So let me explain why this was late. April was the last time I posted a fic. That was my Kingdom Hearts fic, Dearly Beloved. In May and June, I was working on my dissertation to get into Grad School. It was a brilliant paper if I say so. But that's not the reason why. In July, I was working in Hollywood as an intern. But in August, I was driving and a car t-boned me. I was out for a good two and a half months. For the rest of October and November, I was going through a painful rehabilitation. I still have pain from the accident but I will recover. In the process, I completely and understandably lost interest and even thought of my fic writing. So, sometime on Thanksgiving weekend, I read my emails and I got a lot of reviews waiting for my return. I wrote my Seto/Katsuya musical fic Once More, With Feeling which got only one review. It's alright but I was kinda disappointed.

Well, after I wrote that chapter, my computer literally caught on fire. I think the motherboard shorted or something. And so, I was without computer for about seven months. I was working two jobs and still going through my rehabilitation. It's becoming less painful now. And so, when I finally got my computer back a couple of weeks ago. I got several reviews that felt as if they were demanding me to get back to fic-writing. I really do apologize for the lateness of this chapter but I have been so busy recovering from my accident and working to keep my family fed. Please don't be angry. I did say that I wouldn't let a fic die. And so, to keep that promise, here is the next chapter.

Chapter 6

Jounouchi wandered the dark streets. Normally when he walked the streets aimlessly, his head would clear up. But now, he was assaulted by thoughts of HIM.

Kaiba Seto. Of all the people that he fell in love with, it had to be that arrogant bastard. What was someone like him to do? He was ashamed that his heart would betray him like that. At least with Yuugi, he was on good terms with him, best friends in fact. Kaiba, on the other hand, although he was more attractive, he just hated his attitude. There could be nothing good to come from that relationship. Most likely, it would be all about the sex and that's it. Sure there will be passion, great passion that would consume the both of them. It would come to them, unbidden and makes slaves of the both of them. But such a love consumes everything until there is nothing left. He didn't want a love like that.

Then, he stopped in a shopping district, looking for something to eat. It wasn't that he was hungry at all. But rather, he just wanted a place to collect his thoughts. He knew there was a Sammy's Pizzeria somewhere. When he found the place where it was suppose to be, the blond haired kid noticed that instead of the awning designating the pizzeria as Sammy's, there was something different. In fact, the whole awning was changed. It now read "Jack Flash Magic Shop". That was strange. He never noticed that shop before. Well, that he was here, he might as well look inside and see what they had.

Kaiba looked down at his former lover, Yami. He looked positively glowing. He never looked that way when they were together... well, if you can call what they had "together". Why was it that everyone was finding love except for him?! He removed that thought and put it in the back of his mind so that his full attention would be on whatever Yami had to say.

"Go on, I'm listening" Kaiba said in a dismissive tone.

"I have a favor to ask you, a big favor." Yami began.

"I thought WE were through!" Kaiba scoffed.

"WE are. This is something different." Yami sighed. He was going to test the waters first. Try to gauge his former lover's reaction to the question he was about to ask. But, most likely, Kaiba would figure it out very quickly. He was very perceptive. And he didn't want Kaiba to use this information against Jou. Those two were already on bad terms. To add more fuel to the fire... well, Yami didn't want to do that. Although he had Jounouchi's permission to test the waters with him, he didn't want to say the wrong thing.

"A while ago, when we ended our..." He couldn't say the word.

"We were screwing each other's brains out, Yami." He said with no change in the calm demeanor and tone. Yami could only pity him. At a time, he probably did like Kaiba. But it was his cavalier attitude that disgusted him. He pretended to be above such things as love and affection. But Yami knew the truth. Kaiba Seto was afraid. He was afraid of being naked... not naked in the physical sense but in the emotional. He was afraid of showing his true feelings. Yami would address that here and now.

"I see you haven't lost your old wit, Seto."

"I thought you had something to ask me. If you don't, then move aside. I have business that requires my attention."

"Oh? And what business is that?" Yami spoke condescendingly. "Are you looking for someone who can satisfy your needs? I'll tell you this right now. You won't."

Kaiba sneered at his former lover. "Is this one of your little friendship speeches? Jeez, you would think after so many times trying to convince me of these things that you would give up. But no, you are like Novocaine. You dull me with your tirades until I fall asleep."

