Day and Night

Chapter 2

Yami stared up at the dull white ceiling of his dorm room. He was tired, but he couldn't sleep. He couldn't get Yugi out of his mind, and it was driving him crazy! He turned his head to his left to check his digital clock. The numbers 12:45 A.M. flashed at him and he groaned.

"Maybe you just need a walk, Yami. You need the exercise anyway." Yami said to himself. He slowly sat up and stretched before walking over to his wooden drawer. He pulled out a dark gray shirt and a pair of jeans. As he dressed, he gazed at the mirror, reminding himself of the young man. He slapped his forehead and squeezed his eyes shut.

"You need to stop! You have a girlfriend, dammit!" Yami exclaimed. He stormed out of the bathroom and went to the coat rack to grab a gray sweater and his black combat boots. Next thing he knew, he was outside his dorm room and in the hallway. He sighed as he walked down the hall to the elevator. He pressed the 'down' arrow and watched the silver doors slide shut. All the while, he checked his phone. It was only 58 degrees outside; he would be fine. As the doors opened, he stepped out and looked around. No one was out. Good. He didn't feel like talking to anyone right now.

He stepped out into the cold air. He closed his eyes and took it all in. Then, he opened his eyes and blinked. He didn't know where to go.

"I guess I'll just go wherever then." Yami murmured as his feet walked in the direction of Domino's Park.

Yami pulled out his headphones and plugged them into his phone to listen to some music. He smiled in content as he wandered through the streets of Domino. Soon enough, he arrived at the park.

"Well, it is a nice night…I guess I'll take a walk through here."

Yami strode through the quiet area, taking in his surroundings. Lampposts lined the sidewalk, with the occasional bench. Orange, gold, and red fell from trees, covering Yami's way like rose petals on the aisle during a wedding. The pond reflected the moonlight, making it shimmer white. Flower beds were sprinkled here and there, and the occasional pedestrian walked by. The park was the definition of peaceful.

As Yami walked through the park, he noticed the wooden gazebo. He smiled, remembering that that gazebo was where he and Mai talked for the first time. Where they had their first date. Where they always hung out.

He walked up the stairs of the lit-up gazebo to find out that the gazebo wasn't abandoned. His eyes widened in shock to see Yugi.

"Y-Yugi?" Yami asked.

Yugi glanced up from his sketchbook to see Yami. "Yami? What are you doing here this late?" Yugi closed his sketchbook and placed the pencil on his ear.

"I should be asking you that!" Yami said.

Yugi sighed. "Well, I was here to take a breather. Staying inside buildings all day isn't really that fun."

"You work at the café full time?" Yami questioned.

"What? Oh, no. I work at the café part-time. I work the morning shift, around 9:00 AM." Yugi explained. "I have classes to take, you know."

"You go to a university as well?"

"Yeah. Domino University. You go there too, I assume?"

"How'd you know?" Yami looked bewildered. Yugi giggled and pointed to Yami's sweater. The Domino University logo was stitched onto it.

"That's how." Yugi chuckled once more as Yami's face reddened slightly.

"…I knew that." Yami murmured. He sat down next to Yugi. "Anyway, what were you drawing in there?" Yami gestured toward the black sketchbook.

"This? Well…It's not very interesting." Yugi stroked the smooth cover with a pale thumb.

"I'll be the judge of that. May I see it?" Yami asked, looking into Yugi's eyes. Yugi tried to resist, but soon gave up and handed Yami the sketchbook.

Yami flipped open the cover to see a beautifully sketched picture of Domino Park. He glanced up to see that the picture looked exactly like the real thing.

"This is amazing, Yugi! I don't know why you're saying that this 'isn't very interesting', this is exquisite!" Yami flipped through the pages more, gazing in amazement at the wonderfully drawn artworks.

"Now you're just being polite." Yugi rubbed the back of his head and blushed.

Yami then found a picture that captured his interest.

"Is this…the Dark Magician?" Yami looked up at Yugi, holding up the book to show the picture of the Duel Monsters card, Dark Magician.

