Keira: Hello all~ So this was suppose to come out yesterday but...
Ami: She got swept up in KnB madness. *shakes head disappointingly*
Keira: Hehe, I wanted this out early because it's TFAS 2-Year Anniversary! ^o^
Yugi: Thank you all so much for your support through the years, even when we went on a hiatus.
Keira: Yep! So here's to more chapters for the new year~
[DISCLAIMER] Yu-Gi-Oh! doesn't belong to us!
Text 20: New Year, New Decision
New Years passed in a flamboyant fashion. I still remember Malik screaming at everyone to form together for a group picture — I'm still curious if he managed to take any embarrassing shots of anyone...
Now I was busy working, because even though school was out for a minor break, it didn't mean work was. Major sigh on that note.
I was able to get more hours due to no school, and toward the end of my shift I noticed Ami had come in and briefly talked with Keira. I was curious, but went ahead to make sure everything was ready for the next person taking over my position. After clocking out, I walked into the dining room and when Ami noticed me, she offered a small smile and waved once. I returned it, and walked up to the two older girls.
"Hey Ami... What's up?" I greeted as she stood in a nonchalant manner.
"Nothing much, shorty. I'm just here to give you a ride home since Keira has to close tonight." Ami answered, and I saw Keira's apologetic look.
I grew concerned though, since she's been having to take up a lot of extra work recently because of a manager quitting and new employees are just now coming in. "Are you sure you're going to be okay? You've been having to work a lot."
Keira instantly wore a cheery smile as she waved me off. "It's okay, it's nothing I can't handle! Besides, I'll be getting a week-long break soon so all's good." She winked, and that made my concern let up a little and I smiled at her.
"Okay... Just try not to work too hard."
"Don't worry, I actually have a really good crew tonight!" At least she seemed happy about that, and I turned back to Ami.
"Thanks for taking me home, you didn't have to." I told her after we walked out of Burger World.
"Actually, there's something I wanted to ask you..." Ami trailed off until we got into her car. After settling in and turning it on, she continued. "My boss just let me know that I can take on an assistant over at the electronic store I work at, Electro Whiz. I thought of you first, since I know working fast-food has to be a pain in the arse. So whaddya say? Want to train under me? You'll be making more money once you're trained up."
This was all so sudden, I started to think as my heart raced and brain went into over-drive. Ami worked at the popular electronic store in the mall, in... "It's in Renka right?" I asked, looking down as I felt the car moving.
"Yeah. Since you'll be working with me, we can carpool so you don't have to worry about transportation. It's totally up to you, you're my only choice for an assistant." How can Ami sound so calm and composed? And why would she choose me for this?
The car ride home was quiet as I mulled over my thoughts. We were already at the Game Shop in a matter of minutes, and I was still undecided. "I'll..." I sighed. "I'm sorry, I'll have to think about it... Talk about it with Grandpa and stuff..." That, and it was Renka of all places. But now I felt like I was being ungrateful, and just as I opened my mouth to start apologizing even more, I felt pressure on top of my head and realized it was Ami's hand.
I looked to see her smiling at me, which was waaaay out of the ordinary for her. "It's okay, take your time." She reassured, ruffling my hair suddenly but I was too shocked to really complain. "You're a good kid..." Her eyes grew soft at that, but the expression on her face...
Why did it feel like she was hiding something?
Her hand left my head and hair, and she turned back to face properly forward. "Well, you have my number if you ever change your mind. Have a good night kid."
I blinked, but then just nodded. "Y-yeah, you too..." I mumbled and stumbled a bit out of the car. I watched her pull away and felt my face scrunch up. What was that about in the end? I've known Ami long enough to know when she's acting out of character, and that was definitely an out-of-character moment.
Realizing how freezing cold it was with just wearing a thin shirt over my uniform, I hastily went inside to greet Grandpa and Miku.
I found them both in the living room, Miku curled up against Grandpa as he watched something on the TV. It was good to see him relaxing — he's too much of a busybody.
"Evening, did Keira just drop you off?" Grandpa smiled when he saw me and I just took my shoes off.
"No, it was Ami this time. She had to talk to me about something..." Right before I went to bend down to pull my shoes off the rest of the way, I saw Grandpa's change of expression. It was only for an instant, but I caught the slight frown his smile turned down to — how his eyebrows pulled together in a contemplating manner. What was that about?
"Oh, what about?" And then he was back to smiling once I walked into the living room. Seriously, what was up with that? Should I ask?
"...She has a job offering for me, working directly under her over at the electronic store she works at... in Renka's mall." I told him, petting Miku who stirred slightly awake enough to start purring.
Grandpa's expression immediately brightened up. "Oh that sounds wonderful! Did you give her an answer?"
