I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Mana woke up with the sun rays once again disrupting her in her sleep. The lace curtains weren't much of a help to keep them away from her face. She felt sore all over from sleeping in a weird position and sitting up made her back and neck hurt. Lazily she sat up and looked around.

Oh yeah, I slept the second I came here.

She yawned loudly and slid off the bed. There was a mirror on the door of the wardrobe, and Mana saw her reflection; eyes puffy, hair messy, and clothes crinkled. The clothes, that she wore yesterday. She groaned and grabbed the suitcase that had her clothes. She changed into a short-sleeved shirt and a skirt that passed her knees by an inch. Tying her hair into a loose ponytail, she looked around the room. As she expected, there was a white door, opening up to a bathroom. She washed her face and smiled. Today would be the day she would meet Gramps' family. She wanted to look adequate and not disappoint him for inviting her to his house.

Before she left her room, she checked what time it was from her phone. It was still early hours of the day, and there was no noise suggesting that the house folk was awake. I must have slept earlier than everybody else, Mana thought and slowly opened her bedroom door. Still, silence. With slow steps, she walked out, from her bedroom, from the hallway to the staircase. She could see downstairs from where she stood.

Suddenly, someone walked out of one of the rooms downstairs and started to walk up the stairs. Mana panicked for no rational reason and turned around to hide in her room. To not alert the person she quickly tiptoed back to her room. Open the door, slide inside discreetly, close the door behind you silently. Just before Mana could have a sigh of relief, however, she realized that she wasn't in her room. This room was much bigger, and there were signs that it belonged to someone already. The undone bed, cluttered desk, clothes that were thrown over a chair-

The door opened behind her and she turned around to see a young man standing in the doorway, just as much as confused as she was.

He has to be Gramps' grandson. With those eyes and that hair, no doubt.

He opened his mouth to say something, but Mana was quicker. She held her hands up in a defensive way.

"I can explain." Again, he was going to say something but... "I was standing outside and looking downstairs but then someone showed up, which I now think is you, and I kind of panicked, I don't know why, and I ran to my room to hide."

"Why-"

"Then I realized I wasn't in my room. I'm not surprised because I knew it would take me a long time to memorize all the rooms, and it's only my first day here, and I think my room is on the other hallway."

"I-"

"I'm Mana by the way." Mana said with chirpiness in her voice, holding her hand out for him to shake.

He made a face that seemed like he just understood something, then grinned. "So you're Mana?" He took her hand. "Yes, yes. You're definitely Mana."

"What does that suppose to mean?"

He walked into the room, setting the glass of water he had in his hand and then turned to her. "My grandfather told us that you would come visit us. You were already asleep when we came back home yesterday so we couldn't meet. But he talks a lot about his 'grandchildren that live abroad', and you act like how I pictured this 'Mana' girl."

"I'll take that as a compliment." She stopped and looked around before remembering she was still an intruder in his room. "I'll just... leave now. See you at breakfast!"

Mana quickly left the room without bothering to look at him (and not seeing that he had his hand up to maybe ask for her to stay) and sprinted to her own. She would stay inside for the rest of the morning. Instead, she decided to settle in. One by one, she filled the wardrobe with her clothes, and she put the suitcases at the empty space that left. She put the books on the desk, the study books to the right, the reading books to the left. And her diary, into the drawer of the bedside table. Lastly, she put her toothbrush into a clean cup and put it over the sink in her bathroom.

The room didn't look much like a guest room anymore with her stuff everywhere.

Someone knocked on her door, and she yelled "Come in!"

Joey opened the door, with a younger girl standing next to him. She was shorter and had long, ginger hair. "I thought you'd be awake, you crashed so early."

"Yeah, I was half asleep when you guys brought me here."

Joey smiled, and put his hand on the girl's back. "So Mana, this here is my sister Serenity." The girl waved and showed Mana a big smile. "If you can't find me to help you out, she's the next best choice."

Mana shared her smiled. "Got it."

"Anyway, we came to tell you that breakfast is ready if you're hungry."

And Mana was hungry.

She followed the siblings to the dining room, which she knew she will not be able to find herself, and saw Solomon sitting at the head of the table.

"Come, Mana. Sit here." he gestured the seat to his left, and Mana obeyed. She didn't know if the family members had spesific seating arrangements so she would do as she was told. "Did you get a good sleep?"

Mana's whole body was sore from sleeping like she did, but that was irrelevant. "Yup, I slept like a baby."

