Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.
"Talk"
'Thoughts'
Flashback/Dream
...
"What the hell are you talking about Tristan?" Joey said in an aggravated tone.
"I told you already." Tristan said uncomfortably. "You know how the showroom has been for a while now. So I think it would be better if we separated our business, you know, try things on our own to see how it plays out."
"How it plays out?" Joey repeated. "What do you mean 'how it plays out'? It's not like it'll be different for us. Either we are together or separate, it'll be the same end result. She is after both of us."
"Don't be so sure about that Joey." It was Mai who spoke as she entered the living room of their house, Serenity following close behind. Both stared at Tristan with accusing eyes, frowns evident on their faces.
"What do you mean?" Joey asked, confused.
"Would you tell him Tristan or should I?" Mai asked in a sugary sweet voice. Tristan's heartbeat increased tenfold.
"Tell me what?" Joey now yelled in irritation.
"This." Serenity said, throwing a gossip magazine towards Joey. He caught it and stared at the cover page, his eyes widening considerably. On the cover page was a large picture of Tea hugging Nina. Also adorning a corner, was a small picture of Tea and Tristan facing each other, appearing to be in a conversation.
"What. The. Hell. Is. This?" Joey breathed venomously. Tristan's face paled as he stared at the picture.
"Listen Joey-." He began.
"This is why Tristan wants to separate his business from you." Mai said, glaring at Tristan. "His slut struck a deal with the bitch and begged for forgiveness on his behalf. And she, being the angel of mercy that she is, forgave him and gave him her blessings. So now he wants to break off from us."
"Is this true Tristan?" Joey asked, his nostrils flaring in anger.
"No it's not." Tristan said. "It's not what you think."
"Then how do you explain the picture… or the story in the magazine?" Serenity asked. Tristan had no answer since he hadn't had the opportunity to read the latest piece of gossip about Tea.
"That's right." Mai said in triumph. "You have no answer because what I said was true. You sent your fat cow of a girlfriend to get some pity and obviously you got it."
"Enough Mai." Tristan said, raising his voice.
"It's all true." Serenity piped in.
"No it is not. Nothing of that sort happened. Nina met Tea and became friends with her without my knowledge." Tristan said.
"I can't believe you did that." Joey said, yelling in anger. "You ditched us for someone who made our lives miserable. What kind of a friend are you?"
"I didn't do anything wrong." Tristan said, making another effort to explain. "Exactly how or when Nina and Tea became friends, I don't know. But what I do know is that Tea has been very nice to Nina, even after finding out about her relationship with me. She didn't hold anything against Nina for what I did in the past."
"What do you mean what you did? You didn't do anything wrong. None of us did." Mai interrupted, but Tristan ignored her outburst and continued speaking.
"The picture you are seeing was taken yesterday afternoon. Nina had gone out without telling me, and I was worried sick for her. I found out later that she was with Tea. To be honest, initially I feared for Nina's safety, but my fears were never confirmed. Tea took care of Nina, and due to her condition, she personally brought Nina home." Tristan's gaze flickered to the floor as he continued speaking.
"I… I spoke to Tea then. I am not saying that we patched things up right away, but at least we talked."
"Oh yeah, and what did you talk about?" Mai asked with a sneer.
"I bet he begged her to spare him." Serenity said in a dramatic tone. Tristan shot her a glare.
"We had a civil conversation. I did apologize for what happened in the past, and for causing her pain and stress, but-."
"So you cowered before the mighty movie star." Mai said. "You just caved in and fell at her feet for mercy."
"I did it because it was the right thing to do." Tristan snapped at Mai before turning to Joey. "Tell me Joey, have you not regretted how things turned out between Tea and us, not even once? Do you not find yourself wishing that Tea was still our friend, and that our gang was still intact just like in high school?" Joey looked down, emotions fluttering across his face, and he seemed unsure and conflicted. Mai noticed that and was quick to speak.
"What happened was unfortunate but it wasn't our fault. We didn't leave without notice and then come back with a vengeance. We don't have to apologize for anything. She's the one who should apologize."
"She feels betrayed by all her friends. She has every right to be angry." Tristan said.
"Oh, so now you're defending her?" Serenity accused. Tristan sighed.
