Chapter 28: Appearances
Kaiba had anticipated having a bad time at the banquet, but he hadn't expected to be so miserable. He was tired of being around so many obnoxious people and being forced to pretend to tolerate them for the sake of his company. It was exhausting and Kaiba's nerves were frayed to their limits, which was bad because he still had at least another three hours left before he could ditch.
The sound of braying laughter that could only belong to one irritant had Kaiba gritting his teeth as he glanced over to the source. The Yuugi-tachi had clumped together as per usual and Jounouchi was being more rambunctious than normal and it was just one more thing that pissed off Kaiba. Had no one bothered to teach the mutt any manners on how to behave out in public at a formal function?
He tried to focus on how stunning Yami looked in his suit, but that just led to problems of a different kind. Even then, Kaiba was distracted by the fact that Mai kept stepping into his line of vision and blocking his view and it was increasingly starting to frustrate him. Her dress was so tight that he was pretty sure if she sighed heavily it would bust a seam; he didn't even know how she was able to breathe in that outfit. And she thinks she looks good? he sarcastically wondered. Then again, any woman that was still hanging out with teenagers in the hopes of dating Jounouchi had to be crazy in Kaiba's opinion; something was obviously wrong with the young woman and her judgment.
Kaiba was just grateful that he had a reason to keep his distance from the large group that was made even larger by the visiting auxiliary members. With so many reporters in attendance—some going incognito in an attempt to score an exclusive scoop—Kaiba couldn't risk word getting out about his relationship with Yami. It wasn't that he was ashamed; Kaiba just worried that it might make Yami a target in the future. Kaiba's enemies had always tried to kidnap Mokuba because it was no secret how important he was and it made him an easy and effective target. There were only so many precautions that Kaiba could take against potential threats and he was determined to keep Yami safe, even if it required anonymity.
A movement to his left distracted Kaiba and he realized that it was Kanagawa Sanosuke, one of the few men Kaiba trusted in business and one of the most important sponsors of the upcoming tournament. He waited for the older man to draw closer and Kaiba felt some of his previous irritation ease a bit; Kanagawa was usually a decent conversationalist and it meant getting some time away from the other fawning businessmen that had plagued him all night.
"My compliments to you, Seto-san," Kanagawa said as he raised his glass in a casual toast. "You always manage to outdo yourself."
Nodding his head once in acknowledgement, Kaiba felt himself relax slightly in the presence of one of his rare trusted business associates. "Thank you," Kaiba replied, not having to force himself to be pleasant.
"I must say, the Blue Eyes White Dragon ice sculptures are a nice touch," Kanagawa commented as he took a sip of wine.
Out of all the preparations for the banquet, the large ice sculptures of his pride were his favorite part. "It's a pity that they'll melt," Kaiba said with a small sigh. "They turned out even better than expected."
Kanagawa had worked with Kaiba enough to know just what sort of ridiculously high standards he had and the observation made him chuckle. "How rare," the older man joked, earning him the slightest grin from Kaiba. "And please allow me to thank you once again for the beautiful flowers you sent to my daughter."
Somewhere in the back of Kaiba's mind, he vaguely remembered ordering his secretary to send them. Ignoring the gratitude, Kaiba politely inquired, "How is she now?" He had not spent a lot of time around Kanagawa's daughter, Yuiko, but Kaiba had found her to be tolerable, intelligent, and easy enough to converse with when needed. In short, she was her father's daughter.
Kanagawa answered, "She's much better now, thankfully. She just pushed herself too hard and exhausted herself."
Kaiba had to resist the urge to dismiss the girl's so-called exhaustion. She doesn't even know what real exhaustion is, Kaiba thought, priding himself that he could still function when others could not. "Studying too much?" Kaiba guessed, assuming that she was preparing for her entrance exams.
Laughing heartily, Kanagawa sounded amused as he responded in mock wistfulness, "Ah, if only," which thoroughly confused Kaiba. Oblivious to Kaiba's sudden puzzlement, Kanagawa turned more serious. "Considering that your company's primary focus is Duel Monsters technology, it's amazing that your medical division is as solid as it is. Then again, nothing but the best from Kaiba Corp, eh?"
