Seto awakened the next morning to Aoi jumping up and down on his bed. "What are you doing?" "Isn't obvious, daddy...It took you long enough to wake up." He smiles at her, patting the empty space next to him. As she sits by him, he takes her in his embrace. "Where is your uncle?" "Changing Suzaku." Rising from the bed, he makes his way downstairs to make breakfast. It is something he had gotten into the habit of doing when he had started dating Shizuka. He is by far from achieving chef status, but Mokuba has told him he has come a long way. Flipping the pancakes as Aoi watches, he thinks of her mother. He knows he has to live again, if for nothing else but for his children. He knows he has gotten over grieving for her. Yet for some reason, he is still clinging on to his memories, quite desperately.
Flashback
He has entered his first year of high school. His brother is to start attending junior high next year. He has tried to go to public school for the last two years now. Gozaburo would always prevent him from doing so. Now that his adoptive father is dead; he did what he has longed to do. Yugi and his friends would come visit him every chance they got. After Gozaburo had adopted him and Mokuba, Yugi and the others would come over to see him. It however, quickly became evident that he wasn't allowed to have visitors. So they had been forced to make times he could sneak away to meet them. That didn't last long before Gozaburo found out, at that point his interaction with them ceased. He wasn't sure why friends he had unintentionally forgotten, suddenly sprung to his mind. He leaves the office, making his way to his first class. He sees a boy his age with spiky blonde and red hair with his back turned on him. 'With his hairstyle, that can only be one of two people.' "Yugi." Kaiba calls out. The boy turns around. It takes him a moment to recognize who mistook him. "Kaiba?" "Yes" "How have you been, Kaiba?" "Good and you?" "Great, listen I have to go...I can't be late for my class... Yugi, the others, and I will look for you after school. Left alone and identifying his mistake, he goes in the opposite direction to his class.
The day passes faster than he anticipated. Waiting for his ride; he is currently sitting under a Sakura tree, in order to get away from the heat. Enjoying the brief breeze, he hears someone clearing their throat. Opening his eyes, he sees Yugi and his friends. "Hey, Kaiba." "Hey, Yugi?" "Right...You remember the others." "Hai." "Well, the others are Mai Kujaku, Malik Ishtar, his sister Isis, and their adopted brother, Rishid. He came to live with them a couple of years ago." The Ishtars at this point say they have to go; Rishid leading the way he only came to pick them up. "Otogi Ryuji...Ryou and his twin Bakura..Honda Hiroto...Katsuya Jounouchi...You of course remember Anzu, and this is Shizuka Kawai: she's Katsuya's sister, their parents are divorced and she is just visiting...She is here to have an operation to prevent her from losing her eyesight."
Atemu/Yami picked up the introduction where his brother left off, after the Ishtars'. Atemu is unaware that his words are more than lost on Kaiba. After being introduced to Shizuka, Kaiba finds he can't form anything coherent to say. He gets up to introduce himself properly. Too quickly though for he trips; not being able to catch himself in time, he stumbles into Shizuka. They both fall with him on top of her. . Helping her up, he focuses on her. ' She has such beautiful eyes, and her hair is very nice shade...It's more than something physical...I barely met her yet I know I have been drawn in, and there is no escape; not that I would want to.' "Go out with me?" He somehow manages to get out before his mouth becomes dry once again. This being the ice breaker. He notices Otogi's and Honda's glares as she gives him her answer. "Hai, I would like that." Her brother doesn't seem too happy about it either; but then he would feel that way for anyone who asked her out.
After making breakfast for his children and brother, Seto made sure Aoi and Suzaku had gotten ready for school. The two are currently struggling for the possession of something he can't identify. "Aoi, let go now." "But otouasan, it's mine." "Maybe, however how old is Suzaku?" He simply gives her a reprimanded look while she is hesitating. "You heard your father, let go Aoi." After her uncle reinforces her father, she gently lets go so her brother won't fall. "Hurry up or you will be late." Seto goes to wipe Suzaku's face. As he is doing this he thinks of the both of them. Brother and sister are two peas in a pod, yet are as different as day and night.
