AN: For those of you who are still wondering who the mystery man Seto is Dueling here is, let's just say it's someone he knows well... very well. Also, I deliberately copied stuff from the manga here, specifically a very specific Duel that happens early on in the plot. Again, if you know, you know.
In other news, call-forwards to the series are hilarious. Hey, in the manga Seto was inspired to create Solid Vision by a Shadow Game. Maybe in this AU this is what sparks his fascination with bringing the cards to life (especially since he's not nearly as traumatized by this first exposure to magic). Also maybe this is the reason why in this AU his super expert rules change the LP total to 4000 because, seriously, 2000 is not nearly enough.
We didn't get a lot of Gozaburo in this chapter, mostly because it's exhausting to get in his headspace (as fun as I said it is in Chapter One) and my brain was already fried trying to do a Duel play-by-play. But we'll get more of him in Chapter Four when it comes out, trust me.
Three
"Since you're the novice, I'll let you go first," the man said smugly.
"Fine," Seto replied, drawing his first hand.
Urg… not the best opening hand. At least I got a monster on the first turn.
He swallowed his anxiety, remembering the mysterious girl's words. Dueling's in your blood.
Whatever that meant.
"I summon a monster in defense mode!" Seto announced, laying a card facedown on the table.
"Hmph. The move of a coward," the man sneered. "Is that it for you?"
"Yes," Seto replied. He didn't know this guy's strategy yet, and the best thing for now was to protect his Life Points.
This isn't like playing Duel Monsters in free time with Mokie. There's something actually at stake. And I don't want to know what this man will do to me - to her -if I lose.
Seto forced himself to breathe.
"My turn, then!" the man said. "I summon the Cyclops in attack mode!"
The Cyclops… not the most powerful card, but not a bad one. And more powerful than what I've got face down. Oh, no…
"Cyclops attacks your face-down card!" the man sneered.
Seto almost heard a death cry from the card as he picked it up and discarded it.
No more monsters again. At least my Life Points went untouched…
"That would be it for me!" the man said. "Your turn!"
"Right…" Seto looked at his hand.
Darkness Generator… huh, maybe this could come in handy later.
"I lay a card facedown and end my turn!"
The man sneered again. "Another coward's move. Are setting up walls and evading all you can do?"
Seto gritted his teeth. The man was trying to bait him into attacking, he was sure.
He must have some kind of strategy in place for when he's attacked. I need to figure it out, and fast.
"I guess it's my turn!" the man said. "I attack you directly with my Cyclops!"
Seto couldn't describe what happened next other than he felt as if a massive club had swatted him in the gut, leaving him doubled over in pain.
"Oh, are you feeling it?" the man asked. "This game uses my special house rules. It's a shadow game, the ultimate battle of wits!"
"Wh-what did you… do to me?" Seto wheezed.
"Nothing at all, little boy. My monster simply attacked you and dealt 1200 points of damage to your Life Points. They are called Life Points for a reason, you know?"
…That was… Is he actually using some kind of magic to make the attacks hurt or is it some kind of mental trick, like hypnotism? I don't have the Life Points to find out right now. I'm down to 800, so another attack will take me out. And if what he's insinuating is true… will that…?
Would getting hit by another attack actually kill him?
Is there a chance… I could die?
He drew, praying as hard as he could.
I can't die here! Mokuba… my fiance… Roland… they're all waiting for me to return. And this girl… whoever she is… I can't let her down!
His eyes widened as he saw the card in his hand.
Dark Clown Saggi? That card is too weak, though! But maybe… Darkness Generator is still on the field…
"I summon Dark Clown Saggi in attack mode!"
The man laughed. "So when you finally decide to attack, it's with that weak clown?! Don't toy with me, brat!"
"I'm not done! Next, I reveal my Magic Card, Darkness Generator, which triples Saggi's attack strength!"
The man's grin dropped off his face. "You…"
"Dark Clown, attack!"
Again, Seto almost heard a dying roar from the Cyclops card as the man slapped it down in his graveyard. The man winced, holding his chest.
Is whatever made me feel the Cyclops' attack affecting him, too?
"I end my turn there!"
The man growled. "Fine, so you took out some of my Life Points, big deal! My turn!"
He drew, his eyes narrowing at his card.
"I summon Fortress Guardian Winged Dragon in defense mode!"
