DISCLAIMER: Yuugiou/Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters belongs to Takahashi Kazuki, not to me. Otherwise this fic would be canon.

This one-shot was inspired by a particular line found in the dialogue between Yuugi and Mou hitori no Yuugi in My Partner. Feel free to check it out (and review it). (Well, in reality, I more enjoyed writing Incomparable than My Partner.)

By the way, even though this fic takes place sometime between Battle City and DOMA arcs, it does not strictly follow the events within and after this timeline (as you would notice as you read along) nor the way Japanese schools run (not that Yuugi's school was shown actually carrying out the necessary punishment for him and his schoolmates despite that they were mostly participating in the Duelist Kingdom and Battle City tournaments instead of attending classes). In addition, it is never shown in the series when Yuugi's birthday took place, so I took the liberty of using it within the aforementioned time frame. You could say it's almost an AU.

And finally this one-shot, written in Mou hitori no Yuugi's point of view, is dedicated to Yuugi's birthday. Yes, I know, it's still quite early but since my hectic schedule wouldn't allow me to post it on the fourth of June (or any weekday for that matter), now would be the best time for me.

I hope you'll enjoy! =)

INCOMPARABLE

It was during Sundays when people were most free. With least responsibilities, no worries, more choices than one to spend the day. It was also during Sundays when Aibou was most lax, with more than enough spare time to communicate with me.

But not today.

Leaning in spirit against the wall adjacent to the study table, I watched Aibou in complete silence as he tried to reabsorb information by paragraphs in his history book. Breaking his concentration was the last thing I wanted; he had mentioned before some oncoming exams this week—the fourth of June, to be exact.

I found it rather strange, though, that even as Aibou continued to review, his focus seemed to waver, to keep on shifting. One moment his gaze would rest on the book, the next moment on the calendar nearby. And each time he checked the latter out, his innocent face would brighten, smiling to himself. This action only heightened my curiosity, pushing me to leave my post to see for myself what exactly was responsible for his light mood.

The fourth of June.

Encircled in red.

He smiled again that knowing smile. "I can hardly wait!"

Now my curiosity was left even more unsatisfied than before. I couldn't see anything to get Aibou so excited on the day of his exams when he could barely even focus on preparing for it. It didn't add up. There must be something he knew would happen on that day, something significant enough to raise his enthusiasm. But it was no longer in my jurisdiction to extract the answer from him. What Aibou never said, I hold it as a private matter for him, and I respect that. And whatever it was now, for him to not reveal it to me must be something for him not worth calling for my attention. So I decided to return to my soul room.

"And I can't believe another year has already passed…"

Aibou's words in that nearly breathless voice clung to me as I was stepping into the quiet hallway between our opposite rooms. My hand began to push the door to heavy coldness.

Another year…

Realization struck me like lightning. Of course. There was no other way to explain his good mood. It was about a birthday. His birthday.

Now that I thought about it, so much had happened in the past months that it hadn't occurred to me when the date of his birth would be approaching. I found myself nearly smiling merely by recalling his barely contained excitement. Aibou had been viewing life from a more positive angle now, never taking for granted each day he lived. Being his "other self", despite being actually another entire entity existing within him, I could feel even from the spot where I stood his strong vibes of looking more forward to his existence that had started sixteen years ago.

But the moment I stepped into the room, a new thought drifted into my consciousness.

When had I started to exist at all?

It was a thought lost in the recesses of my mind, not knowing where to find its way to the answer, just as how it would be in this huge maze before me. A thought that stilled my form. There was no way I could recall. All I remembered was coldness, darkness that bordered me from the world continuously living and evolving its ways in my absence. Had Ishizu not revealed to me a fragment of my past, I wouldn't even know about how long I had dwelt in this nothingness that had slowly washed away every trace of my ancient life. That had slowly built each door and stair for every lost trace, giving rise to a complicated labyrinth that mirrored my heart.

But even though this maze still existed up to now, someday it would collapse. One day, I would get back all my memories. But for now, I'm taking my time. My memories of the present, no matter what would happen to them when I remembered everything, were also of equal value to those of the past. Right now I lived within a vessel who never minded my presence as a personal burden, a boy who unknowingly taught me the kind of courage I never recognized before, a soul whose life I shared with and who was more than willing to help me regain all that I had lost. Now that the most important day of his life was at hand, I felt he deserved something.

My gaze was fixated on the maze.

If only I knew what to give.

That afternoon I stood at the town plaza, waiting for Anzu to arrive. Over the phone she had wished Aibou for my presence, had convinced me to go out with her because she believed Aibou deserved a great birthday and that I would be of great help to prepare it.

