Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Voglia Di Dance All Night ❯ Ocean Avenue ( Chapter 5 )

Voglia Di Dance All Night

Chapter Five: Ocean Avenue

"So, what do you think of this one?"

The bored azure eyes of Seto Kaiba rose slightly to meet those of his fiancé's. Anzu was standing in front of a dressing room, adorned in a long, sleeveless yellow dress. Shrugging his shoulders, the lawyer told her the truth. "I liked the other one better. But does it really matter? It's just a dress."

Anzu sighed and went back into the changing room. She came back out a few minutes later with her regular clothes on. "I suppose not," she replied finally. "I mean, it's just a stupid high school reunion, right? Who is there to look good for?" She placed the yellow dress back on the rack and began looking around once more.

She smiled slightly when she noticed a deep blue colored dress on the New Fashions rack. "Look at this one, Seto," she said, taking the hanger and holding the dress up to herself. "And it's just in my size!"

Seto immediately looked to the price tag of the dress. "Hieroglyphics...quite pricey for a brand I've never heard of."

The brunette shrugged her shoulders. "I'm going to go try it on, okay?"

"Alright."

The lawyer sighed loudly and sat down on a chair near the dressing rooms. All he wanted to know was why Anzu had waited until the day of her high school reunion to buy a dress for it.

"Ta da!"

Anzu pushed aside the curtain of the changing room, now adorned in the dark blue dress. She grinned and surveyed herself in the nearest mirror. "What do you think?" she questioned, looking towards her fiancé.

He gave her a reassuring smile. "I like it. It really brings out your eyes," he commented, giving a thumb's up.

"So it's okay for me to buy? Not too pricy?"

Seto rolled his eyes. "When has money ever been an issue when you dated me?"

"Seto," the brunette cooed, wrapping her arms around his neck. "You're so sweet. I love you so much."

The blue eyed man nodded and gave her a quick peck on the lips. "I know, and I love you too. Now hurry up and change so we can pay and get the hell out of here."

Anzu chuckled and complied.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"So...how do I look?"

Yugi looked up from the book he was reading. He quickly looked over his cousin's outfit and then smirked, returning to his reading. "You're a fashion designer. You always look good," he replied after a few moments.

Yami frowned and looked at himself in the mirror. "Yeah, that's what everyone says. I have a hard time believing it." He huffed and unbuttoned the first three buttons of his long-sleeved, black dress shirt. "There, much better."

Yugi rolled his eyes. "Oh, Mr. Sexy," he said sarcastically.

The older winked at him and then went to go sit on his bed. He put his hands behind his head and began wondering what Anzu's reaction would be once she saw him.

"I think you should stop worrying about her," the shorter tri haired man spoke up. "You're never going to enjoy yourself if you do."

Yami shrugged his shoulders as a response. "Easy for you to say, aibou. I've spent my entire life worrying and thinking about her...that's not just going to change instantly. She...she is my life."

Yugi stood up and placed his novel on his cousin's desk. Approaching the bed, he sat down on the edge and picked a stuffed animal out from the open suitcase on the floor. "I didn't know you were a fan of `pretty ponies', Yami," he chuckled.

Crimson eyes showed confusion. The fashion designer sat up a bit, looking at the stuffed pony in the shorter's hands. He smiled widely. "Sagira," he whispered, taking the stuffed animal in his hands. "My daughter's a fan, apparently."

"Oh." The twenty-six-year-old nodded to himself. "How are the twins?"

"They're good. They hate me for leaving again, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to come here and see everyone again." Yami put the stuffed pony on the mattress and stood up, stretching.

Yugi pursed his lips, staring intently at the floor. "You know, Yami," he began with a solemn tone, "One day...one day you're going to have to make a choice." When there was no reply, he continued. "Let's just say that, for whatever reason, Anzu decides that she wants to be with you again...what would you do?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"I'm just curious, Yami."

The taller smiled, putting a hand to his chin in thought. "If...she wanted me back...Well, that's simple, aibou. I'd want her back also, just like I have for the past ten years. I'd take her back without hesitation. And we'd be happy together."

"But then..." The violet eyed young man finally met the older's gaze. "What about your children? What about the family that you've already started? You'd just...leave them...for her?"

