Chapter 16

The day started off like any regular day Kiara being dropped off to school by her chauffeur arriving at school a few minutes early to greet everyone as usual but when she would greet her friend Joey his seat was empty.

"Guys Joey isn't here." Kiara said pointing at his empty seat.

"Is he okay?! Is he sick?" Kiara said worried for her friend

"She's right.." He said worriedly. Tristan looked at Joey's empty seat. "This is bad...why is Joey absent?! That guy has super human health!" Tristan declared.

"Yeah just yesterday he was here playing with that yoyo of his…although he almost hit himself with it." Kiara said

Yugi looked on the side thoughtfully "Now that I think about it...this is the first time he's been absent..." then Yugi looked to Tristan, "Do you have any idea where he is, Tristan?"

After a minute Tristan said "Well...I dunno how to contact him.."

Téa huffed a little impatiently, "He keeps to himself too much!"

"After school I'll go to his house, I know where he lives..." From that point everyone decided to tag along with Trista because they are worried about Joey.

After school they made their way to check if Joey was home.

Tristan said to them that Joey lives in the first door on the 3rd floor. The group finally made it there Tristan knocked but no answer.

"No one home?" Tristan asked aloud.

Kiara tried the door only to find that it was unlocked. "If he isn't home then why's the door unlocked?" Kiara asked them, then proceeded to open the door.

"Kiara what are you doing?" Téa asked

"I'm just gonna take a peek to see if he's inside..you never know if someone broke in.." kiara trailed of as she tried to look inside the apartment, only to be met by a beer bottle that luckily hit the door the shock of it made her jump back into the hallway trembling in fear.

After that a drunken voice talked a bit angrily to them. "Y-you...this d-dang brat...haven't b-been home since yesterdayyy...hic".

Closing the door quickly Tristan, Yugi, Téa and Kiara quickly made their way downstairs with a "Sorry to bother you!".

"Was that...?" Kiara spoke up

Tristan nodded.

"Yeah, that'd his old man...he's been like that for a long time...guess that's why Joey never invites anyone over..." Tristan explained. A small moment of silence went between Kiara, Téa and Yugi.

' That explains why he won't invite us to his place to play games or watch a movie…having a father that's an alcoholic.' Kiara thought her hands shaking.' Having a parent like that is hard…'

" He said Joey hasn't been home Since yesterday..." Kiara spoke up . Yugi pondered over this for a bit and said "I guess we have to keep looking!"

They searched almost everywhere for Joey but to no avail.

'If Joey needed help he could've asked…but knowing him he'll probably brush it off…' Kiara thought.

"He isn't in any of the usual places..." Téa commented

"Joey." Yugi mumbled worriedly. Kiara glanced at him sympathetically.

"You guys can go home...I'll keep looking." Tristan said. Reluctantly the others agreed but just when Kiara, Téa and Yugi were gonna leave they heard some ruckus. It looked as if some punks were picking on somebody.

"Their uniforms are from Rintama High! They're all the same...let's get out of here..." Tristan said.

Kiara looked ahead of the ruckus and stopped in her tracks.

"Hey….isn't that Domino High's uniform in that group?" Kiara asked pointing to the guy.

Yugi looked to where Kiara was pointing and his eyes grew wide. "That's Joey!" he exclaimed. Taking a closer look Kiara realized it was him.

Concerned Yugi went up to the Rintama High Boys and called out to Joey.

"Why did you miss school? Why are you with those..." Yugu trailed off as he realized that Joey wasn't even listening.

Then one of the gang members, wearing a Green beanie cap looked at Yugi distastefully and asked "Joey, do you know that brat? He's talking to you...". Joey looked back at them coldly and replied "No, never seen him before...let's go."

Not giving up Yugi called out to Joey again. Just then another gang member with a ponytail and was smoking spoke to Joey. "Joey...you've gotten soft...you shouldn't let some brat from Domino High follow you around! Not if you want to go with us to Rintama High!".

Kiara heard a slight gasp from Tristan. Yugi spoke up again.

