A/N: my apologies for super long absence! my writers' block lasted me for quite a while ):
but anw, no worries, this story is still going to be updated! [and yes, ideas are welcomed!]

thanks alot everyone for your support all this while! i love you all, and once again, i'm sorry for the absence!

- fika1603

After Tea was done filling him in on what had happened, Suwa was incredulous. As he poked a straw through his second cup of macchiato, he muttered irritably, "Eh, how did he end up so stupid?"

That's what I'd like to know too, Tea mentally answered darkly. Outwardly, she reached out for her latte and shrugged. "I don't know… maybe he was mad at me wanting to put things on hold?"

Suwa peered at her. "You sure you don't want me to bash his head in the next time I see him?"

Tea elicited a small smile as she shook her head tiredly at his candid offer. "Nah," she replied softly. "I mean, I got what I wanted, didn't I? To have things on hold. Maybe he was just emotional." She glanced up at a disbelieving Suwa. "I mean, anyone would have been if they overheard their fiancée telling someone else about wanting a break-up."

"Doesn't give him a reason to put you down like that," Suwa argued. "That's just… that's low. Even for Kaiba. But then again, he's Mr Hotshot, isn't he? He's capable of anything."

He suddenly bit back his words, probably aware that he was just hurting Tea even further. However, his brunette friend, even if she was hurt, did not let it show. He cleared his throat, and hastily amended his harsh criticism of the KaibaCorp CEO, "I mean, I just felt that what he did wasn't right. And you gotta stand up to that! Tell him straight to the face that just because he's – as you put it – emotional, he has the right to put you down that way. Saying that you don't love his son as much as his son's mother does… jeeeeez."

Tea forced herself to laugh. Suwa was right, though. Why did she even let Seto talk her down like that? Suddenly, it felt like all of those happy moments she shared with him was just a flimsy façade that eventually came down to reveal just how rocky their relationship was. Were they even happy at all in the first place?

She quickly shook the thought out of her head. She shouldn't be wallowing in misery in front of others.

"Let's talk about nicer things, shall we?" she suggested. "So, how about you? Still busy with work?"

Suwa rolled his eyes. "I have a life, you know. It's not just bank accounts and essays. I go to clubs – sometimes. I go for drinks – sometimes. And uhh…" He looked around sneakily. "I'm seeing someone."

Tea's eyes widened in surprise and glee for him. "Really?"

He pretended to look affronted. "I don't believe this. You think I'm not capable of asking girls out?"

Tea blushed. "No, I mean… anyway, who's the lucky person?"

It was his turn to go red. He scratched his ear unsurely. "You're not going to believe if I tell you, but uhh… ehh…"

"Just say it!"

"Caroline Lobo!" Suwa spurted out before he could help it.

Tea almost spat her drink out. "Whaaaaaat?"

Suwa actually looked disappointed. "You don't like her?"

"No, it's not that," Tea quickly answered, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "But you and Carol? How did that come about? I mean, she's –"

"Yeah, I know," Suwa cut in shruggingly. "But she's a changed person now? And with her, it's like I get that… vibe, y'know. It's crazy-sounding, but Ti, this is definitely something weird. Weird but strong and… crazy."

Tea was at loss for words. Still, she managed to eke out, "You're definitely out of your mind. Have you even gone out with her in the first place?"

"Ah, well… a couple of times. Sometimes we go clubbing, sometimes we go for dinner. Yesterday I was over for dinner at her house. She cooked for me."

There was a huge stupid grin on Suwa's dreamy face, and Tea was not sure if she wanted to carry on listening to his love tale. Instead, she plucked the standing menu at the side of the table and innocently perused it, while asking out loud, "I feel like eating something. Share with me?"

That seemed to do the trick. Within a split second, Suwa was fervently flipping through the pages of the menu. He evidently had a hard time deciding on just one thing to eat. Across him, Tea breathed a sigh of relief. Not that she was not happy for him, but at this time, she just did not feel like hearing fairytales about love and whatnot. Not especially after how Seto cruelly crushed hers.

XO XO XO XO

Caroline balanced the accounting documents on her laps, trying to ascertain that all the figures were accurate and legit as her hands busied themselves with a nail buffer. Recently there had been rumours going round in the office that some senior officials were embezzling funds. She had a few candidates lined up to be shot, but until she could certify everything, she was going to pretend to be the oblivious boss.

She frowned. The numbers seem to tally, but something still felt amiss…

Without looking, she reached out to her desk phone to dial her secretary on the intercom. Her quizzical frown deepened into an annoyed scowl as the other end rang almost endlessly. Where the hell was her secretary, anyway? Shouldn't she be sitting outside her office and doing whatever menial tasks she was assigned? Caroline decided to change course and dialed her head accountant instead. She threw a quick glance at her watch. Nearly 3pm. Lunch was over ages ago. If her secretary used lunch as an excuse for her absence, she could kiss her job goodbye. Caroline Lobo doesn't need inefficient people functioning in her firm.

