I spot Bruno's old visor on the desk, next to the computers. I pick it up, running my fingers over the broken edges. I notice a drop of water on the front of it, I go to wipe it away only to find that it's slightly warm. I turn to look at Yusei who lies asleep on the couch. My gaze goes back to the vizor.
It feels wrong.
I feel like Bruno's going back through that door, like nothing happened and fix up Jack's D-Wheel. Bruno's death doesn't feel real. Maybe because I didn't come to terms with it as it happened, maybe because I have too much to deal with now that mourning his loss comes after figuring who I am after everything that happened. I feel terrible, I should be sobbing. I should be distraught after the death of my friend, but there's only a twinge of sadness when I walk into the garage and he's not here.
"Hey Yuuka, want some coffee?" I put the visor down as Crow calls out to me. "I'm putting the kettle on."
"No thanks, I have a cup here." I answer, trying not to raise my voice too much. Yusei shifts on the couch, not that I think he was asleep in the first place. I take a sip of my coffee, only to find that I'm finishing it. I really should have checked how much coffee I had before I said no. I sit at the desk in the silence, once the kettle finishes boiling that is. Yusei shifts on the couch before sitting up.
"Hey," I say.
"Hey." He replies. I get a good look at his face. He looks tired. He was definitely crying, his eyes look a little red.
"How's it going?" Crow comes into the garage, holding a cup of what I assume is tea by the smell of it.
"It's going." I answer. I hear Jack moving around upstairs. The only other sound is Crow drinking his tea.
Then, there's a knock on the door.
"Who is it?" Jack comes down the stairs, scowling a little. "No one ever knocks."
I squint at the door, focusing on the aura. Oh boy.
"Crow, answer the door, you're closest."
Crow groans a little before walking up the ramp to the door. The door is open for about a second before he slams it closed again.
"Yuuka, there's a little bitch at the door."
"I know." I sigh, rubbing a hand over my face.
"Who is it?" Jack asks again.
"Raiden." I watch their faces fall.
"Maybe if we ignore it, he'll go away." Yusei sounds exhausted, which is highly relatable. There's another knock at the door. "Maybe that's the postman, did anyone order a package?" Another knock. "Anyone? Please."
"That's it." Jack comes all the way down the stairs, and moving towards the ramp. "I'm gonna kick his ass." Another knock, and Jack visibly twitches.
"It's fine." I put my hand, trying to keep Jack in place with my powers. I think it works because he glares at me. "I'll get it." Crow moves out of my way, so I'm standing in front of the door. I look down at myself to make sure I'm presentable. Black skinny jeans, red turtleneck crop top with a light black jacket thrown over it and black ankle boots. Good enough. I take a deep breath and open the door.
"Can I please just talk to-" Raiden starts talking before the door opens all the way. He stops when he sees it's me. "Oh."
"What do you want?" I ask.
"Well…" He trails off, eyeing the space behind me. I turn around to see Jack and Crow practically leaning on the wall, trying to see Raiden. They look away dramatically when I try to meet their eyes. "I just want to talk? But I don't think they'll let me."
"That's a fair assumption." I say, turning to look back at Raiden.
"Can we?" He raises his eyebrows, away from them.
"I don't know." I move back into the garage a little so I can look at Yusei properly. "Yusei, can I?"
"Just bring your deck." He answers.
"You heard him." I turn my attention back to Raiden.
"You're going to Cafe la Geen, so we can see you." Jack moves between Raiden and I, pointing to his regular cafe just across from Poppo Time. "If you try anything, I will come over there myself and personally make sure you can never do anything again. Understood?"
"Got it." Raiden looks a little spooked, which is amusing. Despite being slightly taller than Jack, Raiden is scared shitless by him. It's probably all the threats of murder, at least Jack hasn't punched him again, yet.
"Now, call us if you want us to come get you." Crow hands me my deck.
"I think I'll be fine." I sigh. Why are they like this, I ask myself. Because they're both overdramatic, that's the answer. There's no two ways about that. It's nice to know they care about me enough to do this. I close the door before they start going overboard.
"So Cafe la Geen?" Raiden asks. I take a good look at him. He almost looks sheepish, but he still looks like the Raiden I knew. I don't think that man could ever wear anything other than a black shirt and slacks, at least he's added a black blazer. "I assume you've been there."
"Actually, no." I answer. "It's expensive and Jack spends all of our money there, so I can't afford it."
"Don't worry, get whatever you want. I'll pay for you."
