Chapter 6 – Feelings Turned Upside Down
Monday.
Mokuba hated Mondays. The week had just begun and he had to be at work again. Luckily he wasn't going to school anymore after he graduated college. There was no need to attend any university after Seto had taught him enough to be vice president of their company. But work was also hard enough, working at least whole eight hours a day, but it was better than to have to do homework!
Finishing work Mokuba drove to pick up Serenity and after they had grabbed something to eat on their way, they were now chilling out in Mokuba's room at home. He had left Rainmen's yesterday short time after his conversation with Rebecca because Serenity got slightly nervous about reading her three chapters for the literature course and begged the young man to go home. She was very serious about what she did and even if Mokuba was as well, he was a bit more loosened up at times like these.
The raven-haired young man decided it was time to finally have some fun with his girlfriend and crawled along his bed until he reached the body he longed to touch. He kissed along the woman's jaw and let his hand wander underneath the top she was wearing. Lying on her back she smiled at his attempt and drew her arm around his neck and kissed around his ear when suddenly the guy's cell phone started ringing.
Mokuba groaned and decided to ignore it. Pleased when it finally stopped he grinned and went on with his task at hand but the cell phone started ringing again.
"Shouldn't you get it?" Serenity asked smiling at him who was ignoring the thing.
"No, it's probably just my brother who wants to tell me that I've forgotten something or so. No, no. He can do that himself whatever it is."
Serenity chuckled. "And if it isn't your brother? Maybe it's Ryan who's desperately trying to tell you that your ordered new car has finally arrived…"
Mokuba was waiting for that call for about two weeks now after he had ordered another brand new car. The older one he had been driving for more than one year now and he longed to have a new one. Guys were all the same.
"Let's take a look." He reached over to his jacket and pulled out his mobile. "Hm… unknown caller."
Serenity shrugged. "Wouldn't that make sense?"
"I don't know. At least it's not my brother or anything concerning Kaiba Corporation." Pressing the answer button he finally answered the call.
"Mokuba?" A voice rang into his ears that were all too familiar to him and the young man jumped up from the bed.
"Yeah." He replied in a concerned tone. "What's wrong?"
"You said I could call you whenever I needed someone to talk to. I was thinking that now would be the time to do so but if you're busy"
"I'm not." He added quickly and walked over to the window feeling slightly nervous under Serenity's look. "No problem. What is it?"
"Actually, I don't want to talk about it on the phone. I thought maybe you'd like to come over and we could talk a little at my place. I really could do with a friend right now."
"Yeah sure, that would be possible." A friend in help was certainly more important than his girlfriend. He could take care of Serenity later.
"Really? If it's not a good time right now"
"No, it's okay. Really." Mokuba ran a hand through his long back hair and nodded to himself. "Right now?"
"Yeah, I'll be at home and wait for you." Rebecca replied. "Thank you, Mokuba."
"Welcome, no problem. Really, it isn't. See you then."
After he had ended the call he stared out of the window and knew well that Serenity was gazing at him with an expression full of unanswered questions.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
"Would you be okay alone for a while? I need to go over to a friend who needs help." He gazed at the auburn-haired woman with a concerned expression.
"Yeah, of course." She stated having no doubts that a friend in help was something that shouldn't be ignored. "I've got to read another book anyway."
"Great. Thanks a lot, darling." He quickly closed the gap between them and kissed Serenity's lips before he grabbed his leather jacket and headed out of the room.
Serenity wondered. She hadn't missed that Mokuba hadn't said who his friend was but there was always the possibility that his friend didn't want someone to know anything at all. Mokuba had to decide that himself what he told her and she believed in him making the right decision. She trusted her boyfriend. Sighing she grabbed her book and opened the first page.
Rebecca sighed on the other side of town sitting on her bed. She had thought about the whole thing with Yugi for a long time and it was slowly driving her insane. She needed someone to talk to. Mokuba wasn't the first person in her mind but the only real possibility. She had only few friends at school. Most of the boys and girls there couldn't get along with her because she simply was too smart for them. Then there were many girls envying her because all the boys wanted to date her. Certainly she couldn't talk to one of the boys, too. They were too self obsessed.