Yami was speechless. He hadn't thought about that. Actually, he hadn't really thought about anything besides Anzu ever since he received the invitation to the high school reunion. "Aibou," he said, running a hand through his untamed hair. "I...I don't..."

Words couldn't describe how relieved Yami was when the alarm on his wristwatch went off.

"I have to go, aibou. May I borrow your car for the night?"

Yugi nodded and stood up. Although his cousin hadn't given him an answer to the question he had asked, he knew that he wasn't about to get one - a true one - just yet. But he had a sneaking suspicion that Yami's choice would have been Anzu over his own children.

"Have a good time," the shorter whispered coolly, striding out of the bedroom.

Frowning, the older watched the other exit. "Aibou..." he heaved a great sigh, again running his hands through his hair. "You don't understand how difficult a choice that would be."

Shaking his head, Yami left his room and went downstairs to find the keys to Yugi's car.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Anzu stood alone next to the snack bar, her hands folded in front of her and a bored expression on her face. She had been waiting and waiting, but he hadn't come yet. She had thought for sure that he would come and seek her out.

`Where is he? The reunion started almost an hour ago!'

"Oh my god! Anzu Mazaki, is that you?!"

The brunette turned to see a tall woman standing a few feet away. The woman ran over, her short, curly blonde hair bouncing along with her. "Aha! It is you! My eyes never fail me!"

Anzu's jaw dropped slightly. She recognized this woman. She had cheered alongside her throughout all their years of high school together. They had been best friends up until graduation. "Mai Kujyaku, I can't believe it!"

Mai grinned, her violet eyes twinkling as she held out her left hand. "It's Mai Jounouchi now." Her smile widened when she noticed the shocked expression on her friend's face. "Believe it, Hun."

The blue eyed woman shook her head. "When did you...?"

"Tie the knot? Four years ago," Mai answered, chuckling. She held a hand to her stomach. "We're finally expecting..."

Anzu gasped. "Are you serious?"

"Yep." The blonde snorted. "It only took four years of begging, but Katsuya finally agreed that it was time we settled down and had children. He's really excited. Just yesterday he went out and bought this shirt that says `daddy's girl' on it."

"How do you know it's going to be a girl?"

"I'm six months pregnant, Hun. The doctors were able to tell us a while ago."

`Amazing...six months pregnant and she still looks skinnier than me!'

Mai plucked a pastry off of one of the platters and stuffed it into her mouth. "The only thing about this pregnant business is that it's making me eat like a cow." She looked down at herself. "I feel like a whale."

Anzu scoffed. "You don't look like one."

The blonde smiled, taking another pastry. "So what's been going on with you? Have you met Mr. Wonderful yet?"

The brunette grinned. "Well, actually...yes." She held up her left hand, revealing the engagement ring that Seto had given her a month ago.

"Oh, you're engaged! How sweet! So, who is the lucky man?!"

Anzu fingered her ring, a light blush spreading across her cheeks. "He's perfect, Mai...Just...just everything I've ever wanted in a man. His name is..." She looked up, her ocean blue eyes growing large when she spotted a familiar head of tri colored hair a few feet away. "Y-Yami Mutou?"

Mai squealed, embracing her shorter friend. "Oh, you got back together with him? That is so great!" She pulled away, an excited look on her face. "You know, I always thought you made the sweetest couple ever! I knew you two would get married one day! When is the wedding? Oh, you better make me one of your bride's maids!"

The brunette shook her head quickly. "No, no! It's...it's definitely not Yami. Can you just...can you excuse me for a minute!"

The amethyst eyed woman was too confused to answer. Shaking her head after a few moments, she watched Anzu walk off in a different direction.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Yami was sitting at a table, watching many others talking and laughing and catching up with each other. He had just arrived a few minutes ago and, after greeting some of his old friends, had come to sit down and have a glass of wine.

Actually, while he was seated, he had taken the opportunity to seek out the object of his affections. And, coincidentally, right when he had spotted her, she began to walk towards his table.

`Okay, Yami, be calm, be calm. You can do this. You can talk to her. Just be her friend, that's all.' He glanced towards her, a hot blush spreading across his cheeks and down his neck.