The moment she arrived, not another second was wasted. We spent the afternoon raking all shops of the town for the elements of this surprise party Anzu had explained earlier, with my pledge to veil the truth so that Aibou would not discover. Soon she was picking up deflated balloons of various colors, materials for the making of a banner and other related items. I couldn't see how she'd thought I could provide her some help when it was apparent she had already envisioned this celebration, that she knew what she was doing.

But even so, I wanted to do this for Aibou. Even in any small way possible, I wanted to contribute something for the most significant day of his life.

In addition, this afternoon would get me a glimpse of his life from other angles through other people apart from Sugoroku-jii-san, Anzu being the best example; if any friend knew Aibou way before I came into his life, it was she. And perhaps, this afternoon might lead me to the gift I would be giving him.

But even after hours withered away, I realized this trip had been a failure. Searching aimlessly for a gift that would be worthy of my partner and would suit him without a clear idea of it was all that I had accomplished. Every potential item had disappointed me, had not reached my expectations. In the end, I walked away empty-handed.

Still, this dilemma didn't stop me from noticing how Anzu had been studying me at the corner of her eye the entire time. Almost as though she had been taking note of every reaction I made. In one swift motion I caught her watching me. "Anzu?"

She was visibly taken aback, blinking. "Nothing, just… Yuugi, something seems to be troubling you; I couldn't help but notice it. I must have caught you in a bad time. Maybe this trip wasn't the best idea after all—"

"No, it's not like that." I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my pants and uttered nothing more.

Anzu fell silent for a while before a look of determination charged her face again. "Well, I guess this calls for a break. Yuugi, why don't we eat first? We'd be able to regroup better that way, wouldn't we?" She pointed to a cake shop just directly within our line of sight, right across the street.

Her plan sounded logical and appropriate at that time, so I agreed. We headed over to the cake shop, straight to the counter where I beheld a wide array of choices laid bare behind glass. Now what to pick, I didn't know. Cake was one of the many things I had never physically tried before.

"Try whatever looks suitable to your liking," Anzu encouraged as she fell into step beside my still frame. "My treat."

I studied one cake after another. Black forest. Mocha. Chocolate mousse. Mille-feuille. Blueberry cheesecake. Banoffee pie. Coffee crunch…

This could go on forever. As I was about to give up and just let Anzu choose for me, a nearly golden hue arrested my attention. I leaned over to view it closer. Caramel, the label read.

A few minutes later, Anzu and I resided in a table closest to the glass wall, a slice of caramel cake before me and of fudge one for her.

"I've gone here a few times but I've never tried caramel before," she mused. "If it tastes delicious to you, then I might help myself to a slice of it the next time."

My fork lacerated through the tip of the cake and settled the piece into my mouth. Rich sweetness, hinting of strength without overpowering the taste buds. I had to admit, I found it enjoyable to consume. "Not bad."

Anzu watched the barely veiled satisfaction on my face. "Yep, caramel for me the next time."

But as I continued to finish the cake, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of one would please Aibou. I'd been with him for quite a long time now, yet there were so many things about him yet to be discovered by me. "What about Aibou? What cake would he like?"

Anzu appeared to think hard. "Well, I have to admit, I'm unsure about that. In the past, he and I celebrated his birthday by spending it at the amusement park in the afternoon since I was restricted by curfew. I've never been to a party thrown by him at all. Not that there's actually one. Sugoroku-ojii-san had mentioned before that only one small chocolate cake at home constitutes the entire celebration each year. Whether or not the other Yuugi prefers that kind, no one knows because he never comments nor complains about it. He's just happy to share that cake, even though there isn't anyone else besides his family to share it with."

My grasp on the fork tightened a bit. Spending the date of your birth without friends. For more than a decade. It was very unjust for a person as gentle and impossibly good-willed as Aibou to deserve reliving such a lonely experience year after year. Aibou… I didn't know.

"As if that's not enough." A frown, almost out of mixed pity and anger, slightly contorted her features. "With his short stature and passive demeanor, he's more than qualified to be a bully magnet. Almost every birthday I'd catch at least one bully extracting money or personal things from him, or slightly beating him up for fun. Maybe they knew his birthday, maybe they didn't. Most of these jerks I could scare away but there are also some whom I had a hard time defending him against. The other Yuugi would thank me each time but then would feel beyond embarrassed for allowing a girl to defend him when he should be the one standing up for himself."

That should have been my job. At the beginning of Anzu's story, anger had simmered within me. Now it died down, only to be replaced by a strong internal flinch. Aibou didn't deserve such lonely and cruel birthdays. Why couldn't I have been there earlier to protect him?

"For this, I always make sure to make his birthdays as special as I could. I used to think before that a surprise party might overwhelm him, so I make up for it by giving a different gift each year. Which reminds me—" Anzu paused as she rummaged her handbag to pull out a hand-sized box and carefully laid it on the table. "—I got this on the way to meet you."

