Keira: *Comes in with confetti* Hellooo~ HAPPY YU-GI-OH! DAY!

Ami: *cringes and covers ears* Could you be any louder?

Keira: ^-^ I'm Keira for any newcomers, and this is my beloved yami, Ami. Say hi~

Ami: *does a half-wave*

Keira: Why must you always do that?! A-Anyway, this is that story we talked about in Texts From A Stranger.

Ami: This is the companion story to it, and it's in Yami's POV. It's cool if you read it without ever reading TFAS... Though if you want more of the story, TFAS is up too.

Keira: Yush! Now time for the Disclaimer~

{Disclaimer} We do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

((The cover is from Wattpad, DestinyGirlz is the username there))

Text 1: Randomness Is The Enemy... Or Is It?

Have you ever felt like you could just strangle the person in front of you with absolutely no remorse? To just watch them flail about until they were completely silent? Yes, that's what I was feeling like doing at the moment…

Because currently in the moment, there was a cackling albino right in front of me, and not just any kind of cackling albino…

But the (and quoting from the teen in front of me) great, malicious, Thief King Bakura!

… Complete with villain-like laughter.

"Do you have any idea how awesome that was just now?!" Bakura chuckled, bent over in his insane laughter.

I grimaced. "How does getting swamped with homework over winter break seem possibly 'awesome' to you?!" As if I didn't already have enough work to do! Break is meant for relaxing, not doing extra school assignments!

"Oh, don't be such a grump Yams! This was just our way of saying 'goodbye' to the students before the holidays," Marik breathed out a chuckle as he joined up with us. The two psychos shared a look with one another before cackling like mad again.

I groaned and rubbed my temple. Couldn't we have a normal last day before the break or was that just too much to ask? Judging by the simpletons laughing beside me, I'd take it as a definite no.

These two crazy-haired (and crazy-minded) idiots were me cousins. We were apart of the Sennen family, and unfortunately lived together and went to school with one another. It wouldn't be so bad if the two weren't always causing trouble everywhere they went. It was destruction at home, problems in the streets, and then pranks at school.

Don't get me wrong, I like to have as much fun as the next guy but these two... Take it a bit too far with their 'harmless fun.'

"And then she almost fell out of the window when she realized what it was!" Bakura said in complete amusement, causing Marik to snicker.

"I'd say we timed that move perfectly, Fluffy. Did you see her get covered in that goo when she leaned out of the window?" Marik was just as (if not more, due to him being even more psychotic than Bakura) excited as his silver-haired counterpart.

Bakura laughed. "Yes! By the way, what was that goo?"

Marik suddenly looked away and got quieter. "Nothing none of you need to worry about."

There was silence, in which Bakura and I just stared at him suspiciously. The Psycho, though, wasn't giving anything up so I just sighed — having enough for today.

"You know what? I don't even want to know. How could you two do this?" I questioned, to which I began to reason in my head if that was something I needed to do. Honestly, I stopped a long time ago... It's best to be ignorant when it comes to these two.

"Aw, lighten up Pharaoh!"

"Yeah, school's over now so we can all relax..." Marik then started giggling like a hyperactive child on a sugar rush, and I groaned. Really, I always had to be the mature one out of us three!

"You do realize that your prank today cost us multitudes of extra homework to do over the break, furthermore, our math teacher is probably going to quit as soon as she regains consciousness—"

"Good riddance, she always was a hag." Bakura smirked, looking like he accomplished something great, which just made me groan again.

I usually join in the pranks whenever I get bored, but I leave the crazy ones to them — yet somehow, I always get in trouble along with the delinquents!

Sometimes I really wonder what I'm doing with my life... There's not anyone I really connect to, not even my other cousins — who are so much more responsible than the ones I live with. I've never really been able to bond with anyone... No one seems to suite me. Not even a friend...

And staring at the two laughing imbeciles in front of me made me really consider becoming more friendly to acquire such a friend... One much saner, at least.

. * .

A few days had passed, and Marik had one suitcase packed and was sitting in our living room.

"I guess it's time for me to head off, going to miss me Yam-Yams?" The Psycho asked with a smirk my way, and I looked up from the book I was reading.

