Hi, everyone! Thank you so much for your reviews. To Aqua girl 007, I like spiritshipping as well. I'm also into servantshipping, although I tend to see it sometimes as one-sided but with Dark Yugi/Atem and Black Magician Girl sharing a strong, special bond (master-servant or otherwise).

By the way, the name Bakura here refers to the host Ryou Bakura, not the Spirit of the Millennium Ring.

As always, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh and Kaichou wa Maid-sama!

Chapter 2: My Precious Secret Game

My life is over.

Throughout the rest of her shift that evening as she finished her duties, Anzu remained restless, her concentration so broken that she nearly couldn't get her tasks done properly anymore. Even slipping out of her maid uniform and back into her jeans, hooded shirt and cap was something hard to focus on. How could she, when she was already doomed to a great disaster? All that she'd worked for, the trust she'd been building up... Wasted.

After her shift, she opened the back door of the café to go home.

"You're dressed normally now, I see."

She blinked in surprise to find Yami leaning against the wall across her with his arms crossed over his chest, and she stepped back in panic. "W-Why are you still here? What do you want?" Had he been waiting for her this entire time to come out?

"Nothing, really. I just want to make sure. So that maid was really the Prez." Yami unfolded his arms. "Why are you working at a place like this?"

Anzu felt so caught, she didn't know how to respond at first. Never had she told anyone outside her family, except her manager, her whole reasons for working there, much less a mere acquaintance such as a schoolmate. But then she'd never been caught either, and for some reason she felt she had to justify her actions somehow. Realizing her colleagues were about to leave the café as well, she knew this back alley would not have enough privacy. She sighed. "All right. Come with me."

"I see. Family reasons, huh."

Anzu remained silent. She and Yami were now settled in an empty playground quite some distance away from Maid Latte.

"Are things that tough?"

She kept her gaze fixed ahead of her. "Yeah."

"So that's why you're working at a maid café in a neighboring town." Yami turned to her. "Couldn't you have done some physical labor near home instead? Or any ordinary job within town?"

Finally she looked down. "I've tried that before. It didn't work out. The other jobs available don't provide enough income for my situation. And about the physical labor, I don't have that kind of stamina. Besides, being the President, I can't let my grades drop. I can't manage both."

"Hm, that must be tough." Yami fell silent for a while, then looked ahead of him. "So then, the reason you, despite hating men, attend Domino High, a school full of guys... is because the tuition is low?"

"I guess." Anzu stole a sideway glance at Yami. This guy's quick in putting two and two together. Yet I can't tell what he's thinking.

"I see." Golden bangs hid Yami's expression as he gazed heavenward.

"My sympathies."

"Please enjoy this refreshing dessert, Master. Please ask for whatever else you'd like."

"Thank you, An-chan. Then could you give me a glass of water after I finished eating this?"

"Certainly, Master."

As soon as she had finished serving her customer his parfait, Anzu, now in her maid uniform, lapsed back into wondering.

It had been three days since her secret was uncovered. All throughout those days, never had she been so paranoid, not to mention her ears so ultrasensitive that she couldn't help but overreact every time she heard anything sounding like the word maid―made-to-order cakes, made in America, the list went on. Everyone she caught saying that dreaded homonym had sweated so much in fear and anxiety under her heavy wary stare, wondering if they were doing something wrong.

But her biggest anxiety came from not hearing from anyone that he had found out about her secret. Or so it seemed that way. Had her schoolmates really no clue about it? Or did they already know but were just pretending not to and were already making fun of her behind her back? Unless...

Unless Yami wants to blackmail me with that. Is that his intention? Or maybe to keep silent for now and then drop the bomb in public to humiliate her? He was one of the many people she had told off. Or perhaps...

Perhaps he's feeling sympathetic... For a while, Anzu pondered about that. Irritating as it was, that would probably be for the best.

Or maybe he really didn't say anything at all. Miho mentioned he's not interested in girls. If that's so... Her hopes began to rise. Then maybe it meant he didn't really care about the maid thing because he was uninterested, which meant he would be dropping this issue, and then maybe she could finally live her student life in peace and―

The sound of the door being opened snapped Anzu back to attention, and she prepared herself to greet the next customer but then froze.

Standing in front of her, wearing a sleeveless black shirt, a wide belt around his neck, and other men's accessories with a black jacket draped over his shoulders like a cape was none other than Yami himself.

