Rowan: Oh, I almost have fifty reviews! Yay!
Sakura: Woo hoo.
Rowan: Oh, isn't that exciting?! That's why I'm updating so quickly! Because I want to reach the big 5-0!
Sakura: Well, you better get started then, eh?
Rowan: I just want to say one thing: First, I said the story took place in Japan, then I changed my mind and said America, but I've finally settled on the setting being an Americanized Japan!
Sakura: And we care because…?
Rowan: I'm just letting my readers know, is all. Oh, and I don't own YGO!
Thanks to:
ColeyCarissa: Yup! A long, long fic!
hyakuhei: Thanks!
Aryll: Will do!
Kyrene (once Blood Roses: I love that part too! I can just imagine Yuugi all pale and faint. And Honda's coolness about it just makes it all the more funny!
Ranma Higurashi: Well, he may be busted, but to what use? Mai and Honda know, but Seto doesn't! Which'll make it rather funny!
Xiaolang's Ying Fa: I can spell your name now! Well, actually, I printed out all the reviews, so it's right in front of me, but still! I'm glad you liked it! I wanted to toy with Jou, make it sound like he and Seto did it! Thanks ever so much for the compliment, though I doubt my teachers (esp. math and science) would agree!
Life's Little Treasures
"Wow Kaiba-kun! That turkey looks really good!" Yuugi exclaimed as the fowl was brought into the dining room.
Honda and Jou nodded in agreement. "How'd you learn to cook Kaiba-kun?" Honda inquired.
"I picked it up somewhere," Seto answered.
"Where?" Mai asked.
"I don't remember off the top of my head," Seto said, then changed the subject, turning to Jou and Shizuka's okaasan. "So, how has your holiday been?"
"Very busy. Shizuka and I have been very busy with college applications."
"Yeah. They have to be sent in by January 15th and we want to send them out before the holiday rush," Shizuka added from her seat next to Honda's.
Seto, from the head of the table, turned to Jou's sister. "What colleges are you applying to?"
"Tokyo, Kyoto, and a couple in America."
"You have to go to Tokyo!" Honda declared. "How could I survive if my little Sakura blossom went overseas?"
Shizuka blushed at the pet name. "I'll go where ever I please, thank you!" she replied, dignified.
"Yes, don't go influencing my sister like that!" Jou scowled from Shizuka's left.
"Why not? Yuugi and Mai'll back me up on how great a school it is, won't you?"
Mai, sitting across from the brunette, and Yuugi, at the foot of the table, put their hands up defensively. "And risk Anzu and Ryou's wrath when they discover how we put their college down? Never!" Yuugi replied laughingly.
"Oh, are Mazaki and Bakura-kun at Kyoto?" Seto asked.
Mai nodded in response. "Yeah. Crazy liberal artisans!"
"Pity they couldn't come for Thanksgiving," Jou remarked sadly.
"They'll be here for Christmas though! They're with their families this holiday, but they'll be visiting in December," Yuugi informed his friend.
"Oh, good! What about you guys?"
"I'm gonna be visiting Grandpa for the break. Yami's keeping him company this holiday, which means he'll be here for Christmas as well!"
Seto grimaced slightly. He did not look forward to spending the winter holidays with his archrival. But, they were Jou's friends, so he would go along with it.
"What about you Mai?" Jou asked.
"I've gotta visit my folks as well. Wish I didn't, but I don't have much of a choice."
Shizuka looked over at her boyfriend. "Honda, will you be back for Christmas?"
"Unfortunately, no. But I'll be stopping by for a day or two to go skating, so hope for some snow!"
~*~&~*~
Everyone was very sleepy after the Thanksgiving dinner, so they all settled down in the living room, where Jou's mother was cooing over Kismet and Yuugi, Jou, and Seto were watching sports. Mai was sitting comfortably with her eyes closed, and Honda and Shizuka…were outside on the porch swing.
"Shizuka, are you really thinking about going to an American university?"
The teen sighed. "Only if I'm accepted Honda. And then I might still go to Tokyo or Kyoto. It depends. Can't you just be happy for me, that I'm trying to broaden my horizons?"
"I'm sorry Shizuka, that was selfish of me. Shall we change the subject?"
Shizuka settled her head tiredly on Honda's shoulder. "Yes, let's. Any news?"
"Well, I just learned this afternoon that your brother has a crush on someone."
Shizuka looked up, surprised. "Really? Now that's a shocker. Who is it?"
"Kaiba."
Shizuka stared at Honda, then burst into peels of laughter. "Kaiba?! What a joke! Very funny Honda!"
"It's not a joke. I overheard him talking to Mai about it."
Shizuka raised her eyebrow skeptically. "Really now? Well, he must have been kidding then. There's no way my brother could ever like Kaiba."
"He's not! He was serious!"
"Prove it."
Honda sighed. "Fine, just, wait one second?" Honda trudged inside and shook Mai. "Mai? Come outside with me?"
Mai glared groggily at him, but got up from the couch and followed him outside.
"What do you want Honda?"
"Shizuka doesn't believe me about Jou liking Kaiba-kun, so I need you to tell her your conversation with him."
Mai sighed. "Fine." Mai turned to Shizuka. "Honda's right about Jou liking Kaiba. He admitted that he likes him a lot."
"And how did you get him to confess?"
"I tricked him into it. Got him to say that he and Kaiba were sleeping in the same bed last night."
Shizuka blinked rapidly. "Oh."
"Not like they were doing anything. Apparently Kismet can't sleep properly without both her parents."
"Oh, good."
"Anyway, now that I think we've cleared that up, Honda, why exactly did you tell Shizuka about Jou's love interest?"
Honda blushed slightly. "Oh, well, y'know, he's her brother and all, and I figured she'd like to know something like that is all."
Two sets of eyebrows raised. "Okay, okay, so I had an ulterior motive as well! I was hoping she could somehow find out if Kaiba feels the same way and if he does, y'know, get them together or something."
The two females smiled at the flustered Honda. "Pity Jou has such mettlesome friends as us. His life might be much less hectic if we were much less nosy."
"Should we tell Yuugi?"
"Why stop at Yuugi? We should tell Anzu and Ryou and Yami as well!"
"Good idea. But, does anyone have Anzu's number?"
"I do!" Honda announced. "I'll call her, Mai, you tell Yuugi, and Shizuka, you tell Ryou, okay?"
"Okay!"
"May the fun begin."
~*~&~*~
Jou stood on the porch, Kismet in his arms, as he waved goodbye to Mai, Yuugi, and Honda. It was Monday evening and they had a long drive ahead before they reached their college campus. Seto and Mokuba were standing on either side, also saying farewell. As the car pulled away, Honda looked out the back window and said, "They look like one big happy family. Now let's just hope we can make that happen."
Mai glanced back at the picturesque view of the Kaiba mansion. "It'll be a piece of cake."
~*~&~*~&~*~
Of course, it's not going to be as easy as Mai says, or will it? B/c if she's talking about the very first piece of cake, well, trust me, they're pretty hard to get out, if you know what I mean. Well, I know there wasn't that much fluff, but trust me, they'll be more. Oh, and if you're wondering about the 'crazy liberal artisans' comment, well, Ryou's studying creative writing and Anzu's studying music. In this story, Kyoto University (if there even is one) is a liberal arts college, which means its focus is completely different than engineering (math and science stuff). And I really don't think that b/c I'm looking at mainly liberal arts colleges and stuff. So, yeah…Next chapter: X-mas shopping! And an unexpected guest!
BTW: In order to encourage you to update, the 60th reviewer gets to appear in this story! So, go on! Press that lil purple button and review! You know you want to!