A/N: READ THE STORYNOTES OF THE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL (CHAPTER 7)!! THAT STORY IS NOT CONNECTED TO THE REST OF THIS FIC! IT IS A CHRISTMAS SPECIAL. PLEASE BE UPDATED ON THE STORYNOTES ALWAYS.

I feel like I've changed. Guys, my world's spinning. I don't know (actually, I do) what I was to live my life for. But now, the truth just shaken it… and now I'm uber confused. Though I'm alright with the new found guilt it brought me because I'm actually guided on where on and as to what.

Warnings: Mild Cursing, Shounen Ai, OOC Tendencies

Disclaimer: Disclaiming all rights right now—aside from the promise…

Story Notes:

1) -.-.-Page Break-.-.-

"No more. No less. You're gone."

Find Me

Gone

The next day came in silently.

And so did the next.

And the next…

But the seat beside Kaiba's remained empty. Where was he? Was he safe? Why was Kaiba bothered like there's no tomorrow?

Jou had been absent for three days straight. There were no calls or notes left from him. And the fact that no one was answering his phone wasn't helping either.

"Where the fucking hell is he?" The CEO muttered as he watched the teacher go about the equations on the blackboard.

The teacher—he didn't even care whether the Mutt was in or out. And it amazed Kaiba that one can easily forget or not even give a singly damn towards anything. This ironically made him amazed with his self. There were no explanations needed as to why he was suddenly so intrigued in his own flaws. Only that it was Jou who always made him feel this way. But at the same time the blond made him feel higher without him leaving the ground.

"Stupid Dog."

"Mister Kaiba," The teacher called out from the front. "Care to share?"

"No."

With that, everything went back to normal.

But what was normal?

Jou no longer there to make the class laugh—minus Kaiba.

Jou no longer there to get grades not higher than a B?

Jou no longer there to pester him?

If that was what normal truly meant to people—then, Kaiba Seto didn't want any part. Not when Jounouchi Katsuya is not around to share the days with him.

If Katsuya wasn't around…

'What the will happen to me…?'

That was a random thought—which caught the brunet off guard. Did he just actually think that? But, to hell with it. Kaiba knew it was useless to deny such emotions of which he was supposed to grow against.

So he decided to go along with it. But, the CEO wasn't saying he's happy about it. It already hurt to see the blond—what more if he couldn't see Jou at all! Twice or thrice the pain, definitely.

Blue eyes shifted onto the wall clock that hanged on top of the board.

"Puppy." Kaiba huffed.

He is so going to find Katsuya.

-.-.-

True enough, Jou was gone for three days. But it really wasn't his fault. The place was half as big as Kaiba's mansion! Okay, maybe he could've finished his little adventure in a day, but what was the point of a vacation with just one day?

Plus, there were hidden stuff he wanted to visit. Like that old loose floorboard which he just stepped on.

The blond smiled. He remembered that it was the same floorboard where he and Seto would keep things. Why? Because they were children.

Then, Jou heard a beeping sound—making him snap out of his memory. His brown eyes shifted onto his wrist watch. Gulp. By this time, his father would've been awake just like the last two days. And maybe he was in worse rampage. For sure, by now… Jou's dad had found out he wasn't around. Adding to that, Yugi and the gang must've been dead worried about him.

Though, right now isn't really the time to think about that. Right now, it was his moment to rest. Forget. Bid farewell.

Slowly, Jou looked at the floorboard again. He kneeled as his hands slowly traced the cracked edges. Gently, he pulled the wood up and placed beside him.

The teen's breath hitched.

"It's still alive, huh?"

His once wide smile faded into a gentle one as he remembered a happy Seto that had always smiled at him.

-.-.-

"Yug' are you sure you don't know where he is?" Honda had almost frantically asked, very worried about his friend.

"He didn't say anything…" Yugi replied.

"Damnit!" With that, Honda banged his fist onto the nearby locker.

"Honda, please…!" Ryou pleaded. "I'm sure his safe somewhere!"

From across the hall, the CEO was listening. Though not obviously, due to his head sticking in the locker, pretending to be looking for a book.

'How are they so sure?' Kaiba mentally hissed as he watched from the corner of his eye. 'Morons…!'

But he had yet to act upon this… he wanted to listen some more. Maybe, somehow, he'll get leads to where Jounouchi was.

"Hikari's right." The taller albino, Bakura, countered as he smirked in seeing the shark-headed brunet pulverize the locker. "The Mutt's stupid, but not that stupid."

Kaiba gritted his teeth. Though he agreed with Bakura, the fact that he somewhat degraded his Puppy really made him want to beat the bloody hell out of him.

No one. No one was to call Jou stupid.

Except him, of course.

Blue eyes twitched as they, then, saw a familiar taller tri-colored teen pass by. Kaiba closed his locker door as he watched Yami. The pharaoh must've had a lead. Hopefully.

"Oh, Yami!" Yugi cried into the taller one's arms. "I'm so worried about Jou!"

"It's alright, Aibou…" Yami coaxed. "I am sure he's going to be fine. Jou's strong…"

It sickened Kaiba. Whenever they said Jou was going to be okay, it sickened him deeply. How can they easily say those words?

With that, the CEO walked over to the group. His left hand reached over to pull Yami away from his light and his right, punched the said pharaoh. Of course, this made Yami fall back onto the ground—but in a way; he knew this was already coming.

"Shit," Honda retorted. "What is up with you!"

Kaiba had his coldest glare on.

"How can you say those?" He asked in a deadly tone as he continued to glare at Yami. "How can you be that sure he's alright! How the seven hells are you sure he isn't crying right now!" At this point, the CEO was already yelling, earning a few heads to turn. Kaiba really didn't mean to sound emotional, but it couldn't be helped. His feelings were out of his control. "If you can easily say he's alright, then you aren't real friends, like you've said you were!" Pause. Anger and worry were flashing before the group. "He doesn't like being alone. He hates the dark. And he cries a lot!"

Everyone was shocked—even Bakura couldn't react.

"I told you to take care of him, Yami!" Kaiba scolded.

There was silence as Yami was supported by Yugi.

"If you care so much," The pharaoh breathed. "Why don't you go after him? Why don't you take care of him?"

Kaiba's eyes widened.

"I… can't."

"You're the only one who can find him, Seto."

'Where…?'

"Go after him before he's gone!"

'Yes,' The CEO thought. 'But where?'

There were no words… instead, the brunet took two hesitant steps back and nodded to the taller tri-colored teen. And with that, he was off.

"And I thought I was insane." Bakura blinked as he watched the CEO run away.

-.-.-

Jou took the ball from its resting place—the same blue and white one. Standing up, he walked out back to the playground and took a seat on the swing. Gently, he gave himself a push, making the swing move back and forth in rhythm.

Still, the ball was in his arms.

To Be Continued

A/N: Like it? Hate it? Review me! X3! BBye!