Disclaimer: Just own the words, not the folks.

The Ceiling Flew Away

I really miss him.

Now that Valon's gone, I'm back to being friendless. Before, it wasn't a problem, because I had no idea what I'd been missing. Now, the loneliness is almost distracting.

Sure we e-mail and IM each other several times daily and call every now and then, but it's not the same as sparing with him on Saturdays or bowling some Mondays or just hanging out and talking to each other for hours.

I'd never known 'fun' before Valon.

But his mom was sent to Shanghai for her next assignment in the middle of the school year, so he'll be graduating from there. I guess it could have been worse. She could have been sent back to America.

Gozaboro has gone back to his Tuesday night ritual, but now it's much harder for him to best me. Last week, I surprised him with my 'Bo staff', the handle from one of the cleaning lady's mops, getting in a few good licks before he broke it in half and broke my arm with one of the pieces, not that I let him know that at the time. In fact, he didn't leave until I collapsed from a series of punches to my stomach. I had my arm set later that night by one of his doctors, assuring the man that if Gozaboro heard about the injury, his family would feel my wrath. I had no intention of carrying out such a threat, but he didn't know that.

I stretch a moment before resuming my Bo kata. As I've improved, I've needed more space to train than my room. Because I need privacy, I had to find some other way. So I come here every night, rain or shine, to the park at the edge of town and practice my arts for about two hours, and then head home to shower and go to bed.

To avoid having to scare or bribe another employee, I ride my motorcycle back and forth. I was surprised Gozaboro allowed me to have it, but if he'd balked at the idea, I'd have just paid for it with my own money. I haven't touched more than a few thousand Yen of the allowance Gozaboro's given me over the years, not to mention the salary I earn at Kaiba Corp., so I have plenty, but I'd rather spend that bastard's money.

I talked to mom last week. I'll be seeing her for my 17th birthday since it falls on a Saturday this year. I'll fly up after school on Friday and then come home Sunday afternoon. Gozaboro's not happy that I'll be missing a day of work, but I told him I'd work late Monday and Tuesday to make up for it.

Working at Kaiba Corp. isn't so bad as long as I don't think about how many people we kill everyday. When Gozaboro finally kicks the bucket, I'm changing Kaiba Corp. into a gaming company, or a technology giant. Hell, I'd even settle for a motorcycle factory! Anything but a weapons manufacturer! I hate that we kill people! I think my father gets off on it.

That and beating me up. I smirk to myself. I should say 'trying to beat me up'. I'm already about an inch taller than him. Soon, I'm sure he'll be the one at my mercy.

Having finished my katas to my satisfaction, I hop on my bike and head home.

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I can't believe how great mom looked!

She's so happy. She has her own place now and a job she loves working in a small flower shop a few days a week. At her insistence, I cancelled my hotel reservations and stayed with her. We stayed up all night Friday talking, as I hadn't actually seen her for almost a year. Saturday, we went to breakfast at a café near her apartment then back to her place to get some sleep. She had to work the 1pm to 6pm shift at the flower shop, so I went to see uncle Harry and aunt Rei.

They were still a bit standoffish, but not as bad as the last time or the time when Valon came with me. After that visit, mom kept in touch with Valon too, still trying to pry secrets from him about my life with my father. Like always, he deflects every attempt. Maybe I'll take him up on his offer of Christmas in Shanghai. It would be great to see him again. And I could get to meet his mom.

After mom gets off from work, we head out to dinner for my birthday. She wanted to pay, but I wouldn't let her. She's paid more than enough for me. I finger the square locket around my neck, her gift to me.

"Open it, Seto," she'd gushed excitedly after handing me the small box.

Tearing off the wrapping I found the prize I'll treasure forever. Inside the box was a gold locket on a medium gold chain. The square-shaped trinket was carved with my initials, SK. Inside were two pictures with space for a third. The picture on the right is a recent shot of mom, smiling and happy. The picture on the left is a miniaturized shot from the last sonogram of Mokuba.

For the first time in years, I cried. And I couldn't stop. I must have sobbed on mom's shoulder for 20 minutes before excusing myself to straighten up in the bathroom. After composing myself, we had a scrumptious desert and went back to the apartment. I spent half the night curled up on the couch with my head in her lap like I used to when I was a little kid. It was wonderful.

At least until I stood up and my body protested having its 6'1" length scrunched up on a 5' couch. Mom laughed at my groaning in pain, calling me an 'old man' as I headed off to take a hot shower before bed.

She was really a different person now. Hokkaido has really been good to her. I only wish she could have gone there sooner, with Mokuba. They would have been very happy.

I smile to myself, imagining mom and Mokuba running around her apartment and uncle Harry's and aunt Rei's yard. I laugh out loud thinking about how much fun it would have been to swing him around and carry him on my shoulders and just play with my beloved little brother. He'd be almost three now.

Gods I hate that bastard, Gozaboro!

Turning to look out the window of the plane, I purposely lose myself in the beauty of the clouds.