I picked up the box, inspecting the item resting behind its transparent front cover. It was a cast puzzle, three pieces of artistically crafted geometrical figures linked to each other—meant to be solved by separating them from each other and putting them back together by one's own bare hands.

"It's at its highest level of difficulty," she supplied. "Since the other Yuugi is into games, I thought this would make a great present for him. I just hope it would be challenging enough. After solving the Millennium Puzzle, I'm afraid that cast puzzle might just be a piece of cake." A hint of hope swam in her voice. "What do you think?"

"…It's great. Aibou would like it a lot." Distraction bit back my tone but it wasn't easy to keep it away. This cast puzzle in my hands. It only showed how well Anzu knew my partner. Indeed, she was right: it would make a great present for him. Had the circumstances been different, I would pick that puzzle myself, something I knew Aibou would love.

But somehow, even this obvious fact about him wasn't helping me ease myself. I understood how Anzu's friendship with Aibou had led her to pick the right choice, but my bond with him was not the same as theirs nor as anyone else's. Aibou and I weren't just simply partners; we were more than friends, closer than brothers, soul mates in a literal sense yet our different and separate souls lived as one. As difficult as it was to name that relationship in just one word, it was a deeply felt, cultivated connection that only he and I could understand and live in. Only something that could match this connection would I deem worthy of being handed over to Aibou. Considerably common or traditional gifts wouldn't do.

"Yuugi?"

This time wonder and concern laced Anzu's voice, and I found her gaze at me matching her tone.

"To be honest, I don't know what gift I should give Aibou." And to be honest with myself, beneath those words was a hidden sense of shame. This gift was a puzzle itself, only that the pieces were missing in my hands that I, the King of Games, couldn't see how its completed form looked. "But whatever that gift is, it should be something original. Something…" I searched through these waves of feelings lapping inside me for the exact word. "Incomparable."

She forked around with her cake before finishing it. "The other Yuugi isn't a materialistic person. I can only help you find that gift, but to actually have it would completely depend on you."

"Anzu."

"I think the other Yuugi would rather have something coming from here." The base of her palm pointed itself to her heart.

From there. My gaze penetrated that covered spot.

"Come on." Anzu got on her feet the moment the last crumb of cake vanished from our plates. "Cheer up, Yuugi. We have an unforgettable party to throw."

The fourth of June arrived at last.

And I still had nothing to give Aibou.

He woke up in grogginess, late in the morning, then hurried through his morning routine. Understanding that today was the day of tests, a few times I tried to catch an appropriate moment to greet him, but only in vain. It wasn't as though he were ignoring my waiting presence; most likely his mind was so focused on his oncoming exams, he even scurried out into the street with a toast hanging from his mouth. So I decided to not disturb him or his concentration until the day was over.

He arrived at school on time, scrambling into the classroom while materializing his notes from his bag at the same time. No one greeted him. Projecting myself by his side, I wondered. These classmates of his—were they just too absorbed with some last-minute reviewing? Or did they not know even up to now that today was the special day for him? I couldn't tell.

Aibou didn't seem to mind, though, he himself skimming through pages of his notebook. Hurrying past our friends, he just mumbled a quick "Good morning" and plopped into his seat. I silently watched them. Anzu, seemingly quite tired, and Otogi were both engrossed in reading their notes without a sound. Honda-kun bore dark circles beneath his eyes, memorizing information aloud before groaning to himself in frustration. Jounouchi-kun, both arms and head draped over the back of his chair, looked like he couldn't even bother cracking a single notebook.

None of them greeted Aibou.

I frowned at this scene. Even more so when the exams were over and everyone just parted ways with him after school. Why his other classmates barely acknowledged him, I understood. But a similar treatment coming from our closest friends was something I found odd. Now that I thought more about it, I didn't recall witnessing even Sugoroku-jii-san greeting Aibou either.

Of course. This must be part of the surprise our friends had in store for Aibou tonight. It made sense since Anzu had asked for my assistance behind his back.

As for the rest of the afternoon, Aibou spent it alone at the amusement park. Once in a while, I observed him if he ever wondered why Anzu didn't join him this time, but all I got was unwavering enjoyment. Nothing was wrong with this, I knew. But at the same time I couldn't escape this nagging notion that meant Aibou had been lonely for so long, he got used to being just by himself. But that would change tonight. So I decided to just let him be and retreated to my soul room instead.

