R.J: Well it's me and I'm back. All right I'll take some advice and yeah,
maybe I did twist Tea a bit out of character....but you've got to admit
sometimes she gets annoying, being Ms.Friendship, I'm just trying to make a
story.
Kaiba: Like I said, don't tale it too hard, so you got one flame big whoop.
Yugi: Not like anyone cares.
R.J: Good point, ahh well, on with the story, I'll try to put Tea on good terms with Ayane on this chapter, it was meant to happen anyway, just not in this chapter, but ooh well... It actually gave me an Idea.
Bakura: I'm still part of this chapter right?
R.J: Oh yeah sure, Yugi, Tea, Ayane, Kaiba, Yami and You, all in this chapter.
Joey: I think I can guess who the other pairing is. Hehehehe...
Yami: Who?
R.J: Don't spoil it you guys, all right everyone, just go back to the last chapters if you want a disclaimer. Dedicated to all the reviewers!
Kaiba: Do I have to kiss anybody?
R.J: Hmm, I'll think about it.
Kaiba: O.o
**************************************************************************** ****
"What were you talking to Kaiba about?" Bakura asked, as they made their way out of the building.
"Oh just something about that murder science report." She laughed. Just then, they noticed Tea running towards them.
"Hey Tea. What's going on?" Bakura greeted.
"Nothing much, where are you two off to?" She asked.
"We were going to duel somewhere, hey you wanna come with us?" Ayane suggested.
"Well, I don't know, I don't want to be a third wheel or anything....."
"C'mon Tea, it'll be fun, I know, why don't we take Yugi with us?" Ayane suggested.
"Well, if it's all right with you guys...."
"Sure I'll go ahead and get Yugi now." Bakura said after giving in to the puppy dog look on Ayane's face.
After Bakura had left the two girls turned to each other.
"Hey, Tea, you guys aren't mad at me right, for....you know, what happened?' Ayane said.
"What'd you mean?" She asked, and then realized what she was talking about.
"Oh! That! Forget about it, water under the bridge. Besides, I warned you those two were aliens." She said, laughing.
Ayane smiled, maybe she did have friends.
"Hey....Ayane, I have a question."
"Hmmm?"
"Do you like Yugi?"
"He's okay."
"No, I mean.....well, you know, like him" Tea said, putting the emphasis on the word Like.
"Well, not really...." She said. Tea breathed a sigh of relief.
"Besides, I know you like him."
*Choke* *Gag*
"What?"
"I think he likes you too." Ayane said, looking thoughtfully a sly smile on her lips.
"You do?" Tea said, her eyes large and round.
"Of course! That's why I wanted you two to come along."
"You didn't have to do that, now I'll feel guilty that I ruined your date with Bakura." She said, her tone all mushy gushy. "You didn't....huh? Wait? Ryou?"
"Yeah, you do like him right?"
"Well, I guess I do.....I mean he's nice, I don't know, he's real sweet but I'm still not sure if I like-like him." Ayane said.
"Okay, whatever you say..." And both then proceeded to laugh.
**************************************************************************** *
"Hey Yugi! Yugi! Over here!"
Yugi turned to where the familiar British voice had come from. He saw his friend waving and running towards him.
"Bakura, why're you in such a hurry?"
"Just wanted to know if you wanted to come with us and hang out or something."
"Huh? Who's us?" Yugi asked.
"Me, Tea and Ayane, we're all going somewhere to duel, and eat."
"Well sure I guess." Yugi said, perking up a bit.
They walked to where Bakura had left both girls. Both were standing talking about something not understandable to the boy's mind.
"Hey Tea, Ayane, where's Joey and Tristan?" Yugi asked, concerned there wasn't any rough housing present.
"They both got detention." Tea said, thinking there was no need for further explanation.
**************************************************************************** ****
Kaiba had a sad, disgruntled look on his face. He had it on when he was trying to escape his fans, he had it on when he had gotten in his limo and he had it on when Mokuba greeted him when he arrived at the Mansion.
"Welcome home big brother!" Mokuba greeted.
Kaiba tried his best to smile and greeted his little brother and gave him a pat on the head. After which he walked straight up to his room and just lay down on the bed. He rubbed his hand across his face. What was wrong with him?
"Niisama?" A small voice from the doorway piped up.
"Mokuba? Is anything wrong?" Kaiba asked, sitting up from the bed.
"No, I just wanna ask if you're alright."
"I am Mokuba, don't worry."
**************************************************************************** ****
"Wow, that fight was close."
Ayane and Bakura had just finished their duel and Ayane won with 50 Life points left.
"I'll say, you're better than I expected Ryou." Ayane said, gathering her cards.
The four were now at a local ice cream parlor; they had been munching on the nuts that were on the table while dueling. Actually it was only Bakura eating them since the other three didn't trust the nuts.
"Alright guys! I'll order for you, what'd you want?" Tea asked while standing and posing as a waitress in front of them.
Yugi smiled. He had been so caught up in Ayane so much; he hadn't realized how he missed Tea and her simple charm.
