With a profound sense of gratitude for his own good sense, Seto joined the rest of the guests. The function room was milling with literally thousands of men and women in Ball attire.
It hadn't been until he was towelling himself dry that he realised he had no idea the style of dinner he would be attending. Having scanned his wardrobe, formal was the preferred choice. At least he would be able to remove the bow tie and jacket if it were a little too dressy.
He stood at the bottom of the winding staircase, waiting for a glimpse of his company for this evening. What were they all here for anyway? As if on queue, the answer crept up behind him, placing her hands lightly on each shoulder she kissed his cheek, whispering in his ear.
"It's an awards night for the Arts and Music, miss me?"
Turning to face her, Seto reacted quickly as she let herself fall backwards into his arms, with a laugh she linked her hands behind his neck.
"Say you'll always be there to catch me?"
He studied her face closely, taking particular note of her eyes as she smiled up at him.
His only answer to her was a small smile of his own.
"You frighten me Seto." She said suddenly, regaining her footing.
"Why?"
Taking a hand in her own and kissing his palm, she replied.
"I can never tell what you're thinking."
She linked her arm with his and led him in to meet the rest.
Oswald's voice boomed across the room. "Here comes the prettiest li'l gal in town. That green brings out your eye's a treat." Grabbing Seto's hand he shook it fiercely. "So how we doing, any closer to having that contract done."
"It is. My lawyer will have the final proof available for you in next few days."
"Now Oswald, I must protest, tonight's Daddy's night not y'rs. I simply won't let you talk shop."
Oswald pretended to sulk. "See what I have to deal with!" He said to all around.
"I hope you're not being mean to your li'l sister there boy."
With a smile Oswald grabbed his father by the hand. Shaking it he pulled the patriarch in for a hug. The affection between father and son left a lingering effect on Seto. He'd never experienced that type of relationship. Children and parents weren't meant to be friends and joke together. There were boundaries to keep.
Rose' eyes never left Seto for a second.
"Now you two stop it." She said getting in between her father and brother. "You're making our guest uncomfortable."
Seto's mask of indifference returned.
"So, this is the young man who's gonna make all my little girls dreams come true."
If Seto was surprised by this announcement it didn't show.
"And mine." Chimed in Oswald. "He's the prayer we've been waiting for."
"Nice to meet you son, just call me Jack."
Seto held out his hand.
The evening proved highly entertaining and interesting. Towards the end of the night, Jack took Seto aside.
"I just wanna make a few things clear." He paused waiting for Seto's consent to continue.
"By all means."
Jack looked over to his daughter, Seto followed his gaze, she stood with her friends who were admiring her choice of dress. Green satin, bodice hugging, with a straight cut, that clung neatly about her legs.
"My little gal's clever and knows what she wants, but she's also impetuous. She'd move heaven and earth to make those happy that make her happy. Now from what I've seen and heard, she's taken quite a likin' to you."
Seto wisely chose the given pause to remain quiet. Jack proceeded, liking the understanding he was receiving his audience.
"If my li'l gal gets hurt in anyway, I'll move heaven and earth to make sure that person knows the meanin' of hurting."
"And if she hurts them? Then what will you do?"
Jack was stunned. "Oswald said you were born negotiator, now I see why. But to answer your question, nothing, shall we rejoin the group now?"
"After you." a decided lack of caring evident in Seto's tone.
He spent the remaining couple of days in meetings with the backers, and walking through Oswald's operations plant.
"I'm impressed."
Oswald beamed. "It's not as spectacular as yours but I'm pleased with the way it's growing. This games gonna take us to the top of the market."
Seto smiled. "I was always taught to walk before you run, so excuse me if I don't turn cartwheels just yet."
Oswald looked caught, but soon recovered. "No, of course, a very wise choice of action, and excellent advice. There are," he paused, "just a few things I want to talk to you about in the contract."
Seto had wondered when they would get to the matter of the contract.
"There's just a couple of amendments that the backers want made, before they'll sign."
"Being?"
As they discussed the why's and wherefores it became apparent that there were more than just a couple of little things.
"Leave it with me." Concluded Seto. "I'll see if I can arrange something that will accommodate all parties."
"Excellent, now let's get to Julliard before my sister thinks I've taken you from her completely."
A short car ride later saw them in front of the famous dance school. Stepping through vast hallways, Seto critically appraised the building and it's activities. He knew enough about dancing, to appreciate what he liked, but could not hope to provide a sound judgement on the technicalities. A familiar voice reached his ears.
"Jack, nice to see you again. I take it we are all here to meet Rose?"
"Daddy you sneaky man, didn't you tell Seto you are chairman of the board here?"
"No, was I meant to honey? Besides you usually beat me to the punch." Jack laughed hugging his daughter.
"Chairman of the board?" Seto repeated sounding suitably impressed.
"Yes Daddy's the main financier for the school productions and of course scholarships." She added an emphasis to the word scholarships.
"Now sweetheart you exaggerate my importance, it's true I do put some money the schools way, but my main role is to help deliberate on potential stars."
"You should never underestimate your importance Jack." Seto stated quietly as they walked out behind Rose.
