A/N: Hello readers! :D I am so pleased to see that I have acquired some new followers and reviewers - you have no idea how much my heart swells in excitement to see how much you are enjoying this story so far! Please keep letting me know what you think, and I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

The next day seemed to progress slower than usual, and Nataki wondered if her curiosity was the culprit to blame. Kaiba had seemed pensive about accepting her offer in the first place. Even more, his vague response had left her wondering if she was going to regret her decision. While she wanted a fresh start more than anything, Nataki couldn't help thinking that perhaps it would be more difficult working for him than she imagined. Kaiba was most likely a different person at work than he was at school - being the CEO of Kaiba Corporation, he would likely be a much more critical, authoritative person, but would also likely conduct himself in a more professional manner than he did at school. And the more she mulled over his words – that she would likely be more of a hindrance than a helping hand to have around the office – only made her feel less than confident in herself. But what would he possibly have her do that would be so beyond her grasp or competence? And then, of course, the fact that Shizukami, Akana had yet to return to school still lingered in the air. Perhaps haunted was the right word to describe the eerie feeling that she just hadn't been able to shake. With a sigh, Nataki tried to refocus on the mathematics lesson happening in front of her. She felt Haine absentmindedly braiding a few strands of her hair and turned slightly to see her face.

"Back to braiding my hair, I see."

Haine shrugged. "At least I'm not sleeping through Bosakara's lesson."

"I'm so proud." Nataki said while rolling her eyes. "Do try to take some notes today. I can't keep giving you mine to take home to copy. The homework is getting harder, and my notes have practically formed a marriage with the textbook – I always leave them side-by-side when I'm trying to do the math problems."

"Yeah, yeah I'm taking notes." She replied while half-heartedly jotting down a few problems from the chalkboard. "Just multi-tasking. Take your hair out of the pigtails, will ya? I want to try something."

Nataki gently untied the pink ribbon from around one pigtail, and then the other – her raven hair cascading around her face and slightly past her shoulders.

"Dang, I forget how long your hair actually is . . ." Haine chirped while starting to separate her dark hair into three large strands. "You should wear it down sometime."

"Mmm, maybe I will." She said softly before turning herself to face the board, leaving Haine to weave her dark strands into a long braid uninterrupted. "I hope this braid will be better than your last one."

She heard Haine scoff at her while tightening the weave of the braid. "Boy, someone's high maintenance."

Nataki stifled a giggle while pushing everything but the math lesson out of focus. According to what Kaiba had told her the previous day, she would have the answers to her questions later. It was difficult sometimes to keep things from Haine and the gang, but she felt like it was better to have less questions asked. They meant well, but anything to do with Kaiba seemed to be an immediate attention grabber, and she didn't really feel like trying to explain why it meant so much to her to know who Seto Kaiba was because, frankly, she didn't know the answer to that herself yet.

As the school day drew ever closer to its end, Nataki's anxiety began to bubble up inside of her. She hadn't seen Kaiba when she met Yugi and company for lunch, and wondered if he had reconsidered the whole thing. Maybe he thought about it and sees it as a waste of his time . . .

Suddenly, the bell rang, and everyone in her class stood up from their seats, collected their belongings, and headed out of the room. Nataki proceeded to do the same and met eyes with Haine, who nodded approvingly at her.

"You look nice wearing a braid."

"Why thank you." She said with a smile while tracing the weave with her fingers. "You did a lovely job, Haine-chan."

"I know, right?" She smirked. "Next time I'm charging."

Nataki chuckled lightly as she walked with Haine through the hallways and finally out the entrance to the school. She saw Yugi, Jounouchi, Honda, and Anzu turning past the gates and heading in the direction of the Kame Game Shop. Haine noticed her watch them.

"Wanna go after them?"

"Nah, it's okay." She said softly.

"Well, I've gotta head to work, as I'm assuming you have to as well, so I'll catch ya later." Haine said with a smile. "Maybe we could hang out this weekend, see a movie or something."

"I'd love that!" Nataki exclaimed.

"Sweet." She responded. "I'll text you."

"Okay. Bye Haine-chan!" She called while waving goodbye.