"It'll be quieter with you gone... I think I'll actually have some peace for once." I reasoned out loud, but was immediately hugged tightly around my neck by my taller Egyptian cousin.

"Aww, I'll miss you too Yami-Yams!" Marik spoke loudly in my ear and I cringed — seriously, it's like I say something and it goes in one ear and out the other with him!

"Don't you have a plane to catch, baka?" Bakura suddenly asked, leaning on the doorway that led to the kitchen.

Thankfully, Marik got off me with realization lighting up his dark violet eyes. "Oh yeah, don't want to miss this one. Bye-bye you two! Play nice while I'm gone!" The Psycho yelled as he made his way out, carrying the suitcase he packed.

As soon as the front door shut, Bakura and I shared a look, and let out a huge sigh of relief. You would not believe how much patience you have to have in order to deal with that deranged psycho living with you.

The Thief immediately jumped onto the couch and turned on the TV — he was more relaxed than ever. "So... Want to watch a movie?" he asked me, flipping over to the movie channels to see what was playing.

I stood up, "No thanks, I've got to go shopping for a new phone with the Christmas money I received from Kaiba." Because apparently, Marik and Bakura decided that using my phone as a test-subject for one of their crazy experiments involving acid was a good idea. Really bad decision on the Science teacher's part. Then again, it did cost him his job...

Bakura just shrugged, not fazed as he turned to a horror movie choice. "Suit yourself, don't let the door hit you on your way out."

I rolled my eyes, and put my book down. "By the way, I thought you already outgrew Chucky?"

He threw one of the many pillows at me along with a snarl of, "Bug off!"

I just chuckled lightly and went up a flight of stairs to get changed. We lived in a mansion on the outskirts of town — the mansion was gifted to us by Kaiba, though why give a mansion to the three of us? I have no idea. I've learned not to question Kaiba's ways anymore.

After showering and getting dressed in my most comfortable attire (well to me) — that involved almost everything leather — I was ready and walking back down to the large family room.

"I'm leaving," I spoke out as I kept walking.

"I don't care," Came the dark reply, followed by an equally dark laugh as screams were heard from the home theatre. Death and gore was the only thing he found amusing.

I decided to travel by bus to the large mall in the center of the city (where business boomed exponentially). I could have called for our family limo, but really just wanted to be among the normal today and not stand out like always.

It was slightly chilly outside, and I wrapped my leather jacket around me tighter as I hastily walked into the mall's entrance. Once inside, a large and beautiful fountain was in my view where people lounged and threw in money to make a "wish." The food court was on the second floor just above it.

The electronics store, Electro Whiz, that I was looking for was on the first floor and near the fountain. The mall was four-stories high, so I was fortunate in having to not climb all that.

Once I walked into the large and whimsical place, I noticed the slight crowd and engaging employees. This place was one of the only businesses I had the pleasure of noticing that they strive for customer satisfaction, and seemed to always have the best employees.

Point was proven when a happy and smiling young man walked up to greet me. "Welcome to Electro Whizz! I'm here to help you in all of your electronic needs, just what can I help you with today?"

I smiled politely, feeling pleased by his friendly greeting, but then we were interrupted by someone very familiar.

"Leave him to me, Carl. You got a fella asking for you over by the speakers." A tanned hand patted the employee's shoulder, and we both saw the equally tanned young woman standing beside Carl.

"Oh, y-yes ma'am!" He seemed surprised, and slightly flustered by the senior employee (given she has worked here for far longer than he has). He quickly turned to bow to me. "Excuse me!" And then the guy was off to the speaker section.

"Didn't know you were comin' by here today, Yams." The model employee spoke up, and I dropped my polite smile a little.

"I really wish you wouldn't call me that. It's bad enough with Bakura and Marik — hence why I needed to get out of the house today." I scratched at my tri-colored hair in slight irritation. This was Ami Sennen, we were adopted cousins, though we probably looked blood-related due to our Egyptian features. Tanned skin, elegant style, and sharp facial features. She had cerulean blue eyes, and her hair was cut short with the bangs long in the front. Her hair was black, though she had red streaks put in because of her close roommate.

Ami just shrugged and slouched slightly, looking bored. "So what are ya looking to buy?"

