Celebrity.
Being a celebrity was a strange experience. Having been a shy teenager, who always tried his best to avoid attention, Yugi did not think he would ever get used to seeing posters of himself advertising new card packs, games and other products – he cringed every time the advert for a branded line of hair gel was shown on TV.
Being a celebrity could also get a little intrusive on his private life sometimes as well. Especially when his recent engagement to Anzu was made public.
Anzu had only returned home from finishing her degree in dance yesterday, and even though he had proposed to her in the privacy of his nice new apartment, within twelve hours their romance had gone viral.
All of a sudden, they were the hottest couple in Japan.
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Arriving home from Kaiba Corp. that evening, where he was working on a new game design, Yugi parked on the driveway, only to find his car suddenly surrounded by fans and paparazzi.
Apart from when Grandpa announced mini tournaments at the game store (in the presence of the esteemed King of Games) Yugi had never seen so many fans and people from the media descended upon his house!
"Shit!" he hissed through gritted teeth, as he forced a crocodile smile and gave them a regal wave.
He was grateful for central locking when they tried to tug the car doors open, but they would not budge.
He was less happy, when frustrated admirers started banging their hands on his brand new sports car; rocking it as they clambered onto the bonnet.
He startled when they started pressing themselves against the windscreen, and was horrified as a busty girl squished her barely covered breasts against the windscreen right in front of him. Any moment now, he expected the screen to give way, sending the busty girl and broken glass raining down on him.
It was starting to get claustrophobic.
Gulping, he yanked his keys free of the steering column, and elbowed the car door open. The fans jumped back only slightly, reaching out to touch him as he forced his way through them towards his front door.
A microphone on a boom appeared over their heads, and a seasoned looking journalist pushed the young fans out of the way, his cameraman close beside him.
"Mister Muto?" the man shouted. "Can you spare a few words on your engagement?" Yugi ignored him. "When is the wedding?"
Yugi wished he had the balls to tell the man to mind his own fucking business. "W..we haven't actually set a date yet. B..but, Anzu has always wanted a spring wedding." He regretted telling them that last part; now it would be all over social media that they were getting married next spring.
The man started asking him some more questions, but Yugi said, "Sorry. That's all. Now if you don't mind, I would like to get to my front door."
Giggles, and comments about the pretty little dancer waiting inside for him could be heard from the male members of his fan club. Swoons and 'Marry Me instead Yugi!' pleas could be heard from the females.
The journalist tried again. "Would Miss Mazaki like to come outside for a few words? Some pictures of you both together would be nice?"
"Another time," said Yugi. "Anzu is still recovering from her long flight and I've just finished a long day at work." They should have arrange an official press conference – Seto Kaiba did tell him.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Yugi ducked inside the front door of the building and pushed it shut.
Bounding towards the stairs, Yugi apologised to the angry neighbour, who occupied the ground floor, when he came out of his flat to have a go at him about the noise. He could not not help it if the man worked shifts and was trying to sleep.
Reaching the sanctuary of his spacious first floor flat, he opened the door and was immediately accosted by Anzu, who was still recovering from her jet lag and had been zonked for most of the afternoon.
"What are all those people doing outside?" she asked, baffled. They had not been there this morning when she went out to meet the people she would be performing with in the Tokyo Ballet Company.
"They're waiting for us!" he told her. "I've no idea how, but they know we're engaged." The only person he had told was Seto Kaiba, and there was no way that Kaiba would say anything. It had been Kaiba who advised him to hold an official press conference to pre-empt the media scrum and fan mania.
"Oh, no." Anzu put her hand over her mouth. "I'm afraid that's my fault." That morning, Anzu had been to meet members of the Domino Ballet Company, with whom she would be working on a production of Swan Lake. She suspected it was one of the dancers. "Sorry, Yugi. I was so happy and showed them my engagement ring."
Yugi hugged her. "It's not your fault. It was bound to get out soon. And, anyway, I'm happy. Now they all know I'm engaged to the most beautiful girl in Japan." He winked at her. "Scrap that; you're not the most beautiful girl in Japan, you're the most beautiful girl in the world!"
Anzu pouted at him. "You're just biased," she teased, looping her arms over his shoulders and giving him a teasing, open mouthed kiss.
Her teasing lead them into the bedroom, where he demonstrated just how beautiful he thought she was.