Kaiba was about to agree when his thoughts were interrupted by a shrill, "Daddy! There you are!" It was almost enough to make Kaiba cringe and he was stunned into silence when the girl trotted over in their direction to attach herself to Kanagawa's side. "I was looking everywhere for you!"
Patting the girl's hand lovingly, Kanagawa smiled at her warmly and it only confused Kaiba further. "Where's Yuiko?" Kaiba asked, even as he was trying to figure out who the girl in front of him was. Her hair was bleached out in the ganguro style and her dress was far too tight in Kaiba's opinion; she wore way too much make up and looked like she had just gotten off work at a host club. Kaiba found her to be utterly repulsive and the heavy scent of her candy sweet perfume was already giving him a headache.
"She had class tonight," Kanagawa explained with the faintest quirk of his lips. He had long wondered if Kaiba had a crush on his eldest daughter and he noted the inquiry as further proof to his suspicions. "I'll be glad to tell her know that you were asking about her, though."
"Thanks," Kaiba dutifully replied in a flat tone. While it was true that Yuiko was a relatively painless way to pass time when the occasion arose, Kaiba wasn't overly interested in her as anything else.
Gesturing at his youngest daughter, Kanagawa reintroduced her, "You remember Reiko, yes?"
The girl held out her free hand toward Kaiba with a confident smile and he was reluctant to act. As she expectantly wiggled her perfectly manicured fingers, Kaiba was forced to uphold social standards by lightly touching his lips to the back of her hand and he hated that he could taste a hint of lotion on top of the perfume that was assaulting his nose. "Of course," Kaiba said as he unhappily relied on his training from Gozaburo. Now that he reflected on it, he vaguely remembered a child who cried a lot whenever he visited Kanagawa's home on the rare occasion. It made him realize that the girl who was dressed up like a twenty-something whore was maybe thirteen or fourteen and it disturbed him greatly. "Are you well, Reiko?"
Kanagawa could only beam at the pair as they interacted, oblivious to Kaiba's increasing discomfort. "Yes, thank you," she answered with a curtsy as she released her hold on her father's arm. "The flowers were amazingly beautiful."
"It was nothing," Kaiba replied, the words closer to the truth than the father and daughter knew. Kaiba made a mental note to speak with his secretary about the importance of details; it was one thing to send flowers if it was Yuiko, but he got the feeling that it was going to cause problems with Reiko. Unless of course she had mentioned it and he had been too distracted by the thought of Yami to notice? No, surely not. Although it did make him remember what had happened on the particular evening and it was enough to make him realize that he needed to get his mind back in the present before he embarrassed himself in front of the girl.
"Well, I'll leave you two to it," Kanagawa said as he dismissed himself. "I'm sure that you have a lot to catch up on. It was a pleasure as always, Kaiba-san."
Before Kaiba could respond, the man had already been absorbed into the crowd and Reiko wasted no time attaching herself to him. Having the bleached blonde clinging to his arm and pressing herself so close to his side made Kaiba feel decidedly uncomfortable. His discomfort only increased when Reiko started to giggle as she confessed, "You know, I always thought you liked my sister. I'm so happy now!"
"What? Why?" Kaiba asked, completely confused about how anyone could mistake something like that. Sure, Yuiko was fairly attractive and tolerable, but that hardly meant Kaiba liked her. There was no challenge, nothing to keep Kaiba interested in her; basically, she wasn't Yami so she failed in all ways that mattered.
"Because you always talked to nee-chan and not me," Reiko answered with a pout before smirking. "But you've never sent her flowers…"
"Yes, well…" Kaiba trailed off, unsure of what to say. He wanted to create some distance between himself and the girl before he became ill from her perfume, but she stubbornly continued to cling to him in a manner that he was almost positive was going to result in at least one story in the tabloids. What the hell? Kaiba mentally sighed to himself in frustration. All he wanted to do was go up to his room and actually enjoy the rest of his evening, but it seemed so far away at the moment.
"So where's your date?" Reiko asked him as she looked up at him seductively.
The girl had to know he came alone, although he smugly thought about who he was leaving with later. "I didn't bring one," Kaiba stiffly informed her, subtly trying to detangle himself from her grip.
