Shogi High School. It didn't have as many cherry blossoms as Tsume High School did. The singular building was dated, flat, and a bleak ivory color; there was nothing interesting about it, whereas Tsume High had beautiful red bricks and European-inspired architecture. There was another thing it didn't have: Ryuji Otogi. To Ayame, that was the most important part.

Sumiko took a picture of her daughter in front of the school sign with the cherry blossoms in full bloom in the back. Expecting Ayame to be excited for her first day, she noticed only the pale color of depression. Her daughter's lack of eye contact also communicated that emotion clearly.

She had three more shots before her film was full, and she didn't have enough money to buy more for that moment.

"Smile, dear, it's your first day," Sumiko encouraged with a proud smile on her face. If she could get at least one smiling face, she would be satisfied. Just one picture to remember this moment. She also realized that, even if she didn't get a smiling picture, she had a picture. That's all she wanted. But, that didn't mean she wasn't going to try.

Ayame looked off to the side, her thoughts only on how her best friend wasn't with her.

Sumiko sighed and put away her camera. She walked over to her daughter who was stuck in her mind.

"Is it because Ryuji isn't here?" Sumiko asked, gently placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder.

Ayame exhaled the breath she was holding. She didn't feel like talking. Over and over, she relived the moment when she missed the Tsume High entrance exam. How she got caught up listening to Honoka complain on the phone about her little brother using her shoes as a doorstop again among other inventive uses. How she should have cared more about the deadline to remember it. She could have been with him at Tsume High right now posing for pictures. She could have been wearing a red skirt instead of a grey one. She could have been happy.

Sumiko firmed her grip slightly on her daughter's shoulder. "You made a choice, Ayame," she said.

"No, I didn't," Ayame argued back. "I didn't make a choice. It was my only choice."

"It didn't have to be, but that's what it became," Sumiko explained, trying to look her daughter in the eye. She always wanted to be sure her daughter listened, but during discussions like this, she knew her daughter only heard her… and that wasn't good enough.

"Besides," Sumiko continued, taking a glance over her shoulder. "What would Honoka and Ellia think to see you sulking out here?"

"What would we think, I wonder?" a raspy voice came immediately after.

Ayame jumped in surprise to see her two friends eying her from over her mother's shoulders. "Eri! Honoka!"

"Don't tell me you're sulking over Dice Boy," Eri's raspy voice suggested, knowing very well she was right. Eri never liked how close she was with the obnoxious game inventor. If she was being honest, she never liked him. Too arrogant, too enabling. She saw him more as a ball and chain than a best friend. Eri shook her head disapprovingly, "Look at you, and on your first day of high school."

Honoka lightly slapped Eri's arm, earning a huff in response.

Ayame looked up at Eri, somewhat ashamed. She knew her friend was right, but… she just didn't understand their relationship, and she stood by that logic. Her full of holes logic.

Honoka clapped her hands together and gave a jog in place. "Let's take a picture!"

"Good call," Eri chuckled at her friend's enthusiasm. "As long as Ayame doesn't ruin it with her bad mood."

Sumiko gave Eri a stern look. Despite knowing how Eri felt about Ryuji, she felt it an inappropriate time for a lecture or an obvious show of dislike. Eri met her gaze, barely intimidated. Sumiko was strict, but not intimidating. Whether the woman liked it or not, she felt that she respected Ayame enough as a friend to be honest.

Honoka linked her arms with both her disappointed friend and her disapproving friend with the biggest smile on her face. Nothing was going to ruin her first day of high school, especially not with a fight between her two best friends.

So, she did what she does best: radiate positivity.

"Let's have the best year ever," Honoka cheered, squeezing their arms tighter to her body. "We're ready, Aunt Saki!"

Sumiko smiled and held her camera up to her eye, focused her lens, and counted down.

Three.

Two.

One.

Snap.

Ayame never realized how much that moment would mean to her, how much one photograph with her friends on the first day of a new year would mean to her, and how much of an integral part of her life Sumiko Hara was. Of course she was; that was her mother. It wasn't until Nozomi had Ayame's hands in hers that it hit her: this was all completely new.

Ayame smiled nervously at Nozomi. "Thank you for the confidence."

