Of the horrible agony you would put me through...

---

Twenty-two Shinjuhime Court was located in the hills of Domino, set out a distance away from the suburbs, the actual estate overlooking the city without feeling too industrial. The area was homey and quiet, yet not too isolated, and close enough to the city without being too loud and rowdy. The estate itself was nothing Ren had been expecting, a manor set at the peak of the highest hill, vast lawns and gardens rolling out in all directions for what seemed like days. Whoever the kid was that needed a sitter was loaded, and Ren couldn't wrap her mind around why they wanted anyone like her.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me." She groaned, upon reaching the manor gates and finding an epic line twisting its way all the way down to the main gates. Apparently a lot of people thought they were good for the job. But Ren was confident; nobody was better with teenagers than she was, that was for sure. With two sisters, a junior and freshman in high school, she had fifteen years of babysitting under her belt, and the bulk of it was done while her sisters were from the ages of ten to fifteen. She had the experience and the skill, now all Ren needed to do was nail the interview.

"Excuse me?" She felt a tap on her shoulder, and she turned to face an elder woman, probably around the same age as her mother, "Is this where the line ends?"

"Oh, yeah." Ren replied nonchalantly, stepping forward to give the woman a bit more space in the line.

"So, you must be trying for the job, too." Said the older woman, completely stating the obvious. Ren rolled her eyes skyward, facing away from her so as to not be rude. "Well, I've got twenty plus years of sitting under my belt, I'm sure I can handle any fourteen year-old lad. How long have you been babysitting, dear?"

"I dunno." Ren shrugged, forcing polite conversation. She was never much of a small-talk person. "I've got two little sisters, so I'd say about maybe fifteen years. Say, do you know whose house this is? This is insane - I bet my whole apartment is the size of one bathroom."

"Why, no, I'm afraid I don't." She said, "I just answered the newspaper ad. I hear that whoever they are, they're desperate."

"Really, now?" Ren mused, nodding slowly. Either the parents had really high standards or the kid was just a brat.

Before Ren could formulate another coherent thought, her brain functions were jumbled by the grating sound of megaphone feedback. "Excuse me!" called a moderately high voice from the head of the line. Most likely a boy, maybe even the kid himself. "We would like to have anyone who can operate a cell phone, email, or an iPod, and is under the age of twenty-five to come to the front of the line. Anyone who does not fall into that category, I'm sorry to say this, but your services are no longer required. Have a nice day, and thank you for coming out!"

"Oh, foo." The elder woman pouted, shaking her head, "That's not me. Good luck then, Miss!"

This was her chance! And she took it while she still had it. Snatching up her bag, Ren yelled her thanks to the old woman and bolted to the front of the line, forcing her way through the crowd of middle-agers, some grumbling about how they had only just turned twenty-six, and that they still looked seventeen. Father Time was on her side today, as she slid into the front spot in line, prepared to rock the kid's world.

"Sorry, thank you for coming out." Said that same child-like voice again, this time coming from a short teenaged boy, with long dark hair, and pretty grey eyes. Well, he had good looking genes, that was for sure. Maybe he was a model's kid or something. The boy was walking out a young girl, maybe in her twenties, who was crying her eyes out as she was escorted off the premises. He made sure that she made it all the way to her car, before addressing Ren. "Are you next, Miss?"

"Yep, I'm Ren." She said, introducing herself, "And you are...?"

"Mokuba!" He grasped her hand firmly, giving it a good shake before releasing her. "It's nice to meet you, Ren. Come on inside."

And with that, he took her by the hand and led her into the manor. And Ren had been right: one of the bathrooms was definitely the size of her entire apartment. She really wanted to know who Mokuba's parents were; she was positive that she would recognize them from the news, or something.

"Seto!" Called Mokuba, pushing the door to a large library open, "I've got the next girl."

Fucka lucka ding dong.

"Seto Kaiba." Ren monotoned, completely floored. The CEO glanced up from his paperwork, looked back down, and then back up again, studying her closely.

"You look familiar." He said, picking a pen from the cup on his desk and fiddling with it, "Did I go to school with you?"

"Long time, Kaiba, to Domino High together." Said Ren, shaking his hand and trying hard not to wipe her palm on her jeans afterward. "Class of oh-four. I haven't seen you since graduation. You sat next to me in the ceremony. Kaiba, Kuroki... whatever..."

"Mm." He grunted, nodding his head once. One solid movement downwards. "Sit. Time is money."

And sit she did, plopping herself in what felt like an electric chair, across the desk from Kaiba. He fixed his gaze on his paperwork, not even sparing Ren more than a passing glance.

Ren, on basic principle, had detested Seto Kaiba when she had known him in high school. He was, for lack of a better word, a dick, and she had a hard time not letting him know that when she had encounters with him. Seto Kaiba wasn't a dick like the typical dicks at her school. He wasn't a sexist, chauvinistic idiot like the other boys, no, Kaiba was a special brand of dick. He was the egotistical, holier-than-thou kind of asshole, who walked around the school like he was better than everyone else. She had the misfortune of sharing two classes with him in her senior year, and she spent the majority of those classes (when she wasn't sleeping, of course) glaring at the back of his head.

"So, could you please state your name, for the record." The elder Kaiba began, crossing one leg over the other and clicking his pen. Ren had to suppress an angry twitch. And that way he sat, too. Ugh, he just oozed ego. But she had to put all that aside for the sake of the interview. She needed a job, and she was ready to do anything to keep her apartment and food on the table.

"Ren Kuroki." She replied, not surprised that he had forgotten her. Rich guy like that, he probably had a lot more important things on his mind.

"Age and date of birth?"

