Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ What Doesn't Kill You ❯ Happy Birthday Seto Kaiba ( Chapter 8 )

What Doesn't Kill You
Chapter 7B: Happy Birthday, Seto Kaiba
Version 3.5 - Song lyrics fixed, Yumminizer applied to fake French food, formatting fixes
A Yu-Gi-Oh Fanfiction
By: Azurite - azurite AT seventh-star DOT net
Site: seventh-star DOT net
Conceptualized/First Written: 10/26/03
Completed/Posted: 12/8/03

Sorry, Kaiba-sama! Happy UBER-BELATED Birthday! Don't kill me!

EDITED: 7/18/04, 8/17/04, 12/5/05, 4/9/10

Rated PG13/T for a bit of swearin'…

Notes: I finally got around to changing "Tea" to "Téa." I'll eventually get around to doing this for all the chapters; as it stands right now, I've made several revisions to ALL the chapters, but few of them are plot-wise. Still, if you're nitpicky or simply want to reread to get your facts straight, the revised versions should be up soon.

Visit my web site, Subscribe to my Yahoo! Group to get faster updates, and remember, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

RECAP: They've been keeping secrets, hiding their feelings, and avoiding each other. With the school festival in progress, Téa's friends are getting more and more suspicious of Téa's feelings for her mysterious crush. And with Seto Kaiba constantly on her mind, will Téa be able to crush her competition—or lose Seto forever?

Get a load of me, get a load of you, walkin' down the street, and I hardly know you. It's just like we were meant to be.

It was the third round of the dance club's competition, and Téa had opted to wander around the festival while she had the chance, the music flaring in the distance. She found herself half-wondering if she really had seen Seto Kaiba earlier, midnight blue eyes fixated on her as she danced.

A brief blush crossed Téa's cheeks, and she shook her head quickly.

"I need a drink," she mumbled under her breath, heading over to a drink stand. A short wait and a few tickets later, Téa walked away from the booth with a cup of lemonade in hand, her eyes searching the surrounding crowd.Holding hands with you, and we're out at night…Got a girlfriend, you say it isn't right. And I've got someone waiting too…

Unbeknownst to Téa, someone was searching for her. But it wasn't who she would have thought. It wasn't Seto Kaiba. Rather, it was Yugi Moto.

He was terrified that what he suspected was true—that Téa's crush was Seto Kaiba.

'Téa and I have been friends for years, and…we've told each other almost everything!'

But could Yugi really be upset over Téa crushing on his rival? She was her own person, and she'd been through a lot recently…He'd kept his own share of secrets from Téa, so wasn't it fair that she keep her own as well? Despite their long friendship, she was never obligated to tell him anything…

'But all this time…I've been waiting. Hoping that maybe she'd see…'

But this is just the beginning—We're already wet, and we're gonna go swimming! Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you? Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you?

Téa smiled, watching a group of small visiting children attempt to catch goldfish in a rice-paper 'net' before it dissolved. The goldfish kept flopping away, or the rice-paper kept falling apart, but they kept trying. They didn't let their frustration get the better of them—they just kept going.

'There's a strange sort of sense in children, an intelligence that adults can't have. When you're young, things are simple, easy…And even if you're called naive, stupid, or blind, children see things in a way older people can't.'

Téa remembered how, at her parents' funeral, Mokuba had looked up at her wordlessly, and climbed onto her lap. She'd needed that. Needed someone to hold, someone's shoulder to cry onto.

She'd grown to love the little boy like he was her own sibling, but she knew she could never come close to the bond the ebony-haired boy had with Seto.

'Seto.' Thinking of him caused Téa's breath to catch in her throat, remembering his intense gaze. It never seemed to be anything but. It was as if he could look right through her; see her very soul…

It's inevitable, it's a fact that we're gonna get down to it. So tell me: Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you? Whenever I think about you?

It was confusing. Her muddled thoughts, her complicated desires…even Téa herself wasn't entirely sure what she wanted. She wanted Seto to understand, she knew that much.

'If—if he's really here…I should apologize for that time. He doesn't even know why I'm so upset over that stupid kiss…'

But she couldn't just forget it. She wanted to, though, because then she'd be able to start over, and have things the way she wanted. Maybe her brain wouldn't be so hyperactive whenever she was around Seto Kaiba then. And she wouldn't be so edgy around her friends, constantly recalling Seto Kaiba's passionate, forceful kiss. And how, though it had startled her, confused her…she'd enjoyed it.

How could she possibly tell her friends that?Isn't this the best part of breakin' up? Finding someone else you can't …

And, as if Destiny had some sort of twisted plan set out for them, it was at that moment that Téa glanced up—and blue met with blue. Seto Kaiba stood, not three meters away.

Swallowing hard, Téa kept her gaze on him and walked forward.

"I wanna say sorry," she said firmly. Her eyes wandered to the ground, littered with tickets, confetti, and broken prizes. "and I'm sick of us going on these avoidance sprees. I want us to be friends. To…talk again." She sucked in a breath, looking up at Kaiba as she waited for a response.

"…Me too." he finally said, cracking a slight smile, "Truce?"

Téa grinned broadly, feeling as light as air once Seto smiled at her, "Truce!" And she shook his hand firmly, both of her hands gripping his, promise in her eyes.

It's an itch we know we are gonna scratch. Gonna take a while for this egg to hatch. But wouldn't it be beautiful?

'It might not be anything now…but once we both get comfortable with all this…I'll be able to explain everything to everyone. And I'll see…that if Seto ever had any feelings for me. And we can go from there.'Here we are, we're at the beginning—we haven't done it yet, but my head's spinning!

Chieko Sagusa sighed, watching Seto Kaiba and Téa Gardner walk away together. Despite both of them possessing a dynamic nature, they didn't seem to attract much attention, being together. Not yet, anyway.

Perhaps it was because they clicked in a way that the blonde transfer student couldn't even begin to understand. Perhaps it was because her own heart had never actually been in the "fight" for Seto in the first place.

When she'd first seen him, she'd been taken—he was handsome, enigmatic, rich…A chord of kinship had been struck, reverberating in Chieko's soul. She'd grown up alone, lonely…not like her classmates.

A CEO's daughter, of mixed heritage, and a complicated background. With dreams of being a dancer, a designer, a star—not some sort of financial analyst. She had an innate desire to always be filled with emotion, to always have someone to watch over and protect, someone whose smile she'd live for.Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you? Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you? It's inevitable, it's a fact that we're gonna get down to it!

He was out of her reach. Of course, she'd known that from Day One, but she'd had fun watching Téa and Seto interact. Had circumstances been vastly different, it might have been Chieko in Téa's shoes.

'But I wouldn't wish what happened to her on anyone…circumstantial or not, it's Téa's life to live.' Téa was her friend. The rivalry between the two was merely in fun. Chieko seemed to see what Téa, Seto, and even their friends wouldn't—that the two were falling in love with one another.So tell me: Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you? Whenever I think about you?

"So," Seto Kaiba began, somewhat uncomfortably, "about that thing…"

"What thing?" Téa glanced up at him curiously, blinking when she realized he wasn't looking at her, and was instead concentrating rather hard—trying to come up with the right words to say without embarrassing himself.

"What did you mean," he finally said, stopping and turning to face her, "when you said 'It's a little late for that?'"

Téa's eyes widened, and she glanced off to the side, flushing. They'd called a truce. They'd both agreed that ignoring one another didn't solve any problems. In so many words…

"Well, I…"

"Here to get your fortune told?" a smooth voice interrupted Téa before she could speak. Both teens whipped around and faced Bakura, who wore a handsome—if not devilish—smile on his face. Seto frowned slightly; he remembered how close the normally-quiet, white-haired youth had been to Téa on-stage.I'd love for you to make me wonder where it's goin'…

"Um, sure, Bakura! Why not!?" Téa laughed nervously, and wandered towards the metal seats Ryou had positioned in front of a table. Seto stood for a moment, seeming to contemplate whether he should sit or not, but he finally relented and sat, legs and arms crossed.

"It's only five tickets," Bakura explained, bringing out a deck of tarot cards, "It's been quite busy today."

"I take it when you passed by the stage then, you were on your only break?" Téa smirked, watching her classmate shuffle the ornately-designed deck, flipping the cards.

"Something like that," he smiled. "Now, both of you put your hands on the cards, and focus on a question to you want answered. Nothing like 'Will I eat yakisoba today?' but something that requires actual thought. No 'yes or no' stuff."

Kaiba looked at Ryou Bakura as if he'd turned into a Kuriboh.

"You don't expect me to believe in all this, do you?" Bakura's smile didn't slip for a single moment as he responded, "No, not really, but you're here to have fun, aren't you?" Bakura, unlike the cheating "Lord Kokurano" from their freshman year, seemed to have genuine abilities—at least where the occult was concerned.

Perhaps this had something to do with his possession of the Millennium Ring, or maybe…

Téa put her hand on the deck first, closing her eyes and breathing in deeply, 'I know I'm not supposed to make a wish or anything…I have to ask a question. So I want to know if there really is something between Kaiba and I. If I'm not imagining things…'

Kaiba frowned, but eventually withdrew one hand from where he'd crossed his arms over his chest, placing it on top of Téa's. She didn't move or flinch in the slightest, and eventually, he too closed his eyes.I would love for you to pull me under. Somethin's growin'…

'Is—is there something? Between us. Téa and I. Or am I being ludicrous…' Kaiba didn't even know why he was thinking what he was, but ever since Téa had dashed out of the kitchen, on the verge of tears, Kaiba hadn't been able to get her words out of his head. 'What did she mean?'

His latter question remained unanswered—for the time being, anyway. Bakura removed the deck after they'd concentrated on it, and now began dealing out the cards in a Celtic Cross pattern, with six cards in a circle shape, one in the middle, and four cards to the right of the first set.…outta this that we can't control. Baby, I am dyin'—

"The first card briefly describes your situation," Bakura intoned, flipping the first of the ten cards in the odd formation over. The Eight of Swords. A brown-haired girl was bound and blindfolded, with eight ornate swords surrounding her and preventing her from moving.

Bakura raised his eyes, but not his head, glancing up at Téa, "You feel restricted. Bound. This card represents conflict. The girl on the card is alone. Perhaps you feel that way too," a pause, as Bakura noted Kaiba's eyes glancing hesitantly towards Téa, "but you don't want to be that way. You want to be free, but know that danger lies ahead if you make the attempt."

Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you? Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you?

"The second card: your problem. Obstacles you must face," Bakura flipped the card over, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his lips, "the Knight of Wands."

The card depicted a golden-armored knight, ribbons of red and green winding around his helmet, atop which was perched a dragon ready to pounce. He rode a horse and carried a wand—which actually resembled a really long stick with a blossom at he top.

"Is–is it supposed to be upside-down, like that?" Kaiba queried, referring to how the picture and text on the card were reversed. "Yes," Bakura responded, somewhat glad that he'd been asked, "the cards can appear right-side up or reversed…and their meaning changes. That is why I flip the cards from the side, not the top or bottom."

"The Knight of Wands can represent an actual person in either of your lives…" he paused, wondering if there would be any further questions, "or he can simply be the representation of your situation."

"What does he represent?" Téa asked, almost afraid to hear the answer. Though Bakura had only drawn and interpreted one card so far, that one card had been dead on. How much did Bakura know?

"Right-side up, he represents departures, advancements, undertakings."

Téa blinked. "And, upside-down?"

The white-haired boy smiled. "Emotional problems," he paused, "with friends."

Blue eyes widened, urging Bakura to continue.

Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you? Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you?

"The third card: The Star." A naked girl with alabaster-white skin and brilliant blue eyes stood waist-deep in azure water. Water spilled from her hands back into the lake from whence it had come, while the girl's gaze was fixed to the sky, where several brilliant stars gleamed down at her.

"The position of the past. The basis or cause of your situation. A good card." Bakura nodded, "It is odd though, how the cause of your problems…seems to be something good."

"What do you mean?" Kaiba asked gruffly. Not that he believed any of the occult or mystical fiddle-faddle—he'd seen enough of that ridiculousness during Battle City, and yet…no, it was all just tricks. Tricks and games.

"She represents hope. Satisfaction, contentment—but more appropriately for you two," Bakura emphasized, gesturing vaguely to the two seated in front of him, "she is a new person with a favorable influence on your life." Bakura leaned back in his seat, an eyebrow raised at the two as they mulled over the cards, "In this instance, I believe The Star represents the two of you."

"Huh?" Téa looked up, confused. Kaiba's eyes remained glued to the card. Even if it was some silly game…something about the card—about the girl…

'Blue eyes?'

"You are The Star to Kaiba, while he is The Star to you," Bakura explained. "While he isn't exactly 'new' in your life, you are looking at him in a different way, are you not?"

'This is nuts!' Téa thought wildly, 'How–how does he know that?'

But it was true. He had influenced her life favorably, since getting involved with her personal affairs as he had. And if it hadn't been for his offer, Téa didn't know where she would be at that moment. Maybe not even going to Domino High.

And if she hadn't moved in with him, seen him in a place outside of school and duels…she might not have ever fallen in love with him.

It's inevitable, it's a fact that we're gonna get down to it—So tell me…

"You didn't come to this festival last year, did you, Kaiba?" Bakura asked suddenly, capturingthe young man's attention.

"No…" His brows furrowed. Bakura hadn't been a student at Domino High back then, "How did you know that?"

Bakura only smiled as he tapped the side of his head, "I know these sort of things. But it's all the more proof—you being here now, sitting here and listening to me 'tell your fortune,'" Bakura imitated Kaiba's "I don't believe it for a second" voice, "that you've changed. That you've been changed. By her." He directed Kaiba's gaze towards Téa, who blinked and then blushed, turning her gaze back to the spread on the table.

"The fourth card," Bakura flipped it over, "is the card of your past. That which is behind you. It influences and directs you, yet must remain where it is: in the past." He glanced down at the card, "The Wheel of Fortune." A red disc immediately drew Kaiba and Téa's attention. On the rim, odd characters were inscribed—some looked like Greek, others like Hebrew, while the ones in the very center of the disc didn't look like any language to either Kaiba or Téa.

Atop the disc was an Egyptian Sphinx, wearing a traditional headdress with a cobra emerging from the forefront. To the left of the sphinx, an angel reading from a book. An eagle perched on another book to the sphinx' upper right. A two-headed snake beside the red circle on the left, while the black head of a jackal—Anubis, Kaiba and Téa both realized—stared out at them. Below the wheel, a bull and a lion, the former emerging from the pages of a scarlet-covered book, while the lion came from a golden-covered book.

"Your past consists of success followed by failure and success again, in a cycle. Life is a cycle, constant in this manner. Full of good things and bad equally. However, it is a fortunate card to have in your spread regardless. Ultimately," Bakura placed his finger on the card, "it indicates happiness and fortune in your favor. Being in the position of the past, it seems to say that your share of the worst incidences has passed," Téa sighed deeply at this, "and that better things lie ahead. Usually, it also means fortune will come your way without much effort," Bakura frowned, "but the downside is that your decision to change—and welcome this good fortune into your life—will be bad for others."Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you? Whenever I think about you?

"The fifth card…" Bakura paused, his brown eyes glancing over the card before he'd fully turned it over. "This is interesting." Kaiba and Téa both leaned forward in curiosity.

"Well, what is it?" Kaiba demanded.

"I thought you didn't believe in these sort of things," Bakura smiled, pulling the card closer to him and away from his patrons.

Kaiba rolled his eyes, "That doesn't mean you can gyp Téa out of her five tickets."

Bakura laughed heartily. "Always the economist," he chuckled. "The fifth card is the card of your goals, aspirations…hopes. Indeed, an interesting card to have in this place." He flipped the card over, waiting for the two to read the text themselves.

The Lovers.

Téa's face went crimson and she immediately shifted in her seat, refusing to face either of the boys. Still, she was tuned in and listening, wondering what Bakura would say next.

"Some cards aren't to be interpreted by their name or picture," Bakura said, earning a glance from Téa. "This card," he chuckled, "is not one of them. It is what it says it is."

The card showed two young people—ironically enough, a girl with flowing brown hair and bright blue eyes, and a young man with darker brown hair and equally dark blue eyes. The girl had one arm wrapped around the young man's head, pulling his face close to hers. Her other hand was joined with his, fingers intertwined. Their eyes were riveted to one another, and they could see nothing but their lover, not even the angel in the sky above them, peeking down at the two from the clouds.

"This card represents the beginnings of an adventure. Love affairs, desire. You both are seeking this, and yet…" Bakura's fingers danced over the previous cards in the spread, "yet neither of you take any action, though things would go in your favor. I wonder why that is?" Of course, Bakura's question was purely rhetorical, and only served to get both Seto Kaiba and Téa Gardner fidgeting in their seats further.