"Perfect," the girl practically purred as she tightened her grip against his actions, "neither did I."
"Oh, is that so?" Kaiba mechanically replied, wishing for a way out of the situation.
"So what are you doing after the party?" she murmured with a seductive look in her eyes.
Yami, his mind gleefully answered without hesitation and he immediately shushed it. Frowning at his own internal forwardness, Kaiba informed her, "I have plans." Even if he didn't, there was nothing in the world that could make him want to willingly spend time with the young and vapid teenage girl.
Switching places to stand in front of him, Reiko did everything she could to draw Kaiba's attention to her breasts. "Change them," she told him as she slowly started to sway her hips in time with the music against his.
"No," he refused, sounding almost as annoyed as he felt. Did she really expect him to ditch Yami to spend the night with a girl who had barely begun puberty?
"Come on," she tried to convince him, "it'll be fun."
Just when Kaiba had almost decided that it would be easier and less painful to apologize to Kanagawa than to continue listening to Reiko, he was spared by Yuugi tentatively interrupting, "Uhm, excuse me. May I please speak with you, Kaiba-kun?"
Even as the girl started to protest that she was speaking with Kaiba, the agitated teen agreed with a terse, "Fine," and left a pouting Reiko standing alone.
Yuugi led the way over to a relatively empty corner that was as quiet as they were going to find at such a noisy event. Kaiba took a few calming breaths before irritably asking, "Well?"
Figuring that the tone was aimed more at the girl than him, Yuugi told Kaiba, "Nothing," with a nonchalant shrug that was ruined by his amused smile. "You just looked like you were suffering and Yami was concerned."
Scowling at the latter comment, Kaiba icily responded, "Tell him there is no need," before he became rational once more. Running his fingers through his hair in agitation, Kaiba took another moment to steady himself. "Sorry."
Blinking several times in shock, it took Yuugi a moment to process that the apology was meant for him. Waving his hands in front of him, Yuugi hurriedly spoke, "No, it's okay! You're probably just under a lot of stress and…"
Sighing inaudibly, Kaiba allowed himself to take only the slightest reprieve with Yuugi since he knew that no one would dare disturb him while he was talking to his, "rival." It was strange for Kaiba to realize that he no longer saw Yuugi in that capacity and he wondered how that would work in upcoming tournaments—especially if Yami entered as well.
Yuugi could sense that Kaiba was withdrawing into himself and he quickly became concerned for his friend. "Yami?" Yuugi called out through their connection. "What should I…?"
Reassuring his Aibou, Yami suggested, "Tell him he only needs to hold out for a few more hours."
Repeating the comment without thought, Yuugi flushed bright red when he saw the knowing way Kaiba smirked and felt the perverse amusement radiating off of Yami in waves. The reaction caused Kaiba to laugh and Yuugi couldn't help but pout a little.
Poor bastard, Kaiba thought to himself in amusement as his eyes instinctually sought out the former pharaoh in the large crowd.
"I don't even want to know," Yuugi groaned, drawing Kaiba's attention back to the small duelist before he had successfully found Yami.
"Know what?" Kaiba asked, curious as to what Yuugi had meant specifically.
Wrinkling his nose, Yuugi answered, "Any of it," although he still laughed. He didn't have the same objections that Jounouchi seemed to have, but sometimes there was such a thing as knowing too much in Yuugi's opinion. "What you two…it's your business and I'm more than happy to keep it that way."
Studying Yuugi thoughtfully, Kaiba finally admitted out loud, "I don't get it."
"Get what? Why I don't want to know?" Yuugi asked for clarification, tilting his head slightly.
"No," Kaiba corrected him, "how you don't already know."
Yuugi tried to figure out a way to explain it without angering Kaiba. Realizing that was probably an impossibility, Yuugi went ahead and said, "Obviously I know that you two…well…you know…uh, with each other, but…you see, there are these room and—"
Kaiba interrupted Yuugi to tell him, "You're not making any sense."
Frowning as he tried to collect his thoughts and put aside his embarrassment, Yuugi continued, "There are two rooms in the Millennium Puzzle and—"
"What relevance does that have?"