"Look, I don't want to argue with you." He said in a tired voice. "I have a family to look after, and I don't want to sacrifice their well-being and future for my ego. Let's just separate our business amicably. I am hoping that we split the assets 50-50." He then turned on his heel and began walking out.
"There will be no splitting of assets." Mai screamed, causing him to halt. "The business was established from my money and Serenity's. You have no right on any assets."
"I put my heart and soul, blood and sweat into that business." Tristan yelled for the first time since his arrival at Joey's house. "While Joey was out opening his big mouth and causing trouble, I was in the office, handling the situations he created. I may not have put much money into the business, but without my hard work, it would have never gotten the status and success it did. I have equal right if not more, and I'll fight for it if I have to." He then turned to Joey.
"Joey, I'll have my lawyer contact yours. I hope we do this as peacefully as possible, without the media attention." He then exited the mansion with a frown on his face. But the conversation that had happened inside wasn't the only reason for that frown. The magazine story and cover kept swarming before his eyes, and a few question popped in his head over and over again.
Had Tea done this on purpose?
Had she planned to create suspicion and distrust in Joey's mind?
Was this just another one of her ploys to get revenge on him?
Was he making a mistake by putting his trust in her?
But her voice had held no deceit when she had spoken with him. Then again, she was an award-winning actress. She could have just faked it. Had he missed something from their conversation?
Flashback
Tristan paced in his living room, eyes darting towards the door every few seconds. He has spoken to Nina a few minutes ago and she had informed him that she would be reaching home in a few minutes. But what bothered him was what she had said before that. She had told him that she had gone to Tea's mansion, and it was her who was dropping her off.
His heart raced as he thought about his possible encounter with Tea. Their last meeting had been very tense, with him expecting some kind of nasty attack from her. But she had made it clear that she had no intentions of hurting Nina or his unborn child. But this time, it was different. He wasn't as guarded as he had been last time. In fact, he felt very bare and weak. His heart beat wildly against his chest as he imagined coming face to face with his former best friend. What should he say? What would she say? How would she behave? How should he act?
The sound of a car pulling in the driveway thankfully interrupted his thoughts and he quickly raced towards the door and opened it. He was met with the sight of a heavily pregnant Nina being supported by Tea, while a tall man, whom he knew as Joshua, her body guard, appeared from the another car.
"Tristan." Nina exclaimed, shooting him a wide smile. He quickly strode towards her and took her by the elbow, aiding her walk. Tea let go when she saw Nina was well supported.
"Nina, I can't believe you. What were you thinking? Have you no care for your health or the baby's? Do you have any idea what could have happened to you or the baby? Do you-."
"Tristan, I'm okay. No need to worry." She said sweetly. Tristan let out an exasperated sigh and helped her inside their house. From the corner of his eye, he saw Tea and Joshua stand by the door, watching them.
"You are welcomed to come in." He shot over his shoulder, and watched as Tea hesitantly stepped in, eyes glancing around curiously, or maybe it was cautiously. Turning his attention back to Nina, he carefully seated her on a couch and then turned to Tea and Joshua.
"Please have a seat. Do you want something to drink?" Tea shook her head.
"No, we should be getting back." She turned to Nina and smiled. "Thanks for your visit Nina. It cheered me up a lot. But promise me you won't be paying me anymore surprise visits until it is safe to do so, which I think will be in a few days." Nina let out a small laugh.
"I will definitely pay you a visit if you don't come to see me and my baby when its born."
"Of course I will come." Tea assured her. "And I will try to come up with a creative present to give you and the baby. I know it probably won't match your basket, but it'll be something."
"Your presence alone will be enough." Nina said gratefully. Tea smiled and gave the woman a small hug before whispering good luck and good bye in her ear. She then turned on her heel and began walking outside, Joshua walking beside her. She was about to sit in her car when she heard someone call her name. Turning around, she found Tristan standing a few feet away.
"I hope you are not here to accuse me of trying to harm your fiancé." Tea said. Tristan looked away.
"No. I… I actually just need to speak with you… privately if possible." He said the last part while eyeing Joshua. Tea appeared thoughtful for a few seconds but then nodded her head. Joshua sighed and sat in the car. Tea walked closer to Tristan.
"What do you want?" She asked in a non-friendly tone.
