Disclaimer: *lawyers hand PM a restraining order*

Look the Other Way

PM *waves shyly*: Gomen nasai, mina-san. I'm sorry I wasn't able to update for three weeks… However, I just disliked chapter 5 so much and I didn't have time to write this chapter with quarter finals. Plus I just need a bit of a break… I've been feeling stressed lately, so I needed some relax time.

Ryuuji: Well, you certainly could relax when it comes to talking.

PM *smacks him*

Ryuuji: ITAI!

PM: *rolls eyes* This chapter takes place on Wednesday morning and afternoon, and I hope you all enjoy the new chapter 5!

Many, many thanks to rayemars-san for her wonderful beta-reading. And to the readers, of course! Wildwolf-chan (Ahh! Evil spatula! I hope this won't be showing up in our e-mails… which I need to reply to --;;), me (Ryou is fun to torture, ne?), Shamanic Guardian Lena (Yuki I is still around, of course! I just don't know if he'll be able to make an appearance in this story ;-;), Erfaciel (Ryou and Seto *trying to get themselves untied…*, PM *HAVING VERY KINKY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE TWO*), Neko-baka-chan-chan (Ryuuji: I AM NOT RELATED TO HER!), fani90 (Eh… it's not like Ryou's innocent anymore! *grin*), Shikou Yamitsuki (Seto and Ryou will get shoved together… but I can't tell you how right now! Ryuuji: She doesn't know…), No Name (You're right about mami coming back, but not to get Meimi. :P And Ryou doesn't really have an older brother… it was a translation error that I made. He has a younger sister though, but she died in a car crash), Crystalline Maxwell (don't hit your head… a friend of mine did that and she started bleeding!), justine (If they don't get together, some people will be veryyyy mad at me… *shivers*), Angel-Belle (Ryou: I feel sorry for me too. PM *rolls eyes*), Shenya (don't worry… this story doesn't have much of a point in general. :p), Karadaki (*starts cheering along with you*), Dark Eyed (Heh. I replied this time. *grin* Take your time though), Aznsilhouette247 (eh! Writing has nothing to do with age! Have confidence!), tuulikki (eh, don't worry about synonyms. I'll melt anyway), introspective-mortal (:p thanks for the message), x20Deepx (here's your continuation), Dani (Heehee… sorry to burst your bubble, but the story isn't at all finish. I basically just write one chapter a week, sorta like poor Takahashi-san. I feel for him now), Sam Baku (:p I look forward to your story), Sharem (arigatou na), Dreaming Dragon (*whimpers at the rotten vegetables streaming down her face), and Katana (yay! You like Erika! *GLOMP* And yes, every Sunday. :P)

~ Pint-Sized Babysitter ~

"Haven't I seen you before?"

I blink at a young woman who is peering at me closely, and I can feel the usual flush running up my face. I hate to admit it, but I don't recognize her at all. And my memory isn't even that bad, but I just can't place her face right now.

"Um…"

"Bakura Ryou, right?"

My mind immediately starts to do flip flops as it tries desperately to figure out where I might have seen here before. Perhaps it was one of my classmates? I did do quite a bit of transferring after otousan got me the Sennen Ring (and my own personal psychopath, but I'm really quite sure that he didn't mean it), and sometimes I didn't stay at the places long enough to learn everyone's faces.

But that doesn't explain why they would remember me.

Ku… come on, yadonushi. How many guys look so disgustingly effeminate like you?

I would have scowled but then Yami Bakura would just do something… embarrassing, at the very least. And since I don't want my reputation to be completely in shambles, I decide to ignore his statement as I continue to blink at the girl uncomprehendingly, "Um…"

This is so embarrassing. I want to duck my head under the table right now, like an ostrich ducking his head under the sand. Kind of the 'if I can't see her, maybe she can't see' mentality, I suppose. Although I know by now that it rarely works out that cleanly… which kind of sucks but that's life.

