Random Stranger

Summary: In a desperate attempt to get Tristan and Duke to back off, Serenity grabs the arm of a random stranger and says that he's her boyfriend. Unfortunately for her, the random stranger she picked isn't as random as she'd like him to be. Silentshipping.

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the ownership of Yu-Gi-Oh! failed to show up underneath my Christmas tree... again. Thanks for nothing, Santa.

Author's note: Hello, and welcome back to 'Random Stranger'! I'd like to wish you all a very happy (late) New Year, and I hope everyone has enjoyed Christmas time. For now, I can finally present a new chapter to you all. I had good hopes I'd get it done before Christmas, but as you can see, I failed. Please forgive me. Nevertheless, I have to ask a favor of you (yes, I know I'm selfish). You see, in a lot of reviews I receive, people tell me there are some mistakes in my story, but that I'll be able to catch them if I just read it through a bit more carefully. Now here's the thing: I won't. While I'm human and I do leave some stupid mistakes in each chapter, a lot of things that are wrong in the story aren't the because of my neglect to read it through, but because I have still not fully mastered the English language. For example, Inali Grimalkin, a very nice reviewer who I'd like to thank very much, pointed out to me that I had written 'eatable' instead of 'edible' in the previous chapter. Now I must confess, I had no clue the correct word was 'edible'. I figured, since you are 'able' to 'eat' it, the right word is 'eatable'. Had Inali Grimalkin not pointed it out to me, I would never have known it was wrong. Therefore, I would like to ask all my reviewers to tell me what mistakes you found. Don't just say that there are some mistakes, but please tell me exactly what I did wrong. If not, some of the mistakes will never be caught by me and I will continue to make them throughout the rest of my writing career. Thank you in advance. For now, please enjoy the latest installment of 'Random Stranger'.


Chapter 11: Perfect Partner


Serenity sighed contently as she pulled her long hair free from the scrunchie that had held it together for the past few hours. She was currently on her way back to her apartment after completing her evening shift at La Mode, the clothing store where she worked. Having survived yet another four hours worth of torture, Serenity was glad to be going home.

It was now eight in the evening, and since it was November, that meant the sky was already pitch black and filled with thousands of beautiful little lights. Serenity could stare at the stars forever, but she knew she couldn't linger to look at the heavens for too long. After all, it was Monday, the one day of the week Joey got off from work earlier than usual, and Serenity knew he was now without a doubt waiting for her to arrive home. He always told her she should look out for herself, especially when it was dark, because she didn't know what creeps were hiding in the shadows of an alley, waiting for a pretty girl to come along. If she arrived at their apartment even a minute later than usual, Joey would already be on the phone with the police.

It was therefore she left the stars for what they were and continued her way. Luckily, she lived close to the mall, which meant there were few creepy alleys on her route.

Soon she arrived at the large grey building that contained her home. After jogging up the four flights of stairs, searching her uniform jacket for her keys and unlocking the door, she finally stepped inside her apartment.

Glad to be back in the warmth of her home, Serenity closed the door behind her with quite some force, knowing the sound would let Joey know she was back.

She slid off her uncomfortable red uniform jacket, breathing a sigh of relief once she had rid herself of the itchy fabric. As she turned to dump it on the hallstand, she noticed something peculiar: a dark blue suitcase laying underneath the hallstand. If that belonged to who she thought it did, it could only mean one thing…

Leaving her jacket on the floor, she bolted through the door that separated the hallway from the living room. She instantly spotted the owner of the suitcase sitting on the couch, right next to a grinning Joey.

Serenity immediately flung herself at the older woman. "Mom!" she exclaimed, smiling brightly. "You're here already! I thought you wouldn't be coming until Wednesday!"

Her mother gladly returned her daughter's embrace. "Hello, dear," she greeted her only daughter. "I've missed you."

"I missed you too, mom," Serenity whispered into her mother's hair. She hadn't seen her mother since she and Joey had gone to visit her for her birthday back in May, and she was very happy to know the former misses Wheeler would be staying in Domino until Saturday morning.

That Friday was Serenity's birthday, the day she would turn eighteen. In only four days time, the youngest Wheeler would become an adult. She had to admit, it was a bit unnerving. So much would change once her birthday came around the corner. She would become responsible for her own insurances, she'd be allowed to get her driver's license, she would be able to make big decisions without consent from an older family member… It would definitely need some getting used to.

Serenity eventually released her mother and sat herself down between her two most beloved family members, still smiling brightly. "I'm so happy you're here, mom."

"So am I," the former misses Wheeler smiled back at her offspring. "I figured taking a few extra days off to spend with my children couldn't hurt."

"Aw, ma," Joey whined, "cut it with the mushy family stuff already."

His mother and sister both laughed, and Joey himself soon joined in as well. As she watched the two people she cherished most in life being happy, Serenity was still amazed at how well her family was getting along after all that had happened in their younger years. Their mother had always regretted leaving her son behind with the drunk that was his father, and Joey had never stopped resenting his mother for abandoning him and taking away his only sibling with her. However, when they had met at the hospital while Serenity was recovering from her eye operation, the two of them had reconciled. Joey now understood that his mother hadn't wanted to leave him, but had simply been left without much of a choice. After their mother divorced their father, the judge had decided that the children were to be divided amongst the parents. Their mother had taken Serenity away because the younger Wheeler had always been the more fragile child. Joey now understood it had been for the best, knowing that Serenity would never have survived living with their father.

