Enjoy! We don't own Yugioh GX.

A week later, they still hadn't found anything. All but two teams were heading back to Manjoume's place—Sho, Hayato, Ryo, and Fubuki were the only ones still looking. Ryo had indeed made Fubuki make up for the lost time, but he had overdone it. His team had to take a break for a couple of days when Fubuki got sick.

At Manjoume's home, he, Ed, Asuka, Johan, and Judai were gathered in the living room for what Judai viewed as their most depressing meeting yet.

Johan, putting his phone away, said, "I see Sho's losing it again..."

"Great," Manjoume said, clearly annoyed by the news. "How bad is this one?"

"Don't ask. The good news is he's more at home in magic shops now," Johan said hopefully. "Hayato said that, though crazy, he's more alert."

"Great. Perfect!" Judai said, heavily sarcastic.

"Hey, I just said that he's more—"

"CRAZY!"

"Oh, don't worry about that Judai," Ed said. "He's still recovering from the last time he went nuts. I say it's a good thing he's doing it all at once."

"Yeah," Manjoume agreed. "At least right now we're all expecting him to call us twelve or more times a day to panic over something stupid."

"I'm just glad it's almost summer break," Asuka said.

Judai groaned. He was starting to think that he was the only one who was concerned about Sho's mental health. Everyone else seemed more preoccupied with how much he was going to bother them after he snapped, not the possibility of him being institutionalized.

That's when his phone rang. He answered, assuming it was Sho, not even realizing that Manjoume's phone had gone off as well.

"Yeah, what now, Sho?" Judai asked as Manjoume answered his own phone.

The voice that answered was not Sho—it was female. "Huh? Silly! I'm not Sho!" Rei giggled.

Judai sweat, suddenly realizing his mistake—though it was too late for that.

"Hi, Sho... What do you want...?" Manjoume said, clearly annoyed at the blunette.

"So, darling? How's that surprise coming along?" Rei asked Judai. "I just can't wait to see it!"

In the background, Manjoume sarcastically said, "No, Sho I don't want any black jewels of 'darkness,' thank you very much."

"It's coming along great, honey!" Judai answered enthusiastically. "I don't want to ruin the surprise, so I'm not saying anything else about it. Man, I miss you. How's it going with my mom?"

"Actually, your dad's here now, too!" Rei said happily. "He said I make a mean curry!"

"Well, you are a great cook, Rei!"

"Sho! I just said I DON'T want that stupid thing! Forget it and go find that love spell!"

Combine the noise in the background with the way his conversation with Rei was going, and Judai was contemplating other ways to get out of his hated relationship with Rei.

"Aw, thanks, darling. I sure miss you!" she said.

"I miss you, too. My life's empty without you around. I can't imagine what I'd do if I ever lost you."

"Judai! Snap out of it!" Johan said. "You don't really mean that!"

Judai covered the mouthpiece and said, "Hey, butt out, will you, Johan? I'm on the phone!"

"Okay, that's it!" Asuka said. "Come here, you!"

Right there, in front of everyone, Asuka grabbed Judai and kissed him full on the lips. Ed and Johan were stunned—and worried. How would Judai, under the spell's power, respond to that?

"Uh, Asuka. Is that smart?" Johan asked.

Manjoume hadn't noticed that his girlfriend was kissing Judai. "SHO! QUIT BEING STUPID! DO YOUR JOB, ALREADY!" he bellowed.

Judai, eyes wide, dropped his phone. Ed and Johan were left speechless. Manjoume finally noticed the action going on in the room.

"Hold on, Sho," he said. Taking a closer look at the scene, he covered the mouthpiece and asked, "What was that?"

"Judai, now!" Asuka said. "Hang up on her while you still can!"

Judai was standing there, stunned. He definitely hadn't expected that, but he sure as heck appreciated it.

"Judai?" Rei's voice came from the phone. "Judai-sama? Are you still there?"

He grabbed the phone and hung up without another word. The group stood there in silence for a moment.

"Okay, what just happened?" Johan asked finally.

"Better, Judai?" Asuka asked the brunette.

"Yeah, thanks."

"Wait. I'm still confused," Johan said, holding up his hands. "Care to fill me in?"

"No, Sho," Manjoume said. "Something weird just happened. I can't explain it, but..."

He got up and left the room, still talking to Sho as he tried to explain what had just happened—and get the guy back on track.

"I don't know why, but Asuka doesn't trigger the spell," Judai answered Johan. "She weakens it."

"But that doesn't make any sense!" Ed protested. "Shouldn't she make it stronger, being a girl?"

Judai shrugged. "Don't ask me. I don't have a clue. All I know is I'm not complaining."

"Well, it looks like we just found ourselves a backup plan!" Johan said happily. "If we can't find the potion and learn about the cure in time, Asuka here should be able to prevent an immediate marriage by staying with you for awhile."