"I'll have a banana split with everything on it!" Ryou said, he hadn't eaten lunch since he was so worried about Ayane.
"Oh, just soda for me." Ayane said.
"I'll have a chocolate sundae." Yugi smiled.
Tea nodded and pretended to write it all down in her palm. She then did a little dance number before she went to order, (it was one of those places where there weren't any waiters and waitresses, you know.)
Ayane smiled at Tea. "She's real nice you know."
Yugi merely nodded, he was mesmerized by Ayane's smile. There was just no beating it.
Tea noticed this from the corner of her eye. She felt awful for being maybe just a bit mad at Ayane. She didn't know why. She sighed, she wanted to clear her own thoughts, empty her mind for a bit. All of this was getting too complicated.
(To readers: I'm sorry I just have to make Tea this way, come on, a lot of people act differently when they're in love...)
Back at the table, Ryou was beginning to look a bit, uh....greenish. He was holding his stomach and was grimacing in pain.
"Ryou, is something wrong?" Ayane asked, leaning over to examine his face.
"Yeah Bakura, you look.....well like you want to barf or something." Yugi said.
Ryou gave a small hand gesture that told Yugi he was right, the next thing they knew Ryou was running to the bathroom.
"Poor Ryou..." Ayane said. "Must've been the nuts he was eating."
"Yeah.........hey Ayane, I want to ask you something."
"Go ahead."
"Kaiba didn't do anything to you today, did he?"
One of her eyebrows rose. "What'd you mean?"
"I mean like hurt you or something."
"No, I know you don't like Kaiba but I don't think he'd actually hurt anybody."
"No, it's just that, one of my, er.....friends saw him drag you into a janitor's closet."
Ayane stared at him for a moment. Then she realized what he was talking about."
"Oh that!" She laughed. "I'm really sorry Yugi, I'd tell you all about it, but I promised him I wouldn't tell." She said, still laughing.
"Why?" Yugi asked, "Are you sure he isn't hurting you?"
"No, okay fine I'll tell you but please don't tell it to anyone." She said, her laughter dying down. She then told him the story, she only did this to stop him from worrying.
"So that's what happened!" Yugi realized.
**************************************************************************** ***
Ryou washed his hands. Vomiting really wasn't a nice experience. What a way to make an impression, he thought. Just then the millennium ring began to glow.
"I told you not to eat those nuts." Bakura's voice sounded.
Startled, Ryou jumped back and looked around.
"Bakura where are you?"
"Right in front of you."
Ryou looked at what was in front of him. It was the mirror, but instead of his own reflection, Bakura was standing there. He had a smirk on his face.
"I wish you had listened."
"Sorry, I was absorbed in the duel."
"And I can't believe you ordered a banana split."
"I was hungry."
"That's not the only thing you are...." Bakura sighed.
**************************************************************************** ***
"Where's Bakura?" Tea asked, getting back to the table with their food.
"He had a little emergency." Ayane said, motioning to the bathroom.
"Oh," Tea said.
"He's been there an awfully long time." Yugi said concerned. "I'll be right back. " Yugi said, the little boy then sprinted towards the bathroom.
Tea sat down, propping her head on her hands and sighing. She looked at where Yugi had just run off too.
"What's wrong Tea?" Ayane asked.
Tea looked at Ayane. "I think he likes you much better." She said.
Ayane blinked. "Huh?"
"Yugi, he likes you better."
"He likes you Tea."
"But....."
"Just open up a bit, show him what he's missing." Ayane said, winking.
"How?"
"I don't know, ask him out......do something."
"Me? Ask him out, I've never considered that before."
**************************************************************************** ***
Kaiba stared at the ceiling, his eyes half lit. He was tired from everything he had to do. He closed his eyes for a while trying to remember the last time he had relaxed. After a while he sat up and cursed, he couldn't remember.
He was thinking. Thinking about Ayane. In just one day the damned girl already seemed to have taken a major effect in his life. What was it about her? He pounded his fists onto the bed. Why did it have to be someone like her? Why couldn't it be someone else, someone who didn't affect the way he thought, the way he acted.
He closed his eyes again.
*Flash back*
He thought the coast was clear, he couldn't hear any more footsteps or any more girls talking. Slowly he opened the door, thankful for being freed from the cramped Janitor's closet.
"Ooof!" Suddenly someone bumped against him. At first he though it was one of the obsessed maniacs and he backed away, but soon he realized it was only Ayane.
*Skipping onto when they were in the closet. *
He could feel Ayane squirming and trying to talk despite his hands holding her back. "Ssssh! Be quiet will you!" He had hissed.
She was squiring too. That was annoying. Soon though, she relaxed. He had almost smiled then.
**************************************************************************** **
R.J: Hehehehehe, I'm beginning to like this story again.
Yugi: okay, hey where's Yami? And Bakura and Kaiba?
R.J: In there (motions to a room) with some of the er....reviewers. Hehehe...
Joey: I'm afraid to ask but, why?
