Hello! I'm aware that Valentine's day was last month, but I couldn't finish this until yesterday, so enjoy!

I do not own YGO! DUEL MONSTERS.

"Let's break up."

The girl's words were direct and concise. Inside the cafeteria in front of the station, the beautiful girl took a sip of her tea without barely flinching, no one around them could suspect that a discussion of 'lovers' was taking place.

He took a deep breath and nodded.

"I get it."

How long had they been together? One month, maybe two? Whatever it was, it wasn't enough to make a big impact on either of them.

The girl laughed a little.

"I knew it," she said. "You are not even trying to stop me."

Atem blinked.

"Huh?"

"Listen, when I confessed, I thought it would be nice and cool to date with a guy like you. So, when you accepted, I was very happy, but the truth is that I was never your priority. You didn't even like me, did you?"

Once again, Atem was speechless. She waved a hand as if she were driving a fly away.

"It doesn't matter," after finishing her tea, she searched in her bag and took out money to leave it on the table, then got up.

"Ah, no, I pay—," he tried to say, but she denied.

"Don't bother. Say hello to Mana."

She said goodbye with one hand raised leaving him alone with the money as company.

Atem sighed.

Another girl who left him was another girl who knew.

Well, at least she didn't leave him with a sore cheek, or with an empty wallet.

He hadn't asked for anything to eat. In fact, he somehow expected something like this to happen, so he just went to the cashier to pay.

Why couldn't he maintain any relationship?

He left the establishment.

Actually the reason was so simple that he didn't even have to think about it.

"Woah... So you two broke up," commented his friend Joey after telling his short story before classes began. "What number of girlfriend was she? Twenty-two?"

"Shut up, Joey, that's rude!" on the other hand, Téa looked at him with genuine concern after scolding the blond. "Are you okay? You know you can talk to us whenever you want."

"Thank you," he said.

Tristan passed an arm over Joey's shoulders and winked at him with a knowing smile.

"At least we won't be the only ones dumped in this Valentineʼs!" he exclaimed.

Joey hit him with his elbow in the abdomen, leaving him without air.

"Do you want everyone to listen to you?!"

Téa exhaled and rolled her eyes when their friends began to argue for no apparent reason. It was normal, so even their other classmates had learned to ignore them.

"Then," this time it was Yūgi, who had remained silent so far, who decided to give him a shrewd look while sitting in front of him. "Does Mana already know?"

If Atem had been drinking something, he surely would have spit it out.

"Mana?" Téa repeated.

Téa had relatively recently transferred to school, so it was normal that she didn't know everyone yet.

"She's from my class," Yūgi explained.

"Oh, the pretty freshman who resembles Dark Magician Girl," she interrupted him.

"Exactly, just don't tell her that. She is a close friend of Atem."

"Childhood friends," he clarified. "And no, she doesn't know. Why should she have to know?"

Yūgi shrugged.

"Wasn't she the one who introduced you to that girl in first place?"

Atem breathed calmly. Of course, there was no way for Yūgi to—

"And because she is the girl you actually lov—auch!"

Before his brother could continue, Atem strategically used his backpack to cover the lower half of his face. He planned not to do it hard, but his despair overtook him.

"A little louder and even Maximillion Pegasus listens to you," he warned.

"It's not like he cares in the first place."

At that moment, the teacher entered the classroom, so Yūgi, with a camouflaged joker laugh, had to return to his.

Meanwhile, Atem ignored the curious look of his friends, resting his jaw in his hand and looking away.

Why couldn't he maintain a relationship?

The answer was so simple that he didn't even have to think about it.

He's been in love with his childhood friend Mana for years now, who, if it weren't enough, is also the younger sister of one of his best friends.

He just couldn't ruin it.

When did he start thinking about Mana from a point very different from that of a friend?

He remembered the innocent games. When she looked for him and get him out of his very strange habit of study in a six or seven year old boy.

At age ten, both, along with Mahad, her older brother and Yūgi, bought comics and played Duel Monsters instead of doing homework.

