Scene Three: High Society
"Just what are you so nervous about? You look great."
Asuka gave Nina a kind smile. "Thanks, I mean, you were the one who bought the dress." She looked down at the sleeveless, blue-lace dress hugging her skin. No way could she have afforded it on her internship salary.
The dress felt too tight. Nina must have purchased it one size too small. Or maybe the tightness was just extrapolated by the crowd of people in attendance tonight.
The I^2 ballroom was closed to the press, however that did not stop journalists from inching as close to the windows as they could, in hopes of sneaking a peek and perhaps snapping a shot of a world-class duelist.
As for those world-class duelists, the only one Asuka spotted so far was Yuugi Mutou. Though to be fair, if she hadn't recognized him in a crowd, she would be deemed blind. Naturally, he had a crowd of people surrounding him. She was too far to hear what he was saying, but whatever it was, it kept his audience alert with attention. His spiky hair always added to his height, but Asuka could have sworn he was much taller than he had looked in the pictures she'd seen.
Other than him, she didn't see any other duelist she might recognize. Nina kept blathering on about whether Kaiba would show, but Asuka had her doubts, given the friction between the two CEOs. Not that it mattered if it did, it's not as if Asuka was remotely close enough to Kaiba to just walk up to him and start a conversation.
Briefly, she wondered if Juudai had been invited. Pegasus likely held him in high regard, since Juudai had retrieved the stolen copy of the Winged Dragon of Ra.
No, she immediately decided after giving a cursory glance around the ballroom. In fact, Juudai probably lost the invitation. That is so like him. Also very like him not to show up to one of these stuffy events.
She smiled to herself. He wasn't one for parties in general.
Nina spotted her sudden smile. "Well you seem to have cheered up. Thinking about someone? Boyfriend, maybe?"
Asuka gave her a levelheaded glare. "No." She didn't miss Juudai. It wasn't like that anymore. "I just had a moment, that's all."
But if he were here, he would at least be a familiar face.
Nina placed her hands on her hips. "Good, we've got other guys to focus on!" Her eyes were peeled on the main doors.
"Still hoping Kaiba will show up?" Asuka asked teasingly. Knowing Kaiba, he'd probably make a grand entrance from the ceiling, jumping from his jet, rather than casually strolling through the front door.
"Forget Kaiba. Edo Phoenix is the man of the hour!"
Asuka's eyes widened. "Edo huh?" Oh right. He was coming. And Nina was expecting Asuka to play matchmaker for them.
"Look Nina, I'd rather not go through the trouble of introducing you guys. I mean, I barely know him and-"
"And I don't know him at all," retorted Nina. "So I'd say you have the upper hand here. But," she sighed, her eyes shifting down in a resigned expression, "if you're too nervous, it can't be helped."
Asuka tightened her fists. "It's not that. Look, I guarantee he's going to be mobbed the moment he gets here, so the chance I even get to talk to him is already-"
Nina waved her hand dismissively. "Oh I'm sure you'll figure something out." Her eyes then perked up. "Hey babe, I'll be right back. Gonna go say hi to some friends." She pointed to a few girls, clad in lavish dresses, who were waving her over.
Asuka's face paled. "Wait, I don't actually know anyone else here." She really hated how weak her voice came off here, but as she looked around the ballroom, she couldn't spot anyone by themselves.
Nina gave her a smile. One that she probably thought was reassuring, but to Asuka, it was a smile reeking of politeness, desperate to be excused. "You'll be fine. Just have fun, mingle!"
And with that, Asuka was left amongst a myriad of strangers and her own devices.
In an attempt to look purposeful, she made her way towards the buffet. She didn't need much effort to circumvent the groups of guests, for they naturally side-stepped from her. Asuka didn't like that, it made her singularity feel more stifling.
Surprisingly, the buffet table was sparsely surrounded. The food looked steaming fresh, and while Asuka had a strong idea of what most of the dishes were, she sometimes had to take a second guess at some of the more elaborate entrees.
Some food would do her nerves a world of good right now, but Asuka glanced around furtively, wondering if she would commit some faux pas by grabbing food before everyone else.
Deciding to hope for the best and attract as little attention as possible, she reached for one of the small appetizer plates, when she heard a couple of approaching voices.
"You know, it shouldn't surprise me you're already hungry. But you can't go by yourself? What are you, five?"
"Did ya get a look at this crowd? They'd give me the evil eye if I took a bite before the 'appointed hour.' But if you're with me, it won't look so bad if I slip up. 'Sides, looks like there's already someone eatin.' Hey, you in the blue!"
Asuka looked up, setting down the plate with an abrupt clang. The man who had called out to her waved a greeting.
