One would think after high school concluded and they all started their adult lives, petty rival ships would end and both parties would be able to move on and learn to ignore each other if they still hated one another—act like mature adults. People had hoped that Kaiba and Jounouchi would learn to ignore each other, but that was not the case. They still bickered, spewing nasty insults whenever they crossed paths, but it was nothing physical unlike their youthful days, so everyone who knew both boys were grateful for that. The boys still had their duels and shot off their stupid insults, but it was better than them getting physical with each other and both parties being rushed to the hospital.

Jounouchi was still peeved that Kaiba had beaten him in a duel again. He grumbled bitterly, wishing that he could wipe that arrogant and stupid look off of Kaiba's face. God, how he wished to throttle that stupid brunette, but he kept his composure and would lose with some dignity and grace. After all, Jounouchi Katsuya was more mature than people often realized and there was no way he was going to flip out because he lost a children's card game—

"I can't tell if you've even improved over the years, mutt. You're still as predictable as always. Try upgrading that third-rate deck of yours and maybe, you'll have some chance at beating me," Kaiba sneered, his lips twitching into a shit-eating grin.

Yeah, screw being mature and graceful. Jounouchi was going to give that snobby, rich brat a piece of his fucking mind.

He gave Kaiba the finger, tucking his deck back in its respective case. "Ah, fuck you," Jounouchi grunted, scrunching his face while the dueling arena descended, and he swiped underneath his nose.

"Not in your wildest dreams, mutt," Kaiba chuckled, leaning against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. He was still as snarky as ever, turning his nose up at Jounouchi and mocking him. Jounouchi hated Kaiba but had a great amount of respect for the man; it was hard running the most gaming popular company in Japan, raising his little brother, and still holding the title as the second-best duelist in the world (Jou did laugh a bit whenever Kaiba lost to Yugi these days).

When Kaiba wasn't being a total dick, Jounouchi found himself respecting the brunette a bit more, often striving to be like him.

Exiting the elevator, Jounouchi followed Kaiba to the front door, hands tucked in his pockets. The mansion was still as grand as he remembered it from high school. Now, the walls were covered with pictures of both brothers throughout the years, usually marking Mokuba's accomplishments as he aged. The young boy had quite the growth spurt and was almost as tall as the rest of the group (minus poor Yugi. The King of Games had remained short through the years much to his dismay). Each picture had a story to tell and if Jounouchi squinted, he swore he could see a faint smile playing at Kaiba's lips.

"Kaiba-sama, I'm sorry to interrupt you." Isono said, catching the boys before they had taken off. "A woman named Kamiyama Kurumu has called, saying that she had urgent business with you. She is heading this way as we speak."

Kaiba grumbled, massaging his temples. "Escort the mutt home and I'll make sure to have everything ready by the time she arrives," he muttered.

"I can get home by myself, ya jerk," Jounouchi countered, arms folded across his chest while Kaiba laughed at him, not even turning around to face the blonde once he stepped back into the elevator. Stupid Kaiba and his stupid laugh and his stupid face—ah! Jounouchi hated pretentious and cocky douchebags.

Isono turned to Jounouchi, clearing his throat. "Shall we go, Jounouchi-san?" he asked.

"Sure, and you don't gotta use the formalities with me. Jou or Jounouchi works just fine," he brushed off, following Isono to the basement. Like the rest of the mansion, the cars were just as elegant and polished, proving just how much Kaiba cherished all of his possessions and how much he cared about being the best. Jounouchi whistled, admiring the expensive vehicles as Isono unlocked a car at the far end of the lot.

"Kaiba-sama rarely drives any of these cars. They are mostly for show," Isono revealed, holding the passenger door open for Jounouchi.

"I figured as much, but goddamn are they beautiful," Jounouchi awed.

Isono laughed at his reaction, letting the engine roar to life before pulling out of the garage. "I take it that you have a good eye for cars?"

Jounouchi nodded enthusiastically, drumming his fingers on the dashboard. "Yeah, I got into cars because of my old man. He would show me how to repair them and what to look for when picking out my first car," he reminisced, letting his head fall back against the seat with a ghost of a smile playing at his lips. "He taught me all kinds of things back in the day. It was really fun, ya know? I just wanna know… ah, it's nothing," he brushed off with a shrug, closing his eyes.

The guard just nodded, turning the corner. "Perhaps you can give Kaiba-sama a few pointers in the future? His taste in cars isn't the best—Mokuba usually helps him. You know how he's obsessed with the Blue Eyes," Isono pointed out, patting the steering wheel.

Of course, how could anyone forget Kaiba's obsession with the Blue Eyes White Dragon? It had followed him throughout high school, and it was even shown that the obsession had originated in ancient Egypt, but Kaiba never believed that his past self and his present self could possibly share that same love.

Jounouchi laughed quietly, shaking his head. Kaiba was an enigma and honestly, he liked how the brunette kept him always guessing. It was never the same thing with Kaiba and Jounouchi liked the challenge—Kaiba made him want to become a better person and a better duelist. He would never admit these feelings out loud, but they were present in his heart, and they were overpowering.

Giving Isono the rest of the directions to his apartment, Jounouchi thanked the older gentleman and gave a respectful bow. "Have a good evening and don't overwork yourself, ya hear?" he teased.

"I will try not to. I make no promises," Isono returned, flashing his own smile. "Please enjoy the rest of your evening, Jounouchi."

With that, Isono was out of sight and Jounouchi let out a deep sigh, turning to the door with his key in hand. He could already hear the drunken slurs beyond the door and his father fumbling about, knocking items over in his drunken rage. The blonde flinched, squeezing the key harder until his knuckles were white. It would be so easy to just walk away and just abandon his father, but his heart clenched at the thought. Surely, there was some good left in his father. He just needed some help and Jounouchi needed to be there for him; his father would get better; he was sure of it.

Slowly, he unlocked the door and stepped inside the dank house, already preparing himself for the hell his father was going to put him through.