Categories > Anime/Manga > Yu-Gi-Oh! > [ Bend and Not Break ] [ A Seto Kaiba Story ]
| Bend and Not Break | A Seto Kaiba Story | #1 - Three Years Down the Drain |
1 reviewThanks for reading the first chapter of Bend and Not Break. This is a story that features a unique main character. You! If you have any constructive criticism, please be sure to email us. We love t...
5Hot
The bustling city below your window wakes up at the brink of dawn, and as it does, your bothersome alarm clock sounds. Shifting to your side, you try to ignore it. There is an empty space next to you, as your leg drapes over the side of the bed. You realize that your boyfriend didn't return last night after going to the local bar. Shutting the alarm clock off, you kick the covers of the bed off, just as you hear the front door of your spacious apartment slam, sending an echo through the halls. You roll your eyes, realizing that he's been out drinking all night.
"Jason!" You call out, stretching as you get out of bed. "Jason!!" You call again, a little more aggressively, hoping he answers this time.
Staggering down the hallway, your still intoxicated boyfriend enters the room, passing you, and plopping down on the bed, face down. "Man...what a night." He groans into the sheets, his voice muffled.
"You smell like booze, and women." You say, flatly, as you get dressed.
"You know how it is..." He replies, turning on his side. He shoots you a silly grin, and says "I'm sorry I come back didn't sooner."
"Stop babbling like an idiot, and go make yourself some coffee. Maybe you can sober up before I leave, so you can help me believe that you aren't an alcoholic." You snap, as you pull your hair back. You eye him through the reflection of the mirror.
Just then, you notice something that wasn't there last night. Your hair lies in a loose bun, pulled together with a clip, and you approach your boyfriend curiously.
"What?" He says, trying to cover his neck.
"I knew it. Who is she?" You ask, slapping his hand away. A large, bruised mark is pasted on Jason's neck. "Answer me, asshole!"
"I don't know what you're talking about!" He says, sitting up quickly.
"Bullshit!" You shout, pushing him off the bed. "I'm so tired of this. Get out of here! God, I am so sick of you!"
He tries to console you, as he takes your hand. "I swear, it's nothing!"
"Well, what happened? Did you accidentally bite yourself?" You quip, glaring at him, as you pull your hand away. "Don't touch me. Just get out of my sight. I swear to God, if you don't leave, Jason..." You threaten, your eyes darkening.
"Fine! Fine, I'm going..." He gets up, and grabs his jacket. He turns back to you once more, to try to coax you. "____..."
Grabbing your alarm clock, you hurl it with full force at the doorway, and he slams the door shut fast, so it doesn't hit him. The clock shatters into hundreds of pieces, but right now, you couldn't care less. "Bastard!" You say, as you hear the front door slam shut again. With a final, exasperated sigh, you get your uniform on, and almost contemplate calling in sick. But without another delay, you go to the kitchen, and grab your keys, planning on getting some breakfast at the coffee shop.
*
Stuck in traffic, you rub your temples in exhaustion, as the cars around you blare their horns, as if doing so would clear the traffic. As soon as the traffic light turns green, you let go of the brake, only so some jerk in the car in front of you can cut you off. The car speeds off, and you mutter something under your breath, not even bothering to give him a few choice gestures.
Clearing the next few signals, you approach the old fashioned cafe, where you work. Parking in front of it, you get out of your car, as another reckless driver whizzes past you, practically taking you with him. You lock your car, and walk to the front door, tucking your keys into your pocket, muttering a few curses. You walk briskly to the counter, pushing past a few customers, most of them business men and women wanting to grab a cup of coffee before they report to work.
"Well, well, well...decided to show up today, ____?" A bothersome voice sneers behind you as you approach your work station.
"Why do you care, Nahoko? I'm sure you have other things to worry about. Like finding a boyfriend. And breaking nails." You quip.
You turn around, and sure enough, Nahoko gives you a sickeningly sweet smile. "Jeez, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Need a break, sunshine?"
"Get away from me." You growl, shooting her a death glare.
A little intimidated, she turns and walks away to join Midori, her little follower, on the other side of the work station. You hear an order of a hazelnut latte, one of your favorites. Deciding to make one for yourself, you quickly blend the smooth coffee together, and pour it into the trademark cup with the blue seal on it. Putting a lid on, you hand it over to the meek cashier, Yumiko, who smiles gratefully. "You look beautiful today, ____." She says, quietly.
"Well, thank you. Would you like me to take over?" You ask, hoping to catch a glimpse of your best friend through the window.