When their laughter ceased, the former misses Wheeler turned to face her daughter. "Well, I've already interrogated Joseph, so now it's your turn. What's been going on in your life, Serenity?"

"Not too much, to be honest," Serenity pondered. "I've told you everything there is to know over the phone last week. I guess my life's not that exciting."

Joey suddenly coughed loudly, causing the two women to look at him with raised eyebrows. "Serenity, aren't you forgetting about something? Or rather… someone?"

Serenity's face remained quizzical. "I don't think so, Joey."

"A certain… special someone? You know, that guy?" Leave it to Joey to give a subtle clue.

"Guy?" Their mother's attention was now definitely all Serenity's.

Serenity softly bit her bottom lip. She had hoped to avoid this. "Yes, mom. I'm… in a relationship with someone," she explained to her mother, choosing her words carefully. "His name is Seto."

"And his last name is Kaiba," Joey added with a sly grin.

The older woman gasped. "You're in a relationship with Seto Kaiba?"

Serenity sighed heavily. She had quite some explaining to do…


Kaiba's fingers moved over the keyboard with inhuman speed. His latest invention was in its final phase of production, and he needed to get the first products out the door before December came around the corner. If his calculations were correct, this new piece of technology was going to be the Christmas gift for many children across the globe this year.

Just as he was about to lay the last hands on one of the final reports, his ever-present BlackBerry started to buzz. Kaiba snatched it with his left hand, leaving his right to continue typing. He looked at the screen of the expensive mobile phone to see the caller ID. His eyebrows rose when he saw it was Serenity Wheeler, but that was more out of amusement than surprise. He'd had a suspicion he would be needed to appear on her birthday even though she had told him he wouldn't. He had kept his agenda for that Friday evening empty for that sole purpose, planning all his meetings on the days around it.

"Let me guess," was the first thing he said when he answered the phone. "You need a date for this Friday."

There was a stunned silence at the other end of the line, which was followed by a sigh. "I do."

"Why am I not surprised?"

"I'm sorry," she sincerely apologized to him. "I really thought I'd be able to avoid telling my mother about the two of us, but thanks to a little hint from Joey I had no other choice. When she heard I was dating Seto Kaiba…"

Kaiba heard her sigh again, and smirked. His name never failed to awe. "So what do I have to do?"

"My mother wants you to take her, me and Joey out to dinner," Serenity explained. "I figured you would know an acceptable restaurant that isn't stalked by the media."

Of course Kaiba knew a restaurant like that. There was only one, at the far end of Domino City, near the coffee shop he had dragged Serenity to in order to teach her the art of Duel Monsters. Their food was to die for, but very few knew about the wonders of the place because it had such an unfortunate location. It had even been on the brink of bankruptcy a few years ago, but Kaiba had prevented his heaven on earth from closing by donating a healthy sum of money. In return, the restaurant was kept alive, and its owner had promised to keep any paparazzi away from the place to protect Kaiba's privacy.

"I think Monet will do quite nicely."

"It sounds wonderful," she agreed with him.

"It is," Kaiba assured her. "I'll come to fetch you and your family Friday at seven. I'm sure your mother won't mind traveling by limousine, though I'd advise her to wear comfortable shoes, seeing as she'll first have to walk to that pathetic excuse for a parking lot where you always insist on meeting me."

He could almost hear her smile through the phone. "Thank you," she thanked him, obviously very relieved he would be able to make it to her birthday. "I'm sorry for the short notice."

"I had somewhat expected it," Kaiba admitted to her. "I would've been surprised if your mother hadn't demanded to meet the man who her daughter is in a 'relationship' with."

"I guess you have a point there," Serenity agreed, "though I think mom wants to meet you not because you're supposed to be my boyfriend, but because you're Seto Kaiba."

He chuckled. "My name tends to have that effect," he said smugly.

"I'm glad it does," Serenity told him. "Usually mom is very good at searching for flaws in a person. I hope your reputation will cloud her vision a little. If mom decides she doesn't like you, we will never hear the end of it."

"Then I'll make sure your mother will like me," Kaiba stated confidently. His charm had swooned many critics before. This woman would not be a problem.

"I hope you will," Serenity sighed. Though she had full confidence in Kaiba's acting skills, she also knew what a nitpicker her mother could be. If her mother didn't approve of Kaiba as her partner, Serenity knew she'd have to end the deal between Kaiba and herself.

"This will go well," he growled through the phone. "I'll be damned before I let Mokuba set me up with some random bimbo again. If we simply act as we always do, we'll be fine."

"I suppose you're right," she said, his words having lifted her spirits a little.

"I know I'm right," Kaiba countered. "Just be ready and in place with your family at seven on Friday. I'll take care of everything else."

