RN:It's a chapter 20 special! Who knew, right?

If you really wanted to, you could technically consider this chapter 18, but meh...

Look to the bottom for translations!

Disclaimer:

It's a special chapter. It doesn't need disclaimers.

Chapter 20 Special: A Charming Little Challenge

Tea.

An ancient tradition spanning hundreds of years.

Tea was a standard in all aspects of the Japanese lifestyle. Formally, it was a necessity in welcoming guests, one of the most iconic representations of Japanese culture.

A little closer to home, as Grandpa usually found it, tea was a luxury, a nice regular beverage to enjoy with meals or by itself on a late night after a long day. Although the drink wasn't addictive, it was a must-have with the elderly man, and it always comforted him to know that there were still a few dried leaves left in store.

One morning, Grandpa awoke at dawn, as he usually did. In all aspects, it seemed to be an ordinary, unremarkable, nothing-special-at-all school morning. But as the day would have it, this was quite the contrary.

October 4th. Grandpa's birthday.

The birthday began with the sneaky old geezer treating himself to being just a little lazy for once. He slept in after his alarm for about ten minutes, took his time getting out of bed, and didn't bother to undress from his sleeping clothes before he washed his face, brushed his teeth, and combed the springs out of his hair. As he did so, a little bit of excitement trickled through him that, were it a little later in the day, would have made him wiggle a little dance.

For this was a special occasion, and that meant a certain treat.

In the very back of the dustiest cabinet of the kitchen corner, there was a small and very old clay jar. In it, Grandpa kept a supply of a particular kind of Chinese oolong tea, the type of which could only be bought in two locations he knew of: a local tea store in Central Domino, which he often visited, and small, obscure shop on the far edge of the city. The taste was stronger and a little sweeter than most Japanese would like, but Grandpa absolutely loved it. Because he was one of the few customers to buy it, the shopkeeper (who was also his longtime friend) would usually provide him with a discount. Nevertheless, the tea was rare and a little expensive, and he would reserve the drink for special occasions just like this one.

Still in his night clothes, he crept into the kitchen and began to root through the back cabinets. It was a slow process; he was trying to be as quiet as he could so as not to wake his grandsons, which meant taking down each jar one at a time as gently as possible. Since many jars and other items had accumulated over the years, extracting the tea jar was taking longer than usual.

At one point Grandpa glanced out the window and saw the sky beginning to brighten, which meant Yugi and the Pharaoh would be awakening soon. He gave a small curse and temporarily abandoned his mission to set about making breakfast. He put pans on the stove and set the rice cooker to cook, and while they heated up, began hastily pulling ingredients from the cabinets and refrigerator. One small pot he put to boil in the corner of the stove; he would use this one for his tea. He had finished laying out the food on the dishes and was reaching back inside for the teapot and jar when Yugi and the Pharaoh finally entered the kitchen, both dressed for the day.

"Morning, Grandpa." Yugi was the first to greet his grandfather.

"Good morning, Grandpa," the Pharaoh echoed.

"Morning, Yugi, Isashi. Hurry up and eat, the food's fresh." Grandpa again pulled back from the cupboard and set the dishes on the table. The twins immediately started the motions of their morning routine. A month had passed since the Pharaoh became Isashi, and by now they were well-rehearsed. While the Pharaoh sat down to his plate of rice, vegetables, and ham, Yugi grabbed a piece of toast from the baking oven and set it gingerly in his mouth before sitting as well, where Grandpa had placed a glass of juice and some butter for the bread. Grandpa turned his attention back to the other bubbling cookers to prepare Yugi's obento. The three talked and joked about previous events, and caught each other up on updates and reminders for the rest of the week.

The conversation was casual enough, and Grandpa acted even more so, but inwardly he waited in anticipation for the inevitable moment when Yugi (and in this case, the Pharaoh as well) would throw up his hands declare, for all the world to hear, his well-wishes for a happy birthday and many more to come, as he had been doing ever since he learned to talk. The first time it had been a magnificent surprise to the elderly man, when Yugi had been just a tot and, immediately upon finding out it was Grandpa's birthday, ran straight into the kitchen and shouted "Happy Burfday!" loudly in his tiny voice. Now, the action was well-expected, and it had become more of a family tradition to act pleasantly surprised, though it was no less touching.