"Thank you." She says, switching places with you. You hand another hazelnut latte to a middle aged woman, who seems extremely impatient with the time you took. You glance at the clock. Thirty seconds. She could've lived.
With a snort, she grabs the coffee, and pays, before turning around to leave. "You forgot your change, lady." You grumble under your breath, with a sarcastic tone.
Sipping the coffee, while you mindlessly give Yumiko orders, and deliver cappuccinos, and lattes, and God-knows-what to the impatient people of the bustling city, your thoughts drift to Jason. Wherever he is...whatever he's doing. What a way to end a relationship. Three years down the drain, and all of a sudden, on a Monday morning before work, it ends. In a blink of an eye. But a blink of an eye is all you have, as your best friend, Kaede, walks in, a half hour late.
Muttering, as she walks through the back door, you watch her enter out of the corner of your eye. Strolling in, she stands at the cash register, clocking in.
"Why are you late?" You ask her, a little annoyed to have worked a part of her shift for her.
"I was sick this morning, and there was a lot of busy traffic." She replies, glancing out the window, as she mechanically gives you an order for a strawberry-vanilla smoothie.
"Jason and I broke up." You say, walking to the back to gather the ingredients.
She sighs, as you hand her the perfectly blended smoothie. "I saw it coming. He's such a bum."
You can't help but laugh. "I know."
Nahoko leisurely walks through the conversation and announces "I'm taking my break!"
Midori follows suit, and you roll your eyes, and go back to working on the next cappuccinos, hoping these two clowns will give you and Kaede a good reason to fire them soon.
*
"____, how about some lunch? It looks like we have about a half an hour to go grab a bite. Besides, there are some really cute waiters at the restaurant across the street..." Kaede's eyes widen as she nudges you playfully.
"Sometimes, I really wonder if you can go through one day without thinking about men..." You trail off.
She giggles. "Maybe. Don't underestimate me, my dearest compadre." She says, with enthusiasm. You sigh, still bummed about Jason. "Aww, c'mon, ____...it'll help you get your mind off things. Besides, you've been working like a machine today. You need a break!" Linking arms with you, Kaede drags you out of your work station, and through the doors. Walking across the street, you wonder if your stomach is strong enough to handle lunch. After all, you're so stressed, you've downed at least four or five cappucinos in the past three hours.
*
After you finish lunch, Kaede glances at her watch. "Oh, shit!"
"What?" You look at her worriedly, after breaking your gaze out the window.
"We should've been back twenty minutes ago!" She cries, grabbing her purse.
You roll your eyes. "Maybe if you weren't flirting with that waiter, who, might I say, wasn't that cute..."
She smiles brightly, leaving a good tip on the table, as she follows you out the door. "He was very cute!"
"Whatever..." You sigh.
*
As soon as you enter the cafe, you're relieved to find no one there except for an old man, Charlie, who's a regular at this time of day, and a couple of teenagers on their lunch break.
"Well, girls, did you have fun during your fifty-five minute lunch break?" Nahoko sneers.
"Almost as much fun as you have on your hourly breaks, Nahoko. Which I should probably take out of your check." You smile sweetly, and then glare at Midori, whose arrogant look is almost identical to Nahoko's. She quickly looks away.
You walk back to the register, and glance through the newspaper, hoping to find something interesting in the job listings. As your eyes move along the plain black script, the entrance bell rings. Realizing that there aren't many customers at this time of the day, you look up. A tall, very good-looking man walks through the doorway, his eyes scanning the cafe.
Uninterested, you look back down at your newspaper, resting your head on your hand. As if on cue, Nahoko walks to the register and sweetly says "What can I get for you?"
"Don't worry about it." He says, sharply.
Blinking twice, her fake, bright smile drops a little, and she meekly replies. "Tell me when you're ready."
He simply scowls, and she walks back over to Midori, to gawk at him.
You find yourself looking up from your paper, after hearing the icy remark from the man, and you observe the scene silently, before you turn to Nahoko. "If I may make a suggestion..." You start to say, politely.
"What suggestion could you possibly have?" She asks, with a glare, as she picks at her nail polish, still stinging from the earlier showdown.
"For starters, my first suggestion would be staying in your assigned work station, and secondly, being seen and not heard." You retort, your patience wearing thin.
She snorts, and turns around. The man gives you a look, and you say "The mocha cappuccinos are really popular right now."
"Fine." He replies, shortly.
You turn to Yumiko and politely say "A mocha cappuccino, please."
She smiles, amused by your jab at Nahoko, and you turn to the man. "Anything else with that?"
"No thanks." He says, a little coldly.
"For here, or to go?"
"Here." He replies, handing you some money.