"Hey now don't stop at my account," he said, grabbing the same plate she had put back down and beginning to pile up food from the various trays. "These folks don't seem to get the concept of 'getting it while it's hot."
"Not everyone has food on their radar 24/7," his female companion remarked, but nevertheless, grabbing a plate of her own. She turned to Asuka, jokingly rolling her eyes. "Please, don't mind my husband. He can be very upfront sometimes. Well, try all the time."
Asuka chuckled at the woman's candidness. "No worries." She sure is pretty, though. With long blonde locks that came down to her waist and a light but still elegant lavender dress, the lady appeared the epitome of what girls like Nina attempted to reach: classy, but not over-dressed.
Asuka then looked to her companion, also blond. He was still piling on food, taking bites of it in the process. And Asuka's mind put the two together.
"Wait, aren't you…?"
The blonde woman let out a brief, but bird-like laugh. "I'm sorry. It's just cute that it took you more than a second to figure it out." Mai Kujaku placed a hand daintily on her hip. "But I'm not vain, I swear!"
"So she says," said Katsuya Jounouchi, placing a hand on her shoulder while he was in the midst of chewing something.
A wave of self-consciousness rose in Asuka. She didn't expect to cross paths with her favorite female duelist! "N-nice to meet you, ."
"By all means hon, call me Mai." She reached out her manicured hand. Asuka softly grabbed it. "Always nice to meet a fan, especially one as pretty as you."
"Uh…" Asuka's face reddened.
"There, there." Jounouchi laughed, raising his arms in jest. It appeared he already had his fill of the buffet food. "I'm sure this lady gets hit on enough by the guys as it is."
"As long as you don't hit on her," Mai coolly said, "I think we're good. So hon, got a name?"
"Asuka." She gave the older woman a slight smile. The couple's banter made her nerves significantly less strained.
"So Asuka, what brings you here?" Jounouchi asked. "I mean, besides the fact it's a Pegasus party. Boy, that man sure knows how to outdo the extravagance at social functions!"
Asuka let out a polite laugh. "Certainly. Well I…just thought it'd be nice."
Come to think of it, what was the point of her being here? Besides being persuaded by Nina. Who for the record, still hadn't come looking for her.
Yes, she had gone under the pretense of "hopefully making some connections." Because connections were crucial. Going through life without any, well it just wouldn't go anywhere.
While that was deemed a necessity, she had no desire to engage in the farce that was networking. The pretense of getting acquainted with someone while masking the intent for self-fulfillment. That kind of talk was lower than the most basic conversation.
"Yeah, I get you," Mai replied to her, unaware of the cynical thoughts broiling in Asuka's mind. "Attending these things always seems like a nice idea, until you're actually there. After five minutes you already feel like suffocating."
Then, perhaps self-conscious that she had sounded too dark for a socially acceptable level, Mai gave a bright smile. "Right?"
Asuka forced out a laugh in response. "It's okay, it's not all bad." At least she managed to successfully carry out a normal conversation.
Then, the buzz of the crowd increased in volume.
An indistinct voice cried out, "He's here!"
The spread-out wave of guests shifted in direction.
"It can't be Kaiba can it?" Jounouchi asked, looking up at the ceiling.
"No, you dummy," said Mai, playfully jabbing him with her elbow. "Look over there."
She pointed towards the main doors, from which Edo Phoenix and his manager entered. As the doors slowly started to close, various hands and camera flashes attempted to fight their way inside, hoping to grasp merely a shred of the celebrity duelist's limelight.
There were a number of guests who were wearing something extravagant for the evening's festivities. Yet Edo and his entourage stood out the most in their elegant simplicity. He was dressed in an all-white suit, save for a dark blue rose attached to his front packet. Likewise, his manager Emeralda wore an all-white pantsuit, devoid of any accessory save for a wrist watch. The two in white were flanked by the security in black, their tall, large backs shielding Edo and Emeralda from the yammering outside paparazzi.
Asuka felt queasy just by gazing at the influx of attention surrounding Edo. How did he bear it?
"Oh my, Edo Phoenix, you're looking absolutely stunning!"
"Yes, how kind of you to come here tonight dear."
Edo smiled courteously at the two old ladies. "Thank you, I appreciate the hospitality."
More of the guests continued to surround him and make small talk. They were all buzzing at once, so Edo only waved to them, retaining his smiling mask.
"Would you all mind taking a step back?" asked Emeralda, forcing the crowd to clear a path for her and Edo. "You aren't acting any better than the guys outside. He's not here to be interviewed."
The guests inevitably uttered some protests, but a sharp glare from Emeralda prompted them to heed her request.
"Let's make sure to have a chat tonight," Edo said to nobody in particular, maintaining the air of friendliness as long as there were eyes upon him. He strolled up to Emeralda, who had been coolly observing him. He leaned into her ear.
