A Means of Communication

Chapter 3: Telephone

"Only two more months!" Jounouchi announced proudly as he, Yugi, Honda and Anzu walked down the sidewalk. "And we'll be sitting in the eighth row, of the Domino Auditorium! Barely feet away from the stage!"
"Or at least compared to those losers who buy their tickets last minute," Honda said grinning, holding his ticket in his hand as though it were made of pure gold. Anzu kissed hers repeatedly and then promptly stuffed it inside her shirt. Yugi stared transfixed at his ticket as he walked. Eighth row really wasn't all that bad. Yugi was practically glowing with happiness as skipped down the street and placed his ticket lovingly in the pocket of his jeans. Convincing his grandfather hadn't been that hard, it had been his mother who had been the most resistant. For some reason the idea of letting Yugi go to a concert was equivalent to releasing her "little angel" to a pack of wolves. It had taken both Yugi and grandfather long painful hours to convince her otherwise.

"Hey, let's celebrate!" Jounouchi cried. "Where shall we go?"

"How about that new pizza place that just opened up?" Yugi suggested pointing to a small restaurant across the street, called the Pizza Palace.

"Excellent idea!" Honda exclaimed and they all walked across the street. As they entered, Jounouchi scurried into the line behind a man and his daughter. "What will it be? Mind you, after buying my ticket I don't really have any more money."

"I got some," Yugi said searching his pockets to find some loose change. "Not a lot though."

"Thank you and have a great day," a bored yet extremely familiar voice said as the man and his child left. Jounouchi and Honda stepped up to the counter, looked up and gaped openly.

"Ryou?" Honda questioned as though he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Ryou, standing behind the counter in a striped white and red apron and matching hat, looked quite startled.

"What are you doing here?" Anzu asked amazed.

"What do you think I'm doing here?" Ryou hissed, lowering his voice and glancing nervously behind him to see if any of his coworkers were eavesdropping. "I told you guys I had to get a job. Remember that guy stole all my school stuff."

"But I thought you already bought new stuff," Jounouchi said. Ryou's face tightened.

"Yes, well... I just would like a little extra money, okay," he finished shortly, not looking at his friends. "Just don't talk it too loudly, I don't want my boss to find out I'm not eighteen. Now are you going to buy something or not?" Jounouchi, Honda, Yugi and Anzu all looked at each other very puzzled.

"Well, you see," Jounouchi continued. "We just went out and bought tickets to that Descendants of Ra concert and we don't really have enough money for a whole pizza..." Jounouchi said awkwardly, eyes pleading. "Since we're such good friends, how about giving us one on the house, huh?" Ryou frowned and then sighed.

"Fine, fine," he admitted. "I give you one pizza on the house." Jounouchi and Honda both did a sort of a silent cheer. "What do you want on it?"

"Everything!" Honda cried. "Thanks Ryou, you're the best!"

"Let's get a table," Anzu urged and pushed Honda and Jounouchi along, away from the counter. Yugi remained behind, still looking up at Ryou.

"What is it Yugi?" Ryou asked, typing the order into the cash register.

"Why do you need the money Ryou?" Yugi asked softly, so that Jounouchi and the others couldn't over hear. Ryou's face fell.

"My father..." Ryou began solemnly, not looking at his caring friend. "I haven't heard from my dad in six months. The last check I received from him didn't even have a note attached. I didn't think much of it until the money stopped coming."