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Chapter 4


A light cloud of jasmine drizzled over the garden, and Yuugi couldn't decide if it was coming from the Sakura trees lining the large area like a fence, or if it was from the dozens of flowers that sprouted from the ground in bunches. Regardless of its origin, the scented perfume was enough to send his mind buzzing, as if he was on his very own high. Above him, birds chirped from their nests in the tree branches, and the setting sun cast a light glow that made Yuugi's shadow stretch so that it stood taller than himself. Some students sat cross-legged under trees, talking, laughing, and some even writing their poems, inspired by the beauty surrounding them. Some of them were laying down on the edge of the large, cupid-shaped fountain in the middle of the garden, water shooting out of the arrow in the statue's hand and falling into a circular pool below. Against the sun, the water shimmered like a thousand blue jewels.

Yuugi shuffled his feet, looking down at the pink petals that littered the grass around him, having fallen from the trees above. He returned his gaze to Honda, a wide smile adorning his features as he continued to listen to the brunet complain about Jou's prolonged absence. Yuugi wasn't as concerned, since most likely Jou was off getting another plate of chips that Yami had brought along for the trip. And while Yuugi had finished snacking long ago, Jou had not ceased his sudden disappearances.

"Man, this place is beautiful!" Honda whistled appreciatively, taking another sip of his water. "You think Mr. Atemu will let us come here more often?"

Yuugi shrugged. "If we're lucky."

"What 'bout bein' lucky?" Jou asked, appearing next to Honda.

Yuugi took note of Jou's empty hands. "Where were you? I thought you were going to get more food."

"I was but then me and Yams started talkin'," Jou answered. "Man, do you know that he's traveled to more states than I can count!? He said he wants to get his masters degree, too."

Yuugi raised a curious eyebrow. "In education?"

"Eh, I think so." Jou grinned, his eyes darkening with mischief. "Why so interested?"

Yuugi scowled. "I was just curious."

"Uh huh."

"Jou!"

"What?" He smiled innocently.

Yuugi rolled his eyes, turning away from the two to scan the scattered group of people around him, his eyes looking for one person in particular. He shuddered when a cool breeze brushed past him, massaging his skin with its cold touch. Out of habit, he crossed his arms over his stomach and rubbed his biceps with his hands; a movement that did not go unnoticed by Jou.

"Hey, you cold, Yuug?"

Yuugi looked back at Jou, and shook his head. "Oh no. I'm fine."

"Ya sure?" Jou asked, not entirely convinced.

Yuugi offered him a small smile in return for his concern. "Really, I'm fine."

"Okay," Jou relented, eying Yuugi's short-sleeved, white shirt for a second longer. He turned to Honda. "Wanna grab some more chips?"

Honda nodded, and two dashed off. Yuugi stayed where he was, his eyes watching the sky light up in a brilliant shade of gold. He wasn't expecting the soft warmth—soft like Yami's eyes and warm like his smile—that enveloped his body, spreading pleasant sensations down his arms and over his chest. He looked to the side of him, his eyes locking onto Yami's amused gaze. He noticed how the scarlet rubies shined even more in the glow of the setting sun.

"Are you always so stubborn?" Yami teased. He was now only dressed in a pair of dark slacks and a simple, black, sleeveless shirt, his arms completely exposed.

Yuugi raised his hands and pulled the jacket that Yami had wrapped around him closer, welcoming the added warmth. Yuugi smiled up at the other. "Thank you."

Yami returned to smile and waved him off. "So," he said. "Are you having a good time?"

"I am." Yuugi glanced around. "And by the looks of it, so is everybody else."

Yami nodded, gesturing towards Jou and Honda, who both loomed over the few bags of chips that he had thought to bring. "Apparently so."

Yuugi sighed, a quiet giggle escaping his lips. Without acknowledging it, he sidled closer to Yami, the other's body heat drawing him in to the point where he longed to be wrapped in the crook of Yami's arms.

From his spot, Yami watched him steadily. There they remained side by side, and out of the corner of his eye, Yuugi shot Yami a fleeting glance, before lifting his gaze up to the sky. Subconsciously, he inhaled deeply, breathing in the scents around him. He looked at Yami again, and smiled when he realized that he still had the other's attention.

