A brand new chapter for 2022. It's definitely on the longer side, but I hope everyone who reads it enjoys this latest chapter. ^^

Chapter 21

Alex just finished putting the final touches on her outfit for the day. She was wearing a sky blue, short-sleeved dress along with black leggings. She put on just enough makeup to give off that natural look and then brushed her hair. Then she took a look at herself in the mirror before leaving her room and taking a seat in the living room. As she waited, she thought about her conversation with Kaiba towards the end of yesterday.

Kaiba had called Alex into his office to give her weekly progress report. Alex arrived and after giving it to him, she smiled apologetically and said,

"I'm sorry I still haven't located the hacker. I'll think up some new ideas this weekend."

Kaiba replied, "Don't worry about it. You can give it some more thought, but I want you to keep tomorrow free."

Alex looked curiously at Kaiba and asked, "Why? Do you need me to come into work?"

Kaiba replied, "Nothing like that. Just keep it free. Roland will pick you up around 11 in the morning."

Alex nodded and replied, "Alright."

Later that evening, Mokuba called Alex. Although he didn't give a lot of details, he only told Alex to dress nicely. However, she couldn't help smiling as Mokuba also mentioned that Kaiba would like whatever she decided to wear. But knowing that Mokuba called specifically to tell Alex, she decided to put in the extra effort.

Alex heard a soft knock on the door, and getting up, she approached the door and opened it. Outside was Roland. With a neutral expression, Roland said,

"Good morning, Ms. Alex. I see that you're all ready."

Alex nodded and replied, "Good morning, Mr. Roland. Yes, I'll just get my purse."

She got her purse from a nearby table and then followed Roland, making sure to lock the front door before following him outside to where the limo was parked. For a moment, Alex thought she saw a familiar flash of blond hair, but it quickly disappeared. Shaking her head, she decided not to think too much on it and got inside the limo after Roland opened the door for her. After Roland got into the driver's seat and they were on the road, Alex asked,

"Mr. Roland, where are we going?"

Roland replied, "Mr. Kaiba wishes to keep it a surprise, so I'm afraid I can't tell you. But I have a feeling that you'll like it."

Alex looked curious and replied, "That does pique my interest."

She sat back and decided to relax, enjoying the view. Roland was driving them towards the outskirts of the city. He glanced at the rearview mirror and noticed that they were being followed. He then said,

"Ms. Alex, I apologize for this, but hold on."

Before Alex could say anything, Roland suddenly accelerated and they began to move faster. As Alex held on, she wondered what was going on. Then she glanced at the rearview mirror and understood. Sighing, she thought,

Joey…

Meanwhile, Joey was on his bike, trying his best to follow the limo that Alex had gotten into. He had recognized Roland and figured that Kaiba was up to something. Joey couldn't let go of his curiosity, so he decided to follow them. However, Roland proved to be a skilled driver and after a few turns and such, Joey lost sight of the limo. He muttered angrily to himself.

After a while, Roland slowed down the limo, seeing that Joey was no longer following them. He sighed in relief and replied,

"I'm sorry about that, Ms. Alex. Mr. Kaiba specifically requested that today be perfect for you, and he doesn't want anything to ruin it."

Alex replied, "It's alright. I'm surprised that Joey was following us. He probably wanted to talk, but why does Kaiba want today to be perfect?"

Roland smiled and replied, "I'm afraid that's a secret. But don't worry. We're almost there."

Alex nodded although it was difficult for her to contain her curiosity. She looked outside and noticed that they were no longer in the city. It looked like they were headed towards a mountain area. She teasingly said,

"I hope this won't involve any mountain climbing. I'm not really dressed for it, and I'm not an outdoors person."

Roland chuckled and replied, "No mountain climbing, Ms. Alex. But you'll get to enjoy the beautiful scenery."

As Roland said, they soon arrived at their destination. He stopped the limo and after getting out, he held the door open for Alex. Alex got out and then followed Roland. She looked around and saw that they were heading towards an open, grassy field with a lovely view of the mountains on one side. In the middle of the field, there was a beautifully laid out picnic spread and standing next to it, Kaiba was there, dressed in dark blue jeans and a black shirt. Alex thought it was unusual to see him in more casual clothes although she liked the look. As Roland and Alex approached Kaiba, Kaiba said,

"Thank you, Roland. I'll take it from here."

