Hello, everyone. How are you? Two years ago, I said that I may come back and add a chapter or two about incidents that are mentioned in this story. Today, I am back not only bringing you an extra chapter. No, no. I also have an announcement.

I've started a NEW story called MORE THAN DESTINY featuring our favorite characters and following What the Hell's pattern with a more complicated plot. Through the years, I felt so happy every time one of you would leave a review or favorite the story. I hope you'll embrace the new story with the same enthusiasm.

But let's get back to this story. This Extra is about a scene mentioned in the very first chapter of WHAT THE HELL. Are you ready to find out more about "the day Yami saved [Yugi] for the first time." to quote the chapter? The format is slightly different, just to spice things up. ;)

Let's go!

The Day Yami Saved Yugi for the First Time

He should have left the notebook at school. He shouldn't have returned to get it. But how could he know that the bullies would still be around? Why were they there? Usually, they couldn't wait for the final bell signaling the end of the school day. It was just Yugi's luck that they had decided to stay that day.

"Run faster! He's almost there!"

Yugi's legs were quite strong from all the running he had to do to escape the bullies but there were four of them and two ways to get to the school entrance. He could hear two of his pursuers behind him so probably the other two had taken the second route. If he couldn't get to entrance before them, he would be trapped. He started going down the stairs taking the steps two at the time. And that was a mistake. His legs being shorter than most students and being chased, it took only one misstep to having him tumbling down the stairs.

"We got him!"

Yugi tried hard to catch his breath. Trying to protect himself from the fall, he had landed on his right arm. It hurt but he didn't think it was broken. As he looked up, he swallowed hard. Three of the bullies were standing there, glaring at him. They all spotted similar smiles, having cornered their prey. Yugi briefly wondered where the forth one was. Probably making sure no one would interrupt their sport. As he opened his mouth to scream, a fat hand pulled him up and blocked his mouth.

"We got you, little Yugi."

Yugi didn't really think of it. He sank his teeth in the bully's hand making him drop him. Yugi instantly opened his mouth and screamed. His scream echoed in the empty school before it was muffled by two pairs of hands. Two of the bullies had reached to shut him up.

"You'll pay for this!"

Being thrown with force on the opposite wall shook the boy really badly. He felt his head hurt and his vision blurred. However, he didn't lose consciousness. Soon, he wished he had. The forth bully came running, notifying the others that someone had heard him and was coming that way. They should have run. But they weren't done with the boy.

"This is payback for fighting back, and if you tell anyone, we'll come back for more. We may even come after that look-alike of yours."

Before Yugi could process the bully's words, the older boy pushed his foot on Yugi's arm with all his strength. Yugi didn't know if he had imagined the crack but his mind needed a second to catch up with what happened before the pain intensified and he started screaming in pain. He closed his eyes, trying to distance himself from his reality. When he opened them again, the bullies were gone.

"Yugi, what happened? Let me see your arm."

A gentle voice helped him focus on what was happening. It was one of his teachers. She had been in her office when she heard his first scream. If only she had come faster. But Yugi was happy to see her. She was a kind one and Yugi really liked her.

"I think it's broken."

Gently, the woman wiped Yugi's tears as the boy kept looking at her. He had stopped crying and was trying hard to stay focused.

"I'll call an ambulance. Let's walk to the principal's office and call your grandfather."

Yugi had done what the teacher had said. Carefully, they had walked together to the principal's office. The old man had been shocked seeing the injured boy and the teacher walking in his office, not thinking anyone but he was in the building. He immediately called an ambulance and then the boy's grandfather who said would meet them in the hospital.

"How did this happen?"

The principal had asked what he thought to be a really easy question, yet Yugi wasn't sure how to answer it. The bully's words rang in his head. If he told anyone what had really happened, there would be hell to pay. The boy knew well enough that the bullies didn't need an excuse to go after him. After all, he had done nothing wrong to begin with. But it was the second threat that had Yugi unable to truthfully answer the question. They had threaten to hurt Yami.

