Chapter 35 : Suspense

Author: I hope you all will like this chapter, since I was kinda hesitant in publishing it :P Please don't hate! :( Enjoy! :)

At 2:00pm, both Jack and Yuko were silently sitting on their duel runners, looking at their psychic duel disks and the card which they had acquired.

After having thoroughly thought over what Sayer had explained in detail, Jack was the first to break the awkward silence.

"Hey Yuko... everything which Sayer had said...is it all true?" asked Jack calmly, and put his equip Spell card back into his deck box.

Yuko sighed and nodded. "I'm afraid so..."

Jack grunted and rolled his eyes. "Well, even if it is true, it all sounds crazy!

Yuko smirked. "I couldn't agree more".

"Anyway, let's get back to Yusei's. We'll come back here tomorrow for the training", suggested Jack, and the two friends drove off on to the New Domino City Highway back home.

When the two friends arrived, Jack was the first to enter through the front door of the house, only to find that the interior was all...cleaned up. The floors were beaming, all the dirty clothes had been picked up, the dishes had all been cleaned and staked back into the kitchen cupboards, and there were three white plastic bags placed next to the fridge, completely filled with foods from the supermarket.

Jack froze at the entrance and began to look around, his eyes having widened with amazement. Yuko walked past him and down the slope to go sit on the couch, which smelled strangely of lavender.

"What happened here? I can practically see my reflection in the floor!" asked Jack, feeling rather astounded as he then made his way towards the center of the room.

Yuko didn't reply, even though he was pretty sure that it was Stephanie who had been working hard.

"It's about time you guys arrived!" came a croaky voice from the entrance door. Jack and Yuko turned to find Crow, rubbing his fatigue-filled eyes, while Yusei was standing sleepily behind him. "Yusei and me had just finished food shopping and were just working on that new engine, but then I found that Yusei fell asleep while installing a new turbo booster".

Yuko chuckled at the sight of his sleepy friends. "Come on, guys. You best get to bed, especially you Yusei", said Yuko commandingly, and got up so to help Yusei walk down the slope (who was practically sleep walking), leading him towards the foot of the stairs. Crow followed them and the two sleepy heads began to undress, leaving their clothes behind them as they climbed up the stairs to their beds.

"Typical Yusei", commented Jack who was already attempting in making another cup of coffee. "He and Crow try too hard in always making a better engine. Honestly, if it's speed they want, they should just ask you to help them, Yuko", continued Jack and spilled some boiling water over his left sleeve. "Damn it! Where is Stephanie when I need a coffee!"

Suddenly, Yuko and Jack both heard a high-pitched scream from upstairs, causing Jack to spill the rest of the boiling water all over his head and suit, his face slowly turning as blazing red. He then ran into the bathroom so to quickly spray cold water over his head, while Yuko was about to run up the stairs, when he noticed Yusei and Crow walking back downstairs while half dressed. Yuko noticed Yusei having a huge, red hand mark on his left side of his cheek and Crow was rubbing against a sore bump on his forehead.

"Yuko! Can you explain to me why Stephanie is getting changed in our bedroom?" groaned Crow, Yusei was still half sleep, but a little shaken by th sudden slap on the cheek.

Yuko smirked. "Well, it's kind of a long story so I'll let Stephanie explain you later. Though what I will tell you is that she'll be staying over from time to time!" said Yuko happily.

Crow looked at Yuko oddly and blinked.

"She working for us!" boomed Jack as he strolled out the bathroom with a blue towel over his head.

Yuko sighed. "You could have told them in a more indirect way!"

Jack scuffed. "Well, it's true"

"Stephanie's working for us!?" asked Crow in a surprised manner. "Since when?"

"Ask Jack", moaned Yuko, and began to make his way upstairs. "Right now, I'm going to try and get Stephanie to come downstairs so that Yusei can get to sleep".

As Yuko made it to the top of the stairs, he slowly creaked open the bedroom door only to find a fist pound his skull.

"I already told you two to knock first!" yelled Stephanie angrily, but then realized that she had hit Yuko, instead of Crow or Yusei.

"Ow...that stung!", moaned Yuko, and began to rub his sore forehead.

"Yuko! Oh...I-I'm sorry I didn't...", she began to stutter, but was cut off by Yuko's index finger pressed over her lips.

"It's fine. Yes, I should have knocked", admitted Yuko, feeling a little stupid. "Are you gonna come downstairs anytime soon?"

Stephanie shrugged. "I...I'm not exactly...ready to go downstairs...but you can come in if you want", she requested, and opened the door for Yuko to enter.