`Damn, she looks good.'

Anzu smiled at him and took the empty seat across from him. She didn't say anything for a few moments, just taking a few moments to look him over. She had to admit...he looked really, well ...very handsome. "Hello, Yami."

Yami didn't reply to the greeting. His crimson eyes swept over her petite form and then his lips curled into a smirk. Leaning back in his chair, he folded his arms over his chest in a regal manner and spoke. "You're wearing my dress wrong."

Anzu, needless to say, was bemused. Looking down at the dress Seto had bought her early that day, she frowned. It looked fine to her. "What do you mean `your dress'?"

The tri haired man bent forward over the table. "My dress...as in...my design, my brand, however you wish to interpret it. You're wearing it wrong." Raising his hands, he took the spaghetti strap sleeves and lowered them down off her shoulders.

The brunette slapped his hands away. "What do you think you're doing?!" She hissed.

A hurt look filled Yami's crimson orbs. "I was just...fixing it. You were wearing it wrong."

"Well maybe I liked the way I had it on, did you ever think of that?!" Anzu repositioned the sleeves to where they had been before.

"I...I'm sorry."

Yami closed his eyes and stood up from the table. His determination to befriend the girl who had shattered his heart disappeared, and now the only thing he wanted to do was run away from her and hide someplace where she couldn't get to him or his injured heart. "Well, it's been nice seeing you again, Anzu. I-I think I'm going to go find Jounouchi or someone..." He started off towards where his blonde friend was eating.

Anzu sighed, immediately feeling bad. She had come to talk to Yami...to patch things up between them. And now here she was, blowing it by insulting him. "Wait, Yami. I...I want to talk to you."

He stopped in his tracks and turned to re-face her. A small smile appeared on his face when he noticed the sincere look in her eyes; and all the sudden his courage came back. "I want to talk to you too."

The brunette motioned for him to sit back down, and he took her up on the invitation. Leaning forward, Yami rested his chin in the palm of his hand and stared up at her in an almost innocent manner. The playful smile never left his face and his eyes were bright like molten fire.

"You know, even though you're wearing it wrong, that dress does look very beautiful on you."

Anzu rolled her eyes, fighting hard to keep herself from blushing. "You're just saying that," she replied, smiling.

Yami shook his head. "No, I'm honest." He reached forward and took her hand in his own. "It looks beautiful on you." He smiled sadly when he noticed the diamond ring on her left hand. Sighing heavily, he released her hand and tried to act as though he hadn't seen it. "So, how have you been?"

The brunette shrugged her shoulders. "Well, I guess I can't complain. I teach dance and drama here at the Domino school for the Arts."

"That's wonderful."

She sighed. "Well, it's not Broadway, but I guess its good enough for me. My students are all great, I couldn't ask for a better bunch of kids and..." Nodding to herself, she decided to avoid the subject of Seto proposing to her. "Well that's about it."

The blue eyed woman reached out and took Yami's wine glass. Raising it to her lips, she drank the contents of it and slammed it back on the table.

The fashion designer blinked, his eyebrows rising in a dignified, yet confused, manner. Taking his now empty glass, he held it up. "I didn't really like the wine. What do you think of it?"

Anzu blushed. "Sorry, I was thirsty."

"I could tell."

The brunette nodded, still embarrassed. "So, Yami...what do you do?"

"Well, I thought you would have guessed it already, but since you asked me that I take it that you didn't." He sat back and folded his arms across his chest. "I'm a fashion designer...I design and produce clothes. I have my own brand, Hieroglyphics, which, I believe, you have the honor of wearing right this very moment."

Anzu laughed. "You design women's clothes?"

Crimson eyes narrowed, and, for a second, she thought she had offended him.

"I design for both women and men. I have enough talent for both sexes."

The brunette nodded, twirling her hair around her index fingers. "So, you're a fashion designer, presumably single, attractive and... not gay?"

Yami chuckled and shook his head. "Nope, I'm one hundred percent straight. Well, at least I think I am." He grinned. "I never exactly experimented with the same sex before. I suppose it'd be quite interesting. Maybe I should try it if I can't find a girlfriend," he joked.