As her fellow maids noticed him and silently admired him, her jaw dropped as she was horrified. "Why are you here as a customer?!" W-What's he up to?

"Found you." There was a subtle hint of satisfaction in Yami's tone, as if he took some form of pleasure in tracking her down.

It made sense that he knew where she would be. But that she was here right now?

Anzu felt herself tense. Was he here to poke fun at her? To test her? Or to have a battle of willpower? Challenged by that last thought, determination heated her body so much. There was no way she was showing how much his presence was affecting her! All right then, she thought fiercely. Bring it on, you! Just bring it on!

Projecting her best professional image, she smiled at him. "Welcome home, Master!" she greeted in her sweetest voice.

Yami gazed at her in this rather different persona for quite a long time, and with each passing moment, Anzu was hoping her front was overcoming him.

Finally he looked away...

...and smirked.

Anzu stiffened. This is going to be a really long day. And at that instant, she just wanted nothing more than to get this ordeal over with.

Why is he doing this to me?

Exhausted, Anzu was practically slumping on the school grounds two days later.

Yami's reaction at Maid Latte was just the beginning. After ordering nothing but a cup of coffee, he had just sat on his chair for an entire hour. Everywhere Anzu went, even during and after serving him his order, she had always felt his intense gaze at her, making her rather self-conscious.

It didn't stop there. Even at school the next day, Anzu had felt from time to time being observed, as though Yami's eyes were on her even from a distance, especially when carrying out her presidential duties. Was he following her all the time?

The entire thing, plus the mystery behind his seeming silence about her maid job, was exhausting her mental energy. Miho said Yami is into games. Was everything a game to him then? Was her secret a game to him? Was he enjoying mentally cornering her? He must be.

Too bad she was a very competitive person. Anzu would rather eat broken glass than lose to anyone, especially to the likes of people like Yami.

Although, I've been feeling so tired lately... she thought as she made her way back to the building to continue her patrol. Her tasks as the Student Council President had been increasing lately. Plus there are lots of school activities to plan for the next months... Her body felt sluggish but she waved it off.

Duties must come first no matter what.

Alone in his classroom, Yami drank from the can of soda in his hand. A few more gulps and he was ready to go.

"Oh, Yami, you're still here?"

He turned to the door to find Bakura, who had happened to pass by and spot him through the door left open. "Bakura, you work together with the Prez in the Student Council as the Vice President. And you went to the same middle school as her, right?"

Bakura seemed a bit surprised. "Yeah."

"Has she always been like that?"

"Well, maybe not 'always,'" he answered softly. "She used to be much... kinder and relaxed. Friendlier, you could say. She was even open about her dreams in dancing. Everyone in our class knew of her desire to go to America someday. But then later she stopped pursuing it." Bakura paused to think for a while, staring at some distant point away. "I think she started acting differently since the second year of middle school. I heard a lot went on in her house. And ever since then..." His attention shifted back to Yami. "But it's rare of you to talk about girls. And the Prez, at that."

Yami didn't answer him. Instead he turned to the window behind him, gazing down at Anzu who was heading back to the school building.

The following day, Anzu marched her way to the Student Council room, bordering somewhere in the line between bothered and irritated.

Yesterday afternoon, Yami had come again to Maid Latte as a customer and again did nothing but watch her after ordering just coffee. If the first time around her co-workers and manager had just merely admired him, this time they had begun to notice him and his attention on Anzu, and she had to put up with them asking about their relationship.

"I knew it!" her manager gushed. "He's interested in you!"

Anzu stared at her in disbelief. "Huh?"

"His eyes looked so worried! How lovable!"

"What? Worried?" She stole a glance at Yami.

At the same time, Yami turned to her, and by accident their eyes met.

To her shock, she felt her cheeks grow hot without knowing why.

Yet despite Anzu finding the idea of Yami worrying about her completely absurd, the thought still lingered in her mind even until now.

No, he was watching her only out of amusement, maybe even gratification. There was no way or reason he'd be concerned about her.

"Oh, hey, Anzu!" Ahead of her, Miho and Shizuka were waving at her in a small crowd of students by the announcement board.

Anzu stopped by.

"Great job, Anzu!" Miho congratulated her. "You got second place on the mock exam!"

Anzu blinked. "Second place?" How could that be? She had studied so hard that she had been sure she would be on top. "Who's first?"

Shizuka stepped aside. "Yami."