Then there was Mokuba. He had been a friend to her all the time, even though at first he made a few attempts to date her as well. But he accepted that he was out of count and grew to a close friend, other than many of the boys who either didn't want to get it or didn't want to just befriend with her. The younger Kaiba had offered her once again an ear to listen to whatever problems she was having.
Hearing a noise she looked out of the window to see the red sports car of Mokuba in the driveway and walked downstairs to open the front door. He was about to knock when the door got opened and two sad light green eyes gazed up at the tall guy.
"Hey."
"Hey, come in. Thanks for coming that quickly. I'm sorry to bother you but there's no one else that I could talk to." She explained whilst leading him inside.
"Like I said no problem. You don't bother me." Taking off his shoes he replied.
"Won't your girlfriend be mad at me, stealing you from her?" The blonde asked quite seriously.
"No, that's absolutely okay for her." He lied.
"I'm going to make us coffee. Is that okay with you?"
Mokuba nodded and followed the blond girl. There was no need telling her that Serenity was unknown to his whereabouts, actually. It was far more important why his younger friend was in need to talk to someone so desperately. He was very concerned about her.
Seto Kaiba was pleased with his day so far. It was the best day since he had got to know about Mokuba's new girlfriend and even though he couldn't get her out of his system, work had done wonders with at least a good try to take his mind off the woman and the whole bunch of problems following. So he had again thought of her but forced his mind not to do so. Thanks to Kaiba Corporation he was happy with little success. Very positive. He was glad he would always have his company, the second best thing in his life after his brother, of course.
Sighing contently Kaiba walked into his mansion and after grabbing the received mail walked into his living room. There he threw the mail on his sofa table and loosened his tie like some kind of tradition. Grabbing the remote he let himself fall down on the sofa and leant back. The house was quiet so far and he actually wondered where his brother might be. He had left the company two hours earlier than Seto and should be at home. If he wasn't, then fine with the tall brown haired.
Switching on the TV Kaiba tried to find some news but as he didn't found any, he grabbed his heap of mail and opened the few bills, as usual. His eyes shifted to look upwards when suddenly the door to the kitchen opened and a certain woman with auburn colored hair walked in with a cup of hot steaming liquid in her hands.
"Oh…" Serenity said and blinked, not expecting Seto Kaiba suddenly sitting in the living room. "Hello." She added quite stupidly and broke their sudden lock of eyes.
Seto couldn't help the glare he sent her at first before he smirked. "Yeah, great. Oh."
The woman fought against herself telling him how stupid he was and sat down next to him. In her psychology course she had learnt other ways to get to people and she would try with Kaiba. He was just perfect. If he would already see a psychiatrist? The auburn-haired put down her cup at the table and stared ahead at the television, ignoring the tall grown man.
"Where's Mokuba?" He asked in a dull tone and glared at Serenity. What did she do here anyway without him? Why was she sitting down next to him? What the hell was on her mind? He had enough to do getting her out of his mind. This was the last thing he needed right now.
"He's gone to a friend who needed his help with something. He said I should wait here." Serenity's reply rang in such a soft tone that it nearly made the CEO suspicious but he shrugged.
"He'll better be back soon." Seto stated sternly and gazed at the TV screen. He could do this and just ignore her. He would prove himself once more.
Silence washed over both of them for a while. Kaiba read his mail and tried to control his heart rate with a mental mantra. Concentration nearly left him being so close to her. Serenity instead was in a battle with herself. One certain question was in her mind but would she have the courage to ask Kaiba? The worst that could happen was that he might humiliate her wand walk off. Do or die?
"Can I ask you something?"
Kaiba's gaze shifted to look at her. He hadn't seen that coming. Just when he felt quite okay with himself and her around she dared to say something. Strange was, Seto didn't even glare at her.
"What is it?" The slightly nerved tone in his voice wasn't unusual so far.
"Why don't you like me?" Her big hazel eyes met with his blue ones and she tried to control her trembling fingers by pushing them beneath her thighs.
Kaiba stared at her for a moment before he tore his eyes away and with yet another unopened letter in his hand he chuckled nervously and stood up. "What makes you think that?"
"I'm just guessing. I really try hard to befriend with you as my boyfriend's brother but you don't seem to want that. I try to talk to you and be nice to you but the resonance is very few. I honestly don't know why. Did I do anything wrong?" She stated calmly but with slight pressure.
"No." Seto walked to the bookshelf and avoided to look at her.