Life. Depressing, annoying, erratic, ironic, and often times cruel. And maybe it's egotistical to think that there's a malicious imp dictating every embarrassing event that happens to me, but I really can't help but think that.

"Maybe you don't remember," she looks slightly disappointed but there's this sparkle in her eyes and… oh Kami-sama. I recognize that.

It's the dreaded shounen-ai fangirl sparkle.

Why is this happening to me?!

"Anyhow!" she smiles happily, "I'm the one who gave you the rose after the play!"

Oh dear god… I can't believe this. I remember that very well… Seto had taken me to see this play, and afterwards the doormen were passing out flowers to commemorate the event.

And if I remember correctly, which I'm pretty sure that I do, she actually gave me a carnation. And… much to my embarrassment, I am very much allergic to carnations. This has always been a point that Seto teased me about during our actual romance, but it's not exactly something I could help having, can I?

But anyway, what happened was that I immediately started tearing up after she stuck the carnation right under my face. Then Seto, who had previously been enduring a screaming lecture from Jyounouchi-kun about trying to assassinate his supposed koi with a bouquet of pink carnations, took the carnation from her, stuck it back in her basket, and took a rose out to give to me. Which I still have, by the way. I dried the rose and managed to get it to American in one piece… don't ask how I did it, just accept it as a fact. Especially since I didn't know if it would end up in one piece there. I was so afraid of it crumbling into dust when I opened the tissue and realized that it had been crushed by one of my other souvenirs that I dragged to America. In a way, I didn't know what to think about that rose. It was my first gift from Seto, although it wasn't much, and it always brings such odd feelings to me that I want to smile and cry at the same time.

Speaking of crying, she looked ready to cry after Seto rejected her carnation.

"Um…" I stutter again, not knowing how to reply to that. I mean, how does one reply to these types of things? Honestly, there should be some type of guide book for these types of situations! But I just don't know what to say right now… should I agree pleasantly? Smile? Oh dear, this is not really a good situation.

Somebody clears their throat and we both turn around. My jaw practically drops to the ground as I stare into Seto's sapphire blue eyes.

I so do not need to deal with these types of things right now.

"Otogi said I might be able to find you here. I wasn't sure if I should believe him," Seto comments mildly as he sits down in the empty seat across from me. Then, before I can say anything, he turns to the girl, a frown on his face, "Do you have anything else to say or are you going to gape all day?"

Her eyes water and she immediately turns around and literally runs away. Again. I can't help but feel bad about that, even though it isn't my fault. It's not as if she was doing anything wrong. Although Seto does have a tendency of being a bit snappish towards people I talk to, especially if he doesn't know who they are. Something that always annoyed me, to be truthful.

I sigh as I automatically say, "That wasn't very nice, Seto. She wasn't trying to do anything."

"Humph," he mutters, ignoring the point I was trying to make as he settles down. I want to ask him what on earth he thinks he's doing, but somehow manage to restrain myself. Yay, I have some semblance of self-control. That calls for a celebration, doesn't it?

Or a public execution.

Speaking of execution, I'm going to have to restrain myself from doing just that to Otogi-kun when I get home today. Since when does he have permission to give out my calendar to any person who asks?! Especially if that person is Kaiba Seto?!

"I've never eaten here before. Is the food any good?" he asks as he stares at me before glancing at my untouched plate of food. My face is hot enough to fry an egg on it now…

"Um…"

He rolls his eyes as he uses the extra pair of chopsticks to pick up a piece and takes a bite. I'm frozen as he chews, his eyes thoughtful, "Hmm. Not that bad."

Seto eats the rest before reaching over to pick up a second piece. Before I know what's happening, it's in front of my mouth and I'm just staring at him in a daze.

"Open."

I obey accordingly.

Currently, I feel like I'm having one of those out of body experiences as my body chews the food. It really is pretty good, although that isn't surprising. Otogi-kun is picky about food and he's the one who recommended this café to me. So its quality is nothing to be expected.

The feeding though… that wasn't expected.

"You busy later?"

