GUYS!!! STOP!!!

Wait! -- hear me out.

I'm sorry to say that I uploaded the wrong chapter before! (Chapter 1: The CEO's thoughts) I forgot that I had written a prologue for this... so, if you don't mind, read the prologue first and just read Chapter 1 again to avoid confusion.

Yes, I know you hate me by now! =( I'm really sorry... I'll promise this'll never happen again... sigh

Thanks!

A Certain Secret

Prologue: The Slip of the Tongue

Summary: Jou is angry with Yugi and the others. Why…? Let's just say a certain Pharaoh slipped a certain secret to a certain CEO. How will Jou be able to stand the rejection? Would things turn out better after all? Implied Shounen-ai. SJ

By: Klyukaizer

Yugi didn't know what to do. He just stuttered. Right in front of Kaiba Seto!

"Wh-what a joke, Yami… I-I mean, wh-who would've thought… y-you would come up… w-with something funny like th-that!" Yugi stuttered as he tried to make things a little better. But no -- it didn't.

He was just making things obvious. Looking up at the ceiling, he can't help but think about his best friend right at the moment.

What was Jounouchi doing right now?

Was he throwing over a tantrum?

Was he thinking about things all on his own?

Or… Was he crying?

Either way, it made him sad and guilty at the same time. Never did he expect that his best friend's outburst would be so serious and that his feelings for the CEO were really that deep.

Knock. Knock.

Yugi sat up and looked at the person in front of him.

Yami.

"Yugi… I…" Yami started as Yugi cut his yami off with a loud sigh. "It's not your fault, Yami… I mean--it was an accident."

"It's not like one lunch break is going to get you guys to break all the tables!" Yugi joked as he shoved Seto Kaiba forcibly over to their table. "Besides, Kaiba. You've been hanging around with us for a week already. Wouldn't it be okay to eat lunch with us?"

"Correction, Yugi. I spent time with you all, without the mutt. Just by my mere sight makes him puke." Seto snapped. "Daijoubu… it's lunch. He won't be getting out everything!" Yugi laughed.

"Fine. But if things get worst. I'll leave." Seto grumbled in defeat.

Hai." Yugi smiled.

"What the heck is he doing here?!" Jou screamed at the top of his lungs as he pointed to the CEO beside Yugi. "Now, now, Jou. Kaiba is just here to eat lunch with us!" Yugi said in defense as Seto glared at Jou squarely.

"Goodbye." Seto instantly said as he turned around to leave, when Jou grabbed him by his shoulder. "I didn't mean to offend you, you can stay if you want to…" Jou softly said, hoping that Seto would reconsider.

"Hn! I'm not a dog like you that you can just order around, Jounouchi." Seto smirked, making Jou pout. 'Damn he has a cute pout.' Seto thought as he sat between Ryou and Honda (right across Jou, Yugi and Yami).

"Things are getting well, correct?" Yami asked Seto with his arms crossed (the usual ).

Seto just nodded. "If you're talking about work and school." He added.

"Care to tell us about it?" Yami ushered as Seto gave him a you-better-not-tell-anyone-about-my-secret-or-I'm-going-to-personally-kill-you-Yami glare, "No thank you." Seto snapped.

"Come on. How bad can it be?" Jou joined, "I mean, I never get A's except for Arts and Physical Ed., and I always get into detention." Seto felt the urge of chuckling right at the moment. But he tried his best to suppress it with a small smile.

Aibou.

/Yami?/

It is good indeed...

/What do you mean?/

That the 2 of these love birds can finally get together.

/Yeah Lunch is just a start, wait 'til tomorrow!/

Tomorrow…?

/Hai./

Where do you get all these ideas?

/I read Jou's journal!/

What?!?? Those are private things, Yugi! You're not supposed to do th-

/-I know, Yami. Jou made me read it. One time he was so depressed, he didn't want to tell me what happened, feeling as if it will make him more upset. So he asked me to meet him in the park and he brought his journal there. He told me to read it with my eyes only… sitting right beside him. At least in this way, he doesn't have to cry anymore than what he already did…/

I see.

/Yami! Start another conversation./

Hai.

"How about you, Jou?" Ryou asked. "It's going well at home…" Jou smiled, looking at his plate as if it was the prettiest thing in the world, "Dad finally took some professional help and he stopped… he finally stopped." Jou smiled at Yugi and Yami. "Thanks." Jou whispered at the two spirits beside him.

From right across them, Seto blinked. What did Jou mean by "his father stopping"? Stopped what?

"That's great!" Honda exclaimed as he placed one of his foot on top of the cafeteria table. "You can finally join us in some sleepovers!!!"

"Finally? What do you mean 'finally'?" Jou blinked, "You mean… I never joined one with you guys?"

"Only once, man! And damn, you snore loud!!!" Honda laughed as Ryou and Anzu followed him. "Hey. I do. Not." Jou smirked. "Remember the time when that night, there was a blackout? Jou actually tripped on my foot and fell off the stairs.

Once again, the group burst into a fit of laughter… all except Seto, who was just smiling. He was a little worried when he found out Jou fell on the stairs.

"Hey! I had a migraine for the whole night, you know!" Jou pouted as he crossed his arms.

"Jou talks when he sleeps too." Yugi snickered as Honda took the initiative to start another joke, but Yami was able to cut in. "Food. Food. And shall we say, food?" Everyone giggled.

"Food isn't the only thing in my mind at that moment!" Jou grinned. "Yeah? Want to tell us about it?" Honda captured his best friend in a headlock. Jou blushed; he had totally forgot that the CEO was sitting right across him. Lucky for him, he didn't spill the beans in front of everyone.

"Let me guess. This person has brown hair, blue eyes, and owns a big company." Yami interrupted as Jou's eyes widened.

And right before anyone knew, neither of them laughed anymore because this wasn't just funny. Yami turned scarlet at what he just said.

/YAMI!!!!/ Yugi's mind screamed.

Sorry! Sorry! U-umm… Q- quick m- make something up!!!

/Umm… uhh…/

Hayaku, aibou!!!

"Wh-what a joke, Yami… I-I mean, wh-who would've thought… y-you would come up… w-with something funny like th-that!" Yugi stuttered as he tried to make things a little better. But no -- it didn't.

Jou took Honda's arm away from his head as he felt his legs trembled, "J-Jou…" Honda began.

The next thing the gang knew, their blonde friend stood up and muttered an "Excuse me", before lowering his head and running away.

"Jou!" Yugi yelled to go after him, but a hand made its way to his wrist, holding him back.

"I don't know if Jou'll take it in that kind of perspective, though…" Yami sighed as he sat over beside Yugi. "Y-yeah… I haven't seen Jou this upset before…" Yugi said sadly, "Y-Yami… d-do you think we should check up on him or something?" The younger one suggested.

"We should." Yami agreed, "But… it would be better if we leave him alone for a while, Yugi. In days, he and Kaiba will both forget about what happened."

Yugi nodded hesitantly, "B-but, why do I get the feeling that they won't?"

To be continued…