A Means of Communication

Chapter 8: Stares

((8))

"Yugi… why is there a limo parked outside our door?" Yugi's grandfather called from downstairs. Yugi's stomach dropped. He stumbled loudly down the stairwell and looked out the kitchen window. Sure enough, there was a sleek long black limousine outside, on the street next to the game shop.

"Don't you remember, ji-chan?" Yugi squeaked in panic, pulling his grandfather away from the window.

"Yami's coming to pick me up. We're going to his house to work on a, ah, school project. I told you this morning, remember?" Yugi said nervously. In truth, he had told his grandfather no such thing but Yugi was counting on the old man's knowledge of his own bad memory. His grandfather looked thoroughly puzzled as he scratched his beard, searching his memory for such an occasion.

"Well, I suppose…" he muttered. "Of course, I remember. Alright, go along Yugi. But be back by six!" the old man called hastily after him as Yugi sprinted out of the game shop door.

"See you!" Yugi cried and stepped in through the door the driver was holding open for him. He looked around, his large purple eyes taking in the limo's plush black interior. "Where's Yami?" Yugi called to the front of the car as the driver sat in his seat.

"Yami, sir?" the diver inquired, brow wrinkled in confusion.

"Oh, sorry, I mean Atemu. Where is he?" Yugi asked again through the little window.

"He's at the restaurant, sir," the diver answered. "He asks you forgive his absence. Please relax and help yourself to some refreshments in the mini bar." Yugi nodded awkwardly and sat back down in his seat. Yami hadn't even come to pick him up?

A weight of dread dropped back into his gut.

They drove into the heart of downtown Domino; Yugi watched tall towering buildings drift passed the window in the slow traffic. Finally they arrived at the restaurant; the driver pulled the limousine over to the side of the road. Yugi looked up at the golden letters, the red carpets and sharply dressed doormen standing by the entrance. His stomach dropped again.

'Oh crap, I'm completely under dressed!' Yugi thought slightly terrified, looking down at his jeans, sneakers and T-shirt. The driver opened the door for him and Yugi stepped stiffly out into the street.

The driver handed him off to a waiter, whispered something in the man's ear before he returned to the street and his limo. The waiter wove Yugi through tables of finely dressed people, some of them eyeing his jeans and sneakers with disgusted contempt. Yugi walked faster, keeping his eyes on the fancy dinner carpet below. The waiter led him to the very back of the restaurant and through a door into a private room.

Atemu, the Atemu, was inside, sitting at the table, waiting for him. Yugi breathed, Atemu was waiting for him. This was freaky. The rock star waved cheerfully, beckoning the stunned teenager into the room.

"Hey!" Atemu greeted smiling as Yugi sat down in the chair across from him.

"Hi," Yugi said in a small voice, looking nervously around the luxurious room. "You didn't tell me to dress nice," Yugi pointed out, gesturing toward his sneakers.

Atemu's handsome face fell. "Oh, sorry about that…" Atemu apologized, scratching his head. "I knew I forgot something. I was just so busy planning. I wanted to make everything perfect."

"You didn't have to go through so much trouble," Yugi protested.

"Believe me, this cost's me nothing," Atemu explained holding a hand up.

"Oh… okay," Yugi said, looking down at his plate.

"Isn't this place nice, though? Not bad for such an unknown city," Atemu continued, "The restaurants in Europe were better, of course. At this one place they had this chocolate wine as a dessert. It was really good. Not too dry or…" Atemu stopped seeing Yugi was absentmindedly playing with his various forks and paying almost no attention to Atemu at all. "I'm rambling, aren't I?" Atemu asked apologetically.