"And now," Bakura's smile faded from his face, "the sixth card. The future. Immediate future, if things remain as they are, and you do not change your actions." He flipped the card over, his eyebrows shooting up.

"The Devil."

"Hey, Mr. Joey!" Joey Wheeler turned at the hail, wondering who would be nuts enough to call him "Mr. Joey." It was no surprise when he saw Chieko Sagusa dashing towards him, beads of sweat forming on her brow. She'd been dancing in the last round, but Joey, like Tristan and Duke nearby, couldn't stick around to watch. They'd had to get back to the class booth and do their jobs.

"Have you seen Téa?" Chieko asked breathlessly, panting as she rested her palms on bent knees. Tristan and Duke arrived at Joey's side, having picked up some freshly grilled shish-kebobs from one of the other class stands.

"Nah, haven't seen her since that first round," Joey shook his head, glancing to his other two companions. They too shook their heads in the negative, indicating that they hadn't seen their friend.

"Oh dear…the judges have selected the final five girls for the finals. After that, it will be eliminated to two. Téa is one of those five, so I must find her quickly!" She smiled at the boys and dashed off, looking for Téa.

"Huh. She wasn't dancin', and she's not at the booth," Joey looked around as he watched people playing all the games Class 2B had set up. Téa was allowed to have fun at the festival too, of course, but…ever since Duke had suggested that Seto Kaiba could have been Téa's boss, Joey'd had an uneasy feeling in his stomach.

'Nah, there's no way. It just couldn't be. Téa wouldn't lie to us like that.'

And so he kept telling himself that, even as he slid on the oversized Bluebeard mask and proceeded to get sprung out of a barrel.

"Someone inhumane, cruel, and uncaring. Someone selfish, who pursued money for money's sake," Bakura said, frowning as an odd feeling blossomed in his chest, "someone you would rather forget." Téa didn't seem to understand, not having anyone that fit that particular description in her life. She anxiously glanced over to Kaiba, whose eyes had narrowed.

'Does he know someone like that?'

And know someone like that—just like that, in fact—Kaiba did. And he did want to forget all about him. Gozaburo Kaiba. His adoptive father.

"If your actions do not change, such a person may make an unwelcome reappearance in your lives," Bakura said after a moment, "disrupting all the good fortune that is due. But where evil lies, good does as well." He pointed to the two humans—a man and a woman—on the card, naked and chained together. In the background, a demon—the Devil—stared down at the two with blood red eyes, wielding a hammer of fire, bearing it down on the man's back.

"These two might not deserve the suffering they are receiving," Bakura explained, "and must learn to take action, fight back," Brown eyes glanced up to meet blue, "or misfortune will follow."

Silence prompted the fortuneteller to continue, which he did.

"The Magician," Bakura said, a grin forming on his face. "The card of creativity, originality, confidence, and skill. You, Seto Kaiba." Seto had been about to protest, sick of his supposed 'connection' to a past-life where he was some sort of magical High Priest or some such.

But Téa nudged him, smiling, "He's right. That does sound like you." And any protest Kaiba had been about to make died in his throat.

'I guess…it's a compliment. Or maybe just stating the obvious.'

"He also represents those traits, whether you find them in yourself or in others," he motioned to Téa, "You too, possess some of these characteristics." Téa blushed mildly, but nodded, signaling Bakura to continue. "This seventh card is that of your present self, with traits that you likely do not exploit as often as you should to achieve your…goals."

Bakura's eyes wandered back over to The Lovers card, smirking as he did so.

"To obtain what you desire, you must view yourself completely, but still be open to change, to adapt. Look at all your talents and abilities as possible approaches to gaining what your desires. Only then will what you want come your way." Téa was nodding slowly, ideas forming in her mind as Bakura spoke.

"The eighth card," Bakura continued, without missing a beat, "is the card of your outside environment. Also the card of your fears, and others' expectations of you. The Six of Cups."

Two, young, round-faced children stood in a courtyard, admiring various cups of flowers. A simple cottage was in the rear. It looked like a happy childhood scene.

A pang went through Téa; her childhood was long gone. With her parents gone, it only reinforced that fact more. She could never have that sweet naïveté again. Even her dreams—which had kept her going for so long, had shaped her into the person she was—were starting to fade, ever so slowly…

"This card seems to lean more towards your fears than anything else," Bakura finally said, startling Téa. He gestured towards Kaiba, "Your childhood has a powerful influence on your life as it is now." A pause, "Your birthday's coming up soon, isn't it?"

Kaiba looked surprised, and was about to ask why, but he knew that any such question would be answered with more of Bakura's secret smiles.

"October 25th," he finally murmured.

"Perhaps then, it should be a time of facing your fears and confronting what it is in your past that haunts you so, even to this day." Bakura dropped his gaze, "So that you can concentrate on the possibility of a brighter future, and happiness with those you love."

Kaiba glanced up at Bakura, and brown met with blue. Though no words were exchanged, Seto Kaiba felt sure that Ryou Bakura knew everything that was going on in his mind. So far, his 'fortune-telling' had been right on the money. So much so that it was almost scary.

"The card indicates a fear of one's past, but the need to return to the simple wisdom youth brings. You will find yourself enjoying things as you did back then, and bringing happiness to others in the same way," Téa smiled slightly; she remembered seeing the innocent children from earlier, trying to catch goldfish in their rice-paper nets. And trying, over and over, even when they failed…

"By stopping to admire the simpler things in life, you will come to realize their importance, their significance. Such things do not last forever, and may slip out of your fingers if you don't try to catch them." Kaiba's gaze had wandered to his hands, folded in his lap, while Bakura met Téa's gaze, smiling reassuringly.

"The ninth card. The guiding key factor that will bring about the future." He flipped the card over. Strength. A young woman with closed eyes held her hand dangerously close to the maw of a great lion. A crown of leaves held some of her hair back, while an oddly-shaped circlet of light hovered above her head.

"The symbol of infinity," Bakura pointed to the sideways-eight above the woman's head. "The card of a Leo. Are you, Téa, by any chance, a Leo?"

Téa shook her head, "No…I'm a Sagittarius. But," she furrowed her brows, "I was nearly born about four months premature, on August eighteenth. And my ascendant is Leo."

Bakura smiled. "You know a lot about astrology, it seems."

"One of my hobbies," Téa said with a grin.

The white-haired youth continued, "One must have strength to attempt what others perceive as reckless, dangerous…perhaps even stupid." The last word sounded odd, rolling off the sophisticated Ryou Bakura's tongue.

"Your hopes and fears are guided by this card. The two of your both possess an incredible amount of strength, perhaps kept hidden and silent. People do not see your true nature all the time. The card indicates that you must make an honest effort to strive towards your goals, for only then will they be recognized. There can be no triumph without loss, no victory without suffering, no freedom without sacrifice."

"You stole that line from 'The Lord of the Rings'," Kaiba commented blandly.

Bakura shrugged, "But it's true, isn't it? The cards are telling me that it is something that binds you both—preventing you from having what you want. You must face your past, return to it and recognize the lessons there. Even if it will be a painful venture, it is one you must make. Or those less welcome will return from your past, and I assure you," he flipped over the final card, without shifting his gaze from either Kaiba or Téa, "it will not be pleasant."

The final card…was Death.

"Téa!" The brunette turned around quickly at the sound of a voice calling her name, smiling when she saw Yugi Moto weaving his way through the crowd of people to meet her. Seto had just disappeared around the corner, as Téa had to head back to the dance club stage and see whether she'd made it into the finals, with the final five girls competing before it got eliminated down to two competitors.

Téa had a feeling that she had made it—and so had Chieko. Would it really come down to a final competition between the two?

No, more prominently on her mind was Bakura's reading. After flipping over the Death card, he'd quickly explained that it didn't mean someone would die—rather, the Death card implied powerful change. It could be good or bad, sudden or progressive. But, he'd said, given the other cards in the spread, it seemed more likely that change would occur regardless of whether the two teens took action or not. It was a matter of whether the change would be in their favor, helping them achieve what they wanted or not.

'Could it really be possible that he…that Seto…' Images of The Lovers card flitted past Téa's mind, and she swallowed hard. Parts of Bakura's fortune seemed to apply to her alone, while others applied to Seto. And some…seemed to fit them both. Was it true? Regardless, Téa couldn't shake the feeling.

"Hey Yugi! Having fun? How's our class booth doing?" She smiled, walking with the shorter boy back to the dance stage.

"Oh, it's okay…lots of people. Joey traded off as Bluebeard with one of the other guys, and now Kashiwagi has to experience the pains of being popped out of a barrel." Téa chuckled, and Yugi flushed. He forced all thoughts of earlier—of seeing Seto Kaiba stare at Téa, almost jealously eyeing the way she moved against Bakura…as if he'd wanted to be in the white-haired boy's place.

'It just can't be,' Yugi told himself, over and over again, 'There's no way she'd lie to us like that.'

But then, had Téa really lied to them? She'd said she had—earlier, when referring to how she'd gotten her friends entangled in a matchmaker scheme with Seto Kaiba and Chieko Sagusa…but she'd never explained what either of them had to do with why she'd been acting oddly—her crush. Was it possible, that merely based on what he'd seen, that Téa was crushing on Seto Kaiba—and the feelings were mutual!? Or could it be…that she had feelings for someone else?

A glimmer of hope existed within Yugi, hoping that he was the one Téa was crushing on. He hadn't yet worked up the nerve to confess his feelings for her yet, but he knew that if he waited too much longer, he'd lose Téa for good. And he wasn't willing to take that chance. So…

"Say…uh, Téa?" Yugi glanced up at her, "want me to buy you a treat?" They were passing the sweet area of the festival, lined with booths selling ice cream, cakes, cotton candy, and chocolate-dipped frozen fruits.

"Man, I'd love to," Téa sighed mournfully as someone walked by with a chocolate-covered frozen banana, "but I have to get back to the stage now, and if I have to dance, I'd get a cramp for sure."

"Oh…" Yugi sighed, disappointed, "okay. I'm sure you'll make it into the finals, and I'll be sure that all of us," he was referring to Joey, Tristan, and Duke, "are there when you win!"

Téa smiled, hugging Yugi briefly, "Thanks, Yugi," she smiled genuinely. "It means a lot."

Indeed, Téa had made it into the final five, and she, along with Chieko, Miho, and two others girls, were anxiously waiting on-stage. The judges cast a glance up at the five girls, each smiling reassuringly as the stereo finished its cycle of random songs and stopped on one.

Don't look back, look back, look back, look back…

The opening, echoing words were the cue to the dancers, who immediately grasped the tempo of the song and struck their poses.

Just let go, stop livin' for now, it's better than it's been before…

Téa smiled, letting herself fall into her own rhythm, that special world between reality and music. Dancing brought her into a state of hypnosis almost, freeing her from all her troubles.Trust your heart, you'll make it somehow. It's everything you're looking for…

She brought a hand against her chest, closing her eyes and then raising that same arm in a motion of strength, flexing her arm. She stretched it outward, palm to the skies, her eyes opening to settle on a familiar face in the distance.

A little bit of joy to ease the pain…

Seto Kaiba. In the past two months or so since she'd moved in with him—truly gotten to know him—her opinion of him had changed drastically. While before, she'd thought him determined and ruthless, albeit misguided in his attempts, he was still human. Try as he might, he could never deny that, no matter how much time he spent around his 'machines.' And he'd understood her in a way none of her other friends could have, easing the pain of losing her parents.

Try your best to forget yesterday! A little bit of sun without the rain—Now there's nothing in your way!

She remembered his applause, when he'd caught her dancing. Remembered his brief, but genuine smiles. His smirks. His midnight blue eyes, sparkling with light. Mischief, even…Don't look back, keep straight ahead…

If she just kept going, kept living, doing what she loved…then things would be easier. If Téa could just be herself, and not be afraid of anything life threw at her…You know what is right; out of mind is out of sight!

'It was one thing when I was still in denial over whether I liked Seto or not. I was so afraid of what the guys would think! I thought that maybe, if I set Seto up with Chieko, I'd forget my feelings for him. But, it didn't turn out that way.'

No. Seto Kaiba had only wormed his way deeper into Téa Gardner's heart.Don't look back, keep straight ahead! Learn to read the signs, out of sight is out of mind!

'And maybe I can't be sure whether he really likes me or not.' Though Téa couldn't really say he hated her—he did kiss her, after all. 'Even if it didn't count,' Téa grinned, turning her head slightly and then whipping it face-front again.

Now life's too short so let's make it last; now it's time for moving on…

'I guess in a lot of people's eyes, I've really just bounced back from my parents' death, but the truth is…' A cold feeling enveloped Téa as she thought, her emotions swaying as she danced, trying to focus, 'I've never felt so alone in my life.'

Things can change, some throw it away. Forget it all, what's done is done…

'I can't just forget my parents…forget everything they taught me! They're the reason I am who I am, even if they didn't always agree with me. And they always taught me that life changes, things happen…and you have to go with the flow. You can't change the past.'

A little bit of joy to ease the pain…Try your best to forget yesterday!

Téa reached her hand up to the sky, drawing that same arm down to her heart, shaking her head sadly as if to demonstrate joy easing pain away. A sad smile blossomed into a happy one, bright blue eyes sparkling.A little bit of sun without the rain; Now there's nothing in your way!

In all honesty, nothing was stopping Téa. She'd been afraid before, afraid that she really WAS falling for Seto Kaiba. Afraid, once she'd realized the truth, that her friends would shun her. Afraid that she'd lose Seto -before she'd even "had" him- to a stranger, a newcomer. The only thing in her way…was herself.

Don't look back, keep straight ahead! You know what is right; out of mind is out of sight!

Téa moved her head as if she were looking back, but stopped herself, stretching an arm forward and walked forward, pointing out to the audience and then positioning a splayed hand in front of her eyes, her movements matching the lyrics perfectly.

Don't look back, keep straight ahead! Learn to read the signs; out of sight is out of mind!

The other four girls on-stage had developed a sort of synchronization with their dance. While each had their own individual style, it seemed that if they all had the same technique in mind, they looked better, worked together better, and felt great about it in the end. Though the contest was only supposed to have one winner, most of the girls had admitted they'd entered just for the experience and fun.

After all, the prize was only a CD store gift certificate…A little bit of joy to ease the pain… A little bit of sun without the rain…A little bit of joy to ease the pain…. Ooh—

Meanwhile, out in the audience, eyes were riveted to the stage.

Violet. Blue. Emerald green. Chocolate brown. Hazel.

Different people, in different places, yet all eyes remained set on the movements of one Téa Gardner, the sole link between them all. This girl—their friend, their class representative, their role model, their cheerleader, their companion, their strength—so many things to each of them, in each of their minds and each of their hearts…

A little bit of sun without the rain…Don't look back, keep straight ahead! You know what is right; out of mind is out of sight!

'It'd be nice to pretend the bad things in life simply didn't happen. But it's those experiences that make us who we are. That define us. They shape us—for better or for worse. I'd like to pretend that I wasn't still aching every moment…that I wasn't missing my parents. I'd like to believe that I could leave the Kaiba household on my eighteenth birthday, and never look back. But I'd only be kidding myself.'

Don't look back, keep straight ahead! Learn to read the signs; out of sight is out of mind! Don't look back, don't look back, keep straight ahead! You know what is right; out of mind is out of sight!

Only half of Seto Kaiba's mind was on the lyrics of the music playing. It was English, so he understood it, and, judging by the way Téa moved to it, synchronizing her dance to the words, she too, understood the song. At least, in part.

Encouragement. A song that seemed to fit Téa's former personality to a tee. The song pushed its listeners to keep going regardless of the past, regardless of pain. Joy would always come after pain, the sun would always come out after the rain.

But Seto Kaiba knew—possibly better than anyone else there—that it usually didn't seem so guaranteed.

Still, even as the song came to a close, she was smiling. After all she'd been through, and all she'd seen—all that had changed in her life—she kept doing what she loved.

"Still going to go for it?" Seto remembered asking Téa, when he'd spied her dancing in the living room. He'd heard the music from his office, and emerged, curious. She'd danced with passion, with emotion obvious in every move she made.

She'd remained oblivious to his watchful eye until they very end of the song, but hadn't seemed to care about it in the long run. Even though he'd seen the kind of pain she'd put herself through, down in the basement, he realized that she was likely experiencing a myriad of emotions singular to her—and some exclusive just to womankind, and she'd kept going—kept dancing, even though it reminded her of her past, of her parents and what they'd really wanted for her….

