It was a few days after bumping into Jonouchi that Kaiba saw him again, from far away this time. He was careful not to be spotted, keeping a wide berth as he watched Jonouchi with concentrated interest. Instead of wearing his usual black get-up, Kaiba wore a plain red shirt with jeans and large sunglasses, carrying a laptop bag with a strap around his shoulder instead of the shiny briefcase he usually trudged around with.

He didn't even know why he came, but something from their last meeting just stuck with him. Kaiba wondered if Jonouchi's interest in him was genuine or something else, and the only way to figure that out would be further observation.

Tailing Jonouchi around the mall wasn't really that difficult, anyways. He seemed to frequent the same places: the mall near his bus stop, certain card game stores and hobby shops, the convenience store near his apartment, and Burger World. Sometimes he'd waste money at an arcade near Domino High School, but Kaiba refused to go somewhere where all the geek boys would recognize him.

Sitting in the food court eating chicken teriyaki and looking over his smartphone, Kaiba listened as Jonouchi spoke enthusiastically across from Kujaku Mai. They were leaning into each other, looking rather close...a bit too close, for Kaiba's liking. They talked loud and easily, enough that Kaiba could even make out their conversation from so far away.

"-Yeah, it wasn't enough money to pay off all the creditors, but I got some of it paid off. Three hundred and fifty thousand yen doesn't go as far as you'd think," remarked Jonouchi with a sigh, "At least not with my dad's spending habits."

"Is he still living with you?" asked Mai as she sipped on some drink Kaiba couldn't make out. Looked like a yuppie coffee drink that was way overpriced. "I don't understand why you take on his financial issues."

"I'm his son. If I don't, who else will?"

"Yes, exactly!"

Mai sighed loudly before running a hand through her hair. "You're just a kid. He's a grown-ass man; he should be solving his own debt problems, not his twenty-one-year-old son! It's not right for him to dump his shortcomings on your shoulders."

"It's really not that big of a deal, Mai. I got it under control."

From the look Mai was giving, it didn't seem like she believed him. Kaiba couldn't help but snort. Apparently Jonouchi wasn't the deadbeat Kaiba thought he was, at least like in the past. If Jonouchi was using most of his winnings to take care of his father, then how the hell was he caring for himself?

"Besides, I got that assistant mechanic job near my place, and it's been great. I'm getting a steady paycheck and can even afford to buy booster packs sometimes, when I'm careful. I got a bank account now, so my dad hasn't been stealing my cash when he's drunk anymore."

Mai just facepalmed at that.

"You should kick him out."

"Nah, can't do that to my old man. He's my father. I've got to take care of him. You know how it is."

Eventually Jonouchi changed the subject, and Kaiba's attention waned as he began answering emails on his phone. He could still hear Jonouchi's characteristic voice over the general roar of the food court, his accent and tone very particular to Kaiba's ears while Mai broke in between with high-pitched laughs and loud chattering of her own.

Kaiba wondered for a second if they were on a date. Hadn't they had some sort of thing during his tournament? Having not paid attention that much back then, Kaiba couldn't exactly recall, but he noticed how they talked and looked at each other. It seemed rather...intimate.

"You know, I saw Kaiba just last week," started Jonouchi. The mention of his name broke Kaiba from his musings as he looked up from his phone and began to frown. "He was at the tournament I was competing in. We kinda had lunch together?"

"Kinda?"

"Yeah," sighed Jonouchi as he picked at his yakisoba, "I mean, I had to kinda strong-arm him to hang out with me. He's such an asshole sometimes, I don't get it. You'd think I killed his dog or something."

"I don't see why you try," Mai said, rolling her eyes in a huff, "Some people are just born miserable. You can't change them."

"I don't think Kaiba was born miserable. He was made that way. I bet he needs help."

"Good luck with that, Jonouchi. You have more compassion for broken men than I do."

