The dismissal bell for Domino High rang in the warm, crisp afternoon sunlight. Students eagerly poured out of the buildings. Everybody was glad it was almost Friday. They chatted and laughed with their friends as they gathered their books and backpacks from their lockers. That is, everybody but one student, was cheerful. Seto Kaiba was still hard, cold, and silent. Kaiba grabbed his books and walked toward his limo. Unlike the other 'losers,' Seto Kaiba don't need to wait for the bus or walk home. He has his own personal chauffeur and own personal limo. "To my office." He told the chauffeur as he got into the limo. "Yes, Mr. Kaiba." The chauffeur nodded and put the limo into gear. Soon, they were cruising smoothly down the road to KaibaCorp. The young CEO opened his briefcase and took out a file. "Convention at 3:15, followed by a interview with the press. Oh yes, I've also rescheduled associate's meeting to this evening." He snapped the file shut with a deep sigh. There goes another evening. He selected another file. "If the new KaibaCorp technology increases by 2%," He muttered to himself as he studied the graph. "Then that would mean an extra $20 million extra, but that would decrease the public buying of the product with would make it--" He suddenly looked up. They were passing by the Domino Orphanage. He scowled. That was the orphanage that he and his little brother, Mokuba, had been in after their parent's decease. He hated to take this way to the office. It reminded him of the unhappy time after their parents had died. Kaiba was just about to tell his chauffeur to turn down to road to go a different way when a sound caught his attentive. He looked up from his paperwork. It was a helpless cry. A hurt sob that came deep from an unloved heart. Kaiba tried to ignore the cold hand that just squeezed his heart. He couldn't care so much about orphans now. He has a company to run and he already has a little brother to take care of. Caring, or even thinking about an orphan, was just out of the question. But still, something in his heart nagged him. Remember? It said. Remember how helpless, alone, and hurt you were when you lived in the orphanage? Remember how all you wanted was someone to care about you? To notice you? To love you? It accused. "Oh, be quiet." Kaiba muttered to himself. The orphanage was getting closer. The heart-wrenching sob was getting closer and closer. Kaiba had tried not to look up from his work and out the window to see who was crying. But as the orphanage zapped pass, Kaiba couldn't resist. He looked up. There, on the dusty ground, sat a little girl. Her had pulled her knees up to her chest and her face buried in her hands. Her mahogany hair fanned out like a curtain, shielding herself from the world. From the split second, Kaiba's sharp eyes also caught some larger boys at the side, laughing and pointing at the smaller girl. His Kaiba temper flared. Before he knew what himself was doing, Kaiba ordered the driver to stop the limo. And before the chauffeur had anytime to protest or did the car came to a full stop, Kaiba opened the door and stepped out. He walked back to the orphanage and pulled opened the heavy, metal, black gate. The bad memories of the past surged through him like nightmares. He swallowed hard and closed the gate firmly behind him. The metallic click of the gate being shut sounded like a shot of a bullet that echoed throughout the grounds. All the orphans in the courtyard looked up at the young, intimidating, owner of KaibaCorp and backed away. Kaiba sent a death-glare over to the bullies that sent them scurrying away to safety. Kaiba, then, brushed back the little girl's hair and almost gasped at all the raw cuts and bruises she has on her arm. See? The voice came again. And you're just going to leave her this way? With those bullies to bully her again after you leave? How can you stand doing that? Where is your conscience, Seto Kaiba? "I don't have any conscience." Kaiba muttered again as he let the thick strand of auburn hair flop back. He felt like something was guiding him as he headed for the orphanage office. It most certainly wasn't his will. It must have been his conscience. If it hadn't been for Mokuba, Kaiba knew he wouldn't even have the little conscience he has now. "Morning, I'd like to adopt that little girl out there." Kaiba heard someone say and he almost kneeled over with shock when he recognized his own voice and his own finger pointing out the window. He recognized the lady in front of his as Mrs. Fayne, the lady in charge of the orphanage. She had been working here ever since he himself was an orphan. The lady smiled deceivingly and said directly to him. "Then you'd have to fill out these forms." Kaiba filled them out while cursing himself. What have you gotten yourself into, Seto Kaiba? You knew fully