Disclaimer: Yugi-Oh GX does not belong to me nor its characters or rights over the story.
Warn: This story may have heavy and uncomfortable themes/situations like use of drugs, violence, suicide, abuse, sexual harassment, rape, depression, trauma and bad language. If you do not like such, Do not read this.
presea221: Ah, that Fubuki will be very proud of his deeds, but he might need to control himself a little more for next time if he wants people to come out alive and have a relationship XD. Thank you! I wanted to make Ryo as relatable as possible, I mean, he is just a 17-18 year old, there are many things he has yet to feel and learn, especially with how he has difficulties in socializing and opening himself up to others (even though in the GX they like to make teenagers have the fate of the world riding on their shoulders more often than not).
Another song recommendation: Uchiage Hanabi/Fireworks from Kenshi Yonezu and Daoko, very good.
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Chapter 13: Promise
They settle their decks in the duel disk and start with an ebullient shout in unison that is followed by the waves crashing onto the rocks at the beach:
"Duel!"
"Yes, Ryo! This is it, the expression I wanted to see! Not that cold, indifferent guy that does not seem to care, but the real you, underneath that mask."
Fubuki thinks to himself, drawing the first hand of cards as he observes the friend doing the same but with a fierce, angered gaze fixed into him.
He puts a Red Eye Infant on the field, with a confident smirk and sharp eyes. Ryo snarls in response, special-summoning a Cyber Dragon with its effect.
"Fubuki, are you even aware of how much trouble you caused for me and for Rie? How could you do that to her? Deceiving girls and pushing them into caves?! This is too far even for a prank!"
"It wasn't a prank! It was an extreme measure!" he sets a card on the spell and trap zone "I am sorry for getting you involved in this, Rie-chan! I had to beat some sense into him!"
He yells and beckons happily to the girl that watches it from a certain distance, enough that she cannot fully hear what they say unless they speak loudly.
"I am the one that has to beat some sense into this clown face of yours!"
He retorts summoning a Cyber Dragon Vier. Fubuki's smile enlarges as he closes his eyes, nodding satisfied with the results of his mischief.
"So, Kaiser Ryo, you had plenty of time to think properly in that cold hole, what did you find out there?" His voice was lower and he gazed right into his friend's eyes "Are you still the same ice block-headed Kaiser? Or did you figure something out?"
Ryo frowns profusely and continues the duel, while Fubuki summons the Red Eyes Dragon, Ryo attacks with his Cyber Dragon that was buffed by the effect of Cyber Dragon Vier increasing its attack by 500 points.
"Are you still going to ignore me? Ryo!"
"You don't understand it!"
"How could I not? You're not telling me anything! It's not just to me, you are refraining yourself from getting close to others too!"
"Fubuki, how could you put Rie through such a terrible situation again?"
"Terrible? Is that what she thinks? Weren't you there the whole time? It seems you're both hopeless, I just tried to help!"
Hopeless? He didn't fully tell the details of what happened to Rie or how he met her. In fact, while he was in that cave, he had time to think and got a new perspective. He hated it. The fact that it was nothing but a scheme of his friend.
"You…! "He clutches his cards, squinting his eyes and clenching his teeth "Fubuki what you did… Was unreasonable!"
"Unreasonable? I think you are the one being the most unreasonable here! Keeping things to yourself, holding back your feelings, come on, Ryo, you know better than this! You need to be more incisive in things other than dueling too!"
"Holding back?" His teeth grit with the insulting tone "You have no idea what she has suffered! Yet you throw both of us into a mess! It's true I had time to think there, I did think it through! But no matter how much I consider, no matter what I thought, in the end I realized this is not how I want things to be!"
Placing a trap card and negating the attack of the Cyber Dragon, Fubuki's aloof expression becomes serious.
"What do you mean?"
"The cave was set up by you, you're forcing people to stay alone together somewhere and expect results from it?! Fubuki, a bond formed through a life and death situation like this, is not real to me! A real bond is not formed through such extreme methods, it's not forced! People don't start loving each other just because others wish so! I can't accept any of that! It is wrong in so many ways!"
"Even so, you can't deny you care for her and the same goes the other way around. I could've recorded your faces to show this! It is so painfully obvious! How can you not see it?"
