Summary: The meeting isn't the beginning; the parting is not the end… Witness how a simple friendship blooms into love. And prove to yourself that no matter how far your feet go, your heart will take you back to the Cherry Road.

Disclaimer: I own this story and its title, not the characters, not yu-gi-oh, not even the PC I used to upload this!

Hunter K: Did someone insist that I stay away from caffeine? (Sips from an oversized coffee mug) Sorry… I'm kinda addicted to it, like I'm drinking a minimum of five mugs a day. I can't stay awake without coffee. If I was a vampire, coffee would be blood (snickers), and cups would be the victims…

Warning: Shounen-ai! RyouxMalik

Last Chapter: Ryou had opened up and there's no way Malik can ignore that. The Egyptian promised to be back… which seems to remain a pledge for a lifetime… and never to be fulfilled…

The Cherry Road:
where souls meet and part
By Hunter K

Chapter 8: Play for Your Life

Malik flopped at the seat beside Isis without even giving a word to his sister. Feeling her brother's anxiety, Isis broke the silence. "I thought he wasn't coming." Malik clearly knew that it was Ryou she was talking about but he didn't reply. He was still dazed. Not getting any comfort in the stillness, Isis asked, "Have you told him that we'll never be back?"

Malik shook his head childishly, causing his long blond wispy hair whip around his bronzed face. He bowed his head; making most of his hair shroud his eyes. "I promised him to be back…"

Isis silenced. She knew what her brother was undergoing. "You should have not…" she scolded with her unusually cold voice.

Malik shrunk on his seat. She was right; he shouldn't have promised a thing he knew he can't fulfill. He remembered his sister's words before they left:

"Malik," she paused only to receive a weird look from her brother, "we, tombkeepers have ancient mysteries to keep an eye on. And sometimes, these mysteries were just so complicated that even the world lies on our hands." Her eyes flicked. She knew Malik was getting into the core of it already so she stopped playing with words and got directly to the point. "The pyramid where the 18th pharaoh lies…" she took a deep breath, "it was robbed."

Malik sighed. He knew it. He was tortured to study everything about it since childhood. The moment he saw the worry in his sister's eyes he already knew that the millennium items are gone. The only use of those items is… to bring back the pharaoh to life like what was written on the 'pharaoh's promise'. Only to wreak havoc again and play life like it was just a game. A game where you struggle with death, where your life is in the form of numbers and your will and courage in the form of monsters. It was his duty to prevent that from happening. And he can't escape.

…-…-

The tanned teen sat on a camelback. Violet orbs roamed the familiar sun bleached desert sands, studying the waves and the dunes the desert winds made. Not far across the desert lies the pharaoh's tomb, the great pyramids – the insignia to show their supremacy. To Malik and every other else who'd become victim to the vain dominance of the said godly race called pharaohs, it was just a bunch of hardened Egyptian sand made to house rotting mummies along with their treasures just because they didn't want others to benefit on it. How egocentric. Malik shook his head and yanked his camel to head to their destination.

He held the only millennium item left in hand, the rod. He clutched it near his chest, as he walked inside the pyramid, taking conscious turns and twists. He knew the approach to prevent traps but he was still hesitating. It was like ten years since he last checked. But even he forgets the way, being a tomb keeper is riding on the Ishtar blood, the blood running on his veins, the blood that guides his instincts.

…-…-

The room was dark. The cool atmosphere was eerily contrary to the flaming heat outside. He held his torch to light the stone torches on the walls, illuminating the brownish walls, making the scriptures visible.

It was a small rounded room at the center of the pyramid. On the center lies a coffin of gold where the pharaoh lies. On the coffin's surface were niches – the outlet where the millennium items had been once. On the wall opposite the coffin were scriptures, two duelists battling against each other and a slot for three cards. And to the tomb keeper's surprise the slots weren't empty… the cards were there.

A malevolent laughter echoed across the room, filling the young Egyptians ears and sending goose bumps on his skin.

"Who are you?" The tanned boy growled with his powerful voice, "Show yourself!" He added rigidly, still clutching the millennium rod firmly.

The laughter came again. A mocking sound that pains his ears. "If that's what you wish…" an arrogant voice said as its owner appeared dramatically from the shadows, his pale hair and complexion almost glowing in the poorly lighted room. His eyes were wild, dark in color, showing only hatred and lust for vengeance… and most, insanity. The figure got almost five foot near Malik. He was now on clear view. The stranger twisted the cord hanging on his neck, boasting his catch of millennium items with a big arrogant smirk on his face. He pointed a slim ghostly white finger at Malik, hissing playfully the words, "That's the last thing I need to complete my mission…" he grinned evilly, his eyes glinting with a malicious sense on them, "And you'll play for it with your life!"

Malik stared at the unknown cohort. He was a few centimeters taller than Malik. His hair silvery white in color was raggedly cut just above his shoulders. His face ashen and unmarred except from the scars over his right eye, eyes that convey anger. Anger not to the world but to that certain someone he wanted to resurrect just to kill again for reprisal purposes.

Malik thought deeply. He knew that the fate of the world rides on his answer. And so does the fate of that someone waiting for him patiently back at their haven – on that peaceful Sakura lane. He shook his head, trying to ignore the headache that's creeping on his nape up to his temple. It seems that he had no choice at all. It's either he live with his loved one in a world of games and lies or Ryou alone lives a peaceful world courtesy of him of course.

Emotion and logic strived for domination on his head. If he would leave this insane jerk here and run with Ryou on the world of their own… he shook his head. Ryou won't be happy for sure…

Malik smiled despite his confused state. He wanted to be more of a hero than a selfish coward. With head high confidence, he spat valiantly in front of his opponent. "I accept!"

.-tsuzuku-

AN:

Flame? Does that mean last chapter sucks? (sulks) I know. Now you don't have to wait for a good whole month... I'm gonna end it up soon... u.u... As much as I hate it, I have to end this one than to leave it hanging here and not updating for centuries... (sighs)

Ow? Surprise? Eh? I'm busy so I don't know if I'll ever put up a sequel for this story. Yeah, this story has a sequel. Notice that the title is "Cherry Road" colon "where souls meet and part"… that's the part one. The second one would be, "Cherry Road: blah-blah-blah", something like that. This story is originally a trilogy. But if you want it, I can end it here by posting one last chapter. If you want me to post the sequel…

MAKE ME!

Heheheh… Poll time! If ever I get a good 10 revs/request just for this chapter, I'll go ahead for the sequel n.n (Laughs hysterically) I KNOW! I'M EVIL!

Sorry if I have to cut it like that… We need some space to make changes on the sequel or non-sequel story thing n.n

And. If you think last chappie sucks, this is even worse...