I should stop this, honestly. If I had any control over my body/mind/MOUTH right now, I would clamp my teeth together and refuse to say another word until he leaves. I would shake my head and tell him to go away. I would… I would… I wouldn't even be here anymore! I don't want this, I don't!

Right?

Instead of saying no, or shaking my head, or walking away, or ignoring him… I find myself nodding. Nodding. My mind is screaming 'What are you doing?!', yet I'm still nodding. I feel as if Yami Bakura has taken over my body although he's letting me watch his actions.

It's tempting.

Oh please no….

Seto smiles, one of those warm smiles that always made me melt. Still do, considering the fact that I feel like goo right now. He could just pick me up right now and I'll just slip out of his fingers forever without ever knowing what I truly want….

~ * ~

I'm nearly done when Seto asks for the bill, which immediately causes me to drop my chopsticks and stare at him in utmost horror as he gets ready to pay.

"What are you doing, Seto?"

He stares at me evenly, no emotion on his face as he casually takes out his wallet, "What does it look like I'm doing, Ryou?"

"But it was my meal!"

"So?"

That is most certainly the question of the day. I don't even know why I'm making a fuss out of this, but I just feel weird that he's going to pay for my food. Even if he ate it too, but still. I haven't had anybody pay for my meals for quite a long time, after all. I'm used to paying for everything on my own.

"You don't need to pay for it then," my explanation comes out high-pitched and shrill, and by the way my face is burning like a warning signal, I have a feeling that everybody is staring at us again. Or really me, more specifically.

"Why not?" there is amusement on his face, and I feel a bit of my temper rising. Am I really that amusing? Was I created or something like that for everyone's amusement? This is not funny, and I can't help but start to lose my already tentative self-control over my emotions, which are just screaming to be let out.

"Because I can!" I snap, feeling somewhat exasperated. Why is he acting like this? What is the point? I already told him that our chances of having a relationship are zero to none, but he doesn't seem to be getting the message. Or is this his odd way of asking for forgiveness?

Heh. If there is one thing I've learned about Seto, it's that he rarely ever asks for forgiveness. And if he is put into the scenario where he needs somebody's forgiveness, he'd rather directly ask for it then do this current round-about approach that is annoying me so much!

"You can?" he sounds slightly skeptical as he places the money on the saucer that the waiter gave us along with the bill, "How? I don't think your books have been making that much money."

I feel like I'm about ten seconds away from seeing red. Before I know what I'm doing, I take the money and practically fling it at his face, glaring angrily, "At least I'm doing something I love!"

With that, I pull out the right amount, slam it into the saucer (nearly breaking it in the process), and stalk out of the café with everyone's eyes on me.

This has always been a sore point between Seto and I… our futures. While Seto was already running KaibaCorp and had been since high school, I was having my dreams of saving the whales or something. Although Seto had given me his reluctant support for my chosen career, he had always thought it was somewhat… silly. And he never took the effort to make me think otherwise because that was his stand and even though he loved me, he wasn't going to change it. He'd always be pointing out to me how little environment majors make, and how I would probably end up with nothing if I stuck with it.

I, on the other hand, could never figure out why he stuck with KaibaCorp. He never seemed to enjoy it… I know he liked inventing new systems, especially for M&W, but he never seemed to enjoy everything else that came with running KaibaCorp. Like the running it part. I think Mokuba's kidnapping might also have been a bit of a turning point for him as well… anything that threatened his brother was not a chosen career. We'd get into arguments about money versus enjoying what we did, and there was more than once where one of us ended up sleeping on the couch (usually him).

But at least in the mornings, he would always be back….

I always woke up to his face, without fail. Even when he had to leave early for meetings, I'd still wake up to catch him. It's not that I'm a light sleeper… it's just… oh, I don't know. I just seem to know when he's going to wake up so I like to get up at the same time. Call it an internal alarm clock, if you like, because I frankly don't give a damn what it's called. It doesn't do me any good now, anyway.

I'm not bitter. Oh dear god, I am not bitter!

