A/N: I do not own anything YGO.

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A week had passed by. Jeff would be leaving the hospital soon whereas Mrs. Turner was already permitted her release from the medical facility. She was back at work and Lila was staying at a neighbor's. Jeff was glad that he would not have to do homework during his stay in the hospital but was also disappointed at the same time that he would have serious catching up to do afterwards.

It was Saturday morning and Mokuba bounded down the stairs. Yugi and his friends had invited the two Kaiba brothers to play some basketball at the local park. Mokuba had accepted but Kaiba had declined. He would be at Kaiba Corp. doing some business.

"How long are you going to be?" Kaiba asked as he put on his navy trench coat. He decided Mokuba would be alright with the gang. He knew they would keep an eye on him. As much as he hated to admit it, the whole group was...okay. At least where Mokuba was concerned. He really didn't want to have much to do with them.

"I told you!" Mokuba reminded him. "Yugi said they were going out for ice cream after a game or two which will probably been an...hour? We'll see."

"You know, ice cream is not the best thing for a lunch." Kaiba chided gently.

Mokuba rolled his eyes. "I'll get something else too." He grinned.

"Good." Kaiba picked up his briefcase. "Someday you'll understand how important it is to stay healthy." 'I don't want him picking up bad eating habits from that mutt and his little friend.' Kaiba thought, thinking of Joey and Tristan and their, in his opinion, atrocious eating habits.

"Are you taking me there?" Mokuba asked.

There was a glint of amusement in Kaiba's eyes. "I told you." He replied. "I'll be taking you there and picking you up when you call." Mokuba shook his head, smiling.

The two brothers headed outside for the limo that was waiting in the curved driveway. As they drove downtown, Kaiba decided he would pay Jeff a visit. He still wasn't ready to believe that Jeff had not implied that he didn't want to be a friend. He had this feeling and he was going to go straighten things out, find out the real truth. 'I can't be idle.' He didn't want to waste any more time trying to be a friend to someone who possibly did not want anything to do with him at all.

Now Kaiba really understood how the others felt.

They reached the park and Kaiba could see that everyone was already there. Joey, Tristan, and Duke were fooling around with the basketball, each trying to do a better lay-up than the other. "Don't leave the park." Kaiba told the younger sibling. "If you see any more members of that gang, stay with Yugi and if you can, lose them in a crowd and run to KC." It was a risk running away like that but Kaiba could deal with them in his own way...

Besides, he had a good view of the park and everything surrounding it from his headquarters. And it wasn't too far from the Domino City Hospital either. "See ya later!" Mokuba called as he jumped out of the limo and ran over to the group of friends.

Kaiba sighed and leaned back as the limo continued on. "Denson, take me to the hospital and remain outside until I return." He ordered and the driver did as he was told.

Once the limo reached the medical facility, Kaiba opened the door and took his briefcase with him. If someone who knew Jeff was already visiting, he could work on some papers while he waited. However he was not going to spend his entire time there.

He quickly and quietly strode down the hallway, his presence immediately known. He stared straight ahead, ignoring the whispers and rude and incredulous looks. One must expect such things when being the head of an Empire.

He reached Jeff's room and saw that it was half-open. He slowed his pace and cautiously peered inside. Jeff was sitting on the bed, watching TV, and he was dressed in his old clothes. He still had that same sullen look on his face. He was obviously bored out of his mind. Kaiba knocked on the door twice and Jeff turned his head to the door. "I said, I'm not eating that-oh it's you." He raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here? Don't have a company to run?"

Kaiba took a deep breath. 'Be patient...' He walked in, not bothering to ask if he was allowed in. He didn't care; he was going in anyway. "I'm here to visit you." He responded.

"Why?"

"Why not? Is visiting a sick person a crime?" Kaiba smirked. "If it is, forgive me. I did not know of such a law."

Jeff sighed. "I forgot, you're sarcastic too." He turned back to the TV. When Kaiba did not move, he faced him and frowned. "Well?"

"You want I should leave?" Kaiba asked impatiently.

"Take a seat." Jeff replied, indicating the chair beside his bed. "I've been by myself for the past week. I'll talk to anyone...even YOU." Jeff emphasized. Kaiba grimaced. Jeff was not going to make this easy for him.

"When are allowed to leave?" Kaiba asked after several minutes of silence except for the television.

"Today." Came the short reply.

Kaiba narrowed his eyes. "So why aren't you gone yet?" He would have expected Jeff to be out of there by dawn.

"Doctor's orders." Jeff responded after a minute when a commercial came on. "After he checks me over, then I can leave."

There was another awkward silence. For once they were having a civilized conversation.

After awhile, Jeff turned to him and asked a question. "Are you still trying to be my friend?" He demanded, looking at Kaiba curiously.

"Yes." Kaiba replied simply. "You haven't give me a straight answer yet."

"About what?"

"About whether you wanted to be my friend or not." Kaiba answered, eyes glued to the television. Then he faced Jeff. "So tell me. You said you were just wondering what I would do if you didn't want to be my friend a week ago. Fact?" Kaiba waited, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

Jeff bit his lip, thinking. "You know, you're really not that bad. I mean, you're not acting like a snob anymore."

