It's a new song, new sound, and people don't know how to handle it, other then yelling and screaming and hooking up and making out as if their lives depended on it. Because, in a way, it did.

Read: I'm not going to make up some retarded excuse as to why this hasn't been updated in so long. Truth is, I didn't feel like it. But it's summer now, and might as well write, right?


The sound coming from the TV was the only noise in the living room, besides the breathing of the four after they had locked up shop and moved into the living room. Honda sat nervously on the loveseat next to Yuugi, hands perched on his knees. In contrast, Yuugi had leaned back in the chair, shoulders slouched and arms crossed over his chest. Rather than observe Yami, as Yami was doing to him, Yuugi chose to keep his attention on the TV. Because, hey, he was now an American, wasn't he? Better get used to watching TV -- he knew America's arcades had nothing on Japan's.

Yami, like Honda, was tense. Sitting on the couch, in the middle part (not too close, but not too far), Yami had not taken his eyes off of his other half. And Sugoroku just observed it all, amusement twinkling in his eyes. He knew it was going to be interesting; heck, there might even be shouting. But it would be best to let Yuugi and Yami duel it out now, rather then keep it all bottled up inside.

"I think I'll go prepare drinks," Sugoroku said, standing up. Yuugi nodded, smiling up at his grandfather.

"A Coke, please? And… Honda, what do you want?" Yuugi asked, ignoring Yami's hurt look at being… well, ignored.

"Ah… a Coke too…" Honda said softly, not even bothering to try and leave. He knew Yuugi needed him right now, despite how confident he looked. Sugoroku nodded, and left the room. Silence filled the air with the exception of the voices coming from the TV, and then a soft laugh from Yuugi broke the silence. Blinking, Honda and Yami looked at Yuugi, but his attention was on the TV.

"You! No, no, don't say a word. I know what you're going to say," said the meekrat with the orange hair. Clearing his throat, he said in a deeper voice, "Did you find Hakuna Matata?"

Obviously, the meekrat was trying to imitate the monkey.

In his normal voice, he replied to himself, "Well, yes, I did! Thank you very much." He laughs. "And I am happy. Happy, happy, deliriously happy."

In his imitating voice, he said, "Ho ha ha! I see. Happy, is it? So, if you're so happy, why do you look so miserable?"

Normal: "Miserable, you say? Why should I be miserable? Oh, I don't know. Maybe my two best pals in the world deserted me. Heh. They - they've headed off on some heroic mission... My friends... are gone." A pause. "And... my Hakuna Matata went with them!"

Ironic, how in this situation, that scene would come up. It was almost as if there was some God screwing with their lives.

Probably, Honda thought.

By this time, Sugoroku had come back with the drinks, putting the glasses in front of their respective people. He sat down in his chair, smiling at Yuugi.

"When did you start watching animated movies?" he asked his grandson. Yuugi bit his lip, thinking.

"Mmm… probably when I saw Treasure Planet. Such a good movie!" Yuugi chirped. "And that one song, 'I'm Sti-'"

"Why did you leave, Aibou?" Yami interrupted quietly. He grabbed the remote and shut off the TV, eyes never leaving Yuugi. Yuugi frowned, and Honda looked worriedly between the two.

"You didn't exactly stop me," Yuugi said, cocking an eyebrow at Yami. "Grandpa and I talked about it. You would have heard, if you weren't always with my friends."

Honda didn't know if he still thought of Anzu and the others as his friends, or if he was being too mature to say 'ex-friends.' Probably the latter, he mused.

"Aibou, I-"

"'Aibou,'" Yuugi repeated with a sneer on his face. "'Aibou' sounds like 'Abu' from Aladdin. Which has some good scenes, before Jasmine comes in and ruins it all. He used to be an independent person, and then he meets her and he's like a trained dog. Disgusting, really."

"Is that all you're going to talk about? Cartoons? I don't care about your damn cartoons, Aibou!" Yami exclaimed, standing up quickly. Honda stood up as well, though it was to make sure Yami didn't spontaneously attack Yuugi or something. Yuugi stood up as well, no longer sneering but glaring with such an intensity of hate that it surprising Honda that his gentle friend had become so angry.

"You didn't care about anything but yourself, and maybe Mazaki-san. But certainly not me."

And with that, he grabbed Honda's hand and walked out the door. Honda turned his head as he allowed himself to be lead out, nodding a good-bye to Sugoroku and frowning at Yami's anguished face.


In another part of Domino City, Anzu and Jounouchi walked around, both wondering what on earth was wrong with Yuugi.

"He said he was going to see Gramps, right?" Jou asked, though he knew the answer already. Still, it was a good way to break the silence.

"Yeah. Honda went with him." Again, something they both already knew, but it was for lack of conversation that she said it.

"Wonder how Yami took it, seeing Yuug' after all this time," Jounouchi said. Anzu wrapped her arms around herself, hugging her as if attempting to warm up, despite the sweltering summer heat. Indeed, she was wearing a leather miniskirt and a blank tank top similar to the outfit she wore when she went on the date with Yami for the first time.

"Probably not well. He was crushed when Yuugi left, and with the way Yuugi's been acting…"

"Yeah."

Silence fell again as the two walked side by side in the hot afternoon, surrounded by people and yet completely and utterly alone.