Honoka Kondo never liked walking to school alone. Her mother, Tomoko, walked with her until her third year of elementary school, and Honoka walked her younger brother, Kazuma, up until her second year of middle school. She never knew or understood why she always needed somebody with her, and neither did her mother. Honoka was always a very timid child, but at the same time, she was quite outgoing especially around other children.

Regardless, she absolutely hated being alone.

Ayame had only been gone for one week, but it felt like one of the longest weeks of Honoka's life. The following Monday, she debated not going because Ayame wasn't going to be outside her house waiting for her. It meant walking past Ayame's house and knowing nobody was home. It meant walking past a house that was now considered to be a crime scene. She helped pack up that house just days before with Eri and Otogi. It crossed her mind if she impeded the investigation.

Her heart dropped.

She shook those thoughts from her head and applied her lip tint. It was her new favorite color, mostly because it looked natural and inconspicuous to those nitpicky teachers at Shoji High. She never understood why the teachers at Shoji High seemed more uptight about it than those at Tsume High.

Honoka inhaled deeply and stood up with a big smile on her face. Nothing was going to ruin her day. Her mother and brother had already left for his elementary school on the other side of Shogi City, but not without leaving a heavy lunch box on the table. It was probably rice balls, maybe with some meat and vegetables. On top of it was a small piece of pinch paper with a heart drawn in pencil. It was usually a small note, but her mother must have been running late. No matter how late she was running, she always left some sort of written sentiment.

Ayame's house was almost exactly halfway between the Kondo's and the Shogi-Hayashi Train Station. In fact, their houses were both on the same long road fronting the river. Honoka could have taken the back roads, but she didn't feel confident enough she would find her way back to the main road. It took about ten minutes to walk from her house to Ayame's, but that day it felt like twenty minutes. With how slow she was walkinging, it could have very well taken her twenty minutes.

When she made it to Ayame's house, she stopped dead in her tracks to see a single yellow police tape across the front door. Her hands went straight to cover her gaping mouth, and her bag dropped like a rock to the pavement below. Her eyes darted to the small house just in front of it. The Yoshikawa's. She wondered how they were doing. They were always so nice. Mrs. Yoshikawa was almost always in her garden in the mornings while Mr. Yoshikawa sat in a chair on the porch reading the newspaper and sipping on tea.

They weren't there today.

Against her better judgement, she decided that she would skip school. She justified that she was in no position to attend that day anyway, and that she needed to make sure the Yoshikawa's were okay. She was more than sure her mother would understand, and maybe even be proud of her. No, that's just what she envisioned; she was sure her mother was going to be furious. Hopefully she'll be understanding after.

She picked up her bag, walked up the front door, and knocked.

Nope, her mother was going to be furious the whole time, but it was too late to change her mind. The last thing she wanted to do was prank seniors.

She didn't expect Ryuji Otogi to answer the door, and he didn't expect to see her.

"Kondo? What are you doing here?"

Honoka huffed and her cheeks turned a light shade of pink, both from confusion and awe of how attractive he was. Curse him and his good looks. "I could ask you the same thing!"

Ryuji chuckled as Honoka's face flushed from embarrassment. He leaned on the door frame clad in Tsume High School's signature black blazer with a plaid red tie and dark grey slacks. His long black hair was tied back, but his red headband was missing. He noticed her staring, and felt obligated to instigate. He smirked. "Like what you see?"

Honoka gasped and turned bright red. "What? No!" She composed herself, just enough to refute, which Ryuji hardly saw as composition. Sweats quickly made its way up to the surface of her skin. He almost felt bad. She took a quick deep breath. "You're not wearing your headband, that's all. What happened to it?"

He instinctively put his hand to his forehead. "I'm not allowed to wear it at school."

"You're actually listening to the teachers?"

"It's from France," He explained, hastily, arms now crossed over his chest. "And it's the only one I have. I'm not about to get it confiscated."

"Wow! Really? From France?" she gasped, impressed. "I would keep it safe, too!"

Ryuji sighed as he shook his head. She was so gullible, so innocent, and so annoying.

"Otogi? Who's at the door?" came Mrs. Yoshikawa's frail voice.

"It's Kondo," Ryuji responded without moving from the door, and without averting his gaze from the short black-haired girl with a medium length bob, feathered bangs, and honey brown eyes. He enjoyed watching people squirm when they're put on the spot, especially Ayame and Honoka. They both seemed to get so flustered. Honoka, however, was in a league above Ayame. She would sweat, fidget, and start biting her lip. It was entertainment gold, especially since a certain brunette wasn't there to slap him and tell him to stop being so cruel.