"You play Duel Monsters too?" Yugi's eyes lit up in happiness.

"Of course! It's my favorite game. In fact, this guy is my favorite card." Yami smiled.

"What a coincidence because Dark Magician is my favorite card too." Yugi chuckled.

"Haha, it's nice to finally find someone who shares the same interest as me." Yami smiled.

"Same here. My fiancé isn't really interested in Duel Monsters, so it's kind of hard to talk to her about this stuff." Yugi responded.

"She doesn't like Duel Monsters?"

"Nah. She's interested in dancing and music." Yami gave Yugi the black book back, and Yugi set it down next to him.

"Your fiancé…What's her name?" Yami asked, giving Yugi a look of curiosity.

"Her name's Tea Gardner. We both go to Domino University, though we don't really have any classes together." Yugi replied, smiling at the thought of his soon-to-be wife.

"Ah. I think I've heard of her. She's in my government class, I believe." Yami said, leaning back.

"Ah, is that so? Is she doing okay in there?" Yugi questioned.

"I think so…" Yami murmured. For some reason, his heart ached. He didn't know why he was feeling so…disappointed.

"That's good to know. I would hate to hear that something happened to her." Yugi grinned.

"Yeah…Where is Tea anyway? Isn't she supposed to be with you?" Yami glanced at Yugi, taking in the man's pools of amethyst.

"No, she's out with a friend of hers right now. And she doesn't really like being outside for long periods of time." Yugi explained.

"Really? Why not?"

"She's more of the indoor person." Yugi smiled. "You never told me anything about Mai. Could you tell me about her?"

Yami stared at Yugi. "Why are you so interested?"

"I thought it was only fair. I told you about my lover, you should tell me about yours."

Yami pondered this for a second. "Good point. Alright well, what would you like to know about her?"

"Well…Does she go to Domino University?" Yugi asked.

"No, she doesn't. She already has a job as a receptionist at Kaiba Corp." Yami explained, laying his arms on the railing.

"Kaiba Corp? Wow, I heard that place has good pay." Yugi stared in disbelief.

"Yep. She's saving money so we can get a house together."

"What about you? Do you have a job as well?"

"…No. Mai told me to keep up with my studies."

"Ah. What do you want to be when you finish studying here?"

Yami glanced at the roof of the gazebo. "I aspire to be a lawyer."

"Really? That's a tough job."

"I know, but it helps pay the bills."

"…Is that the only reason you want to be a lawyer?" Yugi looked at Yami, a sad gleam in his eyes. Yami noticed this, but brushed it off.

"Pretty much." Yami shrugged.

Yugi stayed quiet.

"Yugi? What's wrong?" Yami placed a hand on Yugi's shoulder.

"You don't…want to help people?" Yugi asked quietly, looking up into Yami's ruby eyes.

"Help people?" Yami repeated.

"Yeah. You know, the reason why I want to become a doctor is so I can help people get better. I want to help them go on with their lives, not to let them end it so…so early…" Yugi explained.

"O-Oh…I never thought about that."

"Not a lot of people do. It's always about the money." Yugi replied coldly.

"S-Sorry about that, Yugi."

"It's nothing to apologize for, it's your life, not mine." Yugi stood up. "Anyways, I have to go. If I don't get home before Tea, she's going to wonder where I went."

"I understand…I'll see you tomorrow." Yami waved as Yugi walked away.

Yami sat on the bench, feeling guilt build up inside him. He hadn't meant to hurt Yugi! He sighed.

Yami, you're such an idiot. He thought. He placed a hand on the bench and felt something hard brush against his fingertips. He looked to the side and saw Yugi's sketchbook.

"Oh shit…Yugi forgot his sketchbook." Yami picked up the book and stood up.

"I don't know where he lives…" Yami murmured to himself, looking around, hoping to find Yugi somewhere. But the young man has seemingly left the park already.

"I guess I'll give it to him tomorrow." Yami said, carrying the book in his arms as he walked off the platform of the gazebo.

As Yami walked with the sketchbook in tow, he felt calm and warm inside.

Just what was Yugi doing to him?