Death-T: I apologize for not explaining for those who hadn't read the manga sooner. After losing a duel to the other Yugi, where Kaiba had cheated (Dark Yugi then made him play a "penalty game" through the power of his Puzzle, where the CEO saw his own death by the game's monsters , which left quite a scar, even if they were only illusions), Kaiba set up a kind of amusement park. Yet, it was sadistic because he was out to murder Yugi and gang. One such person in it, ready to face off to the gang, was a real murderer who cut his victims into tiny pieces. Even Mokuba was a part of it, but when he lost a game to Yugi, Seto turned the same "Experience of Death" that he had had happen to him (recreated through virtual technology) on his brother. The other Yugi pulled Mokuba free of it and progressed to battle Kaiba once more at Duel Monsters. Naturally, Kaiba lost again, and Dark Yugi shattered Kaiba's heart to have him recreate it in a way without evil.

Chapter Three: Forgotten Promises

I need to make this up to my brother; how on earth could I have been gone for his birthday? Especially after I promised him we'd celebrate together? How many promises have I broken to my brother? Just one is far too many. He deserves far better than he gets from me.

What really bothers me…how many more promises will I break?

Dropping his head into one hand, Kaiba rifled through his hair and realized that he would never live down one mistake.

Mokuba enjoyed reminding him about the error too much mainly because it was a discussion Kaiba always lost. Plus, Mokuba was looking forward to his end of the deal—Seto had promised to give the boy something special to make up for being gone on the his brother's birthday after the CEO had promised to be there.

Not even a logical excuse was at his disposal. No business trip had stranded him somewhere to forbid him to return on time. His ticket would have allowed the businessman to return home in time. He had merely forgotten his promise and gone with the conclusion that sealing a deal was more important than being there on the day his brother had been born.

Recalling his brother's face that day still tore the young man apart.

(Wanted asterisks...but fine, flashback)
On the ninth of July, Kaiba climbed out from his transportation back to his abode and gave a silent sigh. Traveling so much in the last ten hours had not been the most fun he had ever experienced.

Somewhat oddly, no tar-haired brother was there to greet him with a smile and question. So, Kaiba proceeded inside his mansion to set down all his belongings and unpack, which only consisted of his briefcase for both actions.

Inside, the house was strangely quiet for Seto's knowledge that a newly-turned twelve-year-old existed with more energy upon him than all the caffeine could give to anyone.

Shrugging, Kaiba went upstairs. Unpacking orderly was completed in five minutes. Then he decided it was time to seek out Mokuba, still surprised the boy had not put in appearance yet. Usually, Mokuba was overjoyed to have his brother back and would bounce on the bed chatting while Seto tried to put his things away.

"Mokuba?" Kaiba called softly as he approached his brother's room.

No one replied, and Seto couldn't deny he was getting slightly worried as the silence continued. His hand slipped the door open all the way, and as he gazed around the empty room, a fist of fear squeezed his heart savagely, as poisonous lips whispered in his ear all the probable events that would have taken Mokuba from his home, each one worse than the last.

"Sir. Master Seto," a security man said hesitantly from the other side of the door.

Coldly turning, eyes a loaded crossbow prepared to shoot its bolt, the man whitened slightly behind his dark glasses.

Absently running a hand alongside his head though his hair needed absolutely no smoothing, he continued, "Master Mokuba is not at home, sir. He went over to Master Yugi's on the day of his birthday for a few days. I apologize for not reaching you with the news sooner."

Yugi's? His brother was over at Yugi's for the last few days?

Then the other part of the words hit him. Day of his birthday…So, Kaiba could guess some of what was going on through his brother's mind that time. Maybe deciding to finish the meeting with only a phone call to his brother and not even mentioning his birthday hadn't been the most prudent choice.

"Very well. Ready the limo. I'm going over there now," Kaiba snapped at his employee, unsatisfied with the man's brisk walk, but remaining silent.

Home after a trip, coat not even removed, and Seto Kaiba was going off to track his errant brother for being absent on his return after the CEO himself had been absent for Mokuba's birthday.

Smiling wryly, Kaiba wasn't certain who he was more disappointed with, his brother or himself.

The quaint shop that Solomon Moto owned to sell little games to foolish young people with the money to waste on boring pursuits—very little of the shop included any real games to Kaiba, but whether that was because the Moto's owned them or because he thought himself too good for them, he refused to contemplate—came into view through the limo's windows.

"Wait here. And be ready to go again soon."

The driver gave a half-bow to Seto as he waited to close the door again, and the president of the largest gaming corporation strode into the shop with a determined expression on his face.

"Oh, hello, Kaiba," the old man said somewhat cheerily. That he even managed to sound somewhat cheery was shocking after what Kaiba had done to him about two years ago.

Somehow, the CEO was sure that locking an old man in a box to experience the horrors he himself had faced in his dreams and life to drive the storekeeper insane in order to gain some petty revenge on the man's grandson didn't seem like the best way to make friends—or business partners. Kaiba tended to avoid the place when looking to buy Duel Monster cards these days, and any attempt for Solomon to sell Kaiba Corporation products was handled by some underling better able to seal the deal than the one whose voice only triggered bad remembrances.

"Where's Mokuba?" he replied stiffly with the usual lack of address.

Solomon's big violet eyes opened slightly wider as he lost his smile attempt. "Oh, they're in the other room. I'll call him for you."

