PROBLEM: Quantity two A plus three B, close quantity cubed written as (2A + 3B)(cubed
ANSWER: Eight A cubed plus twelve A squared B plus eighteen A B squared plus twenty-seven B cubed written as 8A3 + 12A(squared)B + 18AB(squared) + 27B(cubed)
And as another stupid mistake of mine, Kaiba's problem AND answer should have been this:
PROBLEM: Thirty-six A squared minus twenty-four A B plus four B squared written as 36A(squared) – 24AB + 4B(squared
ANSWER: Six A minus two B close quantity squared written as (6A – 2B)(squared)
There. Just too lazy to re-edit the entry. So, after another long month of not writing, I'm glad to be back. We just came from a trip to Hongkong and Shenzhen. Plus my computer crashed again, so I haven't had that much time to write. So, finally, here's chapter seven. Though I don't know how long I'm going to make this story… So, here's the next chapter. Dedicated to my best friend, who's abroad right now.
I was lost. Horribly lost. And I was supposed to be there in thirty minutes… Kaiba was going to kill me.
Just then, to my instant relief, Yugi walked past me, humming an unfamiliar tune. But I didn't care what he looked like, or who he was. Just as long as I knew him, and he could help me get to Kaiba Corporation.
"Yugi!" I practically yelled, running after him and grabbing his shoulder. When he turned around to look at me, my heart sank. It wasn't Yugi. I had been properly fooled for a minute there… I mean, come on, he had Yugi's hair, and that's one thing you don't see everyday. Well… okay, fine, so I would be seeing Yugi everyday for the rest of the schoolyear, but that was supposed to be a figure of speech.
"Sorry," I apologized to the Yugi look-alike. "I thought you were someone I knew…"
To my surprise, the Yugi look-alike smiled at me. "Hello. Yes, my aibou has told me all about you."
I was confused. For one thing, I had a very limited Japanese vocabulary, even when I've been living here for the past two years, so I had no idea what was an aibou. For another, he was carrying the same backpack Yugi had had in class.
"Are you Yugi's brother?" I asked suspiciously.
He laughed and ran a hand through his hair. "You could say that. My name is Atemu. We share the same body."
I gave him a bewildered look. Then he changed. No, he didn't strip in the middle of the street and change his clothes. I mean, his expression changed. Instead of the tight, sure smile that had been given to me, it suddenly loosened into a bright, wide smile, and twinkling eyes stared up at me.
"Sorry about that," he said, scratching the back of his head. "I know it's hard for people new to this multiple personality thing to accept it." When he saw my still bewildered look, he laughed. "It's Yugi again. Don't worry. It'll take a bit of explaining though before you understand… So, did you need something?"
It took me a while to remember what I had needed. Then I looked back at the clock at the front of the school and yelped. "Yugi, you have got to help me," I pleaded. "I have twenty-five minutes to get to the Kaiba Corporation building, and I have no idea where that is."
"Calm down," Yugi said soothingly. "I know where it is. I'll take you there. It's a ten-minute walk from here, so there's plenty of time to explain to you about me and Atemu. That is, if you want to hear it," he added shyly.
I was so relieved he could help me, I was willing to listen to anything right now. "I would love to hear it," I said so enthusiastically that he beamed widely.
We began walking, and Yugi began talking. He told me of the Millennium Puzzle, and how he had discovered that there was a soul residing in the puzzle that had come out once he had solved it. That was Atemu.
"He's more good-looking than me, actually," Yugi admitted as we stopped outside the Kaiba Corp. main entrance.
I chuckled. "I think you're cute. Listen," I added, glancing towards the door. "I gotta go… thanks for the story. And for bringing me here."
"No problem," Yugi smiled. "I'll be there when you need me. Now go on, you still have ten minutes to change." He left.
Now there goes a boy who's going make the world a better place, I thought amusedly as I hurried for the nearest bathroom to change.
I have to admit, this uniform is more comfortable than the one I have for school, I thought to myself as I made my way out of the bathroom and headed for the front desk. Now, if only I knew what the heck I was supposed to do from here….
I know! I have to ask Kaiba. But… where is he?
Damn.
Just then, I heard a cry of glee from behind me. "Tsuki-chan!" Mokuba said happily, dashing down the staircase and glomping my arm. "We were worried about you. Where did you go after school?"
"Yugi walked me here," I told him, relieved to see someone who could help me. "Listen, I don't know what I'm supposed to do… Did your brother tell you, by any chance?"
Mokuba shook his head sadly. "But I can bring you to him," he said, perking up again. "I know the way to his office. Come on!" He grabbed my hand and dragged me to the elevators.
We rode it all the way to the top floor, and by that time my ears were popping. When the doors opened, Mokuba pranced out happily, while I staggered out, swallowing to get the feeling out of my eardrums.
He led me through a small waiting room, then through another door labeled "Seto Kaiba, President." Once inside, he happily flopped onto the couch by the door, leaving me to stare around in awe.
This has got to be the biggest room I had ever been in, not counting the school cafeteria. The floor was covered in lush carpet, and the walls were mahogany. At the far end, against a backdrop of glass windows that overlooked Domino City, was a desk, and sitting at the desk was Seto Kaiba.
He looked up, and our eyes met again. But this time, his eyes flashed fire. "Where have you been?" he asked coolly, standing up and folding down his laptop screen.
"Yugi walked me here," I said, repeating what I had said to Mokuba.
"Why didn't you take the limo?" he asked curtly, coming over, taking the room in long strides.
I was taken aback. "You wanted me to take the limo?" I asked, bewildered. My, how people loved to surprise me today! "But… but I work for you, how could I—" but he cut me off.