"You don't have to-" I suddenly get interrupt by a mysterious fist punching Raiden in the face, knocking him to the ground.
"Dude, what the fuck!?" Raiden tries to defend from the flurry of punches coming from Takumi. "No, stop!"
"No?" Takumi backs away for a split second before kicking him in the gut. "Oh what? Didn't think I'd do that. But you haven't listened to a no before, so I'm not listening to yours."
"Yuuka, do something!" Raiden shouts at me. Takumi glances at me before kicking Raiden in the gut again. "Yuuka!"
"No means no, asshole."
"Hey Takumi, I wanted a punch in." In the second that Kaoru gets Takumi's attention, Raiden gets back to his feet.
"You let him do that?" Raiden raises his eyebrows at me.
"You deserved it, shut the fuck up." Kaoru looks angry at the mere sight of Raiden. "You're lucky that I'm not going to do anything to you… yet." Raiden flinches a little and wipes the trail of blood coming from his nose.
"Shinji, do you get all of that?" Takumi turns to Shinji.
"Yep." Shinji replies, typing vigorously on his phone. My phone buzzes, telling me that Shinji sent me a video.
"Really, Shinji?" Raiden asks his own cousin.
"Dude, I know you're my cousin. But damn, that was satisfying." Shinji bites his lip in an attempt not to grin, but it seeps through.
"Now, what exactly are you two doing together?" Kaoru crosses and steps right between Raiden and I. "Does Yusei know?" He glances over his shoulder at me.
"Jack, Crow and Yusei know I'm with him." I hold up my deck. "We're going to that cafe across the way. Jack and Crow are watching to see if anything happens, and Yusei told me to bring my deck." I step out from behind Kaoru to see him glaring at Raiden. "Uh… Kaoru?"
"I hear you." He answers, keeping his gaze on Raiden who looks very unsettled. "We're coming with you, no complaining. I don't trust him around you."
"That's fair." I respond, shrugging my shoulders. Raiden gives me a look, not being too keen on the idea of three pretty strong men following us around in case he slips up, not to mention one of them being a psychic.
Kaoru walks directly between Raiden and I as we all walk to Poppo Time. The air is unmistakably awkward. I glance back at Takumi and Shinji who are snickering and blink repeatedly, trying to portray my want for this to end.
"This is actually a bit of a private matter." Raiden reluctantly says as Kaoru starts to sit down at the table we choose. "I'd prefer if you didn't sit with us." Cue raised eyebrows and a harsher glare from Kaoru. "I-I mean you're welcome to sit at the next table if you want, it would just be better if you weren't at our table."
"Come on, Kaoru." Shinji pats him on the shoulder before basically dragging to a table, not one, but two away.
I sit down at the table across from Raiden. We just kind of blink at each other.
"Do we have to go order or-" Raiden begins to ask before being interrupted by Stephanie coming up to us.
"Hello, welcome to Cafe la Geen. What can I get you?" Stephanie bows a little before staring at her little notepad, waiting for us to respond.
"Flat white." Raiden responds, not even looking at her.
"Americano please."
"Oh hi Yuuka, I didn't recognise you there." Stephanie practically gasps once she writes down our orders. "How's Jack doing? He hasn't been over today."
"No complaints." I answer. The cafe only opened today after everything that happened with the Ark Cradle, so Jack is likely having caffeine withdrawals by now.
"That's good, tell him I said hi."
"Will do." Stephanie goes to walk away. She turns back to look at me.
"Have you done something with your hair?" She squints at me. I didn't really do anything, it just grew unnaturally fast by itself.
"Nah, just grew it out." She keeps her gaze fixed on me, before shaking her head. Her aura lightening up.
"It looks nice like that." She finally walks away, leaving us.
Raiden and I go back to our staring contest. I drum my fingertips on the table, waiting for him to say something. He suddenly starts blinking really fast, as if he's thinking of what to say.
"You invited me here, you might as well say something."'
"Hey, if you're gonna hold hands, at least do it on top of the table." Shinji's voice interrupts us. "I was the first person Kaoru told about this, so like I feel offended that you're hiding this now." We both look to their table. Takumi grins at me, gesturing to his hand holding Kaoru's on top of their table, while Kaoru hides his face in embarrassment.
"So you told Shinji and not me? I see how it is." I block out any response by staring right at Raiden. "So continue."
