Chapter 2 - Puff the Magic Dragon

Whenever you see an 'r' when there is supposed to be an 'l' for Seiji, know that this is on purpose. This is an attempt to imitate a Japanese accent of English.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh nor ever will. If I did, I would deem YGO the Abridged series as the official YGO series. Why? B/c it's so super-special awesome! (All credit goes to Little Kuriboh.) However, I do own this story and will not appreciate it if another very similar story pops up on this or any other website. I also don't own "Puff the Magic Dragon," which belongs to some record company.

Thanks to all who have reviewed and encouraged me to go further with this story. If not for your support, this story wouldn't have continued.

"Aahhh!" Laura placed a spoon that was full of baby food to the mouth to her one-year-old son. Seto pushed his face away from the spoon. "Come on. Yummy. Yum-my!" Turning his face to the right side, he continued to resist the spoon of banana mush.

"Plane. Look. Plane." She twirled the spoon in the airplane motion towards the infant in attempts to get the child to eat, but the son continued to resist the spoon.

"Hmm. Not hungry, huh?" Laura frowned, as she put down the spoon and looked at Seto in mock disapproval. Seto's blue eyes blinked back at her; then, he raised his hands towards her. Laura grinned and removed him from the baby chair. As she he picked him, he held onto her tightly. He placed his head on her shoulder, clasping onto her yellow cotton shirt.

"Not eating, is he?" Seiji asked as he glanced from an article on stocks that he had finished reading. Seiji had been sitting by them at the wooden kitchen table and reading a newspaper. It was a Saturday afternoon, and they gathered to eat lunch in their tiny kitchen of their small apartment.

"Yes, he's being terribly fussy. I was talking to Mom, and she says it's normal." She looked at Seto as he babbled. "He's so small for his age. He hasn't even spoken yet."

"Don't worry about it. With the number of tarr people in your famiry, I'm sure he won't grow into a runt," Seiji teased, amused at his wife's worry. She tended to exaggerate on everything. "And the doctor says it's normar for kids to not say their first word yet. He's only one."

"Hmm, you know nothing about a mother's worry," Laura mocked playfully. "Useless and ignorant daddy. Right, Seto?" Seiji rolled his eyes as he continued to read his newspaper. "I'm going to sing a song. Shall I sing?"

"Ababa," Seto answered.

"Puff the magic dragon lived by the sea!" Laura started (1). Seiji gave her a look of disapproval.

"What?" Laura smirked. "I'm singing about dragons. Can't I sing a song about fantasy?"

"Dragons are fine. Ruining my child's innocence is not," Seiji retorted.

"Hmm, well, I think you need to stop being such a stiff. Besides, Seto likes it, doesn't he?" She twirled Seto around while he cooed in excitement.

Seiji smiled as he watched Laura play with Seto. Laura made silly faces that caused Seto to coo more. Laura was not the type of girl that Seiji thought he would marry. He always thought he would marry a gentle petite Japanese girl, like his mother wanted, instead of the impulsive American girl that Laura was.

Laura was his perfect other half. She understood his reticence, his work, and his dreams; she loved him, supported him, and, when the occasion arose, argued with him. She had that magical ability to make others love to be around her. When people were around her, they felt a million times better about themselves and the world. She had that allusive ability to talk to people and relate to them in a way that Seiji never could. Sure, she had her moments when she was too impulsive, but that was what he also loved about her. She was able to act on her emotions and didn't let life go.

Laura was highly desired in college. Aside from her stunning features, she was one of the few women in the engineering department at M.I.T. She stood out among the many people, not fitting the usual stereotype for a typical engineering student: the unattractive male nerd with zero social skills. Many people were attracted to Laura, Seiji, being one of them. Laura was usually nice to everyone, so it was no surprise that Laura was kind to him. Maybe he would have some chance with her, as they were friends and studied together often. However, Seiji had to face reality.

"Man, you have no chance with her," his roommate informed him.

"But we're friends..." Seiji started.

His roommate shook his head. "I'm sorry, Seiji. You're a good guy and all, but you really don't. She's way out of your league. I mean, you're a kind of good-looking when you try a bit, but have you seen her? Plus, you're freaking Japanese. I heard she won't go out with guys that aren't white."

Seiji looked downcast. He had heard that she refused a black football player, but he had assumed that she just didn't like him. Could it be possible that she didn't like that guy because of his race? No, Laura wasn't like that, Seiji thought. Was she?

...

Laura and Seiji sat onto a bed covered with blue comforter at Laura's college dorm room. Seiji glanced at his surroundings. Her side of the walls were covered with posters of football paraphernalia, contrasting the pictures of half-naked male models that covered her roommate's side. A nearby desk was strewn with sports magazine and a messy stack of textbooks. By a cabinet that was adjacent to the bed, a jewelery holder with several accessories, a lipstick, and an alarm clock were placed.