"I'll be out with it shortly." You say, handing him his change, a little annoyed by his attitude.
He nods, and walks to the corner table by the window, before taking a seat.
You wait for Yumiko to finish making the cappucino, and go back to reading the newspaper. But before you do, you glance at him again, for a few seconds. He's very handsome. With chestnut brown hair, and intense blue eyes. But he seems very distant, and cold. You smile to yourself, and go back to reading your newspaper, as the blender behind you hums.
"Jason!" You call out, stretching as you get out of bed. "Jason!!" You call again, a little more aggressively, hoping he answers this time.
Staggering down the hallway, your still intoxicated boyfriend enters the room, passing you, and plopping down on the bed, face down. "Man...what a night." He groans into the sheets, his voice muffled.
"You smell like booze, and women." You say, flatly, as you get dressed.
"You know how it is..." He replies, turning on his side. He shoots you a silly grin, and says "I'm sorry I come back didn't sooner."
"Stop babbling like an idiot, and go make yourself some coffee. Maybe you can sober up before I leave, so you can help me believe that you aren't an alcoholic." You snap, as you pull your hair back. You eye him through the reflection of the mirror.
Just then, you notice something that wasn't there last night. Your hair lies in a loose bun, pulled together with a clip, and you approach your boyfriend curiously.
"What?" He says, trying to cover his neck.
"I knew it. Who is she?" You ask, slapping his hand away. A large, bruised mark is pasted on Jason's neck. "Answer me, asshole!"
"I don't know what you're talking about!" He says, sitting up quickly.
"Bullshit!" You shout, pushing him off the bed. "I'm so tired of this. Get out of here! God, I am so sick of you!"
He tries to console you, as he takes your hand. "I swear, it's nothing!"
"Well, what happened? Did you accidentally bite yourself?" You quip, glaring at him, as you pull your hand away. "Don't touch me. Just get out of my sight. I swear to God, if you don't leave, Jason..." You threaten, your eyes darkening.
"Fine! Fine, I'm going..." He gets up, and grabs his jacket. He turns back to you once more, to try to coax you. "____..."
Grabbing your alarm clock, you hurl it with full force at the doorway, and he slams the door shut fast, so it doesn't hit him. The clock shatters into hundreds of pieces, but right now, you couldn't care less. "Bastard!" You say, as you hear the front door slam shut again. With a final, exasperated sigh, you get your uniform on, and almost contemplate calling in sick. But without another delay, you go to the kitchen, and grab your keys, planning on getting some breakfast at the coffee shop.
*
Stuck in traffic, you rub your temples in exhaustion, as the cars around you blare their horns, as if doing so would clear the traffic. As soon as the traffic light turns green, you let go of the brake, only so some jerk in the car in front of you can cut you off. The car speeds off, and you mutter something under your breath, not even bothering to give him a few choice gestures.
Clearing the next few signals, you approach the old fashioned cafe, where you work. Parking in front of it, you get out of your car, as another reckless driver whizzes past you, practically taking you with him. You lock your car, and walk to the front door, tucking your keys into your pocket, muttering a few curses. You walk briskly to the counter, pushing past a few customers, most of them business men and women wanting to grab a cup of coffee before they report to work.
"Well, well, well...decided to show up today, ____?" A bothersome voice sneers behind you as you approach your work station.
"Why do you care, Nahoko? I'm sure you have other things to worry about. Like finding a boyfriend. And breaking nails." You quip.
You turn around, and sure enough, Nahoko gives you a sickeningly sweet smile. "Jeez, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Need a break, sunshine?"
"Get away from me." You growl, shooting her a death glare.
A little intimidated, she turns and walks away to join Midori, her little follower, on the other side of the work station. You hear an order of a hazelnut latte, one of your favorites. Deciding to make one for yourself, you quickly blend the smooth coffee together, and pour it into the trademark cup with the blue seal on it. Putting a lid on, you hand it over to the meek cashier, Yumiko, who smiles gratefully. "You look beautiful today, ____." She says, quietly.
"Well, thank you. Would you like me to take over?" You ask, hoping to catch a glimpse of your best friend through the window.
"Thank you." She says, switching places with you. You hand another hazelnut latte to a middle aged woman, who seems extremely impatient with the time you took. You glance at the clock. Thirty seconds. She could've lived.
With a snort, she grabs the coffee, and pays, before turning around to leave. "You forgot your change, lady." You grumble under your breath, with a sarcastic tone.
