Chapter 2

Bakura and Kiara quickly became very good friends. Within a few days it became expected that if one was around the other was not far away. The duo never came out and made their relationship public but they were considered by many to be Domino's newest couple. It made sense in the eyes of their peers.

Over the next few weeks, Kiara and Kaiba had several more confrontations but they generally avoided each other. Their occasional arguments were usually very loud, very sardonic, and very public. They drove each other crazy; but in far different ways than each one might have thought.

/

Seto Kaiba was standing in his personal office looking out of the window out onto his front lawn.

"I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT!" he exclaimed violently. "I hate the girl but I can't stop thinking about her! WHY?"

Roland, Kaiba's long-time personal assistant, was in the room with him answered so softly that Kaiba had to focus his entire attention on his voice, "Do you really want to know the answer to that, sir?"

"No," the word accidentally fell out. "I need some air," he turned toward his companion, "I'll be at the park; postpone all my calls."

/

In another part of the city, Tea was getting frustrated. "K-chan! Why don't we try that again with a little more enthusiasm!" she said.

"What? I already told you I didn't want to play!" Kiara said chuckling good naturedly. "Do you want me to be happy about being blackmailed?"

"I never blackmailed you!"

Bakura gave a big grin and said in a very bad imitation of Tea, "Duel with me or I'll cry!"

"Ok, maybe I did blackmail you a little bit but I don't understand how you don't like dueling!" She said as she gave Bakura a gentle push on the shoulder.

"I just don't see the appeal. I'm really sorry!"

"All right. All right. I understand. I'll leave you alone!" She said throwing her hands in the air. "Let's see what else is there to do? Hmm. Oh, I know! Heard any good gossip lately?" Kiara giggled as Bakura rolled his eyes, stood up, and went into Kiara's kitchen.

"Not really, you?" Kiara answered.

Tea sighed, "The rumor pool has been rather dry…all I can think of right now is that Kaiba's been extra snappish lately, but it's not like anyone really cares about that!" She didn't notice the uncomfortable shift that Kiara made.

"Well…" she took a deep breath. "I'm sure he has a lot on his mind; him being a CEO and what-not."

"What's this? You're defending him? I thought you hated Kaiba!"

"I don't hate him…I just extremely dislike being around him. He makes me feel cold, alone, and angry inside, and that's before he starts talking."

"Sure could have fooled me," Tea said with a disbelieving look on her face.

Kiara quickly adjusted her demeanor and laughed. "Let's not talk about depressing matters. Where's Yugi-san and the others?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," Tea answered. "They're probably studying for the big Physics test on Friday…much like I should be!" She laughed and stood up, "I'd better get to it. See you guys!"

After she left, Bakura came out of the kitchen. "I should probably get going too," he said hurriedly.

"Actually Bakura-kun, can you stay a while longer? I wanted to talk to you…" Kiara's voice trailed off.

"Can't it wait?" He voice pleaded with her.

"Not really," she whispered.

"I guess we should take a walk then, huh?" a slightly defeated looking Bakura said as he held Kiara's front door open for her.

Neither one wanted to start the conversation so they walked in silence for several minutes. Kiara trying to find the words and Bakura hoping she would fail.

"I like you, Bakura-kun," she blurted out suddenly.

He stopped and waited for her to continue. He knew she would.

She also stopped a few paces ahead of him and looked at the park swings in front of her. She took a deep breath and let the words tumble onward. "But I don't think…this is best for me. Maybe even for us."

"This? What's 'this?'"

Kiara turned around and looked at him, "You'll always be my closest friend but I can't see you that way, you know, like a boyfriend."

"Someone…else?"

"You could say tha--"

"Kaiba-sama?" Bakura interrupted with his eyes closed.

"I didn't realize I was so obvious."

"Don't worry. I'm good at noticing things like that," he sub-consciously fingered the small sphere around his neck that the pharaoh had banished his dark side into.

"I know I probably won't get a chance with him…but I can't do that to you. Not when you mean so much to me, Bakura-kun," Kiara said tearing up. She walked over to him, grabbed his hands, and looked deep into his eyes. "If you think I'm making a mistake, please tell me!"

He leaned forward and kissed her and put all his feelings into it--fifty, maybe sixty years worth. "If you find out you made a mistake…please tell me," he said quietly. "I'd better get going. See you tomorrow, K-chan." Bakura walked away, leaving her alone.

Kiara listlessly walked into the Park. She wanted to go to sleep and forget this whole deal for a little while but she also did not want to go home. She stood on top of the sand hill and looked out at the darkening sky and the rustling tops of the trees. It looked like rain. She jumped when she heard her name called out from behind her.

Her friends minus Bakura were jogging towards her. "Kiara-chan!" Tea exclaimed again. "What are you doing out here by yourself?!" she asked when the group stopped in front of Kiara, a little out of breath.

"Thinking. I thought you guys were studying," Kiara said looking around at them.

"Well, I was on my home when I spied these procrastinators hanging out at our burger place having the grandest time. I gave them a good lecture on good study habits when I realized I forgot my cards at your house. So I went back and they followed me. When we found out that you weren't home, we went looking for you. Then we found you here!" Tea said.

"You know, Tea-chan, a simple 'I forgot my deck' would have worked just fine for me," Kiara said, smiling. The guys laughed as Tea gave them the evil eye.

"Oh, don't look now, guys. Captain Cheerful is here to save the day," Joey said with a sarcasm saturated voice.

Sure enough, Seto Kaiba appeared around the corner. He was looking at the ground and his hands were stuffed into his pockets. He looked quite a bit different than his usual 'holier-than-thou' air. Kiara almost felt sorry for him but that feeling didn't have to last too long.

"What are you doing here?" Kaiba exclaimed with anger in his voice. His body immediately resumed it's almighty posture. He was back to his old self.

"It's a public park, Kaiba! Or do you own it now?" Kiara stepped towards him meeting his gaze. Inside, her emotions swirled, almost making her sick to her stomach. Was she really breaking Bakura's heart for this asshole?

A similar battle was going on in Kaiba's mind. He had to bite his tongue to keep from saying the words that had floated so innocently to his mouth. 'I'd buy it for you.' That could be taken too many ways and he was not about to open that can of worms. Instead, he settled with a brusque, "No, but I thought maybe you losers had test you had to study for, or something."

"Oh, very mature, Seto Kaiba. Name-calling. You've got yourself a real winning CEO attitude, there!" she punched the air to punctuate her sentence.

"I don't have to play nice to run my company efficiently," he said with a smirk. After a quick pause Kaiba seized the opportunity he had been looking for. "Listen, I think I know how to settle all our problems."

"You're moving to Tahiti?" She said looking a tad hopeful. That would certainly clear up her problems.

"No, Greene, I challenge you to a duel. Winner gets whatever they want from the other person."