It seemed they were taking a bit longer than usual to cheer, something Grandpa did register as a little strange (usually Yugi would just shout it out as soon as he appeared in the kitchen doorway) but nonetheless acted as nonchalant as could be. By the time he completed Yugi's lunch, the teen had finished eating and was already putting his dishes away in the sink. He put on his uniform coat, gathered his school bag, and graciously accepted his lunchbox as he passed his grandfather. The Pharaoh, a little slower in eating, temporarily abandoned his meal to accompany Yugi to the front door, with Grandpa trailing behind. As the dawn's light leaked into the store room, painting the top shelves gold, Grandpa smiled brightly, still waiting patiently. The smile was beginning to falter, though, as the seconds ticked by and there was still no indication that Yugi or the Pharaoh were at all aware of what day it was.

Then, just like that, Yugi was out the door and the Pharaoh and Grandpa were waving Yugi good-bye and a hope for a good day at school. The door closed, only the Pharaoh and Grandpa were left, and still not a single "Happy Birthday!" had passed anyone's lips.

Needless to say, Grandpa was confused. And a little hurt. For a moment, he seriously wondered if he had perhaps counted the days too soon and his birthday was actually tomorrow, but no, as he passed the calendar on the wall, he saw quite plainly that this day was indeed October 4th, and most definitely his birthday.

Why, then, had Yugi said nothing?

The thought occupied him as he shuffled back into the kitchen, where the Pharaoh sat back down to his meal and Grandpa went to check on the last pot boiling his tea-water, which was just beginning to bubble. He finally removed the tea leaves jar and teapot from the cabinet and placed both on the counter with a sigh.

Perhaps Yugi had forgotten…Unlikely, as Yugi had never been one to miss such a detail, especially when it concerned his family. But then again, with all that had happened this year, perhaps his mind was so full of these strange occurrences that it had pushed away other…minor…details.

Depressing as it was to think this way, it made sense, and Grandpa allowed himself (though with a heavy heart) to accept it.

At least he still had his special tea. His heart fluttered just a little once again at the happy thought. He opened the tea leaves jar and reached inside…then froze when he pinched only air.

Suddenly Grandpa was very awake, and a little bit panicky. He patted all around the bottom, then held it up to the light and looked in when he still felt nothing. True to his fears, the brown ceramic jar was empty.

No, wait…there was something, a small shape along the edge of the bottom. Grandpa upended the jar and shook it. A small piece of folded paper fell into his open palm. Frowning, Grandpa unfolded it, and something fell from the middle. He caught it and peered closely at it, squinting in the low light.

It seemed to be a dried flower with sparse, purple petals and large leaves. It was unlike any flower he could remember seeing before. What on earth was it doing at the bottom of his tea jar?

There was a scent as well…Grandpa brought the flower close to his nose and sniffed it. He hummed in thought. This smell…it struck a very familiar chord…

A sharp hiss suddenly broke his attention, and he let out a small noise of alarm before rushing to move the pot of water, which was bubbling over and splashing against the hot stove. He poured the water away in the sink; there wasn't any more need for it, it seemed. His heart hammering with adrenaline, Grandpa let out a shaky sigh and leaned against the countertop, patting his chest and willing his heartbeat to slow.

"Are you all right, Grandpa?" The Pharaoh was suddenly beside him, taking his arm and supporting him back down to the dining table.

"Yes, I'm fine, Isashi, fine," Grandpa breathed. He patted the Pharaoh's arm and smiled at his concerned expression. "I keep forgetting how old I am sometimes. Didn't think a little shock like that could wear me out…"

"Perhaps you should rest," the Pharaoh suggested. "I can take over the shop for the day."

"Oh, stop it, I'm not that old," Grandpa grumbled. "Just give me a minute to breath, I'll be back on my feet in no time..."

He waved the Pharaoh away, who then went to put away his dishes and the cooking materials. Grandpa suddenly remembered he was still holding on to the flower and paper in his fist. He looked down at it again. The flower was a little squashed from being held so tightly, but still distinct in shape.

The paper was somewhat crumpled as well. A portion of it was folded back, and Grandpa noticed, for the first time, that there was writing on it.

This was getting stranger by the minute…Grandpa smoothed out the paper, and read:

Yes, your tea is not where it is supposed to be. But it's not lost forever; I have it. Solve my little challenge, and you will enjoy your reward. But hurry; When the clock hits 3, there will be none left to enjoy.

The first clue has been given to you. Come find me.

Grandpa sat back, stunned. What in the world...? Someone had taken his tea…He never believed this would happen. The location of his tea was not exactly hidden; several people had seen him take it down and put it back again. But hardly anyone liked it, and after all, no matter how much he loved the stuff, it was only tea.