well that you don't care for nor want another kid to take care of. What about school? What about KaibaCorp? Do you want your own company to burn to the grounds? Kaiba handed the lady the papers and forms he had filled out. The lady looked through them and was just about to go ahead with the next procedure when she spotted something. She frowned. "I'm sorry." She said politely, though her sweet attitude disappeared from before and a jeer replaced it. "I'm afraid you can't adopt her." "And why is that?" Kaiba regarded her coldly. This lady must be mad to be sneering and rejecting Seto Kaiba. His dark blue eyes narrowed. The paper had never asked for his name. She wouldn't have known who he was. He smirked. He guessed she doesn't watch the news nor read any papers nor magazines either. There wasn't a person on the earth who doesn't know who Seto Kaiba was. "First," the lady began snootily. "You aren't of legal age of adopting a little girl of your own. You haven't reached the legal age of eighteen yet. And second, you didn't fill out the part of your parents either so I'm assuming that you don't have parents." She gave a short bark of laughter. "Little boy, I'm not sure you know who and what you're dealing with here. I'm surprised that you aren't in an orphanage yourself." She stopped at the dangerous smirk on his face. "What are you laughing about?!" She demanded, suddenly noticing that the 'little boy' as she referred him to, was towering over her. "Mrs. Fayne," Kaiba began softly, addressing her by her name, which she hadn't given him. She took a step back as he said her name with an icy calm manner. "First of all, I'm not sure that YOU know who you're dealing with here. I thought you might remember me from all the years I've been in your orphanage. Though I must add, you seemed as cruel and as heartless as you've always been with the orphanage children." Mrs. Fayne's eyes widened, but before she could say anything, Kaiba flipped out his ID of Kaiba Corporation. "Seto Kaiba." He smirked at her look of fright. "You do remember me now, don't you?" He gave her a cold smile as he tucked his ID back into his school uniform. "Now, if you'll cooperate with me, I have a little girl I'd like to take home this afternoon." "But--" She started again. Kaiba's steel, dangerous look shut her up quick. He could see her fingers trembling and perspiration forming on her brows as she finish the procedures of the adoption. "If you still aren't sure about letting a minor adopt a kid." He added with the same calm coldness as he gathered the forms returned to him. "You might also have a lawsuit in your hands about having problems with a sixteen-year-old running his own company." He walked toward the door but turned back. "My advice, you might want to get more with the society instead of torturing the children. Read more papers and watch the news. You'll see me there." He took out his wallet and flicked an $100 bill toward her. "This is my contribution to the orphanage." He looked at her pointedly. "Make sure this money does go to the orphanage's benefit. I'll be checking to see you do just that." With that as the parting sentence, Kaiba walked out of the office. During his time staying at Domino Orphanage, Kaiba had found out that Mrs. Fayne had taken the money for the orphanage's benefit for herself to buy herself unnecessary pleasures...like alcohol. Not to mention how bad she treated the smaller kids, like Mokuba. Just for that one reason, Kaiba had hated her and didn't miss the chance of pointing it out. Kaiba walked out to the courtyard and picked up the little girl. She squirmed, but noticing Kaiba wasn't going to hurt her, she relaxed just a little bit, but continued crying softly. What have you done, Kaiba. Kaiba thought to himself. This little creature is going to need constant care day and night. She's going to cry for her mommy and daddy. She's going to break all your priceless collector's items. She's probably going to eat your papers and important documents. She might even try to burn the house down. What do you expect? She's a kid! Kids do things like that! Then, in a firmer voice, Kaiba assured himself. She's only going to stay until she heals. Then, she's out of the house. Kaiba's eyes challenged the driver's amazing expression, daring him to say anything against his little girl. Smartly, the driver nodded his consent and got into the driver's seat. "Still to your office, sir?" He questioned. "No, to Kaiba Mansion." "What of your convention, sir?" Kaiba frowned as he remembered the his convention and interview. "Cancel them." He said firmly after glancing at the tiny figure on his lap, sound asleep. Somehow, he couldn't leave her. Not just yet. The limo pulled up to Kaiba Mansion. Kaiba stepped out of the car with his briefcase in a hand and the sleeping little girl in