"Oh! Where are my manners," Nozomi gasped, letting go of Ayame's hands. "My name is Nozomi Tanaka, and these two," she nodded her head in the direction of her friends, "are my friends Yuko Yamamoto and Rei Shimabukuro."

The two friends bowed respectfully, and Ayame bowed back.

Nozomi smiled and took Ayame by the hand, "Let's head inside?"

Ayame looked to Bakura for an answer, but he just looked uncomfortable. He kept his eyes fixed on Ayame the whole time, observing the interaction. He knew Nozomi, and it worried him, but what was he going to do? Nothing. What was he willing to do? Nothing. What should he do? Nothing. He felt helpless. Nozomi has never done anything wrong by him, but being by her made him feel trapped, like a trophy on display. He was torn: the comfort of the case, or the desire to be free. Did he want to instigate a commotion, or did he want to keep it calm? Calm, for now. He relaxed his shoulders. She has Yugi and everyone else. She'll be okay.

Bakura nodded in agreement, earning a smile in response from Ayame. She turned her head back to Nozomi, who smiled innocently, and it completely fooled the brunette.

"Let's go," Ayame replied.

"Oh, you're in 2-A," Nozomi exclaimed excitedly. "Your scores must have been high."

Ayame blushed slightly and shook her head, "They're not that high."

"You're modest, aren't you? I can see why Ryo likes you," Nozomi commented, now holding her hands behind her back. "He likes the modest ones. The boastful ones bother him."

Ayame gripped her leather school bag a little tighter. An immediate reaction, and one she didn't think of until she did it. Did anybody else notice? She fought the urge to look down at her hand, because if she looked, the others might too.

In the few minutes Ayame spent with Nozomi, she soon felt as uncomfortable as Bakura looked. She knew too much about him. She spoke too much about him. Ayame found herself scared for Bakura. How long has Nozomi been around him? How often is Nozomi around him? And, knowing this, should she continue to complacently accept how their relationship was? Was she okay with that?

Nozomi, privy to all subtleties, noticed.

"You seem tense," she started, "Is everything all right?"

Ayame's breath caught in her throat. "Just really nervous is all."

A dodge, and a reason for concern. Nozomi narrowed her eyes, analyzing the answer. As far as she was concerned, Ayame was hiding something, and that secret was a threat to her relationship with Bakura. Nozomi found herself wondering if it was worth developing a friendship with Ayame. Would the friendship keep this girl in check?

Nozomi stopped and turned, facing Ayame. "You really have nothing to worry about."

Ayame stopped. "I know, I just can't shake these jitters. I'm sorry, I'm embarrassed."

"Don't be," Nozomi encouraged.

Ayame sighed. "It's just… I'm not looking forward to starting again."

Nozomi smiled at the brunette. "Nothing wrong with that," she shared. "It might be for the best."

Ayame let out a single, dry laugh.

"You're really pessimistic," Nozomi stated, bluntly and at her patience's end. "You better not rub any of that onto Ryo."

Nozomi crossed her arms and shifted her weight onto one leg. Her amethyst eyes glared at Ayame's sapphires, disappointed now in his choice of friend. Her mind soon made a list of reasons Bakura could have walked with Ayame that morning, wondering if any of those chance meetings could equate to any semblance of friendship foundation. She wondered what it was about Ayame that appealed to him, and if that was a quality that she was missing. Perhaps he was unconsciously attracted to pessimism, or maybe he was just smitten by her beautiful blue eyes. To Nozomi, there had to be a reason, and she was going to find it. However, the question remained: was she still interested in Ayame's friendship?

Ayame, however, quickly became disenchanted with the idea of a friendship with Nozomi.

"You seem really concerned about Bakura," Ayame started. She opened her mouth to finish her statement, which would have come out as 'does he appreciate it.' She closed her mouth. She took a small breath in through her nose, breathing in a little deeper.

Nozomi crossed her arms across her chest. "I am."

"He's fortunate to have someone care so much," Ayame continued, her teeth clenching at the hypocrisy of her words. She didn't think he was fortunate.

"I love him," Nozomi stated, her facial expression and body language unchanging. Ayame's eyes widened slightly at the mention of love. The subtlety didn't faze the onyx-haired teen, nor did she care. She was just stating a fact. A truth. "There's nothing I wouldn't do for him."

