Contemplations in the Afterlife 16

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters

Genre: Romance, Angst

Description: Despite his love for Seto Kaiba, the Pharaoh Yami Yugi has decided to move on to the afterlife. Now, he feels regret for his decision, and prays for another chance for him and his beloved to be together.

Pairing: Seto Kaiba x Yami Yugi (Prideshipping)

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Contemplations in the Afterlife
by: scarlet wax petal

Click here to return to Chapter 15. Click here to see the Table of Contents.

No love, no purpose. Only emptiness and misery. Gods, what a miserable life that must be! I've existed that way before, when I was still a spirit in the Millennium Puzzle, and I hated the experience. Some reward for being the savior of mankind.

Sometimes -- oftentimes, fate is just too unfair. The man who helped me save the world, risked his life and his pride in order to aid me in my battles, sacrificed his heart for his brother, and made me discover the beauty of love is bound to suffer what I have suffered. And he would suffer for as long as a lifetime. Is this the idea of the Gods of making someone share in the pain that they have brought upon me? Then I refuse their gift; I would rather suffer alone.

My hopes have been for Seto Kaiba to live long and live contentedly. That he would fall in love and have a happy family, something that has been denied from him since childhood. After all, he deserves nothing less than a blissful life.

If I were Seto Kaiba, I would have denied destiny and made my own choices. I pray that my beloved finds a way to change his fate.

Chapter 16: A Decade Hence

Ten years. Time passes by so quickly. It has been five years since I graduated from university, which was four years since my friends and I parted at high school graduation and went our ways to follow our dreams... which was one year after Atem, the Pharaoh, has left for the afterlife.

It has been ten years since I have been on my own.

I have long accepted that Atem -- the Pharaoh, the other me -- was gone. Of course, at first, it was hard and sorrowful, but I have friends. Friends who helped me recover and helped me stand on my own. Now, I see the world from my own perspective, survive in it with my own strength and my own will. But I would never forget Atem. He would always be the brother I thought I would never have. To me, he would always be Yami Yugi. The other me.

I will never forget him. He has taught me so much. And as I go on living, I hold on to the hope that someday, we would meet again, and that afterwards, it shall be for eternity. Just as he had promised on that fateful day.

My friends and I were reunited the evening after my graduation from university. They just appeared at my doorstep, without prior notice, and I was so pleasantly surprised that I forgot myself and jumped into their arms then and there. So much has changed since our carefree high school days. Even I have changed. I am nearly a foot taller now, and my voice has deepened. It seems my adolescence came in late... but then, better late than never.

Then, Honda and Shizuka have been dating for two years; it was during the graduation party that they announced they were getting married... much to Shizuka's brother's surprise. I couldn't forget how startled and pale he became at the announcement; it was so hilarious. Anyway, after he had recovered from his shock, he congratulated the happy couple. And time and again, he would leer and warn Honda that if he ever hurt Shizuka, Jounouchi would personally kill him. But I know Jou trusts Honda enough; otherwise, he wouldn't have allowed the two to date, nor consented to being the best man, right?

Speaking of him, Jounouchi was, as always, the most talkative in our group, but he acts more maturely now. Surprisingly, he graduated with a degree in mathematics -- his most hated subject, as far as I know -- and teaches in high school. As for him and Mai, they are more-or-less steady now, although they aren't constantly in each other's company since Mai is quite an adventurous woman. But last I've heard of him, Jou has joined Mai's motorcycle escapades. I don't know what happens to his teaching career because of that; Jou can be so crazy sometimes. Or often.

Anzu... She was a professional dancer in America. I've seen her perform on television a number of times, and God, she does grow more beautiful as the years pass by. I couldn't take my eyes off her (and felt so awkward) during my graduation party and, well... I decided to swallow my fear and break the ice. Before we knew it, we were passing the time swapping so many stories and talking a walk in the park and... well, to cut the long story short, we became a couple a year after that. I proposed to her after another year, and we've been happily married for two years now. She has decided to take a break from her dancing career and dedicate herself to a more domestic life, taking care of our son whom we've named Atem, in memory of the Pharaoh.

It's a beautiful life. And I wouldn't have had it if I hadn't solved the Millennium Puzzle.

Whenever I look at our son, I would remember Atem and think if he is enjoying the afterlife as much as I enjoy my life. Then, I would see Anzu, my love...

And remember that Atem doesn't have his beloved. It's unfortunate that during his brief stay in our world, he has fallen in love with Seto Kaiba. Maybe, just maybe -- and I hope -- that he has found someone else to love in the afterlife. I think he would be happier if he has someone to hold and to share happiness with, and not just pine about Kaiba.

