Game, Restart.
By himig

Summary: The difficulty in moving on was letting go of the precious past; that choosing a new path in the future is not worth for the lost of the joys of today. This was his insecurity deep inside. "Grow up already, Yugi." Rewrite, replay, restart.

Author's Notes: This is my story of Yu-Gi-Oh; hey, I like it as it is too, but here's a different version. It will definitely have different roles and interactions for characters, but the essence of the plot will be the same.

Disclaimer: No…

Warning: Meh. No OOC's.


Game, Restart.
Chapter 1: Yugi Motou



"Anzu, Anzu!"

The twelve-year-old boy must have been chasing his friend, who failed to notice him earlier. It could have been the fact he has shorter legs, or that he was just shorter in comparison. His body was like that of an eight-year-old, and even his face, so innocent and childish could be mistaken for a child.

A tomboyish girl with a bob cut hairstyle on her short brown hair turned around. Her female friends giggled at the sight of their friend's childhood friend. They know they were close in their childhood, so they often tease her. This didn't please the tomboyish girl very much since…

Anzu pouted with a frown. "Yuuugiii…"

By the tone of her voice, Yugi thought he did something wrong. "A-anzu…"

The girl sighed. As she expected, he didn't realize it again. "Yugi, I don't want to play Dungeons and Monsters."

"Oh," he whispered. "Well, we can play other games! My grandpa has many games we can play, and…"

"No!" she said with finality, turning her head away and promptly putting her hands on her waist. "

There was a great look of disappointment in Yugi's face. "Anzu…"

While his face was down, Anzu showed a sign of guilt. That face and voice always made her feel this way, but enough was enough. She decided it was enough to keep letting Yugi have his way. She regained that strict face and turned away. "We're already in middle school." She made a long pause, starring on the ground. "Grow up already, Yugi…"

Three years later, the game shop of the Motou's remained quite the same as it was. By morning, the mother of the residence knocked on her son's bedroom. It was the first day of the week and her son is not yet awake.

"Yugi-kun," she called. "It's time for school."

Yugi's alarm had been turned off. Yugi had been awake half an hour ago, but decided to sleep back in. Hearing the several knocks, he slowly opened his wide, purple eyes. So it made no difference when he was startled at the news he was late.

This wasn't a rare routine. He jumped off the bed, took a five-minute shower (or less, but his hair can be difficult to wash and dry), and ran to fix his things in his backpack. As he ran to school, he was eating a piece of bread or two.

He came to school later on (not late), sitting with a sigh on his chair near the window. It looked like he was a ten minutes earlier. He had several undone assignments, but it really makes no difference if he answers them now. To kill the time, he took out a golden box from his backpack. From there, he pulled the heavy lid off the rectangular box. It was no bigger than his notebooks, but it was heavy and big with genuine crafts of hieroglyphics.

Recently, he's been solving nothing but the puzzle inside of this box – a puzzle that no one knows of its appearance. It was a complete mystery.

As he solved quietly in an immense focus, one of his classmates noticed his hands fingering on the gold, small pieces. He looked quite annoyed at how this boy was bragging of his item. His friend noticed this and gestured to their classmate. With a nod, they approached him. Half of the students realized what is about to happen, but Yugi was too intense to notice eyes focusing on him.

"Hey look, Honda. Nice stuff he got, eh?" The blond male sneered loudly, but Yugi didn't pay attention. "Tsk…Honda!"

His friend swiped the box away. Carrying the item, he felt the heavy weight. "Hey, this is heavy…"

"Hey!" Yugi cried out, his hands still holding two pieces of the puzzle. "Please give that back!"

"Hey, you're Yugi, right? That short stuff," the blond said. "How come you've got something like this? I bet you stole it from someone. Or are the rumors true? That you've got this rich friend. What's his name again?"

He was toying with the pieces inside with not a hint of interest, but there was still an irksome expression in his face. "Well, whatever. But short stuff, it's not good to be bragging about things you got from other people, eh?"