"Pretty, isn't it?" Yuugi said, motioning with a jerk of his head to the sunset in front of them.

Yami glanced at the sky that held what was supposed to be the most beautiful sight in the world. Then he looked back at him, as if deciding that just maybe there was something prettier. "Very," he murmured.

At the velvety-smooth tone, Yuugi flushed a light pink and looked away. "So," he said, scratching the back of his head nervously, "are we going to have to leave soon?"

Yami blinked, his daze broken, and stepped back. "Oh, yes, I forgot. It is getting late, huh? Well, I'll tell everybody to start packing up."

Yuugi mentally kicked himself. His intention had not been to drive Yami away, only to start a conversation that would distract the overwhelming feeling in his gut that was telling him to pull Yami by the collar and press a kiss to those supple lips. Sighing more to himself than anyone else, Yuugi nodded reluctantly and reached up to take the coat off of his back. He jumped slightly when Yami caught him by the wrist, and looked up to meet Yami's stern gaze and kissable smile. "Don't even try," he said, and a brilliant grin broke out on Yuugi's face. Slowly, Yami released his arm and walked past him, his touch lingering on Yuugi's skin.

Yuugi watched as his teacher walked over to a group of students, announcing their imminent departure. Or at least that's what Yuugi assumed from the collective groans that resulted from his words. Raking his fingers through his hair, Yuugi let loose a sigh, his gaze never wandering. Part of him wanted more than anything to believe that maybe there was some part of Yami that even remotely returned his feelings or, at the very least, his attraction. But did he really have enough evidence to assume that? Yami, though friendly and laid-back, had never done or said anything that the school administration might deem as inappropriate to him. And everything that he had done that Yuugi might have hoped to be some sort of sign or clue could be easily explained.

His student was cold and Yami had offered his jacket. He had told him that he was smart and charming; a mere compliment. And though Yami had talked to him a lot, he had also talked to many of his students. So it wasn't much of a stretch to say that his imagination was just being wishful and creative, and that Yami was as indifferent to his periodic blushes and small signals as he was to the dozens of female students who flirted with him on a daily basis. Yuugi felt his heart sink a little at that. For all he knew, maybe Yami wasn't even gay. He would never be so blunt to ask so the only thing he could really do was hope. But, what then? What if Yami did return his feelings? Should he pursue his blossoming feelings for his teacher that seemed to grow and flourish with each passing day?

When Jou and Honda returned, they both had in their possession another plate full of chips. After offering Yuugi some --in which Yuugi hastily declined--Jou scanned his friend and lifted an eyebrow in question. "Hey, Yuug, where'd the coat come from?"

But Yuugi's eyes remained fixed on Yami's face, a small smile playing on his lips as he watched the older laugh at something Otogi said. He couldn't recall ever seeing a more beautiful sight; Yami's golden tresses swaying on his forehead, the scarlet eyes dark, and mysterious, and as lovely as always. "Huh?" he said, his brain just now registering the question being directed at him.

Jou stared at Yuugi, raising his other eyebrow, both of them meeting at his hairline. "I said where'd you get the coat from?"

"…huh?"

"Earth to Yuugi!"


--


There was still approximately thirty minutes left before the sun disappeared completely, and Yami stopped to make sure that all of his students were accounted for. They were already more than half-way to the exit--or from where they started from--where a public school bus would pick them up and take them all home. Everybody was walking back with the same partners they had to begin with, and Yami was pleased to know that the only pair behind him and Yuugi was Jou and Honda.

Yuugi--still sporting the other's black jacket--walked beside Yami as they continued down the last stretch of pathway that circled around a rather large hill. Yuugi glanced over the side. It wasn't deathly steep or anything, just really long. There wasn't any large rocks either, just layers of soft grass. It was one of those hills that people would go sledding down in the winter, when snow covered everything green.

He looked above him to see Jou and Honda walking on a pathway a little higher up then turned his attention back to Yami. "Everybody had so much fun today, Mr. Atemu. It feels so good to get out of the classroom every once in a while. Not a lot of teachers take us on field trips, even educational ones like to the museum."

Yami smiled. "Well, I'm glad that everyone enjoyed themselves. Maybe I can persuade the headmaster to allow me another field trip day after finals are done so I can get us back here again before school lets out."