But the moment the seemingly worn-out door closed behind me, an overwhelming feeling commenced, weighing me down like bricks knotted to all my limbs, numbing me to the coldness of the intricate quarters, cracking my walls of confidence. At first I couldn't word it until I realized it: guilt. There Anzu was, taking care of most of Aibou's celebration. Jounouchi-kun and the others… I had no idea what their roles were but it didn't matter. Our friend, my friend, Mutou Yuugi was my partner, my "other self". Of all people who should know him best, it should be none other than me. Yet in the end it was I who could offer nothing for him, not even help.

Not even a gift.

"Mou hitori no boku."

Aibou. His soul was calling me from the other side of the thick door. I pulled it ajar, meeting him face-to-face at the empty hallway. Now was finally my chance to greet him but somehow hesitation froze my mouth, as though only doing so might disappoint him of his expectations. "Aibou."

He smiled.

And the next thing I knew, I was standing in front of the door that would lead me to the living room of the house, apparently already having complete yet unexpected hold of the reins over Aibou's frame. Realizing this yet still confused why, I called out for him to come back but nothing happened. I tried again but still to no avail.

My efforts were cut short when the door slowly opened, revealing Anzu, Jounouchi-kun, Honda-kun and Otogi blocking my path.

Anzu stepped forward, presenting to me something in her hands as her face broke into a warm smile. "Happy birthday, Yuugi."

I looked at the object she was holding, realizing it was a cake baked in the image of the Millennium Puzzle, down to the last detail, even the color and the contours. The image of what Aibou believed had granted him friends. Anzu apparently had mistaken me for my partner. "Anzu, you must be confused. I'm not Aibou."

But she just chuckled. "This cake's delicious, Yuugi. Why don't you try a taste of it yourself?"

She hadn't heard me clarify myself. But then I decided to just humor her. With my index finger, I scooped an ample amount of icing and brought it to my mouth.

Caramel.

She knew.

Anzu took a step aside, and the guys grinned at me before striding out of my way. It was a silent invitation for me to come in, and so I did.

But inside the room, there were no balloons, no banners. None of the stuff Anzu had bought last Sunday for my partner.

Instead my body froze.

I wasn't prepared to hear notes of harp and lyre dancing in the air. To see soft yellow lights carefully situated around the room and its corners, bathing with their glow a pair of opposite walls richly depicting reeds, animals in marshes and flat scenes of ancient Egyptians carrying on with their daily lives. The remaining walls and the ceiling were devoid of any art, though they gave a strong impression of being built out of mud brick. At the midpoint of one of these walls towered a hieroglyphic pillar I'd never seen before, a column almost touching the ceiling. Falcon statues of stone at opposite corners didn't escape my notice either.

Then my gaze dropped to the polished clean floor, devoid of familiar furniture save for countable throw pillows neatly arranged around a low wooden table laden with food at its center. Grapes, apples, melons, raisins, roasted chicken, pitchers of water, flat bread that I recalled Aibou once called pita bread. Dining plates with glass goblets surrounded this collective centerpiece, while standing by at another but this time smaller low table were a case of forks and little bowls of water.

The guys knew.

What was the meaning of this?

"I'm sorry I had to trick you last Sunday," Anzu apologized, sensing my confusion that I supposed my face now could barely deny. "But if I didn't, you would have found out and everything would have been ruined."

They couldn't be serious.

"Anzu filled us in on the details about you and your discovered identity." Still bearing his grin, Jounouchi-kun approached my side to clap my shoulder. "It's about time. Happy birthday, Yuugi."

They were throwing the party… for me. All along.

Even as Honda-kun, Otogi and Jii-san happily greeted me too, shock continued to numb my muscles. My mouth. My brain. But when thoughts found their way to run through my mind, nothing made sense, even as I stared at the concrete proof that was the Millennium Puzzle cake. Why would Aibou's and my friends throw this party for me? Weren't they supposed to do it in my partner's honor?

"I hope this is okay with you, Yuugi," Anzu said, referring to the cake she was holding before me. "At first, I thought of baking a pyramid cake but then I found it too general. We don't want it to be just about ancient Egypt; it's much more than that. It's… It's about you."

"Anzu…"

…hinting of strength without overpowering the taste buds…

It wasn't just the likeness of the Millennium Puzzle. That specific impression I had of the caramel cake last Sunday suddenly reminded me now of my participation in the partnership between Aibou and me. But Anzu's explanation had nothing to do with my judgment, I knew; I never told her. Besides that, food and relationships were just remotely analogous. It was only of coincidence that an unseen force had led me to that particular cake, had unconsciously made me create a fitting description of what I favored.

The parallelism made me believe otherwise.