"Well," Raiden holds down at his folded hands before looking up at me again. "I'm sorry for what happened between us. I've put you through a lot, that you didn't deserve. I have a lot of issues that I haven't resolved and I took that out on you- no, everyone- and I'm sorry. I hope you can forgive me-"
"I don't." Raiden looks at me wide-eyed. "I did not deserve what you did to me. You were horrible. I'm still dealing with the issues you caused me. I am not okay with this. I am not going to forgive now, not after everything."
Raiden seems floored by what I said. Stephanie places two mugs in front of us. He mutters a thanks, and I do too. I feel the guys a few tables over tense.
"Okay," is all he says. He takes a sip of his coffee, but makes a face like it's a little too hot for him.
"I told you this already. I refuse to let you control my life anymore. I need to let myself not forgive you. Some people will probably say that I need to forgive you for my sake, that it would heal me in some way, that it will make my life easier. But no." I look him right in the eyes. "That wouldn't make me feel better."
"I understand." His brows furrow. "I hoped you would, but I didn't really expect it."
"You manipulated me, used me, abused me. You tried to murder me. You tried to ruin my life several times, and tried to have Yusei murdered. The fact you even hoped is surprising."
"That's fair." He takes another sip of his coffee, regardless of the fact that it's still too hot for him. I take a sip of mine. Bitter, just like me.
"Why are you really here?" I ask. "You tried apologising to me before, that was clearly an opener for something."
"You're right." Raiden's cup makes a little clatter as he puts it back on the saucer. "I have two things to talk to you about."
"Oh boy, here we go." I roll my eyes. His face scrunches a little, so I make my face look a little more serious, a little.
"I've decided to go for therapy." He folds his fingers together and fiddles with his thumbs. Yusei does the same thing, I realise. "I don't want to go alone to my appointment, I'd appreciate it if you went with me." He raises his hand once he sees that I'm going to respond. "Now, you don't have to. You can just leave me at the door, but I want someone to go with me. I know I need this. I need help, and I think you do too."
"Who are you going to see?" I take another sip of my coffee. "You are a psychic, you could get rejected at the door. Not to mention, you were involved in some pretty illegal stuff. The same goes for me."
"You remember Dr. Nico Rodriguez?"
"How could I forget?" I roll my eyes. "I saw him a while ago, looks like he won't forget me too soon either. How many times did we have to bang on his door because I got stabbed too much?"
"Too many." Raiden laughs easily and I'm reminded of a simpler time. I think he is too, because his face falls with a twinge of regret. "But yeah, apparently his sister Elena is a therapist now, so I'm going to her. I reckon she knows the deal with psychics and gangs."
"That's good. I really need to go." I look over Raiden's head into the inside of Cafe la Geen. "Got a lot of stuff to work through."
"We all do." Raiden sighs. "You're not special."
"I appreciate the sentiment, but like, I have memories from another lifetime and I struggle with who I actually now as a person, so don't start this please."
"I didn't mean it like that." Raiden puts his hands up in self defense. "I don't want you to feel like you're the only person with issues. You have a serious problem, yes, but everyone else's problems are still valid and worth acknowledging."
"Yes, I know that." I roll my eyes. I can't believe Raiden, of all people, is giving me a lecture. As if I haven't been trying to help with Yusei's problems, and Kaoru's problems, and Kenta's problems. If anything, I should be telling him this. "I'm not stupid."
"I know that, Yuuka."
"I have a question for you." I glance up at him for my cup. "What will happen to the gang territory? I refuse to go back to that life now."
"Nothing." Raiden says. "For the first while, it might be a bit rough. But it will calm down. You won that territory, not through dueling, but convincing them that a life without gangs is better. That says a lot. They listened to your message. I talked with some of the gang leaders. Their underlings understand that too. Everything's been resolved now. Some random attempts at power may happen. Without the old leaders, it won't very long. I promise you if anything starts, I will finish it."
I feel the eyes of Takumi, Shinji and Kaoru on me. Can I trust him? That's the question they're asking me. I look Raiden in the eyes. I don't see that power-hungry leader, I just see the man who used to be.
"Thank you," is all I say. "Now what's the other thing you wanted to talk about?"
"Well, going off that, I thought about what you said in the Ark Cradle."
"What I said?" I echo.
"Yes." Raiden folds his hands up again. "You said, rather than changing the past, you wanted to create a better future for psychics. I've been thinking about that ever since. Wondering what that future could be, for us… for everyone."
"I don't even know the answer to that." I respond, trying to absorb the fading warmth for my mug.
