Summary: Yuuya's overwhelmed with challenges now that he's a professional duelist. Too bad he doesn't have an agent with more teeth.

"Yuuya-kun! You have a new appointme—"

"No!"

The strength behind that one word had Nico Smiley gaping at his client, unsure what to do or say next. But there was no such dilemma for their visitor.

"…I beg your pardon?" Akaba Reiji ventured.

"No," Yuuya repeated, "absolutely not, no, nuh-uh. I'm booked solid. I can't take on anyone else. I won't."

His schedule was full of duels, no thanks to his own efforts and Nico Smiley's eagerness to accept any challenges on his behalf. For the next two weeks he had duels with Sawatari, duels with Dennis, duels with Kachidoki, more duels with Sawatari…

Yuuya had rehired Nico to help him handle all the challenges he was getting from his rivals in the Youth League these last few months, but instead the overzealous man had watched them balloon exponentially with nothing but cackles. Yuuya was exhausted—and yet, he couldn't bring himself to turn any of the guys down.

Until today. Reiji was just out of luck—he didn't have the energy to go toe-to-toe with Maiami's best duelist anytime soon.

The young president's brow furrowed; from his tone, he didn't sound ready to accept the clarification. "You're… booked?"

"Aa, you're not the only person who wants to duel me. I have eight happening over the next couple of weeks and—"

"Hmm. Let me see."

"Ah–-!" Nico protested. "Akaba-sama, that is not yours to look at!"

But Reiji was already holding up the holo-screen with Yuuya's prison sentence on it, tuning out any dissenting voices. His frown… deepened as he examined the names and faces.

"Surely you are not ranking me below Sawatari Shingo in terms of duel prowess," he said coolly.

Yuuya rolled his eyes. "No, but I'm ranking you below him in terms of challenging me to a duel in a timely manner. Couldn't you have sent one of your…people down here to schedule this at the start of the tournament?"

"I'd hardly be so disrespectful as to send an intermediary to someone I consider a rival."

"Reiji, we've only dueled three times in two years."

"There was a war going on," the CEO rejoined. "Now there is not. Pencil me in for Monday at eight."

That last part was directed toward Nico Smiley, who dutifully reached for the holo-screen again, but Yuuya sputtered.

"Wh-what part of booked solid—"

He broke off at the pointed stare Reiji leveled at him, one fraught with disappointment and… a bit of mischief?

What is he thinking?

"When we duel on Monday," Reiji eventually said, "I will push you further than Kachidoki Isao ever dared. I will perform Pendulum Xyz summons at a level Dennis Mackfield has yet to reach. And I will not need Action Traps or new cards to beat you as Sawatari Shingo will. Do you still want to override me on this, Yuuya?"

Nico's head pinballed between them, stopping for a heartbeat on his charge. Maybe he could tell how tempting the offer was, how alluring every duel with his old comrades sounded, but especially a duel with the one usually so far out of reach, who still frustrated and fascinated him in turns.

For his part, Yuuya finally pillowed his head in his own arms and made a dying whale noise. And once he ran out of air to voice his fatigue and half-irritation he mumbled "Fine," making the other boy offer a satisfied smirk.

"Excellent. I look forward to our appointment. Rest well—you'll need it."

Stupid CEOs, used to always getting what they want, Yuuya thought, giving Reiji the finger. But he was already gone by the time his hand was up, judging by the lack of reaction, so he was forced to turn back to a gawking Nico.

"Uh, how much coffee can I safely drink to stay awake for two weeks…?"

Sawatari's holo-screen rang right in the middle of a duel with Dennis that he was not losing, thank you very much, so he had plenty of time to yell for a pause and answer the call.

"Sawatari-san speaking~… A-Akaba? To what do I owe the—you WHAT? You scheduled over my duel with—how could you—Yuuya-kun and I—stop laughing, Dennis! Akaba, just because your family has more money than—my dad runs this town—don't you dare hang up, we are having a discussion! A—a renegotiation! A—hello!?"