Roland nodded and replied, "As you wish, Mr. Kaiba."

He looked at Alex and said, "You have a wonderful day, Ms. Alex."

Alex smiled softly and replied, "Thank you, Mr. Roland."

Once Roland left the area, no longer visible, Alex looked at Kaiba and asked, "What is all this?"

Kaiba replied, "I remember what you said, and this is my way of making things up with you."

Alex looked briefly confused until she realized what all of this was and she asked,

"Is this a date?"

Kaiba coughed and replied, "Yes, it is."

Alex blushed and replied, "Oh, um, you really didn't need to go through all this trouble. I know it must have taken a lot of work, and I'm not worth it. It was more than enough that you listened and didn't make fun of me."

Kaiba sighed and replied, "That's not how I do things. I acknowledge when I'm wrong and then do my best to rectify it. But if you want, you can also think of this as my way of thanking you, for handling that sabotage issue."

Alex smiled a bit and replied, "I suppose I'll take that. But you know, you should have just asked me out. Not that I don't appreciate the surprise and all."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow and replied, "Would you have said yes?"

Alex looked thoughtful and replied, "Truthfully, I don't know. But I don't think I would have refused immediately."

Kaiba shook his head and said, "We should eat. You must be hungry."

Kaiba sat on the picnic blanket, and Alex did the same, sitting opposite of him. She replied, "I am, especially after all that earlier excitement."

Kaiba replied, "What are you talking about?"

Alex teasingly replied, "Mr. Roland might mention it later, but let's just say he's a really good driver."

Kaiba replied, "He is. I have this feeling that you're not going to tell me, but that's fine."

Alex replied, "I am surprised that you took the day off. I thought you'd be at work as usual."

Kaiba replied, "Do I really look like a workaholic?"

He held up his right hand and added, "Don't answer that. But I was able to get some time off thanks to you and caught up on sleep, like you wanted."

Alex nodded and replied, "It definitely shows."

She smiled and Kaiba blushed a bit. He then said, "So I did a little research on picnic dates and I hope that these will be to your liking."

Kaiba began to take out some food from a large picnic basket along with a bottle of sparkling apple cider. She happily replied,

"This looks great."

As Alex and Kaiba began to eat, Alex commented, "You chose a really beautiful place for a picnic. I had no idea about it."

Kaiba smirked and replied, "I did my research, which obviously paid off."

Alex replied, "You did. I wonder how much research you did."

Kaiba replied, "The details aren't important, but I'll say this. I doubt anyone will ever do better."

Alex laughed and replied, "Then I can't wait to see how this date unfolds, sir."

Alex and Kaiba continued to eat and talk for a bit, making some small talk and such. Alex felt herself relax, just enjoying the day and the company.

A little later, they were finishing up lunch and taking care of putting away leftovers and cleaning up. Kaiba then got up and helped Alex to her feet. He said,

"Someone will pick this up, but I want to take you out for a walk."

Alex nodded happily and replied, "I'd like that."

Kaiba then led the way out of the grassy field and towards a cluster of trees. It was the beginning of autumn, and this was definitely reflected in the trees. Alex commented,

"I didn't take you for a nature person."

Kaiba replied, "I'm not, but I can appreciate it. Besides, I wanted to take you where we wouldn't be disturbed."

Alex replied, "That's right. Mr. Roland said that you wanted to make today perfect for me."

Kaiba nodded and replied, "Yes."

He took a breath and then said, "I guess we should get to know each other. That's what people on dates do, isn't it?"

Alex replied, "I suppose although if you're not comfortable, we can just walk."

Kaiba replied, "I want to talk. I want to get to know you, and I suppose it's only fair that you get to know me, if you want."

Alex nodded and replied, "Sure. Ask away."

Kaiba replied, "I'd like to know what your life is like back home."