"I'll be ready," Serenity told him confidently. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me. It's only a part of our deal," Kaiba shrugged. "Now if you don't mind, I have work to do."

"Oh! Of course," she exclaimed, only now realizing how long she'd been keeping him from his important job as a CEO. "I'm sorry for wasting your time. I'll leave you to your work, then."

After saying goodbye, Kaiba hung up the phone and turned towards his laptop again.

The first thing he did was order a pair of Jimmy Choo's to be delivered to the Kaiba Mansion as soon as possible.


Kaiba sat in the back of his largest, most impressive white limousine. There was not a wrinkle in his body-hugging white suit, his blue tie was perfectly straight and his expensive white shoes shone with intensity. Underneath his seat laid his always present silver briefcase, though its contents differed from the usual laptop, paperwork or Duel Monsters cards. That night, it contained nothing but a single rectangular box, wrapped neatly by a servant in silver paper and decorated with a blue bow.

Everything was set. Reservations at Monet had been made, a present had been bought and research had been done. There was nothing that hadn't been taken care of. He had planned everything perfectly in order to ensure a pleasurable outcome of the evening. The woman who had conceived the girl who was pretending to be his girlfriend would be swept off her feet.

He drummed his fingers on his leg, feeling rather useless without his portable computer to accompany him. Though he knew it had been a wise decision to leave his work at home to avoid him from becoming distracted by his new, soon to be finished product, he still wished he had something to do during the half hour it would take Ed to drive to the Wheelers.

He leaned back with a sigh and crossed both his arms and legs as he went over the upcoming dinner in his mind for the umpteenth time.

By the time they neared the parking lot where he had agreed to meet the Wheelers, Kaiba had mused over the evening three times. Every detail was carefully planned, and though he did not know the mother of his 'girlfriend' personally, the backtracking he had done on her had provided him with all the information he needed to charm her. Nothing could go wrong now.

The limousine rounded the corner, and Kaiba could see three people waiting underneath a streetlight a few feet ahead. He was a little surprised to see they were already set. Seeing as Joey would be coming too, he had anticipated having to wait at least ten minutes for the family to show up.

The car came to a smooth halt. Kaiba could now see the three Wheelers clearly through the window, though the tainted glass prevented them from seeing him. While waiting for Ed to come around the car, he briefly studied the people he'd be stuck with that evening.

Serenity was wearing the lavender attire he had bought her, though this time a long, thick coat was draped over it to shield her from the November cold. She was lightly biting her bottom lip, and her hands were fidgeting with her purple purse. It was obvious she was nervous.

Next to her, an elderly woman with short, chocolate curls, who Kaiba assumed to be the mother, was clad in a simple, but elegant black dress, which was covered by an equally black coat. The look on her slightly wrinkled face was a mixture of excitement and fierceness. Though she was enthusiastic about meeting the one and only Seto Kaiba, she was also determined to fairly evaluate his potential as her daughter's partner.

Behind the two women stood Joey, who was dressed in a classic black tuxedo. His hair remained the blonde mess it always was, and his blank facial expression was nothing new either. Kaiba snickered silently. He was nothing more than a monkey in a suit.

Soon Ed had made it from the driver's seat to the back of the limousine. He swiftly opened the door for his boss and bowed, taking his hat off in the process. Kaiba stepped out of the expensive car with elegance, his white shoes hitting the pavement without making a sound.

He turned to Serenity first, embracing her for a few seconds before placing a light kiss on her lips. "Happy birthday."

She smiled at him, her nervousness having faded a little now he had arrived, before she stepped aside to allow her mother to greet Kaiba.

The older woman confidently held out her hand, which Kaiba politely shook. "It's a pleasure to meet you, miss Kawai."

She too smiled at him, and he knew he had just scored the first point in his favor by addressing her by her maiden name. "The pleasure is mutual, mister Kaiba."

Joey came from behind the two women, giving Kaiba a curt, but friendly nod. "Kaiba."

"Wheeler," Kaiba responded, returning the nod.

With the formalities out of the way, Kaiba directed the Wheelers towards his limousine. Joey, clearly unaware it was customary to allow the women to enter before the men, climbed in first. Miss Kawai sighed at her son's lack of manners before she followed him inside. Serenity went in after her mother, and Kaiba was the last to sit himself down.

Ed closed the door behind them and went back to the driver's seat, leaving Kaiba alone with the Wheelers. He was sitting next to Serenity. Across from him was miss Kawai, and next to her sat Joey. All three of the guests seemed to feel rather out of place in the large limousine.

When the car started to move, Kaiba carefully took a hold of Serenity's hand. After a little research, he had learned holding hands was the best thing to do in front of the mother; it showed signs of attraction and bonding, yet did not imply any vulgar intentions towards the daughter on the boyfriend's part. Judging by the look on miss Kawai's face, it was working.

"Say, mister Kaiba, where will you be taking us tonight?" the older woman asked after a short silence.

Kaiba had anticipated the question. His choice of restaurant would give her an indication of his tastes. "Monet. It is a remarkable restaurant with the finest French cuisine."

"Really? I've never heard of it before."