Mrs. Yoshikawa came to the door with a sweet smile on her face. "Ah, Honoka, we weren't expecting you."

Honoka bowed. "I'm sorry for stopping by unannounced, Mrs. Yoshikawa!" She rose and made herself small. "I just wanted to check on you, with Ayame and Aunt Saki… you know…"

Mrs. Yoshikawa nodded her head slowly, eyes closed. "I appreciate the sentiment, dear. Mr. Yoshikawa and I are in a bit of a shock, really, but I can't imagine what poor Ayame must be going through. I really wished she just stayed here with us instead of going to Domino City so impulsively. She shouldn't be isolated right now, it's not healthy."

Honoka lowered her head. She agreed.

Mrs. Yoshikawa gently nudged Ryuji to the side, who was lost in his own thoughts as well. She approached the girl slowly and touched her forearm. Her short, permed grey hair glistened like glitter in the morning sun. Honoka raised her head to look her in the eye. "You need to go to school, Honoka. Your mother won't be happy."

Ryuji snickered quietly, but not quietly enough. Mrs. Yoshikawa was old, but her senses were as sharp as the two teenagers on her property. "You'll be leaving too, Otogi."

Honoka snickered, and noticeably at that. She looked at the boy to see his normally cool face in shock, and it was a wonderful sight. It was amazing to her that Ryuji Otogi was still attractive even when the cool facade faded. It was no wonder so many girls are so attracted to him, and why she was so attracted to him.

It was too bad his personality was so awful. He was an awful person, and so mean, and so rude. He was only nice to Ayame, and as much as she felt-no, knew, he was awful, she couldn't deny that he was great to her best friend.

But, he was still awful, and awfully attractive. Why did she ever have a crush on him?

"Make sure Honoka gets to school safely," Mrs. Yoshikawa said, now looking at the boy. "Shoji is on the way to Tsume, and you're both late."

Ryuji lifted himself from the door frame and grabbed his bag. He wasn't keen on walking her. He thought of just walking away from that whole conversation. She was Ayame's friend, not his. Ayame wasn't there, and there was no reason for him to have to associate with Honoka. He didn't really know her, aside from her confession of love last year and what little he's seen. He was sure she'd enjoy spending time with him, and he wasn't interested in giving her that satisfaction.

He walked past the two in silence, sparing neither a glance.

"Ryuji Otogi," came Mrs. Yoshikawa's voice, stern, but still frail.

He stopped in his tracks, mere steps away from Mrs. Yoshikawa and Honoka. He didn't look back. He knew what she was going to say. Seniors were predictable in that way. He waited, mostly out of respect for the fact that they were Ayame's adopted grandparents. When she didn't continue, he began walking again, this time with no intention of stopping.

And as he walked away, Mrs. Yoshikawa sighed. She patted Honoka's shoulder lightly, grabbing her attention from the boy that was walking away in silence and his head high. The old lady rested her hand after two pats. "Let's leave him be," Mrs. Yoshikawa said. "It's not you, dear."

"How do you know?"

The elderly woman chuckled. "Do you think only he came here to check on us?"

Mrs. Yoshikawa smiled softly and looked down the driveway at the young man walking away with his bag swung over his shoulder. Honoka looked at him too, very confused. Why else would he visit the couple if not to check on them or help them? As far as she understood about him, Ryuji Otogi doesn't help anybody but himself and Ayame, and knowing that the Yoshikawa's were more or less her grandparents, it would have made sense that he would help them. What other explanation was there?

Honoka looked back at Mrs. Yoshikawa and smiled. "I better be off then!"

Mrs. Yoshikawa nodded still looking at the boy. She turned her attention back to the brunette and smiled. "Be safe."

Honoka gripped her bag a little tighter. "Mrs. Yoshikawa, can I visit after school?" she asked, suddenly. She looked down to her feet. "I mean, it's just," she stuttered. "I've been worried since this whole thing happened… about Ayame and… I've just been pretty sad. I'm... not adjusting well."

Mrs. Yoshikawa nodded one time..

Honoka froze. "I'll… I'll bring ingredients to cook! I-"

"It's okay, dear," Mrs. Yoshikawa chuckled. "Of course you may visit, and you don't need to bring anything. It's healthy to talk about this. It'll do us all good."