"I…" Now that he had her alone, he didn't know what to say.
"I don't have time for this." Tea said, turning around and walking away when he spoke.
"I'm sorry." Her body visibly stiffened and she turned to face him with fire in her eyes.
"Why are you sorry? What reason do you have to be sorry?" He looked away in shame.
"I realize what we did was wrong. We… we weren't considerate of your feelings." Tea snorted in disbelief and disinterest. "I can't speak for the rest, but I know that what I did was wrong. I… at that time, I was blinded by my feelings for Serenity. I couldn't see anything but her, and I wanted her to be happy no matter what. Part of the reason why I supported her was because I wanted her to be happy. Part of the reason was that I thought my support would make her come to me. I know that I was being selfish and in doing so, I completely disregarded your feelings."
"I don't want to hear all this." Tea said.
"But I need to tell you." Tristan said insistently. "Tea, I… when you left without telling us, I was worried. I expected the worst and knew I was to blame for it. Guilt ate me up inside and I withdrew a bit from the group. Yugi did the same. Both of us… although we didn't say it out loud, we both realized the error of our way, and have tried our best to not make any more mistakes. But I know all our efforts are futile unless we earn your forgiveness." She tried to speak again, but he held up his hand to silence her.
"I know what you are going to say. I know about your meeting with Yugi. He told me. I can understand your position Tea. Perhaps I would have done the same had I been in your position." Tea raised her eyebrows.
"Get to the point Tristan."
"Look Tea, I really am sorry for what I did. I know we can't go back to being best friends, but I want to have an amicable relationship with you, for Nina's sake." Tea didn't say anything for a few moments.
"Nina is a special woman." She finally said. Tristan appeared confused at her comment but nodded his head.
"Yeah she is. I'm very lucky to have her." Tea stared at him long and hard, and then turned on her heel, walking away.
"Separate your business from Joey." She said over her shoulder, glancing at him from the corner of her eyes. His mouth opened in surprise, but he didn't say anything or do anything. Tea reached the car and held the door, but did not get in.
"This doesn't mean I've forgiven you." She clarified. "But your honesty and your relationship with Nina has put you in a much better position than the rest." Tristan nodded his head in understanding and watched her get in the car and leave.
End flashback
Did having Nina as Tea's friend really put him in a better position? Tea did seem to have taken a liking to Nina, and Tristan hoped she would not want to indirectly hurt Nina by directly hurting him.
But the question still remained; could he trust Tea?
By the looks of the situation, he had no other choice. If he stayed with Joey, he was definitely screwed. But if he put his faith in Tea, there was a slight chance that things may improve. And for Nina's sake and the sake of his unborn child, he had to take that chance.
It was a gamble, he knew, but he seriously prayed it would pay off in the end.
Tea put on a fake smile as she walked through the halls of Kaiba Corp. She had received a call from them today requesting her presence at a meeting regarding the Duel Disk VX. As she approached the office where she was to meet up with a representative from the company, the familiarity of the surrounding settled into her mind. She knew this hallway; she had been here many times before.
'So this is how he wants to play.' She thought and a frown creased her features. Pasting on a mask of indifference, she knocked on his door and waited for the reply. Upon receiving it, she entered.
Just as she had expected, Seto Kaiba sat in his plush leather chair, eyes fixing her with a piercing gaze.
"Good afternoon Mr. Kaiba." She said in a professional tone, her gaze not faltering from his. He, however, did not reply, but she did notice a slight slumping of his shoulders. She inwardly smirked, knowing his attempt to intimidate her had failed.
"Since I know your time is too valuable to be wasted on the likes of me, I'll get right to it." She said in saccharine tone. "Why have I been called again? I finished my contract with Kaiba Corp. with the filming of the ad."
"Have a seat." Was all he said as he continued to stare at her. She let out an impatient breath and sat opposite to him.
"It is true that you have finished your contract with Kaiba Corp. But you haven't been called here for another photo shoot or a commercial." He said. "You may already know that Duel Disk VX has had phenomenal success in the market and has broken all sales records, not just in Kaiba Corp. but in the technology industry. Though much credit goes to the engineers and visionaries behind the Duel Disk VX, your part in the promotion of the disk is also commendable. Kaiba Corp. has decided to hold a party to celebrate the success of our product, and due to your association with Duel Disk VX, you are required to attend." Tea blew out a loud breath to signify her annoyance, but nodded her head.
