Dear Guest: Thank you for your kind and supportive words. Your reviews always make me smile, and my only wish is that I could thank you directly. Have a nice day and a truly wonderful new year. Sincerely, SJ
Chapter 21, Piece 41 * * * * * * * *
"My Gods, he's so beautiful," Seto sighed, looking across the room.
The group turned to see that Jounouchi had slipped back into the party, and was laughing with another guest.
"He's so elegant. Like a prince in a fairy tale."
"You need to seriously dial back his meds." Honda turned abruptly to Anzu. "Is it my imagination, or do you work here?"
"Oh. Yeah." Anzu blushed faintly even as she straightened her shoulders. "I'm his personal assistant."
"You couldn't have mentioned that?"
"When? It's not like we all met for coffee once a week."
"True." Otogi also turned to her. "But the last time we did see you, you were in 'A Chorus Line' in New York. That was, what, a year ago?"
"Year and a half," she corrected.
"I didn't know you were a dancer." Seto took his eyes off Jounouchi for a moment. "You should have mentioned it. Is that where you learned the dance you taught me?"
"Why did you stop dancing?" Eric ventured.
"Wait," Bakura cut in. "Forgive me, but, did you teach Kaiba-senpai to dance?"
She had to laugh. "Uh, yeah. There was a party and -"
"It was a formal holiday ball," Seto sounded excited at the memory. "And it was the first time I wore a tuxedo." He pulled out his phone. "First time I remember, at least." He tapped and swiped a bit. "There." He showed the pictures to the group. "That's me and Anzu doing the waltz. And that's Mokie with the Prime Minister's daughter. I think she likes him - that's the second time they've gone out."
"TMI, Nii-sama."
"And he only does that when I'm embarrassing him. You did that when you were little, too." He swiped the screen a couple times. "Those are some boring government people. Oh! This one is back at the Center. That's my American doctor."
"And that's Yugi," Otogi said. "Yugi, any reason you never mentioned any of this?"
"I promised." Yugi shrugged. "Mokuba asked me not to talk about Seto's condition."
"I didn't just ask, either," Mokuba spoke up. "Everyone who knew about Seto's accident was signed to a confidentiality agreement. Why do you think this hasn't been in the news?"
"Because he's not that important?" Otogi offered.
"Because I've kept it out," Mokuba growled. "The last thing he needed was a bunch of losers hanging around, begging for money."
"Like us?" Honda retorted.
"Obviously not you." Mokuba rolled his eyes.
"I am right here." Seto's tone was as icy as ever. "During my recovery, my brother made decisions on my behalf, and I trust his choice to limit my exposure. Now, I need information, not protection. Tonight will be in the news. I want everyone to know that I am back. And I am better. Not just recovered from my injury, but superior to who and what I was."
"And modest too."
Seto chuckled softly. "I don't imagine I was ever modest. Papa used to say he was the best manager at his firm, but almost the worst salesman. He taught me to know what I could do, and know what I could not."
"Don't be anything you're not, but be everything you are," Mokuba quoted from a memory. "I thought that was one of Gozaburo's."
"Excuse me, Kaiba-sama, Kaiba-san." Roland bowed politely to the brothers. "We are ready to make the announcement."
"Thank you," Seto acknowledged his assistant. He nodded to the group and handed Anzu his drink. "Find my prince. Tell him anything you want, but get me five minutes of his time before the night ends."