"Well... No, not yet. I told her I'd have to think about it and talk about it with you. I will be working in the busiest section of the city after all," I told him, wondering what he had been thinking about earlier...
"As long as Ami is with you, I'm sure it won't be a problem. You are getting older... soon you won't need this old man anymore."
I don't know why, but that just set me off. "Of course I will! I'll always need you Grandpa!" I breathed hard, my heart suddenly picking up speed in my chest.
Grandpa reached up enough to settle his hands on my shoulders, his eyes showing endearment. "It makes me happy to know you care so much for me, Yugi, but you know I won't be around forever."
The cold truth seemed to settle into me then, like a cold spear piercing my heart and making everything so cold. "But I want you to be."
Grandpa smiled, and pulled me to him and I easily went limp as he hugged me. "I will always be right by your side, whether physically here, or as a spirit guiding you along." He moved back to look me in the eyes. "Besides, this old man needs you more than you know." He chuckled, and I smiled at that. "Don't worry about me so much... I want you to focus on your own life and start your own story, this old man is just here to love on you a little." And then he started messing with my hair and I laughed and pulled away from him.
"Fine, fine, I'll put in my two weeks notice next time I go in." I stated, though I still wasn't entirely sure yet on that decision, as I fixed my unruly hair back.
He smiled, and just then we heard a sneeze and looked to see that it came from Miku. The little kitty was waking up and he stretched. He's been getting longer and leaner recently, I guess his body is getting ready for adulthood soon. It sure made him skinny-looking though...
I watched as Miku jumped down from the comfy couch to brush against my legs, then lay down at Grandpa's feet. Weird... Maybe new sleeping habits too? I'll have to ask Yami on that later.
Grandpa told me about leftover food in the fridge, but I honestly ate too much on my break at work to even think about eating anything else so I went up to my room to change.
I relaxed against my bed and checked my phone to see my new wallpaper, a good picture I managed to take of me and Yami on New Years... I blushed. So now I knew I was in trouble, in that I had fallen...
I immediately tried to smother myself with the pillow. Why does this keep happening? Why was it so embarrassing?
There was just no helping it. I get all soft and warm inside when I think of him and my heart beats in a weird way that causes my stomach to get all fluttery-like. Now I wanted to have contact with him all the time. Even now I was contemplating calling him...
I sighed and got on the browser to click on the site's saved bookmark. Maybe he would be online... I wouldn't seem so... desperate? Love-sick? Gosh, it just needed to stop, either that or I needed to learn how to control myself better.
I saw who was online and felt disappointed that his name wasn't highlighted.
DarkMagician has entered the Public Chatroom
Psycho-Psycho: Shrimpy is here! Hey! :D
I blinked, just picturing Marik's insane grin.
DarkMagician: Hi, so it's just you and Bakura here huh?
TombRobber: Way to sound so chipper
Psycho-Psycho: We were just hanging out~ Malik-pretty and Ryou-bunny promised to meet us here
DarkMagician: They were? What're you guys going to do? Play in-game or just hang out around the site?
TombRobber: We're going to... roleplay.
Psycho-Psycho: Yeah, that! Because Malik-pretty says it's real fun to do!
DarkMagician: ...I don't want anything explicit happening on my site please.
I face-palmed. Trust the psychos to do something like this — and maybe Malik, but I don't think Ryou would really go along with what I'm sure Bakura is hoping to happen. I've seen all kinds of 'roleplay' before on other sites, which is way different from what I established here.
TombRobber: Oh, c'mon! Don't ruin our fun! Why don't you go off and bug the pharaoh?
Psycho-Psycho: Yeah, Yam-Yams misses you
DarkMagician: He does?
Psycho-Psycho: He wants to call you but he doesn't want to 'impose' as he says
TombRobber: More like desperate if you ask me
Psycho-Psycho: Says the whipped Kitten :P
TombRobber: You're lucky I'm in another room right now
Psycho-Psycho: Oooooh so scary
Wait, so Yami is feeling the same way as me right now? My heart picked up.
DarkMagician: So should I call him?
TombRobber: Why are you asking us? He's your boyfriend
Another stuttering heart beat.
Psycho-Psycho: You should call him. It will really make his day
Raising a brow at Marik's suddenly serious advice, I hastily typed to them.
DarkMagician: Okay, I will. Thanks!
DarkMagician: And again, don't break the rules on the site or I'll kick you off
DarkMagician has left the Public Chatroom
TombRobber: Looks like the shrimp is getting a back-bone
Psycho-Psycho: I call it sass
Pretending I just didn't see those last two statements, I got off browser and looked up Yami's number to call. My heart was pounding away in my ears as I held the phone closer to my ear when it started ringing.