Those words pierce like a sword. He didn't notice until the incident of the cave how much he has been covering his feelings, burying it inside him, pretending as if they don't exist. He was right on that, it was so hurtfully obvious, but he just didn't want to see it. He denied it.
There are so many things he wants to do, and he feels pressured by all of it. While trying to keep his distance, he was afraid of admitting those feelings because even if he did, his dreams wouldn't change, he could hurt her and himself. That is so pitiful and cowardly.
"You are the one not seeing anything!" He shouts out loud and calms his voice down with a determined expression on the next part "If there is a girl I like, if there is someone I really want to be with, this is not how I'd do things! I wouldn't barge into their heart like that! Whether we laugh or cry, this is not in place of anyone else but us to decide! Scheming a situation in which both of us would be obligated to face each other like that, this is not how things go, Fubuki! I don't want it to be any forced or forged feeling just by sharing a common experience! Or just a drive all humans have! It should be beyond that! Feelings like this should not be taken lightly! If someone interferes, if I need to be pushed around to understand something so simple, then there is no point at all in admitting those feelings until I can say them out loud on my own and take responsibility for it!"
"Ryo…" he is surprised with the development of the friend. "Heh. I didn't expect you of all people would be the romantic type…"
"I fusion summon the Cyber End Dragon in attack mode!" He stretches his hand "Cyber End Dragon, attack!"
The holographic assault lights everything around, Fubuki's expression has a satisfied smirk and resignation as he wholeheartedly accepts the endgame, his mind is at ease as he watches his friend finally opening up.
"Ryo… Show me your might and all those strong feelings you have pent up! Put your whole love into it!"
He opens his arms, as if embracing defeat and listening to all they talked both through words and their dueling. When the holograms disappear, serenity abounds in his curved lips.
Ryo takes a deep breath, perhaps dueling right after he came out of that cave was not the greatest idea. His expression is both stern and exhausted.
"I am sorry, Ryo… I really thought you couldn't do it alone, but even had I left you alone, you would have eventually realized on your own, right? I am glad that I could make you think about it, at least. Your future doesn't need to choose career over love, why not just have both? I just wanted to make sure my friend will have the best in his life from now on and leave this academia without regrets."
"That's one exquisite way to show appreciation…" he sighs, calming down "Fubuki." A faint smile comes to his lips, but it vanishes "I would thank you if you didn't almost kill both me and her." He crosses his arms in a scolding tone.
"Come on, I wouldn't do that to my friend!" A drop of sweat rolls down his face and a twitchy smile appears on his lips "Do you remember when I came late to our duel that night last year? And that I was all soaked and still using my surfing clothes? I was stuck in that cave once." He laughs it off and scratches the back of his head "I got thrown in there by a wave while surfing and had to make my way out, but it was not as terrible as I remember. I hoped you'd have a nice time with just Rie-chan."
"So that was it…?" A vein pops out on Ryo's forehead.
"I know you're the quiet type, but you're still a boy in love, things are bound to happen sooner or later. Tell me, how was it? Did you kiss her? Did you confess your love? Or did you..." He comes closer, putting an arm around Ryo's shoulder and elbowing him in a teasing way.
"It was awful! You idiot! Do you really believe a survival game scenario is the best you could force people into? Just stop with this terrible sense of humor! And stop pairing people! You're just traumatizing Rie more!"
He removes the arm in disgust and while they both bicker, Rie draws closer, they stop the infighting when she tugs Ryo's coat, requiring his attention. He had almost forgotten that she was there too and probably even more tired than he was.
"What is it…?"
His expression changes instantly to a mild confusion when he looks at her, her head is lowered and he can't see her expression, the steps she gives are unstable, coming closer, her forehead suddenly leaning against his chest.
"Rie?!"he is startled with her unexpected and blunt approach, so is Fubuki.
His face flushes slightly as he tries to understand what is going on, placing a hand on the back of her head gently. Fubuki gives a thumbs up and wipes some tears of happiness that formed on the corner of his face, proud of his efforts.
There is something off about it, her forehead feels unnaturally warm on his chest, he can feel it through the cold wet clothes. Her head slides down, he hurriedly grabs her body before it falls down.
She collapses. Her breath is shaken and hard, her face is red from a fever, he kneels down, supporting her head with a hand and her back with one of his legs. There is a red stain on the lower side of her torso, he hesitantly touches it.
