Another morning of near-fatal embarrassment came and went, as apparently, having a shower with two people sharing a body was not any less embarrassing the second time.
One can only hope that we will eventually get used to that, lamented Yami.
I don't think I'll ever get used to it, Yuugi replied. And didn't we agree not to talk about it anymore?
Yes, you are right. Yami struggled to find a new conversation point.
"Breakfast!" Yuugi exclaimed, grasping on the first thought that flew through their mind that did not relate to bathroom activities. What do you think Mum's making for us?
Ah, I am not sure. I quite enjoyed the bacon from yesterday.
Really? Bacon's alright, I guess, but I'm hoping for something different, like pancakes.
Thus, Yuugi and Yami's short-term sanity remained intact.
On their way to school, Jounouchi caught up with them. His face was clear of bandages, but he still walked with a slight limp. They made small talk for a while, but eventually, they ran out of things to talk about. Well, all but one topic.
Really, Yami? Yuugi asked incredulously. He could already feel his face reddening.
Of course. Jounouchi was the one who decided to talk about it yesterday. He would not object to us asking about it.
Still blushing, Yuugi sighed. Alright then.
"J-Jounouchi," Yami stuttered, Yuugi's hesitance leaking through. "Did you watch the video you mentioned yesterday?"
"Oh, that," Jounouchi exclaimed, somewhat disappointedly if Yami was not mistaken. "Well, I squinted, but," his eyelids came closer together in emphasis. "I couldn't see any of the good stuff," he growled, his fist, shaking. He swore before mumbling something about a mosaic.
"Ah, such a shame," Yami commiserated. "The human body is a beautiful thing, and something we should be able to experience in its entirety."
Jounouchi gesticulated wildly. "I know, right?"
You two are such perverts.
You act as if you are not interested, said Yami smugly. We both know that is a lie.
Yuugi pouted. Shut up.
And we really must do something about the heat in our face. I doubt that is healthy.
I said, shut up, Yami!
"Y'alright there Yuugi?" Jounouchi suddenly asked. "Your face is lookin' all red and stuff."
"Perfectly fine!" they quickly replied.
Jounouchi smirked. "Don't worry, I get it. Tell ya what, I'll lend it to you sometime!"
"Eh!?" exclaimed Yuugi. "W-well, I don't really get much privacy so-"
Yami interrupted, "I will have to wait for the opportunity." Did we not talk about this yesterday? Sociability over deprivation.
Ah, fine.
I knew you would see it my way.
Jerk.
Yet you love me for it.
"Don't worry 'bout it," continued Jounouchi, unaware of the dialogue in Yuugi's head. "I can be patient. I'm lucky enough that pops can sleep through 'bout anything. One time, there was an earthquake, and - Huh!?" He suddenly stopped walking. "Look! There's a TV van!"
He was right. Outside the gate of the school, there was a white van with the Nippon TV logo printed on the side of it.
"Why's it here?" Jounouchi wondered.
An idea struck Yuugi. "Maybe there's a celebrity or a really famous idol coming to school!"
Jounouchi suddenly gripped his friend's shoulders and turned them around to bring them face to face. "That must be it!" he said, his eyes glinting with excitement.
Though Yami was slightly more sceptical. "Then again, they could be covering something else instead. For instance, maybe they're filming something about Ushio."
Oh, come on, Yami.
"No way, that wouldn't be exciting enough. It's gotta be some sort of idol!"
See, Yami? Jounouchi agrees with me.
Well, there is only one way to confirm it.
"Okay, let's take a look," said Yuugi as they walked up to the van. Unfortunately, due to their short height, they could not see into through the van's window unless they stood up on the balls of their feet.
"Hey, Yuugi," called Jounouchi from behind them. "Trying to catch an idol?" he snickered.
They tried to peer through the glass, but they could only see the hair of their blurry reflection. "I can't see anything. I think it's like a one-way mirror."
"Well that makes sense," Jounouchi commented, "they wouldn't want anyone outside catching their idols changing clothes, would they?"