"I could have been informed of this via e-mail or phone. There was no need for me to be here in person." A small smile appeared on his lips.
"Yes. But I needed an excuse to speak with you." As soon as the words had left his mouth, Tea stood up to leave.
"Tea please, listen to me." She did not bother turning or stopping.
"You have nothing to say that I'm interested in hearing."
"It's about Mokuba." Her footsteps halted on their own. In her mind, she knew that he was just using Mokuba to secure a few more minutes of her time, but despite the warnings in her head, she turned around.
"What is it?" She said in an icy tone, not wanting to show any weakness before him.
"Have a seat Tea." He said. She shook her head.
"Tell me what you have to say or I am leaving. I don't have the patience for your lies."
"Believe me Tea, I'll tell you no lies." He said, leaning back in his chair in a tired manner. She only huffed in disbelief.
"Was Mokuba with you this morning?" A frown of confusion appeared on her face at his question.
"No. He wasn't." She replied and watched him close his eyes. She knew from past experience it was to hide his emotions.
"Do you… do you at least know where he is?" He asked and her frown deepened.
"Yes I do." She said, carefully watching his reaction. "Don't you know?" A pained look crossed his features and he looked away from her questioning eyes.
"No. He… he didn't tell Rosa." Seto hesitantly admitted.
"Didn't he tell you?" She found herself asking before she could stop herself.
"He hasn't told me anything about his activities or life for almost 4 years." Seto said, much to Tea's shock. "If I ever learn anything, it's through Rosa or strangers." Tea could hardly believe what Seto had told her.
"By the look on your face, I'd say you didn't know about our situation." He said. Tea shook her head and he sighed.
"Mokuba hasn't spoken to me since that day." Seto said. He didn't need to specify what day he was referring to, and Tea sure didn't need a reminder. "He was deeply hurt by my decision, and thought it a suitable punishment to take away from me someone I cared for since I had done the same to him." Seto's voice was weary and tired as he spoke.
"I tried to get him to open up, I tried to get him to forgive me but…" He said in a voice laced with emotion. "It was no use. He cut himself from me as much as he could, becoming a stranger before my very eyes." He lifted his face to match his gaze with hers and she took a step back at the emotions and desperation that was shinning in those normally cold eyes.
"I lost my brother the day I lost you." He said. Tea could feel her throat constricting and was surprised to find herself feeling emotion for him.
"Why are you telling me this?" She asked after a pause.
"I have tried all that I can to get Mokuba to at least acknowledge my existence, but it has been of no use. You are my last resort, my last hope." Tea's heart beat wildly against her chest at his words and she held her breath as he continued.
"Last time I spoke to Mokuba, he said I needed to earn your forgiveness for him to forgive me." Her hands curled into fists. So this was his game. He was going to emotionally blackmail her by using his ruined relationship with Mokuba.
"I won't forgive you just because you ask me for it." She said in anger. He sighed.
"I am willing to do anything you ask of me Tea. Just… just give me my brother back. He is all that I have, all that I care about. Four agonizing years I have spent, longing for him to just say my name without hate, just to call me brother. For so long I have ached for a smile from him, a kind word, that now I am willing to do anything for it. I know I have hurt you Tea, but I am not asking you to forget all that I did and forgive me." He looked away in regret.
"I know things will probably not be the way they were before, but I am not asking for that. All I ask for is a civil relationship, at least in front of Mokuba." The desperation in his voice made it difficult for her to refuse right away, and she knew deep in her heart she could not, because she could see that his words had been true and from the heart. As she looked at him now, she realized that never had she seen the great Seto Kaiba look to fragile, so vulnerable, so helpless. Words died in her throat and she continued to stare at him. Why had she not noticed the bags under his eyes before, or the paleness of his skin? His face seemed to have thinned a bit, and his hair had somewhat lost their luster. His posture, too, lacked the confidence, the strength, the arrogance that was characteristic of him. This wasn't the man who had broken her heart and caused her so much pain and suffering. No, this was someone who was at the verge of being completely broken from the pain and suffering he had endured at the loss of his brother, his reason for life, his everything.