I stared at the cake that, judging from its fresh appearance, seemed to have been baked just a few hours ago. Upon closer look, I noticed for the first time at its center three slightly tall burning yellow candles engraved in charcoal black with columns of hieroglyphics. "These are…"

"Millennium candles," Jounouchi-kun answered with pride that told me he must have coined the term himself. "They're not Millennium Items or anything but they sure stand for a long way back. Well, usually tradition calls for one candle per year according to your age, but three thousand candles or so would be too impractical and hazardous, wouldn't it?"

"Jounouchi-kun…"

"But if you want to know how I diligently worked on the hieroglyphics, maybe you should ask him." He jerked his thumb at Otogi. "Who would have known using his charms at school would prove to be actually useful?"

"Well, swooning those only few girls of the history club into helping me, even with the candles, was pretty easy." Otogi twirled one of his dark bangs with his digits. "I must say, though, they did a pretty good job. Credit also goes to them for acquiring that CD on ancient Egyptian music, though just a remake from contemporary instruments. The walls are the tricky part, though."

"That was supposed to be Jounouchi's and my assignment," Honda-kun continued. "While you were out with Anzu last Sunday, we checked out the museum for any age-old Egyptian inspiration as our guide since the Ishtars aren't around anymore to help us. But those policies banning cameras and all other recording equipment left us nothing, so we had Otogi make those history club fans of his produce those pictorial wallpapers on short notice. I guess with the little amount of time left, they weren't enough for all four walls of this room. We had no choice but to resort to scouting the city for brick-colored wallpapers after school for the rest of the week instead."

Jounouchi-kun gestured at the falcon statues with his head. "You forgot these, Honda." Then he turned to me. "Courtesy of Jii-san. They, including the pillar, were lent to him by his friend who collects anything antique or ancient-inspired." Grinning at Aibou's grandfather, he kidded, "It sometimes does you good when someone owes you a favor, huh, Jii-san?"

Jii-san smiled heartily. "Good deeds never go unrewarded with equally good ones, my boy."

They wanted to bring me back three thousand years ago. "You guys…" Remembering how exhausted they had looked this morning left me stunned. Everyone had worked so hard, had sacrificed a lot to throw this celebration together when they weren't obliged to. When they had important matters to prioritize instead. "You shouldn't have bothered to go through such trouble for this. I know how tired all of you are; you didn't have to do this at the risk of failing your exams."

"Are you kidding?" Honda-kun asked. "We actually had fun doing stuff for this party! Well, sure, it required quite a lot of work, but it sure was worth it."

"It isn't just the party." Jounouchi-kun placed a strong hand on my shoulder. "You, Yuugi, are worth it."

To this, everyone nodded in agreement.

"Besides, we could use some change in celebrating a birthday." Otogi gestured at the general vicinity of the food. "Forks for cake only, fingers to be used for eating the rest of the food since ancient Egyptians didn't have spoons or forks, bowls of water for cleaning your fingers afterward as tradition—you don't often see this kind of party. It's one of a kind, and that's a good thing."

He was right. Practically every detail of this room enclosing us stated ancient Egypt, even the food, which I found quite massive on the table. "This is rather so much for us to eat," I stated, nodding toward the table. I scanned the area for our other companions who would share the food with us but found no one else. "Where are the others?"

"We prepared this much food on purpose. Pharaohs celebrate in banquets, don't they?" Anzu responded, then grew apologetic. "But we're sorry for failing to bring everyone together. Bakura-kun wasn't feeling well after school so he immediately went home before we could even inform him. And as you know, Ishizu-san and the others had already returned to Egypt; making them come back so soon would be impossible. Even Otogi-kun nearly couldn't come."

"Well, I was supposed to go back to America tonight to come up with a new Dungeon Dice Monsters; the school wouldn't allow me to until I at least finished taking the exams." Otogi rested one hand on his hip. "But I guess delaying my flight a little to help you guys wouldn't do any harm. Kaiba-kun, on the other hand, had things way easier."

Jounouchi-kun scowled at this. "Kaiba, that lucky bastard. Being given an exemption like that—what the hell's the school thinking? Just because he's a CEO with responsibilities to handle doesn't mean he should be spoiled with perks all the time! Not that it matters that he isn't here. He's more of a rival to Yuugi than a friend anyway."

"Anyway," Honda-kun cut in, "Shizuka-chan said she couldn't come because she has to take care of her mother who is sick right now."

"How the hell did you know that, Honda?" Jounouchi-kun demanded. "I haven't even breathe a word about it to you." Honda-kun innocently gazed heavenward, and Jounouchi-kun narrowed his eyes suspiciously to start what would be a heap of questions. But then he paused as though recalling something. "Right. Putting that aside now, I was about to say that Mai wouldn't be here either. I tried to track her down but no one even knows her latest whereabouts."

"But wherever she is right now, I'm sure somehow she would feel something special is going on now." Anzu smiled at me. "Yuugi, may this night be for you the beginning of more celebrated years to come."