The old woman looked down the driveway once again, but Ryuji was gone. She shook her head and turned her attention back to a still very stiff Honoka. "Now go, Honoka. You're already very late."

Honoka bubbled up, true to her personality. She put on a big smile. She was glad she visited Ayame's grandma. She was glad, at least in that moment, that she made the decision to be late for school. As Mrs. Yoshikawa insinuated, it was healthy for her, and she needed to think more about herself. She relaxed her grip on her bag handle. She liked that reasoning. "Can I bring Eri too?"

Mrs. Yoshikawa nodded again.

Honoka thanked her, turned, and ran down the driveway, then made a beeline toward the train station, revitalized. Now she had something to look forward to. She was still going to bring something small for the Yoshikawa's. She thought they wouldn't mind, and they would probably understand that she'd be uncomfortable coming empty handed. It's proper manners, after all.

As she approached the train station, she saw Ryuji standing by the terminal for Shogi. He looked… sad, or at least that was how she interpreted his body language. His head was hung just slightly and his shoulders drooped. Her heart wanted her to talk to him. Her mind reminded her that he wasn't interested in her company.

But since when did she listen to her head?

She ran up to him, startling him from his thoughts. "Otogi!"

He took a step back, completely on instinct. "K-Kondo?"

She stopped a mere step away from him. Ryuji hated how she didn't understand the meaning of personal space. He took two steps back to create a comfortable distance, even if five steps would have been a more comfortable space.

"Oh, good, I made it before the next train left," she exclaimed in relief. "I knew running was a good idea!"

"You ran the whole way?"

"Well," she started as she scratched the back of her head. "Most of the way."

Ryuji looked at the time on his watch. It was about ten minutes before the train came. That was ten long minutes he would have to listen to Honoka talk. He wasn't ready for it, and there was nowhere he could walk off to. If only she had walked to the train station, or just decided to not go to school at all, it would have been a quiet, peaceful trip.

He would have been left to his thoughts in peace.

"So, Otogi," she started, rolling back and forth on her feet.

Ryuji sighed. Here we go.

She stopped rolling and sniffled. "I miss Ayame…"

His eyes widened from the sudden shift in tone. He resisted the urge to vocalize his shock. He may not have liked her much, but he shared her sentiment. He relaxed his face. Now the next thought was to decide whether to let her know that fact. He wasn't looking to start any kind of relationship with Ayame's friend, and he wasn't about to share emotions with somebody he didn't know.

Honoka hung her head, sincerely not expecting a response. She knew Otogi wasn't one for conversation, but all she wanted was for a pair of ears to listen to her. It helped that Otogi was Ayame's friend, and that even if he didn't feel the same way, he would at least understand her. That was enough.

Ryuji looked at the girl with honey eyes. Even from behind her bangs, anyone could tell she was hurting. She definitely wore her heart on her sleeve. Dangerous, but in a way refreshing.

"It's hard to walk past her house and know she's not there," she started, her voice cracking ever so slightly as she held back tears. "And that the police could be looking for her. And I'm here, and she's so far away in Domino all alone."

Tears rolled down her face. "It's not fair! She doesn't deserve any of this! It's not her fault! She should have just stayed in Shogi with us," she cried. Riders soon started staring at the girl who was well on her way to hysterics. "She's my best friend, Otogi! What if she's crying right now? She can't call me, or Eri, or anybody! This is all so wrong! We need to go to Domino right now and-"

Ryuji took a few frantic steps forward and covered her mouth with his hand. Her tears had soaked most of her face, and the moisture from her open mouth on his palm made him want to just jerk his hand away. But, if he did too soon, the girl would more than likely continue to cry, and he couldn't have that. The unwanted attention was too much for him to handle, and it being just the two of them looked awkward as well. What must have been going through their minds right now?

He held his hand firmly against her mouth. Aside from her sobbing spasms, she was quiet. "When I remove my hand," he began, looking her dead in the eyes. "You will not scream or cry. You've already caused a big scene. Do you understand?"

Honoka nodded, swallowing extra saliva that was forming in her mouth.

Ryuji slowly removed his hand then promptly wiped it on his trouser. Disgusting. He observed her for the next few seconds as she took some small, shallow breaths in an effort to calm herself. The crowds murmured, but soon dispersed much to Ryuji's relief. At that moment, he cursed Ayame for leaving him alone with her annoying friend.