Anzu stiffened, unable to believe, and neared the results board to make sure she wasn't hearing things. But true enough, Yami's full name was spelled out in the first-place slot. Don't screw around with me! Why did it have to be him? Already she could imagine him smirking. Her blood rising, she turned on her heel and stormed off, leaving her friends wondering after her.

He's probably just having fun by laughing at me, since I don't have much time to spare. I feel like I'm being looked down upon. On her way to the Student Council room, she came across a random classroom and slid the door open.

A small group of boys were reading some suspicious-looking publications. When they saw Anzu, they immediately snapped them close.

Anzu stared at them hotheadedly. "What are those indecent magazines?"

"They're just comics!" one of them answered defensively. "What, just having some gravure images makes them 'indecent'?"

She walked toward them and snatched the magazine. "Confiscated!"

The guys looked indignant.

"Why?" one of them protested. "Besides, how come girls are allowed to have magazines while we're not?"

Anzu mentally stepped back.

"You're being too harsh on us," another guy complained. "I don't think you're giving us equal rights!"

Another one nodded. "If you're going to enforce the rules with us, you need to be harsher to the girls too!"

For a while Anzu wasn't sure how to respond, suddenly on the wrong spotlight. True, part of the nature in being the President was receiving complaints from students about her ways but never had she received any about equality. She never intended to be unfair, just that the rules were being followed!

But then... But then lately, she had been acting quite differently, less focused, less tolerant. Lately her emotions were so screwed up. What if she was becoming quite harsh especially with the guys without realizing it?

"Fine," she finally answered. "I'll review the case after checking the content of the magazines. Those that are just simply inappropriate for school are banned. Let me know the names of the magazines you'd like to read at school. Both male and female."

Everyone inside the classroom was surprised.

"But there's going to be a lot of them, then," one of the present girls protested. "You seem busy enough already, Anzu."

Anzu could feel her body unnaturally strained but she chose not to show it, her smile tight. "It's fine. I need to do this much as the President." She coughed.

What she didn't see was Yami standing outside the classroom, leaning against the window before he walked away.

Coughing inside the empty Student Council room, Anzu sat down, magazines stacked at her table in piles. There's just so many of them. So much work to do...

On top of it, the Student Council Accountant had messed up with generating accurate financial records. Anzu could feel her body and her cheeks abnormally hot but ignored the unpleasant sensation. Knowing that sometimes there were just some things resulting better and faster if done by oneself than depending them on other people, she had taken it upon herself to fix those records.

The next half hour was spent in silence, broken by her occasional coughs. Lethargy was getting to Anzu, and her mind felt like a wooden block that it was hard to focus on the magazine she was examining. But she couldn't just leave these things; by all means she had to get them done...

"You work too much, you know."

Anzu blinked at the sudden voice and found Yami standing by the door already slid open, his gaze on some point ahead of him. Immediately she got on her feet, taking a few steps toward him. "What are you doing here?"

"You seem to enjoy driving yourself into a corner." He turned to her. "Tell me, do you really take satisfaction in receiving and giving yourself so much suffering?"

"What?" But even as she spoke, she struggled to regain her focus on what he was saying.

"I think you should loosen up a bit," Yami uttered as Anzu stumbled back a bit, holding up her head with her hand in an attempt to remain in balance. "Just watching you..."

Her vision blurred for a while, her body swaying as though pushed by some unseen force that she began to collapse, back first. Uh-oh...

But then she felt his strong arm and hand catch her by her arm, her head landing on his shoulder, her weak body caught in the safety of his.

Yami looked down at her. "...makes me worry."

Worry? Anzu could feel blood rushing to her already flushing cheeks. No, she couldn't possibly be feeling like this! Not because of someone like him! What did he know about her anyway? Quickly she got off him, slapping his hand away. "Stay away! I..." She breathed hard. "...don't need help from the likes of you!"

For a while, Yami stared at her, seriousness clouding his crimson eyes as the tension in the air grew heavy.

"Okay then," he stated flatly.

And then he wordlessly left the room, leaving Anzu alone.

Hours later, outside Maid Latte, Anzu closed the back door behind her for a short break. Her cough didn't seem to want to disappear, instead actually worsening even more than before she had left school.

I don't have the leisure of being tired... she thought, listless. The accounts really won't add up, either... I need to hurry up and decide which magazines will be allowed, too... I also need more time than what I have now to study...

"I think you should loosen up a bit."

"I don't need help from the likes of you!"