"Well, I think I have the answer." Raiden leans forward ever so slightly. "I want to set up a school for psychics. I realised that the biggest problems for psychics is that neither themselves, or their parents, know what to do once they find out. Setting up a school would mean that they have options. We'll teach them to control their powers, work to get rid of the stigma that goes along with it. That's what my answer is. What do you think?" Having gotten his piece out, Raiden leans back in the chair more. He shifts like he's crossing his legs underneath the table.
"We?" I ask.
"Yeah, we'd use some of the gang money to get started. I have my eye on this little place and-"
"Raiden, what do you mean by we?" His eyes grow wide.
"I just thought since-"
"Raiden, there is no us or we." I sigh. "I can't do it."
"Before our duel in the old Black Flag base, I kissed you and told you that I love you." Raiden reaches for my hand across the table. He holds my right hand in both of his, I shrink my left arm back. I look him in the eyes. His eyes glow like they did when we first met, before everything got to his head. "I meant it, Yuuka. I love you more than I thought was possible. I know we skirted on this before, but now looking back, I can see how wrong I was. I'm being straight with you here, I don't know what to do without you and I want you by my side."
Hold on.
I must be dreaming.
This can't be right.
I retract my hand slowly.
"Raiden, you had your time and you missed it." I gulp as his face falls. "I've moved on, and I think you need to as well."
"Yuuka, I-"
"Don't." I sigh. "It's just easier for both of us. Maybe there was a time when I thought I had those feelings for you. Then. everything started to go wrong. I've moved on. I found Yusei again. I love him more than anything in this world and beyond, and I know he feels the same way. I'd never give him up for anything. That's the truth of it. I'm sorry, Raiden."
Raiden leans back in his chair, hand over his mouth. I glance over at the other table, and manage to make eye contact with Kaoru, Takumi and Shinji. They all look pretty done with Raiden's shit, also ready to kick his ass, but that's another story.
"Well," Raiden finally speaks up. My gaze focusing back on him. "That's… something."
"It's not a bad idea." I say, changing the topic. "But that's not me. I'm not a teacher, and I know that. Kaoru came to me once. He was looking for help, wanting me to teach him to control his powers. I couldn't do it. It's just not who I am. You know that. If you think that's your path, I wish you the best, but it's not for me and I won't join you."
"That's fair, I guess." He taps his hands on the table three times. "Well, I suppose I better get going then."
"Raiden, don't feel like you need to-" He holds his hand up, stopping me. I know I hated him and that I wanted to kill me, but I still feel bad.
"No, I get it." He reaches into the pocket inside his blazer. He throws a heavy envelope onto the table. He lowers his voice. "That's for you. Minus the money for the school, that's what's left of the Black Flag money. You can do whatever you want with it, it's yours. I wish you and Yusei the best of luck in whatever you two end up doing. This is it, I suppose. Goodbye Yuuka."
Raiden throws enough money for both of our coffees plus what I imagine is a reasonable tip on the table, then promptly leaves, sticking his hands in his pockets. I look behind me as he walks off, heading in the direction of his mother's shop. I turn back, staring at the empty mugs in front of me.
Shinji comes over to me and picks up the envelope, feeling the weight of it in his hand. Takumi comes over and asks what it is.
"No idea." He replies, as he sets it back down.
"It's a butt plug, I bet that's what it is."
"It's obviously not that." Shinji rolls his eyes. "It's probably money."
"Well, she looks a little sick and knowing Raiden, that would do it."
"Ew, why would it be one of those?" Kaoru asks.
"Takumi can explain it to you, I'm not going to be the one." Shinji crosses his arms, eyes widening a little.
I get up myself and walk back to Poppo Time as fast as I can, envelope in hand. I hear Shinji call after me but I ignore him.
"Do we need to go over there?" Jack says the instant I walk back in, his body is tensed like he's ready to go.
"No, he left."
"What's with the envelope?" Crow asks.
"Raiden left me the last of the Black Flag money." I hold it up, looking at how thick the envelope is. I'm trying to imagine how much is in there. "Don't know how much it is." Crow walks up to me to get a look at it.
"Far more money than I've ever earned in my entire life."
"Same," I answer.
"Are you going to open it?" Yusei gets up from his spot on the couch.
"No."
"No?" Everyone starts staring at me intently.
"I don't want to know. I don't even know what to do with it." I fiddle with the envelope in my hands. "I need to figure out when I'm doing now before I can decide that."
