*3* Jounouchi *3*

I stood in the courtyard and watched as Seto hurried into his limo. I said he could see me. If that was true then maybe I had a way to figure out what was going on. I made a fist and let out a curse toward the sky. "You think this is funny?" I asked god not that I believe or anything… still. I wasn't going to ask Kaiba for help, no way. There had to be someone else with the ability to see me.

As I was about to start my search the bell sounded for lunch. Aww man. I love lunch. My stomach growled but I wasn't hungry. This was the worst thing ever. I sighed and sat down on the bench dedicated to me. I ran my fingers over my name then over my birthday and death day. Yes I knew I was dead and that my dream wasn't a dream. What I didn't know was why I was stuck in the living world. I was a ghost.

I had seen enough movies to know that if I was a ghost then I had unfinished business. Thing is I don't know what is unfinished. Maybe I should have stood up to my father or confronted my mother about why she left me. If that was true there would be no way for me to talk to them now anyway.

"Hey Jouno." I heard my name and watched as Yugi came to sit next to me on the bench. "I brought your favorite. Well one of your favorites." He said and dug through his lunch box and pulled out a Rice Crispy treat. My mouth watered. Ever since we had gone to America on one of our "trips" to save the world I had been addicted to those things. "It's probably silly for me to bring you a snack. You aren't even around anymore."

"I'm right here, Yugi." I said and reached for his hand but my hand just went right through his. "I hate this!" I screamed

"But all the same I am going to have lunch with you like always." He said and began to eat his lunch and tell me about his day. "And I'm sorry about what Kaiba said this morning. I am sure he is hurt too. I bet he thinks this is his fault."

"Pft, he wishes." I said.

"I just wish I knew who did this to you." He said. "Then at least the school could calm down and then you could have justice."

"It was Yoshi. How do you not know that? I mean there were four of us. If no one else saw then how did they know there were four of us?"

"Whoever it was must have slipped back into a classroom or into a crowd to blend in. Once the other two regain their memory I am sure they will tell the police."

"What!" I was really mad now. The guys who actually deserved it (well not deserved it but you know) get to live and I, the one who tried to help Yoshi, get to die! How was that right? Those bastards are lucky I'm dead.

"Anyway, Jouno," he paused then blushed. "Remember how I've been trying to get Anzu to notice me as more than a friend?"

"Yeah." Even though he couldn't hear me, we really were having a normal conversation. It felt nice.

"Well she finally asked me out. She said she's always had a thing for me. You were right; I should have told her how I felt in the beginning."

"Way to go Yug'." I smiled. At least Yugi wouldn't be alone and he could try to move on. Eventually, I knew, he would have to stop "having lunch with me" and that's what I wanted. It was breaking my heart to watch him mourn for me.

After lunch I decided to start my search for someone else who could see me. Now that I knew Yoshi hadn't been caught I knew what my unfinished business was. Problem was I had no idea where to start.

Psychics? Family? I didn't have the guts to find my family, I didn't want to find out that my mom didn't care or that my dad didn't miss me. I didn't want to watch my sister cry over me. I shook those thoughts out of my head when the bell for the elementary school across the street sounded.

That's when it hit me.

Mokuba Kaiba.

Money bags' little brother might be able to see me. Maybe it ran in the family. Going to Mokuba would be a lot easier. I walked out of my school's courtyard and walked across the street to the elementary school. Then I saw him standing outside the gates on his cell phone. I really hope he doesn't turn out like his brother. His eyes went wide.

"Mokuba?" I asked as I walked over to him.

"Jounouchi?" he said and my heart raced, he could see me. "What do you mean you saw him?" he asked. Oh, he was on the phone talking about me. He didn't see me. And if he didn't see me by now then that meant he couldn't. "I think you should take a few days off." He said. "Because if you are seeing things then you are stressed out about the shooting. I don't care." He paused. "No one will think you are weak." He sighed and hung up.

"Your brother is a jerk." Someone behind me said.

"He's right." I said.

"No he's not. He's just stressed from work. None of you know what he's really like." Mokuba said.

"I've never seen it."

"When have you been over long enough to see it?"

"Point." The kid said. "But doesn't he care that he's hurting you?"

"He'd never hurt me on purpose." Mokuba said.

