Hollow

It's awkward really, spending years rooting for someone and finding yourself cheering for someone else. I love Jack. I really do. I did mean to wait forever if I needed too, no idea why but the idea of eternity entices me. So, I committed to it.

I happily watched all his matches from afar, at first. So, for a while, the glass screen turned into my only companion. Long hours at the office and all, I needed the distraction when he left. The TV, however, does not respond to you, no matter how much you want it to.

I found a bit of a breather from my melancholy lifestyle from an unexpected source. The other girls were waiting too. We used to bicker a lot before. Now, I guess, waiting alone gets lonely. So, every week we met at the Blue Eyes Mountain Café. We talked about how things were going and how he's doing. Yet, despite our one common interest, we didn't talk about him much. He won a lot. He didn't call so that's as much as any of us could report.

This cycle went on for about a year. Our last two meetings changed the dynamic of our gatherings considerably First, Mikage reported she went on a date. We didn't smite her or anything. We were just really surprised. Really, she used to intimidate me some. She knew so much more about Jack than I did. To have her announce such an event, it made an impact. I don't really remember the details. Some cop from her division, it didn't matter. She promised to still meet up with us. I would not have though much more about it. The next week though, I really started to panic. Stephanie announced she planned to attend a university a few hours from the city. She'd still come of course, once a week, wouldn't be too much of a strain for her. I smiled and congratulated and kept my opinions to myself.

It was safe to say we were friends at this point, and yet, I felt that I really hadn't changed all that much. I started to wonder if I should have. I had the same job although my boss doesn't threaten to fire me near as much as he used to. I did the same things every week, and I still loved Jack Atlus. Most of all, I was still waiting for him. Yet, my dear rivals appeared to have lost faith.

I couldn't just stop. I didn't just stop. Actually, nothing much of consequence occurred because my friends found some happiness all their own. Nothing changed until someone knocked on my door, by mistake no less. I never had company. Okay, once in a blue moon, Misty squeezed me into her schedule, but that's besides the point. She always called first. This was unprecedented. Nice person that I am, I answered anyway, if only to tell them they were knocking on the wrong door. To my surprise, I recognized the person. Most people in this city would have, actually.

"Yusei, " I mouthed, and reacted in my usually hokey meandering way, almost falling on him in my surprise. He caught on fast that he had the wrong door, but being the nice man that he was, he apologized profusely.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, looking for an old friend of mine, Yanagi. He wasn't very clear about the instructions to his place, always telling some story. " He rubbed the back of his head, sensing the situation dragging longer than it needed to. He didn't seem to remember me. Why would he? He wasn't heavily privy to my old situation with Jack and most of what I did know about him came from the article that Stephanie so handily wiped from my computer with her coffee spill. I vaguely mumbled an acceptance and that would have ended the whole affair if he hadn't peeked inside.

"Your TV is broken, " he stated plainly. There was a giant crack where I threw the remote. Okay, I may not have taken the last two days as well as I've been saying. Apparently, the state of my apartment switched him into some sort of mechanic mode. Despite his scientist gig, he can't ignore the urge to fix things.

"I can fix it." He offered, already moving inside. I didn't stop him. It would be nice to have the TV fixed.

"Thanks," I answered, a bit weary on how he noticed the broken dish washer. Not surprising, since I never seem to be able to announce my scoops, the amount of money I could manage didn't cover everything, and mechanics don't usually offer to fix it for free.

"You sure your friend won't mind you being late? I wouldn't want to take advantage." I asked him, rolling a spare pen on my fingertips. His eyes widened a fraction in remembrance. He immediately got his phone out and explained to his friend that he would have to reschedule. Oh my, my apartment couldn't be that broken could it?

"I took care of it." He addressed me, unaware on how adept I was at ease dropping. He got to work inspecting the entire area. I wondered if it would be too much to ask for an interview while he basically fixed my entire apartment. I tried to casually pitch the idea to him. To my dismay, he had an entire list of parts that he would likely pay for himself, free of charge. I couldn't do that to a friend of Jacks'.

"You really don't have to spend any money." I protested. I couldn't possibly pay him back, unless he wanted good press. Then again, the man hardly ever presented himself in public, part of the reason I wanted the interview in the first place.

"It's no problem. I'll be back in a bit with some parts." He informed me as he headed out the door. He hesitated at the edge of the door frame, until he looked back at me and asked.

"How did everything get so broken?" He wondered. The question bothered me. I could recall a few instances of broken appliances, but mostly, I could only think of one response.

"I don't know. Stuff tends to pile up sometimes." I remarked hesitantly. I pondered if mechanics had the same inclinations to judge their clients lives as Hairstylists do.

"I see," He replied. His expression softened some. I really didn't want to know what he was thinking. He made his exit with quick purposeful steps.

The arrangement put me in a bit of a pickle. I had forgotten about work completely. I needed to head out thirty minutes ago. The phone rang further driving the point home.

"Carly, forget the new stadium's opening. Sherrie LeBlanc, d-wheel competitor of the European circuit, has been spotted ten minutes from where you are, get a statement." My boss yelled in his usual expectant manner. Right, It's not like I haven't left yet. I kept looking from the door to my phone. I couldn't just leave him locked out. I decided to leave the door unlocked. The neighborhood tended to attract the unscrupulous crowd, but it would certainly be fine for the few minutes I needed. I jotted down a quick note to my unexpected guest and ran out.

