Spellbound

Part | Three

"N-No." Mana stuttered as Atem's eyes stared through her eyes as if they were seeing her soul.

She shivered.

"Here," Atem began as he broke eye contact, leading her to one of the living room sofas. "Place this ice pack on it. Then I'm going to place some Vitamin K cream and aloe vera on it," Atem spoke.

Mana took the ice pack from him and refused to meet his gaze.

Atem frowned at her cold behavior.

Standing up, he turned to grab something from the kitchen when he felt her hand gripping his wrist.

He turned to look at her. Mana had her head down, preferring to look at the wooden floor than his face.

"Why," she began.

"Why? Why, after all the sh-t you put me through, why do I fall for you even more. I thought - I thought I could move on with my date tonight. But then, you do this bullsh-t. Tell me, Atem," Mana silently wept.

"Why do you hate me? What did I do?" she choked out.

Atem wanted nothing more but to grab her and crash his mouth into hers roughly. He wanted nothing but to confess his feelings to her, but like the coward he was, he just stood there, watching Mana weep silently.

"Don't you think you should tell Mana how you feel about her?" his younger brother Yugi said, breaking the silence.

"No. Besides," Atem began, "I'm not the right person for her. She deserves someone else other than me." he replied in a monotone voice.

Yugi furrowed his eyebrows. "Are you saying this because it's your perspective? Or are you saying this because it's Seto's perspective?"

Atem just gave Yugi a cold stare.

"Besides, don't you think that choice is for Mana? You shouldn't decide what's good for her or not. Only she will know."

Atem continued to be silent.

Yugi sighed before he crushed his cigarette on the pavement.

"I'm just saying. Sooner or later, someone will come. Mana won't wait forever. We, out of all people, should understand that."

Atem didn't need to ask more. He knew what his younger brother was referring to.

A long time ago, a young secretary working at the headquarters named Anzu Mazaki was head over heels over Yugi. However, at first, Yugi was utterly oblivious to her signs.

Then he wasn't.

Seto, however, wasn't blind from the beginning. He advised Yugi that dating Anzu would only bring danger to her life and loved ones. Yugi obeyed Seto's advice so much; he practically broke his friendship with her.

Anzu was heartbroken. After waiting for years, Anzu decided to move on. She was now married to a dance performer.

Atem looked down at Mana.

Enough.

He'd been a coward, but not anymore.

Crouching in front of her, Atem gently removed her blond wig and shook her brown hair loose.

"That's much better," he began gently.

Mana continued to ignore his gaze.

"I know I've been a complete jerk, Mana." Atem began only to be cut off by her.

"More like a complete assh-le." she sneered.

Atem sighed.

"Yes, more like a complete assh-le. But I thought I was doing the correct thing by pushing you away from me."