His hand comes out dirtied with blood, her cloth has a small ripped part, he carefully pulls the sides of that opening to inspect the wound, it seems like a deep cut. But since when did she have that? The memory of the time they both were swayed by the sea currents comes to mind.
"Maybe there? I can't remember any other time… Is it possible she was in pain since that time, but she never said anything…? Is that why she had difficulties swimming at the end…? Rie… I can't believe I didn't notice it before..." his eyes flicker in concern.
Fubuki comes closer and checks her temperature with a worried tone, then urges Ryo to take action:
"This is bad! She is burning! We have to take her to the infirmary!"
Ryo's annoyed glare lands on his friend with a berating tone of "And whose fault is it?". Fubuki feels the pressure and gestures fidgety while trying to calm him down. Both her and the Kaiser himself were not in a good condition.
At the infirmary, the nurse tends to the blue-haired boy sitting on the edge of a bed while telling them all off for their carelessness:
"I shouldn't have to tell you that, but you mustn't go swimming during the night! Especially not at high tide! What were you thinking?! I didn't expect that from you of all people, Ryo!"
She puts disinfectant on the wound on his head applying more pressure than necessary and his eyes squint in response to the prickling sensation, then she slaps a plaster on his forehead.
"You should know better..." her brows furrow and she casts a glance at Rie that rests on a bed in pain. "She had enough bad experiences, even if you want to enjoy your time at the academy before you graduate, you should take more care of yourselves. If you want to go on a date, at least take her somewhere safe! She will be fine with some antibiotics and rest, but think better next time!"
"I wasn't..." he flinches, pressing his knees in shame.
"We understand, sensei!" his friend interrupts "We just wanted to surf a bit, but it ended up as a bad idea, we will be more careful from now on!"
"Aw, Fubuki, you're such a responsible person."
The teacher blushes, fawning over him and praising while Ryo casts a deadly stare at the friend, it was his fault in the first place. He rests on a bed nearby to be observed for a bit more before getting permission to return to his normal activities. When the nurse turns off the lights, he turns around and pulls aside the curtains separating the beds to take a peek at Rie's side.
Her breathing is tranquil as she sleeps soundly, but her semblance seems somewhat afflicted. His brows curl in worry, his mind reminisces about all that happened in the cave, the images flooding his mind, he turns around again, to the opposite side, ashamed of looking into her face.
This is all so awkward, he was fuming when shouting at Fubuki and completely frustrated with all that has happened, but now that he has more time on hands, he feels even more flustered.
He can't put his mind at ease, in the cave he did entertain the thought of doing something utterly foul, even now he isn't sure why he even thought something as improper for the moment as that. Was it the situation? Or perhaps he just never stopped to reflect how he really felt in such matters.
One thing is sure, he does care about her and not just in any way, but even if he knows that, what is he supposed to do? Just tell her and expect her to refuse or accept it, and what then? He is going to become a pro duelist anyways, it's not like he will have time for a relationship at this moment of his life.
It would be unfair to confess and then just make her wait as if there is nothing wrong. Even more… When he is not sure how she really feels about him. He never considered that, what exactly does she think about him? He might have rubbed off as someone inconsiderate at the start, when they talked, she even said she hated him at first. She rushed away upon reminiscing their first encounter, and despite saying she trusts him, he wonders if that is all.
It is true she saved him many times by now and he did the same for her, she also seemed happy around him and gradually talked more about herself, but that could all be deceiving, didn't she just deny any sort of feelings when Fubuki asked? Moreover, would she even be able to like someone again so soon after all she has suffered? Would her heart really be open for that now?
He closes his eyes sighing deeply, those are complicated issues, he wishes he could just forget it and continue his life as usual. However, doing that would be the same he had been doing so far, just running away and pretending nothing changed. This is not the way he wants it to be, not after all he pondered upon and his conclusions.
With a hectic flow of thoughts, his eyes eventually give in to the sleepiness and he dreams about all that has transpired in the cave.
A week later
Ryo Marufuji chooses his opponent for his graduation duel. The teachers are surprised with his decision: Judai Yuki, the Osiris Red student that was almost kicked out of the academy.