I sighed, I was actually grateful she wasn't as annoying as my own roommates, but she played the indifferent card well. At least I could get along with her to a degree. "A new phone, since the two idiots ruined my last one."

Ami's blue eyes lightened in recognition at that. "Oh yeah, I remember Baku-Baku cackling about that last we talked. Come this way," And she directed me to a few small aisles close to the registers.

"Price really isn't an issue since Kaiba gave me a wealthy sum for Christmas." I told her as I started gazing at all of the different phone packages. "And I would prefer a no-contract style if you don't mind."

The dark-haired girl hummed lowly as she picked through various phone packages. "Why is it that you get spoiled by Dragon-boy?"

"Probably because I don't call him Dragon-boy or call him by any other atrocious nicknames. You know he hates that."

"Nah, he's just a stick-in-the-mud with no sense of humor. Ah, here, this is the best one."

Ami handed me a package that she clicked off the rack. It was a moderately-sized sleek black phone. I remember seeing it on commercials as being the #1 Android Phone for the holiday.

"Suit your tastes?" Ami inquired as I inspected it, and I met her smirk with my own.

"This will do just fine, thank you for your help." She waved off my thanks as we walked up to an empty register together.

"Pleasure doing business with you. You're actually helping me out a lot by buying one of those, since it's so expensive."

I raised my brow as I looked at the price she rang up for it. She wasn't kidding.

She just slyly smiled and waved her palm to me in offering. "You wanted it, so hand it over."

I was walking around the mall sometime after buying my new cell phone. Ami was nice enough to configure it for me and give me a small tutorial of the new stuff I was unfamiliar with. So, fortunately, that's out of the way.

I sat by the fountain, wondering what to do next. It was then that I studied my surroundings. Everywhere I looked, there were groups of happy people hanging out, or couples smiling at each other as they walked together. I seemed to be the only loner around, and I sunk more into my seat. Loneliness doesn't usually bother me, but I have been feeling down about it lately.

I really wish you were here... Atem. I found myself being wishful again. Wishing that the one person I was always close to was still here.

I wondered if I would ever find anyone that I could open up to. A genuine friend. The ties I had to my family were dysfunctioned and strained at best. It was a constant love/hate relationship, and I just couldn't open up to any of them properly.

"Hey, Mommy I made a wish!" A sudden call from a little boy close to where I was sitting shouted happily at his middle-aged mother after he threw in a coin into the fountain.

"Yes, now just keep hoping and it'll come true — just don't tell anyone!" His mother told him, and the wide-eyed little boy nodded enthusiastically.

I watched the pair walk off before I turned to stare at the fountain beside me.

Hope, huh? I dug through the pockets of my pants until I finally found loose change. I took the biggest coin I had and cupped it into the palm of my hand. Was I really going to do this? It's obviously fake and meant to get your hopes up...

But as I remembered the shining earnest in the little boy's eyes, I was reminded of the time that I was his age... And everything was happy.

Suddenly, I wanted to throw the little coin in. Maybe it would be worth it, maybe fate would humor me this time and side in my favor instead of against me.

I closed my eyes before I realized I had done so. I wish... To find the partner who will understand me more than anyone else, a friend I can help and who can help me. And then I was tossing the coin into the water. I watched as it sunk under the fountain streams to join countless other coins of wishes of untold stories and lives. Now mine was added to that pile. I wondered if anyone's wish from here has ever been granted?

I shook my head. I really shouldn't get my hopes up, but for some reason I couldn't explain, I felt so jovial. Like the bright-eyed, hopeful kid from before.

"Well, surprise surprise to find you here at the wishing fountain." A sudden sultry, feminine voice spoke from beside me and I turned to meet the violet eyes of Mai Valentine. A busty young woman with long curly blonde hair and a cute face. She was the heartthrob at school, but I didn't get to see her too much since she was in a higher grade than me. We met on my first day at Renka Academy, when she was the one assigned to show me around since we had the same homeroom class at the time. She had found me attractive and flirted with me, but when she realized I wouldn't reciprocate her feelings, she stopped her pursuing...

"You're looking as sharp as ever, sugar" Mai spoke with a wink and smile my way.

...Well, she still acts in a flirtatious manner, but that's just the person she is.

I smiled politely and bowed my head to her. "Hello, Mai. Happy holidays, how have you been?"

