Chapter 2
What Home Feels Like
Upon entering Wicker House, Seto saw the opposite of the bright paintings on the windows outside. The orphans either walked aimlessly, ran with hatred for one another, or moped around with their heads hung, hair falling like a mop. These kids were clearly catered for cheaply, and Seto wondered if he would ever survive.
A lady approached Mr Hargreaves. She was an old lady, pierced with earrings and necklaces. She wore a plain dress with a few lifeless flowers. She was as unnerving as the building itself.
"May I help you?" she croaked.
"Err, yes, yes indeed. Err, name of Hargreaves, these children will be staying with you, of course, they aren't my own!" Mr Hargreves tried to add a trace of warmth to the otherwise grey setting, but failed miserably.
"I shall take them in. Good day sir."
"Very well. Good luck children! Have a good time in your new home! Tara!" The woman hurried them away from the official as if she didn't want him to see her do something cruel to the children, like turn them into depressed beasts like the others. She took them into a large room, carpeted in light grey and white walls.
"You shall stay here. I shall call you into bed soon." And with that, she walked away to deal with another orphan.
"Seto," said Mokuba, "Is this home?"
"I…I don't know, Mokuba."
"When will we get home?"
"……….never….."
The brothers walked aimlessly around the room, like the other unloved children at the entrance. A little girl approached Seto and tugged at his sleeve.
"Excuse me sir," The girl's large, round eyes stared up at Seto, "I need to ask a question."
"What?"
As the girl was about to ask, a young man with a matching pair of navy green jeans and shirt bearing the Wicker House logo approached Seto and Mokuba.
"You guys are lucky!" he said in an Australian accent, "Alistair left you a gift. It was left with yer dad, until he went kaput!" The man gave them both a keyring of a Duel Monster card. The brothers loved that game. Though these were curious, they could open up! Inside were photographs. Inside Seto's, there was a photograph of Mokuba. Inside Mokuba's, there was a photograph of Seto.
"Seto," whispered Mokuba, "It's you…"
"Yes, Mokuba, we'll always be with each other, always, forever." The brothers embraced, and the man left.
"Sir?" questioned the girl, who was still standing there.
"Oh, yes, what were you saying?" replied Seto.
"What does……what does home feel like?"
Seto ran his finger along the side of the photo, and then looked at Mokuba. "This," he said, "This is what home feels like!"