"I suppose you're right." Crow puts his hand to his mouth. "Speaking of which, what are you going to do now?"
"I don't know." I shrug my shoulders and walk up the stairs. I go directly to Yusei's room and stick the envelope under his mattress. I go straight back down the stairs, and all but throw myself at Yusei. I hear the door open, and he's basically in the door before I'm yelling at him.
"Piss off Takumi, what do you want?" I raise my voice so I know he hears it.
The pair of footsteps stop dead in their tracks.
"How did you know it was me?"
"She probably felt me coming." Kaoru answers, and walks down. I sit up on the couch, staring at Takumi's face. "You were just over in Cafe la Geen with her."
"That can't be right." I fix myself so I'm sitting on the couch properly.
"What are talking about?" Takumi moves over so he standing next to the couch.
"I read your aura." Takumi's eyes bulge.
"I-I thought you could only read the auras of psychics." He stammers.
"Not true." Shinji answers. "She can read mine, and I'm not a psychic."
"It wasn't just you two." I continue. "Everyone in Team 5D's, and Stephanie too at Cafe la Geen just there."
"Wait what?" Yusei's eyes scan my face. Everyone's staring at me.
"That's strange." Crow's brows furrow. "Then, what exactly is an aura? You said it was the energy surrounding a psychic, but clearly that isn't the case."
"I was wrong." I look up to the small windows in the garage. I close my eyes and feel everyone walking around. "It's the energy surrounding everyone. I mustn't have been strong enough to feel it before. Of course, psychics and Signers are stronger, but everyone has one. I talked with Bommer when I went to Peru about auras. I think I understand now. Auras are people's spiritual energies. Psychics are more in tune with their spiritual energies because they're using that energy to materialise monsters and use their powers. Signers were literally chosen by fate and the Crimson Dragon. We were all connected to fate and our spiritual energy, but more so. That's why I felt Shinji's aura. He changed fate by saving my life, so his aura became stronger to me. It makes sense now."
"Okay, I'm going to nod and agree cause I didn't understand any of that." Takumi looks at everyone else in the room.
"Agreed." Shinji adds.
"I don't know, that was pretty sound logic to me." Kaoru shrugs his shoulders.
"You know what? I don't need this. I'm gonna go take a nap." I sigh, standing up and going back to Yusei's room again.
I sit on the bed, throwing my head back, and stare at the ceiling. I try and clear my head. Clearing my head only makes me feel worse. Crow's question about what I'm going to do next keeps flying around my head. I hear the door open and close, then the bed squeaks slightly when Yusei sits beside me. "What do you think? What am I going to do now that everything's over?"
"That's for you to decide, Yuuka." He scoots closer to me so that our arms are touching.
"What are you doing?"
"I had an idea." Yusei sighs, but I bump his shoulder, urging him to continue. "I want to make sure that their bad future never happens." I don't have to ask who they are. "But for that, I'd need like a doctorate in Applied Physics or something, and I'm years away from that."
"Honey, I'm sure you're smart enough that they'd let you do it."
"I think you're overestimating me." He chuckles, and I raise my eyebrows at him.
"Sure honey."
"Oh, while you were gone, Ushio and Mikage came over and-"
"How long was I gone?"
"Not that long." He answers before continuing. "But they had news."
"Here we go." I groan.
"It's not that bad. They told me because I dueled Z-One and saved the City, that I'm being given the Key to the City."
"I'm sorry, the what?"
"Yeah, that's what I said." He rolls his eyes. "Yeah, apparently the higher ups wanted to do something for me since I saved millions of lives and all that."
"I guess that's fair, but the Key to the City really?"
"They can't build another Daedalus Bridge so that's what they came up with." Yusei slides his arm around my waist and I lean into him.
"I need a dress." I suddenly realise. "Oh god, what am I going to wear? How fancy is it do you know? Is it black tie? I bet it's black tie."
"Probably, I don't know." Yusei shrugs his shoulder. "You complained the last time I didn't tell you about this kind of event."
"That sounds about right." I say, remembering the WRGP Premiere party. "Now to make or to buy, that is the question. But you're renting a suit or a tux, I don't care. This is a party for you, you're not showing up in that fucking riding jacket again."
"Okay, Yuuka." He sounds amused, but then I raise my eyebrows. "I know you're not joking."
"Right come on." I say, standing up. "I'm going to the fabric store to look at materials, wanna come?"
"Sure, why not? It's not like I have anything else to do."