He cleared his throat as he looked back to his watch. The train was arriving any minute now. He looked behind him and noticed that some were still staring at them. If he was in their shoes, he would probably be staring too.

"Otogi," Honoka almost whispered. She wasn't sure if he heard, but she was trying to respect that she already embarrassed him. "I'm sorry."

Ryuji looked back at her. He heard her. "It's fine."

"I don't really think we should go to Domino," she stated.

"I wasn't going to let you go anyway."

"Aw, you care," she said, a smile tugging at both corners of her lips.

Ryuji scoffed. "If Aya found out I let you go to Domino by yourself, I'd never hear the end of it."

"So," she purred. "If I decided right now to actually run off to Domino, does that mean you'd have to follow me? To keep Ayame from getting angry with you?"

The teenage boy sighed and closed his eyes. A dull headache slowly formed at the front of his head, and he didn't have any aspirin. Why Ayame decided she wanted to be friends with this girl was completely beyond him, and he resented her for forming that relationship almost as much as she befriended Eri, who hated him with almost every fiber of her being. Things were much simpler when it was just the two of them.

However, despite that growing resentment, he missed her, and he was counting the days that he would see her again. It couldn't come soon enough. He was worried; just as worried as Honoka was, but he would argue that he was moreso. In three weeks, the Black Crown was to open in Domino. It was just a matter of time.

In the meantime, he should be nicer to Honoka. The last thing he needed was Ellia Wilson visiting the Black Crown upset, or just having her upset. It almost never ended well. Aside from her European features of blonde hair, green eyes, and powder white skin, nothing screamed that she was American more than her temper.

He took a deep breath and exhaled. Try not to come off as too big of a jerk. "You're not going to Domino," he stated bluntly. "Besides, Aya would be more upset if you suddenly arrived, don't you think?"

It may have been a small lie. Ayame would probably have been happy to see her friend, at least initially… but it was a bad idea, and he hoped Honoka would see it that way too.

"I guess you're right," she succumbed.

He let out a small sigh of relief, just in time for the train's arrival.

"But," she added. "Do me and Eri a favor? If she contacts you, let us-um, me know?"

He nodded and swung his bag over his shoulder. "No problem."

"Thanks, Dice Boy," she smiled as she nudged past him to get closer to the edge of the platform.

Ryuji cringed. "Don't call me that."

Honoka giggled. "Sorry." She wasn't, but she couldn't let the opportunity pass her by that he wouldn't fight her. Maybe they could be friends after all.

Ryuji sighed. The train slowly pulled up to the platform. The doors opened. After a few passengers disembarked, Ryuji, Honoka, and about ten other passengers boarded. Honoka boarded before him, and he was happy about that. He boarded shortly after and made his way to the other side of the tram, respectfully pushing past people until he was at the very end.

It wasn't long before Honoka made her way to him with a big smile on her face. He sighed. If only he wasn't so tall. He wasn't sure why he was tall. His father sure wasn't. Perhaps it was his mother who was tall? Ryuji didn't know, and he will probably never know, but that wasn't the problem right now.

Honoka was soon at his side, that big smile on her face only growing in size. "Almost lost you!"

Ryuji raised his free hand to grip the handle bar, trying his darndest to not express his irritation. The train ride was just ten minutes. He could survive ten minutes.

The sun finally peaked over the orange horizon at 5:52am. As it peaked, multiple rays of deep golden sun shot in either direction, illuminating more of the blues and blacks into oranges and purples. The birds have been chirping since just before the first hint of orange illuminated the horizon, welcoming the new day.

The gentle breeze blew across Ayame's face, lifting her feathered bangs up and toward the direction of Domino. Her pancaked braid remained unaffected as it laid down the side of her chest. The sea breeze dusted her face with salt, clogging her pores. It seemed to melt on her face. She never thought she would be able to experience an ocean sunset, since she spent her whole life in the landlocked city of Shogi. If this was a dream, she didn't want to wake up.

At the same time, she wished she would wake up and be back home in Shogi with her mother cooking breakfast and preparing her lunch. She craved waking up to the unfinished wood walls of her room. She missed Honoka yelling, "I'm home," when she came by every morning to walk to school together. She desperately prayed this was all just a horribly bad dream and that it wouldn't be much longer before she woke up.