Yuugi and Yami let go of the window like it had burned them, while their face similarly burned. In their haste to get away, they tripped over and landed flat on their behind.
"Jounouchi!" Yuugi and Yami yelled, turning to see their friend cover his mouth with both his hands, mirth clear in his expression.
"See you in class, Yuugi" he gritted out through wheezes and snorts, before running to the school building.
As they hoisted themself back onto their feet, Yuugi wondered. Wait, how come you were embarrassed?
How would I not be embarrassed with the thought of accidentally peeping on someone?
We were just talking about-
Yes, but there is a world of difference between watching something like that and accidentally seeing something you should not without the person's knowledge or consent!
Oh... Yeah, that makes sense.
I may appreciate the form of a beautiful woman, but I must also be respectful to the owners of those forms.
Yuugi and Yami walked into homeroom to see his classmates gossiping about the TV van. Jounouchi was telling Anzu something about exposing someone.
"That's a crime," Anzu pointed out with an exasperated look on her face.
Yuugi asked, "What's a crime?"
"I was just telling Mazaki here that there's an idol somewhere in the school disguised as a student," Jounouchi explained.
Anzu interjected. "If there even is one to begin with."
"I bet I could make a killin' if I could snap a pic of her!"
"That is an invasion of privacy!"
Perhaps we should just leave them to their bickering, said Yami.
Yeah, probably. Though you have to admit, it's weird for there to be a TV van at school at all. Would the teachers know what's happening?
That is likely, though unless they want the students to be involved, I doubt they will tell us anything.
A day of school continued as normal, with no mention of the media from the teachers. Though Ms. Chouno did make a passing remark on how if she would have to make sure they got her good side if she walked in front of a camera.
During lunch, they played Snakes & Ladders with the cracked die again with Jounouchi, until Honda came in and pulled him away claiming to need his help. Yuugi offered to play a game with Anzu, but she begged off saying she had plans with other friends. Jounouchi eventually came back, but by that time the bell was about to ring at any second. He apologetically helped Yuugi pack up the board game.
At the end of the day, something was nagging at the back of Yami's thoughts.
"Jounouchi?" asked Yami as he walked with their friend to the shoe lockers, "what was it that Honda wanted you for?"
"Oh, uh... He... He needed a favour," he said evasively.
"A favour?" Yami repeated.
"Yeah."
"What sort of favour?"
"W-well, he..." he suddenly let out a big sigh. "Ya didn't hear from me, but Honda's got the hots for a girl. Not allowed to say who. Bro-code, y'know."
"And how does this relate to the favour?"
"He wanted me to take some pics of her. Nothing interesting, just some regular old-fashioned pictures." He pulled out a disposable camera out of his pocket. "Made him promise to let me use the rest of the film on that idol." He pocketed the camera. "Say, Yuugi." He slapped him on the back. "Wanna go find that idol with me?"
"How do we know that the van is for that specifically?" asked Yami. "What if they are here to cover something else?"
"Yuugi," Jounouchi groaned. "Not you too. It's not just a dream, Yuugi! You gotta believe!" He swore under his breath and ran then he off on his own. "Guess I'll just have to search by myself, bye."
"Ah, Jounouchi!" Yuugi called, but there was no reply.
Jounouchi abandoned them.
I, I am so, so sorry Yuugi! I should not have dismissed him as I did! I did not mean to alienate him and make you lose a friend you had just made!
Yami!
I should have been more agreeable, I should have indulged him, I should have just agreed to go with him at the onset!
YAMI!
This was your greatest wish, and I just threw it all away in one move. I am such a colossal idiot.
YAMI! Shut up! Yuugi felt his other-self quiet down in submission, full of resigned guilt. No, not like that, Yami. Look, I don't blame you.
What?
He's your friend as well, right?
My friend?
Yes! My friends are your friends. We share everything, don't we?
I... I was under the assumption that-
Wait, I thought that was me thinking that.
You? No, that is impossible. It was your prior actions that made Jounouchi like you in the first place. I came afterward.
