Smile
Part Two
by Lethe
Chapter Seventeen: We Shall Not Feel SorrowWhat… the…
Jonouchi felt numb as Honda drew away. Honda's eyes looked so… sad.
He just…
That's right. How could I have forgotten…?
Honda just kissed me?
He told Yugi that he…
Honda's eyes…
He loved me, before.
So sad.
And now, he – it felt
nice.
What could he do?
------
Yugi sighed and turned away. Honda had finally done something about it. Poor guy, but sheesh! You just don't kiss your best friend when he already has a boyfriend!
"What's going on?" said Anzu sleepily.
"Ssh," whispered Yugi, taking Anzu's arm. "We can talk about it in my room."
"So, what happened?" said Anzu quietly, sitting next to Yugi on his bed – Mokuba could sleep through anything, kind of like Jou.
"Well, you remember the sleepover we had a while back?"
"We?"
"Well, Honda, Jou, and I."
Anzu nodded. "I remember."
"When Jou was in the shower, Honda told me that he's in love with Jonouchi."
"What about…?"
"He was acting for Jou's sake."
"Oh…" said Anzu. "That makes sense. It explains a lot."
"Hm?"
"Well, he seemed kind of weird. Didn't you notice?" said Anzu. "Whenever he touched Jou – like, on the shoulder or whatever – he always looked sad…"
"Yeah," said Yugi with a frown. "Yeah. I thought he was over it, though. He didn't do anything for the longest time."
"What can we do about it?"
"Nothing, not really," said Yugi. "Not that I can think of, anyway. I just hope this doesn't affect Jou's relationship with Kaiba."
"Yeah," agreed Anzu. "But Jou wouldn't…"
"No way. He's a really loyal guy."
"You're right."
Yugi smiled and snuggled closer to Anzu. "I'm glad we don't have that kind of problem." He laughed. "I'm not cool enough to worry about."
"Hey," said Anzu, patting his head absently, "you're the best."
"But they don't know that," said Yugi.
She laughed.
-----
Seto stumbled into the bedroom, followed by Jou, after another grueling evening of competition with Yami. "Urgh…" he muttered. "Damn kid…"
Jou grinned. "You just can't take defeat."
"You're right. I can't."
Seto couldn't see, in the dark, that Jou's smile was strained. Jou was glad of that.
"Night, Seto."
"G'night, Jou."
"Jou…" mumbled Seto a few minutes later. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," said Jou.
"Are you sure?"
"Yuh-huh. Just tired."
"All right," said Seto.
Sheets rustling, and Jou felt a weight on his bed. "What're you doing, Seto?"
Seto spoke, and Jou could feel his breath. "Talking to you. We wouldn't want to wake Honda up."
"You're right," whispered Jou in reply.
"So… is there anything you want to talk about…?"
Jonouchi blushed. "Um… not really…"
Seto sighed. "Okay. So, have you been thinking about college?"
"A bit," said Jou. "But I don't really know what I want to do with my life yet. I mean, I can't play Duel Monsters for a living, can I?"
"I'm sure you could," said Seto. "I don't know how much of a benefit that would bring you, of course, but it's possible."
"My problem is, I don't have a dream," said Jou sadly. "Anzu wants to dance, you have your company to run…"
Seto smirked. "What about Yugi and Honda?"
"…Okay, I don't know about them, but still…"
"Don't worry. You'll figure something out," said Seto. "And I'll be right behind you."
"Thanks," said Jou. "Good night."
"Sleep well."
Why are you crying? thought Seto. Is it something I said? You probably don't want to talk about it, whatever it is. Or maybe you're asleep already, and having a nightmare.
That could be it… but… did something happen to you today?
You've been acting oddly…*
Jonouchi was asleep for a while. He drifted back into consciousness when he heard a voice. Quiet – next to him.
Seto?
Singing?
"Flowers, door, vase, land, sand and big trees
"Glasses, plates, bowls, ladder and the pretty lamp
"The fence and corridor, grasses in the field…"
What was that supposed to mean? Was Seto out of it?
"The house will look beautiful only if it has you
"Because you are refuge, you are everything and every meaning
"When you are beside me, I can't be hurt."
The tune was sweet, though. His voice wasn't like any Jou had heard before.
Quiet, but so many emotions filtered through.
The love that he had for Jou.
The pain he had felt as a child.
Sadness at parting.
"Even though it gets worse outside,
"I have no fear.
"Sweetness is everywhere from floor to ceiling,
"Because I know that I have you as my heart's shelter,
"Always waiting for me."
Would he really? Would they always be together?
Jou was afraid.
"Stand by me until the last,
"And we will lay down to rest at my home."
And Honda was…
…in love with him.
"No matter how long the time will pass by,
"I will always have you, filled with hope and understanding."
But that didn't matter. All that mattered at that moment was the song.
"Ready to keep everything, leave all the happiness.
"And I'll do everything for this home."
Jonouchi's eyes closed.
Seto continued quietly. "Flowers, door, land, sand and big trees
"Glasses, plates, bowls, ladder and the pretty lamp
"The fence and corridor, all have the same question
"How can this home look beautiful without you?"
"Because your heart is… my home…"
--
Seto smiled when he realized that Jonouchi had fallen asleep. "Good night," he whispered, running a hand through Jou's hair.
He got up and returned to his bed.
And he slept.
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^__^:; The song really is pretty, even if it's weird. We listened to it in Thai class on Sunday – what I wrote was a translation of the translation our teacher gave us. It's called "Home" by Boyd Kosiyapong. Sorry! I just had to include it somehow!
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