Shut up. Just… shut up.

I'm talking to myself. My day cannot get any worse unless….

"Ryou!"

I think the rating just dropped past zero.

I'm a grand ten centimeters shorter than him, and for some reason all of those ten centimeters must have gone into his legs because even though I'm walking as fast as I can without looking suspicious, he reaches me in approximately thirty seconds or less. This is something that does not bode well with me, but it's not like telling him will change anything.

Before I can even decide whether or not I want to run, Seto is standing right next to me, his hand gripping my shoulder tightly. Which, more or less, puts a dent in my escape plans.

If I was even going to.

Even… even though I've told him and myself that I'm not ready to pursue a relationship with him again, I'm not quite sure how much I believe it myself….

"You forgot your change."

I just stare, "Huh?"

"Your change." Before I can say anything, he presses some money into my hand and I can feel my face burning again. What… what is it about Seto that brings about such reactions from me? We were together for about four years and I could never figure it out.

"Oh… um…" I bite my lip as I look up at him, "Arigatou, Seto."

"You're welcome," he replies calmly, but he has yet to detach his hand from my shoulder. I'm starting to sweat nervously… the expression on his face reminds me of an interrogator. I've never had much resistance to Seto's 'charms' (as we jokingly used to call them), but this one especially seems to be effective against my already paper-thin armor.

"You know…" he starts casually, trying and succeeding in looking very nonchalant, "I have one of your books."

Silence. I can only stare at him as if he is going to grow flowers in his hair suddenly. And what am I supposed to say anyway? Thank you? Do you want me to sign it so maybe if I die a horribly embarrassing death, as all my friends seem to think I am going to, you can sell it and get even richer? By approximately a thousand yen? [1] If even that much?

The look on his face doesn't last long, and the ice quickly cracks as a warm smile slowly spreads across his face, "Well, actually I have all of them."

"You do?" I stare… but… what he was just saying about… what on earth is going on here?

"Yeah. You must be proud."

"I am." Did that just sound egotistical? Oh Kami-sama….

"I am too."

I stare, and I can't help as the next words fall out of my mouth, "That's not what you said before."

You know the concept of 'shutting up while you're still ahead'? Well, now I know for a fact that I do not understand that concept and my mouth keeps moving on its accord. I want nothing more than to grab some duct tape and shut myself up before I say anything else, "You were just saying that I couldn't make much money by doing what I want to do."

"Yes. And I still wonder about that," Seto smirks before adding. "But that doesn't mean that I'm not proud of you. You said it yourself, after all… well, you screamed it really."

I want to slap him.

"At least you're doing something that you love," he smiles triumphantly, although I honestly don't know what there is to be triumphant about.

"Unlike you."

He glares at me, his expression dark, "Can't we drop that, Ryou?"

Heh… oh, I know how much he hates this conversation. But there's a sadistic side of me that wants to make him suffer the way he has made me suffer in the past couple minutes.

"No. Especially since you're still not listening to me about it," I reply automatically, "You and I both know that you don't enjoy management as much as simply inventing. And you're good at it too. You don't need to support Mokuba anymore, you don't need to continue this… yet you do. Why is that, Seto? Why haven't you learned to move on? Why haven't you…"

"You haven't either," he suddenly interrupts before I can finish. "Tell me then. Why are you running away from me now? You haven't been able to face me unless the make inu was there to watch over you."

My mind is frozen.

He still hasn't let go of my shoulder, but there's no need to really. I won't be going anywhere right now.

Finally, in a pathetic, defeated whisper, "I'm not running away."

Oh, that was great. Just great. I'm such a bad liar… now, if ever, I really wish that Yami Bakura could just take over my body and get me out of here. Perhaps if I beg? Grovel? Worship him like a god? He might like that, although I can't know for certain. He has the tendency to be totally unpredictable anyway.

Ku. This is your problem, yadonushi. Don't try to dump it on me.

Can he hear every single one of my thoughts?!

What do you think?