It was their second semester of freshman year, and Seiji had only been to her room once. As he held onto a three-ring notebook, she leaned towards him. Seiji could hear her breathing as she glanced over his shoulder to read the notebook.

She moved away in disgust and frustration. "Ugh. I don't get this concept for physics. I mean, Faraday's Law (2)? What the hell?"

"Don't worry about it," Seiji said. "I teach you. It's very easy."

"Since you're here, I suppose that I'll have a chance on this exam," she smiled slyly. Seiji grinned wistfully, loving everything about her. Honestly, he was thrilled that she asked him to tutor her. They were good friends since their first meeting, but, as Laura was an extremely popular person, they usually spent time with each other amidst other friends. Once in awhile, they would head to the dining hall together, have a coffee, or study together. These were few moments that he had alone with Laura.

"Seiji, do you—" Laura started, but the phone rang at that precise moment. Grabbing her phone receiver, she answered impatiently. "Yes? Oh, David? Hi, how's everything going?"

David? Wasn't that Laura's handsome friend in the medical school department? Seiji shifted uncomfortably as he continued to stare at his notes.

"Now? I'm kind of busy now. I'm studying for my physics exam." She laughed as she played with the telephone cord, while Seiji continued to read the first line. "No. I don't need tuition. I have someone teaching me now." Seiji tried to read the words on the notebook, though none of it made any sense. "Yes, I'm fine. Let's hang out later, okay? Then, you can tell me about that totally awesome party that I'm missing." After saying her byes, Laura placed the receiver onto the base and sighed. "Sorry about that. We should go back to what we're studying, right?"

Seiji nodded. He pointed a few problems to her and told her to look them over. Taking the notebook, she started to scribble down a few notes. Seiji looked down at her, wanting nothing more than to kiss her and tell her that he loved her. He loved her big beautiful blue eyes and the way they expressed every emotion that she felt. He loved her long, loose brown hair that flowed near her waist. He loved her warm and confident nature, freely giving others kindness without restriction to who they were. Seiji had been contemplating on the many ways that he could tell her about his feelings, thinking of the several golden opportunities with him. This was an opportunity. He had planned it out, written it down, and come with several scenarios on how he could tell her. None of them seemed appropriate though.

Laura returned him the problems that she had finished. As he scanned the papers, she glanced at him curiously. "Hmm. You keep forgetting to divide this part of the equation." He pointed to the formula on her notebook. "Just don't rush with it, and you get it."

"I see," she glanced at the notebook page. The brunette laughed as she leaned slightly towards him. "I don't know what the hell I'd be doing without you, Seiji. You make things so clear." Seiji blushed. She simply meant about physics, Seiji scolded himself. Don't think too much of it.

"Umm," Seiji answered after a moment, "you're easy to teach. I, um, I, uh, guess, that's that." He looked at her eyes, yearning to say more. He wanted to say more, but their friendship was something that he prized so much. He would rather be in her life as a friend than not at all.

Laura suddenly kissed Seiji. It shocked him beyond belief. His hands lay on the bed, not moving from the bed, staying still. He felt utterly paralyzed as her full lips pressed onto his. Her soft full lips. They tasted of the cherry lip gloss that she always used. After a few moments, she pulled apart from him.

He gawked at her, not knowing how to react.

"I like you. Okay, that's a lie. I love you. I realize that it's stupid what I just did, but I felt like I was bursting. Please. I don't want anything to be awkward between us." She ran her hands through her brown hair nervously while exclaiming, "Oh, holy crap! What the hell have I just done? This was not how it was supposed to be!"

Seiji blinked. After taking a few moments to register exactly what had happened, he started to chuckle.

Laura glared at him, looking extremely offended. "Are you kidding me? I'm giving you my heart's deepest feelings, and this is how you treat them, you jerk?"

Seiji stopped laughing and grinned at the angry brunette. "Do you know that I've been in rove with you since the day I met you?" Laura's cheeks flushed. "I'm so absolutely in rove with you and haven't had the courage to tell you." He grabbed her porcelain white hands affectionately and held them in his. "Daisuki da yo. (3)" He leaned for a kiss, and she obliged. In this time his mouth actually parted.

As he separated from her, she grinned giddily. "I suppose it's not everyday that a white girl gets told she's loved in Japanese," Laura replied as she stroked a finger onto his right yellow-toned hand. "That is what you said?" He nodded, feeling a pleasant, almost electric, sensation from her touch. "I'm so glad that I got my roommate to go over her friend's tonight."

"Well, I guess you needed to study after all," Seiji replied.