I managed to catch her before she rode out of her d-wheel. She might have ridden out of my reach, but how bout it, she said she recognized me. I'm not entirely sure why any member of Team 5d's, let alone Jack would have me come up in conversation during the whole arc cradle thing. I don't think Jack would have brought me up recently. I don't care. I got an interview! Needless to say, I had a delicious scoop which would with any luck have my boss forgive me for missing the event completely. Unfortunately, my luck never lasts.

When I returned, I found my visitor sitting cross legged in my empty apartment, making plans. I really thought that it would be fine for a few minutes. I could not have friend of Jacks' feel sorry for me because I left the door open. I decided the time had come to politely kick him out.

"You accidentally left the door unlocked." He replied calmly, not looking up from his current sketches. I nodded, unsure why I shut my mouth all of a sudden. I normally didn't have a problem running it.

"Right, accidentally." I mumbled unconvincingly. I really, really, didn't want to blame one of Jacks' friends for getting robbed. Especially since, one of them used to do it for a living. I didn't think it was Yusei but better safe than sorry. He raised an eyebrow at the comment but kept on sketching. I tapped his shoulder, wanting to stop him before he recreated the Sistine chapel or anything like that for foolish little old me.

"You know you could go to your friends now. There's nothing here left to fix." I spoke up, and for a minute, he stopped and looked up at me. Those blue eyes were intense but not in a scary sort a way like Jack's purple ones. Maybe Jack's eyes weren't scary. Enraged? Passionate? Definitely. Now, These big blues looked right through you like a particularly strong x-ray.

"You left the door open for me." He argued simply. He pieced me together right quick. Dammit no, it's not your fault. Wait, I should probably say that out loud.

"Dammit no, it's not your fault." I huffed. I couldn't condemn a friend of Jack's to rebuild my place that got robbed because of my stupidity. I happened to be self sufficient and if all I was left with was a bed and my camera, I could live. Oh shoot, my computer ! I could still go to the local library to type of reports. There problem solved.

"Based on what I saw earlier, these are the things you're missing?" He ignored my previous comment. I could use a new computer. Exploitation! Exploitation! Put the list down.

"I can buy the stuff back later." I objected, and he smiled. I hoped it was one of acceptance, but he got me, because anyone that could keep up with Jack should be pretty good at standing there ground.

"Do you have the money?" He inquired knowingly. I slumped visibly and shook my head.

"Did I miss anything from the list that you need?" He insisted, and he's just so damn persistent. Just like. . . I brushed the thought aside. I glanced at the list. Ah, what I pain, the computer wasn't on it.

Most of the items written were things out in the open. He must have a photographic memory or at least a half-decent memory if he remembered all of that. I jotted a few things down and placed the computer at the bottom of the list, embarrassed. He looked over the items I had added to the list and nodded to himself. When he saw the last item, he wasn't angry if anything he was excited.

"I can build you a nice computer actually. A lot cheaper than you might think. Anything in particular you'd like it to do? A Color? More speed or memory? A nice compromise of both?" He chattered amiably. Oh boy, I really wasn't overly informed on that sort of thing, but shamefully, I knew full well what color I wanted.

"Erm, purple?" I answered, knowing I probably killed some of his original enthusiasm. He recorded my answer and sought no other info. He probably built this sort of thing for its own sake all the time. Really, I practically roped an entire make over for the place. This is turning into something much larger than I had anticipated. My stomach grumbled so I inched to the fridge where I found . . . nothing. What do you know? The observant one noticed.

"I'll stop by the grocery store." He declared immediately. I banged my head on the fridge door some. I really couldn't have such a nice person do everything for me.

"You don't have to do that." I mumbled. My lips loosely on my crude drawing of fortune fairy En.

"I know what it's like to go hungry. Let me do this for you." He replied in earnest. Never mind, white flag, I surrender. I couldn't argue with a former orphan about hunger.

"Okay." I muttered, deciding to take residence on the carpet. I entertained the notion that maybe he did know who I was. I'm not sure if my guilt would subside or not with that info.

"What's your name? I'm sorry I didn't ask earlier. I got you into quite a scenario." He requested, crouching down to my eye level. So much for knowing me, there was one thing I didn't mind getting from him.

"Carly Nagisa, reporter, could I get an interview?" I responded sweetly. He considered the idea. His eye subtly trailing the empty room. Yes, guilt interview.

"Sure, I did cause you a lot of trouble." He admitted, although his tone implied his reluctance. For a man holding the coveted title of King, he didn't like to flaunt it, near as much as Jack used to and would once he conquered the European circuits.

"Now, if you don't mind, I'll be picking up some groceries and smaller things on the list at the store." He proclaimed getting up. I nodded, beyond attempting to talk him out of helping me. With any luck, which assumed that I would not tumble down the stairs and break my ankle at some point, he would be done building everything within a week. Okay, except, the computer possibly. Still, his reputation preceded him. Satellite provided a limited curriculum at best for its in habitants. He built Fortune within a few years. I personally liked that name for the machine. The guy knew his way around electronics certainly.

I watched him go out the door. Frankly, I don't know what to make of the new King. He practically went above and beyond for me, a stranger for all intents and purposes. A small part of me hissed that Jack never bothered with even a phone call. His friend is out buying me groceries for Pete sake. It's not fair to compare them. They're polar opposites. Besides, once the string of coincidences ended, my interaction with Yusei would cease. Jack, might, would come back for me. My phone rang again.

"I'm not working overtime anymore." I answered and hung up promptly. I'm really not in the mood to take on more work. I had plenty of distractions already.