Now I've got him on the defensive… but now isn't the time to start celebrating. He still has more Life Points than me, and that monster is strong enough to wipe me out if he decides to attack with it.
The man grinned. "Not so high and mighty anymore, are you?"
The girl bit her lip, looking worried.
"I also lay a card facedown! That's it for me!"
"My turn," Seto said. He drew a card.
Minotaurus! That's a strong card! That'll take another chunk out of his Life Points!
"I play Minotaurus in attack mode! Minotaurus attacks the Winged Dragon!"
The man grimaced and winced, putting the Winged Dragon in the graveyard.
"Is that it?"
"Yes, I end my turn."
"My turn! I draw!"
The man made a little flick as he drew this time, which made Seto blink, confused.
"The hour of your demise is nigh, little son of Gozaburo Kaiba," the man said, his voice eerily even. "For I have drawn the most powerful beast ever to be commanded!"
He flipped over the card in his hand.
Seto recognized that card. He could picture its art perfectly with his eyes closed. The card he'd dreamed of having, the card that called to him for as long as he could remember.
At 3000 Attack Points, it was one of the strongest monsters ever to be printed in the game, powerful enough to one-turn kill even the best player under the current 2000 Life Points system.
Somebody should propose raising that number, it's awfully unbalanced… No, focus, Seto! This isn't the time!
"Beautiful… isn't it? The goddess of dragons, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon! With 3000 Attack Points, it has enough power to blow through your minotaur and smite you down where you stand!" the man sneered. "Come out, Blue-Eyes!"
The room seemed to echo with the Blue-Eyes' mighty roar. Seto felt shaky, and his heart pounded. It felt like, rather than looking at a dragon card on a table, he was staring down the throat of the real thing.
However, the girl, rather than look terrified as she had the whole duel, looked angry.
"That's my treasure! My soul! That dirty cheater slipped it into his deck!"
Wait a minute, she is the owner of a Blue-Eyes White Dragon card!
"Shut up, girl!" the man snarled, shoving her hard into the wall. "Now… for you! Blue-Eyes, attack with Burst Stream of Destruction!"
Seto braced himself for the incoming pain.
Then nothing happened.
The man looked equally surprised. "What did you do?!"
"I didn't do anything!" Seto said in shock.
Then, out of nowhere, he heard the Blue-Eyes' dying roar…. And saw the card itself appearing in the man's graveyard.
"What!? That card must be defective somehow!"
The girl grinned. "I told ya! That card is my soul! It would never turn on my friend! Not just anyone can control a Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
The man snarled. "Fine! I may have lost my Blue-Eyes! That just means I'll finish you a turn later! You're just prolonging the inevitable!"
"My turn!" Seto said.
Did the Blue-Eyes itself really refuse to attack me? How could that be? Isn't it only a card? How could a card recognize me as… a friend?
Seto shook his head. I don't have time to think about it now. I've got to come up with something soon. One good draw from him and I'm finished!
"I draw!"
Seto's eyes widened as he saw what he had drawn.
This… this is perfect!
"Looks like you're the one who's finished!" Seto said.
"What are you talking about?! Are you insane!?"
"I play the Magic Card Resurrection of the Dead! You remember what that card does, right? It allows me to Special Summon a monster from either graveyard! And guess what monster I'm summoning!"
"You… You little brat…" the man whimpered.
"Blue-Eyes White Dragon! Come to me!" Seto shouted, slamming the card down on his side of the field.
This time, however, he saw it.
A ghostly image of the dragon itself erupting from the card, wrapping its tail around him protectively.
"Burst Stream Of Destruction!" Seto cried.
The man let out a bone-chilling scream, clutching at his chest and toppling out of his chair.
Seto watched, frozen in shock, as shadowy hands erupted from the carpet and grabbed the man, who was dragged, screaming and fighting, through the floor.
Then he was gone. The briefcase, too, vanished into the darkness, along with all of the cards.
Only one was left: The Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
The world seemed to get lighter, the air less oppressive and heavy. Seto stood up from the table, feeling dizzy and weak. He was aware of picking up the Blue-Eyes card from the table, and instantly feeling strangely… happy. Truly at peace for the first time since Dad had died.
Completely… utterly… whole.
He turned to the girl, reaching out his hand to help her up, when suddenly he felt his legs buckle, and he fell to the floor, the last thing he saw being the girl smiling as she said, "You beat your own shadow. Congratulations… my beloved."