Anzu couldn't help but giggle. "So I was right. You are single?"

The crimson eyed man opened his mouth to answer, but suddenly a vision of Isis popped into his mind. He frowned and looked away. "Well, yes. I mean, I was involved in a relationship after ours, but it didn't last very long. We just decided to stay friends."

Immediately, Yami felt guilty. He knew that Isis wanted their relationship to be more than that. Because she loved him, and because they had two children. But he wasn't about to tell Anzu that. Revealing that he had had an affair with a woman and now had two children with her would just be...be mortifying! She'd probably never even look at him again if she knew.

`But then again...why would it matter to her? She doesn't love you anymore. From the looks of her left hand, she's already got someone. And someone really wealthy, judging by that ring.'

"Oh. Well I'm sorry things didn't work out with her. I'm sure you'll find the right one for you one day."

The crimson eyed man was shocked when he felt her place her hand over his. His face flushed and, out of old instinct, he interlaced their fingers. "Yeah..." he leaned across the table, making an effort to press their foreheads together; something he used to do all the time when they went out. "I can only hope..." he whispered.

Anzu leaned forward as well, smiling as their foreheads pressed together. She closed her eyes, remembering all those years ago when they'd sit just like this in the school courtyard and just talk for hours and hours.

And it was then when she realized just how much she had missed Yami Mutou.

Sucking in her breath, the blue eyed woman tilted her chin up and attempted to press her lips against his.

But she was interrupted, and rudely jolted back into the real world.

"Welcome, graduates of 1994! It's so nice to see everyone enjoying themselves!" Fuku Chiyo, the valedictorian of the 1994 class, and the organizer of the reunion, stood on the small stage with a microphone in her hand.

Anzu's eyes snapped open and she tore away from Yami. What had she been thinking?! She had almost kissed him! Peering over at him through the corner of her eyes, she noticed the crestfallen look on his face.

`If I didn't know better, I'd think he still has feelings for me.' She shook her head. `No way. It's been ten years. He's moved on, just as I have.'

Deciding that now might be a good time for a joke to break the awkward silence between them, Anzu let out a nervous giggle. "Geez, what did they put in that wine? I agree with you, I don't like it."

This didn't even earn a chuckle from the tri haired man. He just sent a longing look in her direction and slowly took his hand out from underneath hers. "I'm going to go find Jounouchi." Without waiting for a response, he stood up and left.

The brunette blinked a few times. `I couldn't have hurt his feelings, could I? It was just an accident. He has to know that it was just an accident. Why, after breaking up with him ten years ago, would I try to kiss him now?'

It was a rhetorical question, but she found herself answering anyways. `Because you missed him.'

Anzu hated herself at times like this.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"Me and some of the others who put together this reunion thought it might be nice if we had some sort of way to show all the old high school memories to everyone here. After a lot of discussion, Miho Nosaka came up with the idea of a video made up of pictures and of old video productions throughout our four years of high school. And we decided to use it."

Miho stood up from her seat and gave a mock-bow. Some of the adults chuckled at her antics before returning their attention to Fuku Chiyo on the stage.

The black haired woman smiled and walked over to the projector at the corner of the stage. "This took us a very long time to make, and we hope you all enjoy it."

The lights suddenly clicked off and the video started.

"Ah, this is Katsuya Jounouchi, anchorman for DNN - Domino News Network."

A fourteen-year-old version of Jou came on the screen and waved brightly at the camera. "Hey. This being the week of the Twerp dance, we went around and asked all the girls who they were thinking about asking. Come, follow me!"

Jou was walking through the hallways and stopped when he ran into Mai. Mai had her blonde hair in pigtails and wore her freshman cheerleading uniform proudly. "Hey, Mai Kujyaku! Who are asking to Twerp?"

Mai smiled, showing her pink braces. "I dunno, Katsuya. I was thinking about asking Yami Mutou."

The smile on Jou's face fell. "Why do you want to ask him?"

"I dunno...he's cute and smart and really funny. Unlike you, nerd."

Mai stuck her tongue out at him and walked away.

Many started laughing, including Mr. and Mrs. Jounouchi. They had certainly come a long way since then. Mai had her head resting on Jou's chest and she was giggling softly as the video played.