R.J: Oh, they're just giving out kisses, well more like I forced them too. ^_^
Yugi: What?!
Bakura: You mean Ryou's in there getting *bleeep*?!
R.J: Not really....
Yami: (Pops out) Yugi! Help me! (Gets pulled back in) No no! Ladies calm down!
Yugi: Poor Yami. His shirt was practically ripped off!
R.J: I wanna go in there!
Bakura: Aren't you supposed to be doing homework now?
R.J: Silence! A...ha ha ha ha. On with the story.
**************************************************************************** *******
*Back to the present*
Still on the bed, Kaiba rolled over to his side. He could feel his head pounding; he was thinking about too much stuff.
"Big brother?"
He looked up to see Mokuba, peeking from the half opened door of his bedroom. Looking concerned. "Is something wrong Mokuba?"
"Nothing....Are you alright big brother? Does your head hurt?"
"Nothing's wrong Mokuba, did you want anything?"
"No." The little boy shook his head and softly closed the door.
**************************************************************************** ***
Yugi walked into the bathroom, he found Bakura washing up.
"Hey Bakura are you alright?"
"Huh? Yeah sure...."
**************************************************************************** **
"Look here's your chance, just go for it!" Ayane whispered, motioning to the two guys walking back to the table.
"Huh? But!" Tea stuttered.
"Don't worry about it!" Ayane said, winking.
The two boys got back to the table, surprised to see Tea, a nervous wreck. She was poking her two fingers together and talking to herself.
"Hey, Ryou, do you mind if we take a walk somewhere?" Ayane asked.
"Huh? But what about-"
"Please, I really want to see the park." Ayane pleaded.
"Umm, sure." He said. They stood up from the chairs.
"Here, this should cover everything, come on Ryou." She smiled leaving some money on the table and dragging a rather blushing Ryou with her to the doors.
"But guys, what about your food...." Yugi tried to call out, but the two were already out of hearing distance.
For a while nothing was said. Yugi and Tea were silent. Yugi was fiddling with something imaginary and Tea was staring at the money Ayane had left on the counter, actually, more like looking through it, she was in a daze.
"Tea? Are you okay?"
"Huh? Wha? Oh yeah, fine." She sighed. "How am I ever going to do this?" She thought.
***************************************************************************
While all this was happening, Kaiba was just on his room, trying to concentrate on the homework given. After what seemed like hours of trying he just gave up and tried sleeping. He was tired, he was tired, and he was tired............
**************************************************************************** ****
"Why'd you do that Ayane?"
"Huh? Do what?"
"Leave, I mean leave Tea and Yugi there."
"Oh, just trying to help a friend."
Ryou looked at Ayane strangely. Her eyes were hiding something. But none of that mattered now, he was happy just being with her.....alone.
The two were sitting on one of the park benches. The park was deserted, except for the two. All was quiet. Now and then, a leaf would fall from one of the trees.
"Summer's really over now."
"Huh?"
"Just look Ryou, there's no one here but us, and it means everyone has gone back to school, summer is gone."
"I guess you're right." He said. For some moments there was silence again.
Silence. Silence. "But I like the fall." She finally said.
"Huh?"
"It's when everything feels so calm and relaxed."
Ryou just nodded. Then there was silence again. Ryou was thinking about how much he liked her.......then he thought about how everyone else did to.
"Ayane, you're real lucky."
"Huh? Why?"
"Because everyone likes you so much."
"How'd you figure that?"
"When I came to Domino I was a loner for a while."
"Oh....... I don't like being liked by everyone."
"Huh? Why?"
"I don't know, probably cause maybe I can't like them back you know? I'm only human."
"So you don't like very many people do you?"
Ayane laughed. "Oh no, it's not that. It's just, sometimes, I feel like everyone's just pretending, or everyone's just.......you know."
Ryou thought for a while. "No, actually I don't."
"Then you're very lucky." Ayane winked.
Ryou didn't know how to react. His face was just blank. He didn't know Ayane felt like that. He couldn't understand why she would.
On Ayane's part, she was glad she had let everything out. She was thinking about Tea, and how bad she must've made her feel. She thought about Ryou, how lucky she was to be his friend, and then she thought about Kaiba......huh? Wait, Kaiba?
**************************************************************************** **** "Yugi?"
"Huh? Yeah Tea?"
Tea swallowed. "Let's go somewhere this weekend, that new movie will be showing."
"What? Oh yeah, that would be great!"
Tea let out a breath of relief, finally, she had done it!
"I'll call Joey and Tristan later to tell them about it."
Tea's face fell. "Well, actually, I think it would be nice, you know, just the two of us."
Yugi blushed. "Uh-uh, okay." Yugi nodded.
**************************************************************************** ****
"Oh, well, I better get home now." Ayane said, looking at her watch.
"Hmm? I'll walk you then." Ryou offered.
"Thanks Ryou," she said giving a smile. "But don't you have to get home too?"
"I just don't want you walking alone at night."
"That's sweet, but really.....I'll be alright." She smiled, putting a hand on Ryou's shoulder.