"Most haven't," Kaiba replied. "It has a very unfortunate location, at the far end of town. Though I can assure you the food is exquisite, and it is the one decent restaurant I've found that has not been discovered by the media yet."

"Ah, yes." Miss Kawai recalled what her daughter had explained to her. "Serenity told me she was uncomfortable with the paparazzi. I think it is very considerate of you to keep her out of the spotlights for the time being."

"Anything to ensure your daughter's happiness," Kaiba said, his face dead serious.

Miss Kawai nodded with a smile. That was another point in Kaiba's favor. So far, so good.

As the two of them talked more small talk, Serenity and Joey watched in amazement, neither of them understanding how Kaiba was charming their mother with such incredible ease. Even Mai, the most charming woman they knew, had been shot down immediately, yet Kaiba seemed to have completely wrapped the older woman around his finger only ten minutes after meeting her. It was astonishing.

They soon arrived at the restaurant. Kaiba hadn't said a word too much; though its location was unfortunate, it was still a top class restaurant. The Wheelers looked around with their mouths agape, taking in the beautiful interior, while Kaiba called for the waiter and arranged for them to be taken to their seats. He had chosen a table on the second floor, with a beautiful view of the city. He usually stayed as far away from the window as possible, but he figured a clear view of the city (especially Kaiba Corporation's main building) would certainly impress Serenity's mother.

He turned out to be right. When the waiter had shown them their table, both Serenity and her mother were gawking out the window within seconds.

"It really is a breathtaking view," miss Kawai said as she sat down in the chair the waiter had pulled back for her. "I can see why you like it here, mister Kaiba. This is a wonderful restaurant."

"Don't say that too soon, ma," Joey joked. "You haven't tasted the food yet."

That remark earned him a nasty look from the waiter.

"Now Joseph, I'm sure the cuisine will be just fine. You shouldn't insult the chef before you've tried his creations," miss Kawai scolded her son. Kaiba couldn't help but grin as Joey muttered something incomprehensible and sat down without another word. Though his 'relationship' with Serenity prevented him from putting the Mutt in his place, it was good to know there was still someone else who kept Joey from tugging on his leash too much. Perhaps he could actually grow to tolerate this woman.

When they were all properly seated, the waiter took their orders for drinks and went to fetch the menu, which he brought back to them only half a minute later. While the waiter left again to prepare their drinks, the four of them studied their menus to determine what they were going to order.

Kaiba, who had eaten at the restaurant many times before and had established a regular order quite some time ago, barely needed to glance at the leather bound food manual. Joey and Serenity made their choice fairly quickly as well, but miss Kawai seemed to have some trouble figuring out what the French names of the dishes meant, since she had not followed French back in High School like her daughter, nor had she worked in a restaurant like her son. With a little help from her children and Kaiba, she eventually decided.

She was just in time, too. Barely a second after the older woman had laid down her menu, the waiter returned with their drinks.

After he had placed the four glasses in front of their rightful recipients, he whipped out a notepad and a pen. "Have you decided on your order, sirs, madams?"

The four of them all gave the waiter their order for the three upcoming courses, which he scribbled down speedily. When everything had been written down, he shut the notebook and smiled. "Very well. I shall return to you with the first course shortly."

He turned and left. That was the cue for miss Kawai to lean forward, rest her chin on her folded hands and stare at Kaiba intensely. The time for interrogations had commenced.

Everyone at the table was aware of this. Serenity was nervously fidgeting with her napkin, afraid of the outcome of this round of twenty questions. If Kaiba gave her mother even one unacceptable answer, everything would be lost. She knew that if her mother decided she did not accept him as her boyfriend, she would have to untie the deal she'd made. Joey was able to put up with their mother's constant pestering because his love for Mai was strong enough to withstand even a tornado, but since Serenity had no feelings for Kaiba besides a not too strong sense of friendship, she was sure she wouldn't be able to deal with her mother's disapproval. This had to go well. If not, everything was over.

Kaiba knew this all too well, and he wasn't about to screw up. This deal with Serenity had worked out very well for him, especially when it came to Mokuba. Though he occasionally had to reserve some time to spend with his supposed girlfriend in order to demolish any suspicions the people around them could possibly have, he'd found he had a lot more time on his hands without his little brother constantly trying to get him into a relationship. Not only that, but when Serenity came around and got over her fear for the media, he'd also gain a lot of extra publicity. He would make sure he'd get through these questions, no matter what.

Joey leaned back in his chair, an amused smile on his face. Seeing someone else facing the wrath of his mother instead of him was a welcome change for him. Especially when that someone was Kaiba.

The first question was not too difficult, a simple one to start with, designed only to create a false air of ease. "So, mister Kaiba, how long have you and my daughter been involved?"

"Nearly nine months now. Next Tuesday it will have been exactly nine months," Kaiba stated the information miss Kawai wanted to know. He and Serenity had decided to tell the others they had started dating four month before they made their deal, and that they had kept it a secret because they weren't sure how their families would react. In reality, their deal had only been going on for about five months.

Miss Kawai nodded, pleased that the answer he had given her corresponded with the information she had pried out of Serenity. At least her daughter's boyfriend knew when their anniversary was.