"So how long are we in for tonight?"
"A couple of hours should be good," she whispered in turn. "Basically, we're twiddling thumbs 'till Pegasus shows up."
Edo sighed. "It's so like him to show up late to his own party."
Emeralda arched an eyebrow. "If you don't show up late to your own party, are you really a filthy rich socialite?"
"Fair point."
Edo then spotted the potential haven that was the relatively empty buffet. "Think I'll go grab a bite, while I can."
Emeralda nodded in agreement. "I'll scope out the room, see who we should talk to." She briefly scanned her phone for any last-minute messages, then confidently set out into the frenzy of guests.
Eyeing the buffet options, Edo decided to sample some of the caviar. He never consumed anything too heavy for social functions.
"Umm…hi," Asuka quietly spoke up, since he hadn't noticed her standing at the side of the table.
Edo turned to her, looking confused. Then, blinking, he recognized her. "Oh. Hey. Good to see you." Truthfully, he hadn't expected to see her again. But now it was coming back to him. Two weeks ago. The words 'Industrial Illusions' coming out of her mouth.
Asuka smiled. "Likewise. 'Great' party here huh?" She hoped he noted her sarcasm.
"Yeah, it's a real ball," Edo said, taking a bite out of his caviar and examining the classic furniture and art adorning the ballroom, a stark contrast to the building's ultramodern exterior. "Doesn't look half-bad. Almost makes going through them worth it." He gave the doors a sour look.
"What, are you some kind of architectural connoisseur?" Asuka asked. What she knew of Edo Phoenix so far, she wouldn't be surprised.
"I appreciate effort. That's all." He gazed approvingly at the caviar and took another slow bite.
She couldn't help but sniff at its odor. "Does that actually taste good?"
He held up his finger until he finished chewing, then said, "It's no slice of pizza, but it's not as gross as most people think. It's like drinking salt water."
Asuka grimaced. "How refreshing. That's supposed to make it sound better?"
Edo laughed. "See for yourself. Try it."
"I think I will," Asuka said, instinctively reaching for the piece Edo was holding. He gave her a quizzical look.
Asuka drew back her hand, embarrassed. "Heh, whoops." She quickly reverted her head to the appetizer trays. Just what was she thinking? That they were going to share food like a couple?
Jounouchi and Mai, meanwhile, were standing a bit farther off from the teenagers. As they ate, they watched the other two amusedly.
"Can we talk to him now?" Jounouchi asked, wolfing down his potato salad.
"Just look at you," Mai whispered reproachfully. "You're acting like some starstruck boy band fan. If someone didn't know better, they'd think you're some commoner yourself!"
Her husband blushed. "Babe, you know just as well as me that Edo Phoenix's on a whole other level than lil' ole me. What can I say, I'm a big admirer of his work."
"Well if you admire him so much," said Mai, "do him a favor and back off until they've finished talking. Let him have some normalcy around here."
It hadn't gone unnoticed how casually the two of them struck up a conversation. Asuka, who had previously looked like she wanted to vomit from nervousness, was now easily chatting with the duelist superstar. Even Edo, who was always on his guard in public, did not appear completely disheartened at the prospect of talking to her.
Jounouchi leaned onto Mai's ear. "Think they're…" he wiggled his eyebrows. "You know?"
Mai snorted. Ever the eloquent man. "Doubt it." Still, she recalled reading about the longest relationship Edo ever had. Approximately two months. In fact, she had even seen him with that other girl on one occasion. He hadn't been nearly at ease as he was tonight.
Asuka tentatively chewed the caviar.
"So?" Edo asked, his eyebrows perked in curiosity.
She let the food sit in her mouth, waiting for an epiphany to sink in that this was a culinary masterpiece. It never came.
She swallowed. "You were right. Definitely like drinking out of the ocean." Asuka reached for a much more appetizing pig-on-a-blanket instead.
Edo smirked. "Hey, it was worth a try." He glanced at his wristwatch. Could Pegasus make his grand entrance already?
"There you are!"
Nina emerged from the otherwise inattentive crowd. Despite her over-emphasized look of concern, Asuka felt the glare of suspicion boring down on her.
"I've been looking everywhere for you," Nina said, sighing and wiping a drop of sweat from her forehead. If Asuka didn't know any better, she might have believed that.
Nina's eyes then met Edo. "Have we met?" he asked, his tone the epitome of disinterested.
Nina gave him her most snake-like smile. "No, I don't believe we have." All while giving Asuka her most biting glare.
A/N: That's right, a cliffhanger, we all love those. But I've been prolonging this chapter long enough, so I think I'll finish up what I wanted to cover in the second part.