From the smell of perfume and strawberry shampoo, Yuko could tell that Stephanie had taken a shower, while he and Jack had been at the Arcadia. He took a seat on his bed and as Stephanie closed the bedroom door, he found that Stephanie had only a white towel wrapped around her body, from her chest down over her thighs.

Yuko instantly blushed and realized that Stephanie hadn't even had time to put anything on yet. If it wasn't for the towel, she'd be completely naked.

"I'm sorry I'm taking so long, Yuko. I just finished taking a shower and just as I entered this room to get changed, I heard you and Jack arrive", explained Stephanie as she strolled over to her bedside and began sorting out her clothes.

Yuko didn't say anything. He wanted to look away and give the girl some privacy, but his eyes were helplessly fix on Stephanie's divine figure.

"Hey, Yuko...would you mind...looking away for a second", asked Stephanie sheepishly.

After a few hesitant seconds, Yuko nodded and looked away so to face the wall opposite.

"What's wrong with me! Why is it that every time I see Stephanie, I feel this weird sensation in my chest?" thought Yuko as his cheeks intensified with all shades of red.

Stephanie stared at Yuko's while she began to adjust her bra. "Why can't I just be a brave girl and admit to Yuko already! I like him, but...what if he doesn't like me...in that way? I don't think if I could take another rejection", thought Stephanie unsurely.

Yuko began to twitch his finger together. "God! How does Yusei and Akiza get along so well? Why can't it be the same with me and Stephanie! I like her a lot, but should I confess my feelings to her now? I might not get anothet chance if those dangerous psychic duelists which Sayer mentioned are gonna be after me", continued to think Yuko and sighed quietly to himself.

Stephanie began to put on her jeans and grey t-shirt top, watching Yuko with much admiration. "He's right here! He's alone! I should just tell him now! Should I? Why is love always so complicated! I need to be sure that I love...him? Do I love Yuko?" continued to think Stephanie, now beginning to feel agitated.

"You can look now", remarked Stephanie, and watched as Yuko turned round on his bed, his face completely flushed and red.

"You know that you could have just asked me to leave", stated Yuko softly.

Stephanie shook her head. "Oh no, it's fine...I'm almost finished anyway".

"Why did I say that!? Now Stephanie probably think that I don't like seeing her! I'm such an idiot! I should just keep my mouth shut to avoid saying anything else that's stupid!" thought Yuko, and felt too ashamed to exchange glances with Stephanie.

"Oh no, he's avoiding my eyes! Did I say something wrong? Yuko, don't ignore me please! I think I...I love you! Just look at me one more time!" thought Stephanie, her mind practically begging as she put on her socks.

"Alright! I've ruined my best chance! I might as well make the most of this situation! Why am I avoiding her! She must think that I'm uncomfortable with her presence! No, this won't do...in 10 seconds, I am going to look up at her straight in the eyes and confess that I like her! If she doesn't like me in that way then I'll know!" Yuko told himself and took a deep breath.

Stephanie put on her pink slippers and continued to face Yuko's handsome figure. "What must Yuko be thinking! This silence is so awkward! Maybe, I'm staring at him to much? Yuko probably thinks that I'm just checking out his body...but I'm not! Ok, this is it! The next time he looks at me I'm going to declare my love for him! If he rejects me then it's fine...I'll just..."

Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door and Jack's voice erupted. "Hello! Yuko! Stephanie! Get down! Someone needs to prepare the lunch, and it's not going to be me!"

Yuko clenched his fists and shrugged. The mood was broken, hence the opportunity shattered. "We're coming! Just wait downstairs with Yusei and Crow!"

Stephanie sighed and walked up to Yuko. "Come on, let's go", she muttered, and held out her hand, upset for having missed her chance to confess her liking for Yuko.

Yuko looked up at Stephanie and as he heard Jack stomp back downstairs, Yuko began to stare deeply into Stephanie's maroon brown eyes with much admiration, almost begging for Stephanie to notice his true feelings, because he knew that deep within his heart, he adored Stephanie and nothing was ever going to change that fact.

Yuko: CLIFFHANGER! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!

Carly: Now thats just cruel!

Yuko: I just couldn't help myself!

Carly: Does Stephanie know that your writing this down and publishing it on fan fiction?

Yuko: ...no

Carly: Hmmmm...I wonder what would happen if I told her :3

Yuko: (sighs) Please don't! :(

Carly: MWAHAHAHAHAHA! Anyway, to all you readers who approve a relationship between Yuko and Stephanie...REVIEW! :D