Even until now I couldn't get over this huge surprise that had been in store for me. I knew Aibou's friends considered me as one of them, but I'd never imagined they would go this far just to exhibit it. It did more than just touched my soul. For the first time in three thousand years, I felt a strong pull of appreciation within me just by knowing how important it was for my friends that I existed.

But even so, I couldn't bring myself to be truly happy. There was one more thing left unsettled that bothered me from the start. "But why now? Why did you set this celebration on Aibou's birthday?"

"Yuugi, one of the most important memories that you're missing is the day you were born. The other Yuugi is aware of this, so he decided to make it the same as his."

Aibou did that—for me? I didn't completely understand. If that was the case, then why wouldn't he come out to share it with me? Weren't we supposed to celebrate it together then? I voiced out these uncertainties to Anzu.

"He wouldn't do that," she replied, then paused as though to reconsider her words. "Well, he can be here but only to give the greeting, not to receive it. Yuugi, since you're the star of the celebration, all attention must be concentrated on you and you alone. It's what the other Yuugi had planned."

Alone. "And Aibou?"

"He chose to move his celebration to another day. Tomorrow, actually. See, I wasn't completely tricking you when I bought all those balloons and stuff for him; we'll just use them then."

Tomorrow. When it wasn't his birthday anymore. I fell silent at this, my chest constricting. I still didn't understand…

"We kind of failed him, though. We promised we would make this thing as exact as how a pharaoh's birthday is actually celebrated for you as he wished, but we couldn't even recreate Egyptian cuisine. Wine or beer should have been our beverage but only you are in the legal age to drink; and even so, the other Yuugi's body might not be able to handle the alcohol. We couldn't get copper or other metal plates either. The best we could do for this party was to let ancient overlap with modern. Then again, modern also suits you, and what better way to exercise it than the traditional making of a wish by…" Anzu trailed off, her cheerfulness dissolving as she noticed how quiet I had grown, how my bangs hooded over my eyes. "This isn't the way you wanted it, is it? I understand. We should have tried even harder…"

"Why…"

Anzu was looking at me in wonder, I could tell. "Yuugi…"

"Why did you listen to him…"

Her answer hitched at her throat. "We…"

"Why?" My eyes shut themselves tight, one hand tightening into a balled fist. At that moment, I was suddenly shrouded by blackness, lost. I couldn't understand. I could only ask. "Why would you put me first, Aibou? Why are you giving up a very important day to me as a sacrifice?" How could I accept his birthday as my own? Aibou didn't have to but he had gone through such great lengths for me, while I myself couldn't give anything for his birthday.

And even worse, now in return.

Silence was the only answer I received. When my eyelids parted, I found my friends dead silent, unsure of what to do next, hesitating for they were very well aware of how bothered I was instead of enjoying. Dragging them into my own confusion was an unnecessary thing; so as modulated as I could, I excused myself to head for my partner's room.

I closed the door behind me, rushing past the study table. Yet somehow my peripheral vision caught sight of the calendar. Of the familiar red circle enclosing the date. Recalling Aibou's excited mood last Sunday, everything turned harder for me as I suddenly realized the real reason behind each smile. He had planned this reason all along.

At any other day, this bedroom was Aibou's haven, a physical place where he was most alone, yet most free with his thoughts. With me. There were no secrets that we hide from each other, and we were the first to learn each other's sentiments. But right now he was blocking himself from my reach. No, I could sense his gentle presence, yet only from a distance. Waiting for him lasted for only some time, but when he wouldn't come out, I was finally through with it. "I'm not enjoying, Aibou."

For a few moments, nothing happened. Then at last, Aibou's spirit manifested itself before me. "Mou hitori no boku." His face creased upon seeing my serious expression. "Why aren't you celebrating with our friends?"

"What's the point…"

His mouth tugged downward. "Mou hitori no boku…"

I gazed at his face full of confusion and, for a split second, wondered how he would take my question. I had no want for Aibou to get hurt by outright rejecting what he himself had orchestrated for me. Painting that picture of disappointment on his face was unthinkable, unbearable. But he had to know. "What's the point of celebrating this day if it's not for you? Forgive me, Aibou. I…" I had to say it. "I can't accept this."

The picture was already accomplished in an instant, small shoulders drooping slightly.

And how I loathed myself for a job well done. But the damage had already been done; I could only soften its blow now. "It's not that I don't appreciate your efforts to make it happen. But do you not realize that this birthday could have been your first where you aren't alone anymore? Where you are really happy? You never had a single friend for more than ten years to share this happiness with. I know how hard it must have been for you. You don't have to hide this from me."

"Mou hitori no boku."

