Valkyria : Hello Everyone! sorry about the delay hope you'll forgive for that.
Griever : This will be a short chapter. Thank you for reviewing this story thus far, we gotten a lot of hits and favorites for this and we really appreciate it.
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Griever : Enjoy the story and this beta'd by the wonderful Jan Lee~!
Chapter Four : One step at a time.
Yugi wiped the sweat off his face with a cool washcloth as he walked around his quiet living room. Jou and Honda had left merely an hour ago after helping him pack. Both of the boys didn't like the fact that he was moving into a complete stranger's home, let alone working for him.
But he had reassured them that this was the right decision, and Yugi had to do all he could to get back the other half of his late grandfather's shop.
Even if it meant working for an arrogant asshole such as Atemu Ishigami.
Yugi plopped down on the sofa and propped his feet up on the coffee table. He admitted that Atemu was a handsome man, with a terrific body to boot, the businessman must've had men and women falling for him left and right.
"But all of that sexiness disappears the moment he opens his mouth," he muttered to himself.
It was also times like these that he missed Anzu. Of course he still had Jou and Honda, but Anzu was the 'mother' of the group, who always took things seriously when the situation called for it and offered good advice when needed.
For once, he wished she hadn't gone to New York.
Taking his feet off the table, Yugi stretched onto the couch and closed his eyes. Maybe a short nap would do him some good for the time being.
Atemu was a man who did almost anything to get what he wanted, whether it was a man or woman he had his eye on, or a business deal he set his claws into, and once he did that, he played with it like a cat played with a mouse.
Yugi Motou was his mouse this time around.
Atemu's lips pulled into a dark smirk at the thought of Yugi. The newly graduated boy was a spitfire, who was nothing like his somewhat tame grandfather. Not that he had anything against Solomon Motou, of course. The man had been a genius in the business field. It was unfortunate that Solomon never used his genius to his full advantage.
Atemu was happy to pay for half of Solomon's funeral even if he knew that it would upset Yugi, who was stubborn to the point of frustration.
"I would've got to him a lot sooner if Seto hadn't been in the damn way!" he muttered to himself. Atemu had wanted to approach Yugi at the funeral, but Seto had quickly stepped in his way as if knowing what Atemu had been up to.
His cousin always did know him too well for his tastes.
Leaning back in his leather chair, Atemu decided to do some last minute paperwork in his office at home so he could have the entire day to devote to moving in Yugi. Atemu never had an assistant who wasn't infatuated with him, so it would be nice to have someone like Yugi- -who hated his guts- -around.
Not only would he be fun to tease, he could also help with this enormous workload I usually have.
At the thought of less paperwork and more fooling around, Atemu let a grin pull at his lips.
"Yes, this will be fun indeed…"
When Yugi woke up, the house was dark and the moon shone through the open window. Sitting up, he stretched and groaned in satisfaction when he felt the bones in his back crack.
Must have been more tired than I thought.
Yugi looked around at the boxes around his couch and near the kitchen door and released a tired sigh. It wasn't fair that he was forced into this situation. It wasn't fair that his grandfather was taken away from him because of cancer.
Leaning forward, Yugi buried his face into his hands and counted to ten slowly, all the while ignoring the stinging of his tears.
He knew that he should be grateful that Atemu was giving him a college education and a roof over his head. But, didn't he have the right to complain about the situation and how Atemu was manipulating it?
Yugi wasn't stupid nor innocent- -no matter how much his friends protested the notion- -he knew Atemu had an ulterior motive. No one did something so completely charitable in so many ways out of the kindness of their hearts.
If that no good bastard even has a heart!
He was thrown out of his musings by the ringtone of his cell. Not seeing it on the coffee table, he dug into the couch cushions and cried out in triumph when his hand touched the phone's smooth surface.
An unfamiliar number flashed across the screen. He frowned and pressed the button then lifted the phone to his ear.
"Hello…?"
When a deep chuckle flowed through the speaker, Yugi gritted his teeth and resisted the urge to hang up.
"Good evening, little one."
"How the hell did you get my number, Ishigami-san?"
