It is late, but I thought of making something to celebrate the special occasion. This is not related to the current GX side story, but just something different.
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[3rd POV]
On a peaceful afternoon at Domino High…
"Dun dun dun!!"
Suddenly, the classroom door burst open, and Serenity marched in confidently. Under the students' confused gazes, she excitedly approached Yuna and slammed her hands onto the desk.
"Big Sister and Téa, listen up! Time is of the essence, and we must hurry!" she exclaimed.
"What's wrong?" Yuna asked, worried by Serenity's solemn tone.
Smiling, she quickly whispered in Yuna's ear.
"I see…" Yuna's eyes widened in understanding, and she quietly relayed the message to Téa, who gasped.
"Geez! How could both of you forget such an important day?" Serenity scolded, shaking her head.
"Well, our lives just finally went back to normal, so it wasn't exactly at the top of our priority list," Téa explained helplessly.
"But don't worry, I already have everything prepared!" Serenity reassured confidently. "So leave it all to me!"
"That's why, especially you, Téa, this is the perfect opportunity to make your love come true!" she said, pointing at Téa, who pouted in annoyance.
Giggling, Yuna packed her belongings and stood up. As she followed Serenity, she suddenly felt a familiar presence. Turning around, she found Seto standing behind her.
"Are you ready to leave?" Seto asked softly, instinctively raising his hand to touch Yuna's face, but he quickly stopped when he noticed Serenity and Téa behind her.
Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Yuna smiled wryly and shook her head. "Sorry, Seto, but I'll be staying at school for a while."
"Then I will wait for you," he replied in a heartbeat, but to his disappointment, Yuna once again shook her head.
"Not this time," Yuna answered firmly, and Serenity grinned in triumph.
"Mu ha ha ha, Big Sister is mine today!" she declared shamelessly, pulling Yuna into a hug. Seto's brows noticeably twitched in displeasure.
"You…" Seto's voice turned low, and Serenity shrieked and swiftly hid behind Yuna's back.
Before the situation got out of hand, Yuna lightly tapped Seto's head with her fist, and his cold atmosphere vanished instantly. "Don't fight. I'll see you tomorrow…"
Under Yuna's coaxing, his expression gradually returned to normal. "Then please be careful." Only after seeing her nod did Seto finally leave on his own.
Once Serenity made sure he was out of sight, she pouted and stuck out her tongue. "Big Sister, how in the world do you even handle that guy?! He's too scary!"
"Seto is actually quite sweet. Even if he doesn't show it, he still cares a lot about people," Yuna answered, much to Téa and Serenity's doubt.
Téa: "I don't think I can ever see him the way Yuna does…"
Serenity: "Yeah… Big Sister, are you sure it's not your filter talking for you?"
Yuna: …
Sighing, she ignored the two's teasing and glanced at the sun setting in the distance, "Shouldn't we go now? It's getting dark soon."
"Ah, that's right!" Serenity exclaimed and grabbed their hands, "We've got to hurry. Time is of the essence!" Without waiting, she bolted out of the room, dragging them all the way to the ground floor of the school.
When Serenity opened one of the doors, they found themselves in the Culinary Arts room, and she guided them to an empty stove. Various types of ingredients rested on the counter, and Serenity approached them with excitement.
"How did you manage to rent an entire room?" Téa asked curiously. "First-year students don't get that many privileges."
"Well, about that…" Serenity laughed awkwardly and scratched her cheek. "I kind of used Big Sister's name, and they just gave it to me."
"I'm sorry! But I couldn't find any other way!" Serenity apologised in embarrassment.
"If it's Serenity, then it's fine," she assured her, and Serenity beamed brightly. "Let's focus on our main event."
"Ah, yes, that's right!" Serenity nodded and cleared her throat. "Alright, it's that time of year again when romance is at its peak! Tomorrow is Valentine's Day! So we need to make chocolates, of course!"
"Look, Téa, you need to be more aggressive or else Yugi will never figure it out! For a guy so good at Duel Monsters, he's kinda dense in this aspect!"
Téa: "What are you spouting, Serenity?!"
"Big Sister, you and Kaiba-san just got together recently! So an event like this is perfect to strengthen your relationship!"
Yuna: "I see… I never realised…"
"Alright!" Serenity raised her fists in the air. "Let operation Operation Melting Hearts begin!"
[Yuna's POV]
Under Serenity's instruction, Téa and I worked diligently. However, as time went on, my lack of experience became increasingly evident…
"Take your time, Big Sister, if you rush it, it won't taste as good!" Serenity warned, and I quickly slowed down, just in time before the fillings spilled all over the table.
Watching us, Téa giggled from the side while putting her tray into the refrigerator. "Yuna never really cooked before, right?"
"Is it that obvious?" I smiled awkwardly.
Back in my previous life, my diet mainly consisted of convenience-store meals and instant noodles. Even now, that habit seemed to have followed me into this life as well…
Time passed quickly as we finished filling the chocolates. After covering the fillings with the remaining melted chocolate, we carefully placed the moulds into the refrigerator. Watching Serenity put her own set of chocolates inside, a curious thought appeared in my mind.
