The Importance of Having Fun
Seto Kaiba was not a man known for his patience. Even or especially not, when it concerned his girlfriend.
"Serenity, what are you doing?", he called into the bathroom, he was standing before. "You said seven o'clock, now it's almost ten past seven!" "I'm getting ready!", a soft voice flew out of the bathroom, adding teasingly: "I have to look pretty after all, so that I won't embarrass myself next to the dashing Seto Kaiba." Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Very flattering but I think you already are beautiful." "Oh, how sweet." Serenity sounded touched. "What I ment was that I want a girlfriend, who looks like a human being and not someone whose face I don't recognise, because she wears too much make-up!", Seto replied. "And by the way, may I remind you that this whole evening was your idea?"
"Alright, alright!" Serenity now started to get irritated. "I'm ready."
She walked out of the bathroom, as Seto looked up. He couldn't help but smile: Serenity wore a long, flowing dress with flowers on it, that made her look like the angel she was to him. She wore her hair down and high heels, that matched her dress. "You do look beautiful", he said, unable to keep his eyes off her. Serenity kissed him lovingly. "Thanks." Even with her heels, she had to stand on her toes so that she could reach his lips. But this fact only made Kaiba love her more.
"So, can we go now?", he asked her, his voice annoyed again. Serenity giggled like a little girl who was about to play a funny trick on him. "Yes, we can", she said, grabbing him by the hand. "Come on!" Seto raised an eye brow. "Why do I have the feeling that I should be worried?", he asked her, grinning. Serenity just stuck out her tongue at him.
It was Friday night and for the first time since they started going out, Serenity had been the one to plan the evening. Until now Seto had taken her to fancy restaurants, to the annual ball of the Domino High School, to museums or art galleries. Of course, for events such as the ball, he also bought her the right dress. "I want to show you off", as he had said to her. And as much as Serenity enjoyed being pampered and spoiled, it also made her feel uncomfortable. She loved Seto, rich or not and he didn't need his money to prove that he loved her. So, she decided to take matters into her own hands and to show Kaiba, that you don't need money to have fun.
When Serenity had told him that, he had looked at her, scepticism in his eyes. "Fun?", he asked. She just nodded and giggled. "It's time someone shows you the true meaning of this word, Seto Kaiba", she said. "And I don't mean duells and I won't take no for an answer."
So, now Seto was following Serenity, with absolutely no idea what she had planned for tonight. "Am I allowed to ask where we are going?", he wanted to know. "No", was the prompt answer. Serenity smiled at him. "I want it to be a surprise." Seto groaned. "I hate surprises!", he reminded her. "The only thing I hate more are people, who try to surprise people, who hate surprises!" Serenity laughed. "Oh, come on, don't be a spoil sport!", she said. "You'll like it, I promise. Trust me!"
It was a sign of how much Serenity ment to him, that Seto didn't just turn around and leave (like he would usually have done after such a comment). Instead he stayed and said: "I just spent the day talking to corrupt business men, who will turn their back on me, the moment Kaiba Corp seems to lose its shares. I managed to be polite, talking about things I despise. All I want now is –" Serenity had silenced him with a kiss. "Trust me", she repeated, whispering into his left ear. Seto grinned. "You're really lucky you're my girlfriend right now." Serenity was the only one who could do something like that, without immediately experiencing the wrath of Seto Kaiba. She took his hand. "Follow me!"
"Just one question", Kaiba asked her, his face looking worried for a moment. "We're not going to have dinner in some Fast Food restaurant, are we?" Mabye her brother had rubbed off on her … But, to his relief, Serenity shook her head. "Who do you think I am?", she joked, pretending to be hurt by his assumption, that she would eat at such a place.
Finally, they reached the place, where Serenity had planned for them to have dinner tonight (they went by foot as she had told Seto that the limousine, which he had wanted to take, would only draw too much attention to them).
Reliefed, Kaiba noticed that it indeed wasn't anything that offered burgers or fries: Serenity had taken him to a nice, Italian restaurant. It was too small for his taste and the red and white checkered tablecloth also had seen better times, but for some strange reason, Seto didn't mind. The restaurant looked inviting and cosy and the food, the waiters brought to the various tables smelled delicious.
"So, what do you think?" Serenity was looking at him, waiting for his reaction. Kaiba grinned. "That, if I should get food poisoning, I can blame you." But Serenity knew her boyfriend well enough, to know what he really thought. "You like it!", she said contentedly, as they sat down. "Yugi and Tea often come here", she told Kaiba. He grunted annoyed. "As long as we don't meet them tonight."
Despite the fact, that he was now together with Serenity, Kaiba still despised her brother and her friends. He and Joey hated each other, the moment they first met and now this only had gotten stronger, since Kaiba was dating his little sister.
"Why?!", Joey had asked Serenity desperately, after he had seen them together on the beach. "Why Seto Kaiba, out of all people in this world?! There are so many other decent guys, who would be glad to go out with you!" At this point he had paused for a second to think of a boyfriend for his sister he would approve of. "Take Tristan!", he than practically begged her. "He's nice and he likes you!" That Kaiba was standing right beside Serenity when Joey said that didn't seem to matter to her brother.