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Gozaburo felt puzzled. For some reason, he'd had the strangest feeling that Seto had left the house.
"Roland?"
"Yes, sir?"
"Where is Seto, currently?"
"Oh, I found him slumped over his desk again. I figured he could use the sleep if he plans to be up all night at this party, so I sent him to bed. He should still be there."
"Let me see for myself."
Gozaburo walked with Roland down the hall to Seto's room. Roland opened the door a crack, revealing that exactly what Roland said was true.
Seto was tucked into bed, still in his school clothes, sleeping like a baby. Gozaburo searched the room. There was no sign of a window being forced, and the balcony door was locked.
"What are you looking for, Kaiba-sama?"
"Nothing, Roland. I just could have sworn I thought I saw Seto leaving the grounds."
"Why on earth would he do that? Where would he go?" Roland asked, something unreadable in his voice.
"That's true. Where would he go? My son has no business being a little runaway."
As Gozaburo turned and left, Roland stayed. He bent down, kneeling beside Seto-sama's bed.
There, in his hands which were clasped over his heart, was a card, one of the brown-backed cards from the collectible game Seto-sama loved so much.
When he flipped it over, Roland gasped.
The card in Seto-sama's hands showed a beautiful, silver-scaled dragon with eyes a deeper azure color than Seto-sama's own. The dragon seemed to glare at him, daring him to take the card out of the sleeping Seto-sama's grip.
So Roland carefully tucked the card back where it had been, clutched to the young boy's heart as if he were holding a favorite stuffed animal.
Carefully, he swung the door shut as quietly as possible. The young boy needed all the rest he could get, before he met his fiance.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
"Bocchama, wake up. It's nearly time for the celebration, and you must get out of these slept-in clothes."
Seto jolted awake at the sound of Hobson's voice.
…My room? How did I get back to my room? The last thing I remember is beating that guy in a Duel for the Blue-Eyes White Dragon card…Then I collapsed…
"Hobson…? What time is it?"
"A quarter to eight, Bocchama. The festivities are to begin at the beginning of the hour."
"I've been asleep for more than two hours?"
"Yes, yes, I'm as surprised Kaiba-shachou allowed it as you are. Now hurry up."
Seto, as he slipped out of bed, realized he had been holding something. Stealing a glance at it, his eyes widened as he realized what it was.
The Blue-Eyes White Dragon card! The one I won from that guy!
Seto hurriedly stowed the card away, trying to hide his shock from Hobson, who was tapping his foot impatiently.
That girl's going to want that card back… I wish I knew where she lived…
"Hurry, Bocchama, I feel myself aging just waiting for you," the old butler grumbled.
"I-I've got it," Seto replied. "I just had a strange dream."
"Well, put it out of your head and hurry. Your fiance is waiting for you downstairs."
Seto mechanically dressed in the stuffy suit Gozaburo made him wear for business conferences and funerals, allowed a maid to comb through his hair, and carefully examined his appearance in front of the mirror, adjusting his shirt collar to hide any scars from Hobson's switch.
All the while he was completely wrapped up in what had just happened, what he knew now wasn't some kind of elaborate dream.
He had dueled a professional Duel Monsters card collector! And won!
A real Blue-Eyes White Dragon was tucked into his nightstand drawer! The card he'd had fantasies about just getting to hold for ten minutes!
But… that Duel… there was something funny about it… that man… and the girl said something about… conquering myself…
Seto took a breath. He couldn't think about it now.
As Hobson said, his future wife was waiting for him downstairs.
He couldn't afford to be late.
Seto followed Hobson down the stairs to the banquet hall, where a full feast had been set out. Floral arrangements of roses and ambrosia joined lines of dishes on the table.
"Nii-sama!"
Seto, as lost in thought as he was, barely was able to react in time as Mokuba jump-tackled him. The little boy was dressed in stuffy Sunday best as well, and the maids had put a valiant effort into plaiting his wild black hair into something a little more presentable. Little tufts were already escaping from the braid, framing his face and bouncing in and out of his eyes.
"Oof!" Seto grunted as he caught the hyper five-year-old. "Hey, look at you!"
"Yeah, the maids spent hours deciding what I was gonna wear!" the little boy replied. "This suit is really, really itchy, though!" He beamed and bounced in place. "But you look super cool, too, Nii-sama! Like a prince or something!"