"Did you know that you remind me of a pissed off kitten when you're angry?"
Yugi's grip on the phone tightened. "Once again. How did you get my number? And what do you want?"
"Your grandfather." Atemu's tone on the phone had turned from amusing to sobering in an instant, and it snapped Yugi's attention straight. "I called to ask if you were packed and ready?"
"Yes. Yes, I'm ready."
"Good."A pause on the other end. Then,"You sound tired. "
Yugi raised an eyebrow at the sudden kindness that Atemu was displaying. "I just got up from a nap."
"Have you eaten at all?"
"I've eaten. Thank you for asking."
"I see…well, it's late. You might as well return to bed. I will be coming to pick you up myself early tomorrow, so make sure you're ready."
Yugi snorted. "Yeah, sure, is that all?"
"Yes, that's all. Have a good rest, Yugi."
Yugi didn't bother replying and merely flipped the phone shut. Whatever Atemu was up to with this nice guy act, he had no intention of falling for it. He would make Atemu understand that he would be civil, but they weren't going to be friends or anything remotely close.
"If Fate blesses me, then these next four years would go by in a flash. But then again, it would be best if I didn't get my hopes up."
The ringing of the bell in the game shop caught Yugi's attention the next morning as he zipped up his luggage.
"Yugi?" Atemu's deep voice came from below. Yugi groaned and resisted the temptation to not answer.
"Come on up!" he called down. "Flip the sign to closed on your way up, please!"
Yugi turned his thoughts away from Atemu and resumed organizing his belongings. He had spent the part of the previous night cleaning his room and dusting his grandfather's. He ignored the painful twist his heart gave at the sight of how lonely and cold his old home had become when everything was packed away.
"Still not done?" came Atemu's arrogant voice from the stairway. "You told me you were finished on the phone last night."
"Just doing some last minute cleaning," Yugi responded through gritted teeth. "Take a seat, and I'll be done in a few- -"
"There will be no need for that," Atemu cut in. "I'll have someone come and clean up. Just grab your luggage and let's get going. I want you unpacked by lunchtime. We have much to discuss."
"What haven't we discussed?" Yugi snapped, his patience already exhausted by the mere sight of Atemu. "The fact that you're holding half of my grandfather's shop just out of my reach? Or the fact that you enjoy my suffer- -"
"I'm doing no such thing," Atemu hissed dangerously. "You should be grateful I'm even giving you a chance to realize at least some of your whimsical dreams."
"No one told you do that!"
"Your grandfather told me to do it, Yugi," Atemu whispered, his tone changing in a way Yugi was unprepared for. "He loved you very much and only wanted what was best for you. You of all people knew that and no matter how much you scream and argue and hate me, I will complete this errand he gave me."
"I-I don't…"
Atemu shook his head in protest. "I know you don't want to do this. You're very independent for someone so young, but what you need to understand is that everyone needs a helping hand once in awhile and for the next four years I will be yours."
Yugi bit his lips harshly and refused to cry in front of this infuriating man. Every word that Atemu said was absolutely true. But, that didn't mean Yugi had to like it.
"Come," Atemu said, reaching forward and grabbing two of the bags. "We best be going. Like I stated before, I would like to have all of your belongings unpacked before lunchtime."
Ignoring the stinging in his eyes, Yugi quickly gathered his remaining luggage and hurried down the stairs, not caring if he bumped into Atemu.
He raced out of the game shop's door and shoved his belongings in the backseat of Atemu's car before wrenching the front car door open. He slid in and slammed it shut.
Atemu came at a more leisurely pace, as if he had all the time in the world, and Yugi despised him for it.
He turned his head away as the driver-side door opened, and Atemu slid smoothly in. Yugi reached up and buckled his seat belt, making sure to keep his eyes on the road in front of him, neither glancing at Atemu, nor the temporarily closed game shop.
"Ready to go?" Atemu asked, as he started the car. Yugi didn't respond and kept his gaze firmly ahead.
Atemu sighed heavily and eased into traffic, all the while trying to ignore the heavy tension that had descended in the car.
This is going to be a very, very long four years indeed.
-End Chapter Four-