She gazed down absentmindedly. I feel like I'm just halfway doing everything... No matter what she did or how much effort she put into it, why did she seem to always fall short lately? Her state of not feeling well must have a lot to do with it, and how she hated feeling so sick. But what if... She tried to ignore a small voice speaking behind her mind.

What if he was right?

"Huh? Isn't that the Prez?"

Anzu gasped in shock, her heart pounding as her eyes widened. She knew that voice... Dread filled her to the brim as she turned to the source.

Jounouchi stood just a few feet away from her.

But he was not alone. Otogi and Honda were with him.

Her eyes widened even more in pure horror, horror even worse than that when Yami found her out. Oh no! Especially considering the fact that Jounouchi had a big mouth!

"Wow, it really is." Honda smirked at the sight of their President in a servant's clothing.

"Well, well, well. What a pleasant coincidence this is. Seriously? A maid?" Otogi asked in mixed disbelief and taunt.

"This is hilarious," Jounouchi added as the three of them approached her. "Hey, let's call everyone over." He and Honda took out their phones.

She wanted to punch them, beat them up. Destroy their phones. Threaten them into silence. Anything to preserve herself. But in her ill condition, she couldn't even yell for help. How could she be sick, of all times, now, and of all people who could discover her, why the three of them? Everything's going downhill. I'm doomed! Anzu could do nothing but turn around and try to escape, which by itself was already dizzying and draining her.

"Are you going to run away?" Otogi grabbed her wrist. "I told you before, you won't get away with what you did to my ear." He pulled it up, against her defiance. "Is this really okay, Prez? You torment guys all the time at school, and then you're going to tell us that you're actually a maid?"

Anzu tried to pull her wrist away but his grip was so strong. "Let go!"

Otogi ignored her resistance. "We're going to need some special service then."

"Okay, I'm taking it." Jounouchi focused the lens of his phone on Anzu to capture photos.

"Call us your masters or something," Honda jeered. "Aren't you supposed to be a maid?"

She just wanted to disappear, if she couldn't fight back. Anzu gritted her teeth at her helplessness. My body feels so weak...

Then Otogi took a good look at her face, at her overall feminine appearance. "Wow, I didn't realize you were actually a girl," he remarked almost in awe as he released her wrist, reaching out to touch her. "Dressing like this actually makes you look..."

She stood still, remaining powerless. Waiting in dread for his hand to land on her shoulder, or anywhere of her for that matter. Anticipating wolf whistles or any sounds meant to demean her.

But the only sound she heard was the strong, loud slapping away of fingers by another set of ones... and she felt a warm arm protectively wrap around her bare shoulders.

"Don't touch her just because she's cute."

Anzu's blue eyes widened at those words. At that voice. That very familiar and suddenly welcoming voice...

"Y-Yami!" Otogi, Jounouchi and Honda's eyes widened as well in shock.

"Why are you protecting her?" Otogi demanded.

Jounouchi's brows furrowed. "If anything, you should be siding with us!"

"She's against us guys, remember?" Honda added.

Ignoring them, Yami placed his free hand over Anzu's burning forehead. "Are you all right?" he asked in concern.

Anzu answered with a cough, her body beginning to shiver.

Yami turned to the three and sent them a glare, a glare so deadly and piercing that they stepped back, sweat beginning to form on their temples.

"Ah." Yami's glare turned somewhere between scathing and intrigued. "Could it be that you guys are interested in playing..."

"N-No," Otogi answered with a hint of shakiness as he and the other two backed away. "We get it. Come on, let's get out of here." A few more steps back and then they ran away.

Relief spread over Anzu at the sudden turn of events, happiness and gratitude for her savior brimming in her heart. But a big part within her wanted to cry. After the harsh way she had rejected Yami's concern earlier... She wasn't supposed to be rescued like this. She didn't deserve to be rescued by him, of all people, at all. Guilt consumed her from the inside. "Sorry..."

Yami seemed a bit surprised.

Breathing audibly, Anzu closed her eyes, her voice growing soft. "Sorry... Yami..." She could feel her mind starting to drift away, her weak body leaning against his, her temple on his chest.

She never saw how Yami's expression softened slightly.

"It's okay," he murmured, holding her comfortably still in his hands. "Rest all you want."

Yami... Anzu felt him lowering her on the ground. Felt him shifting her arms. Felt something soft and warm sheathing them, her shoulders, her back. A jacket...