She kept smiling. Believing. Going for what she really wanted.

"Yeah! I am!" Smiling so brilliantly, it almost hurt to look at her. Even if her happiness wasn't entirely genuine…Even if she put on an act—if not for him, then for her own sake—she still kept going…She truly was tough, truly was everything Seto Kaiba had wanted to be, when he'd lost it all…

"Well!" It was Ms. Misao who stood up and cleared her throat, capturing the attention of the chattering students and visitors gathered near the dance club's stage. Despite the club's newness, everyone seemed to have had a good time—dancers, audience members, and judges alike.

For the first time in festival history, there had been music and dancing. With an open, friendly competition that everyone could participate in, many seemed eager to find out just which two dancers had been lucky enough to make it to the final round.

"The judges and I have finally reached a ruling—as have you audience members," Ms. Misao grinned, gesturing towards the judge box. The group of judges had emptied the box and sorted out the number of votes for each dancer. "There was an overwhelming response from you for the same two dancers that the judges and I voted unanimously for…" A dramatic pause, "This is no surprise, ladies and gentlemen—the two girls that started this all—Chieko Sagusa and Téa Gardner!"

Both girls grinned at one another and moved towards the stage, the crowd cheering them on.

"You might just have an unfair advantage with this, Téa," Chieko murmured, as the two girls loosened their muscles prior to the music's start.

"Why?" Téa asked, stretching her legs out, "because it's my CD?"

Chieko giggled slightly,"Well, that too. But more because the audience has already fallen in love with you." Chieko had chosen her words carefully, and the brunette reacted to them just as she'd predicted—she glanced up from her stretches briefly, scanning the audience for the one person she really wanted to love her.

And he was there. In the back, not very visible…but there, nonetheless.

Seto Kaiba's imposing frame, along with that studded white trench coat of his -couldn't be easily missed. Téa smiled wider now, "Let's do this."

The two girls nodded to the judges, one of them pressing the play button on the stereo. The final round of the Autumn School Festival's Dance Club Competition had begun.

The start of the song trumpeted out, the two girls striking sudden poses and freezing them for the beats. When the violins and drums cued in the remainder of the non-vocal intro, the two girls spun, halting just as the lyrics began.I know she wants, I know she wants you! I know she wants, I know she wants you! I know she wants, I know she wants you! I know she wants, I know she wants you!

Téa blinked at the intro vocals to the song.

'Too ironic,' Téa decided, shifting her body to the upbeat music. She eyed Chieko, who was smirking as well. So. The final round was a true competition between them both.

Boy, I know you better than you think you know yourself; I know where you're coming from…

Chieko took center-stage, stretching a slender arm out and pointing directly at Seto Kaiba, no shame or embarrassment on her face as she did so. She brought that same arm in to touch her chest, and then tap her head, in time with the lyrics.

She was Chieko Sagusa, daughter of a wealthy CEO…part of a world where she wasn't understood. When Téa had initially tried to set her up with Seto, and deny her own feelings for him, she'd known that Chieko and Seto had at least their background in common.

Whereas Téa didn't know a thing about business or wealth, both Seto and Chieko were rolling in it.Seeing you together and I swear I can tell there's something going on…

Chieko glanced towards Téa, a playful smirk disappearing before her expression melted into one of angry suspicion. She gestured towards the brunette, narrowing her caramel-colored eyes. Chieko ran a hand past her eyes, keeping her glare firm and her body lithe. That same hand slid downwards and then stretched up to point, almost accusingly, at Téa.I've seen her expression when she looks in your direction: It's there…in her eyes. You say there's no connection, you don't think that's her intention…Baby, you must be blind!

Téa whipped her head around as Chieko danced in circles around her, the blonde stroking the air beside Téa's face, dancing away quickly and pointing at her again, towards her companion's expression.

For the sake of the stage, Téa adopted a hurt face, glancing out to the audience: out to Seto. She wasn't outright saying anything, just going along with the music. But one could see that the emotions reflected in her eyes—desire, jealousy, hurt—were genuine.

I know that she wants you, she wants you, she wants you; I know it instinctively! I know she wants you, she wants you, she wants you; you say you're in love with me!

This time, Téa joined in the dancing more actively, battling Chieko with the movements of her body. The two girls both stood at the fore of the stage, gesturing outwards and then spinning to face one another, bringing their arms in to their chest and out again, their dance becoming synchronous.

Boy, you think I'm crazy, you say she don't mean a thing—that I'm the one for you.

It didn't take much for Téa to remember the day after the beach, when Seto had come outright and said that he didn't need another girl in his life: that Téa was the one he wanted.

They'd come so close, so many times, yet something had always held Téa back. But it wasn't as if she were still denying her feelings anymore…it was something else. Her friends? Her fear? Not even Téa was sure.She just wants your body, baby, she don't give a damn what I've been going through!

Téa's expression became intensely angry, thinking that if she'd just gone for what she'd wanted—from the very beginning—then she wouldn't be in the mess she was. There'd be no competition with Seto. She would have asked him outright, and if he did like her, maybe then…

Téa threw her arm out in Chieko's direction, casting a mad glare her way, mouthing along the lyrics. She ran her finger over her body and pointed out towards the audience, keeping her gaze fixated on the blonde.She wants satisfaction, to be center of attraction—It's clear to me…

The brunette dancer ran a palm against her side, from her collarbone to her navel, curving her hips as she did so. That same hand rose out and in front of Téa, and she stepped toward it, as if that one hand were resting on an invisible pane of glass.

She needs no invitation, she's got such determination, Baby, you still don't see!

Téa cast her glance back at Chieko, narrowing her eyes as she she gestured 'no' with her arm, turning her gaze back to the audience as she flexed her other arm up in a pose of strength and determination. Her first parted into a splayed palm, covering her eyes as she shook her head.

I know that she wants you, she wants you, she wants you; I know it instinctively! I know that she wants you, she wants you, she wants you; you say you're in love with me!

Téa took that same palm and brought it to her stomach, then up to her heart, just above her left breast—instinct. Gut feeling. That inner knowledge that can't be dismissed so easily. A delicate finger rose from her hand to tap against Téa's head, then she extended it out, pointing out towards Seto—but spinning around and dropping her hand before anyone could follow the direction of her finger.

You understand: you take my hand, you're proud to be my man, and I'm not lettin' you go!

The vocals changed slightly, sounding a bit more robotic than before. The instrumentals faded into a simple beat, with both girls moving towards the front of the stage, holding their hands out to the audience. They both stretched hands out, pointing out at random guys in the area, and bringing the same hand, fisted, to their chests.You understand: you take my hand, you're proud to be my man and I'm not lettin' you go! I know she wants, I know she wants you, I know she wants, I know she wants you, I know she wants, I know she wants you, I know she wants, I know she wants you!

They switched positions, Téa moving to the left of the stage and Chieko to the right, keeping their footwork light and bouncy, even as they repeated the same movements from the previous verse. When the instrumentals and vocals returned to how they'd been at the beginning the two girls resumed their playful "accusations," swiveling their bodies to face one another and point.I've seen her expression when she looks in your direction; it's there in her eyes…. You say there's no connection, you don't think that's her intention; Baby, you must be blind!

Chieko seemed almost insistent in getting her "message" across, pointing towards Téa with one arm while she bent down near the fore of the stage, the two forefingers pointing at her caramel-colored eyes. Chieko's other fingers soon rose to cover her eyes in a play off the lyrics, just before she bounced on the balls of her feet and moved backwards.

I know that she wants you, she wants you, she wants you; I know it instinctively! I know that she wants you, she wants you, she wants you—You say you're in love with me! I know that she wants you, she wants you, she wants you; I know it instinctively! I know that she wants you, she wants you, she wants you, You say you're in love with me!

The two girls continued their accusations, though Téa's glance drifted every few seconds to Seto. She couldn't see his face—he was too far away—but she wondered what he was thinking. He just stood there…watching.

For a moment, her eyes felt riveted, and she knew if she didn't tear her attention away from Seto Kaiba, she'd trip up. It didn't matter whether she won the competition or not, but she wasn't exactly jumping at the chance to be embarrassed in front of so many friends. She had to focus!

Soon, the song came to an end, both girls freezing in place. They heaved, trying to catch their breath, as one of the judges stopped the stereo. A thundering of applause awaited the girls only moments later, as they descended from the stairs on the side of the stage. They both smiled at one another, nodding, "That was fun."

"I think you won," Chieko grinned, wiping her brow with a nearby towel.

"You were pretty damn good yourself," Téa acknowledged as she swilled some water. "Don't put yourself down."

Chieko only smiled mysteriously, "I'm not."

"Téa, there is something else I must tell you later," she glanced back to the judges table, Ms. Misao rising to her feet to announce that the judge box would close in a moment. Students had been busy crowding the box, ripping pieces of paper and scribbling down their final decisions.

Téa searched through the crowd, wondering if Seto had come closer, but she couldn't spot him. However, her eyes did catch on a familiar head of blonde hair.

'Mai!' Téa thought excitedly. She hadn't talked to the older girl in a while, and looked forward to having an open girl-talk with her friend about recent events.

"Okay everyone! The time for voting is closed! Now we find out who has won the first—and hopefully annual—" Ms. Misao grinned at the new sweating girls, "Domino High Autumn Festival Dance Competition!"

The judges emptied the box, sorting out the scraps of paper and verifying that what they said was legible and legitimate. A good ten minutes later, they'd sorted out the scraps and come to a conclusion.

"Well," Ms. Misao announced, glancing back at the judge box and the mounds of paper, "This is amazing. It looks like we have a tie—" Ms. Misao was cut off as one of the judges reached into the judge box once more, checking to see if there were any more votes.

And, from the bottom-most corner, Mr. Norimachi withdrew a folded scrap of paper. Unfolding it carefully, his face blossomed into a huge grin. He handed the paper to Ms. Misao, who read it, and smiled, "We officially have a winner! Congratulations—" She glanced towards the two girls, who were almost leaning forward in anticipation, "Téa Gardner!"

A loud cheer arose from the audience, the two competing girls hugging briefly before Téa sprang up to the stage, swiveling her hips and winking as she accepted the gift certificate to the music store. Shortly thereafter, Ms. Misao announced that for the remainder of the festival, it would be free music, and anyone could get up on the stage and dance, or even make requests for songs.

Téa descended from the stage, a bright smile on her face. Chieko greeted her at the base of the stairs, "Come on."

"Huh…what?"

Chieko grinned, "Aren't you curious as to whose vote the tiebreaker was?" She pulled Téa towards the judge table, where Mr. Norimachi handed them the infamous last vote. Chieko held it, a smile spreading across her face as she opened it.

"People aren't going to write their names on the paper," Téa pointed out, knowing that the votes were anonymous. But that didn't stop her from wondering what Chieko was thinking.

"The tiebreaker was for you," Chieko murmured, "I believe that whoever's vote it was, they left us a pretty apparent clue."

Téa didn't believe Chieko for a second, but she amused the blonde by glancing at the paper. Her eyes widened as she recognized the handwriting on the tiny scrap.

The blonde was grinning, "You recognize the handwriting, too?"

Téa nodded slowly, "It's—it's Seto's. I didn't think—I didn't think he'd vote for this kind of thing. I was surprised he even came today, and then stuck around as long as he did…"

"Well, now we know without a doubt who he prefers more," Chieko said with an assured nod.

Téa blinked, clutching the scrap of paper, "Chieko, it was just a dance competition…"

"You have gotten him to open up in more ways than I ever could," Chieko said smoothly, cutting Téa off with a quick movement of her right hand. "Besides, it's not like I was really putting any effort into it, you know. We spent most of the past week preparing for the festival. If I had been serious about pursuing him, rather than getting you two to see how much you cared for one another," Chieko winked, "then something tells me that that scrap of paper would have my name on it." Chieko sounded awfully sure of herself, bordering on arrogant, but there was a smile playing on the corner of her lips.

"The truth is—" she began, but this time, it was Chieko who was cut off.

"Hey Téa! Great job! I knew you'd win!" Yugi grinned, and glanced up towards Chieko, "Sorry, did I interrupt something?"

"No," Chieko smiled down at Yugi, and quickly realized his other friends were approaching. "Please, everyone. I have something I need to tell you."

Téa glanced at Chieko worriedly: what was the girl going to reveal? Chieko had admitted some time ago that she'd known all along that Téa and Seto weren't related, but she still didn't know why Téa had tried to deceive he —and her own friends—the way she had. Was she going to announce to the guys that Téa liked Seto?

Téa swallowed hard, ignoring the burning lump in her throat.

"I have a fiancé," Chieko said simply. All present blinked, and then blinked again. When Chieko's words finally reached them, jaws dropped.

"Wha—but I thought you were into Kaiba or somethin'!" Joey asked, confused, "You…you ain't engaged to him are ya?" Joey stared, leaning forward on his elbows, "Er, no offense if ya are…"

Chieko laughed, "No. That was just…" she glanced at Téa, "an experiment. I wanted to tell you because I've been deceiving you for too long. And I have come to see you all as my very good friends, which I very much appreciate. My changing schools has never been this easy or fun before, especially now that I'm in a different country altogether." Chieko smiled in that innocent way of hers, though it didn't exactly catch.

"B-But…a fiancé?" Téa ducked her head slightly, "Why were you pretending to go for…Kaiba, anyway?" she caught herself before she referred to Seto by his given name, knowing that her friends would latch onto such a detail.

"I have never met my intended," Chieko explained, surprising her classmates further, "but I have heard a great deal about his character. He is supposed to be quite rich, enigmatic, and supremely arrogant."

The boys sweatdropped, "Well, that does kind of sound like Kaiba…" Yugi muttered under his breath. Téa suppressed a grin.

Duke asked her question before she could speak, "But an arranged marriage? I thought those kind of things died out years ago."

"Well, it seems to be getting more popular lately. My parents are friends with my fiancé's parents, and well…I suppose aside from the personality similarities between Kaiba and my fiancé, I wanted one last chance to 'play the field' before I got tied down."

"Yo–You're getting married soon?" Téa asked dubiously, blue eyes widening.

Chieko shook her head, "Not that soon. When I get out of high school, I imagine."

Téa sweatdropped. "That's still pretty soon, isn't it?"

"Well," Chieko grinned, "not if I meet him and he turns out to be the love of my life." She tilted her head purposefully towards Téa, implications laced throughout her voice, "If that's the case, I wouldn't be able to wait until it's 'standard.'"

Everyone nodded, though few present could really empathize with Chieko's situation. But they did feel somewhat more informed—perhaps since Téa and Kaiba had been getting closer as of late—since the funeral and all—Chieko had turned to her in the hopes that she'd learn more about Kaiba—and be able to pursue him. Or at the least, understand him, so she would know her own fiancé better. Was that why Téa felt the need to pretend she and Kaiba were brother and sister? Was that the connection between Seto Kaiba and Téa's mysterious crush?

Such questions raced through Yugi's head as he glanced between the two girls. He still didn't believe that Joey and Tristan could be right—that he was Téa's crush. After all, he'd seen the way Seto had been staring at Téa earlier, but maybe it was a one-sided crush on his end? Was it possible? It certainly didn't sound like Seto Kaiba—to be crushing on a girl, let alone the best friend of one of his established rivals….

But…

The festival only had a good hour or so left in it, and the boys had to rush back to the Class 2B booth to check on things, and make sure everything was running smoothly. Téa wanted to find Seto again—see if he was still wandering around the festival—but she didn't dare voice her thoughts aloud.

Thankfully, Chieko seemed to know exactly what was on her mind, and the two girls excused themselves from the other boys with the hurried pretense of being hungry. Once they had split from the others, their pace decreased, Chieko glancing at Téa from the side.

"You wish to find him, don't you?"

Téa stopped in her tracks, glancing up at her blonde companion with a rueful smile, "You know me too well."

"Very well," Chieko smiled, "but since we have some time left before the festival ends, I'd like one last fun dance—my pick. Say, twenty minutes from now, at the stage?"

Téa nodded her assent, smiling gratefully at her. "Deal."

Not five minutes later, Téa wandered the festival alone, occasionally glancing at the trinkets, food, and games her other schoolmates had set up. As per usual, there were yakisoba and okonomiyaki booths, a karaoke booth, the manga club's doujinshi sale, and miniature competitions ranging from table tennis to mini golf.

Téa had circled the first three rows, her eyes catching on Ryou Bakura, who sat at his booth, telling fortunes to a gaggle of starry-eyed girls.

'All the things in Bakura's fortune were pretty accurate,' Téa thought to herself, 'He even knew that Seto's birthday was—' Téa's thoughts abruptly derailed.