"I have something else to confess," Laura added mischievously. He quizzically eyed her, confused on what she could mean. "I lied. Again," Laura confessed as she grinned sheepishly. "I already understood Faraday's Law. I just wanted to spend time with you. I just couldn't think of any other way to get you over with the exam being so soon."

Seiji grinned. "I berieve I can forgive you just fine."

"Hello? Is someone in here?" Laura waved her left hand in front of Seiji while holding Seto with her right arm. "You zoned out. Where did you go?"

"Just thinking." Laura mouthed weirdo teasingly. "Let me hold Seto for a bit." Seiji grabbed Seto and placed him on his lap. The infant held tightly onto his polo shirt.

"You seem distracted lately. Is something wrong?"

"No, just stress from work." Seiji worked for a huge construction firm that built a lot of structures for other companies. It had been two years since he had joined the company. The pay was not excellent, but it offered career opportunity.

"What's the new project?" Laura asked as she sat down into a black folding chair next to him.

"We're working with a Japanese company on building their new headquarters in America," Seiji answered quietly.

Laura understood his lack of comfort with this. It had been three years since Seiji had talked to his family. When Seiji brought Laura to Japan, it had been nothing short of World War III with the Nakamuras. To his conservative and traditional family, Laura was the good-for-nothing American whore who seduced their precious and honorable son. She could still remember that scene vividly.

"Otosan, okasan, this is the woman that I want to marry. Please bless us," Seiji stated in Japanese as he and Laura bowed in respect (1).

Seiji's father's eyes narrowed. Seiji, expecting some response, looked up. For a minute, the father stated nothing. Then, he quietly asked in dangerous tone, "What did you say?"

"I want to marry Laura and make her a part of our family. Please bless us." He bowed down again.

Seiji's father stared at him for a moment. His mother started to cry at his words. Suddenly, his father grabbed his son's head, gripping onto a fistful of black hair towards him. He started to strike the man, beating his son ferociously with his right hand. She understood very little Japanese, but she understood the gist of his father-in-law's words. "GET OUT! GET OUT! TAKE YOU AND YOUR STUPID AMERICAN DOG GIRLFRIEND AND GET OUT OF HERE!" He continued to beat the young man furiously as his mother wailed hysterically. Laura rose in shock. "GET OUT OF HERE! I HAVE NO SON! I DID NOT RAISE MY SON TO DISHONOR ME OR THIS FAMILY! I DID NOT RAISE A USELESS MONGREL LIKE YOU!" With one final smack on his face, Seiji fell down. His hair was mussed, and there was a red mark on his face from the slap.

Laura hurried towards him with tears in her eyes. She had to something, but Seiji motioned for her to stop. As he looked up at his father, his eyes teared. His father looked away in disgust and walked away. Turning to his mother, he gazed at her pleadingly. "Please, okasan. I love her. Please."

"As far as I'm concerned," the woman sobbed, "my son is dead." She looked away, leaving her fallen son on the tatami matted floor.

Not one phone call. Not one letter. Seiji had attempted all form of communication, but nothing worked. The letters were never answered. The phone calls were never reached. When he even sent a picture of his newborn son, there was no response. It was not something that they ever talked about. The hurt was too strong.

"We have a very cute son, don't we?" Laura asked, trying to change her thoughts.

"Yes, we do," Seiji answered. Seto continued to gurgle. "Seto-akachan," Seiji stated as he threw him up in the air and caught him. Seto sounded a glee of delight (5).

"Dada."

"WHAT? Did he just say what I think he said?" Laura exclaimed.

"Dada," Seto repeated, looking at Seiji with a smile in his face. Seiji laughed ecstatically.

"I can't believe this," Laura cried furiously. "I'm his mother. I've been the one who's been more concerned about this. Seto," she told seriously, "say 'Mama.' Ma-ma."

"Dada." Looking at his frustrated mother with utter innocence, Seto smiled.

(1) Puff the Magic Dragon is a song that was sung by Peter, Paul, and Mary. The group states that the song about loosing childhood innocence, but there are many interpretations that it is about smoking marijuana. Seiji sees this interpretation, knowing how mischievous Laura can be. Obviously, she is aware of this interpretation. Yup, Seiji is a stiff, very much like a certain son of his. No, he will not be a nice version of Kaiba, but they do share some qualities.

(2) Faraday's Law—physics law that summarizes the ways that voltage can be generated. There's an equation for this, but you guys can look this online if you're actually interested.

(3) Daisuki da yo (Day-suki da yo)—the boy's way of saying "I really, really like you" or "I love you."

(4) Otosan-father in Japanese

Okasan-mother in Japanese

(5) Akachan-baby in Japanese