"Thanks, Mokuba," Seto replied, ruffling Mokuba's hair. "Now sit down and be good, okay?"
"Okay!" Mokuba chirped.
Mokuba sat down in the seat the nearest maid pulled out for him and looked like he was trying his best not to fidget.
"Here, Bocchama," a maid said. "Sit here, in the place of honor."
Seto, after a moment, accepted the seat at the head of the table. That place had always been Gozaburo's domain.
Next to him was another seat, also marked Reserved. Seto guessed that was where his fiance was going to sit.
Mokuba looked uncomfortable about not being sat in a chair next to Seto like usual, but he forced a smile.
"Kaiba-sama! Bocchama!" Roland called, opening the doors to the dining hall. "Let me introduce you to Kamiya Takagi and Kamiya Rin!"
The Kamiyas sat on Seto's right, on the same side of their daughter's chair. Gozaburo took the chair to Seto's left.
"Hello, Seto-sama," Rin said gently. "I'm so glad to finally meet you. Gozaburo-sama told us so much."
"Really?" Seto asked, trying to find the right words to say to the stranger.
"Yes!" Takagi cut in. "For instance, Gozaburo informs us that you're very intelligent, is that true?"
"Yes. My parents… my biological parents… talked about me skipping grades when I was younger."
"Truly? How incredible! Gozaburo-sama, I'm sure you couldn't ask for a better son!"
Gozaburo nodded, smiling in pride. "I'm sure KaibaCorp will benefit most considerably from his leadership. And I am certain he will treat your daughter well. Right, Seto?"
The danger in Gozaburo's voice made Seto hurriedly nod.
"Speaking of which, where is she?" Gozaburo asked.
"She's out in the hall. We thought we'd wait until everyone was settled to invite her in. She is the guest of honor, after all."
"Of course. It appears everyone is ready to meet her. I'm sure Seto can't wait!"
Seto honestly could, but he knew full well this girl was sticking around whether he liked her or not and would much rather his first meeting with her go well than not.
So he nodded again.
"Alright, I suppose there's no point in prolonging the tension. Excuse me," Rin said to Roland. "Can you bring Aiko in here?"
Aiko? So that's her name?
Roland bowed and quickly exited.
Then the double doors opened, and Seto saw Roland escorting a young girl.
She was dressed in a powder-blue dress with fake flowers sewn along the neckline and onto the skirt. Over it, she wore a ruffled pinafore apron like Alice from Alice in Wonderland. Her hair, falling to her hips, was pulled half-up in a braided crown style, and was a gleaming snowy white, shining in the light from the chandelier. She was pale and thin, looking like a ghost. Next to her pale features, her eyes seemed twice as striking: a dark abyssal blue, deeper than his own.
Where had he seen those eyes before?
The girl curtseyed as she entered.
"Seto-sama," Roland said. "I'd like to introduce you to your fiance, Kamiya Aiko-sama."
Kamiya Aiko fidgeted with her hands, looking at the ground. "Good evening, Seto-sama," she said, her voice almost a whisper. "It's so good to finally meet you."
"It's nice to meet you, too," Seto replied. "My father told me all about you."
"Really?" the girl asked softly.
Maybe it was her quiet shyness, or the fact she edged a little away from Gozaburo as if afraid of him, but something about her awakened some deep-seated need to protect her. For a second, he felt like, if she got hurt, the guilt would kill him.
Then that feeling faded, replaced by just awkwardness - the kind of awkwardness that came from meeting a girl for the very first time and knowing in the back of your head that you were supposed to marry her someday. "Um… Yes. Please, go ahead and sit down," Seto said, pulling out her seat for her. That was what was expected of him, right? That was what a gentleman would do?
Aiko walked over to him, taking his hand and slipping into her seat, primly arranging her skirts and smiling. Something about it felt fake, like she was being demanded to smile at gunpoint.
"Thank you, Seto-sama," she said quietly.
"Good," Gozaburo said. "I'm glad that you both have met. I hope that this current arrangement of having her stay here will help you get to know each other better."
"Yes! Rin and I do as well!" Takagi said.
"I propose a toast," Gozaburo said, filling his glass. "To the longevity of my son and your daughter's relationship!"
"May their love grow into one to last for eternity!" Takagi replied, pouring a glass for himself and Rin.
Seto took the pitcher and filled Aiko's glass in addition to his own, then turned mauve with embarrassment as Rin pointed this out.