"Hello, Yugi?" Yami's voice sounded startled after he answered me after the first ring.
I smiled. "Hey Yami," I greeted, suddenly feeling that sensation of content warmth spread from the center of my chest and envelop me like a blanket. It felt like home.
. * . * . * .
So just like our first ever phone conversation went, we talked until the wee hours of the morning, falling (embarrassingly) asleep while on said conversation and we both woke up to dead phones — or at least that's what Yami told me when he came by the Game Shop.
When we did get together, it was honestly still relatively the same. We still hung out at places we liked — be it at the shop or arcade — and still done things normally. Now there was just that constant warmness in my chest, and we made more contact like grabbing at each other's hands and gazing at each other... Seriously, it was like we started up random staring contests out of complete nowhere. I was just glad Grandpa seemed oblivious.
Yami was still being true to his word and that we would go slow. Since New Years, he's only ever kissed me on the face in private — usually on the nose or cheek and sometimes forehead. He doesn't seem to want to kiss me on the lips... I think that has to do with if I say I want it — but how embarrassing would that be?! Still, it was nice with how considerate Yami was.
When school rolled around, the first day was mostly made up of a Winter Festival — which was more of a New Year festival to be honest. Still, we got out of classes early and got to spend it together. Yami and I walked down the path with festive stands on either side of us.
"Look, Ryou!" I suddenly heard Malik shout and noticed that he was dragging Ryou around with him up ahead of us. He stopped at a stand and pointed excitedly at the display. "It's the Big Dango Family!"
Ryou looked at the display. "Those are just regular dangos, Malik."
"Hush, Ryou. Don't trample on my dreams!" Malik wailed and suddenly brought the food to his chest while the merchant yelled at him. All Malik did was start singing that Dango song from that anime he likes... Was it called Clannad? Yeah, I think so. I didn't watch it since a crying Ryou and sobbing Malik warned me not to.
"We'd better not go near that," I told Yami, and he smiled.
"Where should we go then?" he asked me, his eyes on mine made my heart flutter.
"Um, there's a spicy and sweet shop I hear is really good on the next line — maybe we should try it out." I told him and he snuck a hand in mine and pulled me along to it while I blushed along the way.
The air was cold around us, but being near him always warmed my face and chest. When we got to the stand that had a small hut beside it with table and chairs, we ordered what we liked and sat down.
"You should try this," Yami insisted and I narrowed my eyes at the spicy food he was offering.
"No thanks, I'll stick to my sweets." I took another bite of the sweet treat. I wish it was funnel cake.
"Just one bite! You'll like it, I promise."
"Nuh-uh."
"Please?" No, don't you dare pull the 'please' card! I looked at his expression before I could stop myself and instantly fell for his trap. Crap, he's getting really good at... What kind of look would you call that? The pleading yet smouldering look?
I sighed, "Fine, but just a small bite."
His eyes instantly lit up. "Excellent, here." He offered the same piece he had been offering before and I looked at the small spicy chicken bite.
When I went to grab the fork he was using to hold it, he shook his head and with a blush I realized he actually wanted to feed me. I grumbled incoherent words — even to myself — under my breath and embarrassingly opened my mouth to take a small bite of the chicken.
A tangy flavor with a hint of spice danced across my tongue and fueled my taste buds. I chewed it and gulped it down before the spice could really get to me.
"It's good." I was surprised, other than the spicy part, the taste wasn't so bad.
Yami grinned before I watched that turn right into a smirk as he leaned closer to me. "Aibou, you have something on your face."
"Huh?" I was shocked into sitting still as his mouth kissed the corner of my mouth. When he drew back, I still couldn't move.
He just smiled as he sat back into his own seat. "There, all clean." Wait, did he just lick his lips? Did I really have something on my face? Why didn't he just use a napkin?!
I narrowed my eyes as I willed the blush away from my face. "Yami! There could have been people watching!" I started looking around, suddenly feeling paranoid.
"No, there wasn't, I had checked before. I know how you are by now, aibou." He chuckled softly and I huffed and looked away from him, and he laughed harder.
After that, a peaceful kind of quietness settled over us as we continued eating and gazing out at the crowd. I looked over at him as he watched the outside world, and I wondered if I should tell him about the job offer Ami told me about... I didn't tell him before about it, mostly because I knew it was stupid to prolong something like this, but he would probably ask about Renka if I told him the reason why I hadn't accepted yet. And I wasn't sure if I wanted to talk about that yet...
"Yugi?" I felt him touch my hand and I instantly looked at him to see him staring at me with worry.
"Oh sorry, I must have gotten lost in my thoughts again, hehe." I rubbed the back of my head and smiled.
