Monday, 05/14/2001, 10:36 a.m.
Domino High School, second floor, Class B.
The sun beat down through the windows.
A clear blue sky stretched over all of Domino City.
Inside the classroom, activity was buzzing—scents of all kinds of food, unintelligible voices, distant footsteps, screeches, and the continuous clicking of chopsticks.
All kinds of bentos were in sight.
Some students sat alone or studied, others chatted in groups, several played board games, and a few were asleep at their desks.
Around Shin's table, Hiroto, Anzu, and Yugi were gathered, either standing or sitting. Yugi was speaking, standing up with a doubtful expression and a concerned tone.
"…Uh, guys? Do you know what's going on with Jonouchi? He left the classroom the moment the bell rang and still hasn't come back."
Sitting next to Shin, Anzu shook her head and shrugged, her face calm.
At his desk, Shin remained silent, glancing away. A look of recognition marked his features.
With an amused smile, Hiroto spoke teasingly while standing.
"Maybe he ate something spoiled, huh? It wouldn't be the first time… He's been acting weird all morning."
Looking toward the classroom door, Yugi whispered nervously.
"You think so?"
Then, Yugi blinked a couple of times and pulled a yellow envelope from his jacket pocket. His voice came out in a calm tone.
"Oh, right. Grandpa found this envelope this morning by the shop entrance. It had no sender, so he gave it to me and I brought it here."
Yugi continued his explanation while emptying the envelope's contents onto the desk. Five cards fell out onto the wooden surface. The rest of the group watched with curious faces.
"It had these cards inside, so we figured it might be related to that tournament you wrote to me about, Shin."
Shin gave a slight nod under the others' gaze. Then he explained calmly, taking the five cards on the table.
"Yes, as you might've read from these cards, they describe in some way how the upcoming tournament will work. First, we'll travel by ship to an island, departing from Domino Pier. The tournament will take place there. The ship card gives the departure date and location. The island card represents our destination."
Shin showed the cards with the ship and island images before continuing, raising the card showing the glove and stars. The others nodded with understanding expressions.
"You've probably figured out that the glove and the stars are essential for the tournament's progression, Yugi. This card suggests that by filling the glove's slots with star chips after each win, you'll gain access to the final stage of the tournament. If you lose all your stars, you'll likely be disqualified."
Shin set aside the glove and stars card, then picked up the last two cards. One showed a treasure, and the other was blank. The others watched his actions without looking away.
"These two cards, 'Honor,' must be related to the prize for the tournament winner. Though I'm not completely sure, it's just speculation since one of them mentions 'great wealth' in its description."
The group nodded with understanding. Hiroto picked up the card with the ship image, his tone curious and expression calm.
"It says here the ship will pick up the participants next Friday at half past midnight. Hmm. By the way, are you going, Yugi?"
Yugi blinked a couple of times and then shook his head, his face uneasy and voice unsure. His gaze briefly shifted to an empty seat near the front of the classroom.
"No. I promised myself I wouldn't enter another tournament unless he was participating."
Anzu widened her eyes in surprise before asking curiously, her gaze shifting between the front seat and Yugi. Hiroto did the same, while Shin remained indifferent.
"You mean Kaiba?"
Yugi nodded silently. Anzu and Hiroto exchanged uneasy glances.
Blinking again, Hiroto looked at Shin with a puzzled face, intrigued.
"Now that I think about it… Shin showed up after that happened, right? So you probably have no idea what we're talking about, huh?"
Shin nodded slightly, a hint of discomfort on his face.
Then Anzu spoke with a serious tone.
"Well, we'd better fill you in then—"
At that moment, a blond boy walked into the classroom with his hands in his pockets and a downcast look. Yugi noticed him from the corner of his eye and called out warmly, raising a hand.
"Jonouchi!"
Jonouchi lifted his gaze and fixed his eyes on the group. A small smile curved his lips when he saw Yugi. Then he walked over to them stiffly.
Raising an eyebrow, Hiroto spoke curiously.
"Talk. You've been acting super weird today, you know? What's going on, idiot? Spit it out already."
Jonouchi froze in place and clenched his fists, his expression dark. Yugi quickly stepped in with a measured tone, his face anxious.
"We're worried about you, Jonouchi."
Anzu nodded seriously from her seat. Shin stared silently into Jonouchi's eyes.
Jonouchi's shoulders slumped, and his eyes filled with tears. Then he spoke with a runny nose, his voice trembling.
"G-guys, I-I… This morning I got a videotape. It was… it was from my little sister…"