The Kaiser, an honor student at the academy, always getting the best grades and never losing a duel, this was his fame through all of the academy. A talented duelist that has a very promising career. He visits the Osiris dorm for the first time to personally invite Judai for the duel, and secretly to check on his little brother.
"Kaiser? What are you doing here?"
"Judai, I came here because I chose you as the person that I will have my last duel with in this academia."
"Brother..."
They invite him over and talk a bit, but soon Shou and Judai exchange a worried glance, noticing their odd behavior, he questions:
"Is there any problem?"
"Brother, the truth is..." Shou lower his gaze.
His lips tell the story of when they invaded the guard's main office and stole the documents regarding Rie, but they couldn't find anything important there. He frowns profusely.
"Did you say all they had were blank papers?"
"Yes… All it said was that the documents were all sent to the psychologist..."
"This is..." he clenches his fists "I thank you, but you could all have been expelled if you were caught. This is not your problem, you didn't need to go so far."
"No! Brother, we… We just wanted to help."
"That is true. We can't just pretend we didn't hear anything and go away, especially after that..."
He sighs in hopelessness, they sure have taken a lot of responsibility on their shoulders, he thanks them again and resumes the talk about the duel on the next day. On the way back, he stops by the cliff, his eyes drifting off into the horizon.
This is one of the last times he will be able to see that view. Soft steps draw closer, he is slightly startled, his eyes open wide and waver when his sight meets the pink-haired girl.
"Rie… Are you already better?"
She chuckles gently and nods, coming close enough to show him a message she types on her new student PDA:
"I couldn't miss the last days of school and I have a graduation duel with Asuka. Your duel is tomorrow too."
"You… How did you know...? Are you sure it's fine? You were badly hurt…" his expression is softer than his usual self, more worried too.
"Everyone knows about your duel, you are the Kaiser! Thank you for helping me back then. I got a few stitches, but it should be fine now, it may leave a scar, though." she hesitates with next sentences, taking a peek at his face "Is everything fine between you and Fubuki-san?"
"You shouldn't add a 'san' to his name, he does not deserve it." He crosses his arms, huffing the sentences, mildly upset with the other "He caused many problems for me and for you too."
"It is fine, I am sure he didn't mean anything bad… You said it yourself, he is just a lovable 'dork'."
"Well, I have to admit he did open my eyes. Still, that does not excuse him fully."
"You already won the duel, right? I didn't pay much attention, but I vaguely remember it."
"How do you feel?"
"Ryo-san, it is unlike you to ask me the same question so many times. I am fine."
He gapes for a brief moment, then diverts his gaze towards the sea with a slightly flustered expression. She blinks confused with his reaction, going to his side, she bends a bit to watch his profile, typing in concern:
"I should be the one asking if you are feeling well… Did something happen?"
He clenches his fists slightly, mustering the courage. After all he thought about, there was no definite answer for him, but he is sure he does have feelings for her, feelings he never thought were there in the first place, and keeping them trapped in his chest will not help or make anything better.
He turns to face her into her eyes, his sudden gesture makes a drop of sweat trickle down her face, for him to be this serious, what could it be? Her eyebrows twist in concern, her posture straightens up.
"You don't need to make this face." The severity of his expression soothes and a faint, affectionate smile comes to his lips, but it is gone and his inexpressive mood is back again "I thought this whole time I was able to protect you and help you through your problems, no, I wanted to feel like that, the cool Kaiser who everyone praises and admires. Even so, in the end I was the one being helped by you. That time in the cave made me notice something important that I cannot ignore if I don't want regrets in my life."
He can read her lips saying his name in concern, his eyes flicker, he really wishes things could have been different. He only heard her voice once, and that was the last time, he'd love to hear it again and again if he could and talk to her, but that was not how their choices allowed it to be.
If he could have met her before, perhaps she wouldn't have gone through so much, if he could only go back in time, but maybe they'd not have become close if that was the case. He is glad he can be with her now, at least.
"Rie, I like you."
She is astounded for a moment, her cheeks becoming bright red, her hand coming to cover her mouth as her eyes waver under his gaze. A tiny smile comes to his lips seeing her reaction, she again pronounces his name silently. He steps closer, she flinches, still embarrassed.
"Ryo-san, w-what do you mean, I..." she nervously types, he can see her hands shaking.