"Is it because of Joey? I know you never liked him and he doesn't like you either but that was long time ago and"
"I can't care less about your brother." He replied.
"Well…" Serenity sighed and sank her head. "Then why is that that you can't stand me?"
"This has absolutely nothing to do with you." Seto denied. She seemed sad because of him and he wanted to tell her the truth but that wasn't possible. Instead he should make another cruel comment and leave. At the moment he wasn't feeling able to do so. So he lied.
"Then what else is bothering you?" She asked but got only silence as a reply. Another attempt to reach him seemed adequate. "Is it anything concerning a woman?"
Seto narrowed his eyes and gazed at her questioning.
"Mokuba told me that you've probably spent a night with a woman and I thought that maybe she has something to do with it. I don't know who she is but if you want to talk about it I'm here."
Now this was ironic. Serenity thought Seto might be love-sick because of some ordinary woman, Tea in that case. Gladly she didn't know who that woman was. Yes, he was somehow love-sick but not because of Tea. Feeling down and powerless Kaiba used this opportunity to talk about the truth, nearly.
"You're right. I do have feelings for someone but she already has a boyfriend and I respect that. The thing is that I've tried to drown my sorrow in alcohol. Then I met another woman and we both started to get drunk. In the end you can add one and one and we've spent the night together. It was the stupidest thing to do. I guess she's at me now. Not that I really care but I doubt she's going to accept that I don't want to be with her." He told her as calm as he was able to, not daring to look at her. Instead he focused a picture of Mokuba standing on the shelf in front of him.
Serenity took a deep breath. She claimed that Kaiba opening up to her was a step and moved to walk slowly over to him. So this seemed to be the reason for his strange behavior.
"And what if you'd be honest and tell her what was the reason for your doing? If she also was drunk as you say, she might accept it and be even thankful for your honesty." The woman stopped next to him, trying to catch his gaze but there was only shadow beneath the brown strands of hair falling into his face.
"I doubt it'd make any difference." Kaiba almost snorted and finally turned to look at her. "How would you know at all? Have you ever done something stupid because you felt sorry for yourself?"
Serenity shook her head and smiled with sympathy for Kaiba's feelings. "No. But…" She paused unsure of if she should tell him more but decided she could harmlessly continue. "Once I fell for a guy who wasn't interested in me but that was a long time ago."
"And what did you do?" Seto's blue eyed gaze had softened to an unusual extend when he gazed at those trustful eyes staring up at him.
"Nothing. I accepted it. Like I said, long time ago. I was really young and it wasn't more than a crush. So actually, no, I've probably never gone through anything like this." She knew how it felt when your feelings weren't replied but that had never made her do anything stupid.
Serenity gazed up into the tall man's eyes. They were so similar to Mokuba's and yet so different in its icy cold blueness. You never knew what his eyes were telling you. Just speaking to Seto was accompanied with always two sides of different feelings. Right now she was feeling affection because he seemed to trust her and she was feeling nervous that this might end abruptly and he would be his usual self again. Nevertheless she wasn't able to turn away from him.
Kaiba couldn't help staring at her, realizing once again that she was the prettiest woman alive. She had been his crush and was it once again. But she didn't know. Her eyes spoke of innocence and trust. Her body longed for protection. And her lips wanted to get kissed.
"If only it'd be that easy." His voice had faded to a low whisper and Seto could feel his pulse vibrating in his neck when he slowly leant closer to the woman. His brain seemed out of order and totally drowned in Serenity's closeness, the world seemed to have stopped.
The woman opposite him was trembling slightly but couldn't move away, neither did she want to. There he was, reaching out to her and she was so amazed by that person that her mind couldn't think of anything else than how she longed to kiss him. Electric jolts seemed to run through her veins when his lips suddenly brushed against hers and this man took over her whole system in a tender touch. Their lips only just met, the skin brushed against the other one's and neither really moved.
Time had finally stopped and left was only the feel of having Seto's lips against Serenity's. Neither touched the other one with hands. No inch was closed in the gap between their bodies. The small woman knew what she wanted and frighteningly it was Seto. Ever so slowly her hand reached up to touch his face, the jawbone that felt slightly rough compared to the one of a nineteen-years-old. Her touch triggered Kaiba and he raised a hand to carefully place a hand at the woman, afraid she might vanish any second.