Yami shook his head. Kaiba would never love Jounouchi the way that he deserved to be loved. He would have to break the news to the blond. "I truly pity you. You may be attractive, but you have no heart to love someone back. I will have to tell him that you could never love him." Yami turned to walk away. Knowing the CEO as he did, his curiosity has been piqued.

"Someone loves me." It was more of a question than a statement. From the way that Yami was insinuating, he was trying to test the waters to see whether or not he liked whomever sent him.

Yami turned back to Kaiba, his face a blank but inwardly, he smirked. Kaiba was hooked; now it was time to reel him in. "I don't think you could love him." Yami told him. "He's not looking for sex. He's looking for love. You couldn't love me even when we were having sex."

"As I recall, you didn't love me either."

"But I tried." The spirit shook his head. "It doesn't matter." Kaiba may pride himself on being a complicated person to understand, but Yami was one of the few people who had the Rosetta Stone to his mind. Any moment now, Kaiba will demand to know. One last barb to throw... "You don't have a romantic bone in your body, inappropriate for the person who wants to love you."

Kaiba was about to respond to that when he realize what Yami was trying to do. He was trying rile him up so that he would prove that he could be romantic to this mystery person. The bastard was sneaky. But for the sake of amusement, he'll play. "You're making it up. There is no person."

Yami smirked. Seto figured it out. "There is. Would you like to know?"

Anzu lied on her bed and sighed. She really wanted to tell Honda today about her feelings.

If someone was to tell her that she would have fallen in love with Honda Hirito, she would have told that person that they were crazy. When she first met the guy, he was a jerk. He and Jounouchi were bullies that were known more for their pranks rather than their outright cruelty. But there was a time when that all changed. It was during the time when Yuugi received that Millennium Puzzle. Honda and Jou took the last piece and threw it out of a school window. Yuugi was distraught. The duo didn't feel guilt until they were beaten up by an even bigger bully. Yuugi defended them. It wasn't that he could fight him. Instead, the tri-colored hair teen chose to take the punishment all on his own. That moved Honda and Jou. Ever since then, they have fiercely Yuugi and the group.

Honda, Anzu had come to realize, is a very uncomplicated person. He was very direct in everything he did and truly unpretentious. Plus, he was kinda cool. He and Jou could ride motorcycles. His hair... well, she could always make him do something about his hair. But she had no idea how Honda felt. The two were already close friends. If she suddenly announced her feelings and found out that he did not feel the same way, what would become of them? Would she lose the already good friendship for the feeling of awkwardness? She had the perfect chance to tell him today but Yuugi unwittingly prevented her from doing so. She was both relieved and annoyed by the happening: relieved that she didn't make a fool out of herself and annoyed that she lost a good opportunity to her cowardice. No matter!

Soon she'll tell him, damn the consequences.

Jounouchi walked into the shop and saw various sorts of curios and oddities hanging about. There was very little light. It was as if the atmosphere itself was dark and mysterious, like a magic show. Well, it was a magic shop from what he read on the awning outside; it would help to set the proper stage and all. As the blond was looking at a particular object that looked like a dream-catcher, someone popped up from behind him.

"Welcome to my store." A perky voice shouted.

The blond screamed and fell forward taking the dream-catcher with him and breaking it. Jounouchi turned around, looking at the person who shouted at him. It was a man in weird garbs. He had on a purple robe and a pointed hat. If anything, he looked like a crazy magician than a serious proprietor of a magic shop. Perhaps that was his gimmick or something.

"I'm so sorry." The shopkeep said. "I did not expect you to fall forward and hurt yourself. And you don't have to worry about the dream-catcher."

Jounouchi had a tough time trying to have a conversation with a person who dressed so flamboyantly. Instead he looked at the dream-catcher that he had in his hand and realized that it was broken. "I'm sorry." Jou said. "I didn't mean to break it."

"I said you didn't have to worry about it. I'll make a new one. It's not that difficult to make."

Jounouchi got over his uneasiness and decided to speak. "Umm, wasn't this place a Sammy's before?"

"It was. But I am told that the health inspector shut it down because of 'unsanitary conditions'. So I bought the deed to the place and opened a magic shop here."

Jounouchi was flabbergasted. From all the times that he ate here, it was hard to believe that there were health violations. But he moved to think nothing of it and browse the store.

"Are you looking for anything in particular?" the shopkeep asked. "I also do fortune readings and make magic potions and such."