"Don't look at me like that, I am not confused. Rie, I do like you and not only as a friend. Though I don't know if you reciprocate those feelings, I still wanted you to know that."
She stares into his eyes for a moment seeking for the truth, his gaze does not waver, instead it displays an immeasurable fondness under his seemingly cold expression. Her heart is shaken by those eyes.
"Ryo-san, I..."
She says that, but her eyes oscillate, conflicted as she lowers her gaze. Is it really right for her to tell her feelings like that? Until not long ago she wasn't sure of what she felt. She thought she was depending on him, becoming reliant, but when they were there in the cave, she too felt like she just wanted to be by his side and help him when he needed it.
Hearing those words, why does it move her heart so deeply? He was always there for her, and she wanted to do the same for him, is that enough to proclaim she likes him? If she doesn't feel anything, then why do those words move her heart so much? She is lost in his gaze for a long moment as a faint smile comes to her lips.
"I like you too."
This time, she doesn't type it, but speaks with her own lips, surprising him. Not a single sound comes out, but that gesture alone is enough, he could understand it more than fine.
"But… Ryo-san, is it really like that? Why would you like me? I mean… I've been nothing but depressed for a long time and had all sorts of troubles… Why would you…"
She looks at him waiting for an honest answer after showing the message, he is struck with surprise with the question, but tries to think about a proper answer.
"I… Don't fully understand yet… Even after all you went through… When you were sad, I did want to help, but at the same time, I used you because I wanted to find Fubuki. Back then, I was desperate and blind. You probably knew it too, that I just needed your help for that moment, but you were convinced to do it... After the incident at the dorms I couldn't help but feel like I'd done something wrong… Had I not taken you there…" he sighs ruefully "I spent more time with you to make up for it, as we talked, I found myself looking forward to your smile..." he puts a hand on her face "I really wanted to see it."
She rests her face on his warm hand, her eyes melt with his sight, as tears trickle down. She lets his hand go, lowering her gaze. With her blurred sight, she types:
"Are you sure about this? I've… I've been…"
She is unable to continue the sentence, her expression filled with disgust, not at him, but at herself. Her harmful emotions are put under control when he pulls her in a close embrace, his arms tightly enlacing her.
"None of that matters to me… It doesn't matter at all…" his grip on her strengthens "I should've been able to find those people and give them punishment... I am sorry, even though I searched, I was unable to find it… But know that none of that changes my feelings for you… You are and will always be in my heart. I don't care if… All that happened in the past is past now… The only thing I want is for you to be well with yourself. If you can smile again, I will be happy too."
He prolongs that embrace for as much as they need to share their warmth, until she raises her head, wiping her tears, a timid smile crawling to her lips.
"Thank you… I am honored to be liked by the Kaiser."
"That is just a silly title..."
He is abashed with the comment, but internally relieved she can even make jokes now. His eyes squint softly in conflict as he sighs to tell the next part. He did not wait for her here just to confess his feelings, there are other matters of importance he wants to discuss. He pulls her away gently, to look at her face.
"I am sorry Rie, even though I came here to tell you my feelings, the truth is I am unsure myself of what to do with it now. The more I thought about it, the more I concluded I am not prepared yet to give you the happiness you deserve, but I grew anxious and wanted to be with you. There are many things I must do as a person and as a man to accomplish something in my life, I still plan on becoming a pro duelist and I don't even know where to start with in a relationship, even so I egotistically came here and spout all in my chest onto you again, I didn't consider what you would think about it... I am..."
As he closes his eyes in self guilt, he feels a hand pulling his as she shows the written message on the screen. She appreciates his honesty.
"That is fine for me, Ryo-san."
"It's not..."he is shocked with her answer "I've put you in plenty of trouble already, this is just..."
"Ryo-san, you don't need to feel like that. I also thought a lot about my future, this was all thanks to you. Not even a moment I considered your actions egotistical, you were the one who always protected me when I needed... I just wanted to repay your kindness, but along the way, I found that I also have things I want to accomplish… And people I like and want to be by my side… For now, it is fine just hearing your feelings like this… We can go slowly… It is a bit embarrassing, though..."
The Rie smiling right now looks like a completely normal girl, his brows furrow up as he reads her texts, but he quiets down trying to listen to all she has to say.
