May: New update! Thank you to those who reviewed/favorited/followed this story. I'm sorry I wasn't able to thank you all here in this chapter because I'm very busy as of late. But anyways, read on! And thank you also to those who found the time to read this story!


Chapter 5

A few days later...

"Are ya sure that ya are not gonna enter the school?" A messy blond haired youth asked Yami as they watched the customers drink and chat with each other.

The crimson eyed youth let out a sigh. "I'm sure, Jounouchi. And I'm not ready to leave them like this."

Jonouchi let out a sigh as he ran a hand through his hair. And laid a hand on the other's shoulder. "Yami, don't ya worry about anything. I'll make sure that nothing will happen to them."

Yami strained a smile and shook his head. "No, Jou. I've said my piece. I'm never going back to my word." he then removed the other's hand from his shoulder.

Jou looked at his friend and shook his head at the other's stubbornness. Yami is known for a lot of things and being stubborn is one of them. Yuugi would sometimes complain to him about the other.

And he would tell the other about it. Only to receive a hard glare as he challenged the older Mutou. But he hated to admit, that he admired the other despite his nature.

Yami had sacrificed a lot for his family. And he could still remember the day that the teen was being forced to go to school.

Eventually, the teen disobeyed and chose instead to work as waiter in where he had met him. He was 16, looking for a job when he had met the tri-colored hair youth.

He knew also the teen had been saving up for his younger brother's education, foregoing his own dream.

"Yams…" he called the teen, using Yuugi's old nickname for him.

"Jou, don't call me that." Yami growled under his breath. He snickered under his breath as he enjoyed teasing the other to no end.

And quite enjoyed seeing him bristled up.

"Yami…" he said as the teen looked at him. He gave the teen a serious look. "Look. I know that Yuugi entered you in the contest. Hell, everyone of our friends know that Yuugi is the one behind it. Are you just going to throw the opportunity away?"

Yami let out a sigh. "Jou-"

"For goddamn shit, Yami!" Jou said as he slammed his hand on the counter, rattling a few cups displayed on top and also causing some of the customers to look at them.

Some in confusion but others in annoyance.

Yami smiled sheepishly at them then turned to glare at his friend. "Jou, keep your temper down. We could both lose our jobs!" he hissed.

"Yami…" Jou glared back at his friend, the fire of determination in his eyes. "I don't give a damn. But Yami, think of yourself for once! Think of what you wanted to be in life! You can't forever work as a waiter."

His face softened. "Think of what kind of life you can live if you're a Lord Royal. You can do much more than just being a waiter here. I don't want you to waste your life like this."

Yami didn't speak as he looked away and continued his job. He cleaned his working place, just to escape the thoughts that entered his mind and the words that his friend had told him.

Words that no doubt had reawakened the guilt he felt.

For once, he had questioned his decision. One that he never did when he had quit schooling.

But the weight of leaving his family troubles him. Jou sure had promised to look after them, his treatment of Yuugi as his younger brother is a testament of it.

He bit his lip, deep in thought as he closed the shop for the day. And walked home, hands in his pockets.


Yuugi didn't know what to feel. Saddened is an understatement. Depressed was more like it. Every day that passed by, made him wonder why his brother didn't want to. He had enlisted the help of their grandfather, but the older Motou refused to take part in what would be their biggest argument of the year.

Although they both know that Yami rarely gets angry.

And when he does, well...the results are not that good.

He let out a deep sigh as he fixed his things and arranged them neatly at the side of his desk. Then flopped down on his bed tiredly. His wide amethyst eyes trained on the floor.

Thinking.


Yami let out a tired and relieved sigh as he opened the door to their house and entered the room. He was too tired to notice that no one-not even his younger brother had come to greet him usually as he entered the room.

He then sat down on the sofa and leaned his head back as he closed his eyes. Hoping to catch a small nap before dinner. His head turned to the side as he fell into a deep sleep.


Solomon heard the door closed and looked up as he shouted. "Yami? Is that you?" he asked and got no answer in return.

Odd. The older of his grandsons would usually pass by or shout back. To tell him that he is home.

But then, the older let out a tired sigh as he walked to the shop door and flipped the sign. 'Yami must be tired.' he thought.

He turned off the lights and walked up the stairs to the main family room. And much to his surprise, he found his older grandson asleep on the sofa, the red tips of his hair sticking out from behind.

He chuckled softly and shook his head as he walked towards the kitchen to prepare their dinner. It seems like it would be his duty to do so since his grandson was lying asleep on the sofa.

His thoughts shifted to his younger grandson. Yuugi. As the younger usually greets his brother and would pester or tell him a lot of stories that had happened to him in school.

But now…

Eversince the older had declined the scholarship, he had been working to make ends meet and had decided to work abroad, if he didn't see the younger's notebook and reprimanded him about it.

Quiet footsteps woke him from his thoughts and he turned to see his youngest grandson looking up at him with eyes like his own. He smiled as he lifted a hand to ruffle the younger's hair. "Yuugi."

Yuugi didn't mind it then turned to look at his brother who was lying on the sofa. "How long has he arrived?"

"Just awhile ago." he answered and turned back to his task as he put down his hand and looked at the other playfully. "Now, don't wake him up. He needs to rest."

Yuugi snorted. "Yes. He really needs his beauty sleep."

The old man snickered under his breath and was about to rebut when Yami spoke from his place on the sofa. "I heard that." the teen spoke and stood up as he stretched his body then turned to look at Yuugi and smiled. "Hello, Yuugi."

"Hi, Yami." Yuugi greeted his brother half-heartedly. And he considered the moment to look at the older closely as he walked towards him. Trying to glean out a reason as to why.

His older brother's hair was disheveled and there were bags under his eyes. Proof that he had been up late last night to work the night shift in the coffee shop. And had worked awhile ago. From early morning to late afternoon.

His eyes glistened with tears as he now understood. He ran towards his brother and hugged him, much to the older's surprise at the sudden gesture from the younger in which the latter had refused to talk to him, not unless he asked.

Solomon chuckled under his breath. The argument wouldn't be happening after all.

'With these two…' he chuckled as he shook his head. 'Words were no longer needed as they understood each other perfectly.'

Yami smiled and hugged his brother back. His mind made up.


May: Okay. The last two polls I indicated from chapters 3 had been removed from my profile. So, now, I'll be announcing another poll. This time, I want all of you to choose from which of my stories I have to focus on to finish maybe before the end of this year.