'Oh no, his birthday! It's in a week! What am I going to do!?' Suddenly, Téa had forgotten all about finding Seto, and instead set on figuring out what to get for him. Her thoughts were all a jumble, flashing back to when she'd caught sight of Seto watching her dance earlier—when she'd finally run into him, and they'd had their fortune told—and then, seeing his familiar handwriting with her name on it, choosing her as the winner of the dance club competition.

She was so distracted that she didn't even think to move out of the way of a pair of approaching girls, and bumped right into them.

"A little spaced out, aren't we?"

Téa glanced up, her blue eyes widening in surprise, "Mai! Serenity!" The two girls smiled, the younger of the pair reaching to hug Téa.

"I thought I saw Mai earlier, but Serenity, what are you doing here?"

Serenity grinned, "Well, I am coming here next spring. And what better way to get to know the campus than to show up at the open festival?"

Téa nodded, "Does this mean you're going to start shadowing me soon?" she grinned. Though Joey was rather overprotective of his sister, Téa doubted he'd be able to 'protect' for Serenity forever, especially considering that in the next spring, she'd be a full-fledged high school student, just as they were.

"Totally!" Serenity grinned, starting to walk again, "You were heating up that stage earlier, Téa."

Mai nodded her agreement, "I'll admit, you have moves—and guts, too." The blonde smirked, "What say the three of us tear up that stage since it's free music hour?" Téa blinked and grinned back.

Maybe what she needed the most at that moment was to hang out with the girls. They were far easier to talk to than the boys, and better, they'd be able to give her some advice as to what to get for Seto for his birthday.

"Sounds great!"

Mai wore a wide grin on her face, waving a sky blue CD in front of her two companions. Téa caught sight of the album title and laughed aloud.

"Are you kidding me, Mai? I never thought you were a fan of Britney Spears."

"She's not half bad," Mai replied, grinning, "but I know some boys that would love to see us imitate her moves from that first music video of hers." Téa and Serenity both nodded, knowing exactly what Mai was referring to: the infamous "Baby One More Time" video, where Spears had dressed up as a Catholic school girl and made the outfit undeniably sexy, especially with the way she tied up her blouse and hiked up her skirt.

At first, Téa, like many of the other girls in her school, had disliked Spears for all the attention she got—but eventually, Téa started to study the girl's dance moves, realizing that the American singer's choreography wasn't half bad.

"I have an even better idea," Téa's eyes lit up, her smile mischievous. "Come on." She dragged the two girls away from the stereo near the dance stage, and into the dimly-lit school building.

The white hallways were devoid of all light, filled with the dim shadows of the festival booths, people milling about outside, and the trees lining the campus. Rather than appear as the bustling academic institution it was, Domino High appeared to be a ghost campus, without a bit of movement within.

That was, of course, excepting the triad of girls skittering through the halls.

"Where are you taking us, Téa?" Serenity questioned, being tugged along by the elder brunette.

Téa only smirked, tossing Serenity a glance, "You'll see in a second." Soon, they arrived before a closed door with no marking on or near it; Téa rummaged through her pocket and withdrew a set of keys that opened the door.

"It pays to be the class representative," the brunette smiled at her companions, flicking the room's light on. Serenity and Mai peered past the door frame, their eyes widening, grins blossoming on their faces.

Seto Kaiba wasn't sure why he was sticking around the festival. He'd seen Téa, and they'd finally devised a sort of truce to get them talking again. But…he still didn't understand what she'd said back then…

"It's a little late for that!"

And then there was Bakura's fortune. It had been eerily accurate. And what was more, the white-haired youth had indicated that if neither Seto or Téa took action, things wouldn't go in their favor. Someone from the past would disturb their happiness…

'It's impossible, though. Gozaburo…he's dead!'

Still, Seto couldn't shake the odd feeling that the Devil card had somehow been related to the man.

And, lost in thought as he was, Seto Kaiba remained at the school festival, merely watching as kids played games, his classmates ran booths, and people ate, drank, and were otherwise festive and merry.

He somehow found himself back near the dance stage. It wasn't as crowded as earlier, now that the competition was over, but…

He hadn't even realized it, but his eyes were searching for someone. Her. Téa…

But she wasn't anywhere in sight. Seto sighed, pivoting on the ball of his foot to turn away. His normally cool composure broke when he found himself face-to-face with Joey Wheeler, the shorter blond having crossed his arms over his chest and not looking a bit happy with Seto Kaiba's presence.

"What do you want, Wheeler?" Seto said with little enthusiasm.

"I gotta few questions to ask you, Kaiba," Joey glared, his dislike for the CEO apparent.

"Joey, where the hell—" Tristan stopped running, having found his friend on the brink of a confrontation with Seto Kaiba.

"Joey, what are you doing? You have to get back to the booth, you know Kashiwagi can't stick around for much longer…" he trailed off, purposely ignoring Seto Kaiba's presence. He was sure that Joey, like himself, couldn't get Duke's earlier theory out of his head.

'It's just not possible, right? Seto Kaiba couldn't be Téa's boss. It…'

"Hey! You know what Duke said earlier? Well, what if he was right? And this guy is really—" Joey thumbed towards Kaiba, shooting daggers at him with his eyes. Tristan clamped a hand over Joey's mouth, intending to muffle whatever he was about to unnecessarily blurt.

However, the blond's eyes shifted slightly, widening to the size of saucers. Tristan curiously followed Joey's gaze, and his jaw dropped, his hand quickly sliding away from his best friend's mouth.

Three girls, oddly dressed in school uniforms, complete with winter sweaters and long-sleeved blouses, were heading up to the stage. From where the three boys stood, they looked vaguely familiar, but given that the girls weren't facing them directly, it was difficult to recognize them.

That was, until the music started blaring, and the three girls faced front.

Britney Spears' "Baby One More Time" flared on the speakers, the three girls' identities revealed for all to see: Téa, Serenity, and Mai! The three girls stepped forward, sashaying their hips in time with the song and one another, all while people turned and started to watch, a crowd quickly gathering.

It wasn't long before the song reached the end of the chorus, at which point the three girls pulled off their cardigan-sweaters and revealed their tied-up shirts. Wolf whistles immediately sounded from the crowd, the three girls grinning as they spun and continued to dance.

"M-Mai!? What da heck is SHE doin' here?!" Joey's eyes were still wide, but they remained fixed on the blonde in the triad—the Domino High uniform fitting her voluptuous frame all too snugly.

"Isn't that your sister up there too?" Kaiba pointed out wryly, though his own attentions were focused on Téa. He'd seen her dance before, seen her down in the basement, seen her in the living room, but never–never so…

He couldn't describe the feeling, the sensation: that same dark feeling curling in the pit of his stomach, winding its way down…

"Serenity!" Joey and Tristan gasped at the same time, their eyes widening further.

It was one thing to see Mai up there, shockingly in a school uniform. With Téa, at least, they could understand, her dancing—even if it was in the Domino High uniform, a practice which was surely forbidden by the deans—there was no denying that the brunette radiated 'sexy.' At least with her and Mai, it was somewhat expected! But…Serenity?!

The young girl had gotten her sight back less than six months ago, but in that time, she'd developed a strong bond with Téa and Mai—which was apparent from the way she moved with them, grinning and dancing despite the catcalls they got from the boys in the audience.

Serenity had a slight blush on her cheeks, while Mai and Téa merely smirked, keeping their movements fluid and synchronous. It was amazing how the three of them, without any previous practicing, managed to dance together in unison, each mimicking the others' movements.

Once the second verse started, the girls started to lip synch to the words, even daring to lean down towards the audience and draw some of the drooling boys closer.

Though the stage was a good distance from where Seto, Joey, and Tristan stood, when the ebony-haired ponytail of Duke Devlin appeared near the fore of the crowd, accented by Duke's choice red clothes, Tristan immediately raced to the front.

"Damn that Duke, there's no way I'm letting him near Serenity!"

"Hey! That's my sister you're talkin' about!"

Joey and Tristan were off like shots, quickly forgetting about whatever Joey had been about to confront Kaiba about. And as for Kaiba—well, he too had forgotten whatever Wheeler had been about to annoy him with.

'If he just up and left like that, it couldn't have been important,' Kaiba thought distantly. But Kaiba's attention was divided and any curiosity he may have had over Joey's would-be confrontation faded away as he watched the lithe, moving form of one Téa Gardner.

'She moves like water…' Kaiba's thoughts had little rhyme or reason to them—all he knew was that he hadn't blinked in the past two minutes, and he had no desire to any time soon.

The song was quickly coming to a close, the trio of girls grinning madly as they took their bows and scampered off stage, just before any teachers nearby could catch them "altering" their school uniforms in such daring ways—or, in Serenity and Mai's case, wearing uniforms that weren't even theirs!

Breathless, Téa, Serenity and Mai entered the cool, dim hallways of the school, having escaped the crowd. They'd spotted Joey and Tristan trying to worm their way through the crowd (with little success), and quickly ducked beyond their line of sight, nearly brushing by Duke as well. But thankfully, they'd escaped all of the boys, and were now right back where they'd started: in that uniform room Téa had unlocked.

"That was fun!" Serenity grinned, "I really like dancing, Téa."

"Yeah?" Téa smiled, still trying to catch her breath from their dancing and dashing, "It's great exercise. And fun too." She remembered all the catcalls and wolf whistles, "Fun for everyone."

Mai smirked, "Did you see the look on Joey's face when he realized his precious sister was up on stage grooving in a tight school uniform?" She winked a violet eye at Serenity.

"Oh, I don't know about that…I think he was staring at you!" Serenity nodded towards the blonde, "or maybe at your shirt, and how small it seems…"

"Not my fault, Sugar," Mai frowned in distaste, "I haven't been in high school for five years now. The uniforms barely fit me then, and they don't fit me well now. But I guess that was the point, wasn't it, Téa?"

Téa nodded, "Total blast. But we have to get back out there, before anyone catches us in here." The girls nodded, Mai and Serenity trading their borrowed uniforms for the clothes they'd worn to the festival.

"A gift, huh?" Mai tapped her chin with a perfectly-manicured finger, violet eyes lifting to the sky as the pondered Téa's predicament.

"It's always so hard to shop for Joey," Serenity murmured.

Mai nodded her agreement, "Boys as a rule are a pain to shop for. I don't know how you put up with so many of them, Téa." The blonde winked at her younger friend, who promptly blushed.

"You make it sound like I have a harem of them," Téa grumbled.

Serenity and Mai laughed, the older girl clapping her hands together, "Well, one could look at it that way. After all, you are the lone girl in a bunch of guys. Serenity and I don't go to this school, and you've known them all the longest…"

"Mai's right," Serenity nodded, "even though Joey and I were inseparable as kids, there was a long time when we had to go without seeing or even talking to one another. It's only been recently, with my surgery and Joey's breaking into Dueling that we've been able to be together…"

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence. It seemed that Dueling had brought them all together—and caused more problems. They made new friends and new enemies. One mystery got solved, but another unfolded in its place. Relationships started and ended….

Everything was on fragile ground.

"You know what?" Mai finally said, "I don't think we can help you with Kaiba's gift."

Téa blinked, "Why not?" She was at a loss for any decent ideas—everything she thought up as just too stereotypical to give to someone like Seto.

Boxers? Too embarrassing. A wallet? He probably had fifty of them.

There wasn't a single Duel Monsters card that Téa could possibly get for Seto that he didn't already have.

And clothing?

'As much as I'd love to redo Seto's wardrobe, that's a project for another day—when I have more time and more money!'

So what was left?

"I think whatever you get for him should be from your heart," Mai explained. She wrinkled her lips, "It sounds weird coming from me, I know, but it's the truth. If you want to get something meaningful that he'll really like, then it has to be something you thought of."

"Yeah," Serenity agreed, pointing her popsicle stick at Téa, "you don't want to get him something generic, right? You want him to know how much you care, and how much he means to you."

"Since when are you two the Espa Roba sisters? Yeesh, I hate it when I'm not right," Téa grumbled. The other girls laughed, knowing Téa agreed.

"Téa!"

The brunette turned towards the source of the voice calling her name. She, Serenity and Mai weren't far from where they'd been snacking in the "food court" area of the festival, where most of the booths were set up around a series of tables, benches, and chairs.

"Chieko!" Téa grinned, "I was wondering where you went. Are we still on for that 'last fun dance?'"

"You bet!" Chieko nodded in affirmation, then turned her gaze towards Téa's two new companions.

"Hi," Chieko smiled at Téa's companions, "I am Chieko Sagusa. I saw you dancing on-stage earlier. You two have talent." Serenity blushed, while Mai regarded the other blonde with a mild smile. Téa had told her about Chieko—including her most recent revelation that she had a fiancé and hadn't intended to go after Seto Kaiba at all—and Mai didn't like the girl much. She wasn't bad though…

"Mai Valentine," Mai introduced herself, briefly shaking the other girl's hand.

"Serenity Wheeler," the younger redhead grinned, "I'm sure you know of my brother."

Chieko nodded, laughing, "Indeed I do. I knew he had to have a sister, he's the least crude of many of the boys here."

Téa, Serenity and Mai all sweatdropped in embarrassment, wondering how Chieko could ever think that Joey was politer than "most of the boys" at school.

"The other girls from the club all thought we could rope you three into one last dance before the festival ends for the day," Chieko continued, "would you like to join us?"

The three girls exchanged a glance. They'd danced quite a bit, run around even more, and then eaten. But…

"You're on!"

"Domino High!" Téa had gotten hold of the microphone again and shouted out to the crowds. Faces turned in her direction, people filtering back to the empty area that had been set up for the express purpose of the dance club's competition.

"There's only about ten minutes left of today's festival, and us girls from the dance club," Téa grinned, gesturing to the cheering members of the dance club, "and any other interested parties," she winked at Bakura, who had since closed his booth and stood on the fringe of the gathering crowd, "can come up and join us for one last dance! We'd like to thank all the guests that have helped support our school today, all the dedicated students who stuck around running booths, and all the teachers who are nice enough to let us party like this!"

A loud cheer erupted from the crowd, and it took Téa stepping towards the stereo and starting the music to quiet people down at all.

You spin me inside outside, and then you hold me so tight…We'll dance and party all night, Mambo Mambolé!

The song already had people clapping and cheering in the background, and once everyone heard the poppy melody, they joined in as well. The girls spun on stage, wrapping their arms around themselves and then unwinding. They curved their hips up and down, and then rolled their hands around one another, waving to the audience as they backed up, all in one line.So kiss me in the moonlight, you know it always feels right, we'll dance and party all night— Mambo Mambolé!

The girls all pointed up towards the bright autumn sky, towards the moon that shone a brilliant white against the blue of the sky. They blew kisses to everyone in the audience, eliciting a round of laughter and catcalls, while they grooved to the beat.

Towards the end of the verse, the vocals dropped out, the instrumentals building to a rolling call that Téa imitated, stepping forward from her place in the center of the line, sounding like a Warrior Princess about to attack.

The girls all stepped forward at the same time, joining Téa with wide grins on their faces. They waved their hands in the air, urging crowd members to dance, or join them on-stage. People cheered as girls and boys alike filtered through the crowd, moving towards the front area to dance with the others.You're on my mind every day you are with me, and every night boy you dance in my dreams! We dance united, together we are one…I'll take you there baby, come home with me!

The girls tapped the sides of their heads and then pointed out to the audience, many of the girls pointing to their boyfriends or best friends out in the crowd. It was no coincidence that Téa's finger pointed straight to Seto Kaiba —who unfortunately found himself smack in the middle of the crowd, rather than on the fringes—while Serenity pointed toward Tristan, and Mai toward Joey.

The three boys—along with countless others, including Yugi and Duke—had appeared to see the final dance of the day at the festival. Most booths were closing, or were closed already, so it seemed as though the entire school population was there to watch.

The girls drew their hands back in towards their chests and thrust them out again, their forefingers raised to indicate "one," just as they all grinned at one another, leaning down and motioning with those same fingers for the boys at the fore of the crowd to come on-stage.

You spin me inside outside, and then you hold me so tight…We'll dance and party all night, Mambo Mambolé!

The boy Téa found herself dancing with was none other than Ryou Bakura, who spun Téa towards his chest and out again, squeezing her shoulders as he brought her back in. The two separated from their chaste embrace as they shimmied up and down with the other dancers, laughing and grinning all the while.

So kiss me in the moonlight, you know it always feels right, we'll dance and party all night—Mambo Mambolé!