But you're the friend I wished for. Any other friends must be because of you because I've never had really good friends before.
A wave of near-silence stretched in their mind, an amalgamation of half-formed thoughts and feelings, saying everything in an indecipherable language.
I think we've both been stupid.
Yes, we have.
They sighed.
Well... what do we do now, Yami?
Perhaps we should- Yami was never able to finish the thought as suddenly their vision was suddenly filled by a face with a large, somewhat creepy smile pressed nearly up to their nose.
They yelped as they leapt backward, managing to stay upright this time. They took another look at the face from a respectable distance, it belonged to an older student with blonde hair and a headband and a uniform that fit too big on him.
"You alright there?" their upperclassmen asked, "You seemed pretty out of it."
"Oh, uh..." Yuugi struggled for words.
Yami took the reins, "We are fine now, thank you for asking."
"We're?" the student raised an eyebrow.
Damn it. Yuugi and Yami thought in synchronicity.
We really need to stop doing that.
I think you mean 'I' need to stop doing that, Yuugi. Either way, we should just deflect.
"Uh... Who are you?" asked Yuugi.
"My name is Fujita," he said apprehensively.
"N-Nice to meet you, I'm Mutou."
"Yuugi Mutou, right?"
"Yeah, that's me."
His face brightened. "Cool. You've heard about the idol that goes to school here, right? There's a van here with a whole crew looking for her."
"Yes. W-What about it?"
"Well, you seemed a bit down in the dumps, made me feel bad for you, so I was thinking." Fujita's large smile turned into a smirk. "Would you like to meet her?"
"Wait, really? That rumour's real?"
I guess Jounouchi was on to something, Yami commented.
"Well, duh. 'Ms. Idol' and I are pals. I can introduce you to her. It'll be great." Fujita turned around and waved his hand in a 'come here' gesture. "I'm meeting her behind the gym. Come on, we can go together."
"Okay!" Yuugi happily followed.
As they navigated the ground floor hallways, Yuugi and Yami's heart was pounding.
I wonder who the idol is, said Yuugi.
I doubt it matters which idol it happens to be.
Yeah, but what if it's someone really famous.
We had best make a good first impression then.
Yami, Yuugi whined, that's too much pressure!
They made it outside when Yami was struck with an idea.
Perhaps we could give them flowers? He said, pointedly looking at a nearby flowerbed.
I like that idea! "Um, Fujita?"
"Hm?" He replied somewhat impatiently.
"You go on ahead, I'm gonna give her some of those flowers."
"Alright, but hurry up!"
Yuugi and Yami deliberated over choosing a handful of hibiscus flowers, hoping not to get into trouble for messing with school property until they decided to bite the bullet and pick some anyway. They made it behind the gym with their bouquet wrapped in their handkerchief.
Fujita was looking at his watch while tapping his foot. He looked up at them as they arrived. "You're just in time!"
Yuugi was confused, how could they be 'just in time' when they could not see anyone else there. "Huh? Um... Fujita, where's the idol?"
Suddenly, they could feel their stomach drop. Yami was nervous, and not in a good way. Something is not adding up.
"Well..." Fujita said, "the truth is - " he suddenly swerved his head around and walked closer to them. "Wait, I hear someone coming."
Does he think something's weird as w- Yuugi's thought was interrupted when there was a sudden burst of pain in their jaw. The bouquet was destroyed, petals and leaves floated through the air. There was shouting in the distance. It suddenly became hard to breathe.
Wha... Yuugi thought deliriously. Did I get... punched?
Yuugi! Focus!
"Idiot!" Fujita yelled, grabbing their hair. "There isn't any idol," he winded back his other arm, "and there never was!" Fujita shot a burly hook aimed at their other cheek.
Damn! Yami was barely able to cover their face with their forearms before the punch landed. They barely felt Fujita's fist as it slid across their uniform.
"OI!" A new voice shouted. "Wait a goddamn second!" It was Jounouchi, his face thunderous, and clutching Honda's camera who sprinted onto the scene. "You asshole! What the hell are you doing!"
