A Means of Communication

Chapter 5: Flyers

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((5))

Yugi managed to retrieve his dark blue school uniform jacket the next day. He had walked to school with Jounouchi just to make sure Ushio and his gang wouldn't try to corner him again. Still Yugi's breath was a tense as they walked the path to school. It was not until Yugi and Jounouchi had passed through the school doors that he finally started to relax. The two of them entered the classroom and greeted Anzu and Honda as usual.

Yugi craned his head around to see Ryou, once again, fast asleep at his desk.

"He's always sleeping nowadays," Anzu said tenderly.

"Maybe the job's getting to him," Jounouchi suggested.

"Ryou told me he has to take the night shift because he has to go to school in the daytime. He doesn't have time for sleep," Yugi explained.

"But why does he have to take this job at all?" Honda growled. "It's killing him!"

"He said he needed money," Anzu remembered. Yugi looked away, not meeting anyone's eye. If Ryou didn't want him to tell anyone that his father hadn't contacted him in over six months now then he wouldn't. Yugi turned and walked over to Ryou, gently shaking him awake.

"Ryou? Ryou?" Yugi called softly. Ryou stirred, heavy eyelids blinking, and gave a huge yawn. "Class is going to start soon."

"Oh yeah..." Ryou mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"Are you okay?" Yugi asked, worried.

"No," Ryou admitted. "Not really."

"Aren't you getting any sleep?" Yugi questioned. Ryou blinked again. There were dark circles under his half-lidded, blood-shot eyes.

"Some," he said miserably.

"Hey Ryou!" Honda greeted as he walked over to the white haired teenager's desk and patted him friendly on the back. "Can't wait for the concert next week, eh?!"

Ryou blinked, still slightly asleep. "What concert?" he asked confused. Jonouchi's, Honda's and Anzu's jaw dropped as one.

"W-What concert?!" Jounouchi exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Where have you been these last months!?" Anzu screeched, slamming her hands upon the surface of his desk.

'I wonder where Yami is now... Is he still in Japan?' Yugi thought, mind drifting.

"The Descendants of Ra concert!" Jounouchi exclaimed.

"Oh, those guys," Ryou said carelessly. "They're not that good."

"Not... that...g-good...?" Jounouchi squeaked, quite shocked.

"Ryou, I'm sorry, I can't be associated with you anymore," Honda said hurtfully.

"How can you say that!?" Anzu shrieked, hand diving into her bag pulling out a large flyer with a picture of the band in black and white on it. "You disgrace me, Ryou," she muttered. But Ryou didn't respond. He was staring transfixed at the cover of the pamphlet, mouth agape.

"T-that's the guy..." he muttered pointing to the flyer.

"What guy?" Jounouchi asked.

"The guy who stole my bag!" Ryou exclaimed jabbing his finger at the flyer now. "Him! There!" Honda squinted down at the paper.

"Bakura?" Yugi asked, very confused.

"Yeah!" Ryou cried almost frantically, brown eyes bulging with madness.