Realizing that he didn't want to get into the technicalities of the connection he shared with Yami, Yuugi smiled up at Kaiba and it earned him a raised eyebrow. "You don't have to worry about me," Yuugi finally said after pausing long enough to stop stumbling over his words.
"Who said I was worried?" Kaiba muttered as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"No one," Yuugi replied with a smile and a kind laugh. "I just…thank you."
Kaiba was sincerely glad that Yami wasn't that frustrating because he was getting a little annoyed. "For what?"
"For everything," Yuugi said simply, chuckling at the expression on Kaiba's face. "I'll see you at breakfast?"
"Sure," Kaiba agreed, his mind already trying to process the underlying meaning of Yuugi's words out of habit.
As Kaiba watched Yuugi disappeared into the crowd, he could only shake his head. Sometimes he really just didn't get it; Kaiba had his suspicions that he would never fully grasp how other people functioned. They were a mystery that Kaiba felt no compunction to solve.
Instead of wasting any more energy on such pointless thoughts, Kaiba turned his focus inward while he still had the luxury of being alone. The revelation—or rather, the confirmation—that there were barriers between the two was more of a relief than Kaiba had anticipated. It wasn't that he had thought Yami was lying about it; it was just such a foreign concept.
He could think about such things later, though. Right now Kaiba was content to let his mind wander for a bit about the promise of what would happen once the function was over. Yami looked absolutely ravishing in his black suit with a tight red shirt that was mostly unbuttoned and it took an effort of willpower not to steal him away upstairs to their suite and have their own private fun. Kaiba had no idea where the red shirt had come from, but there would be more purchased in the future if he had anything to say about it.
Once again, Kaiba's eyes sought out Yami and they narrowed in displeasure when he spotted the former pharaoh on the dance floor. Although Kaiba's tolerance for the Yuugi-tachi had grown of late, his anger started to surface when he saw Yami slow dancing with Anzu. Kaiba had never had any use for an emotion like jealousy, but something uncomfortably close to it burned inside of him as he continued to watch the way Anzu pressed closer to Yami as they swayed in rhythm to the music. He didn't like seeing anyone else in Yami's arms and it only got worse when Kaiba saw them laughing at some shared joke. When Anzu rested her head on Yami's shoulder, Kaiba almost came undone at the sight.
What the hell? he silently fumed to himself, unaware of the fact that his hands were clenching into tight fists. Yami was his and his alone so what right did Anzu have to touch him in such a familiar manner? It made Kaiba want to storm over and claim Yami, but he knew that he would not—could not—do such a thing.
A kind voice of reason interrupted Kaiba's rage with a playful, "If you keep that sort of behavior up, people are going to get the wrong idea."
Coming back to himself, Kaiba saw that Sakaguchi Yuusuke was standing before him and looking entirely too amused. "What?" Kaiba asked as he looked at his former tutor.
"Staring with that sort of expression is going to lead people to think that you're jealous because Anzu-chan is with someone else," Sakaguchi teased, laughing when he saw the confusion on Kaiba's face.
"Why the hell would anyone think that?" Kaiba questioned, oblivious to such things.
Chuckling in amusement, Sakaguchi explained, "Because you look like an angry lover who was ready to remove the offending person from touching what was yours."
That's because Yami is mine, Kaiba growled in his mind out of irritation, although it was far from the issue in question. Frowning over how close those words were to his actual thoughts, Kaiba muttered, "Why the hell would anyone think that I'd like Anzu of all people?"
"Who would think that you would like Yami-chan, ne?" Sakaguchi countered gently in a voice soft enough that no one else would hear. "It's not secret that Yuugi-chan likes Anzu-chan, so I can only imagine the headlines. 'Rivals in Duels, Rivals in Love,' or something equally ridiculous."
Kaiba could feel a slight blush coming to his cheeks and he looked away briefly, unable to maintain eye contact. It was enough to tell Sakaguchi that he might have pushed a little too far and he hastened to redeem the situation. "Yami-chan really does look great tonight," Sakaguchi complimented. "I take it that was your doing?"
The slow song ended and Kaiba couldn't help but look toward Yami once more as he agreed, "Ah." Yami noticed Kaiba glancing over at him and the former pharaoh winked at him with a mischievous smirk that somehow managed to alleviate some of the turmoil. He didn't understand his own reaction, but now was not the time to think on it.