Face twisting up into a scowl, Kaiba felt offended by the words, even if Mai was partially right. Sure, he had his problems. Everyone did. Kaiba just had more than the average human being, but he also had a rather unfortunate upbringing and past to go along with it—but he never saw himself as broken. Was he not a wildly successful business man? What a ridiculous thing to say.

Pushing his food away, Jonouchi slouched in his seat, threading his fingers together and resting them on his stomach. He looked at the stream of shoppers passing by, and Kaiba had to turn his head sharply to avoid Jonouchi's gaze.

"I dunno if I'd say he's broken, exactly… I mean, he still functions. Better than most people, at least."

"Yeah, to the point of being a robot," said Mai dramatically, "And when he's not being completely cold to the world, he's a giant psychopath. Remember when he almost let you drown? I don't know, Jonouchi—some people can't be saved. I mean, does he even want to change?

"I just feel bad for his little brother..."

Jonouchi fixed Mai with an easy smile. "Nah, are you kidding? Mokuba's his pride and joy—the one person he treats like, well, a person," he chuckled. "And yeah, the key thing was messed up, but he could have just let me drown, so at least he did something. It's not like we were bosom buddies that he'd get his clothes all wet for. With that get-up, he probably would've drowned himself," Jonouchi concluded, breaking into a short laugh.

"I still don't get it," continued Mai, "I know Yugi likes to take chances with people, but come on. I just don't want you getting hurt by him or disappointed if he doesn't change his mind about having friends..."

Kaiba scoffed, rolling his eyes under his shades. What did Mai know about having friends? She was almost in her thirties and had no buddies her own age to hang around with. As far as Kaiba was aware, she was a serial dater and only hung around Jonouchi and Yugi sporadically, which made her just as much of a loner as he was.

Mai was a giant hypocrite.

"Everyone deserves a second chance, Mai. Everyone." Jonouchi's voice and eyes were alight with conviction before they cooled back to normal. "I'll be fine. And besides, you and I didn't start off exactly on the right note. Hell, me and Yug' didn't either! I'm not too worried."

"Do you really think he'd change? Or that he even wants to change?" asked Mai. She sighed before sipping more of her drink, "Besides, he's boring. Besides his dueling, what else does he have going for him?"

"He's a freaking genius," Jonouchi answered. "I'm sure with all the shit he knows, there's bound to be something fascinating about him that he's been keeping a secret. Just imagine being able to pick his brain," he wondered with amazement, "He's probably got the secret to the universe figured out or some shit."

Mai laughed at that. "Don't you think you're giving him a bit too much credit? Besides, he owns a kid's gaming company. You'd think if he knew the secrets of the universe, he'd do more with it than just make toys."

"When has Kaiba ever been out to save the world?" Jonouchi snorted. "Who knows what goes on in that mind of his—and I don't think I want to find out. I'd just want him to like me for once and stop looking at me like shit's been shoved up his nostrils or something...

"Besides, Mokuba's not around, and he hasn't been looking that good. I think he's dropped some weight. Someone needs to check up on him. Might as well be me, since Yugi's no longer around."

"He's not your problem," sniffed Mai.

Jonouchi hooked his foot around an empty chair leg and started jiggling it around. "You know me—I just can't seem to leave people alone. He may not like it, but—I dunno, I'd feel kind of guilty if I didn't do anything."

Kaiba nearly dropped his phone. What, did the loser pity him now? No fucking thanks.

Just great. From the sound of it, the idiot would be smothering him soon with his overbearing presence. Jonouchi knew where he lived, where he worked...no place would be sacred. Kaiba would have to step up security if he was going to have any peace of mind… Or just pack his schedule solid enough where there wouldn't be any openings.

A panic began to creep over him, and Kaiba started to feel trapped.

But if he did that in his condition now, Kaiba knew he'd eventually break. His health wasn't getting any better, and with the lack of sleep, it was now taking a sharp toll on his energy levels. There was only so much he could handle.