Jack slid a questioning look at the man beside him, but received no answer.
Anzu turned the envelope over and over in her hands. Now that it had finally come she wasn't sure if she should open it. What if they said "thanks but no thanks". Or worse yet, if they did say yes, how was she to get there. The matter of the money still hadn't been resolved, and to not get there for that reason would be more devastating. The question of what if would haunt her forever then.
"Anzu open it, please, you're making us all nervous." Her mother smiled hesitantly
Several heads around the room nodded in unison.
Getting a knife she slit the source of her anguish open. Her eyes flitting over the page, she folded it again and placed it in her lap.
"And?" came Mai's voice.
"I'm to be there in a fortnight."
The race to hug her was on, with Mokuba beating them all.
"For someone who's just had their wishing star brought down to earth you're not looking particularly elated." Her father cast a worried eye over her.
"I'm sorry, it's just now I have to find the money. I've still got some saved in my account, but that won't be enough to get me there and live on." She tried to force a happy look, only to fail miserably.
"Ah well, you see that's where your mother and I may be able to help." Her father said secretively.
"I can't ask that of you, you've got enough to cope with now."
"Just listen to what your father has to say, and then you can have yours."
Mai looked about. "Would you like us all to leave, so you can discuss this in private?"
"Not unless Anzu does."
Anzu shook her head. Mai sat back down. "Good, I was hoping for a bit more exciting gossip."
With the tension now partially alleviated, Anzu's father proceeded.
"Your mother and I didn't want to say anything, or make a definite decision until we knew if you had been accepted or not. Thank god it can all come out in the open now."
Panic began to take control of Anzu. What were her parents talking about. Her mother recognising the signs, went over and sat on the arm of her chair. Placing an arm about her she rubbed Anzu's arm gently.
"Oh Arlie you tell her, I'm too excited and bumbling."
"On the night of your recital, your father and I returned home to find two messages on the answering machine. Yours to say you were at Mai's, the other was from your father's office. They want your father to do some field work."
"Where?" asked Anzu
"Can't you tell by the way he's bouncing around." Chuckled her mother. "He's like a pup that's just got its first bone."
"You're going to Egypt," Anzu's voice was full of wonder.
Her father nodded like a little kid.
"We decided that if you were accepted," her mother continued "then your father would also accept and we would sell the house. That way there would be money for you and us to move."
"But this is just an audition, what if I don't make it to a scholarship?"
"Then we pay for you to study there." Said her father simply
"How, the sale of the house wouldn't cover all those things."
"Let's cross that bridge if and when we come to it." Her mother said.
Anzu sat in silence for a few moments. Getting up she crossed to her father. She could see the hurt look on his face.
"I'm sorry, I've only been thinking of how this affects me and haven't congratulated you on getting your wishing star." She sat on his lap and kissed his cheek. "Well done, about time they recognised you."
"Oh they've always recognised him." Said her mother. "He's just chosen not to go until now, he wanted a stable life for you."
"Thank you," she said and kissed him again.
Panic returned. "But how you going to be able to finalise the sale of the house in two weeks.
"Well we've already been getting some tentative offers." Confessed her father.
"You were that sure?" She sounded amazed.
"You're my daughter aren't you?"
"Yes."
"Well why wouldn't you get it?"
She sat contented on her father's knee. She had everything she needed right here in this room what else could she possibly want. The sea of faces around her, showed that she would always have support. There was nothing else she could possibly want, except one thing.
Her eyes fell first on Mokuba, and then feeling that someone was watching she looked up to Mai. The expression she met telling her that she wasn't alone.
The sound of evil laughter and a high-pitched squeal of "NO" were the first things Seto registered as he walked through the door. The second was the floor as the owner of the high-pitched squeal came bursting through the kitchen door and barrelling straight into him, sent him crashing down. With the wind all but knocked out of him, he struggled to raise himself from his current position.
Anzu knew that she should move, but she was frozen to the spot. For the moment not daring to look at the face of the person she was currently lying on top of. The familiar spicy scent told her who it was though. Gathering her courage she slowly lifted her head, her bright blue eyes meeting the bemused face of one Seto Kaiba. Her mouth formed a small 'O'.
Placing a hand flat on the floor, she shifted to pick herself. She heard the guttural moan from Seto as her knee brushed the inside of his leg. To move or not to move now became the question. Her face and body were doing an excellent job of betraying her as a flush coloured her cheeks. Her saviour and ultimately her torment for the remainder of the night came in the form of the younger Kaiba, who liking what he saw decided to join the fun. Jumping on Anzu he pushed her straight down on Seto again.
"You're grounded," growled the breathless voice at the bottom the pile.
"Not from where I'm sitting." Came the cheeky reply.
Unable to move Seto peered down at his chest finding Anzu watching him. Shyly she ducked her head away, only to resume her stare a second later.
Staring back he waited anxiously for some sort of sign. She lay there looking up at him, chewing her lip, brows puckered together in a small frown The sign however came shortly after. His breath caught as he realised what it was that he had been waiting for. Nothing more, but certainly nothing less would do.
That smile.