"Remember that, Hirata," Nozomi uncrossed her arms.

"I'm sorry, but that sounded like a threat," Ayame returned, her arms now crossed over her chest and still holding on to her bag.

"Again, there's nothing I won't do for him," Nozomi repeated. "No threats, no promises, but it would be beneficial for us to be friends if you're going to be spending more time with him."

"So you can maintain control over him?"

"Control?" Nozomi scoffed. "That sounds abusive, don't you think?"

"Then what would you call it?"

"Looking out for his best interests," Nozomi started with a smile. "He's delicate, and quite popular. Many girls here at Domino are attracted to him, and poor Ryo can be overwhelmed by the attention."

Ayame scoffed. "So you micromanage him and all his interactions?"

Nozomi chuckled. "You like using big words, don't you?"

"Look," Nozomi continued, taking a few steps toward Ayame whose arms were still crossed over her pink blazer. "It's simple; watch yourself around Ryo, there are no problems and we're friends."

Friends. The word scared Ayame more than it ever had in her life. She thought of the connotations of what the term 'friendship' meant to Nozomi Tanaka.

"I see you as my friend right now, because Bakura was smiling during your conversation on the way to school," Nozomi smiled, placing a hand on Ayame's shoulder. Ayame was sure she shuddered, at the very least in her mind. She prayed her body not betray her. Nozomi lifted her hand a few seconds later, her point made. It wasn't worth lingering any longer. "See you later."

With that, Nozomi walked away, her long, wavy black hair swaying with every step, leaving Ayame in the middle of an empty hallway in front of classroom 2-A. She looked up at the sign and then through the narrow glass on the door to see the class seated nicely and quietly.

She took a deep breath as she took a step closer to the door, and then another. One foot in front of the other. Her mother always told her that as long as she could do that, only then things would change. It did not come without effort. 'Raise your hand and knock, dear,' she could almost hear the woman whisper in her mind. 'Knock.'

One knock was all she could muster, but it was enough to get her homeroom instructor's attention. He walked to the door and slid it open, exposing her to the rest of the class. She bowed to him, "I'm Ayame Hirata."

"Please come in, Ms. Hirata," the instructor ushered her in, sliding the door closed behind her. "We were expecting you."

Ayame glanced at her class, hoping to see a familiar face, but she had no luck. The majority of the class had stern and serious looks. Their focus was directed entirely on her, observing her every movement and her every word. She remembered that Nozomi said the students in this class scored well on their entrance exams, and she could see it from their demeanor. She was intimidated, especially since her scores were on the cusp of 2-B.

Her attention fell on the one student who was disinterested in her. Rather, he was reading a book. She looked at him for a second longer, but the boy did not spare her a second's glance. It was a relief in an ocean of eyes.

"We have a new student," the instructor started. "Please introduce yourself."

Taking a chalk in her hand, she wrote her name on the board. She set the chalk back down, turned around, and put on a big smile. She was sure in that moment the smile was a bad idea considering her audience, but she went with it. She bowed, "I'm Ayame Hirata. Please take care of me."

She rose from her bow and turned her attention back to her instructor. "Please take your seat next to Seto Kaiba. Mr. Kaiba, please raise your hand."

She looked to the class to find no hands were raised, and no eyes turned toward a particular individual. The instructor sternly repeated, "Mr. Kaiba, please raise your hand."

Slowly, eyes turned toward the boy reading the book. Despite the attention, Seto Kaiba's focus did not leave his book, his facial expression stoic. He simply wasn't interested. There was no reason for him to be interested.

The instructor let out a sigh. "Please have a seat next to the young man with the book."

Ayame bowed slightly to her instructor and made her way to the desk, all eyes on her as she took her next ten steps. Every step she took toward Seto Kaiba was unsettling. She took her attention off the brunette boy and onto the empty desk next to him. After all, it was just a seat.

She pulled out the chair and situated herself. She took one more glance at the boy reading the book, which was in English. He never turned to see her, not even his eyes. She turned her attention to getting prepared for the next lesson. She pulled her pencil case from her bag and a small green notebook with green paper; both new purchases from her shopping adventure with Anzu. She took a quick glance at the door, wondering which class Anzu was in, or any of her new friends. She didn't think to ask Bakura too.

