Disclaimer: Still don't own "Yu-Gi-Oh." It'd be nice if I had an extra soul to sell to Satan to GET "Yu-Gi-Oh."

Chapter 2

Although his fellow students managed to annoy him everyday, Kaiba found them especially unbearable the Monday after viewing the "news" program with Mokuba. At least three different girls had approached him nervously with the intention of asking him was he, you know, one of THOSE people. That was their intention, of course, but one arched eyebrow and an ominous "Yes?" from the CEO was enough to send the idiots giggling and scampering back to their desk or circle of friends, or wherever they'd come from.

Oddly enough, Yuugi and his friends were the only ones who seemed not to care. Or not to know, although Kaiba doubted that, especially since every know and then the mutt and... Honda, was it?... would look over at him, and one of them would whisper something to the other, and they'd both start laughing. But none of Yuugi's friends approached him or, for that matter, acted like they wanted to. For the most part, they went about their day as they always did.

At least up until lunchtime, when Yuugi sent Anzu over to Kaiba with an invitation to sit and their table and play Duel Monsters.

"Play?" Kaiba'd scoffed, digging a book out of his backpack so he wouldn't have to look her in the face. "One doesn't 'play' Duel Monsters, Mazaki. And for that matter, 'playing' anything is for children. And even so, I wouldn't 'play' with a group of slobbering, pathetic morons such as you and your--"

"Oh, listen to you!" Anzu interrupted snappishly, putting her hands on her hips. "STILL acting all high and mighty." Kaiba's brow raised behind his book at her use of 'still.' "You know, Yuugi was worried about you. You had him thinking you were some kind of 'victim of the media,' afraid you might be embarrassed or feeling sorry for yourself. But no, you're as arrogant and obnoxious as ever--"

This time it was Kaiba's turn to interrupt as he set down his book. "I beg your pardon, but I didn't 'have' Yuugi thinking anything. His television did, or the puppy did. What conclusions Yuugi might draw from his surroundings are none of my concern."

Anzu sighed. "You could still come over and sit with him for a little bit. Just so he knows you're okay... as okay as you ever are, anyway."

"Am I supposed to be insulted?" Kaiba shook his head with a small smile, his eyes glittering. "Really, Mazaki, that's one of the--" He was cut off by the strange sensation of a hand pressing against his arm. Anzu was grabbing-- no, not grabbing, just gently touching-- Kaiba in attempt to get his attention.

Well, she had it.

"Kaiba Seto, I don't know what your problem is with people caring about you, but please, will you put it aside for five seconds and come show Yuugi you don't feel bad?"

"Yuugi ought to know that I never feel bad."

Anzu's hand slowly left Kaiba's arm. He couldn't imagine why he wished she would put it back; it wasn't as though he enjoyed the sensation. "Well, come show him that!" she said through gritted teeth. "I understand if you don't want him to beat you in front of everybody-- you don't have to duel him--"

That made the hairs on the back of the CEO's neck prickle. He could beat Yuugi! He could beat anybody! ESPECIALLY Yuugi! Just because Yuugi had won several times in the past did NOT mean Yuugi would win every match he played against Kaiba. And he fought with all his self-restraint to refrain from screaming that at Anzu.

Instead, biting his lip, Kaiba said slowly, "If I do this for you-- you know, actually have a genuine conversation with your filthy... friends of yours, as you call them-- then you'll have to do something for me."

Anzu's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about, Kaiba?"

Kaiba smiled, but only slightly. He stood, relishing his height advantage over the girl for a second or two before leaning and whispering in her ear.

Anzu's eyes went as wide as saucers. "You want me to pretend to be your WHAT?!"

Kaiba cringed. "Shh!" he said, putting a finger to his lips. "Not so damn loud! And... yes."

"So you DO care what they think about you," Anzu said slowly. There was surprise in her voice, but also undertones of irritating smugness.

Kaiba snorted. "Hardly. But if people go on thinking this kinds of things, what do you think the future will be for my company?" When Anzu remained silent, he said, "All right, since you apparently lack the intelligence necessary to think for yourself and hence coherently answer nonrhetorical questions, I'll tell you: Not good." He shook his head, hoping nobody was listening to them. But then again, the cafeteria was always so insanely loud he didn't understand how anyone COULD be listening to them. "Being gay is still considered quite scandalous by the majority of the public. People who run companies that make products-- like me-- cannot afford to be viewed as scandalous by the public or by their buyers because then nobody buys their products. Do you follow me?"

"Yes," Anzu said patiently, although Kaiba noticed when she rolled her eyes.

"So, I can't afford to look gay. And I feel it necessary to add that I'm NOT gay, anyhow, so that's all the more reason I don't need to have people thinking I am." He straightened slightly.

Anzu hid a smile with her hand, and Kaiba had to privately wonder what was so funny. "I believe you," she said. "But you'll have a harder time convincing Jonouchi."

This time it was Kaiba who did the eye rolling. "Why would I want to convince the mutt of anything?"

That apparently made Anzu angry. "Listen, Kaiba... if I act like I'm your-- girlfriend" -- she spat out the word like it had a bad taste to it -- "you have to be nice to my friends. And I don't mean just ignore them. I mean you've got to be NICE to them." For a second Anzu looked as though she was thinking. "And you can't call Jonouchi a mutt. Or a dog. Or-- or anything like that."

Kaiba looked as though he'd just been given the death sentence. "Be nice-- nice to-- to THEM?" He gestured in the direction of the table where Anzu's friends were sitting.

Anzu nodded. "After all, I wouldn't date a guy who treated my friends like trash."

"Fine," Kaiba finally consented irritably, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Fine," Anzu countered. "And afterwards, you can go back to being a tremendous jerk like always."

"If that's the case, then let's hope this arrangement is very short-lived," Kaiba said. And he felt it necessary to add, "And I am more than perfectly capable of beating a duelist of Yuugi's caliber."

Anzu shot Kaiba a nasty look. "Then why don't you go prove it, HONEY?" she said.

"Perhaps I ought to, DEAR," Kaiba sneered. He was already beginning to regret the "girlfriend" he'd selected. He'd just have to keep telling himself it was for his beloved corporation's sake.