"I know it will be a lot of work for both of us, but it is fine like this. I won't ask for you to give up on your dreams, neither I will give up on mine, and it's not like we can't keep in contact too after the academy and meet each other, but Ryo-san, in the future, when you become an established professional duelist and when I have a proper job, do you think we will be able to accept our feelings for each other as adults and have a more proper relationship?"
"In the future…? Rie..."
This girl, even with his way of telling his feelings right before they part ways... Is she willing to accept it? His eyes flicker seeing her tender smile, he can understand a bit more why he likes her so much. Can he be just a bit more ambitious?
"Will you... Wait until then?"
"I will." she nods firmly, but types another message "If you promise you won't forget about me when you become even more popular with the girls. And that we should meet regularly too."
He blushes with the suggestive tone, and answers in a serious, but slightly jumpy tone looking into her eyes with surprise:
"I won't… I wouldn't do that to you… We can just date in the meantime and see how things go..."
"Do you promise you won't just ditch me for any fangirl?" she repeated the question on the screen, pushing it closer to his face in some sort of pressure.
"I promise."
He smiles fondly of her. To think he'd be confessing right before his last duel, to a girl he didn't know until this year started even. They've been through so much, but none of that mattered now.
She comes closer, resting her head on his chest, hugging him. She is so warm, he can feel her firm grip on him. He corresponds to that embrace, for long seconds that seems to last forever.
They separate after some time, but his gaze is still bewitched by her as he places a hand on her cheek, this time he doesn't hesitate, pulling her close, sealing her smooth lips. Her face becomes completely pink, but she resigns to that gentle kiss, closing her eyes and accepting his feelings.
They spent a long time talking during that night, about many things, as many as they could think of. It was amusing to her to see an embarrassed and half clumsy, yet calm side of Ryo Marufuji, but they both laughed and had fun.
The next day comes
He finally has his duel against Judai that ends in a draw and gives his last greetings to the academia. As soon as the duel is over, both him and Judai plop to the ground, laughing at the fun they had in that duel.
From the bleachers, he sees a familiar person, his eyes opening wide: a short gentle-looking woman, she also waves her hand to Ryo, cheerfully and energetically, he sits up straight almost immediately, in pure shock, Shou also gasps. The woman hurries downstairs to the stage approaching the place where Judai and Kaiser were sitting.
She is very short, and she looks to be in the late-middle of her thirties at most. Her hair is the same color as Shou's, her bangs were very similar to Shou's with the exception the side strands were much longer, coming down her shoulders; her hair tied in a low ponytail, with some rebel strands winding up. Her eyes were teal-blue the same shape as Shou's too, but with sharper corners and maybe, even bigger than his, they glimmer in excitement as she approaches.
Her outfit was obviously not an uniform and very detached from the usual clothing style of other people there: light blue jeans pants and a long sleeved crimson shirt, a card-shaped pendant hanging from her necklace.
"Mom?!" he blurts out in a thoughtless spurt, forgetting everyone else around.
"Oh, your mom came to watch your graduation duel, that's cool!" Judai guffaws waving "Hello, Ms. Marufuji!"
"Aw, you have such nice friends, Ryo."
He slides off the platform, standing near her, the difference in heights is even more apparent. Clasping her hands together she fawns over her son, in the next second, she grabs him in an embrace, he corresponds clumsily to that, his brows furrowing up in half shame and worry. Some people are still there waiting for the next duels.
"What are you doing here?"
"What do you mean? It's your last day in school! Your father is busy, but I had to come to congratulate you! I want to see how your brother is doing too! I missed you two so much!"
"You didn't need to, it's just a formality. Let's go somewhere else, there will be other duels soon, we shouldn't stand in the way."
He stretches his hand showing the side corridor of the stadium, she follows his instruction, walking ahead, he casts a last glance back at Judai that wavers and them.
Sighing heavily, he follows behind his hyperactive mother that looks around everywhere in the academy as if it's an amusement park. From the corridor, just as they leave the main dueling arena, Shou calls out loud, stopping his marathon to reach the area and supporting his hand on knees, gasping for air.
"Mom!"
She hugs him tightly in response, rubbing her face on the top of his head that is just high enough for it to be possible. He pushes her away slightly, embarrassed at her treatment and voicing some low, bashful complaints at her behavior.