"By the way, Serenity, who are you making the chocolates for?" I asked out of the blue. "Don't tell me... There's someone you like?"
"Oh? How come you never told us?" Téa added. "Is it someone from your year?"
"Me liking someone? No way!" To our disappointment, Serenity fervently denied the claims.
"Then who is it for?"
"It's for my brother, of course." Serenity sighed with a pitiful expression. "Since Joey always ends up disappointed on Valentine's Day, I thought it'd be nice to give him some chocolates. Of course, he won't know it's from me~."
"You're very kind." I chuckled and patted Serenity's head. She averted her gaze with a blush.
"Well, besides that, what Téa and I want to know the most is about you!" she said, suddenly grasping my hands with anticipation.
"What do you want to know?" I asked nervously.
"Since Big Sister is the only one in a relationship, please tell us what it's like!" Serenity asked curiously. "What does it feel like being in love?!"
Mulling over Serenity's question, I stared at the messy table in silence. After thinking for a few moments, I finally opened my mouth.
"Being in love… feels nice."
"Sorry, I don't know how else to explain it." I smiled apologetically. "Every time I'm with Seto, I feel relaxed, like all my problems are washed away." Embarrassed, I covered my face, and the two girls smiled teasingly.
"You and Kaiba-san really are like the perfect couple…" Téa commented.
"Well, we have our disagreements too," I replied, much to their disbelief. "But we always make up quickly after."
"That's impressive. Every time I fight with my idiot brother, it takes at least a week before I forgive him!" Serenity exclaimed, and I chuckled.
"When we argued, we remembered how much we had both been through just to see each other again, and the argument suddenly felt trivial…"
"I owe Seto everything…" I muttered quietly. "So I will follow him as long as I'm alive."
As we talked, time passed in the blink of an eye. When the wait was finally over, Serenity eagerly took the tray from the refrigerator. Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she gently picked up a piece of chocolate and popped it into her mouth.
"~Delicious!~" she cried out. Following suit, Téa and I each grabbed a piece, our eyes lighting up at the taste.
"Alright, let's pack it up!"
With the hardest part finished, the rest went quickly. Thirty minutes later, three small ribbon-wrapped bags sat neatly in front of us.
"Looks like everything's ready…" Téa said with relief. "Thanks, Serenity. We couldn't have done this without you."
"It was nothing, the rest is up to you!" Serenity replied, patting Téa's shoulder and giving her a confident thumbs-up. Téa sighed, her expression mixed with both gratitude and nerves.
"But Serenity," I said, "how did you get so good at cooking? Téa and I would've struggled quite a bit."
She understood immediately. Shrugging, she gazed off into the distance. "When I was bedridden, I spent a lot of time watching cooking videos. Whenever I make something myself, I just… feel accomplished, you know?"
"It's even better when you cook for the people you care about! Seeing them enjoy it is the best feeling in the world!" Serenity said brightly.
"Cooking, huh…" Yuna murmured, gazing at the small bag of chocolates in her hand as a new idea slowly began to take shape in her mind.
[3rd POV]
Next Day…
With Valentine's Day in full swing, new couples were forming left and right, and students exchanged chocolates with flushed faces. Walking silently toward his classroom, Seto found himself observing their expressions tinted by the soft atmosphere of young love.
In the past, he would have dismissed it all as ridiculous and meaningless. Yet after everything that had happened, he understood it a little better… though he would never admit it.
When he reached his desk, Seto noticed there was nothing on it and smirked. Last year, it had been buried under piles of confectionery from female students hoping to catch his attention, and each time, he had coldly shut down their fleeting expectations before they could grow any further.
His heart already belonged to someone else, and he had made it clear that anyone who tried to come between them would regret it.
Glancing behind him, Seto spotted Yuna staring out the window. Their eyes met, and she offered a small smile of greeting. Instantly, his mood lifted.
In the end, he's just like the other students…
Seto thought with a quiet chuckle. No matter how intelligent or capable someone was, everyone became a bumbling fool in the face of love…
Hours later...
The day passed without incident. After school, Seto left to finish some work at his office, only returning late in the evening. As the doors of his manor opened, the maids at the entrance bowed politely in greeting.
"Welcome home, Master Kaiba…" the head butler said as Seto handed him his briefcase.
"Tell the chef to prepare something light for tonight," he ordered.
"Actually, sir, I should inform you that Lady Sano is currently waiting in the dining room," the butler replied.
"Yuna is here?" Seto's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Alright, I understand."
Without wasting a moment, he walked briskly toward the dining room. The moment he stepped inside, he froze. Yuna was seated quietly at the table, sitting upright with her hands resting on her knees, her eyes closed as a soft snore filled the room.
Chuckling, Seto approached and gently embraced her from behind. Yuna frowned slightly as her eyes slowly opened, and she let out a sleepy yawn.
"Did I make you wait too long?" he asked. She meekly shook her head.