The question then became why. It was a challenge, the note said; so who was challenging him? Why were they challenging him? And on his birthday, of all days!

He probably should have been more concerned about the theft, but he found himself unable to think about anything except what the note said. Nothing else mattered now; he wanted his tea, and according to the note, it seemed there was only one way to do it.

A little bit of a jump went through his chest. It took him a moment to realize he was getting excited about this. It had been many years since someone had challenged him to a game…

And the former Game Master never backed down from a challenge.

Grandpa brought the flower to his nose again and sniffed. He recognized the scent now…It was no surprise it took him a while to pinpoint; he hadn't visited that place in a while. But if he was correct, then there was a little trip he had to make.

"Isashi," he called, rising. "Come here. There are a few requests I need to make of you…"

"...Now, there's supposed to be a truck arriving with some games from Domi-No around noon. I left the list of what we're supposed to get from them on the counter, so you can verify when they get here. There's also a packet of new bills to be put in the register under the desk, and remember to separate the coins—"

"—And re-label the price tags and discount offers," the Pharaoh finished with a grin. "Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

Grandpa gave a smile of his own. "I have no doubt."

The Pharaoh went to stand behind the counter. "Where are you going, again?"

"Just Charming's tea store," Grandpa answered. "There's someone I need to talk to."

"All right. Will you be long?"

Grandpa thought a moment. "It's possible. Don't expect me to be arriving back any time soon; this might end up taking me on a little adventure."

The Pharaoh smirked. "Whatever it is, I'm sure you will be triumphant."

Grandpa laughed. "I appreciate the confidence, son!"

He put on his jacket and headed for the door to put on his shoes. As he slipped them on, the Pharaoh asked, "We're lowering the sugoroku to 4000 yen?"

Grandpa shrugged. "I'm feeling generous today."

He twisted around to see if he could catch some form of understanding of Grandpa's underlying meaning on the Pharaoh's expression, but to his disappointment, the Pharaoh merely nodded and ducked down to reach into the shelve underneath.

Grandpa sighed, and gave up. Oh, well…Maybe he'd just tell them both outright when Yugi got home…"All right, then, I'm off," Grandpa said, getting up. He waved one last cheery goody-bye to the Pharaoh and padded outside, heading towards downtown.

As soon as the door closed, and the shop fell quiet but for the rustle of money. But after a few seconds, the Pharaoh gave a casual look after where Grandpa had disappeared. When he was quite certain Grandpa was out of sight, he immediately abandoned the bills by the register and went to the shop phone. As he unhooked the receiver and dialed, he gave a small smirk and a light chuckle. Everything was going perfectly.

"Solomon! This is definitely a surprise!"

The greeting was rich and hearty, and matched well with the shopkeeper who uttered it. A hefty, middle-aged man with bulging muscles and a square jaw, the owner of the Charming store appeared out of place among the rickety, wooden shelves and narrow counter that made up his store. Even in his flower-patterned apron, which he seemed never to take off, upon first glance strangers would perceive a brutish thug. But if they took a second glance, they would see kindly, twinkling eyes that marked a friendly soul.

The shop, having been in Hojou family for three generations, had a beaten, weathered look to it (both inside and out) yet contrary to expectation the place was very popular. Most of the customers were on the elderly end of the age spectrum, but every now and then the shop saw young blood peering at the cluttered shelves. Today, however, hardly any people were about, and every single one of them jumped at Patrick's booming address.

Grandpa, in response, raised a hand with a weary smile. "Hello, Patrick. Not my usual time, I know, but this is a bit of an emergency, I'm afraid."

"Oh, you're always welcome any time, my old friend," Patrick returned warmly. As Grandpa approached the counter, however, he turned a stern eye. "And it doesn't have to be just when you're buying things, either! Any evening you're free, I'm happy to have a chat. I mean, how long has it been? Two months? Three?"

"Five, actually," Grandpa said with a sheepish grin.

"Five! You must have made a huge purchase last time, if it's taken you this long to come back to see me!" Patrick laughed loudly, then bent forward with a more friendly expression. "By the way, Happy Birthday! It is today, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is, thank you, my friend," Grandpa said gladly. "I'm happy you remember, at least..."

Patrick raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me I'm the first one to congratulate you! What about your grandson?"

Grandpa shook his head ."Believe it or not, I think he's forgotten..."

"No! There's no way Yugi would forget something like that!"