the other. "Mokuba! I'm home!" He called as he entered his stately Tudor-style mansion, wondering if his brother's home yet. Telling the truth, Kaiba had never been home this early before. He usually arrives home around midnight, after all the work at KaibaCorp was done. Three echoing stories high--with a magnificent glorious black ornate iron gate guarding the long cultivated driveway, the wide central stairway of the manor off to one side, tucked under an archway--its shelves containing not only enough books to stock any two university libraries, but a dizzying array of priceless collectors items representing both skillful taste and wealth. The kitchen floor was done in a black and white diamond pattern and the marble floor gave the vast chamber an oddly modern ring, though the richness of the golden walnut paneling and shelving harked to an earlier, more elegant time, more befitting the precious contents of this gallery. From every large elegant window, beautiful portraits of the Kaiba Mansion's luxuriantly green, well tended grounds could be seen "Moku--" He started again but never got a chance to finish as he was suddenly attacked unmercifully by his little brother. "Seto!" His little brother's voice chirped. Luckily, Kaiba regained his balance. But the little girl woke up. Kaiba panicked. Please do not start crying, he begged mentally. Please, I can't handle that right now. Fortunately, the little girl didn't cry. Her dark green eyes looked around her setting and finally rested her gaze on Kaiba. "Where am I?" Her meek small voice was timid. "Do you know where my mommy and daddy is?" "Uh..." For the first time in his life EVER, Kaiba was speechless. Here we go, she's asking for her parents already. What do I say? What if she starts crying? "I, uh..." He casted a look at Mokuba, who shook his head. "No." He said finally. "But my name is Seto Kaiba. You can call me Seto." "Set-o?" She repeated. Kaiba nodded. "What's your name?" "Arielle." She told him. "Arielle." Kaiba repeated. "Pretty name. Now, then, Arielle. This is Mokuba." He set her down next to Mokuba. She seemed reluctant to be separated from Kaiba. She ducked behind his legs as soon as he set her down. "He's my brother and you're going to be staying with us." Kaiba explained. Mokuba gave Arielle a nervous look, but said cheerfully. "Hi, Arielle! I'm Mokuba and I'm ten. How old are you?" "I just turned six." Her grasp around Kaiba's knees didn't loosen. He sighed and tried to disconnect her from his leg. "Come on, now, Arielle." He coaxed. "Don't you want to see your room?" She shook her head and stubbornly held on tighter. Kaiba sighed again and picked her up. "Of course you want to see your room." He said with fake cheerfulness as he muttered with gritted teeth to Mokuba. "Where's the housekeeper?" "She took today off." Mokuba whispered back as he followed his brother up the stairs. "Perfect timing." Kaiba muttered as he opened the door to a room. "This is your room, kid." He set her down as he rummaged through the closet for another blanket as he proceed with the mansion rules. "You're going to wake up at six tomorrow morning, you then will take your shower and prepare yourself for the day. You can go anywhere in the house besides my room and my study, but do not touch ANYTHING. Don't open any windows on the third floor because of the burglar alarm set--" He felt a tug from his blue uniform. "What?!" He looked down to see Mokuba's big eyes looking up at him. Mokuba pointed toward the bed. Kaiba followed his gaze. There, in the center of the large bed, Arielle lay curled into a tight ball, asleep. It was obvious that she never heard a word Kaiba had said. Kaiba could hardly keep the smile from curving on his lips as he covered her under the blanket. It was so difficult to stay hard and cold against somebody so naïve and innocent. "Where did you find her, big brother?" Mokuba wondered as the two brothers tiptoed down the stairs to the kitchen. "I adopted her, Mokuba. Do you mind?" Kaiba replied. "No! I like her! Do you think she'd play with me tomorrow?" Mokuba's innocent voice reminded Kaiba of how young Mokuba still was. Having to just have turned ten, Mokuba was so serious sometimes that Kaiba forgot how young Mokuba still was. "Maybe. Listen, kid." Kaiba bend down to Mokuba's height. "I have a convention right now and I'm going to be late if I don't leave right now. Be good, okay?" Kaiba hadn't planned on leaving Arielle alone, but now that she's asleep, maybe he could just sneak to his office. "Okay, Seto." "Take good care of her, and Mokuba," "Yeah?" "I love you." With difficulty, Kaiba forced those uncomfortable words from his throat. He didn't want his brother to get the wrong impression after he brought back Arielle. "Love you too, Seto!" Mokuba called after him as he walked back to the limo.