"That would be great! It was so nice here."

Yuugi opened his mouth to say something else, but stopped short when he stumbled over a small rock. Yami quickly reached out and grabbed both of Yuugi's hands, effectively steadying him.

Once Yuugi regained his balance, he glanced up at Yami, slightly embarrassed. "Thanks," he mumbled.

Yami met his eyes. "No problem," he replied, smiling.

"Yams! Yuug'! Watch out!"

Before Yuugi could even comprehend that there was a decent-sized rock flying directly towards the back of his head, Yami tackled him to the ground, wrapping his arms around the younger's waist and twisting so that he caught the brunt of the fall. However, the two unavoidably fell towards the side, just enough to send them both tumbling down the hill. Out of pure instinct, Yuugi tucked his face in the curve of Yami's neck and closed his eyes, pressing his arms between his and Yami's chests as he felt the world around him spin out of control. The arms around his waist tightened reassuringly as the wind whipped at Yuugi's cheeks, his back hitting the ground at even intervals. After a few more spins, they came to an abrupt stop at the bottom of the hill, side by side.

When Yuugi felt his initial nausea pass, he peeked open one eye and groaned at the soreness that stung like needles in his back. Besides him, Yami grunted and raised his arms to stretch over his head, mumbling a few curses that didn't go unnoticed by Yuugi. When they finally turned to look at each other, they both broke out into a fit of laughter.

"Oh, God, let's not do that again," Yuugi said between giggles.

Yami chuckled. "Hey, it was either that or you would probably be in the emergency room with a concussion right about now."

Yuugi smiled brightly. "Well, thank you," he said, turning onto his stomach. Yami mimicked the movement, and he watched as Yuugi reached over and plucked a purple daisy from the ground, holding it between thumb and index finger. He brought it close to his face and smiled.

"I've never seen a daisy this color before," Yuugi thought aloud. He smiled. "It's very pretty."

Yuugi passed the flower over to Yami, who examined it closely. "It is," Yami agreed, twirling the stem between his fingers, making the flower petals twirl and spin. With a warm smile, he reached over and tucked the stem behind Yuugi's ear. "It's like your eyes, Yuugi."

A dark blush filtered across Yuugi's cheeks at the unexpected but definitely welcomed gesture. "The color, I mean," Yami clarified quickly. "It's the same color as your eyes."

Yuugi nodded, heat still rushing to his face. "Yeah, I guess it is."

"Hey, are you guys okay?!"

Sitting upright, Yami spotted Jou and Honda at the top of the hill, both looking like two deers caught in headlights.

"Yuug', I'm so sorry!" Jou apologized, his voice frantic. "We were jus' playin' around, you know, kickin' these rocks off the hills and then I kicked one too hard and it went flyin'! Are you okay man!? I thought for sure, if Yams wasn't there--"

"Katsuya," Yami interrupted, standing to his feet. "It's quite alright. Neither of us were hurt so no harm done. Just be more careful next time."

Jou nodded, Honda repeating the action. "Do you want us to wait up here for you guys?" Honda offered.

Yami glanced down at Yuugi, who was still watching him from his spot on the ground, barely acknowledging his friends' presence. Yami turned back to the two above them. "No, its okay. We'll meet you at the exit."

"Okay then," the brunet said, turning away. Jou waved before following.

Once they were completely out of sight, Yami turned back to Yuugi and reached out his hand. Taking the hint, Yuugi slipped his hand into Yami's grasp and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. When he was standing upright once more, he looked up and met Yami's thoughtful gaze, their interlocked hands resting in between them. For a moment, neither of them moved.

"We should go," Yami whispered, loosening his grip on the other's hand.

"Yeah," Yuugi laughed, to cover up his nervousness. "I guess we should."

Yami straightened his clothes out, and nodded. "Let's go," he sighed, suddenly looking very exhausted. He began to walk back up the hill. "It's getting late."

Yuugi followed soundlessly, the amount of blood in his head making him dizzy. That, added with his racing heart, and the overwhelming heat surfacing his skin, and sparking his nerves, was enough to make him feel like he was walking on air for the rest of the night.


To Be Continued...


Reviews/comments appreciated as always.