Title: Always With Me

Summary: A scant few days before Aki departed New Domino City so she could study abroad to become a doctor, Yusei gave her a small red music box. Slight Aki x Yusei.

Notes: First (most likely last) Faithshipping story. Takes place after series finale.

Rating: K+

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds.

The whispering voice, we never want to forget,

In each passing memory always there to guide you.

-From the song "Always With Me" from the movie Spirited Away, English lyrics.

A scant few days before Aki departed New Domino City so she could study abroad to become a doctor, Yusei gave her a small red music box.

It was fairly light and roughly around the size of a paperback book. The cherry wood lid bore a carving of, predictably, a rose, pretty in its simplicity. When she tentatively opened it, it played a simple yet moving tune from a kid movie Aki must have seen in her childhood. She thanked him profusely; she didn't know how much of it Yusei himself had constructed, but she cherished it all the same.

After she left the city, it sat under Aki's ivory pillow in her dorm room. There it stayed, like a tooth placed by a child waiting for a fairy who would trade it with coins.

In the beginning of her first year in college, she found herself opening the box almost daily, even dashing to her room quickly between classes just to lift the polished cherry wood lid and tilt her head as she listened to the tune. In the box she stored photos of Team 5Ds; her, Rua, and Ruka in front of the Duel Academy, a snapshot of her watching Yusei and Crow as they discussed something, and even, embarrassingly, a candid photo of her and Jack squabbling as Bruno looked on nervously. Her favorite was the group picture they all had received a copy of; the whole team after a victory, laughing and spraying each other with champagne bottles (apple cider for the underage members).

Every week like clockwork she kept in touch with the others, not caring how she ran up the long distance cell phone bill. She treasured every word she could speak with the others; hearing from the twins how they were adjusting to London, Crow describing his duels to her, even exchanging a word with Jack occasionally.

Whenever she talked to Yusei over her pink cellphone, the mere sound of his voice would make her insides flutter and a smile pour across her face, even if he was merely discussing how one of his experiments were going.

She had been abroad a few months when she went out with a nice young man her age that was in one of her classes; he was also studying to be a doctor.

The second time they went out, they kissed.

It was a nice kiss that almost made her lose her breath, for she really did like him.

However, when she got home late to her dorm, she lay awake, staring at her ceiling fan as it spun, bothered by something she couldn't pin.

She got up in her bed and lifted her pillow. The precious music box was still there. Gingerly, she opened it and closed her eyes as the melody washed over her.

Suddenly, a cry pitched halfway up her throat and a few tears fell from her eyes. She brought her pale fingers to her soft, pink lips.

Yes, she had enjoyed her first kiss. But the problem was, she had always let herself imagine it would be with Yusei.

More months passes, and slowly but surely, Aki visited her music box less and less.

Additionally, she stopped keeping in touch with the rest of the former Signers as often.

She argued with herself it almost wasn't necessary; their bonds ran deep enough to not falter by a few weeks of not talking, right? Even though they were no longer connected by the Crimson Dragon, they were connected by the bonds of friendship.

(In her head, she knew that still wasn't a valid excuse to neglect calling.)

One day as she changed the sheets on her bed, one of them caught on the pillow and sent it, and her music box, tumbling.

Cursing under her breath, she tossed the pillow back on her bed. She paused when she came upon the music box she hadn't opened in months, running her fingers along the groove from the carved rose fondly. She lifted the lid, her ears automatically perking to let the song float in.

The box was silent.

For a beat, Aki stayed still, not fully comprehending what had happened. Then, she felt a trill of panic.

Had she broken her precious music box?

She shook it gently, but it refused to sing. She placed it down on her bedside table and scoured her dresser, snatching up her pink cellphone with its small rose charm. She had used it earlier when her mother had phoned.

Aki flipped it open and proceeded to punch in Yusei's phone number; she had to ask him how she could fix it. In the back of her mind, she was faintly surprised she hadn't forgotten his number in the months she had fallen out of touch. She just had to punch in one more digit –

Suddenly, the music box started, the simple yet moving tune playing once more.

Aki's finger hovered above the last digit. She turned to the small music box behind her. The photos were still there. Confusion settled upon Aki; how had it started again? Hadn't it appeared broken just a few moments ago? Faintly she recalled the tune playing was called 'Always With Me'. She gazed at it in awe and wonder. Then, a slightly silly idea dawned on her.

Maybe it hadn't been a coincidence. Maybe, it was a sign. Her hand unconsciously twitched towards her bare right arm.

Taking a deep breath, the red headed young woman turned back to her cellphone. She tapped in the last digit – seven – and paused only a second with her thumb above the 'send' button.

The music box still played in the background as she hit the send button.

She shifted nervously from foot to foot, the only sounds being the box and the incessant ring as she waited with bated breath for the obsidian haired man on the other end to pick up.

She was about to hang up when the ring suddenly ceased as Yusei answered the call. Aki closed her eyes.

"Hello?"

Author's Note: Wow. This story came out of nowhere when I was listening to the song 'Always With Me'. I've never written Aki x Yusei (don't love it, don't hate it) before, and I'm not a Faithshipper, yet…doesn't mean I can't write it. You can probably count on this being my sole Faithshipping-centered fic. Hope people liked it, please review! Also, please vote on the new poll on my profile!