"Yeah, cheery holidays. Just returned some stuff to get the cash, so now I'm better. What about you? How you holdin' up with the whack jobs?"

I continued smiling as we started walking out of the mall's entrance together. "Could be better, at least I just have to deal with one for a while. Speaking of which, I should probably head home before it gets too late to take a bus." I said while gazing up at the evening sky. It was like time went faster when you went into those types of places.

"If you need a ride home, all you had to do was ask." Mai spoke up as she sounded the alarm on her car — a purple convertible in one of the front rows.

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

She waved off the rest of my sentence. "Nonsense. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't offer you a ride home?" Another wink, and she was walking toward her car.

I just shook my head and followed after her, friendly company beat stranger company on a stuffy bus any day.

Nights were always the toughest. Not all nights, but if my mind wasn't preoccupied by something, then that's when my mind began to wander.

"Atem, come look!"

"Yami, I can't right now. I have to study."

"But mother and father are gone right now, let's go play!"

"Fine... But just for a little while, okay? Then we come back to study."

"Okay!"

Our eyes were so similar. The same crimson color we inherited from our father. Mine had always been brighter than my older brother's more serious ones... My older brother who was too kind and too caring to refuse his little brother anything. Why?!

If I had known the events of that day, then maybe I could have been more mature. Then maybe he would still be—

I suddenly felt like I was choking. I couldn't breathe!

"Shit!" I was startled awake as I felt a hard slap against my back. My eyes flew open as I sat up, feeling hands on my shoulders as if to steady me. "Breathe, Pharaoh!"

My wide eyes suddenly found the source of the irritated and slightly panicked voice. "B-Bakura?" I met his startled ruby-tinted brown eyes with mine.

"I could hear you choking when I walked by — you're lucky I was even up when I was, or you would be dead." He let go of my shoulders and stood up.

I was still catching my breath as I tried to come to terms with what happened. Dreaming... Just a dream. Nightmare. "I'm sorry, thank you for—"

"Don't thank me."

A silence befell us then, and I was surprised that Bakura was even still in my room — his back was to me.

"You've been having those dreams quite frequently lately." I was startled when he spoke in a low tone, but his words made me look down again to where my hands still clutched the blanket around me, suffocating.

"Yes..." I sighed then and managed to unclench one of my hands enough to wear I could rub it through my unruly hair. A few seconds more, and I was staring at the back of Bakura's spiky head. "Why do you care?"

Bakura just turned enough to give me a side look. "I don't. But can't have you dying now, can I?" And with that, he walked out of my room.

That's right, I thought as I once again looked down at my tangled sheets and blanket. In this family, we all have our horrible pasts. I'm no different from any of them and what fate has dealt to all of us.

I laid back down, but I didn't get much sleep. It was so dark and suffocating.

It was only in the morning that I received some form of peace. The Thief was gone to who knows where and I was in a large house without anyone around (namely two idiotic Psychos). It was peaceful... and lonely.

I had the living room TV on as background noise, so it wouldn't seem as quiet and desolate as the house really was. I wandered around the large and spacious kitchen — I always found it too large for three teenage boys who never have meals together.

I decided against cooking anything and settled on an oatmeal bar and orange juice, I would just have a more fruitful lunch later.

Sitting at the island bar on one of the stools, I started playing with my new phone. It was sleek and stylish, and had many more apps then what I was used to with my old one. After a while, I decided to text Mark and see how he was doing. He left to go on a trip — what that entailed, I wasn't sure.

What's up?

I decided to send, I was only half-expecting a reply back. Sometimes the Psycho chooses not to respond. So I was surprised when I received an instant reply back.

Nuthin much. Who is this?

The reply baffled me. Did the Psycho finally lose all his mind and gained memory loss during this "trip"? I checked to make sure I was texting the same number, and sure enough, it was labeled "Marik" and had his same old number.

Yami. I got a new phone

I sent that in hopes it would jog the idiot's brain, but the next instant reply had me in even more confusion.

Thts cool, so did I! Um, sorry, but I think you got the wrong guy. My name's Yugi

I could feel my eyebrows pulling up as I processed what I read. What? Did that lunatic get a new number without telling me? Now I felt like the idiot... And Yugi... Wasn't that Japanese for 'game?'

