Chapter 30, Piece 23 * * * * * * * *

"Good to see you," Mokuba said. He glanced around at nothing in particular. "You look good."

"You look exhausted," Yugi said, hugging his friend. "Let's go in, have some coffee. Okay?"

Mokuba hesitated, then looked at his watch. "I don't really have a lot of time."

"KaibaCorp will not fold because you took a two hour lunch. And if it does, you can blame me." Yugi grinned. "Your brother always did anyway!"

Mokuba couldn't resist the laugh.

"So." Yugi waited until they had lunch in front of them before asking what they both knew was coming. "How is he?"

"Uh, he's good. He's good."

"Good. Really." Yugi was the only one outside of Seto's direct staff who knew how extensive his accident had been. "That's good, right?"

"Right." Mokuba sighed heavily, then brightened almost immediately. "He passed the high school equivalency exam last week! Almost six years of school; he covered it in a year."

"Wow! That's impressive! So his memories are coming back?"

"No, not really. He just re-learned it all. Or, he and the neurologist say he re-learned how to access the info. Education-wise, he's probably going to pass where he was. His behavior is maturing. Somewhat."

"Somewhat?"

"Half the time he acts like an adult; half the time he acts 15. Imagine a 15-year-old computer genius with virtually unlimited resources and lots of free time."

"I don't need to imagine one," Yugi chuckled. "I knew two of them."

"Funny. He wasn't as bad as I was, and I wasn't even capable of the shit he pulls now. He got put out of the reeducation center."

"What! Why?"

"Distributing pornography to minors." Yugi's jaw dropped. "He reprogrammed all the video games so that when you reach a game achievement, the NPCs take off an article of clothing. By the end of the game, everyone is naked."

Yugi choked on his coffee trying to control the laugh. "Ok, but it's a prank. Not a Kaiba-kun prank, but harmless, right?"

"Not 'a' game, Yugi, every computer game in the building. And he re-encrypted the software. It was cheaper to buy the center all new stuff because Seto refused to tell anyone the password and no one else could hack into it." Mokuba shook his head. "Just to keep him busy, I gave the education software projects to him. He's working from home until he can act his age."

"When did he ever? He used to act too old." Yugi shrugged. "Maybe too young is a good thing."

"Maybe." Mokuba looked uncomfortable. "Maybe."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Really?" Yugi smiled sadly. "You still think I don't understand?"

Mokuba's shoulders slumped. "It's not that. Or, well, it's not just that. I know you get it about Noa."

"'Togi says we're both in love with dead guys, so we should date each other."

"Otogi says a lot of dumb shit." Yugi nodded and Mokuba sighed again. "Which might be the most insensitive thing I've said this week."

"I'm glad you said it, actually, since it's almost the same thing I said." Yugi let a moment go by. "So what is it?"

"It's... It's nothing, really. I worry about Seto's memory. I mean, what if it never comes back? He doesn't know how to be the older brother any more and it drives him crazy! He tried to get me banned from working after sunset."

"You do work too much."

"I still don't work the hours he did! All he wants to do now is have fun. At least he still considers R&D fun." He paused again. "He's not the same guy."

"He's still your brother. He still loves you."

"That's not... When Gozaburo died, I was terrified. I tried not to show it; I was pretty messed up in the head back then. But Seto was under-age, and I was scared that child services was going to come in and take me away. Seto sat up with me all night one night and just held me. He said that even if that did happen - and he would empty the Kaiba armory on anyone that tried - but if something happened and we were no longer together, I would be ok. He said the life I had lived, the trials I'd overcome, made me strong enough to survive anything. I know you guys think he was a dick most of the time, but Seto had a reason to be proud of himself. Proud of the life he survived. This guy - this is Seto without Gozaburo, without the orphanage, or our family."

Yugi nodded, understanding. "You don't want him to lose everything that made him 'him'."

Mokuba looked down. "Last week, Seto spent a small fortune finding a forensic police artist who would take a private commission. You know why? Because he wanted to commission a portrait of our parents. He said that since there was a chance that his missing memories could wipe out his current memories, it was worth the cost to capture the images while we could." He pulled out his wallet, and showed Yugi a photo. "Digital recreation. Those are my parents, Yugi. This guy gave me back my parents."

"Oh - wow." Yugi found himself near tears looking at the picture he knew had so much meaning.

"This guy is my brother without all the abuse and hardship and shit that broke his heart in the first place. Yugi, I don't want him to remember a damn thing! If he stays 15 forever, I'd rather be his father than see his heart close again." Mokuba dropped his head in his hands. "And Seto hates it! He's doing everything he can to unlock those memories! I'm trying to help him, but every detail that slips in, every step to make him better is killing me!"

"Mokie -"

"Am I a bad brother, Yugi? Am I wrong for just wanting him to be happy?"