"Jounochi!"

The piece of the puzzle in Jounochi's hand disappeared. He turned around with a smirk. "Hey, Mazaki! Don't tell me you and this guy…"

"That's none of your business!" Anzu said angrily. She took the box and retrieved the puzzle pieces. The boys weren't interested in picking on a girl. "Go do something else, than killing your time playing with something stupid."

Jounochi grinned. "Oh, so you think this puzzle is stupid too!"

Both Yugi and Anzu reacted with surprise and Anzu stuttered. "I didn't say that!"

The two both snickered and went off. They did enough and wanted to see how the two would talk now. They've already built the awkwardness after all.

Anzu turned to Yugi. "Here you go, Yugi. You really shouldn't be taking the puzzle out, or bringing it to school."

Yugi smiled sheepishly. "Thanks, Anzu." Afterwards, Anzu smiled and left. Yugi's smiled disappeared. He looked at the puzzle's box. He sealed it and held it with his small hands. Did she really think the puzzle was stupid?

Later on, he came home alone and found that the shop was closed. His grandpa must be away. When he took his key and tried to unlock it, he was surprised upon realizing the door was open.

"Grandpa?"

Yugi gasped. The store was ransacked by a robber with cards, plastics, and boxes scattered on the floor. But then, a man wearing a white trench coat wouldn't be standing in front of him with a smile if that was the case.

Yugi blinked with wide eyes. "Seto-kun…!"

The man named Seto narrowed his eyes. His cold, stiff blue eyes gazed with an intimidating, kingly air at Yugi's purple pair of eyes. Yugi twitched under those gaze. As if satisfied, he spoke. "I came to pick up something."

Yugi looked at Seto's hands and saw a piece of card with a blue dragon's print on it. "That card!"

Seto smirked. With not a hint of hesitance, he tore this card in front of Yugi. "There goes the fourth Blue Eyes White Dragon."

"That card!" Yugi gasped, dropping to his knees. "Seto-kun!"

"Don't you dare call me by that name!" he spat.

"But that card!" Yugi's eyes were swelling with tears. "Grandpa gave it to me! It's a card that inherited friendship with another friend of his!"

"And it belonged to me now."

Yugi's eyes widened. His tears seemed to stop.

Seto's wicked smile grew larger. "I received a letter from three years ago, telling me to come here today so I can receive a card of friendship. I didn't really care what it was until that specific card was actually the Blue Eyes White Dragon."

It came to Yugi then just what letter it was. He lost his breath and his body was quaking shakily. "Then…why? Why did you tear it?" he demanded accusingly.

"I have no need for a card of 'friendship'. I only need cards of power."

"But the Blue Eyes White Dragon is the strongest monster in Duel Monster!"

Seto glared at Yugi. "Don't you think I know that? Don't you understand? I have no interest in the past, Motou!"

As if struck with a bullet, he froze. Seto strolled off with his trench coat billowing grandly. His shoes stepped on the different cards with no care and left the small shop.

Yugi clenched his fists. His hands reached the ground and his whole body bowed down. He controlled his raging tears, fighting with whatever he has left.


It wasn't fair.

He locked himself in a room. His mother knocked on his room, trying to ask what had happened. He only told her not to call the police, not to worry. It was a voice that was almost cheerful. His mother got angry, but his grandfather understood, especially with a torn card on the ground. He didn't know what happen, but it was something that should only concern this boy.

Yugi kept his mind occupied, trying to solve this puzzle. For eight years, he's been trying to solve this, as if this puzzle would also solve his life.

"It was said that this puzzle can grant your wish if you solve this." His grandpa told him. "Even if I did solve it, I don't think I deserve to wish for anything with my old age, so I want you to have it. It's lying at back collecting dust anyway."