"Oh, it's no matter, honestly. Like it or not, I'm an old man, and birthdays don't really mean much these days," Grandpa chuckled.

Patrick's expression softened into sympathy. "So, what's made you brave the chilly weather all the way here this time?"

"Well, to be honest…." Grandpa held up the flower and the note. "I've got a question for you."

Before he could continue, Patrick twisted around and yelled to the hallway behind him, "Mei! I'm takin' a quick break! Can you come man the counter?"

A shout of affirmation, indiscernible to Grandpa, followed a second later, and Patrick gestured that they both move to the side. He shuffled around the many jars and stacks of herbs lying around the floor, then brought around a stool to sit on.

"Now," Patrick said, "what is it you wanted to ask me?"

Grandpa explained, as quickly as he could, how he was out of the oolong tea, how he had found the note, and how he had figured out the scent on the flower was the same unique blend of herbs he always smelled upon entering Patrick's Charming tea store. "I was hoping you could tell me what kind of flower this is," he finished, presenting the dried plant to Patrick.

Patrick received the flower with a surprisingly gentle grip, and brought it close to his face. "It looks like dried Monarda," he said after a minute.

"Monarda?"

"Ah, it's not seen in Japan. I've got a store of it in the back, but it's normally found in North America. I imported it a while ago; it's used in some teas. The Americans there call it bee balm."

"Bee balm?" Grandpa rolled the unfamiliar word around in his mouth.

"Yeah. Come to the store room, I'll show you."

Patrick led him behind the counter to a room in the back, which was (if possible) even more crowded with shelves and jars. Undaunted by what Grandpa thought was a mass of confusion, the shopkeeper strode directly to one of the upper shelves and begin rustling through it.

"It's around here somewhere," he muttered. "I could have sworn I left it somewhere around the front-eh? What's this?"

Instead of a jar, Patrick took down a piece of paper. As he scanned its contents, his expression grew grim.

When he finished, he handed the note to Grandpa. "I think we just found your next clue," he said seriously.

Grandpa read through it quickly. Excellent work. But this is only the beginning. This is not a clue for your prize, but you'd do well to pay attention. For the next clue, we're getting a little traditional. My minimum awaits.

Wait...Minimum?

Grandpa read back over the word, kyokushou. It was oddly placed, and he tilted the paper several ways, looking to see if there was perhaps some part he had missed.

"Awkward, isn't it, that part?" Patrick said. "What do you think he means by 'minimum'?"

Grandpa stroked his beard. "It does seem awkward," he said at last. "Maybe it's wrong. He could have meant gyokushou, the king's piece used by the challenger in shogi. That would explain the 'traditional' part."

"But why write it wrong?"

Grandpa shrugged. "It could just be a mistake. But there's no time to dwell over that now. I think I know where I need to go next."

Patrick placed a hand on his shoulder. "We need to go," he corrected. "I'm in. You might need a little assistance."

"I'd appreciate the company," Grandpa said truthfully.

Patrick nodded, and withdrew his hand. "MEI! I'm headin' out! Keep the store healthy till I get back, y'hear?" he shouted as he untied his apron.

He motioned for Grandpa to follow him. "Come on. We'll take my car."

Half an hour later, the pair were pulling into the lot next to Domino's only shogi park. It wasn't that big compared to some of the city's other parks, but it was a respectable size, and many shogi boards littered the grounds.

"How're we supposed to find the clue in all this?" Patrick muttered.

Grandpa looked along the ground, frowning. At one point, a squirrel ran across the ground in front of him, a nut half the size of its head crammed into its mouth. It froze as soon as it saw Grandpa, and for a minute the two just stared at each other. Then, recognizing that the old man wasn't going to be moving any time soon, it bounded forward once again, disappearing into a collection of shrubbery. Next to it, an unused shogi board waited for someone to claim it.

A thought struck him. "Patrick, where did you find the note?"

"Stuck to a jar of andromeda leaves."

Grandpa turned his puzzled (and somewhat pained) expression to his friend. "What in the world would you use those for?"

"I experiment sometimes. Occasionally I come across a new taste," Patrick replied defensively.

Grandpa raised his eyebrows, but merely said. "I think that was our second clue. There should be some andromeda growing around this park somewhere. Our best bet, I would guess, is to find a board next to some andromeda shrubs. I don't think there are too many around here, so it shouldn't take long..."

His insight proved correct not to long afterwards, on the third board they came across. All the boards they had previously seen were either occupied or clear of pieces, the latter usually put away in a drawer in the board. This board, however, was unattended, yet had all the pieces out and arranged, as if two players had simply gotten up and left in the middle of the game. When they checked in the drawer, they found another note.