"Nineteen, and I'll be twenty on November twenty-second."

"Do you have any living parents or siblings?"

"My mother and father, Miwa and Kazuma Kuroki, and my little sisters, Karin and Michiyo."

"Do you have any previous babysitting experience?"

"Fourteen or fifteen years with my younger sisters."

"Can you cook?"

"Define 'cook'."

Kaiba looked up then, studying Ren as though she were some sort of retard. "Cook. Like make food."

"I know that much." She snipped back, having a hard time not rolling her eyes. "I mean like what kind of cooking? I'm no cordon bleu cook, but I can make basic food."

"And are you good with computers?" Kaiba continued, as though the previous question hadn't been addressed. Ren chewed on her bottom lip, trying to keep her tongue in check.

"Sure." She said, "I can put one together if I have to."

"And are you prepared to watch my little brother twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, whenever your services are required?" Kaiba asked, suddenly focusing all of his attention on her, fixing his piercing, icy gaze right on her eyes, "I can't have anything happening to him while I'm not around."

Ren leaned forward then, resting her elbows on the desk and meeting his gaze. "I have two little sisters of my own. I know how important it is to protect your family."

The pair continued their standoff, neither wanting to back off before the other. Ren's soft honey gaze met Kaiba's cold blue stare moment for moment. She knew about intimidation, and wasn't going to back off for fear of being labeled a weakling.

"Don't worry about impressing Seto, Ren." Mokuba interrupted, sitting cross-legged in his chair to the right of his brother. "He's just here to intimidate you. All you really need to do is impress me. Just be yourself. I have a few questions for you, too, if you don't mind."

"Not at all." She nodded, feeling a bit more at ease. Mokuba at least seemed a bit more easy-going than his brother was. For growing up privileged, he seemed very chill and down-to-earth.

"So, you went to Domino High?"

"Yep, class of 2004."

"Okay." he grinned, "What's your favorite color?"

"Purple."

"Gaming platform?"

"Easily a DS."

"Movie?"

"Ugh." Ren laughed for the first time that afternoon, thinking the question over, "I think it's a tie right now between 300 and Dawn of the Dead."

"Food?"

"I'm a sucker for day-old cold pizza, but I'm never going to turn down an apricot."

"Television show?"

"Heroes."

"I like her, Seto." Mokuba grinned, and Ren couldn't help but smile back. Yes, yes! Perfect. Ren cheered internally, being that much closer to her goal...

"Are you sure?" His brother asked in a whisper. Well, shit. Ren suddenly felt as though an anvil had fallen on her head. She had forgotten about the elder Kaiba. "I want you to think long and hard about who you want to be your babysitter. We may find someone better than her."

"Seto, you know her!" Mokuba whispered back, "You went to high school together, and it may as well be someone you know and that I like, than someone random. She's cool, I like her, and you're never going to see her, anyway."

The pair conversed for a while more, while Ren sat there, feeling completely out of place in her blue jeans and yellow coat. She just didn't fit well here, among Japan's elite.

"Welcome to KaibaCorp, Miss Kuroki." Said Kaiba, reaching out to shake her hand, catching her off guard. Ren blinked twice, surprised, before taking his hand.

"Seriously?" She asked, laughing a bit as she tried to grasp what was really happening. "Well, thanks, Kaiba, you don't know how badly I needed this job."

"Mm..." He grunted. Always the quiet, moody kid. He hadn't changed a bit since high school. "We'll be starting you off on a monthly salary, so your first payday will be the first of November. We'll be starting you off on forty dollars an hour, and we'll go from th--"

"No shit!?" Ren exclaimed, losing the filter between her mouth and her brain for just a moment, "Goddamn, that's more than I would be making if I'd have gone to college!"

"Is that a problem?"

"No, sir!" She blurted out, trying to cover her fumble. "Actually, that's fine, absolutely fine. When do I start?"

"Now. I have to go to work, I've been wasting time here all morning." said Kaiba, gathering his things together and heading out of the study, "Mokuba, be sure to show her around. Miss Kuroki, your first task is to get all of these people the fuck off of my lawn."

"I..."

"Bye, Seto!" said Mokuba, running see his brother off as he made for the door. The elder Kaiba stopped, took his things into one hand and hugged his brother with one arm, a good lasting hug. "Have a good day at work, big brother."

Kaiba spared a kind smile, ruffling his younger brother's hair as he readjusted his person. And just like that, he was gone, pushing his way through the sea of people outside and making his way to his vehicle.

"Well, that was the first time I have ever seen that guy smile." Ren smirked, as soon as Kaiba was good and gone. "Does he do that often around here?"

"Not really." Mokuba chuckled, rolling his eyes, "He does for me, though. But you'll grow on him. That's how it is with all the new maids and stuff. But it has been a while since we've hired anyone new..."

"Hah, fat chance." she laughed, "He's a whole different school of human. We're on different ends of the social spectrum. We're too different."

Ren paused for a moment, considering exactly what she had gotten herself into. Nanny to the most expensive fifteen year old boy in all of Japan. That was serious business. But it wasn't like he was the Prime Minister's kid or anything. Just a celebrity's brother. What was the worst that could happen?

"But I suppose I should get these people off of your lawn." She said, changing the subject and throwing the front doors of the manor open, snatching up the megaphone. "May I have your attention, please? You all have sixty seconds to get off of this property before I release the dogs!"

She snickered to herself as the crowd was worked into a panic, women running into each other, trying to run away. "Mokuba?"

"Ren?"

"You guys don't really have dogs, do you?"

"Nope."

"Didn't think so." She laughed, speaking again into the microphone, "Those dogs are hungry for flesh, people!"