She stared out at the sunrise just a minute longer, taking in all of its beauty.

"What was your life like," she asked, turning her head toward Hikari Jonouchi's tombstone on the left of where she sat on the grass. She looked back out toward the ocean to see birds now flying in the sky. The crows now started to caw as the sun crept up steadily, just like the crows in Shogi did. The nostalgia was painful.

Ayame lowered her head and stared at her feet, trying not to think about anything. "I must be losing my mind. I'm looking for some sort of comfort from a dead person."

She looked back up and toward the tombstone, guilt immediately finding home in her gut. "I'm sorry, that was insensitive."

She placed a hand on the stone and once again looked back toward the horizon.

The breeze grazed her skin a bit stronger. A sign, maybe, or simply that the wind blew as it fit its desire. The direction and strength could have easily been explained scientifically, but science was as cold as the ocean was right now. What comfort was there in that? She didn't need any more facts; she needed warmth. She needed more than a cold tombstone.

Her hand slid down the smooth, polished stone and found its place back at her side, resting on the grass.

She wanted her mother. She wanted Saki Ishida. Ayame wanted her to come find her at that cemetery and tell her that everything was nothing but a massive misunderstanding. She wanted her to say that they had the wrong woman. She wanted her to say that all the documents she and Ryuji found were fake. This was all just a messy misunderstanding.

She wanted Ryuji. She wanted him to scold her and say something along the lines of, "Didn't I tell you that you were too impulsive for your own good?" She wanted him to help her pack up Uncle Kin's apartment and call another moving company whose owner owed him a favor to pick up all her stuff. She, Ryuji, and her mother would take the train back home, and Domino would be nothing but a memory. He would buy her a frappuccino from Cafe Lotte and advise her on how it was healthier to drink black coffee. Their banter would go on all night.

A single tear raced on her face. She didn't bother to wipe it; it deserved to be there… because this wasn't a dream, and she wasn't going to wake up. Soon, another tear followed, and another from the other eye. It wasn't long before she couldn't tell which tear came from which eye. They all fell together at what felt like the pace of a waterfall. She held back her sobs, and her throat felt constricted. The restraint was suffocating-she was suffocating. She let out a sob, and soon there was no stopping them. The dam had broken, and the backup levees had failed. She cried her heart out in that empty cemetery.

She knew then that what she truly needed was a good cry.

As she cried, she felt a warmth graze her shoulders and the back of her neck. It felt like a hug, or at least an arm. If she didn't already know the cemetery was empty, she would have thought somebody was with her. Though fleeting, she felt an energy... something that let her know it was okay to cry, and that she wasn't alone. Her mind and body were so flooded with raw emotion, she couldn't process what she felt could have logically been her mind playing tricks on her; forcing her to feel things that would bring her comfort. Her sobs still came full force, but the time between sobs grew further apart. What logic said didn't matter, because the thought that an unseen force, a spirit, provided comfort.

Ayame leaned her head on Hikari's tombstone. "Thank you," she said between sobs. "For being here."

The sky was now completely orange. It wouldn't be long before the sky turned blue, and she would have to get ready for the day. She had to plan how she'd get the swelling in her eyes down; a problem she never had faced before. She never cried that hysterically. She had no reason to.

She stood up and replaced her hand on the tombstone one last time. "See you next Monday, Aunt Hikari."

She walked back to her apartment, wiping her face dry with the sleeve of her white sweatshirt. She had a smile on her face. She was ready for her second week at Domino High.

I guess the dead don't really die.

By the time Ayame got home, it was already 6:32am. The train that would take her to school left at 7:00 and 7:30. If she caught the 7:30 train, there was a very good chance that she would be late for school. She has never been late to school. She came close to being late once because Honoka sprained her ankle after getting off the train and Ayame was her crutch for the next four blocks. They made it to the gates three minutes before school started, and Ayame made it to her classroom with one minute to spare.

She threw a wet washcloth in the freezer to use for her eyes. She knew from past tennis injuries that cold compresses reduce swelling, and she saw nothing wrong with trying out that concept on her puffy, red eyes. If that didn't work, she was sure she could get away with the simple excuse of sleeping late the night before.

She put on her uniform and double checked that her school bag was in order. She removed her mobile phone from the charger, turned it on silent, and placed that in her bag haphazardly. It was only half charged, but it was completely her fault for forgetting to charge it the night before. She dug through her bag and pulled her phone. She opened the phone and held the power button, turning off the phone.

