Keira: You guys!

Ami: And now we're here to bring you...

Keira: IT'S HERE!

Ami: *looks at hikari* You know that's pointless to say because only people from Wattpad really knows you were planning this...

Keira: I DON'T CARE IT'S HERE!

Full Summary:

"When you look up at the stars, what do you see?"

The older boy glanced up at the night sky and responded casually, "I see many small lights that light up the darkness."

"That's true, but do you know what they remind me of? When I look at a clear and starry sky like this, it makes me think on precious memories I have. Though they might be scattered and hard to remember sometimes, they're still there. They still happened."

Yami and Yugi were close childhood friends in a little town called Domino. They made a promise, one that went unfulfilled due to tragedy. Yami lost his mom, and for Yugi . . . Yugi was in a fatal accident that resulted in a head injury that caused a rare side effect of selective amnesia. Years later when Yami returns to Domino as a delinquent and no light in his life, he encounters Yugi at school. When Yami remembers him as the boy he spent his childhood with, he feels happier than he ever has. But when Yugi can't remember Yami, and Yami learns of Yugi's condition, Yami will do anything and everything to get Yugi to remember the bond they shared . . . and the promise they made.
But what if making Yugi remember the good things, also makes him remember the bad things?

Yaoi (boyxboy, don't like don't read), Romance, Friendship, Tragedy, Hurt/Comfort, Dark Themes, Cursing .:Puzzleshipping:.

Ami: And lastly, feels. Like, the authoress was inspired by Clannad (and Afterstory) AND Anohana when writing this...

Keira: The muse hurts ;_; This should just be a short-story, but the chapters will be kind of short so it may look long... Anyway, hope you enjoy reading!

[DISCLAIMER] We don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

. * .

Memory (1.0) Familiarity

"You remember where to meet, right?"

"Yeah! Our secret base — it'll always be our meeting place!"

"I'll see you then..."

.

The fingers stilled after closing the book, and the cherubic boy's face was downcast in emotion as he remembered.

Why do I always randomly remember that time? The tri-colored-haired teen shook his head. There was no use in thinking about the past, but there it was, randomly coming up to bring in nostalgia.

Even though he couldn't remember what that past was. Nor faces to match the voices of so long ago... They were all just blank in his mind. Memories that lay forgotten to him.

He gazed outside at the warm spring weather, at the morning that settled in on a new day. He readied his school bag just as always. A set pattern he had formed.

I hate this place. What's so good about it? The ruffian teen wondered as he trudged his way to school. His spiky hair stuck out at odd angles and his golden bangs gave a destructive look as they spiked out everywhere around his face and up into his crimson dipped raven locks. His skin had a light tan to it, and his red eyes seemed dull as they stared at the sidewalk ahead.

It's become so repetitive... Well at least I'm going to school now. Though Marik and Bakura won't be pleased. The teen, Yami, thought to himself in a scornful manner as he walked toward the cherry blossom tree path that led up to Domino High. It was a gentle slope to walk up, and the path was shaded by the tall light pink trees. It was spring, so they were in full bloom — the wind often scattering petals loosely in the wind.

It seemed like a typical scene from a shoujo story... So why was there a boy standing at the bottom of the hill?

Yami could see that the boy was short, and was about to judge him as maybe an elementary student who got lost. On closer inspection as he neared, however, he could make out the crisp blue high school student uniform.

Instead of continuing along like he normally would, something seemed to strike him into staying. There was something about the boy that he couldn't help but stop and stare at him. It could be that they looked oddly similar, the only differences being that the other boy had a softer look to him and pale complexion. And the boy's hair was more purple as his was red...

"It's strange..."

Yami suddenly heard the boy mutter, and he strained slightly to hear the softer voice.

"I've walked this same pathway to school everyday, yet why do I feel like it's unfamiliar to me? Like something's missing from this path?" And the boy looked up to stare ahead at the slight uphill climb.

He doesn't seem to notice me... So he's just talking out loud? Yami wondered, but then looked down. It's not something to be judged harshly for... Sometimes all you have to talk to is yourself.

"There used to be this burning warmth but now it's just... gone. Yet why do I still find myself loving this place even when I don't know what it is that makes me love it? That there's something missing here..." The boy seemed to be honestly struggling with something, and before he realized it, Yami found himself replying in kind.

"You shouldn't think so hard on it, it'll come back to you naturally." As soon as Yami spoke that, the boy was shocked into turning to look at Yami.

When Yami met those large amethyst-jeweled eyes, something about the boy struck him further. The sense of familiarity was picking at his brain, demanding him to remember just who the stranger was.

"If there's something missing, just go out and search for it and I'm sure you'll find it soon." Yami found himself saying as their gazes stayed locked. The wind had picked up, blowing their hair and sakura petals about as if in some sort of dance.

The boy, Yugi, just blinked at the taller teen, unable to form words at the moment.