But for this one time, Serenity didn't listen to Joey. She loved Seto and nothing would change that. In the end, even her brother had to realise that. Not, that this changed his attidude towards Kaiba: On their first official date, when Seto had come to pick up Serenity, Joey "had a talk with him" (or so he had called it). "I will let you be with my sister, as for some reason I don't understand, you seem to be what makes her happy", he had told him, when Serenity couldn't hear them. "But, Kaiba, I swear to you, if you should break her heart or hurt her in any way, I will let you suffer like a scared little puppy and even your great Blue-Eyes White Dragon won't be able to help you then!"
Kaiba had to admit, it had been rather impressive, how Joey had played the protective older brother. "Calm down, little monkey", he had answered, amused. "Frighteningly, we seem to be on the same side this time." He never, never wanted to hurt or upset Serenity. And Joey seemed to believe him.
From this time on, they had a truce. Or at least they didn't insult each other, every time they met, which happened quite frequently since Kaiba and Serenity were together. "I thought Kaiba would be nicer, now that he's with your sister, Joey", Yugi had said once. "Well, he is nicer", Tea had replied. "To Serenity and Mokuba." And she was right.
Serenity and Mokuba were the only people that mattered to Seto. Why should he care about others, when he had them?
"Is everything alright?" Serenity's soft voice pulled Kaiba back into reality. "You're so quiet tonight." She was looking at him, concerned he might not like the restaurant she had picked after all. But Kaiba smiled and gently squeezed her hand. "No, everything is just perfect", he assured her. Serenity returned the smile. "Good."
It was a wonderful evening. They ate, talked and laughed, just enjoying being with each other. In fact, the couple had such a good time that they only realised how late it was, when the owner of the restaurant politely threw them out because they were closing.
"I have to admit, you seem to have the right hand when it comes to chosing a good restaurant", Kaiba said to Serenity as they walked back to the Kaiba mansion, holding hands. "I told you so!", she couldn't resist to tease him. Seto rolled his eyes but Serenity could see at his smile that he wasn't really annoyed.
"What do you want to do next?", he asked her. "Should I drive you back home?" Serenity suddenly grinned mischievously. "The evening is not over yet", she reminded Kaiba. He raised an eyebrow. "It is nearly midnight", he said. "Where would you want to go now? Except a discotheque and there is no way, you will see me dancing to terrible techno music! I just call this acoustic pollution." Serenity laughed. "Who said something about discotheques?", she replied, pulling him along with her. "Just wait and see!"
"The beach?" Surprised, Kaiba looked at the dark waves. "Yes", Serenity answered, leaning against him. "Don't you remember, this is where we kissed for the first time." "I know", he said. "But it is night, what do you want to do here now? You can not possibly want to go swimming." "I don't", Serenity agreed. "I just like being here."
She took off her high heels and went barefoot near the water. The waves touched her toes. "The water is warm!", she called out to Kaiba who was standing a few metres away, eying her sceptically. "You know you're not ten anymore?", he asked her, as she laughed and went a bit deeper into the water. "Who cares?", she replied. "It is fun." Serenity gestured him to come closer. "Just come and see for yourself!" "Thank you, but no", Kaiba answered drily. "As tempting as the idea of getting wet might be, I prefer to stay here."
Serenity just took a few more steps into the water. It already reached up to her dress. Suddenly she disappeared beneath the waves. "Serenity?" Anxious, Kaiba went nearer. There he saw her face, looking at him. "Foot cramp!", she shouted, while she struggled to keep her head above water. Seto just grinned. "Lame", he commented. "If you think I'm falling for this, then let me tell you, I won't. I'm not your brother."
Serenity disappeared again. Kaiba waited calmly to see her face again, but nothing happened. All he could see were the waves in the darkness.
"Serenity?" Seto started to get worried. "Serenity!" Panicking, he rushed into the water, not caring anymore if his clothes would get wet. "Say something!"
It gave him nearly a heart attack when Serenity suddenly popped up beside him, laughing. "I knew this would get you into the water", she giggled, as Kaiba let out a small scream and pulled her into an embrace. "Never do that again!", he said, his voice shaking. "Okay." Serenity grinned. Before Kaiba could utter another word, she pulled him down with her, into the water. "You little –", Kaiba shouted as he got up again, his clothes soaking wet. "You're going to pay for that one, I promise!" "But you have to get me first!", Serenity answered, diving into the water and swimming away from him.
"Oh, just wait", Kaiba muttered. He followed her and of course, Seto was faster. But by the time he had reached Serenity they both were laughing so hard, that he couldn't really strangle her, as he had first had wanted to do. "I can't believe that we did this!", Kaiba managed to say, holding Serenity close to him. She smiled. "But it was fun, wasn't it?", she asked him. He touched her cheek. "Yes …"
Some things don't have to make sense. Sometimes, you don't have to be serious and mature. "You should never forget your inner child", Serenity said to Kaiba, as they both were lying on the couch with a bad cold. And he figured, she was right.