Not long after, the instructor began his lesson, drawing her immediate attention. She would find out during lunch.

"Let's start with a review of what we learned last week," the instructor began. "We left off with the chain of events leading to the Meiji Restoration."

Kaiba shifted his eyes up to look at the new girl, her presence as his neighbor now noted. He returned his attention to his novel, disinterested in both it and the current topic of discussion. Seven more hours of required school time, which translated to seven hours of half efficient brainstorming.

In one hour intervals, teachers came and left for Japanese history, general physics, and English language. All subjects were at a similar level and progression that Ayame had at Shogi High, which was a relief to her. Public schools across Japan must have operated on a similar curriculum. It was one of the few times she appreciated the uniformity of the education system.

She had her items put away in her bookbag. She let out a small sigh and looked back to Kaiba, who was again engrossed in his novel. His black notebook lay closed on his desk, being opened only a handful of times during the lessons before being promptly closed to return to his novel. He intrigued her. His actions tempted her to ask him his methods.

He noticed her stare in his peripheral.

"You're staring," he stated bluntly, not sparing her a single glance.

Taken aback by the sudden response, her eyes opened a little wider. "No," she responded quickly.

"Could have fooled me," he said, nonchalantly.

She narrowed her blue eyes. "Enjoy your lunch," she said as she pulled her lunchbox from her bag along with her utensils and a napkin. Ayame stood up and walked out of the classroom with haste. Part of her expected a retort from the boy, but was met with none. Part of her was curious to look back and see if he was looking. She entertained her curiosity and looked back at the door to see him not looking at all, which didn't surprise her either.

If she thought Jonouchi was arrogant, Kaiba had dethroned him. What she found to be even funnier was that she now saw Jonouchi and his friends to be a welcome reprieve from her eventful morning.

She started walking down the hall.

2-B.

She peaked quickly in the classroom and saw no familiar faces, but friends chatting quietly whilst eating their lunches. She continued down the hall where only two classrooms remained.

2-C.

She smiled. There they all were; Anzu, Jonouchi, Honda, and Yugi. She peaked her head in a little more to get a better look of everybody in the classroom. Her smile fell. Bakura wasn't there.

She thought to continue to 2-D to see if Bakura was there, but that thought was lost when Anzu's voice came calling for Ayame to come inside the classroom and eat with them. Ayame took one last look down the hallway in hopes that maybe he had just stepped out and that he belonged to 2-C and not any other room. How much better would it have been if they could all eat together.

Anzu called again, and she responded with a swift apology before going inside 2-C to eat with the group. She pulled up a chair and sat at where the group had two desks pushed together to create a table.

"So, how's your first day going so far, Ayame?" Yugi asked, eyes hopeful for a positive response.

Ayame smiled as she opened her lunch, her eyes avoiding contact. She didn't feel like discussing the negatives. Nozomi and her friends, Seto Kaiba… "It went well."

"Glad to hear," he responded with a smile, not that she was looking.

She opened her chopsticks and picked up a rolled egg, placing it promptly in her mouth. She let out an unintentional moan. She managed to make it just like her mother did, and it tasted of pure comfort up until she realized it tasted like the memory of the woman. The bitterness of the memory did nothing to dull the flavor of the food. They conflicted with each other, pulling her emotions in either way.

Honda let out a laugh. "She moans with food in her mouth like you, man!" he yelled at his blonde friend, not doing anything to hide his amusement.

Yugi made a motion to tell Honda to keep his voice down, but a louder voice beat him to the retort, resulting in him giving up and letting out a sigh in defeat. Another effort lost to prevent a more imposing intervention.

"You're just jealous that you can't enjoy food to that level!" Jonouchi retorted, mostly in his defense. He pulled out his take out a pork hash from a paper take-out bag and ate it in the most theatrical and obvious way. He chewed the food a few times before letting out a satisfied moan. He looked over at Ayame and winked. A light, embarrassed blush graced her cheekbones. It's not like she moaned every time she ate, did she?

"Oh gosh," Honda groaned.

Anzu shook her head. "Stop embarrassing her, guys."

"What?" Jonouchi asked. "Just looking out for a friend."

