Rave: That was the fastest update EVER! Mainly cos A: this is a birthday fic, and SHOULD have been complete, but it's not. and B: I have several other chapters finished.
Yami: So when do I start liking him? Huh? Huh?
Rave: Be patient, this story takes time to unfold. Now while I try to draw Yuugi's hair, why don't you say the disclaimer for me?
Jou: Rave isn't Takahashi-sama, and she will never own a single spike on Yami's head.


Chapter Two:
First Impressions

Nobody could say anything, and neither could Yuugi. He was staring at Yami, who could be his twin. The same hair- except Yami's bangs were longer, similar eyes- crimson and amethyst, and Yami didn't look much taller than Yuugi himself. Also, his mannerisms were confident and self-assured; he had an air of royalty about him that commanded respect, and a look in his eyes that almost dared anyone who would make the mistake of defying him.
Yami smiled at his students, and read from a sheet of paper on the desk.

"Hanasaki Tomoya"

-"Hai, Sensei."

"Honda Hiroto."

-"Hai."

"Jonouchi Katsuya."

-"He'll be late." Yuugi said with a shrug. Yami nodded without looking up, and continued.

"Mazaki Anzu."

-"Ohayou!" Came the cheerful reply. Her voice was laced with admiration of her new, hopefully-less-boring teacher. Yami frowned, and made a mark. For some reason, this cheered Yuugi up a little to sense Yami's annoyance at the first impression.

"Mutou Yuugi."

-"Hai." The boy replied obediently. Yami looked up upon recognising the voice that had spoken up for "Jonouchi Katsuya". Sharp, crimson eyes widened when he took a look at Yuugi, and let out an odd sort of gasp. The rest of the class turned to look back at Yuugi, and immediately picked up on the similarities.

"Hey! Are you two related?"

"Am I seeing double?"

Yami stuttered, and looked back at the attendance sheet. He murmured something to himself, and a small smile crept upon his lips.

"Yuugi." He repeated. Said teen went a light shade of pink at his name. The way Yami said his name was unexplainable; sort of like he had heard of the name his entire life, the way a person says a common cliché and continues on without giving it a second thought. That didn't even scratch the surface of the effect hearing Yami say his name had on Yuugi.

He mentally shook off the confusing feelings- since when did he get so flustered over a little thing like this? Yuugi pondered the possibility of his skipped breakfast having anything to do with it.

Yami finished taking attendance, and strolled over to the desk.

"The notes Mizuno-san left me say that you're finishing up the World War II unit.." At this, his eyes scan a piece of paper- presumably the lesson outline-. "Everyone get into groups and take notes on Chapter Sixteen in your books."

"ano..Atem-sensei.." a girlish voice spoke up. Anzu got up from her desk and coughed. Yami nodded for her to continue.

"We've already done Chapter Sixteen. Right now, we're on Chapter Nineteen, Section Eight."

Yami's blank look forced her to go on. He nodded slowly, as if not quite grasping her point. Anzu's cheeks were blazing, but her voice became more confident, and slipped back into her normal cheerful drabble. "Well, what's the point of reading what we've already learned?"

Yami paused to think about this, and shook his tri-coloured head.

"you must be Anzu, right?" She nodded. "I appreciate you trying to help, but I think your classmates would prefer it if I taught the material instead of you."

The room went silent as Anzu slid down into her chair, and lowered her head. Yami waited until she had gotten comfortable before he repeated:

"go to your groups."

Yuugi scooted his desk over next to Otogi's, while Honda simply jumped over a few desks to get to the two boys.

"I think I'm starting to like this new teacher- he isn't that bad."

"Anyone who insults Anzu is okay in my book." Honda offered, "What do you think, Yuugi?"

Yuugi opened the book to Chapter Sixteen, nodding a bit as he flipped to the right section. "He seems pretty cool."

"you'd think so if the teacher was your look-alike, wouldn't you?" Honda teased.

"So where's Blondie?" Otogi quipped, referring to their friend who had yet to show up. Honda lazily doodled on his paper, and replied

"Probably got drunk and slept in, the lazy-ass."

Yuugi meanwhile scribbled down a few notes in the margin as Yami walked around observing everyone working. When the teacher passed by, Yuugi pulled out something from his bag, and opened up a sketchbook. Otogi leaned over to see.

"That's really good. I never knew you were an artist."

Yuugi sighed at his half-finished drawing of the Kaiba Corp building, and carefully erased a stray line.

"I'm still trying to make this one good enough to enter into the contest in two months. But I'm thinking of changing my mind and starting another one." He darkened the 'K' on the front of the tower, and set to work shading part of a window.

"Great, Yuugi. You already make us look bad when you duel, but now you're just showing off." A voice from behind them said. They turned to see Jou, with a peculiar case of bed-head, and his jacket off-kilter.

"About time you got here, lazy-ass. You slept in late, didn't you?" Honda sneered, pulling Jou down by the arm into a chair. The blonde didn't answer, and ran his hand through his hair, which did nothing to smooth it down. Yuugi leaned in towards his friend, and pointed towards Yami, who was helping a group near the front of the room.

"He's our new teacher."

Jou rubbed his forehead with a slight groan of discomfort. His mouth went agape as he took in the initial surprise, and chuckled.

"Heh. It could work out to your advantage sometime, Yuugi. You never know."

Just as he was about to respond, Honda punched Jou in the arm playfully.

"so come on! Tell us where you were.."

"I..ano..slept in."

"Bet you he was with Kaiba." Otogi quipped, twirling a lock of hair between his fingers. Jou glared at the boy, and propped up his chin on his elbows. Honda sighed, exasperated that he wasn't getting a direct answer from Jou.

"you were, weren't you?"

"Yeah, I was with Seto, all right?!" Jou snapped, losing his patience. Otogi leered playfully at the blonde, and shoved him gently.

"he must've been working you hard last night, eh?"

Jou's expression changed from annoyance to amusement.

"Who said it was just last night?" He said with a grin, "He had me workin' the long hours if ya know what I mean.."

"Ecchi!" Yuugi chided, but he was cheering and laughing with the rest of them all the same. Yami bent down over Yuugi's shoulder and scanned the page in front of him. He looked up, noticing Jonouchi.

"You're Jonouchi?" He surmised, noting the messy hair and everything. The blonde nodded, and Yami smiled.

"Damn, you two DO look related." Jou exclaimed. Yami smirked down at Yuugi, who in turn looked up at him.
The boy had beautiful eyes, and the soft bangs framing his face made him look so innocent. Yuugi blushed when Yami didn't avert his gaze, and went back to the textbook and continued. Yami walked away, embarrassed that he had been caught admiring him.

And the admiring part was what caught Yami off guard. He had been admiring a boy who was younger than him; a student, even, and it was only his first day here. What a way to get himself fired.


Jou: woooooohooo! Yami got busted! HA!
Yuugi: So you WERE checking me out! (blush)
Yami: now you're making yourself cuter.
Rave: awwwww...review! Maybe better stuff next chapter!