Magic potions perked the blond's attention. "What kind of magic potions?"

"Well, luck potions, potions that can increase spiritual strength and endurance. Stuff like that."

"Can you make love potions?" He asked a bit too quickly.

The shopkeep smiled, knowing that there's a sale at hand. "Of course I can." He took Jounouchi by the hand into a back room with all sorts of liquids in flasks on shelves. There was a table in the center with two chairs beside it. A crystal orb adorned the table, apparently that's where he read fortunes. He sat on one of the chairs. "First" the shopkeep told him "I have to read your aura. But tell me about what you are looking for in a lover."

The shopkeep wiggled his fingers around Jou's body as if to cast some sort of spell. Jou couldn't help but feel uneasy. This guy was definitely weird and that was putting it lightly. Well, he had nothing to lose.

"Well, I already have someone in mind but I don't think that the feeling is mutual. And I hate the way I feel. I just wish that I didn't have to love this person."

The shopkeep stopped. "Wait. You want to hate the person?" he asked.

"No, I just don't want to feel anything towards him." Jou told him.

"Well, that's a totally different potion. But are you sure that's what you want?"

The blond nodded. "I can't stand this feeling anymore."

The shopkeep took three random flasks from the shelves and placed them on the table. Next he took an empty jar and put the liquids in seemingly random amounts into the empty one. After pouring the liquids. He took the jar, sealed it, and shook it. The shopkeep handed it to Jou. "All you have to do is drink this before you sleep and say the words 'I', your name, 'call upon the heavens to hear my plea. Take my heart and make me indifferent to' the name of the person you love. When you awaken the next morning, you will feel indifferent towards that person."

"That's it?" the blond asked.

"Of course." the shopkeep told him. "You think that this is all for show? Well, the stuff outside is for show. But, you look like you need this. So, I am using my magics to help you."

Jou smiled. "Thanks. How much do I owe you?"

"Well, normally I would charge 50 dollars but because you're my first customer, I'll charge you 20."

Jou took out his wallet and paid the amount ask. "Thanks." With that, he prepared to home, his heart a little lighter.

"You're welcome. And tell your friends. Word of mouth is the best kind of advertising." As Jou left, the shopkeep hugged the money and squealed. His first sale...

"Jounouchi?" Kaiba asked, a bit shocked. "Jounouchi likes me?" To be honest, he didn't expect that. Truth be told, he thought the puppy was kind of cute. He was so vibrant in his mannerisms. The blond was easily read and was simply amusing. Every insult, every slight, everything got a different response.

Not to say that he wasn't pleasing to the eye. His blond hair messily adorning his angular face is complemented by his amber eyes. His long, lean, taut body was supported by fine, strong legs. He would make a good romp partner. However, something else propelled him to Jounouchi. Perhaps it was the way that his situation was similar to his own: a younger sibling, despised father figures, a need to be better than they are right now.

Kaiba wanted to want him, but for a long time, he thought that the blond hated him. In fact, he did help propel those feelings. Guess he was wrong. But how to go about trying a relationship with him. More than likely, he would not be in the casual sex scene like Yami once was. In fact, he wouldn't be surprised if the blond was a virgin, despite any claims otherwise. Now that he knew that the feelings was mutual, well...

"Surprised?" Yami asked. He could almost see the machinations of Kaiba's mind, carefully and thoughtfully analyzing the situation.

"Sort of..." Kaiba breathed in a sigh. "By the way, why are you telling me this? Did the mutt put you up to this?"

"Jounouchi doesn't know that I'm doing this." Yami lied with ease. Of course, he did promise to speak to Kaiba to see where his feelings lied, but the former pharaoh decided that he will play matchmaker. It was the least he could do. "But I don't know why I'm telling you this. It's not like you could sweep him off his feet romantically."

"It worked with you." Kaiba smirked. "In fact, as I remember it, you were the one who sought me out after our first time, staved for more."

"That wasn't romance. It was sex. And I was in a bad place at that time."

"Whatever."

"I can tell right now that your approach to me won't work on him. You can't do it."

"Want to make a bet on that?" Kaiba asked, getting annoyed of Yami trying to bait him.

Yami smirked. Kaiba played right into his trap. "Alright. I'll give you two weeks. If you can truly and honestly sweep of his feet, then I promise that I will never give you a 'friendship speech' as you call them ever again."