My pieces are poised to win...unless you are clever enough to make a comeback. There is one piece you can use to turn the tables. On it, you will find your next clue. Hurry! Time is ticking.

Grandpa looked closely at the board. One side was certainly on the offensive, with the other king in check, and not many pieces of the other side was left. It certainly looked the end for the smaller side...unless...Yes. There was a pawn of the smaller side ready to be promoted. And if he did that...

Grandpa moved the piece. Checkmate.

He picked up the pawn and inspected it. Most of the pieces were worn and fading, with dull edges and scratches through the symbols. This piece, however, was practically new. The wood was a lighter shade of brown than any of the others, and its paint was bright and unmarked. Other than that, it didn't look like anything but a normal shogi pawn.

He turned it over. A small circle with the characters for 'hair' and 'paper'-both kami- in the middle was stamped onto the back, like a company signature. When he checked some of the other pieces, all of them were blank on the back.

Grandpa held the piece up to Patrick. "Look at this. None of the other pieces have it."

"Hmm. I feel like I've seen this symbol before," Patrick said slowly. "I can't think where, though..."

Grandpa tapped his fist in his palm. "I've got it. It's Yurina Ando's store, the paper shop on Go street. They use this stamp sometimes, I've seen it when I visited."

"Ando? That kindly old woman with the long hair in a braid?"

Grandpa looked up at him in surprise. "How do you know Yurina?"

"She's come to my shop a few times. She likes the sakura leaf tea."

Grandpa chuckled. "That's right, she does."

"The real question is, how do you know her?"

Grandpa waved dismissively. "Oh, we've been friends for a while now. I used to visit regularly for store-wrapping paper and origami for New Year's. I don't go that often now because I get tired more easily, but we still keep in touch."

He did a quick calculation off his fingers. "Actually, it will be nice to see her again. It's been about seven months since I visited her."

"Seven months! Well, at least I'm not the only friend you've been neglecting!" Patrick laughed loudly.

Grandpa scowled at him. "The store's halfway across the city! When you get to be 70, then you can tell me how easy it is to run five miles on your own two short legs!"

The city clock suddenly tolled in the distance. Grandpa checked his watch, then gasped. "Oh, no, it's already twelve! I've only got three more hours left!"

"Then let's not waste any more time!" Patrick took off down the park back to the car, only to stop when Grandpa, who had started to run after him, shouted out indignantly, "Wait! Short legs, remember?!"

Yurina Ando was a proper woman. Well-versed in polite language and courteous mannerisms, hardly anyone who knew her disrespected or disliked her. She was usually seen in a dark kimono wherever she went, whether it was out in public or in her own shop (which, like Grandpa Muto's, was also her home), but perhaps most recognizable about her was her long braid, which went all the way to the floor. In her youth, it had once been a rich, deep black, and many spoke praise of how it gleamed and cascaded down her back when let down. Now it was mostly silver, with only a few dark streaks now and then. Nevertheless, it was an iconic image of her, and soon became something of a mascot for her store as well.

As years went on and it became more of a bother to have such a long rope dragging down her head, she wore it more and more up in a bun. Today, however, she had decided to let it down in a ponytail, and the two men picked her out easily in the crowded shop.

"Hojou-kun, Mutou-kun, how nice to see you both again after so long." She greeted them kindly when they finally got her attention. "Although, Patrick, shouldn't you be working in your shop right now?"

"Mei's handling it, everything's fine. We don't get too many customers this time of year, so..."

Yurina pursed her lips. "Patrick, how can you leave her to manage things all alone like that?" she chided. "It's hardly polite to your wife!"

Patrick huffed. "Normally she complains about how much I always take over! I think I'm being more polite by handing over the shop to her!"

Yurina shook her head, then turned to Grandpa. "What brings you both to my humble shop today? Here to buy some wrapping paper, I assume?"

"No, I've still got a bit left over," Grandpa answered. "I don't wish to trouble you, but I've actually got a bit of a favor to request of you, if possible. It's a bit of a long story; perhaps you'd like to sit down."

Yurina smoothed out her kimono. "If that's the case, then why don't we discuss it over tea? You both look exhausted, and it's chilly out there."

At first, Grandpa thought to refuse. They were ticking down on time and he didn't know how many clues could be left. But she was right; he was rather tired after walking around all that time, and his old bones were starting to ache in the cold. So instead he answered, "That would be most appreciated, Yurina-chan."