Mai and Serenity had each hooked up with other guys, much to the disdain of Joey, Tristan, and Duke, still in the audience. But rather than let the guys lead, both Mai—and shockingly, Serenity as well—took the leads and dipped the guys backwards, almost as if they intended to kiss them. They didn't, of course, and arched back upwards just as quickly, extending their forefingers to the same guys they'd separated from and wiggling them at the blushing boys. They brought their hands to their chest, waving them up in the air after a beat, and grinned, shouting out the last words to the audience.

There was an instrumental verse for a brief period, the noise of a standard whistle sounding off in the background, the girls stepping forward and wiggling their hips to the beat.

I fell in love with your voice and your laughter. And just one smile always makes me believe! Our destiny—curious if you are mine…Oh, won't you tell me that we're meant to be?

Téa, Serenity, Mai and Chieko quickly dominated the stage, their movements synchronized and full of emotion, as each of the girls wore a brilliant smile on her face, eyes twinkling.

They each pointed out to the crowd again, drawing their hands back in to touch their throats as they laughed, following the first line. They took a step backwards and turned slightly to the side, angling their profiles to the audience as they smiled mischievously. The four girls splayed their palms up to the autumn clouds, waving them at the audience as they brought their hands back to their chests, smiling as they stepped forward and back again, forefingers waving as the girls' smiles grew wider.

You spin me inside outside, and then you hold me so tight…We'll dance and party all night, Mambo Mambolé!

"She's really pretty," a voice commented.

Seto Kaiba knew that voice—he glanced downwards, his eyebrows raising when his gaze fell on his little brother, Mokuba.

"What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question," Mokuba smirked, taking a bite out of his cotton candy. He grinned briefly at his brother, before the two of them turned back to the stage, watching the girls dance.

"Who are you talking about?" Seto finally asked of his younger brother, eyeing him out of the corner of his eye.

"Téa, of course!" Mokuba responded, his tone almost incredulous. Were Seto to read between the lines (which he did), he could easily tell that what Mokuba hadn't said aloud went something like this: Who else would I have been talking about!?

In all truth, Seto Kaiba would have chuckled at such words…but as they remained unspoken, and Mokuba's gaze remained trained on Téa's vibrant form, Seto realized something.

A quick glance down at his brother.

A definitive scarlet hue coloring his face, his eyes darting back and forth as he watched Téa closely.

'He–he likes her.' Seto realized suddenly. And it wasn't the sort of childlike "like" between friends. And not even the "like" between siblings. (Mokuba did, after all, call Téa 'Big Sister,' a fact which amused Seto to no end.) Mokuba had a crush on Téa—and from the looks of it, a bad one.

Mokuba glanced curiously up at his brother, feeling the penetrating gaze on his back. Seto quickly averted his gaze, wondering how to react to this sudden truth.

So kiss me in the moonlight, you know it always feels right, we'll dance and party all night—Mambo Mambolé!

For the repeat of the chorus, the four lead girls jumped down from the stage, the audience allowing them dancing space. Many eager boys filtered through the crowd in the attempt to dance with the foursome, but the crowd was so thick that few could even come close. Instead, Mai, Serenity, Téa, and Chieko danced with the same boys as before; random classmates, save Bakura, whom Téa had danced with previously for the first round in the dance competition.

Mambo Mamboleo, Mambo Mambolé! Mambo Mamboleo, Mambo Mambolé! Mambo Mamboleo, Mambo Mambolé! Mambo Mamboleo, Mambo Mambolé!

Once again, an instrumental bridge, and then the fading out of the clapping and cheering.

When you dance with me boy, I know you feel my equal!

There were two rolling "Whoops" that Téa again imitated, much to the amusement of the audience. And then, a crescendo that Téa called out, "Ayiyiyi!" sliding forward on her knees and holding both her arms out towards the audience.

When you dance with me boy, I know you feel my equal!

"I'm going up to get a better look," Mokuba spoke up, tossing the now-blue cotton candy stick into a nearby trash bin

"Big Brother?" he glanced up at Seto.

"Yeah?" Ocean blue met with with midnight blue. Mokuba. His brother. A child…? He had a wisdom that sometimes even Seto believed surpassed his own intelligence. He was wise beyond his years, and it showed in the younger boy's eyes.

One day, Seto knew, he'd have to stop being Mokuba's father and brother. Mokuba would grow up, would get a life of his own…Seto just wanted to make sure it went well. That Mokuba was happy. And, well…Téa made him happy.

Seto sighed, causing Mokuba to wonder what was going on in his older brother's head.

"Try to have fun. You never got to as a kid…" Mokuba looked away, almost shamefully, "you grew up too fast."

And with those odd parting words, he disappeared into the crowd, ducking between people's legs to get closer to the stage.

Mambo Mamboleo, Mambo Mambolé! Mambo Mamboleo, Mambo Mambolé! Mambo Mamboleo, Mambo Mambolé! Mambo Mamboleo, Mambo Mambolé! You spin me inside outside, and then you hold me so tight…We'll dance and party all night, Mambo Mambolé!

Tristan, and Joey resumed their struggle in getting through the crowd, each of them hoping to prevent Duke from leaping on-stage and dancing with Serenity—at least, as closely as Téa was dancing with Bakura. For the brief moment they stopped to watch the brunette and the white-haired boy dance, they got jostled backwards in the crowd, hundreds of visitors and classmates dancing.

They all sighed, resignedly, and had to try and dance their way through the crowd—a sight that made the four girls at the fore of the stage laugh while they grooved.

So kiss me in the moonlight, you know it always feels right, we'll dance and party all night—Mambo Mambolé!

"That Téa girl really is beautiful, isn't she?" Seto Kaiba glanced out of the corner of his eye, wondering who was speaking. It wasn't as if he were jealous of someone else looking at Téa…one couldn't help it, the way she took center-stage…

The only feature Seto noticed on the person that had appeared beside him was a mop of oddly-colored hair, almost aquamarine in hue.

"Don't you agree…" a pause, "Mr. Kaiba?"

Seto sucked in a breath; the person had been speaking to him! But he refused to tear his gaze away from Téa for any reason. Perhaps it was because he was enchanted by Téa's graceful movements, or perhaps he simply desired to be as transfixed as he was…

"Ah, but beauty is so fleeting…" Had Seto been looking towards the young man beside him, he would have been startled by the uncanny resemblance between them. The only noticeable difference was in the stranger's odd hair color…And the malicious smile that had appeared on the aqua-haired boy's face.

"As is human life."

At that, Seto turned, whipping around almost violently—but whoever had spoken was gone. Amongst the huge crowd, not a single head of aquamarine hair could be spotted. Few people, if any, even seemed to be leaving the grounds. Everyone had gathered to watch the dancers perform one last time…

'Had to be my imagination,' Seto told himself, turning back towards the stage. Téa was up there, dancing her heart out, radiating such real emotion…An odd ache formed in Seto Kaiba's chest, watching her dance like that.

After such heartache in her life, such pain and such loss…she still had something left to be passionate about. To love with all her heart, and chase after, even when her dreams seemed fleeting.

'I–I never had anything like that. I didn't even want to be in this position. Maybe Mokuba's right…I grew up too fast…'

How would his life have been different—had Seto's birth parents lived? Had his mother not died giving birth to Mokuba? Where would Seto be now, had he never become the "protégé" of Gozaburo Kaiba?

You spin me inside outside, and then you hold me so tight…We'll dance and party all night, Mambo Mambolé! So kiss me in the moonlight, you know it always feels right, we'll dance and party all night—Mambo Mambolé!

Everyone had gotten into the spirit of the song, almost everyone in the crowd dancing to the poppy, fun music. The dancers on-stage encouraged more movement and smiles, grinning from ear to ear. They glowed, sunlight reflecting off the thin sheen of sweat on all their necks, smiles playing across each of their lips.

The girls spun in place, their partners squeezing their shoulders as they were brought back in. They all broke apart, injecting their own brand of dance moves into the celebration, then following the lyrics again and blowing kisses at the audience.La la la la la la la la la la la la la!

The singular, repetitive syllable was the cue to all the dancers that the song was coming to a close. Most of them took their bows, and the dancers in the crowd stopped, catching their breath and starting to clap for the exiting dancers.

La la la la la la la la la la la la la!

Finally, Serenity, Mai, and Chieko exited the stage, leaving Téa alone by the end of the song. She took one final bow, the applause and cheering almost thundering in her ears. She grinned despite her short breath, and waved as she left the stage.

The tremendous crowd slowly began to filter from the school grounds, the few students in the area trying to worm their way through the masses to clean up the booths and tables.

Téa could just barely make out Joey, Tristan, and Duke, being jostled like rag dolls in the middle of the crowd. It was apparent that the boys were struggling their hardest to get to the front of the line—and, as Téa glanced down to the base of the stage, she realized why. Joey was likely heading for Mai, who was speaking with the object of Tristan and Duke's affections—Serenity. Chieko stood beside them, glancing out at the crowd through tired eyes.

Téa smiled, grabbing the towel she'd tossed on the stage-side chairs and wiping her brow with it.

"They're like fish trying to swim upstream," Téa commented as she stood beside Mai and Serenity. The two girls laughed, noting the boys struggle. "Come on, let's go grab something to drink before the booths close completely."

Serenity looked unsure, though she still wore a smile, "And leave the boys…?" Mai only winked, and soon, the four girls disappeared through the crowds, the three boys that had been trying to reach them stopping in their tracks and blinking in confusion.

"Excuse me, are you Téa Gardner?"

Téa, Chieko, and Serenity all turned around, the crowd milling about them. An older woman with shoulder-length locks of curly red hair was approaching them, a smile on her face.

"Yeah…that's me," Téa responded slowly, her face a mask of confusion and wonder, "Who are you?"

The woman chuckled slightly, the smile never leaving her lips, "The name's Francesca Lohrs, but you can call me Fran. I'm from the Domino Performing Arts Company," Fran paused, her smile curving into a smirk. "You three are awfully talented young ladies."

Téa's blue eyes widened—this woman was from a performing arts company? In Domino!?

'What could she possibly want with us?' Téa wondered, cocking her head as she listened to the woman speak.

"I'm scouting for new talent for the new season. I didn't expect to hit the jackpot at a school festival, but I seemed to have done just that."

Three sets of eyes widened, Téa looking from Chieko to Serenity, "Um, I…well…"

"The other girls in the dance club told me I might find you here, and that if I was interested in scouting people from your school, I'd best talk to you and—Chieko Sagusa, is it?" Fran turned towards Chieko, who nodded, extending her hand in a polite, but firm handshake.

"Téa and I are the dance club presidents," Chieko explained, "and this is our friend, Serenity Wheeler. She doesn't go to Domino High yet, but she will in the spring."

Serenity nodded, shaking Fran's hand brightly.

"Um, wasn't there a fourth…young lady with you?" Fran looked around, and it was then that the three younger girls realized that Mai had dashed off. Where had she gotten to?

'That was a close one,' Mai heaved a sigh, clutching at her chest while she caught her breath. She hesitantly glanced backwards, where she could just barely make out the back of Téa's head, likely talking to Fran.

'She's the last person I need to see right now.' Mai grumbled to herself, gathering her composure and rising fully. When her violet eyes glanced up, she gulped—'No, one of two people I really don't need to see right now…' But there was no running now: Joey Wheeler was approaching, Duke Devlin and Tristan Taylor shortly behind him. Mai made no attempt to dash off this time: she wasn't the type to run away from every problem. Perhaps with Joey, there wouldn't even be a problem. Perhaps he was still clueless about Mai's involvement in Téa's problems, and wouldn't think any less of her…

For some reason, Mai couldn't stand the thought of Joey turning away from her. The young man had wormed his way into her heart, and now…

'Stupid! I'm not supposed to trust men! They'll all just stab you in the back anyway.' But Mai knew, in her heart of hearts, that such wasn't the case with Joey. Somehow, he was different. From all the rest…

"Mai!" Joey glanced up in surprise, his cheeks reddening as he took in Mai's form. She wore her usual attire now, rather than a Domino High uniform—but of course, Joey couldn't get the image out of his head. The way she'd tied up the shirt, the folds of the fabric creasing and knotting snugly over her chest…

"What are you thinking, Joey?" Mai raised an eyebrow as Joey's cheeks reddened, "You better not be picturing me in some sort of naughty get-up."

Tristan and Duke snickered, Tristan whispering to Duke beside him, "No problems with that. She already dressed up in one today."

"I heard that," Mai snapped at them. But her anger was brief; she didn't want to be upset at Joey. Besides, it was…kind of cute. The way he was so utterly…obvious around her.

"That was some pretty hot dancing," Tristan finally commented, catching Mai's attention, "I didn't even think you'd show up to these kind of things, but there you were, on-stage with Téa and…" Tristan swallowed, suddenly remembering Serenity dancing gaily on-stage as well, auburn hair flowing behind her.

"Yeah, why did you and Serenity show up today?" Duke questioned, leaning forward on the balls of his feet. Mai was about to answer, saying that she and Serenity had arranged to go to the festival over a week ago, when Joey had let slip about the event to his sister, but Duke continued speaking.

"Just one of the many weird things I've been noticing today. What with Téa dancing with Bakura, we thought he might be the one Téa's crushing on," Duke shook his head, not noticing that Mai was rolling her eyes, "but then, we remembered what Téa said at the mall."

"Yeah," Joey was scowling, remembering Duke's words from earlier, and how Seto Kaiba had ducked away from their 'confrontation,' (okay, so that wasn't how it really happened, but that's how it had played out in Joey's mind), "she was pretty stiff about defendin' that boss of hers. And then we remember that Kaiba's the one that introduced them?!"

"So," Duke continued smoothly, "I got to thinking…if Yugi's really not the one Téa's crushing on," he exchanged a brief and somewhat worried glance with the other boys, "then maybe it's Kaiba. And maybe he's her boss."

Mai's eyes widened, violet glancing from each boy. She had to think fast, if just to protect Téa's secret. It was obvious she hadn't come completely clean with them yet, and the true identity of both Téa's crush and her boss was still a mystery to them.

"That's ridiculous," Mai interjected, trying to sound as forceful and sure as she ever had, "Kaiba? Téa thinks he's the most arrogant blowhard to walk the Earth. She'd never crush on him, let alone live with him." she paused, forcing her trademark playful smirk, "and believe me, I know. From all our girl talks."

Joey looked unconvinced, "Really, Mai? I mean, you and Téa seem like you're gettin' closer an' all that, but…"

Mai mustered all the courage she could, about to tell the biggest lie in a long while, "Trust me."

Days later, the school had finally 'recovered' from all the excitement and mess the Autumn Festival had brought with it. The student council and class representatives finally had a chance to relax, all the paperwork and finances having been taken care of.

But of course, there was still much on Téa Gardner's mind.

Like, for example, the offer Fran had made her, Serenity, and Chieko. That and, more prominently, what in the world she could get Seto for his birthday.

It had been three days since the festival—leaving only four days for Téa to come up with something. And she was still drawing a blank.

"What's up, Téa?" Yugi smiled at her, joining the brunette as they walked down the hall and to their shoe cubbies. School had let out for the day, and Téa, Yugi, Duke, Joey, and Tristan had all arranged to grab a bite to eat at the local diner.

They'd started a tradition with the first time they'd gone there, to cheer Téa up all those months ago…and eventually, Duke had joined the party, turning the event into a weekly gathering of friends—in a comfortable, stress-free environment.

There were no duels, no class work, no rivalry…

Well, almost none. Duke and Tristan regularly bickered about Serenity, and as a result, Yugi, Joey, and Téa had come to the silent agreement that Serenity would stay out of their after school lunches—at least until she became a Domino High student herself in the spring. Having her around would only fuel the fire between Duke and Tristan, who seemed so possessive of Serenity, it was bordering on childish.

"Gah…Yugi, what do you get for someone when you have no idea what they want or even need for their birthday?" Téa sighed, exhaling deeply.

"Birthday?" Yugi looked confused, "October, October…Tristan's April 19th, Bakura's September 2nd, Joey's January 25th…Grandpa's birthday was on the 4th…" Yugi scratched his head, "Who are you talking about, Téa?"

Téa swallowed.

"Um, well…" She scratched behind her ear, a nervous habit she'd had since she was a child. And one Yugi recognized all too well.

He stopped walking and looked at his friend, an eyebrow raised in amusement, "You can tell me, Téa."

"It's Kaiba!" Téa finally blurted. Her voice dropped a level when she noticed a few of her classmates glance at her oddly, "I mean, he's just done so much for me in the past few months, and we've all known him for so long now…I just think it'd be nice to get him something. But I can't think of a thing!"