"Aibou, I know you meant well. But you celebrate your beginning only once in a year. I'm used to not celebrating my own. I don't see any reason for you to do something as needless as handing over to me the most significant day of your life."

"Exactly the point."

His answer left me puzzled.

"It's true that my birthdays were so simple, so short. Anzu aside, I had been friendless throughout all these years. Yet even so, at least I had Jii-chan to celebrate it with each year that I lived. But Mou hitori no boku, you've been completely alone for three thousand years, being locked inside the Millennium Puzzle. You've never had the chance to celebrate the date of your own birth to the point of not remembering anymore."

"Aibou…"

"It must have been horrible. I couldn't fathom how difficult it must have been for you to undergo such a thing. For me, less than twenty years of loneliness is nothing next to that of three thousand. Mou hitori no boku, you deserve to start again and let it be marked by an unforgettable celebration. And you deserve it to the fullest." A soft smile. "You don't have to mind me. Even though my birth on the fourth of June had already been established, anytime I can celebrate it, especially now that I have a lot of friends. Adjusting the date doesn't really matter to me."

His words stunned me, I unable to believe. How could Aibou be this… selfless? How could I even deserve this selflessness? "But Aibou, I can't accept this. It's being unfair to you. You never should have thought about me. Even if you have to, why didn't you just choose the date you completed the Millennium Puzzle instead? You wouldn't have needed to sacrifice your own birthday otherwise."

But my partner just closed his eyes. "Because it's not enough."

My forehead creased a little. "What are you saying? I came out into this world after you integrated the last piece. Don't you remember that?"

"That's true. The moment I put together the Millennium Puzzle, your soul was released into our lives." His eyes opened. "But even at that time, no one, not even I, recognized your existence. We didn't even know you. So even when you began residing inside my body, in truth you were still just alone, as alone as you had been in the thousands of years that had passed. Nothing had really changed."

I watched him approach his study table. I followed him, and his finger lightly traced the crimson circle marking the date now on his calendar.

"To the outside world, we both are really sharing the same anniversary of birth," he uttered softly. "But I don't feel exactly the same way." Facing me, his gaze was just as gentle. "For me, giving my date of birth to you is a present in itself for your birthday. I really, actually want to. As I said before, if you failed to recall your past, I'll give you all of my memories." For a while, his eyes were downcast, then looked up, serious. "But Mou hitori no boku, I couldn't just wait for whatever the outcome of your search would be, knowing that my very own birthday reminds me of one of the most important memories you lacked. If only I could give you even just one of my memories…"

"Aibou…" When we had shared that quiet yet personal exchange of thoughts, that first evening of interaction since he had reconstructed the Millennium Puzzle amidst the fire, I had believed Aibou was talking about memories of the past. It wasn't until now that I realized these memories could also mean future ones.

"I believe it's only right that you have my birthday. Until you fully discover your real identity…" That familiar smile of tenderness again. "…to me you're still my other self."

My other self…

Of course. In the absence of my true identity, I was also Mutou Yuugi. I understood what Aibou was trying to get across. But for it to be at his expense…

"And Mou hitori no boku…"

I held my breath.

"…I'm deeply glad that I met you."

My eyes widened. Aibou…

At the corner of my vision, I saw Anzu, Jii-san and the others tentatively peek by the door and glanced in their direction.

"We were just checking if you're okay. You haven't gone out of the room for quite some time," Anzu explained right away. "But we can leave to give you some time alone if you want."

"You don't need to worry, Anzu. I'm all right."

Relief washed over everyone else. Then when they exchanged nods with Anzu, she brought out the puzzle cake and offered it to me encouragingly. "This is a chance for you to make a wish. Just blow these candles in one breath as you silently do so to make it come true."

I stared at the softly burning sticks of wax, unsure whether or not to put the light out of them. Doing so would mean a heavy decision. A wage that awaited the fate of Aibou's…

But then Aibou stepped before me, smiling, his small hands also holding the cake in Anzu's own. "Happy birthday, Mou hitori no boku."

It was the first time he had greeted me, words so simple yet their impact weighing heavily in my chest. One look at him and I took in his gaze full of sincerity and earnestness.

Silence. At each moment that stretched without any answer from me, it grew heavier, thicker. All eyes were trained on me, waiting, wondering what my reaction would be.

Finally the corners of my mouth lifted.

"Thank you, Aibou."

As I took hold of the cake as well, our friends smiled, despite my seemingly peculiar response to Anzu. They also knew that even though they couldn't physically see Aibou, he was also present among us and that the response had been addressed to him. Having found the strength to accept his gift in his sincerity that knew no boundaries, and now no longer holding back, I blew all three candles simultaneously and released my grasp on the triangular dessert. As I did, my partner let his hands go as well.