The Wheelers' mother continues her interrogation in the same mild fashion, asking questions such as 'Where did you meet my daughter?' and 'Where did you take her on your first date?' Kaiba was able to sail through them easily, his genius brain able to produce the correct answers within seconds. Unfortunately, miss Kawai had barely even started.

When the first course arrived for the four of them, miss Kawai switched over to the serious questions. In between bites of her bouillabaisse, she tried to make Kaiba slip up by asking more prying questions, such as 'How far have you gone with my daughter?' and 'How are your thoughts on marriage?'

Kaiba kept his cool as always, answering the questions calmly, but Serenity had turned the same color as the smoked salmon on her plate. These were the questions she had been afraid of, the ones she had warned Kaiba of. She was glad Kaiba seemed to be handling it a lot better than she ever could.

Indeed, he was handling it very well; even miss Kawai had to admit that. He soared through her second round of questions easily, all his answers calm and discrete, never slipping up even once. Serenity had gotten herself a good one, a man worthy of being with her. As a mother, miss Kawai could not be happier with Kaiba as her possible son-in-law. Still, there was one more question she wanted to ask, if only to see how he would handle it.

She waited patiently until the waiter left after bringing them the main course before she turned to Kaiba again. "I have just one more question for you, mister Kaiba."

"Whatever you want to know," Kaiba said as he cut into his confit de canard.

"I was wondering," miss Kawai started, choosing her words carefully, "why you allow my daughter to continue living in that horrific criminal neighborhood she is condemned to now. With your fortune I'm sure you could arrange a home for her in a far more pleasant area."

A stunned silence fell. Kaiba's eyebrows disappeared behind his hair, his face not hiding his surprise at the older woman's nerve. Serenity had turned bright red from embarrassment, and she turned her full attention to her plate, unable to look her mother or Kaiba in the eye. Even Joey, who was clearly enjoying Kaiba's predicament, thought the question was out of line. No one, not even someone as rich as Kaiba, should be expected to buy a house for someone he hadn't even been dating for a year.

Kaiba's mind raced, trying to come up with an answer that would satisfy the older woman, but he really just wanted to tell her how preposterous her question was. Even if he really had been dating Serenity, he doubted he would've bought her a place to live after only nine months. This woman's expectations were ridiculous.

After some careful consideration, he decided it would be best to tell her she was nuts as politely as possible, but before he got a chance to do so, his pretend-to-be girlfriend spoke.

"I asked, mom."

"You asked?" her mother echoed, not quite understanding her daughter's statement. "What do you mean, Serenity?"

"I asked Seto not to spend too much on me," Serenity explained, trying to sound as believable as possible. "I'm dating him, not his money, and I don't want anyone to think otherwise. Besides, I have a job. I can fend for myself."

"Of course you can fend for yourself, dear, I never implied you couldn't," miss Kawai soothed her daughter, "and I can understand you not wanting to rely on your boyfriend too much, but your job doesn't really earn you that much money." She then smiled. "Ah well, it doesn't matter. One more year and you'll be off to medical school anyway."

Serenity sunk back into her seat after that last remark. "…Yeah."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow at her. From what he had heard, she was planning on going to art school, not medical school. It seemed dear old mum was in charge of her children's futures.

Apparently, he wasn't the only one who was surprised. Joey too wore a baffled expression on his face. "Medical school? Since when do you want to go to medical school, sis? I thought you were going to art school."

"Art school?" miss Kawai asked sharply, causing her daughter to cringe in her seat. "I thought you finally came to your senses about that. It is nearly impossible to break through as an artist. We decided it would be much wiser for you to go to medical school."

"No mom," Serenity said in a small voice, "you decided it would be much wiser for me to go to medical school. I know the chance of me making it an artist is slim, but it's been my dream to study art for years. I don't want to abandon that dream, mom."

"I understand, Serenity, but we've been over this," her mother countered sternly. "I don't want my daughter to end up in the gutter!"

"Relax, ma," Joey chimed in. "Serenity can always come live in my mansion when I'm a famous chef. She won't end up in the gutter."

"Now you listen to me, Joseph Wheeler…"

By that time, Kaiba had stopped listening to the small family feud that was escalating at the table. Knowing it wasn't any of his concern, he focused his attention on his plate, calmly slicing the duck he had ordered. It wasn't until he had nearly finished when he was pulled into the argument.

"I say, mister Kaiba, you're a businessman. You are successful. Could you please explain to my daughter she is throwing her future away by going to art school?"

Kaiba sighed as he put his silverware down. "I wouldn't say that," he said thoughtfully, "though it is a risk one must be willing to take."

Miss Kawai seemed satisfied with that answer. "So you agree it's an unnecessary risk?"

"A risk, yes. Unnecessary, no."

Now the older woman looked slightly confused. "I'm afraid I don't follow you."

Kaiba sighed again. He should've known she wouldn't understand. This was the woman who had given birth Joey Wheeler, after all. It seemed he would have to make his point by giving her an example. "Did you know, miss Kawai, that Kaiba Corporation used to be a facility that manufactured weapons instead of games?"