She looked at her watch. 6:49am. Shoot!

She grabbed her bag, rushed to the freezer, and pulled out the rag, just barely cold. She placed it on her eyes. She counted to thirty; she didn't have time for a whole minute. She still didn't put on her shoes, and she was going to be going to school for the first time without mascara or lip tint. She didn't put much on normally; it was a habit she developed from Shogi High. However, even the slightest amount boosted her confidence, especially the mascara.

Once she counted thirty, she threw the washcloth on the counter and proceeded to quickly slip on her brown leather loafers. She tripped on her way to the door, but quickly recovered and was out the door.

She ran toward the elevator to find it was on the ground floor. Ugh! Really! She didn't have time to wait for it. She had ten minutes to get to the station. If she walked, it would take her ten minutes. She wasn't going to wait for the elevator. It wasn't a luxury she had at the time.

Ten flights of stairs it was.

It took two minutes to run down ten flights of stairs. She slammed the door open and ran through the lobby. She was sure that the receptionist called out to her and asked her to please walk, but she was running so fast that she both barely heard her and didn't care. She had roughly seven minutes to get to the station, and she was determined to make it. She had no choice but to make it.

So she ran like her tennis coach made the team run at Shogi Intermediate-long and far.

Despite it being just one year ago, she was surprised at her stamina. She made a mental note to thank the coach if she ever found herself back home. But for now, maybe a well intended mental message would suffice.

Two minutes until the train departed, and she just made it to the station. She swiped her card across the access and got the green light. She ran toward the terminal without a care of who was yelling at her to stop running. Until she had two feet on the train, she wasn't going to stop. Nothing was going to make her late.

That was… until she ran into Ryo Bakura, knocking him to the ground and out of line. She followed suit about a foot away from him.

"Ow," she groaned, rubbing her hip. She wasn't aware of who she hit, but it may have made her miss her train. She looked to see the doors just opening. Frantic, she jumped to her feet and picked up her bag. Just as she was about to run toward the doors, she looked back and realized just who she hit: her neighbor. She looked back to the door to see all the passengers departed and the new riders were now entering. Sweat began beading on her forehead. She had to go, now.

She stepped down and took Bakura by the hand. "I'm sorry, but we have to go."

Bakura blushed as Ayame pulled him to his feet, quite forcibly. Once he was on his feet, she bent down, grabbed his messenger bag, and threw it over her shoulder. Her hand tightly gripping his, she began to pull him toward the doors. "Come on!"

It was just a few steps away, and the doors were still open. She sprinted, earning cries of discomfort from the white-haired boy. She'd apologize again once she got through the doors. If she got through the doors. As the doors started jerking, releasing themselves from their automatic locks, she knew she may have to apologize at the terminal: one for injuring him in her frantic rush and two for making him late for school.

But that didn't mean she wasn't going to try. The rail monitor yelled at them to stop and that it was dangerous. Not to Ayame. No, being late was dangerous. The conductor was now yelling for the train to stop the doors, but it was too late. The hinges were released, and the doors began to close. Ayame jumped through the closing door, and Bakura was dragged like a rag doll, falling to his knees inside the train as Ayame ran straight into the doors on the other side, falling to her knees as well. The doors closed shut behind them.

Ayame looked up and saw the monitor run up to the door to see if the two teens were safe. Upon seeing them, he signalled the conductor to proceed. On the monitor's signal, the train began to move. She groaned and lifted herself off the floor, thankful that the train was not as crowded today. She looked to Bakura and saw him groaning too. Her expression dropped, guilt coursing through her body… but at least they weren't going to be late.

The riders were staring at the two teens. Bakura didn't look up, but Ayame saw all their eyes. She saw their shock. She saw their appallment. And she felt even more guilty for getting Bakura into that situation. His blue uniform was also scuffed with dirt… and he was injured. Nozomi was going to have her head.

She knelt beside him. "Are you hurt?"

He shook his head. "Not really, it was just a tumble."

She looked up to see the eyes still staring at them on the ground. Her body grew tense with stress. "Can you stand?"

He nodded as he began to pull himself up slowly. She grabbed his forearm and gave him extra assistance without a second thought; a habit she developed from assisting the Yoshikawa's, especially Mr. Yoshikawa. When Bakura was square on his feet, he thanked her and rolled his shoulders to relieve some of the discomfort he developed from the falls.

