(Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh, nor do I own Rent. I wish I did. But I don't.)

(Lyrics: "Seasons of Love" from the musical Rent. I don't own that either)

Chapter One: Spring

Spring. A time of discovery. The world is set into motion once again, after a long, dull winter. Life is born and reborn again. No matter what, spring always arrives. Animals always awake from their slumber, and flowers always bloom. But with every passing year, spring brings something new into our lives. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worst; sometimes we can't differ from the two. Changes are bound to happen, sure as the seasons, simply a part of life. No year is ever the same as the one before.

Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Six Hundred Minutes
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Moments so dear
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Six Hundred Minutes
How Do You Measure - Measure A Year?

Tea Gardner sat at her desk, fiddling with her hair, pondering. She had lost her concentration in class, as her mind found something better to focus on. She wasn't usually this light-headed, but something has been on her mind, poking her and pestering her. Everything she thought she knew has been turned upside down. Someone she thought she knew was someone else entirely. There was something, or someone, new in her life.

At first she thought he was a part of her imagination, or a hallucination of some sort. But she knew he was real. She remembered his voice when she was held hostage at her job: strong, forceful, but somehow, smooth as silk. He sounded so calm, so sure of himself. But when her blindfolds were taken off, only Yugi was standing in front of her. Small, awkward Yugi, who always needed someone else to fight his battles. Her savior couldn't have been him.

In Daylights - In Sunsets
In Midnights - In Cups Of Coffee
In Inches - In Miles
In Laughter - In Strife

Yet, the only times she actually got to see her savior were through a haze, almost as if in a dream. She never got to talk to him, thank him. She didn't even know him name. But he kept appearing to save the day. Once, when she was knocked out by a boy who was supposed to read her future, she could have sworn it was the same man who saved her. She was unconscious for the majority of the time, but she did remember him holding her and carrying her. Still waking up from her drug-induced trauma, she couldn't see his face. Only a rough outline, his shadow, a silver chain hanging down from his neck. It wasn't until later, fully recovered, and alone, that she did recognize him. The spiky hair, that no one else had, and the golden pyramid that hung from his neck. Her 'guardian angel' looked exactly like Yugi.

But it couldn't have been Yugi who kept saving her, she kept telling herself. The next day, Yugi acted as if nothing ever happened. It was the same bashful, shy Yugi as always. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't picture Yugi being her rescuer, or having the ability to change his personality so drastically. Besides, she was twice her size: he couldn't have carried her to safety that night.

In - Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Six Hundred Minutes
How Do You Measure
A Year In The Life?

But as the days passed, more and more miracles seemed to occur. Someone kept showing up exactly at the right time, always ready to save the day. After several occasions, Tea seemed to have found a pattern in the strange mans ways. He always showed up when one of Yugi's friends were in danger. She also decided the savior must be a part of Yugi, a sort of avenging angel, or spirit. For someone who usually takes such ideas very skeptically, she accepted this fact strangely well. Everything seemed to have happened hen Yugi finished that puzzle his grandfather gave him, and started carrying it around everywhere. She seemed to have found herself in more and more life-or-death situations as days passed by, as she continued to survive and get saved. And Yugi managed to disappear just in time for her angel to appear.

Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Six Hundred Minutes
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Journeys To Plan

And so, here she sat, befuddled. Tea had tried to get him alone, to figure who-or what-he was. But when everything was at peace, he was never there. She once had the bright idea to let herself get in trouble, and in the process, get saved by the strange man, but that had ended disastrously. She wasn't going to be stupid enough to try that again. But she didn't know what else she could do. Even Yugi didn't seem to know that this person was him, or was living in him, and remained ignorant, and everyone else didn't seem to care. But Tea had to know. She had to keep trying to find more about him.

For the first time, she thought about why she was trying so hard. She could have as easily let the situation slide, and let everything be. But something inside her was driving her to learn more about this avenging angel. Was it her own curiosity that wouldn't let her rest? Or was it something more? By how hot her face felt, however, she determined it was the latter. She couldn't believe she has a crush on someone she didn't even know was human. But she couldn't help it. His voice, his arms wrapped around her body. His strong velvet eyes she only got a glace of, but captivated her all the same.

Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Six Hundred Minutes

How Do You Measure The Life
Of A Woman Or A Man?

She wanted to know. She wanted to know who he was. Whenever she thought of him…

She left like she was in elementary school again, a time when just a sight of a good-looking boy made her blush, as her friends giggled in unison. But she was supposed to be more mature now, more realistic. But then why did she always feel dizzy when she thought about him? Why did she hide her face in her arms to stop the others from seeing her blush? She was acting childish, as well as foolish. The only cure was to find out who he was. So at least she would know…

In Truth That She Learned
Or In Times That He Cried
In Bridges He Burned
Or The Way That She Died

"Tea? Are you alright?"

If there ever was a time she was sure she could have died from heart failure, it was those few seconds when she woke up from her fantasies, and was plummeted back into the real world by just four, simple words. Tea looked around her frantically. The bell had supposedly rung, since the class room now was empty, apart from her. Her and Yugi. Except it wasn't Yugi. It was him. It was her angel.

He continued to look down at her, a concerned look on his face. "Your face is red. Are you sick?"

Shock forced Tea into udder silence, as a thousand questions swirled in her head. But she didn't know what to say. She felt herself nod her head, as he returned the gesture with a confirming nod, and started to walk away. She couldn't help but be shocked by the situation at hand. Tea had never seen him emerge for something as small and insignificant as a blush before. She also realized this was the first time he was made direct contact with her, actually speaking to her. She cursed herself for her stupidity, and reacted quickly. She couldn't let this opportunity go to waste.

It's Time Now - To Sing Out
Though The Story Never Ends
Let's Celebrate
Remember A Year In The Life Of Friends

"Wait!" Tea had enough time to catch up to him before he left her sight. She was actually afraid that he would disappear into thin air if she didn't stop him first. But he did stop walking, and looked at her curiously. Tea's heard clambered, as for the first time, Tea saw him as a human being. Not a savior, not an angel, just a human, who was worried about Tea. He really did have feelings. And he was solid, to boot.

Tea didn't know were to begin. So many questions, so little time. She looked at him eagerly, hoping he would introduce himself, or at least explain some of the mania that was going on. But he only stood there, waiting.

Tea decided to push her questions, and her shyness, aside at the moment, as she took a big breath, and said, "Do you want to get some coffee, Yugi? There's a good place I found downtown." With her usually cheery disposition. She realized she called him Yugi instinctively. A mistake she hoped to render when she finally got to talk to this 'Other Yugi'

The man seemed to consider this for a minute, as Tea was once again feared he would conveniently disappear. He couldn't leave now, not when she was so close! But, to her relief, him mouth unfurled from its usually stern line, and a hint of a smile appeared on his usually stern face.

"Yes, I think I'd like that."

How About Love?
How About Love?
How About Love?
Measure In Love

Seasons of Love.

(Authors Note: I'm sorry for the crappyness of this first chapter. The story is going to get a lot deeper, and darker, and I realized I needed a sort of introduction to the TeaxAtem relationship, so this is my rocky solution.)