"No, I didn't know that," miss Kawai said, still confused as to where Kaiba was going with this.

"Well, it was. Under the regime of my stepfather, Kaiba Corporation was a company that was dedicated to building weaponry. It was a well-known company to its clients. Militaries from several countries bought their equipment from Kaiba Corporation. It was the best in its branch."

He paused for a moment to take a sip of his water (he hadn't ordered wine because he knew the mother wouldn't approve). "When I took my stepfather's position, I converted the company into what it is today. Now it makes twice the money a year it did when it produced arms."

He stopped, as if he had made his point, but the others at the table weren't quite getting it. "I'm confused, mister Kaiba," miss Kawai said. "What does this have to do with Serenity wanting to go to art school?"

Kaiba mentally rolled his eyes. Was it really all that hard to understand? Well, judging by the looks on the faces of the other people at the table, it was. Apparently he would have to spell everything out for them.

"When a company has a certain image," Kaiba reluctantly continued his explanation, "it is difficult to rid it of that image. Converting an arms company into a gaming company costs a lot of time, effort and money. Employees have to adapt to a new function or be replaced by someone who had experience in the new branch. Clients abandon the company, no longer able to get what they need, and new clients are hesitant to order from a company that used to produce weaponry. In fact, it is simpler to build a company from scratch than to convert a company into your liking. Had the conversion not gone the way it had, I would have lost my company. But I did it anyway, because running a company dedicated to developing games had always been my goal. As you would say, miss Kawai, I took an unnecessary risk."

As far as Kaiba was concerned, his point had now been made, so he picked up his silverware again to finish his now sure to be cold main course, leaving miss Kawai and her children to contemplate his words of wisdom.

After a while, miss Kawai seemed to have processed his story. "But mister Kaiba, you surely understand your situation was different. Your intellect has allowed you to successfully convert your company, but I don't see how Serenity will…"

"I've seen a piece of your daughter's work," Kaiba interrupted her. "A painting, painted when she was on the verge of blindness. If it is any indication of what she is capable of now her sight had been restored, I know she had the potential to become a world class artist. She has the talent. Besides, even if she will not live up to that potential, there are many other high paying positions in the art world. I've seen what they pay the Domino Museum's curator. I agree with you that there is no guarantee Serenity will be able to find a job when she finishes art school, but that is the risk she's willing to take. She could end up making more money than any doctor ever will."

Miss Kawai still wasn't entirely convinced. "You seem to know a lot about art for a businessman."

"I admit I do not particularly care for art. Only the occasional literature sparks my interest. However, as a businessman, attending certain events is part of my duties. Galleries are not an uncommon destination for me."

"I see," miss Kawai said with a nod. "It seems you do know your expertise, mister Kaiba. Maybe I have misjudged this situation."

Serenity's head shot up at the sound of that last comment. She had listened to the conversation between Kaiba and her mother very carefully, hoping Kaiba would not turn her mother against him at the very last moment. Never had she expected anything good to come out of their discussion, let along Kaiba convincing her mother to let her go to art school. She had placed all her hopes on the scholarship appointed to the best student, studying her hardest for every test to make sure she stayed on top of her class, knowing it was the only way she could ever get into art school since she was sure her mother would not pay for it in a million years. And now her mother had changed her mind? Was she really going to let her daughter spend the college money she saved on a study she thought to be useless, all after only one talk with Kaiba?

As she silently wondered what on earth was going on, her mother diverted her attention from Kaiba and turned to face her daughter. "Serenity, dear," she started carefully, trying to find the right words, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have tried to plan out your future for you. If you really want to pursue a career as an artist, then I won't try to stop you anymore. You're an adult now, and you are able to make your own choices. Your college fund is yours to spend as you like."

She was barely able to finish talking before she found her breath being cut off by the tight grip of her daughter, who had leaped out of her seat to wrap her arms firmly around her mother's neck.

"Thank you," she whispered softly, tears of gratitude threatening to spill from her hazel eyes. "Thank you so much."

Her mother patted her back. "Don't thank me, dear, thank your boyfriend. He's the one who changed my mind." She pulled away from her daughter's embrace and smiled at her. "You've found yourself a good man, Serenity. Don't let him slip."

"I'll try," Serenity smiled back.

"You know I'm expecting grandchildren, right?"

"Mom!"


The rest of the evening went by without a hitch. Throughout the remainder of the main course and the desert, the serious topics were exchanged for comfortable small talk, which was much appreciated by all four of them. Only Joey remained relatively silent, sulking over the fact that his mother approved of Kaiba as his sister's significant other while Mai, who was a much better person than Kaiba could ever hope to be, had been instantly rejected.

Still, as much as he did not want to admit it, he was glad Kaiba had been able to change his mother's mind about Serenity's choice of college. Art was all she ever wanted to study, yet she was too sweet and obedient not to listen to her mother's objections. Had Kaiba not swayed their mother, Joey was sure Serenity would have gone off to medical school simply because she did not want to disappoint the woman who raised her.

