Yami wished he could have done something to comfort his dear Yugi; perhaps hugging him tight in his arms. Sadly, he couldn't since he was just a spirit and not a mortal. The only way in which he could support him was morally and it was worthless at that moment...

Feeling useless just drove him crazy... He remembered the time when he lived.

I wish I could still be alive... There is so much I haven't had time do to... He shook his head. I have to stop being selfish, thinking about my past! I must help him for now. He waited patiently, attentive to what the young one had to say.

"I'm sure I did something wrong! That's why she left! I'm such a loser... I never do anything right."

"Yugi..."

Yami's voice was softer than ever. He even surprised himself. He realized that Yugi could really melt his tough side in times like this.

"You didn't do anything wrong, trust me. She just got scared, like you did."

Yugi frowned; Yami had felt his fear all along but waited that moment to blurt it out.

"Stop wondering! Enjoy what has just happened to you, the reasons why she did that will come to you later."

Yugi agreed with him. After all, following Yami's wise adivce was always rewarded.

The dark spirit breath a sigh of relief as he witnessed the boy's thoughts change from guilt to happiness. After all, it had been his first kiss. Yami was glad that Yugi had finally experimented that but, somehow, deep down, he felt sad. Why? Even himself wasn't sure. Maybe because he knew that this was just one more step leading Yugi to majority and he dreaded that when he turned 18, the lad would find better stuff to do than conversing with a spirit trapped in a reversed pyramid... or was it something else?

The usual bell marking the end of the break soon turned the loud chattering to quietness in a magic-like way. Yugi walked slowly to his class. Since his pace was simular to a turtle's, Yami took over his body to, once more, avoid him trouble.

"Thank you, you always do so much for me. I really appreciate it." The voice echoed in his soul room then Millenium Puzzle and, finally, in Yami's mind, as it would in a deep cave...

He nodded and slightly blushed at the innocent soul's comment then he casually entered the classroom and took a seat.

"Hey Yug! Are you ok? You seem a bit weird." Asked Joey patting his best friend's back.

"Perfectly, Joey." He winked.

The bell rang for a second time. This was the official beginning of the class.

* * *

That last course of the morning went fine; mostly because Yami was in command. At lunchtime, upon Yugi's request, they switched places.

After getting adjusted in his flesh once more, Yugi went to eat with Joey and Tristan as usual. Bakura and Tea joined them, soon followed by Seto Kaiba, the millionaire owner of Kaiba Corp. Yugi and him had once been rivals. Now Kaiba could get alon just fine with the gang. They were more or less friends...

During all of the lunch, Tea avoided talking to Yugi or even looking at him. She pretended she was busy with her homework. He didn't insist...

Yami took over for the rest of the day until the last minute of the last period. Then, they switched once more. When he got in the school bus, he noticed Tea sitting in a seat, her schoolbag next to herself. This simply proved she wanted to be left alone. Yugi shrugged in confusion and sat down far away from her, as if she was a stranger to him. He got to his house, alone, as fast as he could.

"Hi Yugi!"

"Hi grandpa..."

He walked to his room and shut the door. The old man understood that his grandson wanted to be left alone and he respected his choice.

Yugi lied down on his bed. He stared blankly at the ceiling for several minutes, silently before beginning to speak to Yami once more.

They remained there for a long time, trying to elucidate the mystery. Neither him or Yami could find a proper answer to the depressing riddle.

The phone rang...

Yugi turned his head towards it. It seemed to him like the time had slowed down.

It rang again.

He sat down on his bed and reached out to grab it.

"Hello..?" His voice was cold. Anybody who knew him well would have noticed something was wrong...

___________

Who could be on the phone? What is happening to Tea, Yugi's childhood friend? Find out in the next part. Tell me if you like this story, so far.