"Joey, walk home with us!" Yugi insisted. After muttering something, the guy with the beanie cap then punched Yugi!

"Yugi!" Kiara called out, running to catch him.

"Don't stress out our friend Joey!" Mr. Beanie Cap threatened.

Kiara glared at them. "Joey.." Yugi called out feebly.

Moments later the small group sat at the park bench.

Kiara and Téa gave first aid to Yugi for his bruise.

" That guy..." Tristan started, "It was really bad, when I was a kid...back in middle school and part of high school we spent out time picking fights. That's how we learned how to brawl, and there was always this one guy...this guy named Hirutani...".

After a moment of silence Tristan went on. "Why is he hanging out with them now...maybe he's always admired him...I never did."

Another moment of silence passed as Kiara and Yugi looked at Tristan. "Those guys are nothing but trouble...they pick on weaklings, but..." Tristan paused as he intertwined his hands, "He chose them, not us...is he never coming back?".

They were all silent letting that thought sink in.

Kiara closed her eyes and breathed deeply. 'Joey…' she thought, letting her memories of him flow right by. ' He's a hothead...sometimes a pain in the butt when I have to bail him out...he loves teasing me…he's a hard worker…he's not book smarts but he is street smarts..he's a loyal friend…so why is he doing this?' Kiara opened her eyes and looked up to the sky that was slowly filling with gray clouds. ' He's not that stupid to go back to his old life…' After a while Tristan left disappointed in Joey.

*Outside of J's Bar*

Yugi, Téa and Kiara were hiding behind a corner just out of J's bar, waiting for someone to come out until they saw Tristan wearing a band on his way inside only to be stopped by his friends, Tristan explained to his friends on how he became friends with Joey ln a Middle school competition With Tristan's quick running and Joey's skill they won and became friends so the band that he has on him now is the symbol of his friendship with Joey.

After about a few minutes someone come out. Immediately Tristan cornered him. "

YO!" Tristan yelled out. The little grunt turned around and met Tristan's smiling face. Dragging the grunt a little out of range from his gang raised him up by the collar and ordered "Tell me why Joey is hanging out with you Rintama jerks!". The grunt just smirked at us and said mockingly "Dunno...".

Tristan gave him a deadly glare and yelled "Tell me or I'll kill you!".

The grunt still gave him a taunting smirk then looked at Kiara and Téa, and said "How 'bout a deal." Kiara heard Téa gasp while Yugi curling his fist in anger. Tristan really looked ready to kill him.

"A deal? Hmm…" Kiara said softly

"You're not really gonna make a deal with this scum bag?" Téa whispered

Kiara smiled softly she pulled the guy in as he blushed and kneed him between the legs.

"YOU BITCH!" the grunt yelled but before he could finish Tristan flipped him as he landed inside the trash can on it's side and kicked it down the alley where it stopped into a pile of trash.

The grunt looked at Kiara angrily. "YOU BITCH! WE WERE GONNA MAKE A DEAL!" he yelled.

"We are. And the deal is this tell us the situation with Joey and Rintama and you don't get hurt anymore." Kiara said sweetly.

Anyways a few minutes later the gang were caught up on the situation. The group went inside J'z talking to one of the employees working there, through that they find out that Joey is forced to join the yo-yo gang.

"So Joey will come back to school tomorrow!" Téa said smiling "He'll even bring his yo-yo and do some idiotic tricks."

Kiara smiled softly hoping that it's true.

The next day...

Kiara let out a sigh Joey didn't come to school neither did Yugi and Tristan, she figured that they went to find Joey again at the gang's hideout. She went to the school's library during their break to distract herself and read. As usual no one is at the library except for the librarian who was reading a magazine.

Kiara quietly walked to the back section of the library to take her usual spot, she raised an eyebrow seeing Kaiba there leaning back on the chair his arms crossed over his chest.

