Monday, 03/19/2001, 3:26 p.m.
Rain fell heavily over Domino City.
A black sky, water soaking everything, and the accentuated scent of the Japanese metropolis defined the overall scene.
At the gates of Rintama High School, Shin, dressed in his black uniform and carrying his backpack, began leaving the school...
Cars passed by, horns blaring, raising water, mud, and smog. The same happened with people and their hurried voices along the flooded sidewalks...
Bundled in his raincoat, Shin walked along the sidewalk when he suddenly encountered a barricade blocking his path.
"Huh? Under construction…"
On the other side of the barrier, there was no worker in sight. Shin's face wrinkled, and he sighed.
"Sigh... Just what I needed."
Visibly annoyed, Shin took a detour down another street. His walk continued...
A car sped by and splashed water and mud onto the sidewalk. Walking there, unable to react in time, Shin was drenched. His face twisted in fury, he shouted at the car disappearing into the distance.
"Idiot!... Damn it... Sigh... Luckily, I had this on..."
Breathing deeply to calm down, Shin continued on...
Looking around through the fading rain, Shin absentmindedly spotted a shop with a turtle-shaped sign on the other side of the street and whispered:
"Kame Game."
He walked past it without paying much attention to the name. Then, suddenly, he stopped cold. He frowned and turned his head. Recognition flickered in his gaze.
"Is that…?"
Shin fixed his eyes on the shop. A strange grimace took over his features. His eyes narrowed.
"Could it be that...?"
Walking quickly, Shin crossed the nearest crosswalk and headed toward the Kame Game shop across the street. An incomprehensible emotion flickered on his face.
Once he read the "OPEN" sign on the door, Shin pushed it open and stepped inside. The bell rang with a "Ding, ding!" His eyes swept the place with a strange gleam. All kinds of games caught his eye.
Several kids and teenagers played at multicolored machines. Some of them noticed Shin's arrival; others kept to themselves. No one greeted him.
Shin lowered his hood. He was visibly soaked. Then he wiped his feet on the store's mat, took off his raincoat, and hung it on an overcrowded rack by the entrance. Meanwhile, his eyes once again swept across the store. A whisper left his lips.
"It's him…"
Shin had his eyes set on a specific person. His recognition found voice.
"…No doubt."
Seated at a chair in the back of the shop, a short, kind-looking old man watched Shin from behind the counter. His pleasant expression was accompanied by a slight smile.
Aware of Shin's arrival and the attention that followed, the old man began his introduction, waving his hand, his tone friendly.
"Hello there, young man! Welcome to Kame Game! I'm Sugoroku Muto, owner of this little place. What can I help you with? Hm? Don't just stand there staring, son. No need to be shy. How can this old man help you...? Hm, this...? I don't think I've seen you around before, right? Then again, my memory isn't what it used to be, hehe."
As Shin approached the counter, a strange grimace crossed his face. His lips curved into a polite smile.
Once at the counter, Mr. Muto stood from his seat and stepped behind it. He stretched with a loud crack and then made a slightly odd expression. A murmur of complaint escaped his lips as he held his back with one hand.
"Ugh, my back!... These old bones..."
Meanwhile, shaking his head, Shin spoke in a measured tone. His eyes swept the display case beside the counter, then returned to Mr. Muto with a somewhat awkward smile on his lips.
"I see, Mr. Muto, that you have Yu—uh, I mean—I meant to say... you have Duel Monsters cards here! I was just looking for some. Heh... I'd like to buy a few packs from that set over there. I think ten of them would be fine."
Pointing at a violet-and-black Duel Monsters pack, Shin made his request to Mr. Muto. The old man nodded in response and then put on the round glasses that had been hanging from his neck. A murmur escaped his lips during the process.
"Let's see..."...
Give or take a second, Mr. Muto made some calculations on an old gray calculator beside the register. Then he murmured softly:
"…Alright!"
Mr. Muto pointed to a door behind him, beyond the counter.
"…If you give me a moment, I'll go get your pack from the backroom, young man. I'll be right back... Don't run off now, eh?"
Watching the backroom door close behind Mr. Muto, Shin's expression shifted from a smile to seriousness. Covering his mouth with the inside of his hand, he whispered as he inhaled sharply.
"Well… So he's Yugi's grandfather, huh...? Ergh-ergh!"
Clearing his throat with visible discomfort, Shin walked to a nearby vending machine in a corner of the store. He bought a can of lemon soda...
While sipping his drink, now back in front of the counter, Shin murmured. His fingers tapped constantly on the counter's glass.
"What to do, what to do? So many options? I know Duelist Kingdom hasn't started yet, but—"
Just then, Mr. Muto returned from the backroom, and Shin fell silent. The door creaked open behind him. Without finishing his drink, Shin tossed the can into the trash bin next to the counter...
In his hands, the old man held a pack identical to the one in the display case.
"Here it is! Your ten packs, young man, and this one... is a gift from me."
Nodding with a polite smile, Shin took the ten packs and handed some cash to Mr. Muto. A brief look of curiosity crossed his face as the old man stored the money in the register, his eyes fixed on the black-and-white booster he had given Shin…
"Thank you very much, Mr. Muto. Have a good day. Goodbye! I'll stop by again another time!"
Laughing, Mr. Muto sat back in his chair, his tone cheerful.
"Hehe! Good luck with your pulls, son! See you next time!"
Nodding with a faint smile, Shin put the eleven packs into his old black backpack, donned his raincoat, and then exited Kame Game. The rain hit his face directly. A disgruntled murmur escaped his mouth.
"Damn it... I'm going to be late... Mr. Kashiwagi probably won't pay me for the extra work today, again."
Looking behind him with a resigned expression, Shin made a strange face. Another whisper followed the last.
"…At least, I learned something useful today, or so I think. Sigh..."
Adjusting the hood of his raincoat, Shin let out a long sigh and then continued on his way once again.
AN/One chapter per day. 100 power stones today means one extra chapter the next day. Each chapter is made up of four acts, plus a prologue and an epilogue, and finally a special act — each ranging from 800 to 2000 words. Leave a comment and report any issues below. You can buy me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/s/8e7c3d4725