At twelve, she began to hang out together with other girls. Kisara and Serenity, to be precise. Both almost her age and the second, Joey's younger sister.

Yes, until that moment he never thought that things would change and then... they were two days from February 14 of their third year of middle school. No, Mana was in second that year. Although she was the same age as him, the difference in months had placed them in different years, while Mahad was two years older.

Therefore, due to the frequency with which Mana and Atem spoke, neither was unknown to each other's classmates.

And somehow, the day came when Mana asked for help.

"Please, you are much better at domestic things than me!" she pleaded with her hands together, as if praying.

"Fine, but I don't want anyone else here next year, understand?" she nodded. "And so? What do you want to make?"

There were so many seconds of silence while he searched for the utensils that they would probably need that he ended up getting fed up.

"You know, Mana, I need to know what we're going to make for—"

He was speechless when she looked away to the kitchen and bit her lip in an attempt to avoid the blush of her cheeks.

She didn't succeed.

Had he seen her before...? No, it was the first time Atem had seen Mana so embarrassed and fidgety.

"Cho-Chocolates. It's okay?"

Atem's neurons took time to process the information, but they weren't less efficient. It was February and she wanted to make chocolates. When it came to giving to her friends, or her brother, Mana only bought them at a store in the mall, but now she wanted to make handmade chocolate, that meant...

The only information she gave him was that he was a boy a year older and although at that time he didn't want to accept it, Atem was mildly disappointed when he knew they weren't for him, as well as relieved when she clarified that she was going to be rejected.

He wanted to comfort her, tell her that it would be very silly of the guy if he didn't accept her, but he didn't. He would have to give reasons for that and his brain was in the middle of a short circuit to think and say without giving himself away.

Giving himself away? Yes, something wasn't right. Instead, he asked her why she did it if she knew what was going to happen.

And while they beat the filling, she replied.

"I think I don't want to pretend that these feelings never existed… Ah, that was way too dramatic. Ask no more!"

He didn't know if it was the serene smile she showed after saying such deep words, or the blush that spread across her face, or the sparks in her eyes that showed her complex emotions; the only thing that Atem knew then was that in front of him there was no longer the rude and energetic girl with whom he played in the mud, but a mature and in love woman who wanted to convey her feelings despite everything.

Then he had been stuck at that point for about three or four years, he noticed while having lunch in the school cafeteria. The seats were gradually filling up, but most of the students brought their food cooked at home.

"So you're not planning on telling her this Valentine?"

He almost choked on his food when he heard Téa's voice beside him. The girl, smiling as if she had done nothing out of the ordinary, sat down on the empty side at his right while Yūgi sat in front.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied, reducing the importance.

"Oh, come on Atem, don't do that," Yūgi scolded.

"Take the initiative," Téa encouraged him.

"Do you want me to confess on Valentine's Day? Don't be cheesy, we're not in America, I have to wait for White Day... If she gives me something to answer."

"How old-fashioned! You know? We girls like it when you boys take the initiative," said Téa, looking at him as if he were a coward.

'How old-fashioned', she said, huh.

And he probably was, but he wasn't going to admit it.

Then Yūgi exhaled heavily.

"You know that if Mana wanted to, she would be dating someone. You just have to be absent a couple of days and you'll see that I'm right."

"Mana doesn't like anyone. She would have told me."

His brother rolled his eyes at the same time that Téa let out a knowing giggle.

"Really, Atem? The only reason no one confesses is because they are afraid of you, or something like that."

"And even if she doesn't like anyone, I don't think she's… mentally strong enough to reject a date," Téa took a sip of her green tea and looked toward the cafeteria entrance. "I mean, I don't know her, but just seeing her is enough to know that she is a nice person."

Yūgi did the same before leaning his elbow on the table and showing a grin similar to that of Alice In Wonderland's cat.

"And speaking of the devil, she's right there."

Atem looked over his shoulder and was sure he wasn't the only one who did it.

He knew that Mana wasn't indifferent to the school guys. Maybe it was her tan skin, or her messy hair that somehow always ended up like this. Or maybe it was her happy smile or big emerald eyes. She was beautiful, anyone with eyes could tell, but it was easier to ignore than to intervene directly in it.