Judai stared at his phone like it was a ticking time bomb, knowing that it was just a matter of time before Rei called back to find out why he had hung up on her.

Reading his expression, Johan asked, "Want me to hang onto that for awhile?"

"Yes," he said without hesitation, holding the phone out to Johan like it was some diseased animal.

"Okay," Johan said, taking the phone. "I'll keep an eye on it th—"

Judai's phone rang. Johan looked at the screen.

"Judai? It says it's your dad."

Judai grabbed the phone, having a bone to pick with that man.

The first thing out of his mouth: "Dad, WHAT ARE YOU DOING EATING HER FOOD!?"

So, the parents like her, then? Asuka thought. NO WAY! Not in a million years am I ever letting that happen!

"Uh-huh," Judai said. "Yeah. Dad, I'm not having this conversation with you." He sounded irritated. "I know Mom was joking, but I'm not sure about you!" And, with that, he hung up, declaring, "I'm disowning myself!"

"How bad is it?" Johan asked, slightly stunned. He'd never seen Judai like this before.

"My mom's teasing me about how the only way I'm ever gonna settle down is if some girl puts a spell on me, and my dad likes her cooking, so he thinks I should keep her!"

"OKAY!" Asuka yelled. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH!"

She snatched Judai's phone and stormed off, planning to give his parents a piece of her mind.

The boys were stunned.

"Wow," Ed said, unable to believe the words coming out of his own mouth. "She sure is scary..."

That night, Judai got some more bad news—Sho had gotten so bad that Hayato had thought it best to cut their hunt short and go to the hospital.

"So, Sho's gone totally nuts, huh...?" Judai muttered, his eyes closed, head resting on the back of the couch. "Can't say I'm surprised. I said that he should've stopped when he went crazy."

Asuka came in to check on him. "Judai? You okay?"

"That's..." he started, then thought better of it. "Can I get back to you on that one?"

"It's going to be okay," she said. "This isn't the first time Sho's gone crazy, you know?"

"Great," Judai said sarcastically. "That makes me feel so much better. That fixes everything!" He stood up, anger coursing through his veins.

"You're thinking about Rei, aren't you?"

Suddenly, all his rage drained out of him. Judai sat back down and put a hand on his face. "What am I gonna do...?"

Asuka sat beside him, saying, "Don't worry, Judai. We'll think of something."

He didn't answer.

"I know. How about I go and finish the hunt for them?" she suggested.

"I'm gonna be meeting Rei in two weeks," Judai answered. "I doubt you'll be back by then."

"Judai. Don't give up. There must be some—"

"Just stop, okay?" he said, depressed.

"I'm sorry..."

Judai sighed. "No, I'm the one who should apologize. You're just trying to help, and I'm..."

Judai. Don't give up. Please don't give up! There must be some way!

Subconsciously, Asuka hugged her depressed friend.

"Asuka?" he asked, confused and slightly stunned.

"I'm so sorry, Judai..." she said, holding him tighter.

He looked at her for a second before hugging her back. Johan walked in on this scene.

"Uh..." he said awkwardly. "Am I interrupting something?"

Not looking at his friend—or letting go of the blond—Judai said. "If you've got more bad news, I don't want to hear it."

"No. Good news," Johan said. "I'm going to go look after Sho while Hayato finishes his search!"

"I've got the bad news," Manjoume said as he entered the room.

"How did I know that was coming?" Judai muttered, letting go of Asuka.

Manjoume held up Judai's phone. "While playing secretary today, I got a call from your mom. She loves Rei. And she doesn't want to stall her anymore. So, they're cutting their vacation short and should be here within a week."

Judai stood up, his eyes wide. "What!?"

"See for yourself," Manjoume said, handing Judai his phone.

Judai called his mother. "Mom, what's going on?" He was quiet for a moment as she answered. "I see. You've completely lost your mind. I'll let you go look for it, then." He hung up, looking more upset than he had before.

"What did she say?" Johan asked.

"Johan, do me a favor: kill me now."

"What!?" the other three demanded.

"My parents have gone off the deep end, and they're 100% behind the idea of us getting married! I mean, before I had the whole 'not gonna pay for this' thing to keep me from trying. Now there's nothing to stop me! I'm gonna be married to Rei within the year!"

"Wow," Manjoume said. "Tough break."

"Yeah, sorry, pal," Johan added.

"Damn..."

"No..." Asuka said, her voice filled with venom and barely above a whisper. Her hands were clenched into fists and shaking. "No way... NO WAY IS THAT GOING TO HAPPEN!"

All but Judai were stunned—the brunette didn't even look up as he asked, his voice hopeless and lifeless, "Yeah, and how are you gonna stop it?"

"I'm finding that antidote if it kills me, THAT'S HOW!" she said before running off.

The three stared after her for a moment.

"Why do I get the feeling that I just got dumped...?" Manjoume wondered.

"Asuka, wait!" Judai called as he ran after her.