"What about the shop?" Patrick asked, looking to the many people still crowding the area.

"My assistants can handle it for a while."

Patrick crossed his arms. "And she lectures me for leaving Mei alone," he muttered under his breath.

Fifteen minutes later, the three were seated in a guest room in the back of the building, the men warming their hands with cups of sakura tea and explaining all they had been doing for the past few hours. When they finished, Yurina looked horrified.

"What a terrible thing to do! Making you run around the city for all that time, and on your birthday, no less!" she exclaimed. Then she leaned forward, a happy smile gracing her mouth. "Happy birthday, by the way. I should have mentioned it from the start."

Grandpa blinked in surprise. He hadn't mentioned it was his birthday to her, and it was a pleasant surprise to find out she had kept track after all this time. He could only remember telling her the one time, a few years ago. "Thank you."

"Of course." She straightened and folded her hands neatly in her lap. "Have you any idea who gave you this challenge?"

"Now, you say you saw my seal stamped onto the back of this shogi piece. So what are you looking for now?"

"We...don't know," Grandpa admitted. "We were hoping you might have some idea of what to look for."

"Hmm...Well, unfortunately, I don't play many games, so I don't think we can look at another game for it. My daughter does, but since she got married she took most of the games with her, and I gave away the rest."

Patrick stroked his chin. "Well, then the only other option might be to search the whole shop."

"You'll do no such thing!" Yurina snapped, and Patrick flinched. "I know that tea's important to you, Solomon, and I know it's your birthday, but I'm certainly not about to let you upend my shop so that you can look for a clue for some game!"

Both men ducked their heads sheepishly. "You're right, it was rude of us to barge in like this and pull you away from your work for this," Grandpa said meekly.

A thought suddenly occurred to him. "But we might not have to look very far...Patrick, do you remember where we found the second clue?"

"On my shelf," Patrick said, nodding.

"And we went to look there because of the bee...what was it? Bee ball?"

"Bee balm."

"Right." Grandpa turned back to Yurina. "Where do you keep your seals? It could be the clue's hidden by the stamps, since the stamp was what led us to your shop in the first place."

Patrick's eyes widened in understanding. "Oh, right! Of course!"

"Oh, that would be by my desk," Yurina answered, in a much gentler tone (due in no small part to Grandpa's apology). "Come with me. You can leave your drinks there on the tray."

She rose, and the other two followed. At her desk, she pulled out a little drawer, wherein lay several seals and boxes of ink.

"Is there anything missing or out of the ordinary?" Grandpa asked.

Yurina searched through the contents. "No, it doesn't appear so," she said after a moment.

Grandpa felt his heart sink. "No? Are you sure?"

"Quite certain."

It had to have been there. It was the only place that made sense. Grandpa checked his watch. Already the time was nearing 1:00. Only two hours left...

Where could it be?

Distracted, his eyes wandered around the shop, looking for something, anything, that might lead them to the next clue. There were shelves and racks of paper, a desk, a bamboo tree in the corner, some beckoning cats, posters, and a couple of chairs.

Something was off...He looked back to the bamboo tree. Tied to one of the branches was a slip of bright red paper-a tanzaku.

"Yurina...did you put that paper on there?"

"Which one?" Yurina followed her gaze to where Grandpa was pointing. She tilted her head, puzzled. "Odd. I could have sworn I took all of those down after Tanabata. Strange that I missed one..."

Grandpa didn't need anymore confirmation. He strode over and untied the poetry paper, looking quickly at its contents. He looked up with a bright smile and held up the paper triumphantly to the other two. "This is it!"

"Really? Let me see," Patrick said, joining him. He read aloud over Grandpa's shoulder, "Nice spotting. Don't lose this! You'll need it. You're very close now; only one clue awaits. Find it and claim your prize Only then will you have come full circle."

Patrick searched around the rest of the bamboo tree, but could see nothing else out of place. "I don't get it. Where's the next clue?"

"I think this is it," Grandpa replied. "And I know where I need to go next."

"You do? Where?"

"My shop. You see? The clue tells me I'll have come 'full circle'. That means I have to go back to where this all started."

Patrick signed. "If you were going to end up there all along, why leave in the first place? Honestly, I can't see the point in making you run all around like this."

"Let's not think about that now. There's not much time left; if we hurry, we can make it there in twenty minutes."

Patrick checked the clock on the wall. "Twenty minutes...Hopefully that's all it takes. I honestly didn't expect to be out here this long..."