Yugi looked thoughtful —a bit surprised at first, but…

'That has to be it. Téa doesn't like Kaiba that way, she just wants to thank him for all he's done. And…her crush is someone else. It–it has to be.'

"Well," he scratched the back of his head briefly, trying to think, "do you know anything that he likes?"

Téa gave Yugi a flat stare, "This is Kaiba we're talking about here. He's about as impossible to figure out as…" Téa eyed the Millennium Puzzle briefly, very tempted to name Yami as her subject, but she refrained, "a Rubix Cube!"

Yugi only sweatdropped in response to that; Rubix Cubes were some of the first puzzles Yugi had mastered as a child, and he had a collection of finished ones lining a bookshelf in his room.

"Well…we have hung around him for a while," Yugi murmured. 'Hung around' probably wasn't the best choice of words, but what else could he say? That'd he'd dueled him multiple times, and almost lost his life and his sanity in doing so? That probably wasn't the kind of answer Téa needed to hear.

But regardless of how long they'd known Seto Kaiba, he was still as enigmatic as the first day they'd encountered him at Domino High. Though Téa seemed to have cracked his shell some, what with the way he seemed to like her and all.

Yugi frowned, remembering the jealous expression on Seto Kaiba's face at the festival. He hadn't told anyone what he'd seen, least of all Téa. How could he, when he was still clinging onto the hope that maybe Seto's obvious affections -or whatever they were- for Téa were not shared? That maybe, just maybe, the crush she'd spoken of wasn't her boss, wasn't Seto Kaiba or Ryou Bakura or anyone else…but him? Yugi! He who had loved her for so long…

"Huh, all the duels…" Téa furrowed her brows, briefly glancing into her cubby to check her hair and make sure it was straight. The days since the festival had been awfully windy, and Téa's hair tended to flip every which way.

It was a mere three seconds later when Téa's eyes widened, and she shouted in happiness.

"I got it!" she exclaimed, a grin blossoming on her face.

"What? What have you got?" Yugi looked bewildered, Téa's shout startling him from his brief reverie.

"Blue eyes, Yugi!" Téa pointed to her own eyes, brilliant and cerulean in color, eyes that Yugi could find himself lost so easily in…but of course, that wasn't what Téa was trying to get across at the moment. Yugi shook his head vehemently and asked her what she was talking about.

"The Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" Téa explained, "The one card, the one concept, the one creature that Seto Kaiba himself is bound to!"

Yugi nodded slowly, beginning to see where Téa's thoughts were going, "How does that translate into a gift?"

Téa wasn't sure; it wasn't as if she could get him a Blue Eyes White Dragon card. He had the only three that were in existence!

But…there had to be something else. A way to take that wonderfully inspirational thought and turn it into the perfect gift. Téa just had to think of what.

"Ugh…" Téa groaned in an exaggerated fashion, as she arrived home and promptly flopped down on the kitchen counter, exhausted from her day's efforts.

She'd tried finding something "Blue Eyes White Dragon" for Seto, but nothing had come to mind. She'd gone to all the major shopping districts, trolled through every mall, and still…nothing.

Nothing had screamed out at her, called to her, said, plainly and simply "This is meant for Seto Kaiba." And his birthday was drawing ever-nearer, and Téa felt that she was getting backed up against a wall.

The kitchen door swung open, and Téa glanced up from her pillow-of-arms, one eye half-opened to see who the intruder in her quiet space was.

Mokuba.

"Hey Mokuba," Téa grumbled.

The younger boy blinked at her, pausing not a decimeter away, "What's wrong, Téa?"

"Ugh," she groaned, turning on her stool and leaning backwards on the counter, her hair splayed over the clean, white tile, "I've been trying to figure out what to get Seto for his birthday for day now. I'm having no luck, obviously."

Mokuba hid a disappointed frown: he'd hoped that whatever problem Téa might have been having, it had nothing to do with his big brother. Though it seemed highly uncharacteristic for the boy, there were some things that Mokuba wished his brother wouldn't set foot in, and one of those "things" was actually a person: Téa.

A few months ago, had someone asked the younger Kaiba if he thought his brother would have anything to do with Téa Gardner, Mokuba would have immediately and firmly replied, "Not a snowball's chance in hell!" And he probably would have been telling the truth.

But now, after everything that had happened, it was hard to tell. Even Mokuba couldn't be sure of his older brother's feelings for Téa. All Mokuba knew was that he liked Téa, and he didn't want to lose her to Seto.

For the first time in his life, Mokuba realized that he wasn't agreeing with everything his brother said and did. Rather, he wanted to compete—he wanted something that Seto also wanted…right?

Still, a small shred of hope existed within Mokuba's heart, that maybe, just maybe, Seto didn't care for Téa….

'The way she cares for him? That isn't very nice of me to think that way…'

Mokuba frowned, desperately trying to push such thoughts out of his head, "I'm going to make him something," he responded, "maybe you could try that?"

Téa pushed herself up from the counter, "I would, kiddo, but I'm about as adept with glue as I am in Duel Monsters," Mokuba raised an eyebrow, "which means NOT AT ALL!"

The younger boy laughed, "I don't know about that."

"Well, it's a thought. And you might have just given me an idea," Téa mused, "Something handmade, right? Maybe I could get Seto something—" Téa's thought was cut off as the kitchen door swung open, Seto Kaiba standing in the doorway. He glanced from Téa to Mokuba, an eyebrow raised in query.

"Did I interrupt something?"

Téa smiled innocently ,"Noooope." She rose from the stool and winked at Mokuba, causing the younger boy to flush crimson, "Thanks for your help."

Seto only looked at Mokuba, his expression curious.

Three days left. Thanks to Yugi, who had mentioned duels, and Mokuba, who had suggested a handmade gift, Téa was much more selective when it came to what stores she went into.

Handmade gifts…

Purses. Jackets. Hand-painted pottery.

Seto Kaiba didn't need any of it. Téa wanted her gift to be practical, but it was awfully difficult to find something special for Seto Kaiba that was also useful. Especially a useful, special something that he didn't already have, stashed somewhere in that gigantic mansion of his.

Quite unexpectedly, Téa found herself headed towards a break between storefronts, a small alley lined with trash cans, tied-up garbage bags, and dirt-covered dumpsters.

Under normal circumstances, Téa wouldn't have even considered glancing down such a forbidding alleyway. But…

A wave of heat pressed against Téa's skin, the sudden sound of metal clanking against metal drawing her deeper and deeper into the alleyway.

Suddenly, Téa found herself glancing into a workshop of sorts, tools hanging down from every single nook and cranny. A brilliant orange fire glowed from within a furnace, just barely visible amongst the scattered tables and workbenches.

And, on every tabletop, on every windowsill, hanging down from every rafter…

"Beautiful…" Téa found herself stepping into the place, her eyes catching on every piece of glasswork displayed in the workshop. She hardly noticed that the clanking sound that had drawn her to the place had ceased, and footsteps signaled the approach of someone coming in her direction.

"They are, aren't they?" A voice spoke up. Téa glanced down, embarrassed that she'd been caught intruding in someone's personal workspace.

"The way the light shines through them…And the glass can take so many forms, so it never looks the same, regardless of who looks at it, or what position it's in…"

"Hi," Téa smiled, tearing her gaze away from the glass objects littering the place, "I'm Téa Gardner. I–I was looking for a present for someone, and I just happened on this place…"

The middle-aged man who apparently worked there nodded, a smile cracking his stubble-covered features, "Not many people 'happen' on a place such as this when they're out gift-shopping," he grinned, "but the few that do manage to find their way here are usually in for something special. What can I help you with?"

Téa blinked, somewhat startled at the man's forwardness, "Well, I…Do you do custom work?"

The man laughed, the sound echoing off the skylights and reverberating off the glassworks throughout the room, "It's all custom, Miss Gardner. No two things alike in this workshop here."

"Um," Téa chuckled, her face flushing in embarrassment, "Would you be able to do…well, a dragon?"

The man turned towards her, a bushy eyebrow raised in amusement, "Never gotten a request like that before. Vases, plates, even jewelry…but never a dragon. Could you be a bit more specific?"

"Well," Téa scratched behind her ear, "Have you…" Had the older man even heard of Duel Monsters? Why was it so difficult to describe a dragon? The very name of the creature dictated its appearance: Blue Eyes, White Dragon!

"Have I what?" The man's eyes were twinkling, his smile broadening with each passing moment.

"Ever heard of Duel Monsters?" Téa finally blurted, her cheeks coloring. She was beginning to wonder if the heat rushing to her cheeks had anything to do with the furnace in the corner, or if she really was just embarrassing herself over and over again.

"Heard of it? Of course I have, dear! I'd have to be living under a rock not to have!" the man exclaimed, disappearing around the corner. He reappeared with a small box in his hands, about sixteen centimeters high.

He set it on a workbench, opening it carefully. Téa leaned closer to get a better look. Her blue eyes widened in astonishment as the figurine was revealed.

"Flame Swordsman," the man murmured softly, pride evident in his voice. "A special request. These figurines usually take a while to make, since I have to blend the different glasses together, shape them. It's a very difficult and time-consuming process, but always worth it," he glanced up at Téa, "Not to boast, but I'd have to say I'm the best glassblower in Tokyo. Not another one for a good hundred kilometers could pull off something like this."

Téa's eyes remained riveted on the glass Flames Swordsman figurine. The furnace light reflected off the elegant purple glass, glowing brighter through the bright orange-red glass of the sword. It was…amazing.

"Could you–could you make a Blue-Eyes White Dragon?"

The man chuckled, much to Téa's surprise, "I had a feeling that's what you'd be asking for."

Téa blinked, confusion evident on her face, "How–how could you have known?" She cocked her head to the side, "You aren't psychic, are you?"

The old man grinned, "Nope. But…" He looked at Téa carefully, "You seem to have that spirit. That same…I'm not sure how to describe it. The Blue-Eyes fits you."

"Oh! It's–it's not for me! I mean, I'm–I'm looking for a special gift for someone…else."

"I know that," the man said. "When you came in here, you said you were looking for a present for someone. But obviously, if you managed to find this place…and you want this gift to be as special as you say, then your spirit must be in it. It's not a run-of-the-mill gift, is it?"

Téa shook her head. "You're right, it's not."

There was something about the man's words that nagged at the back of Téa's mind, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Spirit?

She dismissed the thought before it could fully form, smiling at the man again.

"I–It's a gift for someone that means a lot to me. And the Blue-Eyes White Dragon means a lot to him, too. It symbolizes a lot of things for him, and his brother…" The man's eyebrow raised, but he kept silent. He knew now just who Téa was getting the gift for. He knew a lot of things, doing what he did. Few found his place, and even fewer ever bothered to ask how or why he did or knew the things that he did.

"Then I have the perfect design in mind," the man responded, heading over to a workbench. He brushed aside some papers, revealing a large white newsprint sketchbook. He pulled a few soft-lead pencils from a glass holder, sketching out a design.

Three dragons curled around a short cylindrical base, two of them having their necks wound around one another, while the third appeared smaller, looking up at the other two with an interesting expression on its face.

Téa ran her fingers over the image, careful not to smudge the artwork, "It's perfect…" she breathed. It was if the man knew exactly what she'd been envisioning. Beside her, the man smiled, brilliant blue eyes gleaming.

"Good. I'll make it, say…this big?" He gestured with his hands, "and I can fix it to a silver base." He nodded towards Téa, "Would you like anything engraved on it?"

Téa paused a moment.

A special gift. From her to him. Something that only she could give. A gift from her heart, her spirit: something that would tell him how much she really cared for him…

"Yeah." And with a bright smile and flushed cheeks, Téa leaned towards the sketch, writing down what she wanted engraved on the base.

"Excellent." The man nodded, "It'll be ready in about two days, so you can come back then."

Téa looked hesitant, "Shouldn't I pay for it now?"

"That's quite all right, dear. I want the piece to be your satisfaction before you hand me anything." Téa nodded brightly; she hadn't brought a whole lot of money with her that day anyway, and she suspected that such a gift would be costly.

"Thank you, thank you so much." Téa smiled gratefully at the man before heading towards the workshop doors, "See you in two days!"

"Indeed," The man waved back at her before turning back to the sketch and the words Téa had specified she wanted engraved on the base. "Indeed, Miss Gardner."

"Did you get something?" Yugi asked Téa as they walked down the hallways towards their first class.

Téa nodded, a satisfied smile on her face, "It's going to be perfect!" Her smile dropped slightly, "Well, I hope so, anyway. I hope he likes it."

"He who?" Joey asked, appearing behind the two and slinging his free arm around Téa's shoulder, "Gettin' a gift for your mysterious crush?" He winked down at Yugi, who flushed in embarrassment and looked away.

"No!" Téa turned scarlet, even though Joey was right, "It's—well, Kaiba's birthday is coming up, and…"

"Kaiba?" Joey blinked, dropping his arm from Téa's shoulder to his side. He remembered Duke's theory , and how Mai had shot it down without a minute's hesitation. Joey realized that he hadn't known Duke or Mai for very long, and he didn't exactly know why he was inclined to believe Duke this time….

He hated not trusting Mai, though. But why would she have lied? How could she have known differently, anyway? It was true, she was getting closer with Téa in recent weeks…but did that mean the blonde was privy to all of Téa's secrets? Joey couldn't force the idea out of his head, but he had to try. For Téa's sake…he just had to believe Mai. There was no way that Téa liked Kaiba that way.

"What happened to him being the most arrogant blowhard in the world?"

Téa blinked, confusion etched in her eyes for a minute, "Well, I don't know if that's changed much," the boys chuckled at Téa's response, "but he has been awfully nice to me these past few months. If it weren't for him…" she trailed off. She didn't need to be vivid in describing how different her fate would have turned out if Seto Kaiba hadn't interfered. True, the boys didn't know how much of a hand Seto had had in saving her from foster care, but…

"Yeah," Joey stretched his arms behind his head, offering a nod towards Duke and Tristan, approaching them from the other direction, "and I guess the guy's been through enough with us to warrant a little somethin'…"

Téa's eyes widened, "Are you guys going to get him something, too?"

"Him who?" Duke asked, yawning.

"Kaiba," Yugi replied, though his voice was laced with sadness. "His birthday's coming up. What day did you say it was, Téa?"

"The 25th," Téa murmured.

"What? That's in only two days!" Joey exclaimed, "Man…now what the heck am I gonna do?"

Téa stared at the blond in surprise, "I didn't think you were serious in getting him something, Joey."

Joey laughed, "Serious about a gift, sure. But that doesn't mean the gift is gonna be serious." He winked conspiratorially at the other boys.

Tristan groaned, "Dude, hand-me-down porn videos aren't Kaiba's thing, I'm sure…"

Joey flushed, "Hey! Who said anything about forking down my collection—"

Téa fixed at Joey and Tristan with an unamused stare, despite the smirk creeping up the corners of her mouth, "GUYYYYS!"

"This is hopeless," Téa groaned.

Though the festival had gone off well—and Téa had found out the truth from Chieko—Téa's mind was far from clear.

She remembered the offer the woman from the dance company had made; she remembered Bakura's eerily accurate Tarot reading and the things it predicted; she remembered Seto admitting that his birthday was on the 25th.

The 25th! Just over a week! Téa had gone crazy trying to come up with things to get Seto, and when she'd finally decided on something…

Téa Gardner sighed, cupping her chin in her palms as she leaned on the kitchen counter. Seto had been gone all day. According to Mokuba—and Téa's own experience living with the young man—Seto wasn't the type to simply up and disappear, even if it was his birthday, and he had every reason to celebrate.

So where had he gone—all day?

With a lot of prying, Téa had found out what Seto's favorite food was, and went to great length to prepare the dish—a complicated and difficult meal called beef foie gras in sauce, or a specially marinated and cured French beef. A veal cutlet, to be precise. She could have ordered it from one of the expensive French restaurants in the city, but it wouldn't have been the same.

'Besides,' Téa thought, glancing at the small white box in which her gift to Seto was contained, 'that's just a dinky present…not enough, hardly anything in comparison to everything Seto's done for me, has become to me…'

And so, she'd spent the entire week since the festival practicing with every spare minute of her time, reading cookbooks, testing her recipe out on smaller pieces of beef, and even going to the lengths of having one of the school's French teachers taste a sample Téa had prepared in Home Ec during her free period.

And they'd all said it was good.

Whether Seto thought the same would be known only in a matter of time…

'Of course, if he never comes home, then all this work will be for waste!'