"Oh, such a gentleman!" she cried. "I feel better already about leaving my baby girl in your capable hands, Seto-sama!"
"...Thank you," Seto replied uncertainly.
Everyone clinked their glasses together, even Mokuba, clinking his little water cup against the glasses and cheering.
"Hurrah!"
Dinner then began in earnest. Seto didn't eat much, and, he noted, neither did Aiko.
"Kamiya-san, how were your travels here? I hope the trip was smooth?"
"Yes, it was. No trouble whatsoever," Takagi said.
"Aiko was so looking forward to this meeting," Rin said. "We had that dress custom-made for her for this day."
"Really?" Gozaburo asked. "Which designer?"
"A-ya up in Tokyo made it. I am very fond of his work, though the man himself is rather… eccentric. I actually want to see if we can contact him again to make Aiko's wedding dress!"
"Oh? I personally have never met A-ya, although my late wife was rather fond of his dress designs."
"Oh, I remember, at the grand opening of KaibaCorp's first overseas office, she wore an A-ya dress. A lovely gold thing, I was so envious."
"Yes, A-ya seems to have a sixth sense for what looks good on a person. The results are always stunning."
"Does his company make male clothes or only dresses?" Gozaburo asked.
"I think he can do a tux on request. Are you planning on asking for one for Seto-sama?"
"Oh, that would be simply wonderful! Husband and wife, walking down the aisle in coordinated A-ya designed outfits!" Rin gushed.
Seto stared down at his plate, blushing. Aiko looked equally mortified and embarrassed.
"I shall consider it, but perhaps we should save such talk until a closer time to the wedding," Gozaburo said.
"Excuse me, Gozaburo-sama," Aiko said quietly.
"Yes, Aiko-chan?"
"Who is the boy sitting with us? You haven't introduced him yet."
"Yes, that's true, Aiko," Rin said.
"She doesn't let a thing slip past her, I admit," Takagi added.
Gozaburo cleared his throat awkwardly. "Oh, yes, I suppose I haven't. This is Mokuba, Seto's younger brother. He swore to be on his best behavior tonight, and was so excited to meet Aiko-chan in person. Weren't you, child?"
"Yep!" Mokuba cheered.
Aiko smiled. "I'm glad to meet you, too, Mokuba-sama."
Mokuba's eyes lit up at being acknowledged, and he beamed at her from across the table. "Are you really gonna marry Nii-sama?" he asked.
"When we're both old enough," Aiko replied. "Then yes."
"Yay!" Mokuba cheered, throwing his hands up in the air and accidentally knocking his fork off the table with an echoing clatter.
"Curb your enthusiasm, please, my boy," Gozaburo said, barely disguising his irritation. "Roland, can you fetch Mokuba-sama a new fork?"
"Yes, sir," Roland said.
As Roland walked off to fetch Mokuba a new fork, Mokuba slumped down in his seat, trying to hide from the wrath he expected from Gozaburo. Tears gleamed in his eyes.
"Oh, don't cry, sweetie!" Rin cried. "It was only an accident, after all!"
"Yes, and it's not as if anything was broken," Takagi added.
"I suppose not," Gozaburo grumbled.
Roland appeared with a new fork, and with that awkward conversation finished, everyone busied themselves with eating. The only comments made for a while were about the meal in front of them.
"This roast chicken is absolutely divine," Rin said. "Aiko, I insist you try some."
Aiko did as her mother asked, but she didn't appear absorbed in eating it. Instead, her attention seemed to switch back and forth between Seto and Gozaburo.
"Kaiba-sama, please pass the rice," Rin asked.
Gozaburo complied, his forced smile communicating he wanted to throw the bowl of rice at her.
"Thank you."
"You're most welcome," Gozaburo said after clearing his throat.
Seto kept stealing glances at Aiko, still feeling deeply uncomfortable. This girl, he knew, was supposed to marry him someday. But he didn't even know her, at all, and his only comfort was that she looked no more eager to interact with him than he was with her. In fact, she had barely said a word except for quiet pleases and thank yous when asking for more food.
The meal looked as though it would never end. Mokuba was subdued now, still dreading the punishment for dropping his fork, sure to come once they no longer had the Kamiyas as an audience.
"Your daughter has been quiet," Gozaburo finally observed.