"So is there some reason you've not brought Yami-chan to my restaurant, hm?" Sakaguchi pestered good naturedly.
Returning his attention back to the older man, Kaiba raised an eyebrow at him. "You really like him that much?" Kaiba questioned, sounding more surprised than he had intended.
"What's not to like?" Sakaguchi asked with a laugh. "He's good for you, Seto-chan."
It was past the point of denial for Kaiba and he could only shrug in response. Ever since that afternoon in his apartment, things had subtly changed between him and Yami, but Kaiba was still trying to figure out how.
"I think it's great," Sakaguchi continued with a gentle smile. "We should all be so lucky."
The statement confused Kaiba and he had to ask, "Meaning?"
Sakaguchi grinned furtively, annoying Kaiba. "You'll figure it out," Sakaguchi cryptically replied, "if you haven't already."
Pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes for a moment, Kaiba sighed the older man's name reproachfully before looking at him once more. It caused Sakaguchi to laugh and he would have ruffled the agitated teen's hair if they hadn't been in such a public place. "It just makes this old man happy to see, Seto-chan," Sakaguchi explained, although it didn't help Kaiba any.
"What makes you happy to see?" Kaiba questioned, some of his exhaustion making itself known due to his lowered guard.
Embracing the teen, Sakaguchi whispered in Kaiba's ear, "That you've finally allowed yourself to be loved, Seto-chan," before pulling back with a smile.
It took several heartbeats for the simple sentence to process and Kaiba felt himself flush bright red against his will because of the accusation. "What? No, it's not—why would you think that?" Kaiba stuttered, still unable to grasp the full meaning of Sakaguchi's words. "I don't…he doesn't…"
Clasping Kaiba on the shoulder and giving him it a comforting squeeze, Sakaguchi reassured him, "It's not a bad thing, not with him."
"But—"
"If you'll forgive my presumptuousness, allow me to share an insight."
Kaiba was completely lost and he could only wonder, "Since when have you ever asked for permission?"
"Feelings don't always have a name," Sakaguchi told Kaiba, knowing how the teen tended to struggle with emotions. "Nor do they need one."
"And you're telling me this why?"
"Because I'm sure you've got a mess going on in there," Sakaguchi wisely noted from experience. "Sometimes it's okay to trust in someone other than yourself."
Kaiba could only shake his head as he stared at the older man. Before Kaiba could interrogate Sakaguchi any further, it suddenly occurred to him, "Wait, did Yami say something to you?"
"He doesn't have to," Sakaguchi answered with a chuckle. "I can just tell."
"That's…what?" Kaiba groaned, at a complete loss. "Sakaguchi-san…"
Realizing that he had gone as far as he should under the circumstances, Sakaguchi backed off before Kaiba actually got upset. "Don't mind me, I've probably just had too much to drink," Sakaguchi tried to play it off, although he could tell that Kaiba didn't believe the excuse. "Bring Yami-chan by soon, ne?"
"Only if you agree not to say such embarrassing things," Kaiba muttered, causing Sakaguchi to laugh once again.
"Then I'll see you soon," Sakaguchi said with a broad smile, deciding it was time to take his leave. "Have fun tonight!"
The perverse and knowing tone of Sakaguchi's voice finally caused Kaiba to laugh and he could only shake his head. He was probably too soft when it came to the old man, but Kaiba knew that some things would never change. They exchanged a few more words of goodbye before Sakaguchi finally walked away, leaving Kaiba alone once more.
As much as Kaiba respected and cared for Sakaguchi, sometimes he could be downright infuriating. Allowing himself to be loved? It was a preposterous notion and it made Kaiba want to seek out Yami to see if Sakaguchi had said anything to him. Before he could act out on such a desire, Kaiba's cell phone started to vibrate and he pulled it out of his pocket to check who was calling him. Kaiba was instantly filled with a sense of foreboding as he answered, "What?"
"Seto-sama, something has come to our attention that I believe you need to be aware of," Isono succinctly explained on the other end of the line.
Narrowing his eyes in displeasure, Kaiba ordered, "Continue," as he started walking toward the exit in order to hear better.