Yugi's lamp lighted his desk. His fingers were grabbing and putting pieces together and away automatically while his eyes followed. When he made no better progress, Yugi scratched his head, frustrated. His spiky hair became messier like his upset face.

"Why am I still trying to solve you?" he asked the puzzle. "I…should have given you up! So what if I solve you? What's the point?"

He was angry for being so childish. And what an idea! His grandpa must have just told him that story since he was a kid. Of course, he's grandpa wouldn't say that the puzzle was so extremely difficult to solve that not even the world's smartest genius can do it!

He scratched his forehead furiously. Oh, this was just a joke! What a joke, Grandpa. What a joke!

Yugi jumped to his bed. All those years he could have done something else in his spare time, something he wanted! He looked at the puzzle angrily, bearing an anger that was slowly diminishing.

As the thoughts of his heart returned, he became guilty of his thoughts about his grandfather. His grandfather had taken so well of him. His mother had a cancer a year he was born, so his grandfather had to take care of him. His father was a businessman, so he could only support them financially from afar. His grandfather was happy to take care of him. Not once did he complain.

Yugi sat on his bed. Who was he kidding? There was nothing else he wanted but to play games. His life was a bore. There was nothing productive in him. He was happy playing games, but then…

"Grow up already, Yugi."

He stared at the floor.

Games have always been…

"I have no interest in the past, Motou!"

He then slumped to his bed, pulled the covers and closed his eyes. He fantasized of the times he was with Anzu with their grade school, playing board games with her. Yugi had always won, but Anzu dominated in sports games. In the arcades, Anzu was unaffected by the stench of boys around, as if only the two of them were around, playing. Then he fantasized of Seto and him in an intense chess match or spending sleepless nights in online gaming. In his fantasies, repeated fantasies of the past, he fell asleep, with tears flowing out of his eyes.

The next day, Yugi was searching for his math notebook in his bag. He didn't do any homework last night so he's about to do them in the last minute. As he searched his bag, he found a piece of the puzzle left along with the contents of his bag. He took it out and kept it in his pocket so it wouldn't get lost.

"…your sister, Jounochi?"

Yugi heard Honda's whispering voice. He turned around and saw Jounochi carefully pondering. He was obediently sat on his chair with his arms crossed. Anzu saw him looking at Jounochi and thought it to be dangerous starring at him while the boy was not in the mood.

"I have to talk to Yugi," she told her friends. She approached Yug and greeted him casually. "Hey, Yugi!"

Yugi looked at Anzu and was quite surprised to see her. "Good morning, Anzu!" he greeted cheerfully.

Anzu bent down close (since Yugi was small and seated). With the closeness of their faces, Yugi unconsciously blushed, pulling away.

"Yugi," she whispered. Yugi was still blushing. "You shouldn't look at Jounochi when he's like that."

Yugi's thought of how close they were disappeared. He blinked and turned, but Anzu scared him when she gripped on his shoulders and forced him to turn away.

"Shh!"

Yugi realized his mistake and nodded. "What's wrong with Jounochi-kun?"

"Well, they said his little sister needs to undergo an operation and they lack money. Well, that's not a surprise. I mean, operations are very expensive…"

"He has a sister?" he questioned. If he did, he would have seen her around the school, unless she was in the elementary. But to think a young child would have to undergo operation was not in his mind.

Anzu noticed a concern look on Yugi's face. She smiled, standing straight now. "Don't mind! It's not your problem. Though Jounochi or his sister doesn't deserve it, it's their problem."

Later at the dismissal of the class for their lunch, Yugi tried to look at Jounochi's face. He took in mind what Anzu said not to look at him straight when he's not in the mood. Throughout the class, he's been preoccupied with something in his mind. As he exited with Honda, Yugi followed them with haste.

When out of the door, Yugi watched their backs leave. To be honest, he thought Jounochi was very worried and if he, a guy like him, could be worried, then this must be quite distressing for him. Before he set off, Anzu noticed Yugi leaving. She knew he was up to something.