After what felt like forever, her head accountant answered, "Yes, Miss Lobo?"

"Morgan, could you send in to me the accounts for the past quarter or so?"

"Is there anything wrong with the tabulations for this quarter?" Morgan had the temerity to question her orders. Caroline suppressed her fuming anger from seeping into her voice.

"Possibly," she replied curtly. "Just hurry up and send those files to me. I want them in my office in half an hour. No, make that in ten minutes. I'm sure the files are easily located."

Before she could end off with some sniping remark at her head accountant, her phone picked up an incoming call. Caroline cut off her conversation with Morgan almost as abruptly as she had demanded the files from him to answer the call.

"Clarissa," she seethed without waiting for the caller to utter a word. "Where the hell were you?"

The caller appeared stunned into silence. After a while, the caller hesitatingly inquired, "I'm sorry… Miss Caroline Lobo?"

Caroline snorted. "Obviously. My receptionist wouldn't transfer your call in to me if I wasn't in the office. Who's this?"

Once again, the caller sounded apologetic, "I'm sorry, Miss Lobo. I'm calling from Seth's kindergarten.."

Caroline's heart nearly catapulted out of her chest at the mention of her son's school. Her grip on her phone tightened as she sought to alleviate her sudden wave of panic. "The kindergarten? Seth! Seth, is he alright? Tell me!"

"I'm sorry Miss Lobo… during a story-telling session just now, he suddenly collapsed and –"

"Where is he now?"

"I'm sor-"

"Look, I don't care about how incompetent you people are in taking care of my son. Just tell me where my son is right now!"

XO XO XO XO

Seto gave up in his attempts to sleep. He glanced at his digital bedside clock. 0200 hours. Usually at this time in Japan he would still be working, and Mokuba, despite countless reminders, would still be up and doing god knows what in his room. But ever since he "fled" to New York last night, he had made a self-promise to be normal (whatever it means) to make up to Mokuba for the past few weeks he had been so preoccupied with his son. One of the first 'normal' things he did with Mokuba was to eat at a hamburger joint the moment they touched down. Mokuba enjoyed every moment of it; Seto was inwardly livid as he forced his stomach to digest what was clearly inferior, greasy food.

Anything to make the kid happy, Seto mused grudgingly as he got up to switch on his laptop. He was breaking his promise not to touch work for the first week they were here, but Mokuba wasn't around, and he had no intention to tell his brother that he was already looking through work-related emails.

A new email popped in. Seto frowned as he saw who the sender was.

Kaiba,

I'm still trying to work on the will you requested. As I told you, it's not easy, and from the looks of things, I'm not keeping my hopes up. But I've drafted one, anyway. Look through it and tell me if I miss out on anything.

Update me if you have any progress that'll affect this process.

Takanori

Seto logged off without even bothering to download the attached document. The mention of the will brought back an unpleasant reminder of why he was in New York in the first place. Seth. Guilt resurfaced as he recalled that he had flown here without even telling Seth he was gone. What if his son suddenly asks for him?

He shook his head to clear the thought from his mind. Seth was with Caroline. He would be fine.

XO XO XO XO

Caroline slowly sat beside the hospital bed, one hand smoothing out her sleeping son's hair. She forced herself to remain stoic as she stared silently at Seth.

"I'm so sorry, honey," she whispered despite knowing full well Seth would not hear her. "I'm so sorry I'm such a lousy mummy." She glanced at him almost pleadingly, "Don't leave me, alright? I know you're a strong boy, and you're going to fight this and win."

The hospital door clicked open. Caroline bit her lip as she addressed the newcomer without turning, "Please tell me my blood matches his." When no affirmative answer came her way, Caroline let her head fall on the bedside in exasperation. "Save my son. Do anything, get whoever, ask for how much, I don't care! Just save my son!"

The doctor tried his best to sound as encouraging as he could, but even then it was obvious it was a faltering attempt. "We're trying to find a matching blood donor for him, but it's going to take time. Stay positive, Miss Lobo. Seth's still in the early stages… He will be fine, Miss Lobo. Trust us."

Caroline gritted her teeth as she walked over to the doctor to stare him down. In a low voice, she hissed, "Don't give me bullshit about his condition. I know about childhood leukemia; I've read about it. You'd better get a donor, doctor. You'd better save my son."

The doctor replied calmly before he walked away, "We will, Miss Lobo. Trust us."

After the door closed behind him, Caroline let herself slump to the floor. How did it come to this? How did it all come to this? She threw a quick glance at her son and blinked back her tears quickly. What had she ever done to deserve this?