Kaiba inhaled deeply. "I'll take that as a compliment." He said.

"And you've done a lot for my family." Jeff added. "What I'm trying to say is, I don't care about your money anymore, or your mansion, your good life." Jeff explained.

Kaiba looked at him. "You think my life is better? You think it's all roses and daisies?" He shook his head. "You are dead wrong." And with that, he began to explain everything that had happened in the past except for his personal life. He only told about Duelist Kingdom, Battle City, both virtual worlds, and the dislike from other people he had to face. "I don't have a better life." He finished bitterly. "I'm only trying to survive in this world so that Mokuba could have a much more better life than my own."

Jeff didn't say anything and at that moment, the doctor came in. "Alright son, it's time for your last check-up here at the hospital." Kaiba left to wait outside and after about ten minutes, he heard the doctor proclaim, "You're officially released from this hospital." The doctor smiled. "You'll still need to come back regularly but your heart rate is fine, especially after several tests yesterday. In fact, you're almost normal except for that scar on your chest." The doctor left with one last word. "I swear, I'll never understand how people are able to heal so quickly. You've got some strong will in you."

Kaiba re-entered and crossed his arms. "I'm still waiting for my answer." He said.

Jeff stared at the floor and finally looked up. "You wanna go for a walk?" He asked awkwardly and Kaiba stared at him in shock. Jeff shrugged his shoulders. "That should give you clear enough answer."

Kaiba nodded. "Very well. How about we walk to the park?" He asked. He wanted to check on Mokuba.

Jeff half-smiled. "Fine with me." The two left the hospital in silence. Kaiba dropped his briefcase off at his limo and ordered Denson to find another parking space near the Domino Park.

Afterwards, Jeff said more. "Well, Kaiba," He began. He glanced ahead. "I don't resent you anymore." He said.

Kaiba raised both eyebrows. "You don't?"

"Nope." Jeff shook his head. "Can't explain it but you're an okay guy. I don't care about your riches anymore. Now, to me, you're just someone else." He quickly added, "And I mean that in a nice way. You and I are equals now."

'We always were in the first place.' Kaiba thought and then he heard his mother's voice again, another memory filling his mind.

'I'm proud of you, Seto.'

Kaiba smiled faintly to no one in particular and then turned to Jeff. "You know, we'll probably run into each other from time to time. We both have different lives and different things to do."

"I know." The two teens were nearing the basketball court where a game was going on, Mokuba's team versus Joey's. "I guess we can say it out loud now." He smiled at Kaiba, a friendly smile. Gone was the smile that was full of mockery and resentment. "We're friends. Just...friends."

Kaiba faintly smiled back, nodding. He held out his hand. "Friends? And no more harassment?"

Jeff chuckled and shook it back. "Friends-hey is that your little brother?" He pointed to Mokuba who currently had the ball and passed it to one of his team members, Ellie.

"It is." Kaiba replied, narrowing his eyes.

"Let's go over there. I've got to apologize to them."

"What for?"

"Don't you remember? My pals beat some of them up."

"Right." Kaiba turned to the court and walked in with Jeff behind him.

"Seto!" Mokuba ran over to his older brother, panting, and sweat pouring down his face. "You're here!" He glanced at Jeff. "Hi!"

"Hey." Jeff smiled at Mokuba. "Sorry for roughing you up, kid."

"That's okay." Mokuba smiled back. "Are you two friends now?"

"Pretty much." Kaiba answered for him. "Problems and differences have been resolved." 'It'll be awhile before we become good friends.'

"Cool! I'm glad." Mokuba's smile faded as he realized something. "My team's losing!" He cried and Kaiba's eyes widened. "My team is good but Joey and Tristan are together!"

"Hey, let me show you something." Jeff motioned for the group to pass him the ball. Tea had it and she threw it to him. Jeff caught it and the ball reached his fingers, giving off the sound of a professional. "Let me teach you a shot that never fails..."

"Jeff." Jeff looked back at Kaiba. "I've got to go back to Kaiba Corp." Kaiba glanced at his watch. "Important meeting in half an hour." He paused. "So I guess I'll be seeing you another time?"

"Yeah." Jeff nodded, smiling. "Lila will want to see you guys so you'll see me soon. And at school."

Kaiba nodded. "Very well. Good day." He said and turned to leave.

"So long." Jeff called back.

As Kaiba left the park, a smile crossed his face as he listened to the cheers. Mokuba had made a basket! His brother always caught on quickly. Mokuba was a good kid and Kaiba hoped he had learned something from this whole journey of life on the side. After all, he had learned something very important himself.

Kaiba would not be a friend like Yugi or friend like Joey, Tea, or Tristan. He wouldn't be the kind who hung around all day, playing ball, or walking down the streets. He wouldn't be the kind who saw movies with a friend, or talks a whole lot during school. No...

He would be the kind of friend who would be around whenever that person needed him. The kind that was silent but friendly when he needed to be. Kaiba was different from the others but it didn't make him any less a human.

Seto Kaiba had sought and completed a task that had been greater than inventing a machine or solving a difficult problem.

Kaiba had his work and Jeff had other things to do but their somewhat friendship would remain.