"Maybe not but he hurts you on accident an awful lot." The kid said. "Oh, there's my mom. See you tomorrow, Mokuba." Then the kid ran off to his mother leaving Mokuba alone. Well not alone, I was there.

"Hey, Mokuba. It's okay. Don't listen to that kid. I have seen the relationship you have with Kaiba. I don't understand it but I know he loves you." I said and started walking with him toward the Kaiba mansion.

When we got there I froze. I had never gone inside and never expected to. I hated Kaiba but going in his house seemed like an invasion of his privacy. I stayed outside while Mokuba went in. I just couldn't bring myself to go where I wasn't welcomed. Damn my new morals. But I guess it did give me an excuse to leave. I was still on a mission to find someone else who could see me.

I got up and started to head for the street when I noticed a limo pull into the drive. Shit. I was hoping to avoid him. I wonder if I can turn invisible. I am a ghost. Then again why would I need that ability if no one was supposed to see me anyway? I jumped into a bush watched Kaiba get out of his limo.

"I don't have time for this, Roland." Seto sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"But master Kaiba, I don't understand why you don't take a day or two off."

"I can't afford that. Let this go." He said but he wasn't as scary as I thought he would be. I was sure that when an employee talked back to Kaiba was fired on the spot.

"Yes, sir." Roland said. It must suck to work for Kaiba.

"Look, after I am finished with Kaiba Land U.S.A. I can take a break."

"Yeah right." I said and covered my mouth, and looked out to see if he had heard me. He wasn't looking.

"If you say so, Sir." I watched them go into the mansion and crawled out of the bush when the door closed. I dusted myself off and hurried out of his yard and down the street. I was reduced to hiding from Kaiba and I hated it. I hated that he was the only one who could see me. Fuck my life…. Or should I say, fuck my death.

I walked through the streets of domino cursing my death until I came up to my…father's apartment. Even though I was dead the thought of home was comforting. I mean my father wasn't really there for me but once I got to my room and locked the door everything was alright again. I hurried home and slipped through the door.

I looked around; the house was spotless, clean. It hadn't been clean since mom had lived here. I glanced around for my dad. Maybe he moved out? Nah. There was no way he'd let this cheap place go.

"I'll do better." I heard my father say as I reached the center of the house. He seemed to be in the middle of an important conversation. He was in the hall just outside my old room on his knees with his head against my mother's stomach.

I had to double take to make sure I was seeing her right but it was in fact my mom. I hadn't seen her in years, she never even called and now she was here. I didn't know whether to I was happy to see her or angry that she would visit now that I was gone.

"I don't know…" she said and looked into my room sadly.

"Please." My father begged. Pft, the only time I ever heard him beg was when we were at the bar and he wanted another beer. "I swear, the drinking is over, I enrolled in AA. Please, I don't want to be alone. Take me back."

Selfish bastard. I thought

My mom placed her hands on my father's head and suddenly I felt like I was intruding. She said yes and slid to her knees and hugged my father. Fuck. Oh sure, get back together now that I am gone.

"You guys suck!" I yelled and stomped past them and went into my room. Thankfully it was still the same. I hopped onto my bed and stared up at the ceiling.

"Pack a bag and we can head back in time for dinner." My mom said softly. I groaned and rolled over. "We'll have people clear out the rooms and let this place go." I sat up quickly waiting for them to mention me or my things. Didn't parents usually dedicate a room to their dead kids? I'm not asking for a shrine but maybe they could come in here and see if they want to keep something to remember me by.

"Good idea. I can't be here anymore." My father said. "Being here wasn't a good idea. I turned my son into a bully and he paid the price for it. I won't make the same mistake with our new son."

"WHAT?" I shot out of bed and trumped over to them and glared. That's why my father was on his knees earlier.

"I only came here to tell you about the baby I didn't mean for you to change your life around." She said.

Oh god, I'm gonna be sick. I was being replaced. Easily replaced.

"I know but this is my chance to change. That night… it was supposed to be fun. One last reminder of how good we were together but now… now it's more than that and I am ready to take this chance."

Oh sure. Until you pick up another beer and beat him too. Fuck this. It was all so suffocating; if that was possible. I took one last look at my room and headed for the door. I would find a way back and then confront my parents. I would show them. I would show everyone that I wasn't the fuck-up they thought I was. And I would start with the one person who could see me. This would be the first test I was ever ready to take.