by Lethe
Chapter Twenty-four: Redeeming
What is his problem?!
Seto knew the answer immediately, though it didn't make him feel any better. Honda had obviously heard him talking about Shingo, and told Jonouchi. The two of them had both jumped to conclusions. Jonouchi wouldn't even hear him out!
He sighed. Christmas evening, and he had never felt more alone.
It looked like it would just be him and Mokuba.
"Big brother! It's snowing! It's snowing! You want to take Shingo for a walk with me?"
Shingo… in snow… "I'll have to pass that one, Mokuba. I'm quite busy. You and Shingo have fun, and be safe, all right?"
"All right," said Mokuba. "I hope you get done soon!"
Seto heard Shingo's enthusiastic barks, followed by a series of jingles, Mokuba's giggling, and the door opening and closing.
Now he really was alone.
He would not cry.
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"I hope Jonouchi's all right," said Yugi.
"Yeah." Anzu agreed. "He must feel really hurt right now."
The two of them were walking through the snow, hand in hand. If Yugi hadn't been so concerned for his best friend, he would have been ecstatic.
Yugi thought for a moment. Jonouchi and Seto had seemed so happy together. Why would Seto be so cruel? Even if others believed that he was by nature, Yugi knew that Kaiba was essentially a good person. Was it possible that maybe – just maybe – Honda had misheard? "Anzu?"
"Yes?"
"I would never hurt you."
"I know, Yugi."
"We'll be together forever, right?"
"Right."
Yugi and Anzu leaned closer to each other.
"HEE-EE-EEEEEEEL!!!"
"Ack!" cried Yugi, when in a split second his Yami took over to grab Anzu's arm and shove her to the ground as a multicolored blur sped past.
"What the-?!" said Anzu.
Yami scrambled off of Anzu quickly and ran after it. "Come on!"
"Sorry, Yugi," apologized a very tired and very wet Mokuba ten minutes later. "Shingo's… really enthusiastic…"
"I gathered as much," said Yugi with a grin. "I didn't know you had a dog."
"We don't," said Mokuba. "One of my friends at school asked me to keep him over the winter break, and Seto said I could. He doesn't like Shingo much, though." He giggled. "You should have seen him trying to walk Shingo…"
"Hi, guys," said Anzu, finally catching up. "What's up?"
"This is Shingo," said Yugi. "Mokuba says that he's taking care of him for a friend."
Anzu's eyes opened wide.
"What is it?" said Yugi concernedly.
"Think about it, Yugi," said Anzu.
"Huh?"
"They…have…a dog."
"So wh-" Then it dawned on Yugi. "Oh, crap! Anzu! You go to Jonouchi's house. I'll go to Kaiba's. Let's… um… get them to-"
"Take them to the park! We'll get them to meet and make up there!" finished Anzu commandingly. "Come on! Let's go!"
And the two raced off.
Mokuba blinked. "What…the…"