"I won't need two weeks. I can do it in ten days." Kaiba barked. "But for the sake of argument, what would happen if I lose?"

Yami put his index to his chin as in thought. "Well, I can't think of anything right now, but I will have something should you lose."

The CEO turned on his heels and walked away to go home. "Watch me, Yami. I'll show you how it's done."

Yami walked in the direction of the game shop, smirking. It was just too easy.

As Jounouchi walked through his front door, he fingered the potion that he put in his pants pocket. Soon, he will stop feeling like this. He hated the dichotomy of his heart towards Kaiba, loving him and hating him. He just wanted it done.

As he was lost in thought, a voice called out to him. It was a girl's voice and he instantly recognized it as Shizuka. It seems as though she was waiting for him in the living room. He thought that she would be in bed right now.

When he walked towards the living room, he noticed that she looked depressed. The aura around her was contagious. And so, he decided to dispel it by talking to her. "What's the matter, Shizu-chan?"

Shizuka bowed her head in shame and sadness. She knew it was a bad idea from the start to keep her relationship to the younger Kaiba a secret from Katsuya. Ever since she started living with him, thanks to their mother's blessings, they promised each other that they would be open to one another. Having not lived together in years took a toll on their relationship as brother and sister. They didn't have the closeness that they once had. And so, in an effort to repair that, they vowed to be totally honest with each other.

But when she met Mokuba that day at the mall, everything changed.

It was a Sunday. Shizuka went to the mall just to get away from the house. As much as she liked living with her brother, just sitting on his couch watching television all day was not her idea of fun. And so, she chose to go on a mall excursion. Her friends were off doing something or other and so, she was by herself at the time.

After looking at some of the new fashion of this season, she bought a milkshake when all of a sudden, this tuft of black hair ran into her, spilling the dairy byproduct on her clothes. She looked at the person who ran into her and saw a cute boy with wild black hair surrounding a baby face. By the looks of it, he looked like he was 10 or 11, when in reality, as she would come to find out later, he was 13. She remembered him from when Katsu-chan entered the Battle City tournament. He was the younger Kaiba brother, Mokuba.

"I'm so sorry." he apologized. "Please let me buy you some new clothes."

It surprised her that he would offer to get her new clothes just because of an accident. She knew that he was wealthy because he was the brother of the most successful businessman not even out of high school. However, she would feel bad to get a new dress or something out of an honest mistake.

"You don't have to do that. But could you please get me some napkins so I could clean up?"

He stammered but complied.

As she cleaned up the mess, the two started to talk. They talked about their brothers, their likes and dislikes, school, whatever. She felt an instant connection with him and she didn't feel as if the conversation was forced. It felt good.

After the mall incident, the two met again just to see how the other was doing. They did not talk to each other on the phone just in case either brother decided to eavesdrop and find out that they were on friendly terms with each other.

However, all of that changed when Mokuba called her today. He said that he liked her and wanted to be her boyfriend. Naturally, she accepted. He invited her over to his mansion and began their new relationship with a kiss, which is how the elder Kaiba found them.

During his admonishment to both of them, he realized the reason why neither of them told their older brother about their friendship that had now turned into something more. It was because of the antagonistic relationship between the two older brothers. The younger ones didn't want their older brothers to feel either the awkwardness of having to acknowledge that Mokuba and herself liked each other nor did they want to them to say that they were against the two of them having this friendship. But Kaiba already said that he didn't mind, which lifted a weight from her heart and likely Mokuba's heart as well.

Now she only needed to tell her brother. However, she felt a little worried that he might say no just per the fact that he hated Kaiba Seto, let alone for not telling him about this earlier. And so worry turned to depression. She waited for her brother on the couch, trying to come up with some impassioned speech to move him. And when he came home that evening, she steeled herself to tell her brother the truth.

"I have to apologize." She began.

Jounouchi looked at her with puzzlement. For what did she have to apologize, he wondered. "For what?"

"For not telling you the truth earlier."

"I don't get it."

Shizuka sighed and prepared herself. "I'm going out with Kaiba Mokuba." She wanted to say more but all of a sudden she felt arms around her. It was her brother hugging her. Honestly, she did not expect this.

"I am so happy for you." Jounouchi told her, stroking her hair like he used to do when they were younger. "I am sure that you will be happy with him."