Overall, he could not complain about the outcome of the evening. Though he had hoped for his mother to dislike Kaiba, he was glad his mother had allowed his sister to go to art school. Serenity looked happier than he had seen her in months, and it was all because of Kaiba. Who knew, maybe that bastard was good for something after all. Joey still didn't like him, but he would tolerate him as long as he continued to make his sister happy. And he would be ready to kick Kaiba's ass the minute he broke Serenity's heart.

Joey was not the only one who was happy with how the evening's events had unfolded. Both Kaiba and Serenity were more than content, knowing their fake relationship and all the advantages it brought would not have to disappear just yet. It was therefore Kaiba had a satisfied smirk on his face as he and the Wheelers sat back down in the limousine after he'd paid the bill, which he insisted was no trouble to cover by himself.

Still, he had to admit getting through the evening hadn't been an easy task. Serenity hadn't been exaggerating when she told him her mother would be difficult to handle. The woman was an unbelievable busybody, and Kaiba could easily see which traits her idiot son had inherited from her. Had he not been a well-trained businessman, skilled in telling others exactly what they wanted to hear, he would not have been able to pass miss Kawai's test. Luckily for him and Serenity, he had passed, and their deal could continue to exist.

Now Kaiba only had to deliver the Wheelers at their apartment and give Serenity her birthday gift before he could go home and get some access paperwork done. Well, that was after he finished reporting everything which had occurred that evening to his little brother, who would without a doubt be anxiously awaiting his return by now. Kaiba nearly smiled at the thought. Mokuba had gotten mostly off his back about the whole dating thing after learning of Serenity, but he was still very interested in his older brother's love life. When Kaiba told him he was going to meet Serenity's mother a few days earlier, the boy had been more anxious than Kaiba himself. He had ran around the house frantically, trying to find Kaiba the perfect outfit, making sure the finest limousine was absolutely spotless and learning his brother some icebreaking phrases in case the conversation would get stuck. Sweet as it was, it had annoyed Kaiba endlessly, and he was glad he wouldn't have to hear about it again after tonight. Still, compared to the things Mokuba used to do to 'help' him get a girlfriend, this was not so bad.

The ride back to the Wheelers' apartment did not take long. Most of the time was spent in silence, the passengers all too full and sleepy to fancy a lengthy conversation. It wasn't long before Ed pulled up at the edge of the parking lot where the three guests would get out.

Once Ed had come around to open the door, Kaiba was the first to step outside. Following the gentleman rulebook, he extended his hand to escort both Serenity and her mother out, leaving Joey to climb out by himself.

"Well mister Kaiba, I'd like to thank you for a lovely evening," miss Kawai smiled once she was outside. "I hope we will meet again soon."

"As do I," Kaiba lied. He had no desire of seeing the woman anytime soon, if ever again. Depending on how long his deal with her daughter lasted, he would try to put off a next meeting for as long as he could.

"We'll be going, then. Until next time, mister Kaiba. Come along, Joseph. Let's leave these two to say goodbye."

Knowing that 'saying goodbye' meant a kiss, Joey was reluctant to leave his baby sister behind, but he followed his mother anyway. The two were soon out of sight, walking back to the warmth of the apartment complex, leaving Kaiba and Serenity by themselves.

The moment they were out of sight, Serenity cracked a huge smile. She had successfully contained most of her happy emotions after Kaiba's talk with her mother, but now she couldn't help ginning like she just won the lottery.

"I take the fact that I am able to count your teeth as an indication you thought the evening went well?"

Serenity nodded happily. "It went great!," she exclaimed. "You were amazing! I never thought you'd be able to get my mother to like you so easily. And you even convinced her to let me spend my college money on art school! I don't think the evening could have gone any better!"

Drawn in by her enthusiasm, Kaiba cracked a smirk. "Of course it went well. I've swayed the most powerful businessmen in the world. A concerned mother can't be a problem."

Her smile softened. "Well, I think you were great anyway. And thank you for getting my mother to approve of my going to art school."

"Don't mention it."

"No, really, thank you," Serenity insisted. "You didn't have to do it; it wasn't necessary for our credibility as couple. Agreeing with my mother would have been a lot easier, but you still stood up for my dream, and I want you to know I really appreciate that."

"Yeah, well," Kaiba muttered uncomfortably, "I know what it's like to have a parent wanting to control your every move. It isn't exactly fun. And since you still haven't grown a backbone like I told you to, I could hardly expect you to handle it on your own."

Serenity giggled. "Maybe you should have gotten me a backbone for my birthday."

"I tried," Kaiba countered, "but they were out of stock. The new ones won't be fully grown until next month."

"Oh, that's too bad," Serenity sighed, her voice filled with fake sadness.

Kaiba chuckled as he shook his head in amusement. "If it's any consolation, I did get you something else."

"Something else?," Serenity questioned, a little surprised. "Oh no, that's not necessary. You already paid for dinner, and you gave me the best gift by convincing my mother to let me go to art school. You really don't have to – "

Kaiba raised his hand to cut her off. "I thought we went over this. A boyfriend who does not get his girlfriend a gift for her birthday…"

"…Is a lousy one," Serenity finished his sentence, remembering their conversation after Kaiba's birthday party. "You're right."