'What is he doing here?' She thought quietly staring at him she took a step back. 'He's asleep…' Kiara quietly moved the curtains so that the bit of sunlight doesn't stir him up, she slowly leaned forward getting a better look at the young CEO. 'He looks so peaceful when he's asleep..'

Kaiba eyes slowly opened. "Kiara?" He said

"Ah..Hi.." Kiara said softly. "How long were you here sleeping?"

Kaiba checked his watch. "At the start of our break." He replied

"You still have time to sleep a little more." Kiara said, taking a seat next to him.

"Kiara is that new?" Kaiba asked

"New what?" She asked as he raised his hand gently lifting her chin.

"The color on your lips…" he said quietly

"Oh this Yes it is…it's a new lip gloss shade I made from a kit I bought." Kiara explained

"That color suits you…the previous one you wore didn't. "Kaiba said softly as he gently moved his hand away from her chin.

"Thank you Seto." Kiara said smiling brightly at him.

Kaiba opened his mouth then closed it as if he was about to say something else he scowled. "I'll see you in class." He said as he left

'What was that about? And…did he just scowl at me? I didn't mean to interrupt his nap.' Kiara thought worriedly.

After school Kiara walked out not seeing Yugi or the others she figured they went home, she decided to walk by herself home. She walked the usual route until she noticed a two of the rintama guys, she slowly sped up then the two ran after her.

*Kiara's POV*

So about those Rintama guys…they caught up to me.

Why?

Because of their leader apparently after yesterday's encounter he sent his goons to pick me up…by pick me up I mean basically taking me against my will to meet their leader again….why do these things happen to me?

"You're hot I'll give you that much." Hirutani said,"What do you say on being my girl?"

I felt sick to my stomach at what he said. "Sorry, I'm not interested in a piece of trash like you!". As soon as I finished that sentence one of his underlings glared at me.

That's when Hirutani grabbed me.

"Let me go!" I screamed.

Hirutani pinned me against the wall.

"Now I'll educate you into learning some manners." He said as He inched closer to me, taunting me he asked "Anything you want to say?". As the hand moved out of to let me talk I glared at Hirutani

Hirutani merely smirked raising his hand ripping my jacket when I heard "STOP!". Standing in front of the warehouse was Yami, looking very angry.

Kaiba stared at his phone for the last hour staring at the phone number of a certain girl. He's known to be a ruthless CEO yet he hesitates in texting one girl.

"Get a grip Seto!" Kaiba scolding himself while staring at his phone.

"What's wrong Seto?" Mokuba popped inside his home office

"Nothing's wrong " Kaiba said placing his phone down.

"Are you sure?" Mokuba asked, watching his older brother getting up from his chair.

Kaiba stood still for a moment he slowly raised his hand touching his chest. 'Why do I feel uneasy? So she left early no big deal I do it all the time…She also promised me that she'd leave me a message the moment she gets home.' His blue eyes stared at the grandfather clock. 'She should be home by now.'

His phone lit up as he checked the text message.

'Hi Seto just letting you know I made it home' Kiara

Kaiba let out a breath while his younger brother peeked at his phone smiling.

'I have to tell Kaleb! operation cupid is a go!' Mokuba thought smiling happily at his older brother.

The next day

Kiara felt very happy and relieved that Joey is back after that whole rintama gang incident. During class break every one left to play sports while the gang stayed in the empty classroom She watched as he proudly announced his new yoyo trick.

"So what's the new yoyo trick you have to show us Joey?" Kiara asked while she cleaned up the chalkboard.

"I have a bad feeling about this…" Téa muttered under her breath.

"Behold! Special loop in the sky!" Joey announced as he moved his yo-yo in different directions creating a fast breeze he unintentionally made the girls skirts lift up Kiara let put a High pitch sound blushing red, at that moment Kaiba opened the door seeing Kiara at that moment he had a shocked look on his face at what he just saw, a very faint blush formed his cheeks. For a moment Kaiba kept his composure; he closed the door immediately leaving the classroom without a word while Téa and Kiara went to scold (And beat up) Joey.

Thats the end of this chapter please leave a review