Gosh, did she feel guilty.

"I'm really sorry, Bakura," she apologized, head hung low and her hands still on his forearm. "I was just really scared I was going to be late."

"It's okay, Ayame, really. Don't worry about me, I'm fine," he insisted. He looked from her to the other passengers. They were still staring, and some of them were muttering things such as "dangerous" and "scary."

She removed her hands from his forearm and moved one to the handle bar, holding on tight. "What about your uniform?"

Bakura looked down to see the dirt. He shook his head. "It's just a bit of dirt; no damage," he observed.

All Ayame could think about was every little imperfection she caused. The dirt on his clean blue slacks and sleeves, the slightest inflammation on the palms of his hands from catching himself, how his hair was very slightly dishevelled… she saw it all, and if she saw it all, Nozomi was going to see it all and more. She started devising a plan to avoid the girl and her friends. Within the next few seconds, she had three plans. Unfortunately, all of those plans involved leaving Bakura either behind or alone. She didn't like them, but she knew that avoidance was the best option, and that added to the guilt. It wasn't long before it boiled over.

They spent the rest of the train ride in an awkward silence.

Within the next twenty minutes, they were at the Domino Metro station. They were the last to exit the train, and they did so side by side. The tension between them was like two magnets keeping the other away. It was something Ayame couldn't understand, and something she felt shouldn't be.

But it also crossed her mind if it was for a reason, but what illogical reason would that be?

There was none, and it had to be her being awkward, and the tension clearly self-imposed. It probably had nothing to do with him. Ryo Bakura was naturally quiet, so, if anything, it was on her to start the conversations.

Goodness knows she was a terrible conversation starter.

"Did you eat breakfast," she asked him. She wanted to kick herself. What if he didn't? She didn't bring anything to offer him. She didn't eat anything herself. What if he asked her the same question back? He would feel awful. Indeed, she wished she could kick herself.

"I did," he responded. "Did you?"

Shoot. "I did."

"That's good," he chuckled dryly. "Breakfast is very important."

She nodded and agreed. Come on, Ayame, you can ask a better question. She fiddled with her fingers. "So…"

"Do you like games," he asked her, still walking in step, but looked at her.

Their eyes locked, and for a second she thought it was just a matter of time before she walked into another pole. She was caught, almost entranced. Well, if she did walk into a pole, Honda and Jonouchi wouldn't be there to laugh at her. She didn't think Bakura would laugh. She was pretty sure he wouldn't.

Then she realized she was staring at him. Goodness, what did he even ask her?

She shook her head, breaking the gaze. Games. He asked you about games.

"I played tennis at my previous school," she blurted. "I was on the tennis team."

"O-Oh, you play sports?"

She stifled a breath. She feared she revealed too much. Was Bakura the type to get curious and research? Her anxiety rose. She promptly interlaced her hands behind her back while still holding her briefcase-styled school bag. No more fidgeting. She also realized that she was ill-suited for a life of crime. She'd be the worst criminal ever. She could barely pretend to be somebody different, but still be her-no, she couldn't be herself. She needed to be different.

Why did her mother drag her into a life of dishonesty? She was such a hypocrite.

"I played sports," she started, determined to change the subject as quickly as possible. "But I got injured very early in the season, so that was very short-lived."

Goodness, she hated lying, especially to someone as sweet as Bakura. She felt as despicable as Sumiko, but this was all her fault. She was the catalyst, and Ayame hated her. However, to say it was with every fiber of her being would be inaccurate, because despite everything, Sumiko Hara was her mother.

She cringed at the thought.

Bakura looked at her, concerned. "If it's a difficult memory, you don't need to talk about it," he comforted her with a gentle smile. "Believe me, I understand."

It hurt her that he believed her painful memory was associated with tennis, and it absolutely disgusted her. This kind boy didn't deserve that. In fact, all of his kind friends that welcomed her to their group didn't deserve a friendship based mostly on lies, and she felt it impossible to ever share the truth. Her heart broke. She didn't deserve them. Before she knew it, a single teardrop dripped to the ground.

For the second time today, she cried. All she could think of was to run, but with one more train to catch to get to school, she realized that she wasn't going to be able to avoid him without leaving him feeling abandoned or confused. He didn't deserve that either. There was, however, one more option: go together. If she couldn't tell him the truth, she could, at the very least, be a good, respectful friend despite who would be waiting at the Domino High gates. He deserved at least that. There would be a time where she will hurt him, but that time wasn't going to be today.