Friend. There was that word again. It seemed to be thrown around very easily, but perhaps it was easy and she never made herself available to it. But, now, three people have called her a friend in a matter of a few days: Anzu, Nozomi, and now Jonouchi. Her heart sank at the thought of Nozomi calling her a friend.

Ayame picked up the next item, karaage chicken, and ate it. It was the same sense of nostalgia and comfort, but this time she actively suppressed any moans. Every chew tasted of her. The flavors tantalizing her taste bud brought back memories of cooking with her. The warm feeling when she swallowed filled her with similarly warm feelings for her. She found herself now fighting tears.

She was terrible at hiding it, and one fell into her rice.

Yugi's face dropped to that of concern. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked her, putting down his own chopsticks.

The group looked at her, noticing what Yugi did and their faces adopting a similar look.

"I wasn't trying to make fun of you," Honda explained, guilt dripping in his voice. "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings."

"No," she stated, quickly. She had to stop the spiral of worry, which she knew would no quicker become a spiral of questions. "It's me."

"I just…" she started, making every effort to stop herself from bringing up that woman. "I'm sorry."

Anzu instinctively put a hand on her shoulder and smiled. "Don't worry, you're with friends."

Friends. The word never sounded so sweet as it did when Anzu said it just then. Ayame wiped her face with the sleeve of her jacket, the wool doing nothing to absorb her tears. Soon, her face was a mess of tears. At that moment, she sent up a little prayer thanking God for waterproof mascara.

She looked up to see all four of them smiling at her, and she smiled back.

"There's the smile!" Jonouchi cheered, earning a giggle from her.

"Oh boy, now she's giggling," Honda said, chuckling. "You broke her."

Yugi chuckled as well.

"Tch, broke her… I fixed her!" Jonouchi proclaimed, placing an arm around her shoulder.

"Dude, stop touching her," Honda groaned.

Jonouchi looked to Ayame, who was now beet red and eyes as wide as saucers. He lifted his arm from around her shoulder and apologized. She shook her head and let out another giggle, this time as a way to calm her nerves. She really wasn't used to being touched, especially since she was already embarrassed. Aside from Ryuji, Honoka, and Eri, nobody touched her, and it wasn't because nobody tried; she never allowed them the opportunity. After all, it was hard to get close to a girl who was always around a guy.

And yet, she still felt distant from the group. She wasn't integrated; she sat on the outskirts of a tight circle trying to look in. But there was a bright, empty spot; the spot they created for her. When she reached for it, there was a clear wall. She touched it, then she pushed it. They would reach out to her, touching her, but she could never pass the wall. They would grab her hand, and pull her. The wall blocked her once again. She turned away, all but giving up, but they never gave up on her. They sat on the other side of the wall, waiting, smiling. With her back against that wall, she felt them.

The reality of her situation came to light, and that despite being secretive, they never pushed her. At that moment, she thought perhaps she was more blessed than she acknowledged.

And it suddenly didn't make a single difference that Bakura wasn't there.

The bathroom was one of the few places in school that Ryo Bakura found solace. Not only was the bathroom on the fourth floor almost always empty, but it was one place where Nozomi and her friends couldn't follow. In fact, they were no longer allowed to linger near the boy's bathroom due to the headmaster's peeping tom accusation, which Nozomi feverently denied. He took a deep breath, held it for a second, and exhaled, shifting his weight to his hands that now used the sink for support. A million thoughts flowed haphazardly through his head, with his recent memory lapse being the biggest cause for concern.

He looked down to his uniform and placed a hand over his chest; the millenium necklace resting inconspicuously under the thick material. It brought comfort to the white-haired boy, a special memento of his archaeologist father. The gold felt cold on his skin, the edges of the ring were rounded and comfortable. The needles touched each other gently with his touch.

Occasionally, the ring felt warm; a phenomenon Bakura has yet to fully understand. One thing he knew for certain was that the warmth came with a foreign thought it a foreign voice. The voice was friendly, gentle, and convincing. At times, Bakura believed them to be his own thoughts, especially when the words seem so sweet.

The thoughts in his head at that time were no different.

"Ayame," the voice whispered quietly in his mind. His voice.