"Alright." Ryou smiled, and then doing what he thought he could never do, he gave her a friendly hug.
They stayed that way for what was too short if a time for Ryou. Then she gave a last goodbye to him and started to walk away. Ryou still couldn't get over what he did. He smiled to himself, and put his hands in his pockets. What a wonderful life.....
**************************************************************************** ***
Tea skipped merrily out the door of the shop with a proud smile on her face. Finally, she had done what she had never thought she would have before. Silently, she thanked Ayane; the girl wasn't so bad after all.
**************************************************************************** *****
That night Kaiba kept rolling around his bed trying to sleep. It was only about 8:30, but he had nothing better to do. He wasn't hungry, and he had told Mokuba that he couldn't play cards right now. For once in his life, he wished that he had some work to do, instead of just being able to lie down on his bed, and try to sleep.
He gave up trying to sleep and just stared at the ceiling. The curtains of the window were open; so a little moonlight had gotten in the otherwise dark room. For some time, there was silence, and then his cell phone rang.
"Hello?" Kaiba said into the receiver, he couldn't recognize the number flashing on the cell phone screen.
"Hi Kaiba, it's me Ayane." The voice on the other end said quietly.
"What do you want?" He asked, keeping his tone cold. He knew it was a bad idea to have a class directory, where anyone could reach anyone.
"I....I just wanted to know if you were okay."
"........"
"Hello? Are you still there?"
"Why would you care?"
"Huh? Oh.......I just wanted to make sure."
"Fine, I'm just fine. There, is your simple mind set at ease now?" He thought, but all he said was "Fine, I'm fine, are you done bothering me now?"
"Uhm, Yeah, I guess I am."
"Fine then, goodbye." He said in an icy tone.
"Oh, Kaiba?"
"What?"
"Goodnight."
Kaiba put his cellphone down. He then stared at it for a while. Everything was quiet again. The wind had stopped blowing. The trees stopped swaying almost as if awaiting the young CEO's reaction.
"Tcht." Kaiba said looking away, but somehow, now he found it was easier to sleep.
**************************************************************************** ***
Ayane put her own phone down. She then sat up in her bed and pulled her knees to her chest. She thought about her first day, how everything had gone so fast, everyone she had met. Yugi, Tea, Joey, Tristan, Ryou, and Kaiba. She thought about Kaiba, saying his name quietly to the wind as she thought about her new lab partner, the person she, as Ryou put it, would be stuck with for the rest of the year.
"Seto Kaiba." She said.
The brown hair, the blue eyes, that cold tone, yeah, she definitely would have a fun time putting up with him and that wall he had built around himself.
"Seto Kaiba...."
Ayane closed her eyes. She fell asleep, saying those very words.
**************************************************************************** ****
While everyone in Domino was in a soft deep slumber, a little boy lay awake with his heart troubled.
"So this means Tea likes me right?" He thought to himself.
He then had a wild thought. What if Tea liked Yami? Not regular Yugi, but the cooler, taller, more handsome him. (As Joey once put it, except for the taller and more handsome part.)
(What's wrong Hikari?)
(Nothing Yami.)
(Tell me.)
(No.)
(Why?)
(I don't want to.)
(I can help.)
(It's nothing Yami)
(Whatever you say.)
**************************************************************************** ***********
R.J: Guys I have a really bad feeling.
Kaiba: What is it?
R.J: My mom said the computers broken, and she's going to have to delete and re-install everything.
Yugi: So?
Bakura: You fool! That means if she doesn't save us in a diskette or something, we're all going to the shadow realm!
Ryou: Shadow Realm?
R.J: Hehe not really, but, he's sort of captured the idea. That's why it took so long to update, my computer wasn't functioning properly.
Yugi: Quick! Save the stories! *Runs to stuff papers inside a container thingy.*
Bakura: Fool! Forget that stuff! People come first!
R.J: Relax guys, I'll save this stuff on a diskette or something.
Everyone: Oh.
R.J: Hey, reviewers out there who can offer some help because sometimes I'm really confused.
Kaiba: With what?
R.J: Well, meaning of a few words. Anzu is Tea right, and Honda....is Tristan, Jou is Joey, but what's his whole name, I know Jou is just a short cut. What about the rest of the people? And what does "Abiou" mean? Yugi: So many questions....
R.J: Uh oh.....
Kaiba: Uh oh what?
R.J: Hehe, I can't find my diskette.
Yugi: What?!....Hey wait a minute, where's Yami.
Yami: *Pops out from room* Help Yugi, Bakura, anyone! *Gets dragged back in.*
Yugi: He's still in there? Wow, girls must really love him. (-__-') Hey, where are R.J...and Kaiba? Everyone's disappearing.
Ryou: They're in that room....said they were going to look for the diskette.
Yugi: Oh.....*waits*....(After about 20 mins.) I don't think they're coming out.
Bakura: They seem to be enjoying each other's company, just like the Pharaoh is enjoying the ladies'.
Yugi: Great, everyone's making out somewhere, while we can just wait until we're deleted!