"There is an unidentified person who has managed to slip past security," Isono informed his boss, the displeasure evident in his voice. "We do not believe him to be a threat, but—"
Ignoring the questions about how such a thing happened, Kaiba chose to ask, "Why has he not been removed?"
Before Isono could answer, there was a flurry of noise in the background that made Kaiba frown. He didn't get the chance to comment on it because Isono said, "Sir, it seems that the man is following you right now."
Of course he is, Kaiba thought sarcastically, although he would never say such a thing out loud. Was it so much to ask for one function to go smoothly without incident?
"Should we intercept him at the door?"
"No," Kaiba refused, "let me handle it." He couldn't risk causing a scene and letting the press get wind of a security breach; Kaiba wasn't going to let anyone ruin his event.
A deep voice interrupted him and requested, "Kaiba-san, a word with you if I may?"
"That's him," Isono told Kaiba, concern for his boss evident in his voice.
"Thank you, that will be all," Kaiba dismissed Isono before hanging up the phone and turning to face the stranger. He was tall and well over thirty with a nondescript appearance—all things that set off warnings in Kaiba's mind. "And you are?"
Bowing formally, the man introduced himself, "I am Tanaka Takeshi and I'm here on behalf of Shinshiro Securities."
Straightening the lapel of his suit, Kaiba discreetly pressed the back of his KC pin that began recording their conversation. "I do not recall you being invited," Kaiba said coolly, subtly scanning the immediate area for any potential threats.
"Forgive my rudeness," Tanaka apologized with another bow, "but that was the point. Consider it a demonstration of sorts."
Less than amused, Kaiba commanded, "State your purpose."
"I would like to speak with you privately regarding a proposal," Tanaka answered, evenly meeting Kaiba's gaze. "I believe it will be beneficial for both companies."
Kaiba sensed a trap and he quickly made a decision to isolate the man and deal with him however he needed. "We shall see," was all Kaiba said as he gestured for the man to follow him.
Deciding that one of the conference rooms would be the most effective battle zone should it come down to such a thing, Kaiba led the way to one on the floor above the banquet hall. Kaiba remained alert for any potential threats, but he showed no visible signs of ill ease as he unlocked the conference room door.
Much to Kaiba's surprise, the room was not empty; instead he could only look on in disgust at Mai and Jounouchi making out in the dim lighting on the conference table. Flicking all of the lights on, Kaiba ignored their startled noises and hasty attempts at separating as he commanded, "Get. Out."
Pissed off at the interruption and missing the irony of the situation, Jounouchi started to argue, "What? You got a problem with me and Mai?"
Unwilling to lower himself to Jounouchi's level in front of Tanaka, Kaiba coldly warned him, "Do not make me repeat myself."
"No!" Jounouchi continued to argue as he rearranged himself and Mai did the same, still unaware of the stranger behind Kaiba. "As many times as I've walked in on you and—"
Mai chose that moment to slap her hand over Jounouchi's mouth to prevent him from incriminating Yami or Kaiba in front of the other person. "Sorry, Kaiba-sama," she apologized with a flirtatious wink, her behavior and manner of address confusing Kaiba. "We were just leaving,"
Pushing Mai's hand away, Jounouchi exclaimed, "No, we fucking weren't! We—"
Mai cut off Jounouchi with a sharp, "Katsuya," and it was enough to stop his rant.
"What?" Jounouchi growled, his irritation still simmering and looking for an outlet.
"Upstairs," was all she needed to say to get him out the door, although he was still grumbling about it. Blowing a kiss at Tanaka and winking at him for good measure, Mai waved as she walked away arm in arm with Jounouchi.
It disturbed Kaiba that the pair had gained access to the conference room, but Kaiba's couldn't dwell on it or the thought about what they were leaving to do. "So what is this proposal that you mentioned?" Kaiba inquired as he walked further into the room, although he refused to take a seat.
"Obviously there are some…flaws with your current system," Tanaka started as he closed the distance between himself and Kaiba. "Our company would like to help you with that."