And then his arms scooped her back and her legs, lifting her up. At that moment, in her vulnerable state, she relaxed in his arms, in his warmth, in his security. Her eyes growing heavy, she drifted to sleep.

And so the next day, Anzu stayed at home to fully recover.

The following day after that, she was back at school. Resting for a day had helped clear her mind, and there were things left to be settled. So she searched for Yami but couldn't find him anywhere.

Then he must be up there, she thought, heading up the stairs that led to the school rooftop. She pushed the door open. True enough, the object of her search was standing there, facing the nearby fence. "Yami."

"Ah, you're better now," he said without even looking at her.

"Mom said the Chief was worried when she called home." Anzu walked until she was just a few feet behind him. "You were the one who brought me to the Chief, weren't you?"

He said nothing.

"Things didn't seem to have changed even when I came back. I was expecting people to treat me differently by this time."

"Have you ever considered an alternative result if people did find out?" he asked. "Just because you're dressed like a maid, the fact that you're putting aside yourself and your dreams for your family, even if it meant risking your reputation... People may admire you for that. I think you should be proud of it."

Anzu gazed at him in surprise. Yami...

"But that would be their choice. I get why you don't want to tell them."

Anzu was about to respond to his uplifting words when something about them caught her mind. The fact that you're putting aside yourself and your dreams for your family...

How did he know about my dream? Had he been investigating her? Or was he just referring to dreams in general that anyone could have?

But it didn't matter much now. "You know, I actually spent the whole day yesterday thinking about why you piss me off so much."

Yami turned to her.

"It's like, when I'm running with all my might, you're jogging relaxedly a few yards ahead of me." Anzu joined him near the fence, her gaze on the stretch of blue sky. "And then you start running backwards right in my face, looking so smug all the time at the distance between us. I'm really competitive, not just in dancing, so that made me really mad..."

He remained silent.

"But I was saved this time thanks to you being ahead of me." Anzu turned to him. "Just watch. I'll pass you soon and when that happens, I'll be the one to worry about you."

Something shifted in his eye expression―it was too subtle that she wasn't sure what it was, but it was present.

"So thank you. But now those guys have already found out..."

"You don't have to worry about them. They haven't told anyone. Even those photos of you are gone now. I made sure of that."

"Really? I was actually prepared for it. Did you do something to those three?"

"Nothing. I just told them..."

"Told them what?" Did he tell them everything I've revealed to him?

To her surprise, he leaned forward, a little close to her, catching her eyes with his sudden gaze. "You are my precious secret game. No one else can enjoy you except only me."

"G-Game?" What did he mean by that? That he would be competitive with her? That he would play her? That she would be an amusement to him? She recalled how concerned he had acted when she was sick. Or was that his way of saying he would protect her? Anzu couldn't read him at all.

"Anyway, thanks, too, for lending me your jacket," she said, trying to dispel the sudden air of mystery around them, holding up a paper bag she had brought with her to widen their physical space. "I was thinking about how I could make it up to you since I hate being indebted, but I couldn't think of anything. Why don't you come up with something for me?"

"Hmm." Yami appeared thoughtful for a while. "I suppose you could be my personal maid for a day?"

"Huh?"

Yami smirked, seeming to enjoy the mixed bewildered and disturbed look on Anzu's face. "You are... rather interesting to watch." He planted his hand on the fence, right beside her head. "Maybe you would like to play with me someday..."

His intensifying gaze trapped her and at that instant, she was completely at his power. What was going on? She was supposed to hold power over him as the President. How could it be that now it was he who had it over her?

"Because..." He leaned close to her face. "I certainly want to play with you..."

Anzu could feel her blood rush to her cheeks at his proximity with her. Why was he suddenly acting like this around her? How could he seem aloof one moment, then sweet and concerned the next, at times seem to make fun of her, but then be protective of her and save her, and yet now talk with cryptic words, suddenly getting close to her? Was he just teasing her right now, or was he actually being really serious at this point?

Why was this guy so hard to figure out? Like...

A puzzle.

"Quit it," she said instead, trying to wave him off. "Just tell me what you want for me to repay you."

The crimson in his eyes intensified. "Anything?"

"Anything." As soon as the word came out, she instantly regretted it. What if he came up with something she couldn't deal with? "Wait...!"

"Then..."

Too late.

He leaned so close to her ear, his voice low. "For one day, just you and me..." His fingers took her chin and raised it for her to meet his intense serious gaze, his mouth close to hers.

"Would you play a game with me?"

- To be continued

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