Sipping the coffee, while you mindlessly give Yumiko orders, and deliver cappuccinos, and lattes, and God-knows-what to the impatient people of the bustling city, your thoughts drift to Jason. Wherever he is...whatever he's doing. What a way to end a relationship. Three years down the drain, and all of a sudden, on a Monday morning before work, it ends. In a blink of an eye. But a blink of an eye is all you have, as your best friend, Kaede, walks in, a half hour late.
Muttering, as she walks through the back door, you watch her enter out of the corner of your eye. Strolling in, she stands at the cash register, clocking in.
"Why are you late?" You ask her, a little annoyed to have worked a part of her shift for her.
"I was sick this morning, and there was a lot of busy traffic." She replies, glancing out the window, as she mechanically gives you an order for a strawberry-vanilla smoothie.
"Jason and I broke up." You say, walking to the back to gather the ingredients.
She sighs, as you hand her the perfectly blended smoothie. "I saw it coming. He's such a bum."
You can't help but laugh. "I know."
Nahoko leisurely walks through the conversation and announces "I'm taking my break!"
Midori follows suit, and you roll your eyes, and go back to working on the next cappuccinos, hoping these two clowns will give you and Kaede a good reason to fire them soon.
*
"____, how about some lunch? It looks like we have about a half an hour to go grab a bite. Besides, there are some really cute waiters at the restaurant across the street..." Kaede's eyes widen as she nudges you playfully.
"Sometimes, I really wonder if you can go through one day without thinking about men..." You trail off.
She giggles. "Maybe. Don't underestimate me, my dearest compadre." She says, with enthusiasm. You sigh, still bummed about Jason. "Aww, c'mon, ____...it'll help you get your mind off things. Besides, you've been working like a machine today. You need a break!" Linking arms with you, Kaede drags you out of your work station, and through the doors. Walking across the street, you wonder if your stomach is strong enough to handle lunch. After all, you're so stressed, you've downed at least four or five cappucinos in the past three hours.
*
After you finish lunch, Kaede glances at her watch. "Oh, shit!"
"What?" You look at her worriedly, after breaking your gaze out the window.
"We should've been back twenty minutes ago!" She cries, grabbing her purse.
You roll your eyes. "Maybe if you weren't flirting with that waiter, who, might I say, wasn't that cute..."
She smiles brightly, leaving a good tip on the table, as she follows you out the door. "He was very cute!"
"Whatever..." You sigh.
*
As soon as you enter the cafe, you're relieved to find no one there except for an old man, Charlie, who's a regular at this time of day, and a couple of teenagers on their lunch break.
"Well, girls, did you have fun during your fifty-five minute lunch break?" Nahoko sneers.
"Almost as much fun as you have on your hourly breaks, Nahoko. Which I should probably take out of your check." You smile sweetly, and then glare at Midori, whose arrogant look is almost identical to Nahoko's. She quickly looks away.
You walk back to the register, and glance through the newspaper, hoping to find something interesting in the job listings. As your eyes move along the plain black script, the entrance bell rings. Realizing that there aren't many customers at this time of the day, you look up. A tall, very good-looking man walks through the doorway, his eyes scanning the cafe.
Uninterested, you look back down at your newspaper, resting your head on your hand. As if on cue, Nahoko walks to the register and sweetly says "What can I get for you?"
"Don't worry about it." He says, sharply.
Blinking twice, her fake, bright smile drops a little, and she meekly replies. "Tell me when you're ready."
He simply scowls, and she walks back over to Midori, to gawk at him.
You find yourself looking up from your paper, after hearing the icy remark from the man, and you observe the scene silently, before you turn to Nahoko. "If I may make a suggestion..." You start to say, politely.
"What suggestion could you possibly have?" She asks, with a glare, as she picks at her nail polish, still stinging from the earlier showdown.
"For starters, my first suggestion would be staying in your assigned work station, and secondly, being seen and not heard." You retort, your patience wearing thin.
She snorts, and turns around. The man gives you a look, and you say "The mocha cappuccinos are really popular right now."
"Fine." He replies, shortly.
You turn to Yumiko and politely say "A mocha cappuccino, please."
She smiles, amused by your jab at Nahoko, and you turn to the man. "Anything else with that?"
"No thanks." He says, a little coldly.
"For here, or to go?"
"Here." He replies, handing you some money.
"I'll be out with it shortly." You say, handing him his change, a little annoyed by his attitude.
He nods, and walks to the corner table by the window, before taking a seat.
You wait for Yumiko to finish making the cappucino, and go back to reading the newspaper. But before you do, you glance at him again, for a few seconds. He's very handsome. With chestnut brown hair, and intense blue eyes. But he seems very distant, and cold. You smile to yourself, and go back to reading your newspaper, as the blender behind you hums.
Sign up to rate and review this story