Shizuka pulled out of his hug and looked at him with tearful eyes. "You're not mad?" She asked

"Heck no. I am glad." He smiled brilliantly. Then his smile turned into a devilish one. "Although we are going to have to have THE TALK later."

Shizuka pushed her brother. "Nii-chan!" she said in mock-annoyance.

Jounouchi got up, grabbed Shizuka and slung her over his back. "Now it's time for you to get to bed." Shizuka shrieked with laughter as her brother carried her over to her bed and dumped her unceremoniously on it. "Night, Shizu-chan."

Now Shizuka didn't feel bad and wondered why she didn't tell him this sooner. All this time, she felt as if he would forbid their relationship when in reality he would be happy. "Night, Katsu-chan."

Jounouchi smiled and headed off to his own bed.

Yami laid on Yuugi's bed while Yuugi changed into his pajamas. "So what did you talk to Kaiba-san about, Yami?"

Yami didn't want to lie to his new boyfriend. However, he didn't know how his Hikari would react to what he just did. "I probably set something into motion that could either make two people happy or those two same people move down a spiral path of depression"

Yuugi stopped dressing and turned to face the spirit. "What do you mean?"

"Please understand that I had the best intentions in mind."

The younger teen looked into the face that so mirrored his own. He was sure that his face was stern because Yami averted his purple eyes. "What happened." It wasn't a question. It was a command.

"Well, when Jounouchi asked to talk to me, he wanted to know if I would talk to Kaiba."

"What did Jou-kun want from Kaiba-san?"

"You didn't know? He likes Kaiba." Yami decided to confide to Yuugi. He knew that he could keep a secret. Besides, he wanted him to know. Hopefully Jounouchi wouldn't mind.

"Really?" It came out strained. Just a day or two ago, he was the object of the blond's affection. But, then again, he was sure that his friend liked Kaiba for a while now. He instantly felt bad for the blond. He and Kaiba were not on good terms already. Yuugi could only imagine what would happen should this information got out. "So did you talk to Kaiba?"

"I did." The spirit told him.

"And what happened?"

Yami averted his eyes. "Well, I sort of made a bet with Kaiba about Jounouchi."

"Yami" Yuugi shouted. "How could you do that?"

"Well, from what I could gather from my conversation, Kaiba kinda likes Jounouchi."

"But what about this bet?" Yuugi asked.

"Well, I told Kaiba that Jounouchi liked him but was only going to be swayed by romanticism and he made a bet with me that he could sweep Jounouchi off his feet. And I agreed that if he could, then I wouldn't bother him with any more speeches."

"But what if he can't?"

"Honestly, I am really hoping that he can do it. I want Jounouchi to be happy. And if Kaiba is anything like how I remember him, he will do his best to make Jounouchi love him. If..." Yami corrected himself "When he succeed, I am sure that they will be a happy couple like us."

"And if he can't?" Yuugi asked again. "What happens to Kaiba then?"

"Well, I told him that I couldn't think of anything at the time. But honestly, I don't want to win. And should Kaiba not succeed, I won't collect anything."

Yuugi looked at Yami. He did the best intentions but he was playing a dangerous game. "I truly hope that it works."

Yuugi crawled into his bed and snuggled next to his boyfriend. He felt warm. He could only hope that Jou could feel this way one day.

Jounouchi walked into his room. It had a Spartan look to it, the way that is bare except for his bed and dresser. He was ready for bed when the day's events replayed in his mind.

Truth be told, he was a bit surprised to learn that his sister was now dating Mokuba. But then again, he was the good Kaiba. His heart was honest and open, unlike his brother.

Thinking about Kaiba Seto made him grimace. All of this time yearning for either Yuugi or Kaiba made his heart ache. Well no longer...

He took the potion from his pocket and uncorked it. The smell was sweet and spicy compared to the ambient smell of the room. Hopefully, this potion will do the trick. The magic shop owner was very weird but when he handed him this potion, he truly felt as if this was going to work. He had no doubt in his mind that it would. Soon, his heartache would be gone. He breathed in deeply and prepared himself to drink it.

He held the bottle in his hand. "I, Jounouchi Katsuya, call upon the heavens to hear my plea. Take my heart and make me indifferent towards Kaiba Seto." He drank the potion in one swig. It tasted grape-y but felt like oil moving down his throat.

With the ritual done, he put the bottle on his dresser and headed towards his bed, feeling sleepy. Tomorrow, he'll wake up a new man.