Seto is the one who ends up saving me from my embarrassment (kinda), "Not running? So what were you doing on Monday? Walking away?"

"No!" If I sounded any more panicked, you would think that aliens were attacking the earth and looking for science experiment subjects. Specifically me.

"Then prove it," Seto currently has a perfectly twisted grin on his face, "I'm going to go see Mokuba today. Why don't you come along."

It's not a question.

But tell me Ryou, if you can. Why did you come back?

"I…"

"What? Otogi already told me that you don't have any plans for today. So what's stopping you?"

Why are you running away from me now?

Does he really need an answer to that? Is there really some answer to that question that he can't answer on his own by looking within?

"Nothing," I find myself saying. I want to scream even as I force the words out, "Nothing is stopping me. I'll… I'll go with you."

Go with him. Go with him?!

Okay, calm down. It's okay… just going with him to see Mokuba isn't saying anything, right? It's not binding myself to anything at all. I'm just… I miss Mokuba! I wouldn't mind seeing him, even if it's with Seto.

People say that lying is easy. So why can't I ever believe my own lies?

~ * ~

The car is waiting around the corner, and I see that Seto has gotten a different driver. Which I suppose isn't very surprising, considering all the trauma we put the first one through in less than a week. I always knew that Seto wasn't an easy person to work with, but it would seem that we would go through a driver every three months… and Seto always seemed to delight in tormenting them more than necessary.

Like all the other ones, the new driver doesn't flinch as he sees us, but I can see the surprise in his eyes. I doubt if he knows who I am, but Seto doesn't look like he cares.

Not to imply that he ever did.

The car itself has not changed, although it is a newer model. Personally, I don't see how these models change in the first place. They all seem the same to me. They all look the same. Once my friend tried to point out a car to me and said something along the lines of 'look at that…' I don't even remember the name of the car! All I remember doing is staring blankly at her and she sighed as we most likely passed the car she was pointing out to me. I still can't tell cars apart. You want me to tell the difference between one car and the other? If it's size and color, sure I can do it. If it's dealer or maker, you'll be better off asking a cow to dance.

We manage to avoid any embarrassing scenes in the process of getting into the car, which isn't always the case because it used to be that Seto would get mobbed. Which I found very unfair… I mean… he's gay. He doesn't need fangirls, right?

Okay, so I'm losing it. And maybe he's not gay… he did marry Mami-san after all. Maybe he's bisexual? I mean, I seem to remember him going out with girls before we got together, right? So it couldn't be that he's gay.

Right?

My thoughts have gone here, there, and everywhere when I notice that Seto's hand is resting on mine. He himself is looking out the window, watching as the scenery whizzes by. I'm half surprised to see that he's not busy doing some work, as he always seems to be engrossed in doing. He always tried to put it away for me, but that doesn't mean he always managed it. I don't remember how many nights where our outings got canceled because he had to work and I ended up tucking him in to bed. Or at the very least falling asleep on the couch waiting for him to get home. In which case, I always woke up to find myself dressed in pajamas and sleeping in the bed with his arm around me.

But… right now, my face is bright pink and my mind seems to be malfunctioning.

His hand… is on mine?

That can't be right, can it?

As gently as I can, my face looking out the window where I try to concentrate on the scenery, I cautiously move my hand away and place it in my lap, where it will be safe.

I can see by the reflection in the mirror that he looks somewhat shocked, his blue eyes… sad. But I try to ignore it even as something twinges in me… and I feel bad for hurting him.

It doesn't matter that he hurt me first. That has nothing to do with my decision. I just don't want him getting too close right now…. I'm afraid that is what he's trying to do right now. And for the life of me, I don't know why he's trying to do it. I think he made it straight-forward enough that morning that it was over and he wasn't going to look back. That he was going to move on with his life.

So why is it that when I'm finally starting to move on with my life, he has to start looking back? Why can't he just look the other way, at the future?

I've been looking forward and he's been looking backward. And now we're finally looking at each other again, but rather than being the wonderful feeling I once wished for so deeply, it's awkward and strange. As if it never should have happened….