Speaking of which, Kaiba Corporation is still leading the gaming and amusement industry, as it has been for the past decade. Seto Kaiba has kept on rising in the charts as one of the world's richest people. Currently, he is (still) the world's youngest self-made billionaire. Whenever I see him in the magazines, he is either smirking or scowling -- both equally intimidating -- and his dark blue eyes always gleamed with something mysteriously eerie, something I couldn't decipher. Could it be pride, or indignation, or bravado, or... melancholy?

So I can't shake the feeling that despite all his success, despite being one of the most envied people on earth, Kaiba is hiding some problems with himself. I would never trade my life for his.

Kaiba is still single and with no children. I guess paparazzi are disappointed with the fact that he doesn't have a love life, or that he never did misbehave. Time and again, tabloid headlines would say that Kaiba is hiding his beloved lady and children somewhere, but as always, Kaiba would embarrass the newsmakers with his reasoning and his gift of tongue. Until they just became tired of talking about his personal life. They, instead, featured more of Mokuba, who has married young at eighteen and now has a daughter at twenty-two.

Anyway, time and again, I would wonder if Kaiba was ever affected by Atem's passing. Though I couldn't conceive the idea of Kaiba becoming saddened by what had happened, I knew Kaiba valued Atem so much as his only rival. I guess that was why Kaiba retired from dueling after Atem had left. But I can't be sure. I guess I don't know Kaiba too well. Perhaps no one does, not even his own brother.

I had come into contact with Mokuba recently. He was doing market research for Kaiba Corporation when I bumped into him in a restaurant. I was glad he still remembered me. We talked a lot about how we were doing, especially with our families. We talked about our children. Mokuba's eyes lit with joy whenever he mentioned his wife or his daughter. I could tell he is happy.

And then, I slipped the question: "And how's your brother?"

He simply shrugged, as he looked down and absentmindedly twirled his chopsticks on the plate. "Well, what you've been seeing in the news... Yeah, that's basically how he is."

"Er... on a personal level, how is he? I'm just curious. After all, he had fought alongside us before." When Mokuba looked at me, I raised my hand, as if in oath. "Promise, confidential."

He just shrugged again. "Honestly, I don't know. I think that he's concerned with nothing but his work." He sighed. "I just wish he would go out sometimes, just for fun. But all he deals with are professional matters; he doesn't even make any effort to meet up with the ladies. Now that he's in his late twenties, I guess he should be thinking about settling down. But all he thinks about is work, work and work. Isn't it ironic that he is successful in bringing fun and happiness to children everywhere, yet he couldn't bring fun and happiness to his own life?" I nodded, fully agreeing with what he had said.

Mokuba continued, "He's been too absorbed in his work -- often at the risk of his own health -- and it worries me. But before, it was a lot easier; I manage to get him to go out and play and take a break. And monitor his meals and really care for him. Now, I have my own family, and I get to check on Nisama less and less. As far as I know, he still spends most of his hours in the office, and works at home, and sleeps a little." He kept on twirling his chopsticks, as if trying to bore a hole through the table. "He's always been a workaholic, but he's gotten worse ever since Yami Yugi left."

Ever since Yami Yugi left? So Yami Yugi's passing has really affected Kaiba! I didn't know if I should feel excited, or sad, or anxious... but certainly, I was surprised. I never thought that anyone's passing would affect Kaiba so much; he really seemed so dense on the outside.

Though I had been more involved with Yami Yugi, I had easily recovered from his passing because I have friends who helped me. But Kaiba doesn't have any friends, and I doubt if his pride would allow him to hire a psychiatrist. So is it possible that he has not yet fully accepted his rival's passing?

Absentmindedly, I turned to look at the gleaming screen of the television set. It was flash news. A news reporter was live from somewhere in America. Behind her were a police car, an ambulance, and a bunch of frantic people. The camera then zoomed onto a gorgeous white car that had crashed onto a lamppost, the driver seat crushed beyond recognition.

"How terrible," I softly remarked. "Whoever has been driving that car... God, I hope that he's safe and... Mokuba?"

There was a crack of wood and a clatter on the floor. Mokuba's chopsticks had split in his hand, drawing out some blood, but he didn't seem to notice. His eyes had widened, apparently in shock, as he stared at the television screen, pale, incoherent and frozen.

"Mokuba?" I placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him lightly.

After some dead silence, Mokuba managed to murmur three syllables I had never expected in this situation:

"Ni... sama..."

(to be continued)

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