At the sound of the distant first bell, Yami urged them forward. "Come on, we're going to be late." And with that, Yami was able to break eye contact and start walking ahead, faintly hearing the other boy follow in behind him.

When he looked over, he found the boy walking in step beside him, a small smile gracing his innocent face. Why did seeing that also want to make him smile?

. * .

The school day progressed as normal, although Yami kept thinking back to the boy he met at the bottom of the hill. Just why did he seem so familiar? Why did he have the feeling he was forgetting something important? When they got into the school building, he didn't get to ask his name because the boy seemed to disappear into the crowd of other highschoolers.

Now Yami just lazed about as normal, even getting a nap in at math class. It wasn't that he was particularly a lazy person, he just lacked the drive and motivation to do anything worth effort. It just never amounted to anything.

When it was study hall period, he decided to head to the library since it would be the quietest place. He could finish whatever assignments needed to be finished and then finish napping. When he went into the library, he found it to be sparse of people — which meant it was the perfect time for him. Less people to interact with.

After finding a table to sit at, he got out his books and folders and decided to get reference material while he was there. He turned down a nearby aisle but instantly gasped in shock when he saw someone standing there.

It was the boy from before, and he was trying to reach for a book on a high shelf — his short stature upheading him. After Yami took a breath to calm his racing heart, he went up to the boy and reached for the book he saw he was trying to get.

"Here," Yami said as he handed the book to the boy, who took it and looked up at him.

"Thank you," he spoke gratefully.

"I didn't know anyone would be in this section," Yami stated as he looked at the two different shelves — one for reference material for school subjects and the other part of the animal biography section. Yami peered at the book the boy held, it was a book on different cats. "Do you have a pet?" Yami asked casually, gesturing toward the book and making the boy look down at it in thought.

"No, I'm not allowed to have one. I really like cats though, so I like to read about them sometimes."

Yami blinked, 'not allowed to have one?' Did he have strict house rules or something? "Ah, what's your favorite breed then?" Yami didn't know why he kept talking to the boy, but there was just something about him...

The boy blinked, his look turning dazed as the rest of his face turned up in bitter concentration. "I... don't know."

Yami wasn't sure why the boy had that look on his face, but he wanted to change it, so he smiled. "Well my name is Yami Sennen. Third year, Class 3-D." He figured introductions were due by this point.

The boy seemed to shake off whatever was bothering him, and instantly gave a bright smile. "It's nice to meet you Yami! I'm Yugi Mutou, third year and Class 3-B."

"You're a senior?" Yami hadn't expected them to be in the same year.

Yugi made a face, "Yes, I know I'm short but I'm a senior!"

Yami couldn't help but laugh at the pouty look the boy was giving, "My apologies."

Yugi seemed to recover after that and regarded Yami with curiosity, "Um, thanks for before."

"Hm?" Yami wondered what he meant, as he already thanked him for retrieving the book.

Yugi suddenly seemed a bit shy as he looked away, "For showing me kindness at the bottom of the hill. For your words I mean, they really helped me."

Yami suddenly remembered their first meeting hours before, and smiled slightly. "Oh, it was no problem really." He shrugged, "You just seemed like you needed the extra push at the time."

"I did, so thank you!" And then Yugi spoke so gratefully and shared a genuine smile, that it had Yami paused in place. "Um, don't you think it's weird how we look alike a bit?"

That question made Yami laugh for some reason, and Yugi joined in. "I noticed it when we first met, it's odd isn't it?"

"Yeah!" Yugi agreed and then Yami remembered what he came for and went over to the shelf to find it. "Is there anything I can help you with?" Yugi was once again curious, and Yami found himself easing around the other boy.

"Well I'm looking for biographies of important military figures dating between World War I to II. It's for a history project in class that will add extra points once completed to our final grade at the end of this semester."

Yugi walked a bit ahead and looked around before pointing to the bottom row. "Here they are, do you know which one you're interested in?"

Yami kneeled down to take a closer look at the section of books and responded, "Yes, I had decided beforehand on who I had in mind to write about." After finding the right booklet, he took it and stood up once more. "Thank you, Yugi. How did you know where it was so fast?"

"Oh, I spend a lot of time at the library so I kinda know where everything is now." Yugi said off-handily and before Yami could ask anything further, the shorter teen was walking out of the book aisle. Yami followed him and saw he had stopped at the table Yami's books were at. "So what else do you have to study for?" Yugi asked.

"Math," Yami couldn't help but make a face and Yugi laughed.

"Hey, I'm pretty good at math if you want my help!" Yugi spoke cheerfully, and Yami couldn't help but be encouraged by it.

"Alright then, if you insist... I would be thankful."

"Sure, it's no problem." Yugi continued smiling as Yami brought out the math first and Yugi sat beside him.