Ryou: *Watches Yugi rant* Well, just leave a review and hope for the best. : P
Kaiba: Like I said, don't tale it too hard, so you got one flame big whoop.
Yugi: Not like anyone cares.
R.J: Good point, ahh well, on with the story, I'll try to put Tea on good terms with Ayane on this chapter, it was meant to happen anyway, just not in this chapter, but ooh well... It actually gave me an Idea.
Bakura: I'm still part of this chapter right?
R.J: Oh yeah sure, Yugi, Tea, Ayane, Kaiba, Yami and You, all in this chapter.
Joey: I think I can guess who the other pairing is. Hehehehe...
Yami: Who?
R.J: Don't spoil it you guys, all right everyone, just go back to the last chapters if you want a disclaimer. Dedicated to all the reviewers!
Kaiba: Do I have to kiss anybody?
R.J: Hmm, I'll think about it.
Kaiba: O.o
**************************************************************************** ****
"What were you talking to Kaiba about?" Bakura asked, as they made their way out of the building.
"Oh just something about that murder science report." She laughed. Just then, they noticed Tea running towards them.
"Hey Tea. What's going on?" Bakura greeted.
"Nothing much, where are you two off to?" She asked.
"We were going to duel somewhere, hey you wanna come with us?" Ayane suggested.
"Well, I don't know, I don't want to be a third wheel or anything....."
"C'mon Tea, it'll be fun, I know, why don't we take Yugi with us?" Ayane suggested.
"Well, if it's all right with you guys...."
"Sure I'll go ahead and get Yugi now." Bakura said after giving in to the puppy dog look on Ayane's face.
After Bakura had left the two girls turned to each other.
"Hey, Tea, you guys aren't mad at me right, for....you know, what happened?' Ayane said.
"What'd you mean?" She asked, and then realized what she was talking about.
"Oh! That! Forget about it, water under the bridge. Besides, I warned you those two were aliens." She said, laughing.
Ayane smiled, maybe she did have friends.
"Hey....Ayane, I have a question."
"Hmmm?"
"Do you like Yugi?"
"He's okay."
"No, I mean.....well, you know, like him" Tea said, putting the emphasis on the word Like.
"Well, not really...." She said. Tea breathed a sigh of relief.
"Besides, I know you like him."
*Choke* *Gag*
"What?"
"I think he likes you too." Ayane said, looking thoughtfully a sly smile on her lips.
"You do?" Tea said, her eyes large and round.
"Of course! That's why I wanted you two to come along."
"You didn't have to do that, now I'll feel guilty that I ruined your date with Bakura." She said, her tone all mushy gushy. "You didn't....huh? Wait? Ryou?"
"Yeah, you do like him right?"
"Well, I guess I do.....I mean he's nice, I don't know, he's real sweet but I'm still not sure if I like-like him." Ayane said.
"Okay, whatever you say..." And both then proceeded to laugh.
**************************************************************************** *
"Hey Yugi! Yugi! Over here!"
Yugi turned to where the familiar British voice had come from. He saw his friend waving and running towards him.
"Bakura, why're you in such a hurry?"
"Just wanted to know if you wanted to come with us and hang out or something."
"Huh? Who's us?" Yugi asked.
"Me, Tea and Ayane, we're all going somewhere to duel, and eat."
"Well sure I guess." Yugi said, perking up a bit.
They walked to where Bakura had left both girls. Both were standing talking about something not understandable to the boy's mind.
"Hey Tea, Ayane, where's Joey and Tristan?" Yugi asked, concerned there wasn't any rough housing present.
"They both got detention." Tea said, thinking there was no need for further explanation.
**************************************************************************** ****
Kaiba had a sad, disgruntled look on his face. He had it on when he was trying to escape his fans, he had it on when he had gotten in his limo and he had it on when Mokuba greeted him when he arrived at the Mansion.
"Welcome home big brother!" Mokuba greeted.
Kaiba tried his best to smile and greeted his little brother and gave him a pat on the head. After which he walked straight up to his room and just lay down on the bed. He rubbed his hand across his face. What was wrong with him?
"Niisama?" A small voice from the doorway piped up.
"Mokuba? Is anything wrong?" Kaiba asked, sitting up from the bed.
"No, I just wanna ask if you're alright."
"I am Mokuba, don't worry."
**************************************************************************** ****
"Wow, that fight was close."
Ayane and Bakura had just finished their duel and Ayane won with 50 Life points left.
"I'll say, you're better than I expected Ryou." Ayane said, gathering her cards.
The four were now at a local ice cream parlor; they had been munching on the nuts that were on the table while dueling. Actually it was only Bakura eating them since the other three didn't trust the nuts.
"Alright guys! I'll order for you, what'd you want?" Tea asked while standing and posing as a waitress in front of them.
Yugi smiled. He had been so caught up in Ayane so much; he hadn't realized how he missed Tea and her simple charm.
"I'll have a banana split with everything on it!" Ryou said, he hadn't eaten lunch since he was so worried about Ayane.