Lovely and charming. Those would be the words to describe his childhood friend in most situations, but as soon as her eyes met his...

Atem was able to see Troy burn.

"There you are!"

Quickly all magical aura that surrounded her was removed to approach him with a speed that could rival that of a cheetah on the hunt. He didn't have time to move when she crashed into the seat next to Yūgi.

"Did you break up with Nana?!"

"She broke up with me."

"Then she didn't lie..."

"Don't ask if you already know the answer."

"But why?!"

He opened his apple juice box.

"Hm... It's not important."

"Not important, you say?! Atem, I introduced her to you! Now I feel guilty!" there were a few seconds of silence while she calmed down.Mana took a deep breath and smiled slightly. "If you want to talk… You know, I..."

Faced with her concern, he could only smile sideways drinking his juice.

"There is no need. I am a cold, selfish and indifferent person. She could see that."

"You are not an indifferent person, Atem!" Mana interrupted him.

"Here she goes..." Yūgi shook his head and Téa smiled kind of confused.

"You are really very considerate and kind! You are cool and also handsome!" with her fingers, Mana began to list nervously being totally ignorant of how embarrassed he was. "Plus..."

"Mana..."

"You're smart and brave, well, maybe bold, and a little sarcastic at times, but that makes you fun and..."

"Mana," she shut up. "It's okay."

Mana looked at Yūgi. Thank God she did, because Atem couldn't help feeling so hot in his cheeks.

"I couldn't say it right, could I?"

His brother almost burst out laughing.

"No, no. I also think that Atem is cool."

"Don't they say that people with cold hands have a kind and warm heart?" Téa contributed to the conversation gaining Mana's attention.

"Uh! I've heard of that too."

"It's not like I always had cold hands, you know?"

He was totally ignored when Téa and Mana started a conversation. As he supposed, both got along instantly. The conversation was really fluid, and although he participated less than other times, it wasn't as if he didn't enjoy it. While everyone was distracted, he could observe Mana better—

"And to all this, will we help you with chocolates this year, Mana?" Yūgi wanted to know. Heck, he missed that part of the conversation.

"Unless she wants to set her kitchen on fire, I doubt not," Atem joked, only to find her drumming her fingers and looking away.

He bit the sorbet from his juice box.

Oh, no...

"In fact, this time I will make them with Kisara."

Even Yūgi blinked confused, but it was Téa who spoke.

"Kisara? Haven't you been making chocolates with Atem and Yūgi until last year?" a few seconds of silence and she spoke again. "Oh, sorry, if you don't want to explain…"

"No, it's not that, it's just... How could I say it? I want to put my best effort into them…?" Mana smiled, but was blushing.

Mana was blushing. An inner alarm turn on inside Atem and unconsciously squeezed the poor juice box with his fingers.

Then Mana looked at Yūgi.

"By chance, do you know what kind of chocolates Seto Kaiba likes?"

"Kaiba?!"

Not only him, but Yūgi and Téa, and probably everyone who heard their conversation in secret, almost shouted the name of the CEO.

"Mana, do you...?"

"Hm? Weren't you in the same club like for, I don't know, a week? Maybe more? Come on! Tell me, yes?" she clasped her hands in front of her face and looked at them both.

Yūgi scratched his cheek, maybe feeling uneasy. Of course, he was going to give advice to the girl his brother liked.

"Uhm... Bitter, maybe?"

"Bitter. Okay. Anything else?"

"Eh... I think I've seen him eat raisins, or almonds at some point. I don't remember well," Téa added.

Atem raised an eyebrow. Whose side were they?

In the end, Mana looked at him.

He could only shrug.

"Some weeks are not enough to know a person, we didn't talk that much actually."

Mana inclined her head. She probably knew he was lying, but she didn't question more when the bell interrupted them.

She said goodbye with a raised hand before reaching Kisara and Serenity.

Atem sighed.

Yūgi patted his back, but not in the mood to bother him.

"I told you."

Oh, he didn't need to hear that.