"I fell."

His answer was only a whisper but the principal heard him. The teacher had carried the things Yugi had with him when she found him. His schoolbag and a notebook.

"Did you forget your notebook and came back to get it?"

Yugi simply nodded. He shouldn't have come back. It was a mistake. Now he had to stay silent because if he talked, Yami would suffer. Yugi couldn't allow that. Yami was one of his best friends. They had been friends since the first classes of elementary school. Even though he was one year older than Yugi, Yami seemed to really like Yugi. The young boy didn't want anything to happen to him.

"The ambulance is here."

The ride to the hospital was a quiet one. They had given him something for the pain, and when he reached the hospital, his grandfather was there. The old man was so worried. He gently hugged his grandchild as the teacher, who had come with him, explained what had happened. The doctor examining Yugi's arm confirmed it was broken after a RTG. An hour later, Yugi's arm was in a cast and he was free to go back home.

He returned to school two days later. Yami had been there to greet him, an anxious look on his face. Seeing Yugi's broken arm seemed to pain him.

"I fell down the stairs."

Yugi blurred out the line he had to keep repeating. He felt stupid telling Yami that he had tripped and fallen down the stairs but it was better than telling the truth. Seeing Yugi's uneasily biting his lower lip, Yami gently touched the cast and smiled.

"We should find a pen and draw on it. What about a kuriboh?"

Yugi's mood instantly brighten. Yami was really talented, especially when it came to drawing. The young boy felt so happy knowing Yami would draw a kuriboh for him. Nodding, he allowed Yami to lead him to his class and extracted a promise from him that he would draw him that kuriboh during their lunch break.

True to his word, Yami had drawn a Kuriboh on the cast. Joey and Tristan who were Yugi's friends and Marik and Bakura who were Yami's best friends had joined. They teased Yugi for being clumsy. They teased Yami for drawing that Kuriboh. When Yami was done, they had drawn their own things on the cast. Yugi was really happy seeing all of them together.

But Yami's eyes were attentive. For a whole week, Yami's eyes were always on Yugi when they were together. He noticed how defensive the younger boy was when he would say he fell down the stairs. He saw the tension gathering on the boy's shoulders. He noticed how Yugi would pull Yami away when certain people would approach them. He took notice of all these things and waited.

It was the day after Yugi had the cast removed that Yami's waiting ended. The younger boy was walking home unaware of the shadow following when someone grabbed him and pulled him in an alleyway. Frightened, the boy came face to face with a boy three years older than him. He was the leader of the bullies. The other three were still junior high schoolers like Yugi, but their leader was a high schooler.

"It seems like you kept your mouth closed. I'm pleased."

Yugi didn't say anything. He didn't want to taunt the bully. He hadn't forgotten how he had threaten to hurt Yami. So, he simply prepared himself for pain.

"Be good and we won't need to hurt your friend. It's freakish how much you two lookalike."

A chuckled followed his words. But it didn't come from the bully. Someone else had followed them in the alleyway.

"Maybe his freakish friend wouldn't mind join this discussion."

Yugi froze in his spot. No. It couldn't be. Yami shouldn't have been there. Now he would be hurt, too.

"Yami, run!"

Yugi's voice was filled with panic. Why didn't Yami move? His wonderful, precious friend would be hurt because of him. Why didn't he leave? Yugi knew his friend was brave but the bully was older and bigger than him.

"Yugi, come behind me."

Yami was so collected. His voice was calm as if they had a discussion about the weather. He talked as if the bully wasn't there. As if he couldn't hear Yugi's panic. As if he couldn't see the way the other boy desperately wanted to protect him.

"Hurry."

Yugi found his body following Yami's order. The bully didn't seem to care. Maybe he was shocked by Yami's appearance. Most probably he didn't think Yami was a threat. His muscles would do the job. So what if the other boy wanted to play the hero?

"You should have left when you had a chance."