"Oh, just soda for me." Ayane said.
"I'll have a chocolate sundae." Yugi smiled.
Tea nodded and pretended to write it all down in her palm. She then did a little dance number before she went to order, (it was one of those places where there weren't any waiters and waitresses, you know.)
Ayane smiled at Tea. "She's real nice you know."
Yugi merely nodded, he was mesmerized by Ayane's smile. There was just no beating it.
Tea noticed this from the corner of her eye. She felt awful for being maybe just a bit mad at Ayane. She didn't know why. She sighed, she wanted to clear her own thoughts, empty her mind for a bit. All of this was getting too complicated.
(To readers: I'm sorry I just have to make Tea this way, come on, a lot of people act differently when they're in love...)
Back at the table, Ryou was beginning to look a bit, uh....greenish. He was holding his stomach and was grimacing in pain.
"Ryou, is something wrong?" Ayane asked, leaning over to examine his face.
"Yeah Bakura, you look.....well like you want to barf or something." Yugi said.
Ryou gave a small hand gesture that told Yugi he was right, the next thing they knew Ryou was running to the bathroom.
"Poor Ryou..." Ayane said. "Must've been the nuts he was eating."
"Yeah.........hey Ayane, I want to ask you something."
"Go ahead."
"Kaiba didn't do anything to you today, did he?"
One of her eyebrows rose. "What'd you mean?"
"I mean like hurt you or something."
"No, I know you don't like Kaiba but I don't think he'd actually hurt anybody."
"No, it's just that, one of my, er.....friends saw him drag you into a janitor's closet."
Ayane stared at him for a moment. Then she realized what he was talking about."
"Oh that!" She laughed. "I'm really sorry Yugi, I'd tell you all about it, but I promised him I wouldn't tell." She said, still laughing.
"Why?" Yugi asked, "Are you sure he isn't hurting you?"
"No, okay fine I'll tell you but please don't tell it to anyone." She said, her laughter dying down. She then told him the story, she only did this to stop him from worrying.
"So that's what happened!" Yugi realized.
**************************************************************************** ***
Ryou washed his hands. Vomiting really wasn't a nice experience. What a way to make an impression, he thought. Just then the millennium ring began to glow.
"I told you not to eat those nuts." Bakura's voice sounded.
Startled, Ryou jumped back and looked around.
"Bakura where are you?"
"Right in front of you."
Ryou looked at what was in front of him. It was the mirror, but instead of his own reflection, Bakura was standing there. He had a smirk on his face.
"I wish you had listened."
"Sorry, I was absorbed in the duel."
"And I can't believe you ordered a banana split."
"I was hungry."
"That's not the only thing you are...." Bakura sighed.
**************************************************************************** ***
"Where's Bakura?" Tea asked, getting back to the table with their food.
"He had a little emergency." Ayane said, motioning to the bathroom.
"Oh," Tea said.
"He's been there an awfully long time." Yugi said concerned. "I'll be right back. " Yugi said, the little boy then sprinted towards the bathroom.
Tea sat down, propping her head on her hands and sighing. She looked at where Yugi had just run off too.
"What's wrong Tea?" Ayane asked.
Tea looked at Ayane. "I think he likes you much better." She said.
Ayane blinked. "Huh?"
"Yugi, he likes you better."
"He likes you Tea."
"But....."
"Just open up a bit, show him what he's missing." Ayane said, winking.
"How?"
"I don't know, ask him out......do something."
"Me? Ask him out, I've never considered that before."
**************************************************************************** ***
Kaiba stared at the ceiling, his eyes half lit. He was tired from everything he had to do. He closed his eyes for a while trying to remember the last time he had relaxed. After a while he sat up and cursed, he couldn't remember.
He was thinking. Thinking about Ayane. In just one day the damned girl already seemed to have taken a major effect in his life. What was it about her? He pounded his fists onto the bed. Why did it have to be someone like her? Why couldn't it be someone else, someone who didn't affect the way he thought, the way he acted.
He closed his eyes again.
*Flash back*
He thought the coast was clear, he couldn't hear any more footsteps or any more girls talking. Slowly he opened the door, thankful for being freed from the cramped Janitor's closet.
"Ooof!" Suddenly someone bumped against him. At first he though it was one of the obsessed maniacs and he backed away, but soon he realized it was only Ayane.
*Skipping onto when they were in the closet. *
He could feel Ayane squirming and trying to talk despite his hands holding her back. "Ssssh! Be quiet will you!" He had hissed.
She was squiring too. That was annoying. Soon though, she relaxed. He had almost smiled then.
**************************************************************************** **
R.J: Hehehehehe, I'm beginning to like this story again.
Yugi: okay, hey where's Yami? And Bakura and Kaiba?
R.J: In there (motions to a room) with some of the er....reviewers. Hehehe...
Joey: I'm afraid to ask but, why?
R.J: Oh, they're just giving out kisses, well more like I forced them too. ^_^
Yugi: What?!
Bakura: You mean Ryou's in there getting *bleeep*?!