"I hope you don't decide to spend more time with him than me, Jonouchi, or people might think something's going on between you two," joked Mai. "You know how girls get when they see two attractive men together."

Jonouchi nearly fell out of his seat. "Okay, gross. You girls are sick. And they call us guys the pervs…" he grouched. "Why can't you just let bros be bros?"

"I don't think Kaiba's ever going to be your 'bro,' Jonouchi," snickered Mai.

Rolling his eyes, Kaiba felt himself losing interest in their conversation quickly now that Jonouchi was squirming in his seat. Men usually didn't respond well to those kind of little "jokes," and while it didn't mean anything to Kaiba, apparently it was enough to get Jonouchi all out of whack as he continued making faces to prove his heterosexuality or whatever. Did males have to be so stupid like that all the time?

"Hey, I'm an optimist," Jonouchi declared, a cocky grin tugging at his mouth, "I bet he's actually a pretty cool guy, once you get past all the snobbery."

"What makes you so sure? He called you a deadbeat for months, and now he acts like you don't even exist... Eh. I don't even know why we're talking about Kaiba. Of all people to waste breath over, isn't there anything else more interesting going on in your life?" asked Mai as she leaned forward and smiled rather wickedly. "Any girls you've met recently I should know about?"

A blush flared across Jonouchi's cheeks. "Oh, great. You just had to bring up the sorry state of my love life," he grimaced, "Or should I say, complete lack of one."

He leaned forward. "How's this—there's this really hot babe I'm meeting right now…" he said, winking rather obviously and flashing a cheesy grin.

"Oh come on, silly, you know I don't count."

At this point, Kaiba decided to mentally block out the rest of their conversation as he focused on finishing his lunch. Jonouchi was right about one thing. He was dropping weight, and Kaiba couldn't blame it on the summer heat alone. His clothes were starting to look baggy, and his muscle tone was disappearing at an alarming rate. If he didn't bulk up soon, he knew his Board would begin pestering him over his faltering appearance.

Besides that, Kaiba didn't like looking less than perfect. He had been a lanky teenager, but after high school, he'd finally filled out into himself and started feeling less like a beanpole whenever he looked in the mirror. Having a man's body was something he prided himself in, especially since he knew he looked better than most people, and watching that suffer from lack of discipline was frustrating.

It wouldn't help his sex life, either, if he looked like a skeleton to anyone he tried picking up.

Giving out a frustrated sigh, Kaiba let his fingers sink into his bangs before grumbling to himself. Thankfully he wasn't loud enough for Jonouchi or Mai to hear (he frankly had no idea what he'd say if they had noticed him) and he could suffer his image crisis alone.

Wasn't like he'd meet anyone of interest anytime soon, anyways. Skinny little business types who all looked like cookie-cutter copies of each other carried very little appeal for Kaiba. The majority of his short-term hook ups had occurred overseas, incidentally...

"-After that last chick I was seeing senior year, I guess I just got distracted with other things. I'm not interested in dating right now. Too much stuff to take care of, like my dad's debts, my new job, dueling-"

"-And apparently Kaiba's poor life choices."

"Yeah, and that," Jonouchi laughed, "I'm not really missing out on much, so don't worry. Girls can wait."

Mai scoffed, slightly offended, "You're young. Now's the time to go out and have fun."

Jonouchi sighed. "Fun costs money. Hell, having a girl would only increase my bills! Dates are expensive shit."

Leaning forward, Mai quirked an eyebrow, a smirk twitching at the corner of her mouth. "Oh, so you can't afford a girl, yet you dump so much money into booster packs…"

"Hey! That's an investment! I'd like to go pro one day," Jonouchi sniffed.

His lunch date erupted into a fit of laughter. "And dating is an investment, too—for a wife," she gasped between breaths.

Jonouchi just rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, that's a long way down the road. Tournament dates, on the other hand, will not wait. Gotta keep my deck fresh, y'know?" He flipped out his phone and started typing furiously, "Speaking of which, have you seen the new ban list? It was like a third of my deck! So now I gotta find some good replacements. You mind if I make a call?"