Of course, the thought provoked a steadily disturbing chain in Téa's mind. If he never came home? What had happened to Seto Kaiba on that day, his own birthday, that caused him to not come home? What if it had been something terrible, and Téa wouldn't find out until…

She swallowed hard, shaking her head. Tears gathered on the edges of her eyes, threatening to fall, but she managed to hold them back. 'No! I can't think that way. I'm sure he's fine. Probably gone to Kaiba Corp. The guy never takes a break for himself, even on his birthday.' Of course, he was lucky because his birthday had fallen on a Saturday—he'd only had to go to school for half a day, but had disappeared the moment the bell had rung.

Téa, at the time, had thought it for the better. She'd still had to pick up his present, get ready for dinner, and…

In the distance, a door slammed.

Téa blinked, the loud noise startling her. She realized the sound had been the sound of the garage door shutting, but by the time she'd gotten up for her place beside the counter, Seto Kaiba was nowhere in sight. Téa frowned at the door of his office, the lights inside flicking on suddenly.

'So he thinks he can just come home and not say a word! I know it's his birthday and everything but the least he could say is "I'm home" or something…' Téa humphed to herself, and started gathering things—the tray with Seto's dinner on it, along with several gifts from the guys and herself, and placing them on a cart she'd found in one of the kitchen closets.

She paused outside Seto's office door—just for a moment—wondering what she should say. Finally, an idea came to her, and she adopted a smile, knocking briefly before opening the door.

It was no surprise to see Seto already sitting at his desk, computer on, as though he planned to work on one thing or another for the remainder of the night—instead of celebrating, like most eighteen-year-olds did. He'd turned to face the opening door once Téa had knocked, about to say "Come in," but Téa had entered even without his saying so.

Not that he minded. Rather, his curiosity was piqued. Namely by the huge mound of gifts -and a dinner platter- on the tray she was wheeling into the room.

"Forgetting something?" Téa grinned, gesturing down to the presents and the tray.

"What is all this?" Seto asked, somewhat dubiously. Surely she hadn't gotten all those things for him…

"Gifts. From the guys—and me, of course…" Téa blushed slightly, her eyes drifting towards the single white box, the smallest of the bunch, sitting on top of all the other gifts. She'd scribbled on it last minute "Open me last!"—though it wouldn't delay the inevitable by much. It wasn't as if she could just refuse to give him a gift; it had taken her long enough to decide what to get him, and then…

Seto's eyebrows shot up as he stood, taking one of the boxes and shaking it.

Téa stared at him oddly, "What are you doing?"

She was on the verge of giggling when Seto sniffed the box, "It's not going to explode or anything," Téa rolled her eyes. "Haven't you ever seen a birthday present before?"

"You can never be too sure," Seto replied, half-serious. Téa blinked, wondering if the CEO ever had received exploding birthday presents before. That sure wouldn't have been fun.

'Understatement of the year, genius,' Téa thought, her gaze wandering towards the silver platter on which she'd put Seto's dinner. She'd gone to great lengths to get everything right—and had rummaged through the kitchen and dining room to find nice enough plates and trays to serve everything with.

"Um…" she nudged the tray forward, almost shyly, "I made you dinner." Seto blinked, looking at Téa, then the covered tray, then Téa. "Happy Birthday," she murmured softly, a very slight smile curling the corners of her lips.

She turned to leave, but remembered something suddenly, "Don't shake the small white box, okay?"

"Why? What's in it?" Seto asked, eying the aforementioned gift. He glanced at the "Open me last!" written in bold letters, scrawled over the top of the box, one of his eyebrows raised in query and amusement.

"It's…a surprise. Just don't shake it, okay?" Téa grinned, her hand on the doorknob, "Goodnight, Seto. I'll come back later…for the tray."

Seto nodded slowly, already fingering one of the gifts. He'd never seen so many before—each one different from the other. Of course, he'd gotten presents before…from company associates and the like. Usually boring things, in boring paper. Things like engraved pens, ties, or business card holders. All very useless and meaningless to a 'dynamic, up-and-coming CEO' such as Seto Kaiba.

Curiosity got the better of him, and he lifted the first box—a bright green and black striped one—and pulled the paper off. At first, he was methodical about it, tearing along the folds and being very careful about it all—but patience gave way to the near-giddiness building up in the eighteen-year-old. Without a second thought, Seto Kaiba ripped the paper off, tore the box open, and looked inside.

Some forty minutes later, Téa was so anxious that she concluded Seto had to be done with his dinner by then, and she should go back into his office to fetch the tray. She was also curious whether or not he'd opened his gifts yet, and, of course, what the guys had gotten him….

'I didn't think they'd actually do it,' Téa mused, 'But they did. Every one of them got him gifts. Something tells me at least one of them will be a gag though,' Téa chuckled.

When she reached Seto's office door, she hesitated. She was still nervous about the engraving on her gift to Seto—worried, paranoid…so many things at once, but regardless, her heart was racing. Her hand barely scraped the wood of the door at first, but finally, she sucked in a breath and knocked, waiting for a reply this time.

"Come in," Seto's voice came. At first, Téa thought his voice sounded a bit odd, and entered the room, a confused expression on her face. She looked at Seto, surrounded by empty and torn-apart boxes, shreds of wrapping paper and tissue paper, and several cards and envelopes. He had a huge smile on his face, which looked very nearly out of place on the usually stone-faced CEO…but it warmed Téa to her very core.

The tray on which Téa had brought Seto his dinner was completely cleaned, and she blinked in surprise, double-taking.

"You…liked the dinner?" She waited for an answer with bated breath—she'd tried so hard to get the recipe right, and even if he said it was "okay," she would be relieved. As long as he didn't turn green or throw up…

"It was delicious," he smiled up at her, pausing in his foraging through the gifts. "You knew beef foie gras was my favorite, didn't you?" He pronounced the name of the French dish with ease, a near-perfect French accent sounding when he spoke. But that, of course, was to be expected—French was only one of the few languages Seto spoke fluently.

"A little horse told me," Téa grinned, making a pun of Mokuba's name.

Seto grinned as well, "Thank you."

Téa blushed and smiled widely. "It was no trouble. Besides, it's your birthday and all…I wanted to do something nice."

"This is the best birthday I've ever had. I hope you know that." His smile wasn't as wide now, but the expression on Seto Kaiba's face was remarkably serious.

He means it,' Téa thought, elated. 'He really…wow.'

"So…" Téa trailed off, gazing at all the boxes, "what did you get?" Seto chuckled, and reached into one of the smaller boxes, pulling out what looked like a brown ball of fuzz.

"From Wheeler," he said with a smirk. He moved his hand slightly and revealed that the puff was a tiny brown dog, a toy one. He flicked a switch on its base, and set it down. Moments later, the little dog started yapping in a high-pitched bark, wagging its tail madly. It flipped in the air once, landed soundly on its paws, and proceeded to bark again.

Téa giggled, petting the little thing on its head, even while it barked and wagged its tail. Seto chuckled, "I think he likes you."

Téa laughed, "I think he likes everyone!"

Seto took the dog and turned it off, "Well now, I'll always have a constant reminder of Wheeler right here in my office." He was referring to how he constantly called Joey a 'mutt,' (or some variant thereof) and how even Duke Devlin had taken advantage of the unwanted nickname, forcing Joey into a dog-suit when he lost a match of Dungeon Dice Monsters.

Seto removed the other gifts from their boxes; from Duke Devlin, he'd gotten a special Blue-Eyes White Dragon Dungeon Dice Monsters starter set, while Serenity—surprisingly giving Seto a gift of her own, rather than including her name on the card that had come with her brother's gag gift—gave Seto a book.

"'Chicken Soup…for the CEO's Soul'?" Téa read, her eyebrows raised.

Seto smirked, "She's got good intentions."

Tristan had gotten him a subscription to a magazine—the name of which Téa hadn't caught—while Yugi had gotten what Seto considered the oddest gift of them all—a game called 'Cranium.'

"Oh, that game is a blast!" Téa grinned, remembering when she'd played the game with the guys at Yugi's house. It had been a while since she'd gone over to to the Turtle Game Shop; it felt like so long…

"Then we'll have to play it sometime," Seto said with a smile.

"There's just one left." Téa's blue eyes widened. Her eyes drifted over to the cart, where the lone, unopened box sat. Her gift. The tiny white box…and suddenly she felt the need to stall. She snatched the gift out of Seto's reach before he could grab it, chuckling nervously as she whipped it behind her back.

"Um, wait! What did Mokuba get you?"

Seto cocked an eyebrow up at her in question, "Afraid you got the same thing?" Téa shook her head, 'That's next to impossible,' she thought to herself, but her apprehension didn't fade.

"This," Seto carefully drew out what looked like a picture frame—assembled from cardboard, colored pipe-cleaners, and popsicle sticks. Mokuba had arranged everything in such a manner that the popsicle sticks, painted blue, had a fuzzy Blue-Eyes White Dragon made from the pipe-cleaners perched on their top, rightmost corner, staring out from the frame with googly eyes.

"Cute," Téa smiled. "He must have worked hard on it."

"I have to find the right picture to put in there," Seto smiled, looking thoughtful for a moment. "Can I have my present now?" He faked a pout, and hesitantly, Téa handed him the box, their fingers touching for one brief, electric moment.

Half of her wanted to dash out of the room, and escape like a bat out of hell while the other half remained firmly planted to the floor, regardless of what she thought she wanted, her legs as heavy as stone.

Unlike the other gifts, Seto opened Téa's carefully—not just because she was right in front of him, but because of her earlier warning. He surmised that there was something fragile inside, which already made her gift vastly different from everyone else's.

"…Wow…" he breathed, removing a statuette from the tissue paper-filled box. The statuette was that of a blown glass Blue-Eyes White Dragon—more precisely, three of them. Two of them sat atop the sterling silver base, while one wound around it. The two that sat perched on the base had their necks linked around one another, their eyes staring right at one another. The third dragon, and the smaller of the triad, was looking up at the other two from below, almost in curiosity.

Great detail had been put into the sculpting of the statuette, as the dragons had scales, wings, and even differently-colored eyes, reflecting back a deep, sapphire blue. Seto turned the gift in his hands several times, admiring it, before his gaze caught on some words engraved around the rim of the base.

'Happy 18th Birthday, Seto Kaiba. Love, Téa.'

Téa swallowed hard. She knew he'd noticed the engraving, she'd watched him read it. There was no going back—there hadn't been any going back, not since she'd decided that she wanted those words engraved on the base, several days ago.

Seto glanced up at Téa curiously, and she was sure he was going to ask her about the "Love" on the base. She mustered all the courage she could, ready to admit her feelings then and there if need be—

"Thank you," he whispered.

Téa almost heaved a sigh of relief, but managed to smile brightly instead, "Of course, Seto! I mean, it was the least I could do! It's just a silly paperweight, really, but…"

"I love it," Seto interrupted her smoothly. For a moment, Téa had been sure he was about to say something else—something further—but he'd stopped. Téa knew then that it was time to leave: she'd done what she'd set out to do, and made Seto happy on his birthday. That was all that mattered. She turned to go, about to push the cart with the tray and all the empty boxes out, when a hand reached out and grabbed her arm.

Before she knew what was happening, she'd been whirled into Seto Kaiba's embrace, his arms wrapping around her easily. She could feel his warm breath on her neck, and after the first initial moment of surprise and shock, Téa put her arms around Seto as well, hugging him back.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," Seto whispered softly, tendrils of Téa's hair flying upward and brushing against her left ear.

'I want to tell him!' Téa thought suddenly, her heart aching. She squeezed Seto tighter, wordlessly, and allowed him to do the same. What few minutes they spent in each other's arms seemed to stretch into an eternity, a silent moment of bliss for Téa.

And for a split second, the world around them froze. Téa could hear her heartbeat pounding in her head, sounding unnaturally slow. She pulled back only slightly, slowly, her eyes closed as thoughts raced through her mind. She wanted to do it, she needed to do it. If she could, it meant she could stop bottling up all her feelings….

Blue met with blue, her eyes a bright cerulean, while his were fathomless pools of navy. Breathing and heartbeats quickened, both sure something was about to happen, though neither could say for sure what.

Without realizing it, Téa found herself searching Seto Kaiba's eyes, looking for the answer to her unspoken question—the one she'd kept locked away in her heart for so many months now, screaming to be said, most especially in the past week.

'Please, tell me he feels something—anything—for me…' Téa found herself wishing, hoping, dreaming. Even as her eyes shifted, memorizing every curve of Seto's face, they alighted on something else.

On a bureau behind Seto's desk, a picture frame: a picture of Mokuba.

The young boy was smiling widely, his elder brother standing stoically beside him. The faintest traces of a smirk could be seen curling the corners of Seto Kaiba's lips in the picture, but only if one looked very closely and knew what they were looking for.

'What am I thinking!?' Téa thought suddenly, 'How can I be so selfish as to not see…Seto's priority is his brother! I can't–I couldn't ever come between them, and that's just what I'm trying to do! How dare I?' She was almost on the verge of tears, forcing herself to close the gap that had formed between herself and Seto Kaiba.

She wedged herself into the nook of his shoulder, where she'd initially fallen, when Seto had whirled her into his embrace. Téa squeezed her eyes shut, willing time to resume its normal course so she could get out of there—out of Seto's arms, out of his presence—as soon as possible. It was becoming increasingly difficult not to act on her emotions, her inhibitions, her desire.

With the whole of her body protested against kissing anything but his lips, Téa shifted slightly, gently brushing her lips against his cheek. She'd wanted so badly to kiss him in that moment, to feel his lips moving against hers. But then, she'd seen that picture, and everything became all muddled again.

"I…" Téa paused, licking her lips as she loosened her arms around Seto and forced herself to look away. "Happy Birthday." And with a flurry of movement, she sprung out of his arms and out of the room, shoving the cart out with her.

A full minute later, Seto Kaiba blinked, his arms still splayed as though Téa were still within their confines. But she'd left.

They'd been so close, and…

Two fingers brushed against the spot on Seto's right cheek, where she'd gently kissed him.

'Dammit!'

Against Téa's will, she awoke early the following morning, a cool, overcast Sunday. Her thoughts were, as per usual since she'd moved into the Kaiba household, jumbled.

She knew Seto was likely awake already, and despite her initial mental protests to seek him out, she found herself doing just that. But of course, she didn't want to seem like she'd been searching for him, and so she just wandered about the house, coming downstairs and circling the living and dining areas before entering the kitchen. There was no sign of him.

'He hasn't disappeared on me again, has he? I never did get around to asking him where he spent all day yesterday…'

Téa glanced into his office, but the wooden room was cold and empty.

She spared the picture frame on the bureau—the one that had interrupted her thoughts so utterly the night before—a single glance before sighing, wondering if she was truly regretting what could have been, or if she was just being her stubborn self when it came to accepting the past and moving on.

At the precise moment Téa closed her eyes and clicked Seto's office door shut, she heard the door from the garage into the laundry room open. Téa walked briskly over to the aforementioned door, blinking in surprise when her eyes met with Seto Kaiba's.

Her gaze shifted quickly, and that was when her eyes alighted on the motorcycle behind Seto Kaiba. Its parts gleamed like polished silver, the reflection of the chrome sparkling in the early morning light filtering through the small garage windows.

A silver and blue design—dragons?—was apparent on the Honda Shadow Sabre's covered parts, though it the morning light didn't touch the metal as brightly as it did the chrome parts.

Téa's jaw dropped.

"Ride…me!" she squeaked, her eyes never straying from the sleek new vehicle parked in the garage. She gestured wildly from the cycle to herself, blue eyes as wide as plates.

She'd always wanted to ride on a motorcycle—see the world blurring past her, nothing ever sticking long enough to worry her—and have that thrill, that sense of freedom, adventure, danger, all at once.

Téa had asked Tristan once, surprising the young man, but he'd declined—on two reasons. The first was that he wasn't legally allowed to ride his motorcycle, as he wasn't 18 yet, and if he got pulled over with a passenger on his bike, he'd be in even deeper trouble. The second reason was because he admitted his own driving skills weren't exactly professional—and he didn't want to risk Téa getting hurt.

When Téa finally pulled her gaze away from the bike to see what Seto would say in response to her request, she realized just what she'd said.

And, just as quickly, she blurted, her face crimson, "That didn't come out the way I wanted it to!" She waved her hands in front of herself, almost defensively, guarding herself from the slowly approaching Seto, who wore a devilish smirk on his face.

One eyebrow was raised in amusement as he approached her, "Are you sure about that?" he chuckled. "Either way, I'd be more than willing to oblige…"

The scarlet that had colored Téa's cheeks deepened, but before her jaw really could drop, she lowered her head slightly and muttered, "Pervert."

Seto only grinned cockily as he put both hands on his hips. "You said it, not me."