His thoughts raced back to that morning, to the visit and the walk to school. Emotions of anxiety and joy coursed through his veins, confusing his mind. Beads of sweat slowly crept from his pores, cold on his skin. Stress levels rose slowly, yet noticeably.

"She's nice, isn't she?" it whispered again.

"She is," Bakura whispered back, aloud.

The ring warmed up against his skin. It wasn't hot, never hot, but enough for the wearer to become aware of its presence. It was an ominous thing, the millenium ring, an enigma. It was consistent, yet not. Sometimes it speaks to him in a voice clearly not his own, and other times exactly like his own.

That's why he couldn't get rid of it. Perhaps it was always meant to be his.

The voice continued, "She's lonely too."

Sometimes it seemed like the ring had his best interests at heart, and other times he felt that the ring simply brought to light what he really wanted. However, most times, he wondered which were his interests and what were the ring's. Thus far, they were in his favor, so he never objected.

Bakura looked up to the mirror, his soft features were starting to look heavily burdened. His pale skin was slowly being deprived of its once vibrant glow.

His thoughts trailed to the morning visitor and her timid nature. She watched her every word, yet she was eager for answers. She was friendly despite his lack of answers. And yet, she too was lonely. The voice was right.

"I'm not lonely anymore," Bakura retorted, confidently, and he wasn't, at least not nearly as much as before. He had a life outside of his apartment. He visited Kame Shop to play games with his friends. He took leisure walks in the park, sometimes alone, but sometimes with Grandpa Muto. But, there were times...

The voice laughed, unconvinced, taking Bakura by surprise. He knew then it wasn't him sorting his thoughts. A chill went down his spine, and he gulped hard. He knew exactly who the voice was.

"You'll be less lonely with the girl around," the voice argued. "She will be too. It benefits you both."

"What is your benefit?" Bakura asked, all doubt shedded from him and all strength mustered. He looked up to the mirror to see the ring glow brighter under his uniform. Not a thought sooner, it materialized before his eyes. He was surprised, but he restrained making it known. He thought he was successful.

"Bravo," the spirit congratulated, his chuckles echoed circles around Bakura's head, causing the boy to search around him for the spirit's image. He would never find it, however, because he could never find it. Some chuckles were right in his ear, others were distant. Most were distorted, while a few were clear as day. It closed in on him, surrounding him, trapping him.

Bakura found himself pressured into a metaphorical corner, and torn between two thoughts: forced friendship or natural friendship. It made him think about the events of that morning. Ayame came to his unit at the behest of the spirit. The thought that it was him that controlled Bakura's actions that night made him feel insincere. Worse yet, the thought that said it was the spirit that Ayame enjoyed interacting with, not him, which stung the most.

Not him. His heart sank.

Emotions were never the spirit's strong suit, and with the flash of the millenium ring, that problem was solved.

Emotions were his host's weakness, as far as he was concerned. Emotions led to his host to make irrational decisions, especially ones that interfered with the spirit's mission; his reason for existing in this time on the mortal plane. He looked down to notice the ring returned to its original location under the coat jacket.

His host would feel better after a short rest.

The spirit checked the time on his host's watch. 3:10pm. Excellent.

Giving the mirror Bakura's signature innocent smile, the spirit approved of his charade and proceeded to exit the restroom. He needed a new plan, just in case Bakura remembered their interaction. Even if he did, he had a plan for that too. All plans led to the same goal, and the spirit of the ring knew best; all told plans are destined to fail.

When he exited the restroom, he made an immediate right with every intention of walking toward Ayame's classroom, but when he saw a certain raven-haired girl and her two followers, he knew plans were changing. Nozomi, ever sharp on her honing skills, saw him in an instant. Any plan he had for Ayame was now rescheduled, but maybe that wasn't a bad thing.

After all, every encounter was an opportunity. He smirked, very briefly, at the thought that crossed his mind.

"Ryo, you're finally out. I was worried about you," Nozomi stated, concern dripped from her voice. She looked him straight into his brown eyes, his host's brown eyes. Her deep purples expressed genuine worry, a look the spirit was accustomed to seeing from the girl. Love was such an exploitable emotion, and, frankly, the spirit was disappointed his host didn't take advantage of it. There was so much wasted opportunity.

Bakura smiled. "I apologize, that wasn't my intent."