Even though Yami didn't get his nap, he had to say that it was a study period he enjoyed. He rarely ever mingled with the students, or even his classmates. He was always the one late to class and dozing off to the teacher's lessons.

It was the first time that he felt he actually made a friend. And he felt good about that. Like the smile on his face might become a permanent fixture, and he wouldn't really mind.

. * .

The next day, he wasn't so late to class as usual. He kept wondering if he would run into Yugi like before, but he didn't see him. He went the entire school day on alert, trying to seek out the familiar hairstyle but not having any luck.

He left the school day feeling... disappointed. It was odd, since they weren't really that close, having really only met the day before. But Yami couldn't shake this sense of nostalgia away, like hanging out with Yugi was such a highlight — something he genuinely enjoyed, and it was strange. It could be that Yugi seemed familiar to him, but he just couldn't understand why.

When the next school day rolled in, Yami still looked, but didn't meet Yugi at the bottom of the hill. He was beginning to feel discouraged until he happened to go outside during lunch break. There in the courtyard was the familiar boy, and he hastened his pace.

He saw that Yugi was chatting happily with other students, a white-haired boy and a blond one.

"Hello, Yugi." Yami greeted as soon as he walked up to him and Yugi turned his head in confusion before smiling brightly at him.

"Hey, Yami!" Yugi greeted back in the same cheerful manner Yami remembered, and Yami could feel his heart beat soundly in his chest.

"I've been wondering where you've been," Yami said in a casual manner.

"Oh, sorry, I had a doctor's appointment yesterday." Yugi looked truly sorry, and Yami wanted to ask why he had to visit the doctor but held his tongue. It would be rude to pry into something personal.

"Yug', who's this guy?" The blond one asked, and Yami looked at the other two who were staring at him questioningly.

"Oh, this is Yami Sennen. He's a Third Year like us and in Class 3-D!" Yugi introduced before turning back to Yami. "Yami, these are my friends — Joey Wheeler and Ryou Bakura. They're in the same year as us!"

Yami nodded to them, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Ryou closed his brown eyes as he smiled kindly, "Yes, likewise. How is it that you know Yugi?"

"We met the day before just as school started. Later on we met at the library and he helped me with a math assignment."

"Yeah, Yug' is weirdly good at that subject..." Joey scratched at his messy blond hair.

Yugi laughed lightly, "I end up tutoring everyone in the subject by the end of everyday."

Yami smiled then, holding his bag of food and Ryou noticed.

"Would you like to have lunch with us?" The whitenette asked, and Yami was surprised.

"I don't want to impose..."

Ryou waved him off, "It's fine, a friend of Yugi's is always welcome." And Ryou gave him another kind smile.

It was strange, Yami wasn't used to being around such a nice person, and the three friends did seem friendly by inviting him in...

"Well, if you're sure..." Yami still seemed a bit hesitant, but sat down beside Ryou and in front of Yugi.

Yugi laughed again, all smiles. "Why wouldn't we be?"

Yami didn't have an answer to that, so he just took out his lunch. It didn't take long before a conversation started among the group, prompting even Yami to put in a comment or two. It was a nice, relaxing atmosphere that Yami found himself enjoying. When was the last time he felt like this? He was trying to remember right when something peculiar happened.

"Hey, Yug', remember that old cartoon that showed when we were kids? Uh... I can't really remember the name of it, but it was about the cat and mouse that would always fight a lot." Joey rubbed his chin in thought.

"You mean Tom and Jerry?" Ryou questioned, and like a light bulb went off in Joey's head, he instantly brightened up.

"Yeah that's the one! So I hear they're gonna be showin' a marathon of it this weekend so I figured we could all watch it!"

Yugi seemed to be lost in thought, or that's how it seemed to Yami. He also noticed he wore the same expression as he did back in the library — the concentrated face and dazed look. It was then that he noticed Joey and Ryou staring intently at him before Ryou shook his head.

As if that were a signal, Joey instantly became upbeat again and changed the subject of the conversation and grabbed Yugi's attention away to something else.

Even after lunch was over, Yami couldn't get that scene out of his head... It kept playing over and over like a mantra, like he needed to see something that was there, but couldn't. He groaned as he felt his face hit the center of his desk. Why was he so hung up over whatever may concern Yugi? And just what was this familiar feeling he got when around him?

Keira: Soooo... I think this is a good first chapter, what'd you all think? I'm curious to know xD I'll try to get the next one out sometime soon!

Ami: Also, we don't know any Japanese children shows so just went with one we're familiar with.

Keira: Friggin watched the heck out of Tom and Jerry growing up...

Ami: Please leave a nice review - we're only allowing anonymous reviews since a lot of you guys are nice but... some of you really need to wake up and smell the roses or somethin' because we are very busy with our own lives and work so chill on the 'update' crap please. Writing a constructive and helpful review helps the writer more than anything.