The Alternative

Chapter Twenty Two

Kaiba's worried.

If Kaiba's worried, I should be too.

Yugi wasn't. He was simply exhausted. He prayed that if he hid in his room long enough, all of this drama would just go away.

What was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to make of himself?

On one hand, there was a sexy, dominant, mysterious man attempting to seduce him. On the other, everyone he knew and loved was disappearing from his life. How did it make sense? How does one handle that?

Yugi's ankle grew cold and itchy while he was in thought. It only ever happened during stressful times. Occasionally in class during a hard exam, he would have to bend over and scratch it. There were a few cases it would happen when he was on a dinner date with Rebecca. It had been happening since he was young. A little idiosyncrasy that his grandpa always noticed.

~ "You're scratching your ankle again, Yugi."

"I know, Ji-chan. I can't help it. It's itchy!"

"Perfect! That's good!"

Yuig raised an eyebrow with attitude. "Good? How can that be good?"

The elder smiled and chuckled lightly.

"It gives you the chance to overcome. Don't let that itch control you. Overcome it. Show it who's boss!"

"I-I can't. It's too hard. Everything's been too hard. I just want to give up, Ji-Chan."

"Yugi, it starts with something as little as overcoming an itch. It ends with overcoming your biggest struggles in life. It's all the same power; it's up to you to decide how much of it you will use."

~

Yugi smiled at the memory. His Grandpa always did have the right things to say. At a time like this, it would only make sense to give him a call.

He gave his watch a glance to make sure it was a fitting time. Once confirming so, he made his way to the phone and dialed his house number.

*Ring Ring*

Yugi sat patiently, a soft smile on his face as he waited.

*Ring Ring*

He should answer it any second now. Grandpa never leaves the shop empty.

*Ring Ring*

He could be in the bathroom, Yugi thought.

*Ring Ring*

Or he could be on lunch break.

*Ring Ring*

But he normally eats whenever. He never closes the store to eat.

*Ring Ring*

"Ji-chan?" Yugi softly mumbled in worry.

*Ring Ri--*

Yugi hung up, feeling his skin crawl with nerves. He didn't want to be worried like this anymore. He didn't want to feel pain and anxiety with every single thing he did.