"Would you give me another chance?" His voice brought her out of her stream of thoughts and for the first time since her arrival in Domino, she felt unsure of her reaction.
"Mistakes aren't easily forgiven." She said coldly. "You, of all people, should know that."
"People make mistakes. It's only fair to give them a second chance." A nostalgic feeling overcame her as her own words rang in her mind. She quickly turned and began walking out.
"Second chances are given to those who prove themselves deserving, not to those who will use it to repeat their so called mistake." With that, she made to leave. Just before she exited, she spoke over her shoulder.
"I will get back to Kaiba Corp. on attending the event you mentioned. As for Mokuba, he is at his friend's house." She didn't not fully turn around to see his reaction, nor did she give him any time to respond, but closed the door behind her and walked away from his office. She needed to get away from this place, from this environment to get his words, his emotions, and his broken image out of her head. She would not succumb to emotions of pity and act weak. No, she would not let him take advantage of her like that.
She was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she failed to notice Mokuba waving at her from across the hall.
"Tea, what's up?" Mokuba said as she neared him. She looked up in surprise, not expecting to see him, and then hurriedly walked towards him.
"Mokuba I need to talk to you, in private." He sensed her anxiety and ushered her into a conference room nearby. Closing the door behind him, he turned to her.
"What did he do?" Mokuba said in a strained voice. Tea was surprised to hear the distaste in his voice as he referred to Seto. "I know you had a meeting with him, and that's why I came to get you, but I guess he pulled some cheap stunt before I got here." Mokuba's voice and attitude confirmed what Seto had said.
"Mokuba, how is your relationship with your brother?" She asked in a soft voice. Mokuba's shoulders visibly stiffened, his eyes hardening.
"What did he say to you?"
"Answer me Mokuba." Tea said, raising her voice to a strict tone.
"It is as it should be." He replied.
"So what he said was right." Tea said more to herself that to him. Mokuba's eyes narrowed.
"What did he say to you?" He asked again.
"I never bothered asking you about your relationship with him, but I never thought it would be like this. Never would I have imagined you to be so cruel to him, so brutal to your own brother."
"He is not my brother." Mokuba said angrily.
"Why are you so angry with him?" She asked in soft voice.
"He hurt you." Mokuba said in a frustrated voice. "He took you away from me. I… I thought of you as my best friend, as my sister. I was too young when my mother passed away, and I saw you as my mother-like figure. I trusted you and saw you as family, and he took all that away from me." Tea's eyes softened at his response and she reached out to gently touch his shoulder.
"And for what?" Mokuba said in a loud voice. "For an easy lay?" His shoulders slumped in disappointment as he spoke. "I used to look up to him." He said in a whisper. "I believed in everything he did. I admired him so much that I almost worshipped him. He was my idol, and then in one move, he destroyed his image before my eyes. He literally took away everything from me." Mokuba looked away, trying to hide the hurt he was feeling.
"You don't know how hard it was for me then. I lost my faith in the one person I trusted and admired more than anyone else in the world. I needed someone to be there for me, to explain it to me, to help me, but he had taken that away from me too. He isolated me from everything so I did the same to him. I took away someone he claimed to care about so now we are even." Tea stared at Mokuba in sympathy. Now she knew how he had suffered, and what had caused him to cut Seto out of his life. He had felt pain of his own. Very gently, she held his cheek and turned his face towards her.
"Do you know why it still hurts Mokuba?" She said gently. "Because you still love him. Despite your best efforts, you still love him and think of him as your brother. No matter how much you want, you can't cut all ties with him, and you dislike yourself and him for that." Mokuba's shoulders shook and Tea thought she was looking at an 8 year old Mokuba again, so vulnerable and unsure. She quickly hugged him, engulfing him in her protective and loving embrace, trying to give him the comfort he so desperately sought and needed.
"I tried to get him to hate me." Mokuba said in a shaking voice. "I was rude to him. I disrespected him. I went against his wishes as much as I could. But I just couldn't get him to hate me." Tea rubbed his back in a soothing manner and spoke.
"He can't hate you, no matter what you do because you are his reason for everything, the one person he has devoted his life to. You are his light, his day, his purpose, and his focus. He loves you more than his own life."