"Listen, from now on, you're taking the limo!" he half-yelled at me. I recoiled, but he grabbed my wrist. "It's dangerous on the streets. I don't want you to get hurt."
We just stood there, him holding me, me watching him, Mokuba flicking his gaze back and forth between us. That would have been the nicest thing he would have said to me all day, if he hadn't shouted it in my face.
Finally he dropped my arm. "Forget it," he muttered. "You're working as my personal secretary. So, first things first, I want you to go get—"
But I cut him off this time. "What! Personal secretary? Aren't those paid a lot?"
He glared at me again. "The faster you pay me for your tuition, the faster it's over with. Got it?"
And I had actually thought he liked me.
"Why are you acting so snooty around me?" I asked. "You weren't like this during breakfast."
"That's because you weren't being a prat during breakfast."
"Are you trying to insult me?" I asked, my voice rising as well. He was truly getting on my nerves.
"Maybe I am," he said casually.
My short fuse exploded. "Fine!" I practically yelled. "Just because I work for you, doesn't mean I have to talk to you. Boy, am I happy that I have a new friend who won't treat me the way you do!"
"Oh! Really? Now who would like a snobbish girl like you?" he sneered.
"Speak for yourself," I shot back. "And for your information, it's Jounouchi Katsuya."
Seto's body, that had seemed about to explode with anger, suddenly seemed to deflate. "Jounouchi?" he growled. "Since when were you friends with him?"
"Since I decided to help him with his schoolwork," I said defiantly.
Kaiba laughed somewhat, though cruelly this time. "No matter what you teach that mutt, he won't learn new tricks."
"See, that's the kind of attitude I hate in other people," I shouted. "They think they know everything there is to know about one person, then make reckless judgements about him! That's exactly what you have been doing to him! And me," I added as an afterthought.
"As if you don't pretend to know me," he snorted. "Trying to talk to me; trying to touch my heart—like you said! You don't know me."
"I know I don't," I said, suddenly tired of arguing. "And that's why I am trying to get close to you."
There was silence again. The tension from the earlier battle of wits still hung in the air. Then I fished through my pocket, pulled out my work permit, and handed it to Seto. "I don't need this anymore," I said finally. "Thanks, but I don't think I can live with someone who thinks I'm an evil little witch. I'm going over to Yugi's—then I'll be back later in the evening for the rest of my stuff."
And I turned on my heel and left.
I can't forget the look on Yugi's and Jounouchi's faces when I walked into the game shop a short while later. After looking at the directory for the Kame Game Shop (Yugi had told me about it during lunch break) I headed for the address, not even bothering to change out of my clothes.
"Tsuki!" Jounouchi exclaimed, sounding surprised, but pleased all the same. "What are you doing here? I though you had to work."
"Did Kaiba let you out early?" Yugi asked pleasantly.
I shook my head and shed my blazer, leaving me in a plain white blouse and the skirt that was part of the uniform. "I left," I said quietly. "I've had enough of that annoying blowhead."
Jounouchi raised one eyebrow questioningly. "Nice choice of insult," he commented.
I rolled my eyes at him, but I still smiled. "Well, he is," I said, laying my jacket on the counter. "I hate the way he presumes to know people." I told him what had happened.
"So I presume you're going home?" Yugi asked after I finished talking. "We could walk you there."
I hesitated before remembering that I wasn't under Kaiba's control anymore. I could tell the truth if I wanted. "I don't have a home," I admitted. "That's mainly why you guys see me with Kaiba all the time. He took me in at Mokuba's insistence."
Jounouchi couldn't help smiling at that point. "Kaiba actually has room in that cold heart of his for other people," he chuckled.
Yugi, however, looked slightly worried. "You live with Kaiba?" he asked concernedly. "But… now that you're mad at him, where you gonna go?"
I shrugged. I hadn't really thought of that back in Seto's office. "I dunno. Somewhere."
"Where you going to get the money?" Yugi persisted. "I mean… this area around here isn't cheap. You could stay here, I guess, but we don't have much room…"
I kept silent. Now that I was pressed with this problem, I didn't know what I was going to do. Yugi was right… I didn't have any money on me. And I didn't want to trouble my new friends.
"I can't believe I'm saying this," said Jounouchi finally, "but I think you should make up with Kaiba."
I shot him a look. "Well, I doubt he'd accept it." Then my look softened. Jounouchi was right. That was the best thing I could do under these circumstances. I just don't know if he'll take me back," I admitted.
Jounouchi smiled at me and patted me on the shoulder, which felt strangely nice. "Well, he took you in once already, didn't he? Why would he refuse?"
'I don't know…" I said, pursing my lips thoughtfully. "I guess it's worth a try. But I don't want to disturb him at work. I bet he's still cooling off or something… for the meantime, can I hang out with you guys?" I asked, looking at Yugi.
"Of course," Yugi said happily, looking pleased, probably because I was going to talk to Kaiba again. "You can get new cards for your deck."
"I don't have any money," I reminded him cautiously.
"Oh, that's alright," Yugi said. "I'll give you enough booster packs for a deck if you'll help me with the store until you have to go home. I gave Jounouchi the same deal."
"Alright," I said happily. It would be fun to play Duel Monsters again. And besides that, I wanted to keep my mind off what I would say to Seto later. At least for the meantime.
Wow, that was short, and I hope it actually made some sense. I'm really sorry, I've got writer's block right now. Trust me, there's a plot in there... somewhere. I just don't know how to go about it much... so sue me. Well, I'm sorry again for the mistakes I made in the sixth chapter, which two me a month to notice... please review! And in advance I'd like to thank my reviewers.