"No! Never apologize!" she proclaimed. "You're fine!"

Bakura chuckled. It would be too easy.

"Ryo, could I talk to you?"

"What about?"

Nozomi bit her lip. She glanced back toward Yuko and Rei. Yuko gave her a silent fighting cheer. Rei, on the other hand, just nodded. With the approval of her two friends, she nodded to signal them that she was going to proceed.

Nozomi swallowed. "Ayame."

Ayame was ready to be finished with her first day five minutes before the bell rang at 3:00pm. She had all but her notebook packed away. Any remaining notes that needed to be made were going to be committed, to the best of her ability, to memory. It wasn't likely to happen, however, and she knew better. But once she noticed three minutes left of class, she wasn't concerned with anything else her instructor had to say. She wasn't concerned with the variety of clubs available at Domino High. She was only concerned with going home.

That, and Bakura.

And when the bell rang, she never stood up so quickly. After haphazardly shoving her notebook in her bag, she managed to only zip it up halfway before resigning to the fact that the adrenaline coursing through her was going to impede any fine motor skills she knew she had. In less than half a minute, she was out the door without a plan of which direction she would go first. Any reactions fell on deaf ears.

She let her impulse lead her.

Ryuji would be laughing right now.

Ayame brushed past many students callously, though she did manage a small "pardon" every so often. Manners weren't important, departure was. With that mission in mind, she made it to the front gate faster than some of the students on lower levels. She should have been proud, but once she reached the exterior wall of the school, she felt nothing but stress and exhaustion. The potential consequences of her choice flooded her mind.

What did her instructor think of her hasty departure? That may lead to some questions.

What if she missed out of her opportunity to join clubs? She could find out tomorrow.

What if her friends were looking for her? They'll be okay.

Her heart sank as the next question slowly marqueed through her mind.

What if Bakura was looking for her?

She didn't know why it affected her. Logically, it shouldn't have. They never made plans to meet after school. They barely spoke after entering school, but that may have been-no, that was completely because of Nozomi. Really, there was no reason for Ayame to wonder about the white-haired boy looking for her.

If Ryuji had been there, he would have set her straight. He'd have let her know that she was starting to act like a groupie. He would have...

She knew she had to stop herself, because he wasn't there. He was almost 500 kilometers away. He wouldn't be for long, but in her current reality, her harsh reality, he wasn't there, and she had to accept it. She didn't want to, but what would he tell her?

You have to, or you'll crumble.

Maybe returning to her new friends wouldn't be such a bad thing. He wouldn't want her to be lonely because of him. Oh, the things he'd say if he found out she was moping on his account. Eri would probably hit her, too.

She decided to find her friends.

When she turned the corner, she immediately changed her mind. It was embarrassing that all it took was the sight of Nozomi and Bakura to break her resolve and change her mind. Now she was hearing her mother telling her that she should never let someone else dictate her decisions. Sumiko's voice in her head made her stomach turn, but had yet to lead her astray.

She sighed, cold sweat now beading on her forehead from self-induced stress. She turned heel and walked toward the train station. Just for today, she wouldn't listen to her mother. Sumiko probably didn't understand the need for a reprieve from being strong, but Ayame was sure that the woman would have understood if she explained her reasoning.

She briskly walked away from the school. "Don't look back," she whispered to herself, continuing her pace. Maybe she'll find a coffee shop on the way back to the apartment. God knew how great a frappuccino sounded right then.

Ayame's new mission: get coffee.

Satisfied with the plan, she smiled and beelined for the train station.

But, if she did look back, she would have noticed that Bakura and Nozomi saw her hurry off. She would have seen the satisfied look on Nozomi's face. She would have seen the blank expression on Bakura's face. What she wouldn't have seen was the cogs turning in their heads, making plans and plotting schemes for reasons completely different from each other.

They, too, continued their way to the train station, with a certain brunette girl on both their minds.

She would never have guessed that she'd be so popular.

Notes:

Is it bad that I kind-of-sort-of love cliches? They can sometimes be so much fun to play with, though they're not everyones cup of tea. There's this fine line between complete cliche where you close your tab out of boredom/irritation, and absolutely loving the juicy (somewhat predictable) drama.

I hope you're all staying safe and healthy. Don't forget to check in on your loved ones.