The bully took a step towards Yami. He didn't care if any of them escaped. He knew where to find them. Now he had two kids to play with. But Yami didn't try to escape. Escaping was far from his mind. He could feel Yugi behind him, desperately trying to pull him away. He appreciated Yugi's concern and would show him that as soon as they were away.

"You won't touch Yugi again."

His voice was still calm. Inside him, he was nothing but calm. Yugi was hurt and he had no idea until that moment. Things would change. He would make sure Yugi was protected. Surely, Marik and Bakura would help with that. But first he had to deal with this bully. It would be a good start.

"Stay put, Yugi. I'll take care of this."

Yugi didn't want Yami to take care of anything. He wanted Yami to be safe in his house. He wanted Yami to be far away from that place. But he moved out of Yami's way, giving the other boy some space. He was ready to scream. He was ready to fight. His grandfather had made him take martial art classes. He had never used them to defend himself but he would do his best to help Yami.

The first blow came from the bully. He was obviously aiming for Yami's jaw but the tricolor haired boy moved to the side on the very last moment. Startled, the bully didn't see Yami's elbow connecting with his back. It didn't faze him enough. It mostly angered him. He attacked Yami again and again. Each time, Yami would dodge. His strategy was to tire the other guy before he would attack.

"I'll get you!"

Yami moved to the side but the bully saw through it and got Yami on the shoulder. It hurt. The bully tried to hit him again. Yami prepared himself for the blow. He never received it. Yugi pushed him away in time. The bully's fist connected with Yugi's chest sending him to the other side of the alleyway. The boy hit the wall; a soft groan escaping his lips before his eyes closed. Yami saw red.

The dance between the bully and Yami changed. It became a vicious one that could have lasted minutes or hours. When the bully walked away from that alleyway, it was dark. He wouldn't bother any of the tricolor haired boys again. That was a sure thing. Yami wiped some blood from his lip and rushed to Yugi's side. His arms and shoulder hurt him very much but all he cared about was Yugi.

"Yugi."

He shook the boy, desperately wanting to see those beautiful amethyst eyes again. Yugi shouldn't have been hurt. He shouldn't have tried to save Yami. Yami was supposed to help him. He was supposed to protect him. He didn't know why he felt that fierce need to protect his best friend but the way his heart was clenched was a good indication of how much he cared about the younger boy.

"Yami."

Yugi's voice was really soft, a groan of pain, but it was music to Yami's ears. He cupped the boy's cheek, unaware of how tender his touch was or how unusual a gesture between friends. He was just glad Yugi was alive.

"Don't ever scare me like this again. And don't ever jump in front of me to take a blow."

Yugi smiled, weakly. He knew that Yami and he would have a long talk soon. But for that moment, he was happy they were both alright. Being supported by Yami, the two boys walked towards Yugi's place. Yugi's grandfather was sick with worry. Seeing the two boys coming back beaten didn't help but he stayed calm. He took care of the two boys and called Yami's mother to get permission so Yami could stay with them that night, omitting the fact the two boys had some kind of adventure.

Yugi and Yami had that talk the same night. Yami was sure Yugi wasn't quite honest about how often the bullies saw him as an easy target. He was also sure that Yugi lied about falling down the stairs to protect him. He comforted his friend and promised him that he would never have to face anyone alone again. The following day, he talked to Marik and Bakura. He knew the bullies would come back. As he also knew that they wouldn't dare go against the three of them. So, it happened. Yugi was well protected. Yami, Marik, Bakura and, when Yami informed them, Joey and Tristan, made sure their brave little friend, who wouldn't fight to protect himself but would do anything for his friends, was protected.

So, here it is. This is what happened back then. It's a good thing Yami was there. Of course, you cannot fault the boy for not understanding his feelings for Yugi. They were just junior high students. About that time, so many things change in your life that it's hard to understand your feelings.

Anyway, this is my first extra for What the Hell. It felt so good writing something about this story. I'll definitely come back with another Extra but for now I need to focus on More Than Destiny.