"I know." Mokuba said in a hoarse whisper. Silence fell upon the two as Mokuba struggled with his spiraling emotions, and Tea attempted to comfort him as much as she could.
"Mokuba." Tea spoke after a while, gently running her fingers through his hair.
"Hmm." Mokuba muttered, still in her embrace.
"You know that your brother has devoted all his life to you. Everything he has done, every move he made, every goal he set for himself, every decision he took, even every breath he took, he did it for you, always keeping you in mind and making sure it benefitted you more than anyone else, even him." Mokuba's head slumped a bit, and she knew he felt guilt.
"I know." He finally replied.
"Being with Serenity was the decision he made for himself, for his own benefit, keeping his own needs and desires in mind. After devoting his every move to you, don't you think he had that right? Don't you think he had the right to make one choice solely for his own benefit?" Mokuba separated from Tea's embrace and looked away in shame.
"For once he thought of himself, and you delivered such a cruel punishment to him."
"I am angry at the reason for his decision." Mokuba said in a frustrated voice. "He cheated on you many times, and then left you just because you refused to sleep with him on his demand. Every time I look at him, I don't see someone I can be proud of, or someone I can call my brother and not be ashamed of it."
"I know you don't like the decision he made, but it was not yours to make." Tea continued. "True that he has always given you a greater right on his life than himself, but it does not mean you should completely take over his life. You can't choose who he should or shouldn't be with. It should be up to him because he knows himself and knows what is best for him. You should trust his judgment and have faith in his choice. It doesn't matter that you don't like what he has done, or who he has chosen. You should just stand by him, because it is his decision. You know he would have done the same for you, and still would." Mokuba sighed loudly and slumped on a nearby chair, holding his head in his hands. She could the conflict on his face and knew what he must be thinking. She moved closer to him and placed her hand on his shoulder.
"I appreciate your concern for my feelings Mokuba." She spoke softly. "But I don't want you to torture yourself or your brother for my sake. You having a decent relationship with your brother will not bother me or hurt me. If that had been the case, I would never have kept any ties with you, and cut you out of my life just because of your association with him." He nodded his head slowly.
"When I spoke to him today, I saw the pain in his eyes." Tea said in a small voice. "He longs to have his little brother back."
"I… I can't. It's…" Mokuba struggled to reply.
"Talk to him and try to mend your relationship. I know it won't be easy, and things won't go back to normal in a day, but at least make an effort. Start by being civil to him, and giving him another chance. You know deep down that it is the least he deserves." Mokuba nodded his head and looked up at her.
"Thanks Tea." She kneeled before him and hugged him before getting up.
"Come on. Let's go back to my place. Joshua got this new video game and kicked my ass yesterday. He has been boasting about it since, and even though it has only been a day, he's gotten on my nerves. You can beat him and shut him up." Mokuba smiled in return and got up as well.
"One arrogant ass kicking, coming right up." They laughed and exited, talking animatedly amongst themselves, both failing to notice a shadow that had been leaning against the wall.
As soon as the two disappeared out of sight, Seto moved out of the shadows and walked towards his office. He had followed Tea after she had left, in a desperate attempt to convince her, but had quickly hid when Mokuba had entered the picture. He hadn't expected Tea to talk to Mokuba right away, or what he had just heard.
He didn't know Mokuba had felt that way about him. He thought he had robbed Mokuba of a friend, but he never imaged he had taken Mokuba's brother away as well. Mokuba had always idolized him as a child, but now he was ashamed to even look at him.
He had fallen in his little brother's eyes.
He had degraded himself in Mokuba's eyes.
He felt his throat constrict and felt moisture gathering at the corner of his eyes.
Such a huge punishment for his mistake.
Had he known in advance how much suffering his decision would be causing those he loved, he would never have gone through with it, even if it was the most desired at that point. Had he known, he would have sacrificed everything for Mokuba's sake.
But it was too late now.
He couldn't change the past.
All he was left with now was regrets.
…
…
And another chance… should Mokuba give him one.
He placed his arms on the desk and rested his head on them, letting the tears fall. For the first time in his life, he felt completely helpless. And perhaps for the first time in a long time, he turned to God and humbly prayed for strength and a chance to set things right.
Ring, ring.
Ring, ring.