The sudden sound of Kaiba's cell phone tore them apart with a start and Serenity clutched a hand to her lips. The air suddenly hitting her skin made her realize what had happened while Seto was already meters away and fishing his phone from out of his jacket.
"Yes." He answered cold but in a quite hoarse voice.
"Seto? This is Mokuba. Listen." The voice at the other end exclaimed.
"Mokuba." Seto said like he needed to voice out the name of his brother in order to make himself come to his senses. But there was no time for regrets at the moment. "What is it?"
"A friend of mine needs help and I will stay overnight here. I'll be at work tomorrow in time, don't worry."
"What about Serenity?" Not looking at the woman he asked.
"Oh… well, just tell her I need to stay with my friend that night. I'll give her a call tomorrow. I've got to finish now. Bye." And with that Mokuba had hung up on his brother.
Seto could have growled in anger at his brother but he knew that in truth he was now realizing what he had done. He had kissed Mokuba's girlfriend and the brat wouldn't be at home to save his brother from more stupidity. He couldn't let this happen. Dashing the cell phone into his pocket he glared at the woman, still standing where he had left her.
"Mokuba's staying overnight at his friend's place. He's going to call you tomorrow." Kaiba then walked over to the door and turned again. "I'm going to tell the driver that you can be brought home."
Serenity stared at the empty space where Seto had been telling her that she would be brought home by his driver just seconds ago. He had gone without anything concerning their kiss. But what did she expect? She herself knew that it had been wrong and Kaiba probably felt the same. They only thing giving her riddles was why this could happen in the first place? Just a weak moment or even more? Sighing she made herself ready to get picked up.
Kaiba dashed up the stairs straight into his office and slammed the door behind him. Grabbing the receiver of his phone he called the driver to bring Serenity home without hesitation. He had just hung up the phone when he thought about what had happened. His whole system filled up with anger at himself and how he could have let this happen. Why did he kiss Serenity? That was the worst betrayal on his brother and growling with his fists clenched he was overwhelmed by his own anger.
His hand reached out to his desk and sent everything that was on it flying across the room. Gladly it had been just the phone, a few pencils and some letters. His laptop had been safely in the drawer beneath the desk. But actually he wouldn't even have cared. He growled and slightly out of breath from his fit of rage he supported himself with his flat palms on the desk. He hated himself for being in love with that Wheeler woman!
Seto needed to get out of here. There was no way he could stay here in his house and calm down. He needed air, a place where he could breathe again. Here, he wouldn't be able to do that. There was only one thing, the one and only thing he could do if he wanted to be alone, all alone, unreachable. Kaiba went to pick up the phone in order to call Roland.
"Yes, sir?" The voice at the other end answered.
"Get the chopper ready. I'll be up in five."
"Are you really sure your girlfriend will be okay if you stay here?" Rebecca asked the raven haired guy sitting on the ground in front of her bed.
They had been talking for quite a long while now and Mokuba was oblivious to everything concerning Yugi and Rebecca. After their third coffee and some chocolate bars their conversation hadn't come to an end yet and it seemed that it wouldn't end soon. So the young Kaiba decided to give his brother a call to tell him he was staying overnight. Not being stupid he could imagine that Serenity would be still at his mansion.
The plan was to ask Seto to tell Serenity where he was. To fulfill this plan Mokuba couldn't tell his brother that he actually was with Rebecca because Serenity shouldn't know. Tomorrow he could easily tell his girlfriend that he had of course thought of her but didn't saw the need to ring her if he asked his brother to tell her Mokuba's whereabouts. He knew Seto wouldn't ask any further questions. To call Serenity instead was way too dangerous. Not that Mokuba indented to cheat on her but she would jump into conclusions and there was no need to risk a row with her.
"Yeah, I told you she knows where I am and she has no problem with that." The raven haired man smiled but the girl raised a suspicious eyebrow.
"Is that why you're talking about 'your friend' instead of saying my name on the phone?" She sat down next to him.
"No." He grinned. "That is because I had my brother on the line and be sure; he can't care less about what's your name, anyway."
Rebecca was convinced after Mokuba's act. She had told him everything about Yugi and what had happened. Mokuba had been understanding. That's why she had offered him to stay overnight. She wouldn't want to be alone and he seemed to be okay with being the shoulder to cry on. A true friend.
