(A/N:) Suddenly—an update! I know you all hate me now. It's okay, it happens...

It's funny how time flies. The term is already over. Thankfully, for our next semester, I don't need to take as many classes since I decided to get most of them done and over with already. Oh, how clever and foresightful I am.

Malik isn't as lucky—he's responsible for two classes while I'm off, so since I have nothing better to do now, I tend to lounge around his house nowadays.

I'm sitting in Malik's living room, watching movies on-demand. "Will you turn that down?" Malik mutters under his breath.

I turn to him. "Honestly, I don't understand why you're trying to study in here. Why don't you go to your room?"

"Because I don't trust you being alone in my living room."

I roll my eyes. "Oh, come on, the worst I can do is probably...I don't know, spill something. Or watch a movie on-demand that's not free."

"Exactly," Malik says. "I don't want you doing those things."

I sigh. "Look, Malik, I don't want to be the cause of you failing your next exam or whatever—"

"Oh, that reminds me. Why are you even here?" Malik raises an eyebrow.

"I have no classes for the next month. I have nothing better to do."

Malik stares at me. "Ryo, you...seem changed."

I feel my hand twitch. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know, I...I guess I'm not used to seeing you not studying while I'm studying or not studying. You know what I mean?"

"...Sure," I say, trying to brush off the subject. "Anyway...what are you studying for? I might be able to help."

"Physics," he pouts. "The prof is c-ra-zy."

I sigh, familiar with Malik's complaints and issues with this professor. "Look," I say, and flip to the back of his textbook, pointing to the various review problems, "Just do these in your room, and come back out and I'll check them for you." Malik groans. "No complaining. Do you want to pass?"

"Yes...," he grumbles.

"What?" I say. "I can't hear you!"

"Yes, I want to pass, jeez...," he takes the textbook and trudges along to his room, and shuts the door.

l stretch and try to find something remotely interesting to watch since the movie just ended, but I've run out of movies to watch. Great. I guess I'll watch the food channel or something.

I hear a door opening, but when I look up, I see nothing and assume it's just my imagination. But I'm proven wrong.

"Ryo?"

I turn to the side, and see Marik standing there with his messenger bag. I jump a little, not expecting to see Malik's brother.

"Marik!...Oh, well, this is awkward. I thought you have classes?" I scratch my head, flustered.

"They ended early," he shifts a little. "Where's Malik?"

"In his room, studying. I gave him practice problems." I scoot to the end of the couch, lessening the distance between us.

"Oh," he looks down at me. He's wearing contacts today. "So, does Bakura mind you're here?"

"Eh, he doesn't care," I shrug, tracing random patterns on the couch armrest.

"Ah, true," he nods. He's learned more about me, I guess you could say. "So you're staying for a while?"

"Mm, just until around five, then I'll have to go home and make dinner."

Marik bends down, now eye-level with me. "What a housewife."

I roll my eyes. "Shut up."

He kisses me.

I revel for a second before pulling away. "Shit—Marik, what are you trying to do, get caught?"

Marik chuckles. "You said Malik was studying—which could take some time. We have time."

"Well, yeah, if you don't consider the fact I gave him the easy problems."

Marik raises an eyebrow. "Why'd you do that?"

"I didn't know you were coming," I shrug.

He sighs. "What a downer."

The door to Malik's room opens, and Malik walks out. "Ryo, I'm do—" he sees Marik. "Oh, you're home," he says cynically. He turns back to me. "I finished the problems, and checked my answers in the book."

"They were in the book?" I blink.

"Well, duh. But anyway, you don't have to check them. We can do stuff now, I'm done studying," he tosses his notebook on the coffee table, and swiftly grabs his bag, keys, and sunglasses.

"C'mon, Ryo, we're going out," he grabs my arm and drags me toward the door.

"Wait, ah, wha—?" I blink, and look back at Marik, but he's out of sight at this point.

Malik brings me to the driveway, where he has his car parked. We get inside and start driving to who-knows-where.

"What was that?" I raise my eyebrow.

"I needed to get out of there. I can't concentrate on studying anyway," he shrugs. "And Marik was home."

I sigh. "Really, Malik..."

"I could've just left you, but that's like, leaving a soldier behind or something. I don't know. I'm not in the army."

I make a puzzled expression at his analogy. "I wouldn't mind being left behind there...," I mumble.

"What was that?" Malik looks at me. We've come to a stoplight.

"O-oh, uh, nothing," I stutter. "So, where exactly are we going...?"

The light turns green. "Your apartment, where else?"

"Why don't you tell him?" Marik hits the ping pong ball back to me.

"Are you kidding me?" I hit it back. "He'd flip if he found out."

"But I thought you said he doesn't care?" He misses. "Shoot."

I put the paddle down. "Bullshit," I scoff. "He hates your guts—what makes you think he'd be completely fine with his friend going out with his brother?"

Marik blinks a few times. "You're probably right."

I shrug, looking smug in a joking manner. "Of course."

He walks over and forces my head on his shoulder. "He's going to end up finding out somehow, though."

I cringe. He's probably right.

Yeah. It feels like yesterday. How ridiculously corny. Marik and I were attempting to sketch the neighborhood and he just turned around out of nowhere and said six simple words—when put together, it's a hard question. Especially in my situation. (Not a very romantic way of asking me out, I know, but I've realized that I'm not a romantic type of person.)

Will you go out with me?

Damn.

My biggest dillemma: How could I possibly go out with Marik when I know Malik would disapprove? I mean, he's not my mother or anything but Marik's his brother and he's my friend for God's sake. Plus he abhors Marik, and even makes some effort for me to stay away from him (all efforts proven ineffective, obviously...). Not to mention Malik's previous reaction to Marik and I "hanging out"…

I don't know why I let Marik talk me into it. I like him, and I've come to accept that, but I knew it was wrong—so why did I say "yes"?

(A/N:) Short chapter again. GAH. Sorry. It's been, what, two years since the last update? I still want to finish this though. I actually had this draft on my iPod for a really long time and never got around to editing...Yeah, I suck. I just noticed how much stuttering there is in the last three chapters. I need to stop making them stutter. STOP STUTTERING, GAWSH. K, gotta go study for finals now! (Shiiiiet!) Sorry if there are any stupid errors, like I said—I DON'T HAB DUH TIIIIME! (mychonny reference) Leave a review on your way out~