Kaiba wanted to grit his teeth in frustration, but he didn't want to reveal anything to the man that could be used against him. "And what credentials do you have that lead you to believe that you could adequately handle a company of this magnitude?" Kaiba questioned in a harsh tone. "I've never heard of your firm."
"We are rather…exclusive, shall we say," the man explained. "Having others be aware of our existence would defeat the point of discreet protection for our clients."
Kaiba had to laugh at that; it sounded like bullshit to him. "Thank you, but I don't believe that I or my company will require any services from you," Kaiba dismissively informed the man. Despite the two issues that had occurred tonight, Kaiba wasn't overly concerned about the state of his security; he trusted in himself and in his system.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Kaiba-san."
"Is that a threat?" Kaiba demanded in a deadly tone of voice, instantly tensing for a potential incident.
Bowing lowly once more, Tanaka denied, "Of course not, sir. We are merely concerned."
"It is not necessary."
"With all due respect, sir, I cannot agree," Tanaka responded as he straightened to his full height once more.
Glaring hatefully at the man, Kaiba told him, "I believe that we are done here."
Smiling wanly, the man produced a business card and Kaiba accepted it out of habit. "If you should ever change your mind, please call," Tanaka said before turning and leaving without further exchange.
Kaiba was rooted to the spot and was oblivious to the man's exit or the fact that Yami almost ran into the man as he left. All he could focus on was the faint trace of perfume on the card and he involuntarily shuddered as the scent of sakura blossoms blooming in a rose garden during a snowy night assaulted his nose. It was a smell that was deeply imprinted on his mind, although Kaiba was used to it in far greater quantities. The scent would linger in a room long after she had left and Kaiba could always tell when she had come over for a visit because of it.
Yami became concerned when he saw the vacant way that Kaiba was staring at the business card in his hand. He locked the door behind him and walked over to Kaiba who had still shown no signs of noticing him yet, something that Yami found to be very disconcerting. "Seto?" he called out quietly as he neared, but there was still no response.
Kaiba tried to convince himself that he was mistaken, but he knew in his gut that he wasn't. It was a custom designed perfume that Gozaburo had commissioned for one of his many mistresses and it was the one woman that Kaiba had hated more than any of the other whores that his adopted father entertained combined. Hoshino Haruna, Kaiba venomously recalled her name, fighting against the bile rising in his throat. She had dared to think that her place beneath Gozaburo meant she could do as she pleased and he had never forgiven the woman for what she had done to Mokuba all those years ago.
When Yami gently touched Kaiba's hand, it brought the distracted teen to the present. Instead of acknowledging Yami, Kaiba pressed the back of his KC pin to stop recording and he was instantly on the phone with Isono. Kaiba immediately started giving orders, "I want you to get me everything you know about that man. Who he talked to tonight, who noticed him—I want all of those videos with names."
"Yes, sir!"
"Also, find out everything you can on Shinshiro Securities and Hoshino Haruna. Be as discreet as possible—absolutely no one can know about this, understood?"
Isono was already formulating plans in his mind on courses of action as he responded, "Of course, Seto-sama. I will have Ogata get started immediately."
"Excellent," Kaiba said, knowing that Ogata Katsuro was the most reliable choice for what he needed done. Ogata had helped him out several times throughout the years with his expertise in hacking and investigating, although Kaiba's trust in him only went so far. He knew that Ogata had inevitably dug up dirt on him at some point, but it was a necessary risk given his skills; besides, it was a fair match since Kaiba had information on the man to use against him should the need ever arise. His personality was infuriating at the best of times, but Kaiba couldn't fault the man's superior skills.
Pocketing the offensive business card, the scent still lingered, but Kaiba was pretty sure that it was only in his mind at that point. He almost missed Isono hesitantly saying, "Seto-sama, if I may be so bold as to suggest…"
It was unusual to hear Isono sound almost afraid of continuing and it made Kaiba wary to give clearance. Figuring that it had to be of some importance for Isono to speak in such a manner, Kaiba said, "Yes?"
"I…I still know where Haru—I mean, where Hoshino's old file is," Isono stuttered, tripping himself up when he had to correct himself from calling her, "Haruna-sama," as he had been instructed while Gozaburo had still been alive. "Your adoptive father maintained a record and—"
"Fine," Kaiba hurriedly interrupted, unwilling to deal with the details yet. "Have that sent to the mansion and I expect to be kept up to date on any news. Understood?"