"You know, I'm glad you're not like your brother. I don't really like him and at first I thought you'd just be like him." She told him honestly.
"He's not that bad, really. We're quite similar actually. We would both do anything for the ones we love." Mokuba chuckled and tired to joke. "But at some points we're very different. He's got the intelligence and I've got the looks."
Rebecca laughed for the first time that evening. "Yeah, right. I have to say you're the better looking from the two of you. Although, to me you seemed the same – both great jerks!" The blonde teased with her comment and grinned.
"Thanks a lot." Mokuba pouted but couldn't help smiling.
"Sorry, but it's the truth. I hardly knew both of you when I've moved to live here. Years ago I had first seen you and your brother in Domino when I was a kid and hell, I thought you both were arrogant and selfish. Later, I came here and were prejudging. At least about you, Mokuba. Glad I finally realized that I couldn't have found a better friend than you." She explained truthfully and with feeling.
The raven haired guy smiled. "I'm glad." And he was. More than that. He was happy. "Is that why you never wanted to go on a date with me?" He asked grinning lopsided.
"Yes, you seemed like a complete jerk, that's why."
"Me?" Mokuba mocked concern quite funnily putting his hands to his chest.
"Yeah, you. You with your expensive sports car driving to college as if you were repeating the same class the third time and be even proud of it." Rebecca rolled her eyes smiling.
"I was." The guy grinned. "Though I never repeated any class. Is this everything that made you think of me so negative?"
"No. You've already been asking half the girls in college to go on a date with you when I attended."
"So? How should I know that you would attend later?"
"One point to you, sweetheart. But you could have at least stopped dating two girls at the same time while you were asking me out." She cocked her head to the side and closed her eyes to tiny slits but smirked as well.
"You knew that?" Mokuba laughed and received a playful slap at his shoulder. "I would have broken up with them the moment you said yes."
"I didn't."
"You didn't."
"I should have done."
"You should have done."
"No, I mean it, Mokuba. I should have said yes. Maybe I would have seen earlier that you are such a nice person. Don't laugh but I feel stupid falling for Yugi instead. I've been so blind all the time. I was fooling myself." She hung her head.
The young man next to her lifted his arm and drew it around her slim shoulders, slightly pressing her in an embrace of comfort.
"Don't say that. You couldn't know what Yugi wanted. I even think he should have told you earlier. It was obvious you were in love with him. Didn't he realize that?" Mokuba's hand softly stroked across her shoulder.
"I don't know." The girl answered looking into the guy's two blue-gray eyes. "It doesn't matter anymore. I just wish I would have realized sooner. Now it's too late."
"Too late for what?" He raised an eyebrow.
"To say yes to you." She replied blushing slightly, although it certainly wasn't her nature. "Now you've got a girlfriend and all."
Rebecca could see how Mokuba's gaze suddenly spaced out and he stared ahead. "Sorry, I shouldn't have told you that."
"Who says anything would be too late?" His look shifted to her light green eyes again which stared up at him in confusion.
Mokuba reached out to carefully place his hand on her cheek, caressing softly her skin with his thumb before he bent forward to kiss the girl in his arms. He was uncertain but couldn't help it and placed his own lips against hers in the softest way he was able to. There she was, finally giving him a chance after more than three years and though he was in a happy relationship, he knew in the back of his mind that he still was in love with her.
Rebecca. A dream came true for Mokuba. There was no time to think, only time for love. There had been many girlfriends along the way but the one he could never have was now telling him that she was regretted rejecting him. That was it, whether being together with Serenity or not, he longed for the blonde's kiss. And he was prepared for any risk to take. If there was just the slightest chance to be with Rebecca, he would take the risk losing Serenity.
"How can you say that when you're in love with someone else?" The blond girl whispered after she had broken their lip lock. Sadly she gazed up at him.
"Because it has been always you that I've ever wanted." He hoarse replied and kissed her once more.
Rebecca felt highly surprised. Not only that the kiss seemed to cast a spell on her but also that Mokuba had told her that he secretly always wanted to be with her. She wrapped her arms around the young guy's neck and replied to his kiss. How come she had never realized what a great person she was missing? Crawling up on his lap she came up for breath and gazed into his eyes.
"You're serious about this, aren't you? Don't you dare kidding me."