He didn't seem to buy it though, it was like he was looking straight through me. "What were you thinking about?"
"Uhm..." My eyes wandered around, I felt like if I looked into his eyes long enough it would just come spilling out.
"Yugi." And then his hand grasped mine under the table and I looked back at him. Crap. "You can tell me anything."
I fidgeted, before those crimson eyes compelled me. "Ami offered me a position to work under her where she works."
Yami took it in and smiled, still grasping my hand. "That's good news, you would be working at a place you thoroughly enjoy."
"Y-Yeah..." I looked down then.
"What is it? I thought you were sick and tired of working in fast-food?" His tone took on a joking manner and I instantly started talking again.
"I am! I mean, it's not my job that's holding me back..."
"So what did you tell her?" Yami's eyes seemed so bright when I looked back up at him...
"I told her I would think about it..."
He seemed genuinely confused as he blinked, "Why?"
I bit down on my lip. "Because it's in Renka... And that's where I grew up." A sudden wind swept through, causing the wind-chimes hanging from the stand next to us to chime together. "A lot of stuff happened in Renka to me, that... I had to leave it, or, Grandpa took me away from it." I was still looking away but looked down at our joined hands now. "I know it's just having a job there, but it's still... difficult for me to swallow." My past is there...
Yami was quiet, and I felt stupid for making the mood turn so serious. I licked my suddenly dry lips and continued, "Sorry, it's really stupid of me to think this—"
Suddenly, I was engulfed by a warm body and was shocked that Yami had pulled me to him, holding me there against his chest. "It's not stupid of you, don't ever think that way." The arms around my back and waist tightened, and it oddly made me feel even more comfortable. "I'm not sure what happened there, but just know I'm here for you and any decision you make. I just want your happiness, aibou. Truly there's no one that deserves it more."
I blinked wide eyes at that and my heart picked up more than it should. My happiness? He really believes that...?
One of his hands went into my hair. "You're strong, and should you choose to go through with this offer, I know you'll overcome whatever past still holds for you in that city." If you only knew, I wanted to say, but couldn't. "But if you choose not to go through with it, then I'll stand by your decision and help in any way I can."
He drew back to look at my face and I felt unworthy in that moment... Yami is such a better person than me, especially when I still couldn't even make a decision on this.
But I couldn't let him down... Not when he's put so much faith in me. I smiled at him, "Thank you, I think I'll turn in my two-weeks notice and then let Ami know about it." It felt like a big step for me, and I already felt nervous just at the thought of working in a new environment. I would miss the crew at Burger World.
He smiled too, "I'll support you all the way."
I felt shy then, just what did I do to deserve an amazing person as Yami in my life?
. * . * . * .
{Blooper 05} /Watching Clannad & Clannad: AfterStory at Ryou's/
The sound of a nose being blown could be heard in Ryou's living room.
"Frig! This shouldn't be so sad!" A crying Malik spoke after blowing his nose for the umpteenth time ever since they started the marathon.
"It is regarded highly for making viewers cry for its realistic themes." A puffy-eyed Ryou stated, his voice sounding more whispery due to his own crying before.
Suddenly, the ending theme, Dango Daikazoku, started playing and Malik threw a shoe at the TV. "First you make us sob our manlihood out and then play that friggin song! This-this is evil!"
Ryou sighed, "Malik, please don't break the TV."
Malik was on rant-mode now. "This has the power to destroy lives! It's the perfect torture to put a criminal through! Just strap him down and make him watch through Clannad and then After-Story and BAM! he wouldn't be able to hurt a fly with the tears he'll be shedding." Malik's eyes glowed brightly then. "Ryou, do you know what this means?!"
"Do tell," Ryou spoke, not having any tolerance to put up with Malik's shenanigans at this point.
"We could rule the world with this shizz!" Malik gestured to the TV screen where the ending song finished and tearful music started playing as it showed scenes of the next episode. Malik instantly hit the floor with a screech. "WHY DOES IT DO THIS TO ME?!" Malik was once again sobbing at the heartbreaking scene to come and his body was moving around like he was from the Exorcist. "Damn Moe characters turning me into a crying girly mess on the floor!"
Ryou just sighed and skipped to the next episode.
Keira: Malik was soooo me when watching Clannad: After Story. xD
Ami: I know, you went through a whole tissue box.
Keira: It's an anime I draw inspiration from, it's where I got the slice-of-life style of feels from.
Yugi: You should check it out if you haven't yet!
Keira: Also, the sadder chapter will be next, I just wanted to get this out for TFAS birthday!
Yugi: And remember to ask questions for the Q&A! Have a nice day and please leave a nice review!