Alex replied, "It's quite boring, really. You know what my home life is like. Cas is my guardian. I have no living relatives. But Cas is always busy with work, so I tend to spend lots of time with my studies. She says I should go out and have fun, but that's kind of hard when you're called a freak for being a genius."

Kaiba nodded and replied, "I can imagine. Is it lonely for you?"

Alex looked into Kaiba's eyes and replied, "Sometimes. Weirdly enough, I could deal with my parents' death. At least, I still had Andy and then you know how I lost him. I blame myself for not having been able to save him. Cas says it's not my fault, but…"

She sighed sadly and looked down on the ground. Kaiba stopped walking and held onto Alex's arm. He then said,

"I'm sorry. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

Alex shook her head and replied, "It's ok. I know I should let it go, but he was the only family I had left. You have Mokuba, so I envy you at times. I can't help feeling alone."

Kaiba replied, "You're not alone."

Alex looked up at Kaiba and replied, "What do you mean?"

Kaiba replied, "You have your guardian, even if she's always busy. And you have friends here, right? And then there's Mokuba and me."

Alex looked curiously at Kaiba and replied, "Do you consider us friends?"

Kaiba replied, "I don't know, but I'd like to think we're no longer enemies."

Alex laughed and replied, "I can agree with that."

Alex felt a little cheered up, and just then, she saw a bunny hopping along. She couldn't help but smile and comment,

"So cute."

Kaiba chuckled and replied, "You like cute things, huh?"

Alex shrugged and replied, "Can't help it. It makes me wish I had a puppy back home, but I guess I was always too focused on my studies."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow and replied, "You know it's easier to raise a cat, don't you?"

Alex replied, "That's true, but I like dogs more. They're playful and loyal, and I know I'd never get lonely if I had one."

Kaiba was about to make some snide comment about Joey but then thought better on it and held back. Instead, he replied,

"I can see your point."

Alex nodded and pointed to a tree stump nearby where they could rest for a bit. After the two of them sat on it, she asked,

"So I'm free to ask questions about you?"

Kaiba nodded and replied, "Yes, if that's what you want."

Alex looked thoughtful and replied, "I am curious about what you were like as a kid. Were you like Mokuba?"

Kaiba closed his eyes and replied, "I don't know. But I think I was happier then, even after our parents died. You probably know the story of us ending up at the orphanage and then him."

Alex nodded and replied, "I have heard about it, but I don't know the personal details. Of course, you don't need to tell me. I know some things can hurt, and I don't want to be the cause of that."

Kaiba smiled for a moment and then replied, "I've endured a lot worse, but I think you can imagine what I went through. I did it all for Mokuba, so he can have a good life. Believe it or not, I didn't care about power before that man."

Alex looked thoughtful but was silent, letting Kaiba continue.

He then continued, "Then I grabbed that power and took over Kaiba Corp. He was humiliated, of course. But maybe, if he'd been nicer or more understanding…"

Kaiba trailed off, and Alex reached out her hand to touch Kaiba's. She softly replied, "You don't have to talk about it anymore. I'm sorry for bringing it up. I wanted to get to know you and not just what the media presents."

Kaiba replied, "It's fine. I can understand. Sometimes, I wish I could change things, but what's done is done. We can't change the past."

Upon hearing that, Alex almost let out,

But we kind of can, although it would be more like changing possible future events.

Instead, Alex replied, "I suppose that's true, but you can certainly influence what you do in the present and in the future. That's why I try to live each day the best I can although some days are really hard."

Kaiba sighed and replied, "I agree."

He looked at the time on his watch and said, "Ok, we need to stop this talk or else, we're going to be late."

Alex replied, "Late for what?"

Kaiba smirked and replied, "The next part of our date. Let's go."

He got up and after helping Alex to her feet, he walked away from the trees and back towards a clearing. Alex followed him and after a bit of walking, she noticed Kaiba's ferrari parked nearby. She asked,

"So you're driving us to the next part of our date?"

Kaiba nodded and replied, "It's a bit far, so it'll take some time."

Alex replied, "I understand. I want to know where we're going, but I have a feeling that you're not going to tell me."

