He stared at the sandal in his hand, taking note of how small it was, wondering if its owner would come looking for it.

Maybe, maybe not…

He'd heard a soft gasp coming from the door following the punishment game that he had played against the boy who had tried to pummel his other soul's body, and turned to see a flash of white disappear, followed by the sound of someone running. He had moved towards the door, and exited the classroom in time to catch the lingering scent of lavender and vanilla, and saw the same flash of white disappear around the corner leading to the restrooms.

A door slammed, followed by the metallic sound of a lock being turned as he neared the bathrooms. When he heard the movement behind the door to the women's restroom, he tried to open the door, not surprised to find it locked, however, when he had finally succeeded, he found the bathroom window open, and a low heeled, open toed white sandal on the floor. He picked it up, and exited the bathroom before making his way back to his classroom. He wrapped the sandal in a small plastic bag before placing it in his other soul's school bag before he withdrew, pondering at the mysterious interloper's identity, and how much she had seen.

Whoever the girl was, it appeared that she had fled in terror, thinking that he might harm her if he'd caught up with her.

Explaining things to her would be much easier if he had seen her face, and would be able to approach her if he ever met her again, but he hadn't been able to do the former, and the latter might be impossible since he didn't know what she looked like.

They were on the way to the shop when the young boy saw the game shop with a poster advertising their dealing in Duel Monsters cards. He was so excited to see what new Duel Monster cards were being released that he failed to look both ways before he ran across the road, which was why he didn't see the approaching limo. He just barely managed to avoid being struck head on, although he still felt the air being knocked out of him as the driver swerved to avoid him, the sound of screeching tires almost deafening, and the stench of burning rubber and asphalt filling his nostrils.

The young girl was just passing the store when she heard the sound of screeching tires behind her, and glanced over her shoulder just in time to see the sunlight reflecting off the chrome grill of a black car that was heading straight for her.

Her heart stopped in her chest, her breath leaving her lungs while everything had slowed down as she watched the vehicle nearing her.

Oh, my..!

She could see the driver's panicked face, and she caught a glance of an old man in the back seat as her adrenaline kicked in, and she leapt out of the way, wincing as her left shoulder struck the pavement, before she rolled. She came to a stop just as the vehicle's front slammed into the concrete wall right where she had been barely a moment ago, and she blinked, almost unable to comprehend what had happened….

" Yugi! "

She heard a young girl's voice as she rushed to the car, and yanked the rear passenger door open, her heart stopping for a second time when she saw the old man…

The driver of the limousine suffered a minor concussion as a result of the crash, but other than that, he was uninjured, thanks to the seat belt he had been wearing.

The young boy, Yugi Muto, was also lucky that he only suffered a few scratches and bruises from the accident since the limousine had managed to avoid hitting him directly, and crushing or running over him; his scratches and bruises were treated in the ER. He was accompanied by his friend, Anzu Masaki as they both waited in the waiting area for news of the old man who had been the limousine's passenger, and the young girl who had almost been struck by the said vehicle after it swerved to avoid hitting Yugi since it was revealed that she hadn't escaped unscathed either.

The doctor never specified what kind of injuries the young girl suffered, and the pair hoped that they weren't that serious.

Yugi turned to look at Anzu, his face pinched with worry. " What do I do, Anzu? " he asked fearfully. " This is all my fault! "

His childhood friend didn't know what to say.

" Yugi… "

Just then, the door in front of them opened, and the doctor emerged. Yugi immediately sprang to his feet and rushed towards the man. " Doctor! " he called. " How is he? Will he survive? How's the girl? "

Anzu had come to stand beside Yugi, her expression full of worry.

The doctor raised his eyebrows slightly, and approached them. " Save him? " he asked. " There's no way it's possible since he is already deceased. "

The two teenagers were shocked.

" It can't be! " Yugi exclaimed, feeling the blood drain from his face.

If the old man died because of him…

" But it's not because of the accident, " the doctor corrected as he looked at them.

" Uhm… " Anzu spoke. " What do you mean? "

In response, doctor beckoned them to follow him as he made his way back to the room he had just exited, and opened the door. " He is functioning on an artificial heart and lungs, most likely invented and maintained by a high end facility. As for the young lady… "

She held his hand, watching him as he slept, memories of the times he had made her laugh when he was part of the small world that had briefly brought back the joy she had thought was lost forever making her feel like no time had passed at all.

" Daimon-ojeesan? " she coaxed softly. " When you wake up, let's play scrabble, or one of the games you taught me, okay? "

" Of course, Little Miss, " his weathered voice answered with the same grandfatherly affection he had treated her with when he had last seen her. Daimon opened his eyes, and turned to her, taking in how she was still the same girl who had captured his ward's heart. " You haven't forgotten any of them, have you? "

" Ojeesan… " she felt a lump in her throat as a tear trickled down her cheek. " Are you alright? When I saw you earlier, I thought… "

The old man patted her hand to comfort her. " There, there, " he comforted, sitting up, and putting his glasses on. " I'm so pleased that you're back on your feet, Little Miss. " He smiled at her, taking her tiny hand between both of his hands. " The young master and his brother will be thrilled to see that you are now able to walk. "

Young master?