"As you wish, Seto-sama," Isono agreed and Kaiba could easily picture the older man bowing politely on the other end of the phone.
"That will be all," Kaiba said before hanging up with a heavy sigh. He startled when he saw Yami standing so close to him and Kaiba could only blink as he tried to calm himself.
Yami had been expecting Kaiba to start questioning him immediately and he was startled when he was tightly embraced instead. Kaiba held Yami close to him and inhaled deeply, needing to eradicate the cloying perfume from his mind. "Why are you here?" Kaiba mumbled into Yami's hair, refusing to relinquish his hold.
"Mai told me what happened," Yami explained as he wrapped his arms around Kaiba to return the hug. He could have sworn that Kaiba was trembling, but Yami was at a complete loss as to what had happened.
"Why the hell would she tell you anything?" Kaiba wondered, still completely confused about why she had acted so oddly in front of Tanaka.
Chuckling quietly before becoming serious once more, Yami said, "She recognized the guy you were with and was worried."
"Since when has everyone been so fucking concerned about my business?" Kaiba angrily demanded, although it wasn't aimed at Yami.
Leaning back to look up at Kaiba, Yami ignored the comment since he was pretty sure there was more to it than he was currently aware of at the moment. "Mai said she knew the guy from her days working on gambling ships. Apparently he was into some black market dealings and some other shady business, so—"
"So she sent you?" Kaiba growled, severely displeased.
"No," Yami answered, "I was—"
Kaiba already knew how Yami was going to justify his actions and he wasn't really interested in hearing it. "Don't go anywhere near him," Kaiba ordered as he stepped back to release Yami.
"Who is he?"
"I don't know yet," Kaiba answered honestly, although he disliked the truth. There was something about the older man that troubled Kaiba and he hated that he couldn't figure it out yet. "Just…"
Going up on tiptoe to place a chaste kiss on Kaiba's lips, Yami easily agreed, "Okay." When he noticed that Kaiba was still tense, Yami decided to try and change the subject in an attempt to get his mind off of it. "So who was that girl?"
"The slutty daughter of an old business associate," Kaiba muttered, annoyed that Yami had seen any of the interactions. "His eldest daughter is fine, but Reiko…"
Straightening Kaiba's tie and jacket with a grin, Yami playfully questioned, "How much longer until we can make our escape?"
"As tempting as it is to say, 'Now,' it'll probably be at least another hour," Kaiba projected, although he found it to be less than satisfactory.
"Is there anything I can do to convince you otherwise?" Yami murmured before kissing Kaiba hard.
Kaiba would have been more than happy to skip the rest of the party and take advantage of the conference table before relocating upstairs, but he knew that they shouldn't. The only reason he had let anything happen was because he had noticed that the lights for recording were off on the security camera and he made a mental note to reward Isono later. Plus Kaiba was still worried about Tanaka knowing that Yami was still there with him; he didn't want to risk the stranger making any unwanted connections that might put the former pharaoh at risk of being in harm's way. "Go say good night," Kaiba instructed Yami, figuring that would give them enough time. "I'll meet you upstairs."
"Sounds good," Yami told him with a laugh and a final kiss before leaving Kaiba alone.
Kaiba still couldn't shake the fear that something was very wrong with Tanaka; the strong sense of foreboding refused to go away. Mentally vowing to protect Mokuba, his company, and Yami from any potential threats, Kaiba straightened himself and exited the conference room. He would get to the bottom of the issue and that would be it. So why couldn't he rid himself of the feeling that something terrible was about to happen?
A/N: Lots of stuff going on in this chapter, but hopefully everyone enjoyed it!
For those of you wondering about the incident involving Kanagawa and his daughter Reiko, it's referencing the opening scene in chapter eight. Nothing like a little early foreshadowing, ne? XD
I can't believe this story has over 300 reviews! Thank you to everyone, because it truly means a lot to me to hear so many of your thoughts on this story and my others.
NEXT CHAPTER: Disturbances
Alone at last, but then…
The next chapter should go up on December 7th, so please check back then!