R.J: Not really....
Yami: (Pops out) Yugi! Help me! (Gets pulled back in) No no! Ladies calm down!
Yugi: Poor Yami. His shirt was practically ripped off!
R.J: I wanna go in there!
Bakura: Aren't you supposed to be doing homework now?
R.J: Silence! A...ha ha ha ha. On with the story.
**************************************************************************** *******
*Back to the present*
Still on the bed, Kaiba rolled over to his side. He could feel his head pounding; he was thinking about too much stuff.
"Big brother?"
He looked up to see Mokuba, peeking from the half opened door of his bedroom. Looking concerned. "Is something wrong Mokuba?"
"Nothing....Are you alright big brother? Does your head hurt?"
"Nothing's wrong Mokuba, did you want anything?"
"No." The little boy shook his head and softly closed the door.
**************************************************************************** ***
Yugi walked into the bathroom, he found Bakura washing up.
"Hey Bakura are you alright?"
"Huh? Yeah sure...."
**************************************************************************** **
"Look here's your chance, just go for it!" Ayane whispered, motioning to the two guys walking back to the table.
"Huh? But!" Tea stuttered.
"Don't worry about it!" Ayane said, winking.
The two boys got back to the table, surprised to see Tea, a nervous wreck. She was poking her two fingers together and talking to herself.
"Hey, Ryou, do you mind if we take a walk somewhere?" Ayane asked.
"Huh? But what about-"
"Please, I really want to see the park." Ayane pleaded.
"Umm, sure." He said. They stood up from the chairs.
"Here, this should cover everything, come on Ryou." She smiled leaving some money on the table and dragging a rather blushing Ryou with her to the doors.
"But guys, what about your food...." Yugi tried to call out, but the two were already out of hearing distance.
For a while nothing was said. Yugi and Tea were silent. Yugi was fiddling with something imaginary and Tea was staring at the money Ayane had left on the counter, actually, more like looking through it, she was in a daze.
"Tea? Are you okay?"
"Huh? Wha? Oh yeah, fine." She sighed. "How am I ever going to do this?" She thought.
***************************************************************************
While all this was happening, Kaiba was just on his room, trying to concentrate on the homework given. After what seemed like hours of trying he just gave up and tried sleeping. He was tired, he was tired, and he was tired............
**************************************************************************** ****
"Why'd you do that Ayane?"
"Huh? Do what?"
"Leave, I mean leave Tea and Yugi there."
"Oh, just trying to help a friend."
Ryou looked at Ayane strangely. Her eyes were hiding something. But none of that mattered now, he was happy just being with her.....alone.
The two were sitting on one of the park benches. The park was deserted, except for the two. All was quiet. Now and then, a leaf would fall from one of the trees.
"Summer's really over now."
"Huh?"
"Just look Ryou, there's no one here but us, and it means everyone has gone back to school, summer is gone."
"I guess you're right." He said. For some moments there was silence again.
Silence. Silence. "But I like the fall." She finally said.
"Huh?"
"It's when everything feels so calm and relaxed."
Ryou just nodded. Then there was silence again. Ryou was thinking about how much he liked her.......then he thought about how everyone else did to.
"Ayane, you're real lucky."
"Huh? Why?"
"Because everyone likes you so much."
"How'd you figure that?"
"When I came to Domino I was a loner for a while."
"Oh....... I don't like being liked by everyone."
"Huh? Why?"
"I don't know, probably cause maybe I can't like them back you know? I'm only human."
"So you don't like very many people do you?"
Ayane laughed. "Oh no, it's not that. It's just, sometimes, I feel like everyone's just pretending, or everyone's just.......you know."
Ryou thought for a while. "No, actually I don't."
"Then you're very lucky." Ayane winked.
Ryou didn't know how to react. His face was just blank. He didn't know Ayane felt like that. He couldn't understand why she would.
On Ayane's part, she was glad she had let everything out. She was thinking about Tea, and how bad she must've made her feel. She thought about Ryou, how lucky she was to be his friend, and then she thought about Kaiba......huh? Wait, Kaiba?
**************************************************************************** **** "Yugi?"
"Huh? Yeah Tea?"
Tea swallowed. "Let's go somewhere this weekend, that new movie will be showing."
"What? Oh yeah, that would be great!"
Tea let out a breath of relief, finally, she had done it!
"I'll call Joey and Tristan later to tell them about it."
Tea's face fell. "Well, actually, I think it would be nice, you know, just the two of us."
Yugi blushed. "Uh-uh, okay." Yugi nodded.
**************************************************************************** ****
"Oh, well, I better get home now." Ayane said, looking at her watch.
"Hmm? I'll walk you then." Ryou offered.
"Thanks Ryou," she said giving a smile. "But don't you have to get home too?"
"I just don't want you walking alone at night."
"That's sweet, but really.....I'll be alright." She smiled, putting a hand on Ryou's shoulder.
"Alright." Ryou smiled, and then doing what he thought he could never do, he gave her a friendly hug.