Instead of merely staying behind to await his brother, Kaiba followed the elder Moto to the back room that held a television and couch. There, sprawled on the floor watching some tournament of Duel Monsters was Mokuba. And Yugi.

Both glanced over without much interest when Solomon entered the room with his heavy footfalls, but Mokuba's eyes widened slightly and he got to his feet quickly on the sight of his unhappy brother.

"Seto?" Mokuba's voice held more than a little unease at being caught at a friend's house without permission. Almost, a trace of old fear was in it, the same fear that had laced his words back when the two had not been on the best terms. Back during Death-T.

Will I never be allowed to forget that time? Kaiba thought to himself, annoyed that all these people constantly reminded him of the days he regretted more than any other.

"We're going home now."

Without another word, Seto crossed his arms and strode back out of the building without casting a single glance back at them to make certain they were scrambling to obey his orders. Not a thought existed that illustrated them doing anything other than his explicit directions.

"Uh, sorry about that, guys."

Mokuba quickly gathered together his few belongings and started off after his brother, heart pounding more than it ought to have been at the prospect of joining his brother.

"Don't worry about it, Mokuba. I hope you can come again soon sometime!"

"Thanks, Yugi, Mr. Moto!" Mokuba sent back a wave and small smile before he exited the shop to climb into the limo, one door still open for him though his brother had vanished within its dark depths already.

The driver took Mokuba's things and placed them in the trunk of the vehicle, crisply shutting the door behind the younger Kaiba and leaving the brothers in silence.

As the hum of the car became the only sound, Mokuba frowned over at his brother, a fuzzy feeling of hot anger rising under his skin. What right did Seto have to be upset? Mokuba could go over to friends' houses if he wanted, especially when his brother was absent and unable to tell him otherwise. And it had been his birthday, one that Seto had promised to be there for. He had broken his promise, and now he was upset or disappointed with Mokuba?

Eyebrows lowering over his normally innocent eyes, Mokuba turned toward his brother and simply let his gaze sit on his brother for awhile. No doubt Kaiba knew Mokuba was looking at him, and the boy refused to budge his eyes until Seto turned and gave him his attention.

After at least one entire minute, Kaiba did turn from the uninteresting view of the window and focused on a pair of eyes that looked like the reflection of his own only with different color.

"What is it?" he asked, more icily than he'd meant.

Mokuba didn't reply, reveling in the feeling of authority he finally had on his brother, simply glaring more at his brother.

"Well?" Seto snapped.

"You weren't here for my birthday. You promised, Seto." For a flash, the mask of anger and disapproval was replaced with a profound sadness and loneliness that pierced through the layers of excuses and near-fibs Kaiba had been trying to come up with for days. All of them disintegrated like ash in rain, leaving him with nothing but the rank scent of their presence.

On the defensive and hating the feeling yet unable to justify him being in the right at all, Kaiba said, "I had the meeting."

Mokuba's frown and narrowed eyes were back, just as hurtful as the glance of desolation that dwelled deep within his soul. I have no one else, the look seemed to have said, so why couldn't you have been there? You're all I have remaining and you left me. Left me on a day that was supposed to be somewhat important. If a birthday won't call you home, what will? I have nothing else to summon you with.

The expression in those deep gray eyes was too hard to bear. "You're right," he said, though Mokuba had said nothing aloud. "I should have been here. I'm sorry," he finished softly, breath making the window he was so near to slightly steamed.

Turning back to his brother, Seto was glad to see the glare had slipped off the boy's features, wiped off purely and cleanly as if it had never been. Mokuba hadn't looked good with his expression.

Tentatively, Mokuba tried a small smile. "I think you owe me."

The bond had only been recently forged again between them, but Kaiba tried to keep the mood light so they could return to their former relationship.

"Is that so? What would you like? Other than your birthday presents?"

"I want another birthday present. One that you'll buy for me whenever I come across the perfect one."

Eyebrows raising, Kaiba smirked. "You think you need more presents than what you already have?"

"No, I don't need them. You just owe me them. And I want one that I get to choose all on my own. Something that means something special to me that I can keep with me always." Mokuba was thinking of the locket he had with his brother's picture in it; surely that was one such item. But also on his mind was the memory of the shining Millennium Puzzle that Yugi constantly wore around his neck and helped to make his very identity. Having something like that would be nice, too, and Mokuba thought he had to choose the item himself to ensure it was absolutely perfect.

"Fine, you've a deal. In payment for a broken promise, you get one item to be purchased at a store of your choice." He highly doubted his brother would be able to pick anything too expensive or even something simply foolish and trivial. Kaiba trusted his brother more than that.

"Good." Mokuba settled back in the limousine, unaware of how the air between them had changed, just knowing he was back in his proper place and on the same good relationship he always had with his brother.

Quietly, as the car rolled through the gates to the Kaiba Mansion, Mokuba murmured, "I'm glad you're back, Seto."

Smiling with his gaze still on the window, Kaiba answered, "Happy birthday, kiddo."

(end flashback)
Still Mokuba had not chosen his birthday gift, and Kaiba was beginning to wonder. School had started a month ago, and he doubted his brother would have forgotten about it. All his recent work with the corporation had kept him up late and busy, away from Mokuba, as the boy had noticed, and he hoped a repeat experience of that day wasn't about to happen.

His worries ended up being completely unnecessary.

"I finally know where I want to go!" Mokuba announced at dinner. "For my promised birthday gift. We'll go tomorrow!" Seeing his brother wanting to question where, the boy simply grinned. "No telling until we get there!"