Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Yu-Gi-Oh! or any characters and situations presented in the manga/anime. No profit is gained from the publishing of this story, no copyright infringement intended.

Should this story be deemed offensive by the creator, Mr. Takahashi, his solicitors or any of the (unsettling amount of) companies holding licenses to the series it shall be of course taken down without hesitation.

A/N: So after three years, I have – finally – found what it was that bothered me when trying to finish this story. I am quite happy, that I am able to wrap this up. This update contains the last interlude as well as the final chapter. Originally, there was supposed to be an epilogue portraying Anzu's thoughts and feelings, but I am afraid that this won't happen. I do hope that the end, which I have written, does the rest of the story justice. I am very curious to see what you think.

As always, I am open and looking forward to your comments and constructive criticism.

Love,

Acalanthis

This doesn't mean anything – Aftermath; an Interlude

Part Three – Mokuba

Wikipedia says that 'business ethics' are a form of applied ethics that examine the ethical rules and principles within a commercial context. Translated this means that 'business ethics' are supposed to question the way a company earns its profits. People always claim that Seto doesn't have 'business ethics', because he does everything to further Kaiba Corporations' success.

Seto says people often don't think when they talk. He also says that people will try and say things about you that are untrue - deliberately - so that others will think badly about you and that you have to learn to shrug it off. He says that people are often wrong, and I think I agree with him although I do wonder whether no one's ever told them not to lie.

If Seto didn't have business ethics Kaiba Corp. were still the number one armaments manufacturer instead of the number one game's developer and distributor. So obviously, what people say about big brother's business ethics is wrong.

Wikipedia also says that a 'legal guardian' is a person who has the legal authority and duty to care for the personal and property interests of another person which cannot do it on their own because they're either too young, incapacitated or disabled. That person is called a 'ward' – funny word. Sounds like 'warts'.

It doesn't say anywhere that the legal guardian is supposed to love the ward. I guess that's a given.

People say Seto isn't ready to be my legal guardian; he's not yet 20 which means that he isn't an adult yet (1). They say he needs a guardian of his own but they don't know what they're talking about. Nor do they know big brother that well. Because most grown up's aren't nearly as smart as big brother is. And most of them don't even deserve half of my trust. My aunt and uncle taught me that. Seto says not to dwell on it – yeah, he does talk pretty funny sometimes but that is just him.

Kids at school tell me, that Seto is a 'cold fish'. Their older siblings told them. They say he makes an arctic winter look like a tropical summer when he's in a good mood. They say he never is in good mood, though. Sometimes they say really mean things; like that big brother's blood must run colder than ice water because he never looks twice at a girl. When they feel particularly mean they ask me what it does take to make him look twice and then they make one outrageous suggestion after another and it makes me sick.

I know that big brother can deal with all of this, because he told me so. He says he doesn't care what they say behind his back; he says that they're not worth my time if they can't even work up the courage to tell him that to his face. He says not to get worked up over it because it's jealousy and jealousy is childish and thus not noteworthy.

Seto isn't bothered by the rumors or the fingers pointed in his direction but Mokuba is, obviously.
He can't wrap his mind around the fact that someone who is generally pleasant to be with, like some of his friends in school, can be downright cruel towards another person and think it fun.
He's tried a lot to shut them up and sometimes, he's successful.

Last month Yosuke told me that big brother couldn't get a girlfriend even if he paid someone to play the part. He shut up when he saw the photo. It's ironic though, because Anzu is with Seto only because he does just that. Pay her, I mean. It's sad, too, because that means that it doesn't mean anything, that Seto doesn't like Anzu like that at all (same for Anzu). It's all make-believe. Like an advertisement or a movie.

But…

I know I'm selfish but…

I do want it to be real. I do want it to be... more. I do want it to be something that makes big brother happy like he's been the past days because I can always tell when he's in a good mood even if he tries to hide it, which he hasn't been doing. Because it makes me happy to see big brother happy and to hear that people are jealous of him because he is seeing Anzu.

But I keep wondering… is wanting to keep all that wrong of me?

Torn as he is, between wishing for happiness for his brother and happiness for someone, who has always shown him kindness and asked for nothing in return, Mokuba hates it.
He hates, that it doesn't mean anything, because neither of them deserves that. What they deserve is infinitely more.

(1) In Japan, you are legal once you reach the age of 20.