", he said quietly. His servants quickly filed out of the room, closing the door behind them. Seto stared at his half-eaten french toast for a minute or two, then slowly put his head down on the table and began to sob. Where had his childhood gone? Why wasn't he allowed to do the normal things that teenagers were supposed to have done? Did he do something wrong? Was this his punishment? As the tears rolled down his cheeks, pooling in small rivulets on the table, Seto began to wonder if he was really ready. Sure, he was smart, brilliant, dashing, handsome, and quite modest... but was he ready? Even if he wasn't, there was nothing that could be done now. He was alone in this trial, and he had no other choice but to go through with it. He stood up, knocking over his chair. Wiping the sweat and tears from his face, he checked himself in the mirror. Multi-millionaires do not cry. Putting on a fake smile, he opened the double pine-wood doors and walked out; the perfect image of a high-school student about to graduate from his hell. His servants bowed as he walked, many of them wishing him well and whispering words of admiration. At the end of this line of people was his little brother. Seto looked at Mokuba for a few seconds. This was the person who he cared about the most; the person who had stuck with him through it all. His only family. Bending down, Seto gave him a large hug. Mokuba, startled by the random show of affection, didn't know whether to hug back or not. But when Seto did not let go, Mokuba began to hug back, holding Seto close; holding his big brother close. Finally, after a few minutes, Seto released his brother. Mokuba looked up at him, worried that something was wrong. Seto smiled reassuringly. "...Be sure to come to graduation tonight, Mokuba. I will see you there. Have a good day at school....Goodbye, Mokuba.", Seto said softly. With that, he walked out of the door, closing it behind him. Mokuba stared after him, almost sure that something was wrong. While most of the servants returned to their work, one stayed behind. The servant was startled to see Mokuba's shoulders shaking... startled to hear him sobbing softly. "W-What's wrong, Master Mokuba?", asked the servant nervously. Mokuba turned to him, tears running down his face, his eyes wide with concern. Wiping his nose on his sleeve and sniffling, Mokuba replied quietly. "S-Seto... He sounds like... like he won't be coming back...", Mokuba whispered.
Lost Innocence
Seto sighed deeply as he let the warm water travel through his hair. He closed his eyes, running one hand slowly through the brown mass, leaning against the wall of the shower. Yes, this was a day to be remembered. A day when he officially came of age... A day of leaving the past behind and looking towards his future. It was time for Seto Kaiba to graduate from high-school. Of course, Seto had been selected valedictorian. He might have shot someone if he hadn't, for he knew that nobody in his class had even a third of the intelligence he had. Slowly, he opened his pale blue eyes, looking up at the streams of water. It was almost nostalgic to see the water running through his hands; like grains of sand out of an hourglass. Shaking his head, he cleared his thoughts and got out of the shower, wrapping a large white towel around his waist. He put on his school uniform; it was the last time he'd have to wear the ugly piece of blue fabric; this sad excuse for a private school uniform. Of course, Seto could have changed the dress code easily enough if he had really wanted to. Then again, there was something about blue... Seto finally finished dressing, buttoning the last golden clasp on the shirt. Straightening up, he looked at himself in the mirror. He was the same person... Nothing really had changed. Same brown hair, same blue eyes... same really pissed off look that took so long to perfect. Yes, this was him. The president of a multi-million dollar company with a really pissed off look on his face. He snickered. What a way for his classmates to remember him. Upon going downstairs, he was immediately hugged, or in his opinion, attacked by his little brother, Mokuba. "Congratulations, Seto!", Mokuba cried, looking up at his big brother in wondrous admiration. Seto smiled an odd half smile and ran his hand lovingly through Mokuba's hair. Nodding a word of thanks, Seto continued his morning rituals. It wasn't until halfway through his french toast that he realized something. He would never be able to feel this way again. There would never be another student to pick on him at school. There would never be another teacher to look up at him and tell him what a genius he was. There would never be another chance to take on Yugi, his archenemy. Seto had grown up, and although he was far more mature than his classmates, he wasn't ready. The real world was hard, yes, but Seto had been dealing with it for so many years... Always on top of some project, whether it be for work or for school. Always having something to do. But now, it really was the real world. There was no escape anymore. He could no longer tell his co-workers that he needed to stay home to finish homework. He could no longer be a child. "Leave me.", he said quietly. His servants quickly filed out of the room, closing the door behind them. Seto stared at his half-eaten french toast for a minute or two, then slowly put his head down on the table and began to sob. Where had his childhood gone? Why wasn't he allowed to do the normal things that teenagers were supposed to have done? Did he do something wrong? Was this his punishment? As the tears rolled down his cheeks, pooling in small rivulets on the table, Seto began to wonder if he was really ready. Sure, he was smart, brilliant, dashing, handsome, and quite modest... but was he ready? Even if he wasn't, there was nothing that could be done now. He was alone in this trial, and he had no other choice but to go through with it. He stood up, knocking over his chair. Wiping the sweat and tears from his face, he checked himself in the mirror. Multi-millionaires do not cry. Putting on a fake smile, he opened the double pine-wood doors and walked out; the perfect image of a high-school student about to graduate from his hell. His servants bowed as he walked, many of them wishing him well and whispering words of admiration. At the end of this line of people was his little brother. Seto looked at Mokuba for a few seconds. This was the person who he cared about the most; the person who had stuck with him through it all. His only family. Bending down, Seto gave him a large hug. Mokuba, startled by the random show of affection, didn't know whether to hug back or not. But when Seto did not let go, Mokuba began to hug back, holding Seto close; holding his big brother close. Finally, after a few minutes, Seto released his brother. Mokuba looked up at him, worried that something was wrong. Seto smiled reassuringly. "...Be sure to come to graduation tonight, Mokuba. I will see you there. Have a good day at school....Goodbye, Mokuba.", Seto said softly. With that, he walked out of the door, closing it behind him. Mokuba stared after him, almost sure that something was wrong. While most of the servants returned to their work, one stayed behind. The servant was startled to see Mokuba's shoulders shaking... startled to hear him sobbing softly. "W-What's wrong, Master Mokuba?", asked the servant nervously. Mokuba turned to him, tears running down his face, his eyes wide with concern. Wiping his nose on his sleeve and sniffling, Mokuba replied quietly. "S-Seto... He sounds like... like he won't be coming back...", Mokuba whispered.