Jounouchi was quite embarrassed. He thought those tapes were thrown away long ago.

Yami sat at their table, watching the video with mild amusement. Jou had been the DNN school anchor during all the four years that he attended Domino High. He had always been funny, and was an instant hit with all the students.

Clips of sports games, chess club competitions, and cheerleading practices played across the projector screen. The tri haired man couldn't help but think back on his High School years as he watched. They had been good times; probably the best times in his life.

What he wouldn't give to go back to that.

"Awright! Homecoming 1993 is going to be a smash hit! I'm Katsuya Jounouchi, and Mai Kujyaku just accepted to be my date!" Eleventh grader Jou grinned in his usual goofball-ish way into the camera, giving a wink and pointing towards the blonde girl.

Mai, no longer with braces, stood next to Anzu who was rolling her eyes in the most dramatic of ways.

"Men," they were joking about.

Jou nudged Anzu. "So, you're going with Yami, eh?" The brunette nodded, a blush coming across her cheeks. He went back to the camera. "You hear that, underclassmen?! He's taken!"

The two teenage girls giggled and continued walking towards their next class.

Yami chuckled. He remembered watching the air of DNN that morning. Sitting in AP Calculus and hearing all the younger girls groan in disappointment. He hadn't realized how popular he had been with the young ladies back then. They just seemed to like the shy, quiet type like him.

But back then, he didn't care what other girls thought of him. He only had eyes for one person, and that had been Anzu.

More of the tapes played and, almost a half an hour later, Yami caught glimpse of himself back on the screen.

"Here we are, graduation year! 1994 has come at last!"

Jounouchi walked through the courtyard; stopping every once and a while to ask a twelfth grader what he or she was planning on doing once they graduated. He came to a complete halt when he noticed two of his favorite people sitting together on a wooden bench in the corner of the courtyard.

"Could it be? Yes it is! Domino High's cutest couple!"

Yami's face flushed when the camera came closer to them. "Jou, what are you doing?" he questioned nervously. Quickly he released Anzu's hand that he had previously been holding.

The blonde laughed. "It's Q and A time! Graduation! Anzu, beautiful, what are you planning on doing after we get out of this place?"

Anzu smiled, glancing briefly in her boyfriend's direction. "Well, I'd like to study dance in America."

"America? Seems like pretty far away."

The brunette shrugged her shoulders and Jou turned to his best friend. "What about you, Yami? Any plans?"

Yami nodded, grinning widely as he wrapped an arm tentatively around his girlfriend's waist. "Yeah, I'm going to marry this girl right here!" he replied, leaning over and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Anzu's face turned a deep crimson color and the trio of friends started laughing.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Anzu had come over to Jou and Mai's table in hopes that maybe she could coax Yami into talking with her again. He had seemed so upset when he left her earlier. She wanted him to understand that she still would like to be his friend. Even if...well, if he wanted something more than that, she would have to just firmly say no.

And she had to tell him about Seto. He deserved to know the truth, just in case he had any hopes of them getting back together.

But...as she looked at him, she noticed the glossy look in his crimson orbs, and the dazed, sad expression on his face. And she felt her heart just shatter when a tear rolled down the side of his face.

Looking up at the screen, Anzu couldn't help but feel extremely guilty. She must have caused him so much pain. And now, after seeing him crying like this, she was thinking about going over and telling him that she was engaged? How heartless was she?

The brunette stepped back when he suddenly rose from his seat. She watched as he whispered something into Jou's ear, embraced Mai and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, and headed towards the Hall's exit.

She couldn't seem to make her legs move to go after him. Maybe he needed to be alone now, to think about everything. It was probably really hard on the poor guy. Seeing his ex-girlfriend, the one he used to love more than anything, once more. From the looks of it, he still had feelings for her. And that made everything all the more difficult.

Nodding to herself, Anzu decided that it would probably be best if she just stayed at the Hall and not went after Yami. But she made a promise to herself to go and visit him tomorrow. Then they could talk things over...and maybe start over as friends.

Friends...

There was a nagging voice inside of Anzu's head that told her she wanted more than that.