~ * ~

"Niisama!"

Even though Mokuba has grown (although not nearly as tall as his brother… but then again, few people are) and his wild black hair is somewhat tamed, he rushes out of the door like a bullet towards Seto. You would think that they haven't seen each other for several years… although considering how busy Seto is, it's possible. But I doubt that. Those two would never let something as petty as work get between them. They're much too close to let that happen.

Behind Mokuba is a pretty woman who has hair that is just as black as his. She's also smiling, and she waves at us enthusiastically. Although I can see a bit of curiosity in her eyes as she looks at me.

"Ba… Bakura!" Mokuba's voice is very surprised as he looks over at me, then back at Seto, then back at me, "I thought you were in America! What are you doing here? And with niisama?!"

I smile weakly, "I was. But Jyounouchi-kun persuaded me to visit."

"Ah…" Mokuba quickly loses the surprise and gets a sneaky look that I honestly don't appreciate as he glances over me and then Seto again. Seto raises an eyebrow as Mokuba starts to look very, very sadistic, "Well, it's about time you came back. Right, niisama?"

He chirps the last part, sounding so much like his elementary school version. Wide-eyed and innocent, but I'm happy to report that neither Seto nor I fell for his act.

"Whatever, Mokuba," Seto ruffles Mokuba's hair.

"Hey!"

"What?"

"You know I hate that," Mokuba whines as he starts walking towards the house. Seto just smirks and ruffles his hair again, and both Mokuba's wife and I roll our eyes as we follow them into the house, the two of them arguing very loudly about maturity and the such.

Reminds me of my brother and I….

"Gomen, but you're… Bakura, right?" Mokuba's wife smiles, "I'm Aoko. Mokuba talks about you sometimes."

I blink, completely forgetting my manners as I process that extremely surprising piece of information, "He does?"

"Ee," Aoko-chan smiles, "He missed you."

I, for one, cannot figure out why that is. We got to know each other very well when Seto and I visited Domino and stayed at the mansion, but never anything that could warrant him actually missing me.

I can't help but sigh as I think about that new piece of information. I'll give this to Mokuba… he's just as confusing as his older brother is. And it's not something I can say that I appreciate, although I suppose that neither of them care much for what I have to say on the matter.

~ * ~

"So…" Mokuba has a sadistic smile on his face that shocks me. I know that Yuugi-tachi have told me that Mokuba hasn't always been the most perfect angel… or even a model citizen, especially with that whole kidnapping with a gun/knife/electric shocker/etc incident [2], but this is a level of evil-ness (?) that I find unsurpassable.

Even by Otogi-kun when he asked me how good Seto was in the bed. Which didn't turn out too well because Jyounouchi-kun was in hearing range and he didn't quite figure out that Otogi-kun was kidding (at least, he better have been kidding) until Honda-kun had him in a headlock and was threatening to throw him out the window.

Not a fun situation. Even worse when Seto walked in to hear Jyounouchi-kun ranting about Otogi-kun's question, which led to a highly embarrassing scene where everyone got into a bit of trouble. Yami-kun finally had to throw a bucket of water over all five of us, and even then it was a close call.

"How long has this been going on?"

I choke, Aoko-chan jabs an elbow into Mokuba's stomach… and Seto continues to sip his tea calmly, as if he hadn't heard anything out of the ordinary. "What do you mean by that, Mokuba?"

"This!" Mokuba gestures at the two of us as if that really explains it all. I try not to die an embarrassing death, Aoko-chan keeps trying to send Mokuba mental messages, and Seto continues to act like nothing wrong is happening. I know he can be a bit… blind when it comes to his brother, but this is just plain ridiculous.

"This?"

"You and Bakura!"

I blush as I try to explain to him, "There's… there's nothing going on between the two of us, Mokuba. Seto simply saw me and invited me to come see you."