Oh, sorry. I thought this was Marik, my mistake.

I hoped that that would shed some light to the situation for the stranger. I had never texted someone unknown before, only having very few people within my contacts to talk to in the first place. This was the first time communicating this way to a stranger... A small beep! sound let me know that I received a new message.

It's okay, no problem.

I smiled as I read the small sentence. Well at least the person didn't think of me as strange...

"Breaking news! Local criminal at large and unfound," The sudden loudness of the news caught my attention then, and I turned around to stare at the large screen TV in the living room. On the screen was a newscaster woman and there was a large picture of a man beside her. "If you see this man, please contact your local police. He is wanted for child abuse and murder." I studied the middle-aged man. He had ivory skin and was clearly Japanese. He had a strong appearance, and seemed to be the serious and hard-working type judging by the small wrinkles at the corners of his dark eyes. His hair was black and cropped short with bangs shrouding most of his face.

I turned back away once the topic switched to sports, and realized I never responded to the stranger—Yugi.

Thanks.

I quickly sent that, since I didn't want to seem rude and ungrateful. Royal and polite as ever, huh, Pharaoh? I remembered Bakura's mocking words from the past, and clutched the glass I was holding. No. I wasn't. Nor would I ever be...

I sighed and decided to clean up before grabbing my phone off the counter once again. I walked into the parlor area — it was the best place for relaxing and was truly serene with the full window view of the large yard outside. Mornings and evenings were the best times to sit out in the lounge chairs.

The more I sat and stared, the more I realized how utterly bored and lonely I was. I stared down at my phone, and finally sighed.

Sorry again. I just wanted to tell him since he was away, everyone's out with their families right now.

Well it was mostly true... Can't exactly say 'they're out doing things I have no clue about', can I? That wouldn't leave very good impressions. I didn't expect a response back, but fate seemed to want to play a game with me because shortly I heard a familiar beep! sound.

It's fine. That's gotta be hard, what kind of phone did you get?

I smiled as I remembered some of the first text messages I sent to him. He remembered. I wasn't too sure of the name of the phone though... The name wasn't anywhere on the phone, and the box was upstairs where I left it last night.

The newest Android phone.

I hoped he would know what I'm talking about. I was never one to remember specific brands of technology. Beep!

Cool. Mine isn't anything like yours, but I love it anyway. :)

I was glad he seemed to know what I was talking about and could carry a conversation with me. So he had one of the other phones I had been looking at when Ami chose this one for me? I smiled before thinking of what to say... We need a new topic, but would it seem like a strange question?

Lol, so what school do you go to, if you don't mind me asking?

Hopefully it wouldn't merit his instant dislike...

I go to Domino High. Wbu?

My eyes widened a bit. Domino? Wasn't that the small town close by? So he didn't live across the country like I was thinking? How odd...

Renka.

I typed that in while I was wondering, to answer his question. When it hit me of my short reply, I hastily bit out another question.

How old are you?

Yugi and I might have more in common. I remember a few years ago in school, we had a pen pal program where we emailed a person across the world from us. It was nice.

16. I'll be in 17 June.

Hm, wow, close in age too. I wasn't expecting on texting a complete stranger, but now I'm glad it happened this way — and I didn't have to deal with either psycho!

17. 18 in June as well.

I eagerly awaited his next reply.

What date?

I instantly shot back.

June 4.

Beep!

Wow, mine's June 4!

I laughed lightly, so now we shared a birthday? I found it amusing that we were just a year apart, if it had been the same year, we could have been considered twins!

That's strange... and amazingly coincidental.

I decided to just remain truthful and speak my mind, friendships were better founded on truths than on lies.

So, um, want to play 20 questions? It's okay if you don't, I'm just bored lol

I smiled then. So him, too? So we were just two lonely teenagers looking for company? Well, I started thinking as I typed out my reply, fate does work in mysterious ways sometimes.

Sure, I like games :) What's your favorite color?

And that began my story of texting a stranger...

. * .

Keira: So? How was it? I'm dying to know~ D=

Ami: Please let us know your thoughts in the comments. Saying stuff like your favorite parts really helps us out.

Keira: We hope you enjoyed reading this and look forward to more~ ^-^