"No, I was just a little tired, that's all…" Standing up, Yuna straightened his collar with a wry smile. "Since today is Valentine's Day, I wanted to surprise you…"
"You don't need to trouble yourself over something so trivial…" Seto muttered awkwardly, and Yuna giggled.
"But I could tell you were a little disappointed I didn't give you chocolates today, right?" Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a small pink pouch tied with ribbons. "Sorry, I was a bit too embarrassed to give it to you in front of everyone…"
Her voice trailed off as she quickly averted her gaze. Watching her fidget nervously, Seto smiled, resisting the urge to pull her into an embrace while she finished explaining.
She handed him the small bag. Seto opened it, then ate one of the chocolates, a foolish grin spreading across his face as the sweetness filled his mouth.
"Oh, I almost forgot!" she suddenly said before dashing toward the kitchen. When she returned, she set a plate of curry rice on the table.
"I heard you hadn't eaten dinner yet, so I thought I'd make something." Yuna cleared her throat awkwardly. "Mokuba already tried it, so the taste should be okay…"
"Your hand," Seto pointed out when he noticed the bandages on her fingers.
"Oh, these? It was my first time properly cooking… so I cut myself a few times," Yuna admitted, embarrassed. "Anyway, just eat!"
Still in a daze, Seto slowly sat down, staring at the food in disbelief. As he reached for the spoon, Yuna quickly stopped him. Under his confused gaze, she carefully scooped up a bite and brought it toward him.
"Y… Yuna?" Seto stuttered in disbelief, both of their faces turning bright red. "What are you doing?"
"What do you think?" Yuna whimpered. "Come on, my arms are getting tired…"
Under her watchful gaze, Seto nervously opened his mouth as she fed him. He chewed slowly, the flavour spreading across his tongue. Just as Yuna had said, the curry wasn't anything extraordinary compared to a professional chef's cooking, yet knowing she had made it herself made it just as delicious.
"It's wonderful..." Seto answered sincerely, and Yuna's eyes widened before quickly shoving another spoonful into his mouth.
"Just focus on eating!" Yuna chided, cheeks flushed as she continued feeding Seto, barely giving him time to breathe.
"Yuna…" Seto groaned softly. He reached up and gently held her wrist, stopping her for a moment as he took a breath. "Please slow down."
"Ah, sorry." She pulled back slightly, looking embarrassed. "I got a little excited… I'm just really happy…" Her voice softened. "Is it really good?"
Seto nodded without hesitation. The simple answer made her expression brighten immediately, relief and joy blooming across her face.
"Thank you for today," he said quietly. "It meant a lot. Can you cook for me more often?"
"Of course, Seto. I'd love to…" Yuna replied, her smile gentle.
From that day on, Valentine's Day became something Seto found himself quietly looking forward to.
Years later...
Inside the KaibaCorp headquarters, Seto let out a quiet sigh as he stared at the hundredth document resting on his desk. Even after all these years, the paperwork still felt endlessly monotonous, slowly wearing away at his patience.
Taking a breath, he glanced toward the picture frame on his desk. One photo was from when he and Mokuba were still children; the other showed his wife in her wedding dress. A faint smile appeared on his lips as he remembered what day it was today.
Lost in thought, he barely noticed the office door opening as his assistant stepped inside.
"Sir, an emergency has arisen. We need your input," the assistant said nervously.
Seto frowned. "An emergency…" Just hearing the word made his head throb. "You are aware my business hours are about to end?"
"Please, sir!" The assistant bowed repeatedly, panic written all over his face.
Seto sighed. "Very well. Lead the way."
Much to the assistant's relief, Seto stood and followed him toward the meeting room.
On the way there, Seto felt a nagging sensation, as though he had forgotten something important, yet no matter how he tried, he couldn't recall what it was.
Thirty minutes later…
Inside the meeting room, Seto frowned as he listened to his senior executives argue. In the end, it wasn't an emergency at all, just a group of old men unable to reach an agreement and dragging him into their dispute.
As he began considering simply walking out, his phone suddenly vibrated against the table, drawing his attention. Quietly, curiosity flickering in his chest, he took out his phone and read the screen.
[Yuna: When are you coming home?]
[Seto: Sorry, something came up. I'll be late tonight. Please don't wait for me.]
[Yuna: Okay. But don't stay too long or you might really regret it…]
[Yuna: I will be waiting...]
[Yuna: Image Sent]
Confused, Seto opened the image and immediately spat out the water he had been drinking. Nearly toppling backward, without hesitation, Seto threw the phone to ground and crushed the device on the ground. It was something he absolutely could not let anyone else see.
"S-Sir, your nose is bleeding!" the executives cried in alarm at the sight of their boss's sudden injury.
"Quiet!" Seto snapped, quickly covering his nose with his hand to hide his completely reddened face, "We'll handle this tomorrow. I'm leaving now!"
Without waiting for a response, he abruptly left the room. As he sprinted down the hallway, Seto let out a quiet sigh before a small, helpless smile formed.
Even after years had passed, their feelings for each other had never faded.
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I hope you enjoy it. The Gx side stories will continue after this