"I'm always right," Kaiba stated matter-of-factly before he leaned into the back of the car to retrieve the silver briefcase that contained Serenity's gift. Opening it, he took hold of the neatly wrapped present and handed it to the young woman in front of him. "Here," he said gruffly. "Happy birthday."

Serenity gladly took it from him. "Thank you."

She didn't even have to unwrap it to know what it was. Having held many of them during her shopping trips with Mai and Tea, she could easily recognize a shoe box when she had one in her hands. A small smile played across her lips. Kaiba had remembered what she had asked him for her birthday. How sweet of him.

Carefully, she untied the blue bow and unwrapped the present, making sure not to tear the silver wrapping paper in the process. She pulled off the paper to indeed reveal the shoe box she had predicted to find. Once the paper had been disposed off, Serenity opened the white shoe box, expecting to find a modest pair of shoes which would cost a hundred dollars at most. She was in for quite the surprise. Inside the box laid a pair of black heeled sandals. A solid base and a firm heel were decorated by many straps going from the toe to the ankle, creating a playful effect. Every one of those straps was decorated by dozens of tiny, shiny diamonds, and the name 'Jimmy Choo' was carved into the soles. They were beautiful.

Serenity stared at the footwear with wide eyes. How much had those cost? The brand, the materials, the design… If those were real diamonds on those straps, and she was fairly sure they were, then Kaiba had to have paid at least a few thousand dollars for them. She and the fifteen-dollar book she had gotten Kaiba for his birthday could never compete.

Tearing her eyes away from the shoes, she replaced the lit on the box and held it out to Kaiba. "I can't accept these."

Kaiba didn't take the box from her. "Why not?"

"They are far too expensive."

"So?"

"So, you shouldn't have spent so much on me," Serenity said as she shook her head. "I didn't do anything to deserve such a wonderful gift."

"Yes, you did," Kaiba countered. "You were born. Isn't that the reason gifts are distributed on a birthday?"

"Well, yes, but…"

"And isn't it rude to decline a thoughtful present, no matter how you may feel about it?"

Serenity failed to come with an answer after that, and Kaiba, knowing he had just claimed victory on their verbal battle, smirked. "Take the shoes. They're yours."

She sighed as she nodded, clutching the box tightly to her chest. "I don't know how I can ever repay you."

"Last time I checked, gifts were not supposed to be repaid," Kaiba said casually. She really didn't understand that the money he had paid for the shoes failed to put even the tiniest dent in his bank account.

"Well then, thank you," Serenity smiled brightly. "They are very beautiful."

"That's why I picked them," Kaiba said. "Now let's get you home."

Serenity nodded, and the two of them made their way towards the apartment complex. Kaiba still hadn't given up on walking her home, Serenity noted, and she secretly smiled. Though most wouldn't say it, Kaiba was actually a very thoughtful man. Walking her home to make sure nothing happened, not forcing her to show herself to the media, giving ridiculously expensive presents without expecting anything in return… And those were only a few things. Seto Kaiba was a much better man than he was made out to be.

When they arrived at the front door of apartment 428, Serenity turned to Kaiba with a bright smile on her pretty face. "Thank you for one of the best birthdays I've ever had."

"My pleasure," Kaiba answered stiffly.

Retrieving her key and opening the door with it, she faced Kaiba one more time. "Goodnight, Seto."

"Goodnight, Serenity."

With that, Kaiba made his leave, and Serenity stepped inside her apartment to spend the remainder of her birthday with her two most beloved family members.


And that wraps up chapter 11, folks. I must say, I have wanted to write something like this for a while now, with Kaiba meeting Serenity's mother. It's always just about Joey in most stories, while I personally think Serenity would value her mother's opinion just as much as Joey's, if not more. She is the woman who raised her, after all. The mom was also very fun to write. I decided to call her miss Kawai, since she wouldn't be called Wheeler anymore after the divorce and I figured it would be best to go with a name that is cannon. For her character, I tried to make her seem polite and well-manner like her daughter, but also straightforward and tactless, like her son. I hope I somewhat succeeded. Also, the whole thing with art school has been in my mind since the beginning of this story. In all honesty, I don't think Serenity, with her near blindness, would even want to go to art school. I could picture her as a doctor much more easily. But, I wanted mom to have a problem with her choice of college, and medical school isn't something a parent can complain about. As I see it, the Wheelers' mother would be very controlling over her children, because they had such a lousy father, and would therefore thoroughly inspect their partners and their plans for the future. If she doesn't agree with something, she'll nag until everybody succumbs to her will. Trust me, I have a grandmother like that, and it is always better to just give up, otherwise she'll still be on it years later. That's why Serenity and Kaiba were so anxious to get through the evening, because failure would mean constant nagging, and constant nagging would mean termination of their deal. Of course, Kaiba is Kaiba, and I can't think of any mother who wouldn't adore him as her daughter's partner. Well, that was my chapter analysis. Sorry for the long talk. I hope you enjoyed the chapter nonetheless. Until next time!