Bakura and Asenath watched him stomp down the hall. "What's his problem?" asked Asenath.

"Dunno."

"Um…excuse me…" They turned to see a younger boy looking up at them.

"Yeah?"

"Is Ishtar Malik here? I was supposed to wake him up at the end of the period."

"Oh…so you're Yamashita," guessed Asenath.

"Yeah! How did you know?"

Asenath left Malik alone for a week, understanding perfectly that he needed time to adjust to this new development in his already chaotic teenage life. The next Thursday, though, he was walking home when he heard a call behind him. "Malik! Wait up!"

He turned to see her run up next to him. "What?"

"Do you have anything to do right now?"

"Um…no, not really," he said, wishing he had his motorcycle and desperately trying to think of something he should be doing.

"Good. Walk with me."

"Where to?"

"I don't know. Wherever. I think we need to talk."

"Really," he said.

"Yeah. Let's go to the park. I want this to work out without fighting."

"…"

"Really truly. I know I kind of gave you a shock when I showed up, and I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. It's just…I wanted to see some closure with this arrangement."

"You wanted to get married already," said Malik dully. "Is it just me, or is it warmer than usual today?" He stopped for a moment and pulled off his uniform jacket, slinging it over his shoulder.

"I hadn't noticed," she said, "and we're getting off the subject."

Malik shrugged and they started off again. He didn't, however, miss the bead of sweat that trickled down the side of her face. Pushing his puzzled thoughts aside, he walked silently with her until they reached the park. Dropping their stuff under a tree, they headed toward the playground. Surprisingly, it wasn't too crowded. Asenath hoisted herself up and sat on one of the horizontal bars, while Malik leaned on the one next to hers.

"Why do you want to get married anyways? You don't even know me really."

"Yeah. It's just…I want the tradition to be fulfilled like it's supposed to be."

"That's it? Look, I don't do tradition anymore. It all ended with my father."

She looked away. "I heard about that."

"Hn." He was quiet for a moment, reflecting and remembering. Slowly, he brushed a hand across his eyes and looked at her again. "What else is there?"

"It's…for our children-" Malik choked, but she ignored him. "Word came to me that the pharaoh walks once again on this earth. What with our heritage, we and our children-" Malik flinched as she used the word again "-could be great in his service…once we have some, that is, and once we find the pharaoh."

Malik smiled in spite of himself. "I already know where he is."

Surprise registered on her face. "You have??"

"Yup. I think you at least know his name, too."

"Who is it??"

"Mutou Yuugi."

TBC

R&R