Before Yuugi could properly understand what was happening, Jounouchi had separated them and Fujita. They were lying on the ground.
"Yuugi! Are you okay!?"
Yami nodded, "I... believe so."
Jounouchi nodded and then grabbed Fujita by his shirt and raised a trembling fist to his face. "You creep! What were ya doin' to my pal! I'll kill you!"
Pal?
He still considers us his friend.
"I... I never wanted to do this!" Fujita snivelled. "I wasn't my fault!"
"Oh yeah?" said Jounouchi incredulously. "It wasn't your fault that your fist somehow made it ta Yuugi's face, eh? He ran into your hand that was clenched an' up in the air for some reason!? Gimme a break!"
"It was the director," Fujida admitted. "He said I had to!"
"Director?"
"That's enough!" It was another new voice. It came from a man in casual clothes and a horseshoe moustache. "I'll take it from here, Fujida."
Cradling their jaw, Yami pushed themself up off of the ground into a sit. Behind the moustached man was another man carrying a large film camera. Were we being filmed?
Jounouchi looked at Fujida who was in turn looking at Mr. Moustache. He dropped Fujida roughly to the ground with a thud and turned to face him. "You... You're the director this asshole was talkin' about. You made him do this to Yuugi!"
The director only smirked in response.
It looks like it, said Yuugi. He managed to help Yami pull themself back into standing. Ow. Their jaw ached with every beat of their heart. "I'm sorry for dragging you into this, Jounouchi."
"Nah, man! It ain't your fault." Jounouchi replied. "It's only because these creeps were spoutin' what turned out to be bull crap."
"Oi, cut!" The director called out, waving to the cameraman. "We don't need this teenage drama to waste the film." He dug a finger into his ear. "Look kids," he explained, "the fact that shorty over here got chosen for the role of the 'bullied child' was just unfortunate bad luck. A bad roll of the dice."
Yami was incensed. "We never consented to be a part of your performance! What on earth would give you the right to assault someone, a minor no less, for- for entertainment?!"
"Yeah!" Jounouchi shouted. "What the hell are you playing at!"
"Hey, chill out," the director waved off. His face contorted into a demented grin. "Thanks to you, we've got some great footage. The audience is gonna love ya. The Tragic Hero, Yuugi. The broadcasters are gonna love it."
Jounouchi began shaking in rage. "I'm gonna kill you," he stated with an eerie serenity as if it was an undeniable fact. Then in the next moment, he had the director by the scruff of his shirt.
However, the smile did not leave the director's face. "Go ahead," he laughed. "But while you're beating me, my cameraman will be catching all on tape."
Wait, said Yuugi, didn't he tell him to cut?
But it did not matter, as Jounouchi had already stopped in his tracks as the cameraman pointed the camera right at his face. "What the- GNRK!" and with a sickening thud, Jounouchi bent over retching. The Director had jammed his knee right under Jounouchi's ribcage.
A scream ripped itself out of Yuugi and Yami's stomach. "JOUNOUCHI!" They ran as fast as they could and wrapped their tiny arms around the falling body of their friend.
"Y-Yuugi..."
"Looks like you get it," the Director drawled. "I control the camera, I control the actors, and I control what the world gets to see. I could easily ruin you. All with just a picture with your face on it. The world would forever remember your face, a face to scorn, to hate." He turned to his crew. "Alright we're done here, let's get the footage to the editors." The Director, Fujida, and the cameraman all packed up their equipment and made their way back to the main gate around the gym.
They held Jounouchi in his arms, almost bridal carrying him. He was cringing, his face was pale and sweaty looking like he was about to puke. There was a faint scent of ozone.
Yami?
Yes, Yuugi?
They heard the director shout before he rounded the wall of the gym. "Don't worry too much, your faces will be censored." He laughed loudly. "But with hair like that," he shrugged. "Well, what can you do."
They could feel the heat emanating off of their forehead. Aquatic bells rang in their ears.
We're going to play another Shadow Game.