So, she wiped her tears away before he really noticed and smiled at him, a genuine smile. "Thank you."

He laughed. "Why are you thanking me?"

"Just because," she stated simply, now looking toward the incoming train that would take them closer to school.

She turned back to him, still smiling. His brown eyes widened just slightly, but his heart rate had gone into high gear. He clenched his teeth and stiffened his shoulders, all unconsciously. The next thing he knew, his cheeks grew warm. They were definitely pink, and he was even more embarrassed that he was now blushing. His whole body slowly felt numb, and he could barely feel the growing warmth of the golden ring under his uniform. He could always keep his words under control, but his body betrayed him every time.

Ayame giggled, covering her mouth with the tips of her fingers. Goodness, he was adorable.

She took a small step away from him, giving him more space to relax. She thought that maybe it was her proximity that made him uncomfortable. "You're a wonderful person, Ryo," she stated. She waited for a second to see if there was a reaction from using his first name. Though it was an accident, his first name felt nice rolling off her tongue. Her cheeks grew slightly pink. Her smile remained, and just grew bigger. "That's why I wanted to thank you; for being wonderful."

She relaxed, exhaling deeply. Bakura, however, had only grown redder and tenser.

The train pulled up to the terminal, and came to a complete stop. Just seconds later, the doors opened, letting only five people off. Ayame followed the line to enter the train, but before she set foot on the train, she found that Bakura was still on the platform, in some sort of trance. His head bowed forward and his hand came up to support it. Ayame ran up to Bakura, concerned that something happened. "Ryo?"

She leaned over to get a better look at his face. It was expressionless. Her smile drooped. "Bakura?"

She reached for his hand, and when she touched it, electricity coursed through her nerves, exciting every ending from her fingertips to her shoulder… exactly how it did during her housewarming. She jerked her hand back and held it as if it were wounded. He, however, didn't flinch.

The announcement was made that the doors would be closing.

She looked toward the doors, they were still open. She quickly looked back at Bakura and attempted to touch him again, but much more cautiously. "Hey, Bakura?"

"Please," he stated, honey dripping from his voice… too sweet. He lifted his head and smiled. "Call me Ryo. It's nice when you say it."

Ayame's eyes opened in shock. There was that shift again. The confidence. She looked back quickly to the train doors. They were going to close any second. She returned her gaze to him. If something was off, she didn't have time to investigate. She reached for his hand. "We have to go, Ryo, or we're going to be-"

Her fingers collided once again with his hand, and a stronger surge of electricity flowed through her. This time, she swore it went out through the top of her head. If she hadn't braided her hair, she's sure it would have stood straight like a mad scientist.

"Oh," he said, stroking his hand where Ayame had touched. "Not this again. I'm sorry."

He reached out, touching her jacket. No electricity. Bakura smirked. He took hold of her sleeve firmly. "Shall we?"

Before she had the chance to respond, Bakura was now the one pulling her toward the closing doors. Their entrance to the cart had been much more graceful than when Ayame dragged him not long before. The doors closed behind them. She wasn't going to be late today, but it didn't make sense for her to go to school now; she was still analyzing Bakura's sudden shift in demeanor.

Bakura smiled. "Whew, we made it. That was close."

She nodded, slowly, hesitantly.

Something wasn't right, and she wasn't sure if it was Bakura or her. Perhaps he had a personality disorder, like that one patient her mother cared for in their home for a month when she was seven years old. But, as her mother would tell her, she isn't a doctor and should not diagnose anybody.

Whatever the reason, it intrigued her.

But more than her intrigue with him, his curiosity was piqued with her. Slowly, the puzzle laid out its pieces. Bakura smirked. He never doubted how exploitable romance was. Slowly, but surely, the pieces were starting to group and make matches. Ryo Bakura had more uses than the spirit originally suspected. Destiny sure had a way of working, and he knew destiny was proving to be on his side. How fortunate.

Notes

When I was planning out this piece, I knew that I would be making it very OC heavy. I really appreciate you all for bearing with me as I hash out all these different OCs and detailing their places in this big, complicated world. Thank you for sticking with me!

I hope that, wherever you are in the world, you are well. Take care of yourself, and take care of each other. We will get through this time together. Let's continue to treat ourselves and others with positivity and respect. Check in on your loved ones and let them know how much they mean to you.