"I could ask you the same." He replied seriously. "There has been nothing as serious as this in my whole life so far."
"Good." She smiled and brushed her hand tenderly across his cheek before she kissed him once more, longing for the feel of his lips against hers.
"So Yugi had just walked off?" Mai asked Tea who was sitting opposite her on the sofa of Joey's and Mai's apartment.
"Yes and I honestly don't know why I should make myself to even a greater fool than I already am." The dark haired replied. "Obviously he doesn't care about my love life anyway. If he wanted to be part in it, you should think he'd show more interest."
"But you shouldn't have gone I think." Mai protested, not believing Yugi would really ignore what was happening with Tea. "He was asking where you've gone after his talk with Rebecca.
"Really?" Tea couldn't believe her ears. She still doubted it.
"Really. He came and asked where you were and I told him you left. He seemed quite disappointed."
Mai was telling the truth. Yugi seemed slightly disappointed when he heard about that Tea had left Rainmen's last evening. But he shrugged afterwards and headed to join Joey and Bakura.
Tea was now feeling stupid. What if Yugi cared about her though her doubts? The evidence spoke against him. She had seen how he had held Rebecca in his arms and kissed her. Even if he cared about Tea, he obviously wasn't feeling the same as her.
The noise of the lock clicking could be heard by the two women but they stared at each other, both having no clue who this might be. Then the familiar face of Joey's younger sister appeared.
"Hi you two!" She smiled at her friends and joined them in the living room. "Are you alone? Isn't Joey here?" The younger woman asked when she sat down on a chair.
"He's hanging out at the Game Shop with Yugi." The blonde replied. "There's some football game on TV and I threw Joey out to watch at Yugi's place, so I could have a woman's talk with Tea."
Serenity smiled. "Uh… a good idea." The young Wheeler was slightly glad Joey wasn't at home. He could sometimes read her mind and right now, she didn't need that.
"What are you doing here anyway? Aren't you staying at Mokuba's place the night?" Mai was wondered out loud.
"No. He's over at a friend's place to help with something. Don't know exactly." The auburn haired explained and leant back in the arm chair. "You know, Kaiba's some really weird guy."
"Mokuba?" Mai couldn't help asking? For the first time she wasn't sure if Serenity meant her boyfriend or his older brother. Seto was used to be called Kaiba but what on earth had Serenity to do with Kaiba? The only Kaiba she was connected to was Mokuba.
"No, Seto Kaiba." Serenity replied furrowing her brows.
"Seto Kaiba?" Tea voiced out. Hopefully he hadn't told Serenity anything about their interaction from last week.
"Yes. He's probably the weirdest guy I've ever met." She said in a dull tone.
"Who are you telling this?" Mai rolled her eyes dramatically. "Tea could write a brook about Kaiba's weirdness." She exclaimed and received a glare from Tea who unseen by Serenity ran her index finger along her throat in order to silence Mai.
"Really Tea?" The youngest of them asked.
"Um... yeah, she knows him the longest." The blonde saved her neck with that statement.
"Yeah, I know him long enough to think he needs a psychiatrist." The dark haired woman tried to joke with a nervous laughter.
"That's what I think every time I meet him." Serenity said but didn't join in laughing. It was too serious when she thought about what happened and how she had longed for it to go on. Gladly it stopped with the ringing of Kaiba's cell phone. Just in time. "I'm going to leave you to your talk. I'm already tired and still have to write a summary about a book I've read. Good night."
It had been a lie that she needed to write a summary. In truth she needed to be alone to think. She doubted Tea could write a book about Kaiba's weirdness. He had ever opened up to her like he had done to Serenity today? Did he open up at all or was it just an act to get to her? That was to doubt as well because he wouldn't betray his brother. She had only seen few things concerning Seto Kaiba and most of them were showing how cruel, arrogant and selfish he could be. But one thing was sure, when it came to Mokuba he was protective, caring and like a parent. His little brother adored him.
So it was not the case that Seto would kiss her on purpose. It must have resulted out of the process of opening up to her. He had a weak moment and now he was having regrets. She couldn't blame him. She felt miserable herself. Nevertheless, she could only explain Kaiba's weakness but not her own. It must have been the overwhelming feel of him opening up to her. She had been always an emotional type of person. No other reason could be found in her mind.