Tea's hand reached out for her cell phone placed at the night stand. She stared at the ID was surprised to see 'private caller' written.
Who could it be, calling so late at night?
Only a few knew her number, and their IDs had been fed into the phone's memory. This was someone she hadn't given her number to. She contemplated on whether or not she should pick up. In the end, curiosity won over apprehension and she answered.
"Hello." She said in an inquiring voice. No reply came from the other side.
"Who is it?" She asked. Still, no reply.
Was someone playing a trick on her? Was it one of the guys pulling a prank on her to freak her out?
"If you don't answer now, I'm going to hang up." She warned, a frown appearing on her face.
"Tea…"
She would recognize that voice no matter much time had passed since they had talked over the phone.
"Please don't hang up." He said in a desperate tone, and she suddenly realized she had that option, though she hadn't been considering it, probably due to shock and a myriad of other emotions she refused to dwell upon.
"What do you want?" She asked in a cold voice. Once again, she was greeted with silence.
"I don't have time for this." She said in a frustrated tone and was about to hang up when she heard him speak again.
"Thank you." She brought the phone close to her ear again at his word.
"You talked to Mokuba… and for that, I'm grateful." He said. She was surprised at his confession. Sure it was highly unusual for Seto Kaiba to acknowledge someone's favor, but that wasn't what had surprised her. He was thanking her for speaking with Mokuba, but how did he know about it? Had Mokuba already spoken with him? She could have bet Mokuba would take a few days to sort out his feelings before speaking with his brother. Perhaps Mokuba was as eager as Seto to erase their differences.
"I did it for Mokuba." She said to clear any misconceptions he may develop. She would not let this instance be seen as a moment of emotional weakness. On the other line, Seto let a small smile form on his lips. He had expected this response.
"I heard what you said to him." He said in a quiet whisper, and she froze momentarily.
He had heard what she had said?
Was that why he was calling her?
Did he think she could be easily swayed by a few emotional words, and was calling to perhaps test and prove that theory?
"Mokuba hasn't spoken to me yet," Seto continued speaking, ending her train of thoughts, "but I saw the changed look in his eyes. They did not hold the same malice for me that I had encountered for almost four years. Thank you for that." He said in an honest tone.
"Like I said, I only did it for Mokuba." She said, but her voice did not hold coldness or anger anymore.
Silence fell over them again. Tea struggled to select an appropriate reaction to the situation, but her mind was in disarray for some reason. She could only imagine what Seto was feeling at this moment. It was Seto who broke the silence.
"I missed you when you were gone." He said in a gentle voice. His words, simple and plain, carried so much emotion that she felt her throat constrict at their intensity. "I thought about you every day, and dreamed of you every night."
"Why are you saying this?" She whispered in a hoarse voice.
"As time passed, I realized how wrong a choice I had made, and how much you meant to me." He continued speaking, completely ignoring her question. "I could barely spend a spare minute and not regret my decision. There wasn't a single moment when I did not wish to reverse the tides of time and have you back with me, in my arms. But despite all my yearnings, I never sought you out because of my pride. My damn pride kept me from finding you and reaching out to you, no matter how much my heart wanted it."
"Why are you telling me this?" She asked again, her voice almost breaking.
"You said that I made a mistake, and told Mokuba to give me another chance." He said. "Would you do the same?" She had no answer for that. She desperately racked her brain for a reply, but none came to her. All she could do was try to steady the beat of her heart that had increased tenfold since the beginning of this call.
"Would you give me a chance to earn your forgiveness?" He asked again.
"If our positions had been switched, would you have given me another chance?" She asked in small whisper. On the other side, Seto froze. Would he have given her another chance had she left him for someone else and humiliated him? He didn't have to think long to know the answer but he still struggled to find a different one.
Tea waited for him to respond, every passing second washing away the spell of emotions the call had woven over her. She had asked the question already knowing the answer, and now his silence confirmed it. Taking a deep breath, she spoke, the coldness back in her voice.
"Good night Mr. Kaiba." She quickly hung up, not risking being trapped in his words again. Very gently, she placed the phone back on the night stand. She then turned the lights off and closed her eyes, refusing to acknowledge the heartache that had just invaded her soul, or the tears that escaped her eyes.
...
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