The face of someone precious, and his younger brother flashed in her mind, and she suddenly realized what the man who had been like a grandfather to her meant.

" I thought that they were your grandchildren, " she answered, suddenly feeling lightheaded as a dull pain gripped her heart. " They were always visiting you… "

Daimon shook his head. " No, Little Miss… " he clarified. " He didn't want me to tell you at the time because he didn't want you to be intimidated into avoiding him by revealing his true identity to you; his time with you was one of the things that had kept his heart kind, and he intended to tell you once you were released from the hospital. After he was forced to leave you behind…. "

He didn't know how he was going to tell her that the boy she had met had changed from a kind, selfless, courageous child into a cold hearted, ruthless individual who at times seemed to forget that he had promised to take care of his younger brother. Daimon felt his heart ache because he knew that the girl in front of him would have her young heart broken a second time once the young master came to collect him, because she would see how much he had changed.

And the young master would come.

Still, he wondered if she could be the one to bring the young master back from the abyss from which he had fallen, and help him regain the kind heart he prayed that he still had.

She had grown since he had last seen her, although not that much; she still looked like a child thanks to her diminutive height and her features, but there was a maturity, and quiet strength and determination about her that only added to her natural, unusual beauty.

He was about to tell her how much she had grown when the door opened, and the doctor entered, followed by a young, teenage girl with short brown hair, and a young boy with spiky hair.

" As for the young lady… "

Yugi and Anzu had turned as the doctor spoke, and saw that the old man was awake and sitting up in bed, but it was the girl standing next to him, and arranging his pillows so that he could sit up better that made them stop dead in their tracks when she turned to face them.

Wide set, deep blue green eyes regarded them placidly. They were set in an oval shaped, doll like face with baby faced features that could have made the Greek goddesses jealous, her natural pink lips small and puffy, while her nose was also small in addition to being pert. Long, white, silky hair with natural baby blue highlights flowed down her back, shimmering like the Milky Way under the light of the setting sun that was shining through the window. Her pale white skin was smooth, except for the bandages above her left elbow, her left wrist, and hand. When she stood up straight, they saw that she was very petite and slender, her graceful body clad in a white dress that was both simple and elegant with light blue lace lining her collar, the short bell sleeves, and the hem that stopped just below her knees. Her tiny feet were clad in low heeled ivory colored cowgirl boots that reached the middle of her calves.

A girl with white hair dressed in clothes of the same color would have come across as colorless or blank, but not this girl; in fact, the color became her perfectly, her attire making her look like she was shimmering.

" Doctor? "

Her question, spoken softly, broke the two teenagers from their trance, almost causing them to jump.

" Uh.. "

The doctor cleared his throat. " As I was about to say, " he continued. " The young lady is alright, except for the scratches on her arm, and bruising on her shoulder from when she leapt out of the way. "

Yugi felt himself pale as the accident from earlier flashed in his mind. He and Anzu hadn't seen the girl during the accident because everything had gone so fast, but had learned about her once the paramedics had confirmed that she was also loaded into the ambulance with the limousine's passenger.

" The patient should have passed away a long time ago, " the doctor pointed out as he looked at his chart. " The technology used to prolong his life is incredible, even a bit scary. "

" That's right, " Daimon confirmed drily. " I'm basically a zombie now, aren't I? "

Yugi rushed to his side. " I'm sorry! " he apologized. " If I hadn't run in front of the car… "

Daimon smiled as the doctor turned to leave, telling Anzu that he would be back later. " Don't worry about it, " he answered. " The doctor is right: I'm already a dead man. " He peered at Yugi, the gesture making him look like a wizened owl. " Anyway, you look like someone who really enjoys games. "

" Eh? "

Yugi glanced at his shirt pocket which contained his Duel Monsters deck.

She had moved aside when the boy rushed forward, hiding her smile at Daimon's owlish look while trying not to stare at the former as she went to stand by the window. She turned and stared out at the sunset without really seeing anything.

This boy looks like the one I saw at the school, she thought as her mind went back to the day that her aunt had summoned her to Domino High School so she could decide if she was ready to attend public school.

But it's not him….

She walked through the empty corridors of Domino High School, searching for the principal's office where her aunt said that she was going to be in when she heard a deep voice ring out from the classroom she was nearing.

" The door of darkness has opened. "

She couldn't describe the sound that followed that declaration before an ear shattering scream pierced the air, making a cold sliver of fear rush down her spine, and goosebumps appear on her arms as her hair stood on end.

What the…?

Slowly, cautiously, and trying not to make a sound, she approached the door to the classroom, peeking around the corner. She saw a young boy with spiky hair that was a combination of red and black with magenta, and blonde fringes standing with his hands in his pockets, facing another boy dressed in the same uniform. He had his side to her, and she felt another chill run through her as she realized that his eyes seemed to glow red, the corners of his mouth turned upwards in what she could only describe as an axe crazy smile as he watched the other boy writhe in agony, clutching at his head.

Oh, my God…

She must have given her presence away because suddenly, the boy stiffened, and she took off as she caught a glimpse of him turning to face her.