They stayed that way for what was too short if a time for Ryou. Then she gave a last goodbye to him and started to walk away. Ryou still couldn't get over what he did. He smiled to himself, and put his hands in his pockets. What a wonderful life.....
**************************************************************************** ***
Tea skipped merrily out the door of the shop with a proud smile on her face. Finally, she had done what she had never thought she would have before. Silently, she thanked Ayane; the girl wasn't so bad after all.
**************************************************************************** *****
That night Kaiba kept rolling around his bed trying to sleep. It was only about 8:30, but he had nothing better to do. He wasn't hungry, and he had told Mokuba that he couldn't play cards right now. For once in his life, he wished that he had some work to do, instead of just being able to lie down on his bed, and try to sleep.
He gave up trying to sleep and just stared at the ceiling. The curtains of the window were open; so a little moonlight had gotten in the otherwise dark room. For some time, there was silence, and then his cell phone rang.
"Hello?" Kaiba said into the receiver, he couldn't recognize the number flashing on the cell phone screen.
"Hi Kaiba, it's me Ayane." The voice on the other end said quietly.
"What do you want?" He asked, keeping his tone cold. He knew it was a bad idea to have a class directory, where anyone could reach anyone.
"I....I just wanted to know if you were okay."
"........"
"Hello? Are you still there?"
"Why would you care?"
"Huh? Oh.......I just wanted to make sure."
"Fine, I'm just fine. There, is your simple mind set at ease now?" He thought, but all he said was "Fine, I'm fine, are you done bothering me now?"
"Uhm, Yeah, I guess I am."
"Fine then, goodbye." He said in an icy tone.
"Oh, Kaiba?"
"What?"
"Goodnight."
Kaiba put his cellphone down. He then stared at it for a while. Everything was quiet again. The wind had stopped blowing. The trees stopped swaying almost as if awaiting the young CEO's reaction.
"Tcht." Kaiba said looking away, but somehow, now he found it was easier to sleep.
**************************************************************************** ***
Ayane put her own phone down. She then sat up in her bed and pulled her knees to her chest. She thought about her first day, how everything had gone so fast, everyone she had met. Yugi, Tea, Joey, Tristan, Ryou, and Kaiba. She thought about Kaiba, saying his name quietly to the wind as she thought about her new lab partner, the person she, as Ryou put it, would be stuck with for the rest of the year.
"Seto Kaiba." She said.
The brown hair, the blue eyes, that cold tone, yeah, she definitely would have a fun time putting up with him and that wall he had built around himself.
"Seto Kaiba...."
Ayane closed her eyes. She fell asleep, saying those very words.
**************************************************************************** ****
While everyone in Domino was in a soft deep slumber, a little boy lay awake with his heart troubled.
"So this means Tea likes me right?" He thought to himself.
He then had a wild thought. What if Tea liked Yami? Not regular Yugi, but the cooler, taller, more handsome him. (As Joey once put it, except for the taller and more handsome part.)
(What's wrong Hikari?)
(Nothing Yami.)
(Tell me.)
(No.)
(Why?)
(I don't want to.)
(I can help.)
(It's nothing Yami)
(Whatever you say.)
**************************************************************************** ***********
R.J: Guys I have a really bad feeling.
Kaiba: What is it?
R.J: My mom said the computers broken, and she's going to have to delete and re-install everything.
Yugi: So?
Bakura: You fool! That means if she doesn't save us in a diskette or something, we're all going to the shadow realm!
Ryou: Shadow Realm?
R.J: Hehe not really, but, he's sort of captured the idea. That's why it took so long to update, my computer wasn't functioning properly.
Yugi: Quick! Save the stories! *Runs to stuff papers inside a container thingy.*
Bakura: Fool! Forget that stuff! People come first!
R.J: Relax guys, I'll save this stuff on a diskette or something.
Everyone: Oh.
R.J: Hey, reviewers out there who can offer some help because sometimes I'm really confused.
Kaiba: With what?
R.J: Well, meaning of a few words. Anzu is Tea right, and Honda....is Tristan, Jou is Joey, but what's his whole name, I know Jou is just a short cut. What about the rest of the people? And what does "Abiou" mean? Yugi: So many questions....
R.J: Uh oh.....
Kaiba: Uh oh what?
R.J: Hehe, I can't find my diskette.
Yugi: What?!....Hey wait a minute, where's Yami.
Yami: *Pops out from room* Help Yugi, Bakura, anyone! *Gets dragged back in.*
Yugi: He's still in there? Wow, girls must really love him. (-__-') Hey, where are R.J...and Kaiba? Everyone's disappearing.
Ryou: They're in that room....said they were going to look for the diskette.
Yugi: Oh.....*waits*....(After about 20 mins.) I don't think they're coming out.
Bakura: They seem to be enjoying each other's company, just like the Pharaoh is enjoying the ladies'.
Yugi: Great, everyone's making out somewhere, while we can just wait until we're deleted!
Ryou: *Watches Yugi rant* Well, just leave a review and hope for the best. : P