"You can just drop me off and go back to your shop. I've really appreciated everything you've done so far. But you probably shouldn't be keeping Mei waiting any longer."

"All right. I'm sorry to be leaving you behind like this..."

Grandpa shook his head. "I'm glad of your company And you can't deny this was fun."

Patrick's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Oh, undoubtedly."

Grandpa went back to Yurina, and bowed deeply. "Thank you for all your help, Yurina. I'm sorry to have bothered you so much."

"Oh, stop it, really. To be honest, it was a little exciting." Yurina giggled, then cleared her throat and went back to her usual courteous demeanor. "Please come again soon. It really was nice to see you again."

"Yes, you as well."

He went to the door, and Patrick followed. "One clue left. Hopefully it's what I think it is."

When he arrived back at the Game shop, Grandpa waved good-bye to Patrick, then entered. To his surprise, the shop was empty and dark, and the Pharaoh was nowhere to be seen. He looked at the clock; 1:30. The shop closed at 5 on the weekdays...so where was everybody?

He could find that out later. First he had to find the last clue. He went straight for the kitchen, which was also devoid of light.

But there, he could see quite plainly, in the center of the table, was a plastic bag. His spirits lifting, Grandpa rushed for it and opened it up.

Yes! There it was! It was his beloved tea, fresh and dry as the day he first got it. Grandpa chuckled triumphantly. I've won! he thought.

Until something fluttered to the table. Grandpa looked, and saw one last piece of folded paper. His brow creasing, he set down the bag of tea and reached for it. Perhaps now he would finally find out who the cause of this entire shenanigan was...

Congratulations, you reached your prize. But don't be so quick to take it. An even more rewarding experience awaits you; all you have to do is solve one last puzzle. You've got your tea, but what led you to it? Everything has a beginning part, every part an important piece, and every piece a name. Trace back through your steps, and you'll find out the answer behind your charming little adventure.

It was a riddle, he could tell. He began to murmur aloud, going back over each sentence. "Every piece has a name...a name...name of the piece? 'Trace back through your steps'..."

He looked at the tanzaku. The clue had said he would need this...

Of course! The clues were the pieces. And if he named them...

"Ocha," he said, counting. "Tanzaku. Shogi. Bee balm."

He was quite certain they had to be in that order, if he 'traced back his steps'. He glanced back at the riddle. "Everything has a beginning..." he repeated. Beginning...beginning...beginning of what?

"Of the parts, of the pieces...Of the name!" He ran through the words again, this time speaking only the first letter of each. "O. Tan. Sho. Bi."

"Otanshobi?" Well, that was simply gibberish. But he was sure he was on the right track...

A memory struck him, and he dug his hand into his pocket, pulling out the note they had found at Patrick's shop. Why had the challenger written kyokusho? With the tenten, the word would have been written correctly. At the time, he had thought it a mistake. But what if it were deliberate?

"Missing a tenten...something is missing a tenten..." He went back over the word 'otanshobi'. Only two letters could receive a tenten: the ta and the sho. If he put the tenten on the ta, he'd get odanshobi.

Well, that made even less sense. Only one other option, then. If he put the tenten on the sho, the word became...

"Otanjobi?" he murmured aloud.

"OMEDETOU!"

Suddenly the lights were clicked on, and a stampede of noise hit his ears. Before he knew it, there were people, lots of people, all around him, all throwing streamers, clapping their hands, and wishing him Happy Birthday.

For an instant, he thought he was under attack.

But then he started to recognize some of the faces. There was Otogi, looking very strange in a party hat; Serenity, jumping in place and looking very excited; Bakura, standing politely to the side and smiling; and-

"Yugi?" Grandpa gaped. He wasn't supposed to be here! But sure enough, both his grandsons stood in the center directly in front of him, holding a cake between them. He looked through the crowd, calling out some more names. "Joey? Tristan? Téa?"

There were a lot of people who weren't supposed to be here.

He just stared, speechless, as the noise finally began to die down. When all was quiet, Téa exclaimed, "Well, say something!"

"What...how...Why aren't you all in school?"

Several people laughed. The Pharaoh smirked knowingly. "It's Saturday, Grandpa."

"Ehh? No, it's not! I checked the calendar-"

"That was my idea. We switched calendars with last year's," Tristan said, while Yugi stifled his laughter behind his hand.

"I've come to realize there's not a lot you notice in the early mornings," Yugi explained, when he finally calmed down enough to speak. "We figured you wouldn't pay that much attention to things like the actual date, so we switched the calendar last night."