Genetics had decided to play a joke on him, for neither resemble him. Aoi has light skin like her uncle; along with acquiring his blonde hair, only lighter to the point it almost seems white, accompained with hazel eyes. Suzaku has a hint of having being tan colored but is more light skinned. He has green eyes with dirty blonde hair. Suzaku's personality is easygoing like his mother's. Aoi's however is neutral. Through tests, it has been proven that Aoi is far from being a genius like him. He had been a little disappointed about the fact.
He loves his children unconditionally. After they had been born and it became evident they didn't resemble him in any way; he thought his genes would have at least give them intelligence above the average level. Something he passed on to them but nature didn't even give him that. Not that it truly mattered, unlike some fathers he didn't need DNA tests to prove that they are his children. He knows without a shadow of a doubt, they are his. The Jounouchis' genes simply wound up being the dominant ones. No matter how they look or what they accomplish in life, he will always love them and be proud of them. They are his and no one else's. The legacies his wife left him. He would make her proud. He keeps existing just for them. He knows in time he will start to live for himself again. He is all they have. He is their source for love, shelter, and encouragement.
Flashback
It has been a week since he asked Shizuka out. He is to meet her in an hour. One of the things in life he never had wanted to do in life, is to get himself involved with a woman. He had considered them too much of a distraction, and he has too much to do with his life. He also has to care for his brother. Yet upon getting a glance of her, those thoughts had been blown out of the water, dead and buried. He is a man of action; one who has plans with how he wants his life to be. He stayed this way even after they met. It didn't bother him that life had thrown him a curve ball. If it had been another woman, it definetly would have. Actually, he wouldn't have even looked their way. However with her, what could he have done; she is by far the most beautiful woman that has ever graced his presence. or ever would. He knew this by instinct alone.
After he had asked her out, he managed to get out the where and when. He walks out the door. He gets in his car. He has never driven his own car before, usually the vehicle is for show. Since meeting her though, the last thing he wants to do is impress her. Sure, his car is a fancy one; at least it is better than arriving in a limo with a chauffer. He arrives at her brother's place with enough time. Jounouchi greets him at the door. Just as Jounouchi is about to give him the big brother lecture, she arrives telling him she will see him later. He would have given her flowers; however his objective isn't to impress her. And sure he isn't the average guy, he does things his own way. It would have helped, if he had actually had thought to get some, not that she appears to mind.
They arrive at the park. He helps her out of the car. He holds her hand as they are walking, their fingers interwined. She had picked a good spot; not only is it protecting them from the sun. It is also a secluded area of the park. He has come to this park many times when he has wanted to get away from his stressed life; either with Mokuba or by himself. He lets go of her hand, relinquishing the basket to her for a moment. He spreads the cloth on the grass. He takes the basket from her.
As she sits down, he is emptying the basket's contents. He tells her she can take what she wants. He got food he somehow knew she would like. Handing her a drink, the comfortable silence envelopes them once again. After they are finished, he takes her in his embrace. They stay like this for quite some time; before she informs him she has to go to the bathroom. He tells her he will pack up while she is doing that. He goes to put the things in the car before she comes back, for an idea has just crossed his mind. She returns to see him falling from a tree nearby. His back to her. "Seto, what are you doing?" He almost drops what he is holding at her saying his name.
He walks backward to her, in order to keep the thing hidden from her. Upon reaching her, he turns around. "These are for you." He hands her the bouquet he made. The smile brightens her face, and causes his heart to feel elation. "How did you know Sakuras' are my favorite flowers?" "I don't know, I just took a wild guess...In my opinion, they fit your personality." "Thank you." She embraces him. He puts his hands around her, and his head on hers, reveling the way she feels in his arms. They stayed that way until after the sun set.