"Oh, yes, I'm afraid Aiko is rather shy, and, considering the occasion I can hardly fault her for being nervous," Takagi said.
Rin gently nudged her daughter. "Are you alright, Aiko? Are you not happy to finally meet your future fiance?"
It didn't matter whether she was happy or not, Seto was sure, and Aiko no doubt realized the same, because she forced a smile and said, "Yes, I am very glad, Mother."
"As am I," Seto insisted, after realizing the reason it had gone quiet was because the other dinner guests were waiting for him to respond with a similar sentiment.
He was done with this so-called posh, stiff and awkward affair of a dinner, all lies and backhanded compliments and fake smiles. He affirmed right then and there that he wasn't intending on subjecting people to this exhausting kind of falseness the rich called socializing when he took over KaibaCorp. If people asked him what he thought, then they had better be prepared for his real opinion on things. None of this pomp and circumstance - Seto thought it was worse than death to hide everything he ever felt behind a gold-leaf candy shell.
But those changes were still years away, so Seto decided he had to stick out this stupid dinner and then, as soon as politeness allowed him to, take Mokuba aside and comfort him well away from Gozaburo's ham-fisted ideas of perfection. Maybe play a round of chess with him? No, Hobson had confiscated his chessboard around the beginning of this whole mess. Duel Monsters? Just about the only plaything he had left was his deck, and only through Mokuba's quick thinking.
…No, he didn't feel up to playing Duel Monsters after that grueling match earlier that evening that had won him the Blue-Eyes card.
Speaking of which, where did that girl go? She said the card was hers. Why did she let me take it instead of asking for it back?
Rin and Takagi asked Seto more questions, and Seto responded with carefully rehearsed, taciturn replies.
But then, just like that, the dinner was over.
"Goodbye, Aiko! Don't forget to call!"
"Good luck, my girl," Takagi said tearfully.
Aiko bit her lip, a single tear falling from her eye as she was surrounded by her parents' hugs and kisses.
Even though he was sure the whole thing was fake on their end, Seto almost felt jealous of Aiko and how much her parents seemed to care for her.
His relationship with Gozaburo was completely transactional, built on his intelligence and ability. There was no love there.
"Please feel free to visit Aiko-chan when you like," Gozaburo insisted graciously. "This is hardly goodbye forever."
"I suppose you're right," Rin said, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. She turned to Seto, gripping his hand firmly. "Please take care of Aiko. You're a good boy, Seto-sama, but it's so hard to leave my baby girl in the hands of a stranger…" She choked on a sob, and she was still teary-eyed at the front entrance, where maids were carrying in boxes of Aiko's things and one of Gozaburo's expensive rental cars was parked outside. Takagi looked at Gozaburo in shock.
"Is that…"
"Consider it a permanent loan. I don't find the metro system as reliable as a car, and I want only the best for my daughter-in-law's parents. Unless you don't want it?"
"N-No, sir! I mean, yes, sir! Thank you! Thank you so much!"
Then came another round of goodbyes and hugs, which Seto suffered through as best he could. Gozaburo, he could tell, was also growing tired of having to maintain his usual philanthropic, genial front this long.
The only thing of note was when Mokuba darted out from behind Seto and wrapped his arms around Rin's leg.
"I'll miss you!"
Rin looked down at the boy in surprise. "Oh, hello! Don't worry, we'll come back and visit!"
"How old are you, little man?" Takagi asked. "You didn't say."
"I'm five!" Mokuba said proudly. "Don' worry, Nii-sama is going to take care of Aiko-nee and be really nice to her!"
Gozaburo looked about ready to blow a blood vessel at Mokuba acting that familiarly towards two adults he had barely met.
But Aiko was smiling through her tears at Mokuba's enthusiasm.
"Bless that boy's heart," Rin whispered to Gozaburo.
"Oh, yes, as I said, he has been very excited. It seems all he could talk about was his brother's engagement."
Rin turned to Seto. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Seto-sama. Mokuba-sama. Gozaburo-sama, you must be so blessed to have these two clever and kind young boys in your house."
"Ah, yes. I couldn't just leave them where they were, having their ability squandered like that," Gozaburo said.
Finally, Aiko's parents had disappeared down the road.
Without Aiko.
She was staying here.
Seto stole a look at her as she stood by the front yard's massive wrought-iron gate. She was staring off in the direction her parents had gone, tears falling down her face. Then she followed Gozaburo inside.