"Wait, so you're behind all this?"

"All of us!" Yugi beamed. "Now make a wish! The candle's melting."

Grandpa didn't move. Instead, he folded his arms and put on a stern glare. "You made me run around the city for four hours?"

Yugi's smile faltered, and many others scratched their heads uncomfortably. "Uhh...well..."

"And you're the reason Mei had to handle the shop on her own, and Yurina-chan had to take time off her work to listen to me and Patrick talk about how we might possibly have to end up searching her whole shop, just to find a clue for a game?"

Yugi was blushing now; even the Pharaoh looked a little abashed. "Well, when you put it that way..."

An awkward silence prickled on for several more seconds. Some people were struggling not to laugh; others looked guilty.

Then Grandpa laughed uproariously. "What a brilliant plan! I haven't had that much fun in years!"

Several sighs of relief echoed harmoniously, followed by cheering and clapping. And now Grandpa joined in, stepping forward to pat both his grandsons on the shoulder and tell them how proud he was of them for coming up with such an elaborate strategy. Everyone crowded around the table, and Yugi placed the cake right in front of him. The single candle, in the shape of a 70, was out in one blow, which resulted in even more cheering and clapping. Then Grandpa went around to each and every person, welcoming and thanking them, and demanding a full explanation. He laughed even more when he found out that Mei and Yurina's daughter were in on it as well.

"Mei hid the bee balm and the note," Yugi said. "We hid the tea, and Yurina's daughter tied the tanzakui to the bamboo when she visited the shop two days ago. I think Bakura was the one to set up the shogi game..."

"I wrote the clues," Joey interjected smugly. "What'ja think, Gramps? Were ya intimidated?"

"Intimidated? No, of course not. Why would I have been?"

Joey slumped, looking disappointed. "Aw, man. I really tried to sound like a villain an' everything..."

"Yes, and that's exactly why we hesitated in letting you do them in the first place," Téa said matter-of-factly.

Yugi chuckled, then sobered up as he sat by his grandfather. "Sorry we never said 'Happy Birthday' when we first saw you, Grandpa," he said guiltily. "We wanted save it for the very end, but I still felt bad..."

"Oh, don't, this more than made up for it," Grandpa said fondly, ruffling his hair. "Besides, you still have time. My birthday's not over yet."

Yugi brightened, then stood. "Okay, everyone!" he called. "Let's do it together! All of us, wishing Grandpa Happy Birthday!"

Before Grandpa's amused gaze, everyone lined up shoulder to shoulder. "On three," Yugi said loudly. "One, two..."

Everyone threw up their hands.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRANDPA!"

Well, that was fun! I'm really glad I managed to finish this on time. I'd originally planned this for the real chapter 20, since there are a few other chapters that take place chronologically before this, but then while I was browsing through random Yu-Gi-Oh! facts, I came across one that said Grandpa Muto's birthday was October 4th. Since the real date was coming up, I figured I'd do something special for the technical chapter 20. And why not? 20 is the coming of age year in Japan; so, technically, this story's an adult! Yaaaaaaaaaay!

This was great for me, because it let me practice writing OC's. I think I did pretty well; I honestly have no idea if I'll do anything with Mei, Patrick, or Yurina in the future, but at least I'll have them in my pocket for the future.

I hope I didn't make this too complicated or confusing; I wanted to make a real puzzle, and that's not as easy as it sounds. Did you figure out the clues before Grandpa did? If so, then you're really good, because I don't think I could have.

Translations for Japanese words:

Bee balm: Katakana-ized, it would probably be pronounced bi-bamu (ビーバム)

shougi: An old Japanese strategy game, similar to Western chess

tanzaku: Japanese poetry paper, usually tied to bamboo stalks on Tanabata

ocha: tea

kami: depending on the character, it can mean hair, God, or paper.

otanjoubi: birthday

In Japanese, the Charming tea store would be written as Cha-mingu, with the cha written as the character for tea.

As always, please leave a review. Tell me if you thought I went too fast, or too slow, or too cheesy, or too difficult, or even too awesome. I'm still trying to get to my quota of 100 reviews, but don't let that pressure you. Reviews should be for those who want to say something. And if you want to say something, that's great! Say it loud!

You all have been fantastic so far, being so patient with me. I know it took me a long time to get the new chapter out, but it is the start of school year. Everyone's really busy around this time. Thanks so much to my readers for keeping up with me. Y'all are great!