Nataki lingered about ten minutes after saying goodbye to Haine while scanning the area for any trace of the CEO. Most of the students had left already, leaving her standing alone near the gates. She shifted her weight from one leg to the other, trying to wait a bit longer, hoping that he was going to appear as he had implied the previous day. The streets were busy, but the Kaiba Corp. limousine was nowhere to be seen. I guess he did change his mind. Dragging her feet, she proceeded to walk home, having postponed her shift at Momo no Ki Cafe a couple of hours to accommodate planning her volunteer time for Kaiba. She kept her eyes fixated ahead of her on the blur of traffic and pedestrian crossing lights, trying not to look as disappointed as she felt. As she made her way closer toward the apartment complex, she could see a limousine parked down a side street a few blocks from it. I wonder if . . .? Nataki took a few steps closer toward the direction of the car, but then thought better of it and continued en route to her apartment. Suddenly, she heard the limousine start and slowly pull out from the street. She felt a lump form in her throat, the familiar sensation of being followed creeping up from inside her and making her on edge. The limousine finally came to a halt alongside of her, and the driver window descended, revealing a man in dark sunglasses and dark green hair. He crinkled his nose slightly upon seeing Nataki, who was now standing in silence.

"Are you Kuzana, Nataki?"

"Yes." She answered as firmly as she could. Nataki didn't want to appear intimidated, but she was a bit uneasy that some stranger knew her name.

"My name is Isono, and I work for Seto-sama, who sent me on his behalf to pick you up. He said you had business arrangements to discuss with him." He sensed her relief at his words and shot a brief smile. "If you would please be so kind as to oblige. Seto-sama disapproves of tardiness."

"Ah, of course!" She replied before bowing and reaching for the door handle to the back of the limousine. "My apologies."

Closing the door behind her, Nataki slid across the plush seating. She felt the limousine start to move as she buckled herself into the seat, somewhat overwhelmed by the spacious interior and luxuries it contained. Leaning back against the headrest, she couldn't help wondering if Kaiba ever rode around in his limousine just for the sake of relaxing. If it weren't for the adrenaline rush she had just felt at the idea of being followed, or her nerves at the realization that he was going to keep to his word and honor her request to make up the time he lost tutoring her, she could have easily drifted off to sleep.

The tinted window separating the driver's quarters from the passenger's quarters slid down, revealing the man who had introduced himself moments ago as Isono.

"Are you comfortable, Kuzana-san?" He asked.

"Very much so, thank you." She replied congenially.

"Excellent." A pause. "We'll be arriving shortly." And with that, the window ascended and divided the two sections of the limousine once more.

Nataki peered through the tinted windows at the streets of Domino. It felt so strange looking out from inside the limousine. I feel like I've crossed over into a different world. She knew almost instantly when they had arrived – Kaiba Corporation was a massive building that towered over much of Domino City. It shot upward with an intensity that suited its president, and the rows of windows traveled up the sides of the building in an endless fashion. She stared with her mouth agape, wondering just how many floors there were, and which one Kaiba worked on. Nataki then caught a glimpse of something she hadn't expected – two massive, impressively sculpted statues of what appeared to be dragons. Oh right, the Blue Eyes White Dragon is his favorite card. He must really like them a lot to have statues of them outside of his company . . .

"Ahem." She heard the driver clear his throat, indicating their arrival.

"Thank you so much, Isono-san." She said politely.

"Of course, Kuzana-san." He replied. Then, stepping out of the car, added, "Now, if you would be so kind as to follow me, I will bring you to Seto-sama."

Nataki felt her throat become dry as she left the comfort of the limousine. She adjusted her uniform as best she could – now that she was right in front of the building, she suddenly felt majorly under-dressed. To be fair, however, she had come straight from school. Nataki took a deep breath and followed the man through the entrance. If Nataki had thought the building was immense from the outside, it seemed even more so from the inside. Her dark blue eyes took in every detail in awe – phones ringing, fingers typing, elevators returning and leaving the ground floor, footsteps hastily ascending and descending flights of stairs . . . controlled, well-coordinated chaos.

"Kuzana-san."

Nataki blinked and felt her cheeks flush slightly, embarrassed at having spaced out momentarily. "Sorry, Isono-san!"

"You seem quite anxious." Then, gesturing to a water fountain, he continued. "Would you like a drink of water or anything?"

"No thank you." She said softly. Why do my palms feel so sweaty all of the sudden? It's not like this is my first time meeting him or anything.

"Well, then, shall we?" He asked while pressing the button to bring an elevator down.

The ascent up to Kaiba's office was smooth and much quicker than Nataki anticipated. The elevator came to a graceful, smooth stop on the twelfth floor and opened the polished steel doors with a quick, fluid motion. So he works on the this floor . . .

In an instant, Isono had stepped off the elevator and proceeded over toward the door to Kaiba's office. Nataki followed suit and came to a halt beside him. With a quick flick of his hand, the man knocked on the door.

"Yes?" Came a low, but sharp voice from behind it.

"'I've returned with Kuzana-san, Seto-sama."

A brief moment of silence, and then, "Send her in."

"As you wish." Then, the man adjusted his sun glasses and opened the door for Nataki, who felt like the next few steps she was about to take were somehow going to be some of the heaviest she would take in her time in Domino.