"All right!" It was Jounouchi-kun who broke the silence. "Now that Yuugi's blown the candles, it's time to party! Come on, everyone! Let's eat, I'm starving!"

Honda-kun smirked at this. "Heh, I just knew making sure of those candles was the very reason you came up here with us, Jounouchi."

Jounouchi-kun snorted. "Yeah right, as though a certain someone inside this very room hadn't drooled all over the entire spread of food just minutes before."

Everyone else burst out laughing, and even I found myself almost smiling at their antics as they raced downstairs.

The night wore itself out with the party meant for me—a celebration not raging with fire of pumping adrenaline but rather as quiet as a whisper yet still breathing with life and enjoyment. Intimate, despite the absence of my memories. How my birth as the heir to the Egyptian throne had been celebrated, I couldn't picture in my mind. But starting all over again, now being among family and friends, people who were even needlessly repentant under the assumption of failing to remake my birthday as perfect, witnessing them relaxing, laughing while having a good time—even without the ancient Egypt décor, I wanted to savor this incredible experience again and again. So much that even if I were to be locked inside the Millennium Puzzle for another three thousand years, this memory would remain flesh to my bodiless soul that would gladly take possession of it. Relive it.

See it.

Hear it.

Smell it.

Taste it.

Feel it.

And this time, all sensations would no longer be preserved in stone tablets. No need. They were engraved in my soul already.

However, one sensation escaped my will of etching every detail.

By the time everyone cleaned up the mess and called it a night, I found myself picking from the cake the three candles coated with caramel icing, my eyes heavily beholding them.

"You're not happy?"

My gaze switched to Anzu, the only one who stayed longer inside the house as the others had gone ahead outside in waiting for her. The only one who noticed me in my silent preoccupation. "It's not like that. I couldn't be any happier."

"So what's wrong?"

She was truly sensitive to my shift of moods. Almost as keen as Aibou. Perhaps this was something about her that made me not mind baring feelings and thoughts when it came to him. "Aibou gave this much. I regret not being able to give him anything." I brought the candles resting in my palm closer to my gaze. "But when I blew these candles for a wish as you said, I saw it strange that I found myself not making one." Strange indeed. Real or not, I could have used that chance to wash away that ugly shade of regret. Now it was nothing more than a wasted opportunity.

But then in a moment of silence, Anzu grew thoughtful.

"Maybe because in your heart, there is actually no wish to be recognized at all."

Surprise caught me.

"Do you remember what I told you before about the gift the other Yuugi would rather have?"

Enclosing itself around the candles, my hand found its way to my chest.

I remembered.

Anzu smiled in reassurance. "It's telling you whether or not he has received it." Then she bade me farewell and exited from the room to join the others.

The pieces of this puzzle fell into place, completing its form that Anzu knew all along.

At that moment, Aibou's spirit conjured itself by my side, watching our friends leave before turning to me. "So… how did you find it? My gift, I mean."

And I understood. This form was a linkage of Aibou's and my gift to each other; the acceptance of one's gift was the gift itself received by its giver. Realizing the truth behind Anzu's words, this spot where my hand was resting could confidently answer now. The wish didn't exist because it was already true. What Aibou really wanted was my heartfelt happiness beyond measure because of my birthday that he gave me—the memory I wouldn't ever forget. The memory that wasn't just composed of the birthday itself or its celebration but also of the genuine reason behind it, the precious effort to make it real, and the powerful lifetime effect it had on me.

Someday, I would be able to regain all my memories. But no matter what they were, I would eternally treasure this memory Aibou gave me. Because it was…

Aibou seemed puzzled that I wasn't replying. "Mou hitori no…"

Because it was… For a split second, I recalled the kind of gift I'd wanted to give him.

"…boku?"

And I smiled.

"Incomparable."

The End

In case you're wondering why I included Otogi in the celebration though he isn't as close to Mou hitori no Yuugi as Yuugi, Anzu, Jounouchi and Honda are, it's because they alone couldn't do everything in such short notice, thus needing Otogi's help. In addition to the fact that he had given aid to the group almost throughout the entire series, Otogi is also featured in Kessoku (Unity), one of the promotional cards in the Gospel of Truth (Yuugiou/Yu-Gi-Oh! Japanese manga character guide). This card shows Yuugi, Otogi, Honda, Anzu and Jounouchi with their hands piled together as a sign of unity, one of the themes illustrated in the series.

So how was this one-shot? Reviews are much appreciated. Thanks.

Before I forget:

Extended DISCLAIMER: I also don't own the photo of the Millennium Puzzle cake as my book cover (yes, that's a cake baked in the image of the Millennium Puzzle) =).

And finally…

Happy birthday in advance to Yuugi!