The Alternative

Number Nine

The rest of the day was annoying, for lack of better words.

Everywhere Yugi went, people would ask the cliché question.

"Have you seen Yami today?"

"No, I haven't," was his response.

What should have been a decent conversation ender often turned into an icebreaker for more questions.

"Really? Hasn't he been following you around for the past couple of days?"

"Yeah, I suppose."

Yugi took in a deep, regretful breath of air. He leaned lazily on his elbow for support, fiddling with his silverware all the while.

"You don't look so thrilled about it. If I were you, I'd be dancing naked on top of the Industrial Dorm! Like, that's how happy I'd be."

Yugi used every muscle in his face to force his lips into a smile. It was a tiny one at that, but it proved he was attempting to care. The more he bowed his head toward his plate in boredom, the more hairs he had to blow out of his face.

"I'd feel like a free man! Free from prison! Free from every worry in the world! Is that how you feel? To not have Yami humping your tail every second of the da—"

"It's a real joy, truly," Yugi groaned, cutting him off mid-sentence.

Maybe it would be, if only Yugi didn't feel partially responsible for everything happening. A tiny, miniscule part of him could accept with contentment that Yami left him alone for the day, but it was shadowed over with the harsh reality that Kumi-Sensei and Yami were missing at the same time.

The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to see him.

If at least to ease his nerves.

"Leave 'im alone!" Jonouchi rolled his eyes in frustration. "No one cares what you think."

Ryuzaki shrugged, picking up his belongings and leaving to sit with some other friends.

Ryou and Malik swaggered towards their table not long after, dumping their trays on the surface and plopping on the chairs.

"Long day, huh?" Malik questioned upon noticing the long faces.

"You could say that," Honda ruffed, swirling his spoon in his soup with one hand and leaning his head on the other.

"I don't think anyone will feel normal until they find Kumi-Sensei. The whole University has been in a weird mood because of it."

"That'll do the trick," Ryou sighed gravely.

"Ryou," Yugi cooed, lifting his head to see eye to eye with him.

"Yeah?"

"Why didn't you tell me you had a cousin that went here?"

Ryou's face winced immediately as he dropped his head in shame. Malik giggled in response.

"That's not something you're supposed to forget to mention," the Egyptian teased.

"Malik, why didn't you tell me Rishid was your adopted brother?" Yugi inquired matter-a-factly.

Immediately his expression sobered up in embarrassment.

"I guess I should explain," Malik huffed, scooping some rice onto his spoon. "Rishid is a nice guy and all, but, he's very into our home land culture. Our family took him in, but he's still a little different than the rest of us. We love him and all, but, he doesn't adapt. He acts as if he's below my sister and I, always trying to serve us and recite old scriptures. I don't mind associating myself with him, but, I don't like the whole term of us being brothers. We're more like, good friends."