"You misinterpreted it!" Téa shot back, looking up at him, blue eyes dancing with light. A smirk of her own formed on her face, her gaze drifting back and forth from the motorcycle.

Was that where he'd been all day yesterday? Getting his bike?

"How do you know that I misinterpreted it when you're the one interpreting my possible misinterpretation?" Seto retorted.

Téa raised her brows at the challenge, grinning now, "Ah, but you said 'either way,' giving me reason to believe that you interpreted my words at face value, which means my initial interpretation of your misinterpretation of my words was, in fact, correct!" Téa crowed triumphantly.

Seto's once-arrogant grin faded, and he knit his brows together, "Stop confusing me."

Téa only laughed, "But why? I'm so good at it!" She smiled beautifully at Seto, who forced his gaze to the cool floor.

"Got that right," he mumbled under his breath.

"What was that?" Téa asked, leaning forward.

"Go change! You can't wear that," Seto gestured to Téa's pajamas, "on a motorcycle, anyway." He groaned, rolling his eyes as he turned back into the garage, "So you'll give me a ride?" Téa was leaning towards him on the balls of her feet, pouting in a way Seto thought only Mokuba had mastered.

"Yes! I'll give you a ride—" A slight pause, seeing Téa's grin, "on the motorcycle!" Téa laughed and skipped out of the room, dashing upstairs to change into something more suitable for a motorcycle ride.

"I was thinking—" a voice interrupted Seto as he went over his new bike for the umpteenth time that morning, "if you just turned eighteen yesterday, how do I know you can ride this thing without killing twenty innocent pedestrians on your way to…wherever it is we're going?" Seto glanced up at Téa, nearly choking on his tongue when he noticed she wore a pair of black leather flared pants, a ribbed maroon turtleneck, and a black leather jacket.

She looked beautiful.

But not the same kind of beautiful as the ball—or any of the other days and nights when Seto found himself admiring Téa. This was something entirely different. A strange feeling turned in the pit of Seto Kaiba's stomach, the sensation forcing him to tear his gaze from the approaching girl back to his bike. He strolled over to where he'd put the two helmets he'd bought, willing the uncomfortable feeling in his abdomen to go away.

"I guess you could say I've been cheating the system for a while now," Seto smirked, despite Téa not being able to see him. He flicked on a light switch, casting brilliant and nearly blinding florescent light throughout the concrete garage.

Téa shielded her eyes for a moment, but soon adjusted to the light, blinking. She'd never been in the garage before, and had only gone as far as she had this particular morning since she'd been looking for Seto and had spotted him standing before a new motorcycle.

But obviously the new Honda Shadow Sabre wasn't the only vehicle in the young CEO's collection; the white lights touched on what had to be no less than six cars. Most of them were rather sporty and sleek, all in blues, silvers, and black, save the one bright red Acura Integra, Type R.

"Been driving for over two years now," he grinned, "and taking lessons for the newest addition to my collection here. So…are we going for a ride?" Téa's attention snapped back to Seto and the silver-blue "Dragon Bike," and she nodded dumbly, catching the black helmet Seto threw at her and putting it on.

It was a mere second later when she flipped the visor up, her muffled voice asking, "What about Mokuba?"

It was still early, and the boy wasn't awake yet, but Téa still worried about him.

"We'll be back before he wakes up," Seto assured her, flipping his own visor down. He mounted the bicycle shortly after turning the main garage lights out, throwing his own leather jacket on and zipping it all the way up.

Téa looked a bit unsure as to how to get on, but eventually straddled the heavily-padded seat. She glanced about, wondering where to put her hands, much to the amusement of Seto, who glanced backwards, his eyes twinkling with amusement behind his darkened visor.

He started up the engine abruptly, revving up if just to see Téa's reaction. She jumped in her seat, and started fumbling, desperately trying to find a handhold before Seto took off.

"Hold on," he said simply before throwing the kick-stand backwards and balancing on the bike.

Téa stared at him incredulously, "To whaaaaaa—" She never finished her last syllable, as Seto Kaiba pressed down on the gas and zoomed out of the garage, Téa's arms slinging around his midsection as they tore out into the morning.

Sometime after the first five minutes of the ride, Téa had stopped staring about in wonder. It became increasingly difficult to even make the attempt, what with the way Seto Kaiba kept speeding by everything.

'Lessons? He's probably been riding a bike for years! There's no way a beginner could handle the road this smoothly,'Téa thought to herself. Of course, never having been on a motorcycle herself, she didn't know what a truly "smooth" ride was like. But the way Seto drove wasn't causing her heart to leap up her throat, nor scenes from her life flash before her eyes.

It was almost relaxing.

They plunged into walls of fog, streaking through the nearly-empty city streets during the early morning hours. Téa had stopped paying attention to their surroundings, and kept her arms around Seto's waist, leaning her head against his back.

She was awoken from her brief stupor when the bike stopped, Seto shutting off the engine briefly and throwing the kick-stand down to balance the bike on its own.

"We're here," he said, removing his helmet and securing it to the back of the bike, along with Téa's, using a chain he had stored under the seat. Téa glanced around, her eyes revealing her surprise.

"A cemetery? Real romantic." Ever since her parent's funeral, Téa had developed strong feelings against places like graveyards and cemeteries—and this particular one had a strange, haunting feel to it.

"Next time you want romantic, feel free to make a suggestion," Seto remarked, though there was no trace of emotion in his voice. He was stone-faced and deadly serious, even as he moved the two metal gates at the entrance aside, stepping into the cool morning mist.

Hesitating, Téa followed Seto into the graveyard, wondering why the young man had chosen such a spot to go so soon after his birthday.

Dew-moistened sprigs of grass were crushed into the soft mud underneath their feet. While Seto Kaiba, wearing a pair of knee-length boots, didn't care less, Téa was somewhat more careful, trying to keep to the drier parts of the graveyard.

They stopped before a plot of land separated from the rest of the graveyard, one that she and Seto had accessed via a wrought-iron gate. A thick garden surrounded the two graves therein.

They looked like any other graves—plain, rectangular tombstones made of granite. But, from the top of the two joined gravestones, rose the figure of a man. The carvings that made up his torso weren't very elaborate; one could barely make out the outline of a stiff jacket on the stone figurine, complete with cushioned shoulders. Behind him, the figure of an angel rose, one arm wrapped protectively around the man's shoulders, while the other arm extended outwards, a hand pressing against open space.

Seto dropped to his knees, pulling some incense out of his jacket. From another pocket, he withdrew a silver lighter, cupping it and the tip of the incense in his hand, protecting the small flame from the cool morning breezes.

Téa remained quiet, a few meters away from him, watching as he kneeled before the graves and prayed silently to himself.

'His parents,' Téa realized. They weren't ever there to celebrate his birthday with him. And Mokuba's birthday fell on the same day that their mother had died. Surely Seto wouldn't take Mokuba to a graveyard on the younger boy's birthday, so…

'Mother, Father…It's been a while,' Seto prayed. It was only in the "presence" of his parents that Seto felt he could truly be himself. There was still a six-year-old boy trapped in his eighteen-year-old body, remembering his true parents and everything they'd done together.

'A lot has happened in the past few months.' He glanced out of the corner of his eye at Téa, who was running her fingers across the names on the gravestones. She looked somewhat contemplative, but then Seto couldn't get a good glimpse of her face, given that he was only looking at her profile. He turned back to the gravestone, inhaling the musky scent of the incense.

'She happened.' Seto sighed audibly, causing Téa to glance at him.

Briefly, she wondered what he was thinking—what he was saying to his parents. He'd lost them when he was much younger, and it had undoubtedly traumatized him. He'd had to give up his childhood to protect his brother…

Téa hadn't been to her parent's grave site since the funeral. She wasn't sure if she was ready for it.

I'm not ready for a lot of things, it seems,' Téa thought wryly, 'I wish–I wish I had someone to help me along…to tell me, "this is how you're supposed to be, this is what you have to do to get what you want"…' Of course, life didn't work out that way.

Téa glanced up at the angel that was representing Seto's mother. The name on the gravestone read 'Sachiko Hiroma, cherished wife, beloved mother.' So Seto's birth name was Hiroma. Why, Téa wondered, hadn't he changed it back when his adoptive father died? What significance did the name Kaiba have to Seto?

'I think–I think I'm falling in love with her,' Seto admitted. Regardless of what he believed—whether there actually was a Heaven, an afterlife…if his parents existed in some invisible form, able to hear his thoughts, he knew he needed to admit that fact. If not out loud, then at least to himself.

For so long, his feelings for Téa had been a muddle. Attraction, definitely. He couldn't deny that she was beautiful. She was also intelligent, witty, funny, friendly…everything that Seto Kaiba found himself unable to be…she was. The yin to his yang, the light to his dark: all that he'd ever needed, all that he'd ever wanted to be…

Could one really attribute it to fate, or destiny—the events that had brought them together?

'I don't even know…what love is supposed to feel like. Not this kind of love.'

He supposed that it was one of those questions that couldn't be answered, one of those things that couldn't be described in simple terms.

'I don't even know what I'm supposed to do. What I should say…' They'd come so close to kissing the previous night, but then, like the previous incident when they'd been watching Toy Story with Mokuba, fate had intervened.

Or maybe Téa just hadn't wanted to kiss him.

Was there someone else occupying her thoughts, then?

A name came to mind, one that brought a scowl to Seto Kaiba's face.

Yugi. His rival for everything else and Téa's longtime best friend; if it was true, and her thoughts really didn't lie with Seto, then maybe…

Suddenly, a vision of a tarot card appeared in Seto's mind. The Lovers. And Bakura's voice, telling them that they both desired the same thing, but something inside them was stopping them from pursuing it.

'What is that phrase…"If you want something done, you've got to do it yourself?" Maybe I shouldn't just wait anymore…Tell me, Father, what should I do?'

'Follow your heart, Seto.'

The young man looked up abruptly, wondering if Téa had just spoken. But she wasn't even looking in his direction—her eyes were wandering over the sculpture emerging from the base of his parents' graves, lost in a silent reverie.

He swore he had just heard a voice—a woman's voice. A familiar one, but one he couldn't place. There was no one else in the graveyard but he and Téa, so…

'I must have been imagining things.'

Téa hadn't noticed Seto look up, an almost startled expression on his face. She admired the intricate carvings that made up the face of Seto's father, and of the angel that represented his mother. Her wings each had carefully engraved feathers, with the tiniest of lines tracing their lengths. Had the angel not been made of cold, gray stone, Téa would have almost thought it a living creature.

She gently lifted her own palm to touch that of the angel's, closing her eyes as she did so.

'I wish I'd had the chance to know you,' Téa thought. 'Even if you couldn't spend as much time raising Seto and Mokuba as normal parents,' Téa stifled a slight sob, remembering her own parents, 'they still turned out wonderful. I know because…I love him. Despite everything he's been through, he still remembers you, still loves you. I think that's what makes him who he is.'

Téa knew little about Seto Kaiba, but what she did know, she had fallen deeply in love with. Such feelings were bound to cause more complications in her life, of that much she was aware, but in such a silent, solemn place, she felt compelled to admit—at least to herself—that Seto Kaiba wasn't the man everyone else thought he was. No matter how hard he tried to escape his past, it remained in his mind, in his soul…. Though his parents had died when he was a child, he kept them in his heart, and refused to throw away the lessons they'd taught him.

'Love him, Téa.'

The brunette looked up, startled when she heard the sweet voice. There was no one else in the graveyard besides herself and Seto…so who had spoken? Téa hesitantly glanced back towards the angel, her own face turning ashen when the stone eyes bored right into her core.

She was sure that the angel's eyes had been lowered, her head bowed. But now, the angel was looking up, directly at Téa, a smile creasing the corners of perfectly-carved lips.

Téa's hand remained clasped in the stone angel's, and even though her gaze was riveted to the statue's face, she was sure she felt the angel's fingers curve around hers, warmth pulsating from the palm of what was undeniably a granite sculpture.

And then, though Téa's eyes didn't blink, she was sure she saw a lone tear track its way down the gentle curve of the angel's cheek. The droplet traced its way down, leaving a dark trail of wet stone in its wake…and then another, another…

Téa glanced upwards, releasing her hand from the angel's, and realizing that she must have been imagining things—it was starting to rain, and the statue was just as lifeless as it had been when she'd arrived there.

Seto glanced up at the quickly-darkening sky, rising to his feet.

"Let's go."

No more words were spoken as he and Téa rushed from the graveyard, speeding back home to the Kaiba mansion on Seto's bike.

The day had passed without much incident; few words were exchanged between any members of the household. Mokuba didn't bother to ask where Seto had gone in the morning—he knew that his older brother made it a point to visit the graves of their parents every year on or shortly thereafter his birthday.

Mokuba never went, and Seto never pressured him. Mokuba had always had a fear of graveyards and the like, not liking the nauseating feeling that accompanied the very thought of such a place.

The Kaiba mansion was silent for the bulk of the day, few things making noise save for the household staff cleaning, Téa in the kitchen cooking, or Mokuba playing video games.

One would have thought that the silence that the night brought would have been welcome—a signal of peace for a few hours, while the stress of the day passed. Such didn't appear to be the case.

Téa Gardner tossed in her bed, dreaming. Her dreams were more like flashes, lasting only a few seconds. It was impossible to get a good grasp on what she saw, what anything meant…It was if she were looking into a bottomless pool while it rained—every image constantly distorted, disappearing before she could really get a good look at it.

Stone hands, the fingers moving as if grasping something, but crumbling as they did so. Emotionless gray eyes, tearing and leaving trails of black in their wake, the voids parting the stone face and sending Téa into a world of black.

The world around her trapped her, black and sticky, as though the webs of a million spiders surrounded her. Téa fumbled, desperately trying to free herself from the invisible restraints that held her.

"Téa."

She knew that voice.

"Seto! Help me!" She struggled more, but the moment she felt a hand on her cheek, cupping her face and caressing the skin, she froze. A wave of calm washed over her, the bindings around her seeming to slip and slide away, fading into the nothingness from whence they'd come.

Téa's eyes slowly opened, and she stared at Seto, a slight smile creeping up on his lips. He appeared to be at an odd angle, and that was when Téa realized that she was lying down now, Seto kneeling over her. One hand kept himself off the ground, while the other continued its gentle caress of her cheek.

Despite the cloak of darkness that concealed her, Téa's face burned scarlet, suddenly aware of the very intimate position she and Seto were in. She wanted to murmur his name, but her voice wouldn't come.

He lowered his head, his breath hot on her ear, "I don't want us to hesitate anymore…"

Téa blinked as he stared down at her, but barely a second passed before his lips were on hers. Téa was startled for a moment, but realized that this was what she'd wanted all along—every ounce of fear that she'd bottled up inside her vanished, and she wrapped her arms around Seto, her fingers running through his hair.

It wasn't long before he pulled away, much to Téa's disappointment. She opened her eyes slowly, her face glowing with happiness—which vanished when she realized that it wasn't Seto that was lying on top of her, and it wasn't Seto that she'd been kissing, but someone else. He looked strikingly like Seto, but his eyes were narrower, a different shade of blue. His hair…aquamarine.

Téa's eyes shot open as she woke up. She bolted upright in her bed, her eyes darting about her room with fear laced in their cerulean depths.

They froze on the shadow of a figure in the doorway—barely illuminated by the moonlight filtering through Téa's half-open curtains. The figure blew a kiss at Téa, and then vanished through the door—without ever opening it.

The girl paled, throwing the blankets off her and rushing out the door without a second thought. She glanced down the hallway, not seeing anyone, and turned around, wondering if the mysterious figure had actually been there—

"Oof!" Téa fell backwards, landing on the cool marble floor. She stared up, terrified that she'd run into the young man she'd dreamt about.

"Téa?" A frightened voice called out from the darkness. Téa's eyes eventually adjusted to the different light level, and she realized who it was.

"Mokuba?"

"You saw him too, didn't you, Téa?" the young boy demanded, crawling forward on his knees. It was apparent that he too, had seen the mysterious figure. His ebony hair provided a clear contrast to his pale skin; he'd obviously been just as scared as Téa upon seeing the figure.

"Him…?" Téa murmured. No, it had to have been a dream. People didn't walk through doors! It just wasn't possible!

"T-That ghost!"

SONGS USED IN THIS CHAPTER:

* Elissa - Mamboleo
* Liz Phair - Why Can't I? (I altered one word of the original lyrics to make it "Clean" instead of "Explicit")
* Thalía - Don't Look Back (English 21st Century Mix)
* Billie - She Wants You (7" Disco Mix)

THANK YOU!

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