"Anzu, let's go!"

"Uh," she said, nodding. "Yugi…"

The two boys didn't let the person following them go unnoticed. As soon as the hallway was empty, they turned around and Yugi halted in his steps.

"What do you want?" Honda said. "We're not really in the mood to pick on you."

Jounochi glowered at Yugi. "Or are you going to take your revenge by showing around your precious puzzle?"

"My puzzle?" He then felt his pockets and at this moment, Jounochi thought he was right.

"What the hell, I didn't you know you were the type, you son—"

"No!" Yugi said defensively. "No, that's not why I'm here! I…"

Jounochi gritted his teeth. Even Honda felt that the limits were off. "Jounochi—"

"Don't stop me!"

Jounochi approached Yugi and grabbed him by his collar. "You make me damn sick, you bastard!"

Yugi choked. His hands were on Jounochi's curled fists. Even though this was the only thing he can do, he rid of one of his hand to grab something for his pocket. With a shaky arm, he raised this item. Not only was he choking, he was scared of the outcome if this turned out to be worse.

"Jou…Jounoc…chi-kun…"

Honda looked at Yugi and thought even he didn't deserve this. He knew Jounochi thought so, but he was just not in the mood. Honda grabbed one of his friends arms.

"Jounochi!"

"I said don't stop me!"

"Take it."

The two boys stopped in their argument. Jounochi's anger only flared at the sight of gold in Yugi's fingers. He tossed Yugi on the floor like an object.

"I don't need your puzzle or your sympathy, you rich bastard!" he growled.

Yugi, being small and as fragile as he looked, was battered. He choked and spat, trying to stand up weakly. Jounochi only became angrier at this sight while Honda persistently tried to calm his nerves.

Yugi looked up. He was scared, very scared, but he has to stand up. As Anzu said, he or his sister didn't deserve the situation he was in. At least he can help someone and do something.

"Take it," he repeated, raising the item. His shoulder was crying in pain as he raised his arm. He flinched. He didn't have very strong bones.

Jounochi's anger suddenly disappeared, but it didn't seem to have completely quelled. He kept his face from showing it.

Yugi realized it: Jounochi was now aloof again.

The tall, blonde boy approached him like a tower. He swiped the piece of the puzzle and stared down at Yugi's figure.

Yugi didn't know if he was going to be hit or not. When he saw Jounochi's glare, Yugi tried not to look away. By the way his eyes were squeezed tightly, he obviously failed.

"Yugi!"

Anzu arrived just in time. By the sight of things, she realized this and stood next to Yugi. She helped him up. "Are you okay, Yugi?"

"Tsk," Jounochi spat.

"Let's go, Jounochi," Honda told him quietly, putting a hand on his shoulder. Jounochi violently shrugged his shoulder, leaving.

Before following his friend, Honda confronted Yugi. Anzu glared at him.

"What? You've got something to say? Like, sorry?" Anzu said.

Honda ignored her. "Jounochi would appreciate it. He's not as bad as he looks, but when he's not in the mood, you shouldn't—"

"If that's not enough," Yugi said loudly for Jounochi to hear. Apparently, he was encouraged, or just stupid. "If that's not enough, then I'll give them all to you!"

Both Honda and Anzu froze, looking at Yugi ridiculously. In a flash, they glanced at Jounochi, who stopped on his tracks. He didn't turn around, which Yugi was disappointed, since he just managed to put the bravest face he could (it helps when two people are around to help you). At least Honda noticed this.

Jounochi hadn't ignored Yugi's words, but pretended not to have heard it. Both Anzu and Honda sighed in relief. Yugi later on joined. He felt a touch on his shoulder and looked up to Honda.

"You're stupider than him, you know that."

When Honda smiled, Yugi smiled too.


Chapter End
- Chapter 2: Other Yugi

Author's Notes:
Why did Kaiba go to school in the first place?