Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! is the original work of Kazuki Takahashi. Hokuto Umeda is from Hanazakari no Kimitachi e of Hisaya Nakajo. Only this fan fiction is mine.
Chapter 2 NEW GIRL IN TOWN
'I trust that you know the reason why you are here today, Mr. Seto Kaiba,' said Umeda-sensei.
Seto is inside the office of the school counselor, Hokuto Umeda. He was suddenly excused from the next class and called to this meeting just so sensei could talk to him. He already had an inkling of why he was asked there but he wanted to hear it out and not to guess at it.
'I have no idea, Sensei. Would you be so kind as to tell me?'
Umeda-sensei heard the sarcasm behind the voice and sighed inwardly. It was only Monday morning and he didn't need this to dampen his mood for the rest of the week. Really, he thought, these bratty kids are way too influential in this school. And this Kaiba boy is the brattiest (if that is even a word) one of the lot. Being rich and popular could really pump up your head big time. Way too hot body but really cold attitude. Too bad, he sighed again. At least he could match that attitude with an icy demeanor of his own.
'It's about that incident last week with another one of our students, Mr. Joey Wheeler. The police department has requested the school administration's help in finding out all the persons involved in this matter,' he informed Seto.
'Like hell I would tell you,' Seto growled. 'And wasn't I the one who helped Wheeler to get to the hospital?'
'Ah, but I'm sure that you know what happened to him before he needed to go to the hospital. Are you going to tell me about that? No? I thought so. Since you are the only person known to be involved in that incident, you are required by the authorities to do a month of community service. Also, I guess you should be informed that I noticed some behavioral changes in Mr. Wheeler after that incident when I had a meeting with him.'
Seto doesn't need to hear that last statement as he himself noticed the changes in Joey. That one was quite brave and outspoken before but has now turned moody and aloof. He became more of a loner, avoiding the gang and everyone else, including his friend Tristan.
'Anyway, come back here after classes are over and we will arrange your schedule for that community service of yours,' said Umeda-sensei.
Just as he was standing up to excuse himself, the door to the room opened and an auburn-haired girl peeked in.
'Excuse me, I thought that Sensei is not occupied right now,' she said.
'Ah yes, Miss Wheeler,' Umeda-sensei replied. 'Mr. Kaiba was just leaving. Now let us talk about your class schedule.'
'Oh my, look at her outfit. It's so yesterday,' Tea was saying. 'I don't want to be caught wearing a plain white shirt and denim pants like those. So boring.'
As usual, the gang is assembled at the end table of the cafeteria. It was break time and they have gathered there for their daily tête-à-tête. Their place is quite convenient to check out all the students who are going in and out of the cafeteria. The latest object of their scrutiny has just entered the area and seated herself near their table.
'So that loser Joey still has a living relative, huh?' Ryou snorted. 'Too bad that she is a loser like her brother, even if she does have some looks.'
'Oh, it's the first time I heard you say someone has some looks, Ryou,' teased Malik. 'Ryou likes the new girl,' he said in a singsong voice.
'Cut it out, Malik, or I'll send you to the shadow realm later,' Ryou threatened.
'Enough of that, you two,' warned Duke. 'So how did your meeting with Umeda-sensei go, Seto?'
'I don't know yet,' he replied. 'I was asked to see him later to schedule my one month of community service.'
'Oh, Sensei wanted to see Kaiba boy again,' teased Malik, turning his attention to Seto this time. 'Seto and Sensei, sitting in a tree...'
'Can it, Malik, or I will be helping Ryou to send you to the realm later,' Seto glared at him.
'What? You will be doing community service?' Mai asked. 'Is that because of what happened to Wheeler? I hope it won't mess up our plans for the formal dance next week.'
'Don't worry, Mai. I'm sure I can work out some kind of deal with the police this time,' Seto assured her.
Seto once again found himself sitting in the counselor's room that day, waiting for Umeda-sensei who was currently out to attend to some other urgent business.
He recalled the incident involving the gang and that Wheeler boy. All of them knew how harsh Ryou could be especially when pissed off with something, or someone. And it seemed that he has taken a particular dislike to Joey, punishing him time and again during their card duel. The more that Joey struggled to stand up after a fighting monster of his was destroyed, the more Ryou summoned up those powerful dark cards of his. Seto grudgingly acknowledged that he was impressed with Joey's tenacity, if only he held up a while longer against Ryou. But in the end, he couldn't take all that power emanating from the other boy and finally succumbed to stress. He would have drowned if not for Seto's alertness to dive in and get him. He had been unconscious even before he hit the waters and until after he was taken to the hospital that Seto became worried that Joey might actually die. It was true that most challengers have taken quite a beating or two in duel monsters but this latest incident had been the worst one of the lot. The gang has taken a low profile after that.
His musings was cut off by the return of Umeda-sensei back into the room. He looked a bit surprised when he saw Seto waiting for him, but quickly turned his mind back to the task at hand. He probably didn't expect me to come back, Seto thought.
'Mr. Kaiba, I received your schedule for the community service earlier. You are required to be at the Domino Orphanage for two hours every day after school for a whole month. You have already been assigned to tutor one of the kids there, and you will be starting on Monday. Also, I have already talked with one of our students who do some volunteer work there to keep an eye on you so don't think that you can skip on that. Your progress will be reported back to me,' Umeda-sensei informed him.
'Why don't you just guard me then so you can be sure that I will be there?' Seto grumbled.
'A very provocative thought you have,' Umeda-sensei said sarcastically. 'But I don't think that you would get much done if I am around. Besides, I have a lot of other things to do. So, you will go to the orphanage this Saturday to learn more about your community service.'
Che! As if I want to have anything to do with a man like you, Seto thought. My taste is still centered on women, and not men. What satisfaction could one get by doing it with someone of the same sex he doesn't want to know. Time to go now else I might start to get the creeps from this sensei.
-continue chapter 3-
Author's Notes: Hello again, your uber-slow-er-than-turtle-to-update authoress here. So Seto and Serenity finally get to meet each other. No instant attraction there, eh? Maybe they will warm up to each other... soon. Anyway, I have said before that there will be sensitive issues in this ficcie. There is one other pair that has been playing in my mind, never thought of this pair before but they came up when I have thought of this storyline. Anyway, I need to tone down their story as it may overtake the Seto/Serenity pairing I have here. No need to name them, they will soon be written down enough in this story. I just hope that you can understand their story from my point of view, however unrealistic it may seem.
Again, many thanks to those who have read this story, especially to those who gave their reviews for the last chapter, namely: VanillaMoose4132, kikoken, Marissa, I'm-A-Shady-Gurl and Seren147. I hope that you enjoy this story, stay tuned for more chappies!