"I'm so proud of you two!"
She throws her arms around the shoulders of both, bringing them closer, they both seem slightly fidgety to get free from her grip. She lets them go, just to put her hands on Ryo's face, patting it everywhere and then, putting her hands on her own blushing cheeks, a big smile on her face in a proud note.
"Ryo, you've grown so much! I still remember when you first said you wanted to be a duelist, you were so tiny back then… You too, Shou-chan!" she proceeds to do the same with her younger son, her mood changes like a tempest, she puts her hands on hips, her brows angling down in a cute annoyed expression as she pouts "But sincerely! You both never call your mother! I could use some more news about my kids, did you know? I only found out about your graduation duel because the principal called your father recently! How could you omit that from your own mother?!"
"The parents don't need to come for those, mom..." Shou explains, a drop of sweat rolling down.
"Just because they don't, doesn't mean they can't!"
She bends over in a scolding tone, making her son jolt and recoil fidgeting in fear. She stands up straight, taking a breath and calming down, a gleeful smile stamped on her lips, while she daydreams about her kids and gabbling about them boastfully.
"It's fine. I'm happy to have seen you both. And to think my son is the honor student at the academy, the best of all, you're so cool, Ryo!" She stands with "I can't wait to see Shou-chan's graduation duel too!"
"Ryo, Shou, Ms. Marufuji!"
Asuka interrupts their meeting a bit, she walks accompanied by Rie, much to their surprise, she swiftly greets the woman and turns her attention to Ryo.
"We forgot something at the dorms, but our duel should start soon, come to watch it if you can, you too, Shou."
They nod firmly, a fond smile sprouting on his lips as he looks at the anxious and seemingly enthusiastic expression Rie has, following the girls with his eyes as they walk past. His concentration is broken when a voice comes from his side:
"They're so very pretty! Isn't that blondie Asuka-chan, the sister of Fubuki-chan? Ah, he is such a good boy, I like him! So, tell me… Do you like Asuka-chan?"
"What?! No!" he almost chokes with his own saliva, gasping nervously.
"But you were even smiling so caringly… I was very surprised, you don't usually smile like this. Do you not have any girlfriend you want to introduce me to?" she pokes his arm teasingly, hopping in some sort of excitement.
"No!" he blurts out in reflex, crossing his arms in a slightly disconcerted tone "I don't!"
"Why? She is so pretty and I'm sure you'd be as happy as Fubuki-chan to have him as your brother!" she puts a finger to her chin, her eyebrows coiling up, almost pouting until a sudden shock comes to her expression "Oh, dear… I didn't know… Ryo, do you like boys? I'm sorry if that is the case, Is it Fubuki?! I didn't mean to-"
"What?! No! No way!" his posture breaks apart, almost spitting the words in an agitated way "I came here to learn how to duel, not to pair up with others! And I'm not interested in boys!"
"If you say so… Well, I know how pretty my boy is! You sure must be popular, just like your father at your age! Girls were all over him too, I was worried for a long time because of that!" she giggles reminiscing about the past "I just thought you'd have a girlfriend by now or at least a girl you're flirting with, it's not a shame, you know?" she pouts, crossing her arms and nodding, trying to prove she knows it all "What about you, Shou-chan? You have that cute appeal, I'm sure the girls also fawn over you."
"N-no, it's not like that!" he panics, of course he is not popular, and certainly not nearly as adored as his brother or Fubuki that have their own fan clubs.
They try to convince their mother to go home after the amount of embarrassment and discomfort she kept causing with all her blabbering. She talks a bit longer with them, wishing the best from now on and finally lets them go after a tight group embrace.
They rush to watch Rie and Asuka duel, missing just the very start. It ends with a loss on Asuka's side, despite that, they both laughed and talked about their decks afterwards, sharing strategies and some improvements they could use.
That day was full of emotions, but it was time to enjoy his last moments there. Saying his goodbyes to his friends and also to Rie, at least for the time being, they part ways.
A new phase starts in his life, what is to come he will see in the very near future, but the obstacles that lie on his path will be greater than he thought. She will also have her share of troubles to deal with. What will be of them in the future?
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A/N: Yes, Shou and Ryo have parents in this fic and they will be recurring characters!