Joey sat at the other side of the table, the seat next to that was directly in front of her, leaving an empty seat for someone. Mana was about to ask why, before the young man she met an hour ago walked in, and sat next to her, as his eyes focused on her. Then he smiled.

But when he smiled, he just looked different. Mana remembered him looking a little more... His cheeks weren't as chubby as they are now. Or maybe I'm just being weird. But his voice is softer too.

"You must be Mana. I'm Yugi. We couldn't greet you last night, sorry for that."

Mana looked at him, confused. "But we just-"

"Good morning." said another young man, and this time it was a voice she recognized. He sat at the empty seat in front of her, the one Joey had left and nodded at her. "I see Yugi is here. Just so you'll know Mana, we met. You don't have any seeing problems, and you didn't lose it either. It happens sometimes. You met me. And that's Yugi."

"Oh, right. You're right, it is confusing. I was like 'We just met and he's introducing himself to me again'. It was weird, thanks."

Solomon laughed, then patted his grandson on the back. "These two would always play tricks on people when they were younger. Apparently they're still at it."

"Old habits die hard, Gramps." said Yugi chuckling.

"Did you get the chance to meet everyone?" Solomon asked Mana, and she nodded.

"I think." There was Joey, Serenity, Yugi and the guy she met.

The guy she met?

Silly Mana. "Actually, I don't think you told me your name." she told him. He had an amused expression on his face that made Mana's heart skip a beat.

"Atem." he said.

A name that she liked, a name that would soon be one of her weakest points, a name that she would find herself saying and thinking about it over and over again.

She just didn't know it yet.

"Well, it's nice to meet you."

Their eyes locked.

"You too."

Their father was the last one coming. When they started eating, Mana was asked a lot of questions, since she was someone dear to Solomon that they have never seen before. She talked about her brother Mahad, whom they also have heard about. She talked about her studies, and how she much she was interested in history just like her brother. Their yearning for the past was the result of living with an archeologist when they were younger.

"Well, we're honored to guest such a smart, lovely lady like yourself Mana." said Aknam, "I hope you'll enjoy your time here."

"I know I will." responded Mana, her gaze slid to Atem and caught him watching her.

She would.

️

With her plate in her hand, Mana walked to the kitchen. A place where she never would have found if she hadn't followed the maids who were cleaning the table. She found Serenity washing the dishes, a sight she wasn't expecting.

"Serenity?"

The girl turned around, and smiled softly. "Mana."

"What are you doing?" Mana hadn't thought that she was a maid. Then again, they had uniforms. Serenity was in her own clothes.

"Um... washing the dishes?"

"No, I mean... please don't get me wrong. I didn't realize you guys were working here."

Serenity's smile was still warm and inviting. She set the sponge aside, then washed her hands. "We don't. Long time ago our parents worked here though. They passed away when Joey and I were very little, and since they were trusted by the Muto's, they adopted us. They're very good people Mana. I'm glad my parents worked here."

"Yes, I know that. Gramps is the head of the house, I wasn't expecting any less. But, why are you... doing this? There are people paid to these kinds of things."

It wasn't as if Mana was rich herself. She and Mahad lived in a comfortable house that was left from their parents but they didn't have any maids. The cooking and the cleaning was their job and Mana was used to doing chores herself. However, this was not Serenity's house, nor they needed her assistance.

"Because it's the least I can do. These people raised us like their own, not expecting anything in return. I can't take their generosity for granted. I can't just sit around and live a rich life when it wasn't mine in the first place. They gave us a home, and did not spare one thing. And I have to start giving it back somehow."

Joey is probably like that too, Mana thought. He had been eager to help. "I don't think they're waiting for you to return anything."

"They don't, and that's why it's important that I do so."

Mana watched Serenity as she continued to clean another plate.

She's so pure.

Mana rolled up her sleeves and grabbed the rag to dry the wet plate Serenity just cleaned. "I'll help you."

Serenity washed, Mana dried and put it to its place. As they worked in silence, Mana thought about how Joey had introduced himself as 'Wheeler'. It was their last names before they were adopted, probably. Losing your parents was hard, Mana knew that, having experienced it not so long ago. But losing your family name must have been hard too. She didn't blame them for using their real names. They were Muto's legally, but Wheeler's at heart.

Mana was growing accustomed to the new people around her much quicker than she thought she would.

Another chapter finished! Ooh, you have no idea about the real drama of this story though, we didn't even start. Hopefully next chapter.

Anyways, let me know what you think and stay sweet!

xo