Her surroundings were a mere blur as she flew down the empty corridor, before turning the corner. The symbols for the restrooms greeted her eyes, and she immediately made a beeline for the women's room. She slammed the door behind her, quickly turning the lock as she heard footsteps approaching, and carefully climbed onto the counter, careful not to slip. Her hands had just managed to grab the window sill when she heard the door knob rattle, sending her already racing heart into overdrive. She pulled herself up, her teeth chattering as she felt the strap of the sandal on her left foot come loose, and slip off. The sound of her sandal hitting the tiles as she hoisted herself out the window sounded like a gunshot to her ears before she landed on the narrow ledge outside.

It was a good thing that the bathroom she had gone through was on the first floor so she didn't have far to leap to reach the ground; the grass underneath her sandal bare foot was cool, and she pressed herself against the wall before sliding sideways, ducking under window sills until she found herself in the yard facing the main gate. She slipped her other sandal off, and grabbed it by the straps before darting towards the gate, never glancing back as she exited the school, and ran all the way home.

Once she was in her apartment, she locked and bolted the door behind her before sliding to the floor, her whole body trembling. Once she caught her breath, she reached for her bag, and pulled out her phone while trying to steady her hands.

Once her hands had stopped shaking, she sent a text message to her aunt to tell her that she wasn't interested in enrolling in any school, and would rather just study at home…

Was the boy I saw this boy's older brother? she wondered as she turned back to look at the two people playing Duel Monsters. They certainly looked alike.

She hadn't spoken with anyone except Daimon and the attending doctor, albeit briefly with the latter, and was advised to not put any pressure on her injured hand or shoulder; she was also advised to apply a warm compress on them every now and then to help with the blood flow, along with a few basics for her wound above her elbow.

She remained quiet as she watched them play, not noticing the limousine that stopped outside the hospital, or the three people who had exited the vehicle and made their way to the entrance.

The boy let out a sound of dismay. " I lost… "

He sounded like a child rather than a high school student, and she almost smiled at the thought, but stopped herself, choosing to remain silent, just observing from a distance.

The girl who accompanied him had returned from going to buy some food, her arms holding a paper bag full of oranges. " That's really surprising, " she pointed out as she approached the bed. " I never thought you'd lose, Yugi. "

" When you grow older, " Daimon explained. " You are able to read peoples' hearts. You lost because you're too straightforward in the way you play. "

The boy gave an embarrassed laugh, scratching his head.

" Would you like an orange? " the brown haired girl asked Daimon. " I'll peel it for you. "

" I'll peel one too! " Yugi offered, taking an orange Anzu handed him.

Daimon smiled wistfully, glancing at the white haired girl standing by the window. She smiled at him faintly, and he remembered the times she and his two young boys had spent visiting him, peeling oranges, and taking turns feeding him slices from their bounties; they had even made a game of it: whoever fed him the most orange slices won.

Everyone in the room was startled when the door was suddenly thrown open, and a tall young man with dark brown hair, and cold blue eyes entered, followed by two men wearing suits and sunglasses.

He was dressed in a long indigo blue trench coat with a dark teal long sleeved button shirt with an extended collar, black pants with a white belt on his waist, and black shoes.

She felt her heart skip a beat as her eyes rested on him, followed by a wave of immense sadness.

He's changed so much….

Yes, he had grown taller, standing well over six feet in height, but the changes were more than physical. Gone was the boy with the kind smile, and eyes like the morning sky; in his place stood a man whose heart had either become twisted, or turned into ice, emanating an aura of cold ruthlessness, and arrogance; the latter was not new to her, since he had shown signs of it when she had known him before.

" Daimon! " he exclaimed, coming to stand near the foot of the bed.

" Kaiba-kun! " Yugi looked at the young man in surprise.

Kaiba's eyes took on an icy glare as they came to rest on the shorter boy. " Yugi… "

Suddenly, his attention was drawn to the young girl who stepped away from the window, and came to stand beside Daimon, her expression one of shock and surprise, momentarily mirroring his own reaction.

She's no longer in a wheelchair…

She can walk now…

For the first time since Yugi and Anzu became acquainted with him, Kaiba's perpetual scowl softened slightly.

Until he saw the bandages on her arm, and the black and purple bruise peeking out from behind her collar.

" Kisara… "

Up until that point, she hadn't spoken, let alone revealed her name. " Seto, " she bowed slightly in greeting.

Kaiba took a deep breath before exhaling loudly and composing himself. " Have Daimon transported to Kaiba Medical Castle immediately! " he ordered the men with him.

Kisara moved aside once again as both men moved to opposite sides of the bed, wheeling Daimon out. Just before he exited the room, however, he turned to her, and smiled. " It was nice seeing you again, Little Miss, " he said gently.

Daimon wished that it didn't have to be this way; despite her kind smile towards him, the old man could see from her eyes that the girl's heart had broken upon seeing how much her Seto had changed in the two years since she had last seen him.

There was no help for it now; Seto Kaiba's identity had been revealed to Kisara Shirahoshi in that room, and now, the rest would be up to them both.