Well, blackmail sounds more accurate, as I'm still in awe of the fact that I agreed to willingly submit myself to this torture, but that explanation sounds very nice too. Except Mokuba is highly intelligent and happens to know his brother very well, so he ignores my desperate explanation and continues to grill Seto.

"Well?"

Seto laughs somewhat derisively, something that Mokuba doesn't seem to mind too much… all things considered, "I don't need a pint-sized babysitter monitoring my every move, Mokuba."

Aoko-chan and I can't help but sweatdrop at that statement. But Mokuba just keeps going without missing a beat, as if he didn't hear the last statement. I have a feeling that Aoko-chan and I are having the same feeling of watching an argument that we know better than to get ourselves into.

"Well, somebody has to do it. You should have at least consulted me before you married that bi…"

"Mokuba!" Aoko-chan glares. Mokuba looks slightly cowed by her glare, and she gives me a victory smile which I return. She really knows how to keep Mokuba in line, apparently, but she's now acting more like a referee for the argument. Which is just starting to heat up, from what I know of the two.

"She had a name, Mokuba," Seto replies calmly.

"Humph. I still think you would have been better off with Bakura."

I turn pink.

"That's enough, Mokuba."

Now Mokuba is pleased. He's finally gotten under his brother's skin and Seto is not very happy about it. So as any annoying younger brother (or in my case, older brother) would do, he proceeds to quickly ignore Seto's warning growl and continue screwing around with his mind (to be less than eloquent).

"I really do think you were the best, Bakura," Mokuba smiles sweetly. Seto looks ready to explode, and I just smile weakly as I start searching for the exit. This is most definitely something I did not want to deal with, and now I'm ready to strangle Seto for bringing me into this situation. What ever happened to Mokuba anyway? He was never this cruel….

"No, really. He was always happy when he was with you. So you have my approval."

"Since when did I ever need your approval?" Seto growls. Although now it sounds like it might actually be real, rather than just merely playful.

"If he's going to be my brother-in-law, I think I have a right to choose this time."

"Mokuba!" we all scream.

"Kidding," he grins into his tea cup.

Silence. You can tell from our expressions (excluding Mokuba, of course, who is just sitting there looking very smug) that we're all very appreciative of the silence, but then Mokuba has to start talking again.

"I do have some rules though, if you plan on sleeping together. You remember those, don't you Bakura? I told them to you last time but you might have forgot—"

Mokuba is abruptly cut off as Seto calmly gets up to strangle him and I start banging my head against the table. I honestly can't believe this. I just can't. I guess I always knew that Mokuba liked me better than the other girls who Seto got together with, but he's never made it this obvious before. It's as if he's trying to play matchmaker for us, even though that's really the last thing either of us need.

I bite my lip as I try to sort through my thoughts. Why is it that once again, everyone I know seems to be thinking something that I find impossible? Or maybe that it is impossible, but I don't want it.

Do I?

Translations and Notes:

[1] One thousand yen is about… *thinks* ten dollars, I think? Well, to put it simply, one hundred yen is about one dollar… (Don't know about current rates and all that, but let's keep this simple… ^.~)

[2] Reference to volume 3. Mokuba and his scary little cronies basically used weapons to kidnap Yuugi and force him to play a game of Cap Monsters, which was Mokuba's specialty game (kinda like how Yami no Yuugi, Kaiba, and Jyounouchi specialize in M&W, Ryuuji in DDD, and Ryou in Monster World). Needless to say, Mokuba lost. And he was scary in his introduction too! *shivers*

PM: Yeah… this is what you spent three weeks waiting for. *sweatdrops* Sorry… I had to change some parts so I don't know how it turned out. -.-;;

Ryou: Pessimist.

PM: O_O Look who's talking… Anyhow, sorry this chapter took so long to get up, but I have been busy. I've been trying to write some one-shots that have perked my interest, and school was just really busy that last week. I managed to write this chapter over spring break though! :) Took me several tries to write certain scenes though… *growls and spits at certain scenes*

Ryuuji: PM go insane again?

Ryou: --;; How'd you ever guess?

Pikachumaniac