Mai shook her head, "Go ahead. I need to freshen up in the ladies' room, anyway."

Nodding as she got up, Jonouchi punched in what was clearly a familiar number. "Hey, Jii-san, that new shipment come in yet? Oh yeah? Awesome, I'll be by tomorrow! Yeah, gotta head to work soon. Any news from Yug'? Uh huh. That's good to hear. Okay, thanks—see you then!"

New ban list? Kaiba didn't think it would be coming out so soon. Usually they held off until the end of the year, so competitors wouldn't have to restock their decks in the middle of the competing season. Sounded like Jonouchi was out of luck, but that meant Kaiba would need to check up on his deck, too.

How irritating. If he wasn't so rich, Kaiba would have complained about the frequent purchases he had to make on new booster sets. It was easier for professional players with sponsors, but for someone like Jonouchi who was supporting his own "habit," so to speak, it probably took a heavy toll on his finances.

The thought made Kaiba think... Kaiba Corporation offered sponsorships to seven-star players with national-level experience and paid out some five hundred thousand yen per month to cover gaming, competition fees, and room and board costs. There weren't a lot of people in the professional bracket who could even qualify for such a gig, because their stats weren't sponsorship-worthy, and most of the players came off as money hunters.

Jonouchi, however. Kaiba snorted. The kid would be marketable. Kaiba could sell the shit out of him, even if Jonouchi had a rather crass personality and didn't always act quite right. People would like him if he was presented to them in the right way. Besides, his rating skyrocketed after Battle City, and Jonouchi was frequently improving, having knocked out several professional players already...

It was a thought.

By the time Mai returned, Jonouchi had cleared their table and was leaning against it, idly playing with his phone. "Hey," he smiled, "I hate to cut out, but I really should be heading to the shop right now. Honda just texted—he's not feeling so well, so now I'm the only one on shift tonight."

"It's fine," she said, hooking an arm around Jonouchi's elbow. "I've got a long list of errands to take care of, anyway. Walk me to my car?"

"Sure, could you drop me by the bus stop, then?"

"Nonsense, I can just drop you off directly," Mai replied as they began to walk off.

"Well, it's not exactly in the greatest area of town…" Jonouchi began hesitantly, rubbing at his neck.

Kaiba watched as they disappeared into the crowd, a small frown on his face. Jonouchi would never be a professional Duelist if his time kept being divided by his job. Rationally, Kaiba knew it was necessary—not everyone had the luxury of possessing a sizable bank account, and Kaiba was rather impressed that Jonouchi had been able to make it as far as he had in the Duel Monsters circuit, given his mountain of responsibilities. But if a person was going to pursue something seriously, they should do it right. Throw oneself in with reckless abandon. That's what it meant to be a Duelist.

Scowling, Kaiba wondered why he cared so much.

He told himself it was because Jonouchi had beaten him. Disregarding the circumstances, a loss was still a loss, which was unacceptable. And even more insulting, Kaiba had lost to someone who only played in his spare time.

His pride just wouldn't allow it.

But still, Jonouchi had a lot of potential. Would it be rational to ignore that because of a personal vendetta? Helping the idiot get a career going through a sponsorship would be a good investment Kaiba could later bank on, if Jonouchi actually was able to dedicate himself to the job. Sure, he didn't like the guy, but Kaiba disliked most of the people in his office, anyways. And he still employed them and even acted cordial with them, regardless of his personal feelings.

His pride, however...

Kaiba had done plenty of unpleasant things out of necessity in the past. Starting a business relationship with the idiot wasn't a very attractive idea, but Kaiba had suffered worse things. The main problem would probably be actually getting Jonouchi to accept the proposal.

He couldn't lie and say running Jonouchi's entire dueling career wouldn't feel a little satisfying...

A smirk slowly emerged on Kaiba's face, and as he watched the man in question begin to disappear with the crowd, he formed a plan.