Timeless Love

We now see them years in the future, present time, but AU. They're Freshmen, but this is a no-Duelist Kingdom thing, and blah! Just AU.

Part 2- If Time Will Set You Free

Chapter 3-

"You can still be free, if time will set you free..."

                        -Savage Garden, You Can Still Be Free

Ryou sighed. His first day at this new school had, quite frankly, sucked. He didn't know anyone and didn't feel like making friends. He missed his old school, his old friends, everyone. Domino was ok, but there was something missing...

The day was only halfway over.

He sat at the table alone at lunch. It seemed that according to the rule of the cafeteria, this table was always empty anyway.

He half-mindedly wondered why.

Another person sat down on the other side from the table as him, buried in piles of papers and a bottle of Dasani. Ryou glanced over before going back to his own meal.

Seto put down all his papers and signed quickly, only half-caring what he was doing. Life was not helping one bit as he shoved those aside and pulled out his homework due next period. He had just arrived at school as it was, after spending all last night on a computer and drinking coffee. Soon, he swore he'd need glasses, and that certainly wasn't becoming of a person of such high standings.

Ryou stood to go throw away his lunch.

Seto looked up in time to see the small figure walk away. His heart stopped as he saw the white hair. "Ryou?"

But the white-haired boy had already entered the crowds milling around the trashcan and started walking off before he could hear.

"That couldn't have been him." Seto told himself. "I left him so long ago." He went back to studying Geometry.

The next day, no more fun than the previous for Ryou. He sat down at lunch, same table and same place. He was vaguely surprised when the kid from yesterday didn't arrive. Then again, the kid had been checking stocks or something like that, he was probably busy or something.

He felt something hit the back of his head. Looking over, he saw the short multi-colored hair kid from homeroom waving at him- the one who had introduced himself as Yuugi and had an item similar to Ryou's own Ring.

The one who had thrown the food item- a tall blond- was being yelled at by his brunette friend. A girl- also brunette- was looking over expectantly.

Ryou sighed. He may as well... he picked up his tray and walked over to their table, sitting next to the quarrelling blond and brunette. They introduced themselves as Jounouchi and Honda before going back to what they were doing. The girl was called Anzu.

"You looked lonely over there." Yuugi commented, picking at his food. "So I thought you could use the company."

Ryou just nodded, not really caring.

"Yeah," Jounouchi added, "it can never be good for anyone sitting next to creepy Kaiba-kun."

"Kaiba-kun?" Ryou blinked. He had sworn the said boy had called his name yesterday. He even had the small hope- though impossible that it may have been- that it had been Seto. But I guess not... Insert a sigh here.

"Yeah, the rich, spoiled, cold-hearted, stuck-up brat."

"Jounouchi-kun..."

Definitely not Seto. He was nice and kind-hearted. Oh well, I can wish, right? He started reminiscing. I remember when he was taken, and when we got the news of his father's death... and that last festival we went to. He told me he loved me. Hah! We were such kids then.

"Earth to Bakura-kun!" Honda waved a hand in front of his face.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I was just spaced out."

Weak yadonushi. You're never going to see your friend again.

Ryou bit his lip. His other half almost never talked to him, but it was always with an insult when he did. In fact, he had received the said Ring almost right after Seto's disappearance...

But... that is an interesting trinket your new friend has...

They aren't my friends, I just know them. They're peers.

You're talking back to me? There was a laugh. You finally got the balls to stand up to me, yadonushi? You'll regret it.

Ryou just bit his lip harder.

"I need to go." He stood and left, taking his tray with him.

Seto bit his pen top in an annoyed fashion. He was in a board meeting, mind still set on whether it was Ryou Bakura he had seen or not. Unfortunately, he couldn't be at school now due to the said meeting, but...

"Kaiba-sama?"

"Hai?"

"Have you heard a word we've said?"

"I'm sorry, repeat what you said."

"We recommended dropping..."

And here we go with the zoned out CEO again.

"Tou-san!" Ryou called, dropping his backpack at the floor.

"Yes, Ryou?"

"Nothing, I'm just home!" He yelled, walking into the living room where his dad sat, watching TV. He finally settled on one of Ryou's little shows from back when he was a kid- Pocket Monsters. "That show's still running?"

"I guess. I remember when you used to watch it with Seto-" He stopped.

"Talking about Seto, the strangest thing happened. Yesterday, when I transferred in, I ate during lunch at the same table as some tall rich kid who looked a lot like Seto. And I swear he yelled my name after I stood to leave. But... some of the other kids say his name's Kaiba and that he's a rich, spoiled brat." Ryou sighed, sitting and watching the little Pokemon battle.

Bakura-sama shrugged.

"But I do wonder where he is now. I mean, the orphanages aren't allowed to release that sort of information."

"Ryou, I do feel for the situation, but do realize that your chances of seeing Seto again are very slim- next to nothing in fact." He paused. "Though that kid could be the owner of that company Kaiba Corp."

"Owner? At that age?"

"Yeah, some years ago, the owner of Kaiba Corporation died by falling out of a window. His son witnessed it all, and is now the owner of the corporation. At least, that's what news reports said."

"Oh, that must be why no one likes him. Because he saw his father die, he must have gone into depression..."

((And now Wildwolf must note: Hah! Yeah right!))

"Maybe."

Ryou rushed into class a little late that day. Not tardy, just later than he would have liked. He sat on his own and shoved his nose into a book on Egypt.

"Ayami Sakura?"

"Hai!" The girl who is unimportant to any plot called.

"Bakura Ryou?"

"Hai." Ryou sighed, yawning.

Seto's eyes lifted as he heard the name called. They widened slightly as a familiar name was called. He held them there at the back of the white-haired boy's head, the same boy he had called to at lunch that one day. Was it really him, his Ryou-chan?

"Honda Hiroto."

"Hai." The bored voice answered.

"Jounouchi Katsuya."

"Huh?" The sleeping blond asked.

After the class quieted from giggling, the teacher continued.

"Kaiba Seto?"

Ryou's eyes flew back as he whirled his head around. Bronze and sapphire met, both filled with surprise.

Seto?!

"H-hai..."

"Seto...?" Ryou mouthed to himself. It was him. His breath started to ebb away as his heart seemed to stop.

"Ryou-chan..." Seto whispered.

"Mazaki Anzu."

"Hai!"

"Mutou Yuugi."

"Hai!"

...

Hee... nice stopping, eh? Oh well!

First encounter of the two since... a long time!