Kaiba replied, "You know me pretty well now."

Alex laughed and replied, "I'm a quick study."

Kaiba and Alex got into the car, and then Kaiba drove off, heading towards the destination of the next part of their date. He commented,

"I know I'm a bit late to say this, but you do look beautiful."

Alex blushed and replied, "Thanks. You look great, too. I'm surprised to see you in more casual clothes. I started to think you only wore flashy stuff."

Kaiba laughed and replied, "It's good to know I can surprise you."

The atmosphere around them lightened up, and they enjoyed the ride as they talked. Alex noted how great the weather was, and Kaiba only commented that he would pick the perfect day for a date, to which Alex only laughed. As they headed towards their destination, Alex thought,

He really is nice. I suppose I'm ok with us as friends.

They continued along the road and after about an hour of driving, Alex could see that they were approaching the grounds of an old mansion. She couldn't help asking,

"Is that a haunted house or something?"

Kaiba replied, "Would you be scared if it was?"

Alex replied, "I'd kick any ghosts who try to scare me. Cas could tell you about this one time I thought we were getting robbed, and I beat the living daylights out of him. It turned out to be her boss. I'm surprised I wasn't yelled at more."

Kaiba laughed out loud and replied, "I wish I could have seen that."

Alex laughed, too, and replied, "I'm sure Cas has never forgotten it."

The two of them calmed down, and Kaiba replied, "But to answer your question, it's an old mansion, and there's a special event going on. I have a feeling you're going to like it."

Alex replied, "I'm sure I will."

They made their way to the grounds and then Kaiba parked the car in the parking lot. The two of them got out and approached the mansion. Alex was eager to find out the event that was going on, but she would soon find out. As they reached the front door and Kaiba rang the doorbell, a butler greeted them and said,

"Welcome, esteemed guests. Please do enter. The other guests will be arriving soon."

The butler stepped aside, and Alex and Kaiba entered the mansion. They were led to the sitting room, where there were a few other people sitting and chatting quietly. Alex looked around and quietly commented,

"You know, this is kind of like one of those houses from Sherlock Holmes. It's curious to find one here…"

Realization dawned on Alex, and she asked, "Wait, is this what I think this is going to be? Because I never even told Cas."

Kaiba smirked and replied, "You probably got it, but just wait."

Several minutes passed, and a few more people entered the living room. After all the assembled guests arrived, the butler announced,

"Welcome, everyone, to our murder mystery event. You will find yourselves soon exposed to a victim. It is your job to find out the culprit, the cause of death and the motive. Oh, and a hint but the victim will be one of the staff and it isn't me."

The people in the room laughed, and then the butler continued, "Until our event begins, feel free to mingle and enjoy yourselves."

The butler then left the room, leaving Alex, Kaiba and the others to their own devices. Alex looked at Kaiba and replied,

"I knew it. This is a wonderful surprise. Thank you."

She hugged him, and Kaiba couldn't help blushing. She quickly let go and asked, "But how did you know about this?"

Kaiba replied, "While I was researching for our date, I stumbled upon it. I remembered you telling Mokuba that you like mysteries, so I thought this would be perfect."

Alex replied, "It totally is. I've always wanted to participate in a murder mystery. But I never told anyone. You must really know me or have good intuition."

Kaiba smirked and replied, "Probably the latter, but I'm happy this pleases you."

Alex excitedly replied, "I can't wait."

Several minutes passed by, and then a woman's scream could be heard. Alex commented,

"That must be it. We're going to solve this murder!"

She grabbed Kaiba's hand and walked quickly towards the scream. Kaiba couldn't help smiling for a moment as he noticed how excited Alex was.

Once they got to the library, the scene of the murder, Alex, Kaiba and the other guests saw that an elderly man was stabbed in the chest with a knife. The butler greeted them and said,

"The game is afoot, esteemed guests. You have all the time you wish to solve this mystery, and when you're ready, please make a public announcement in the sitting room."

The butler then left and Alex said, "Ok, we totally need to examine the body and the scene."

Alex crouched down to the murdered man, and Kaiba couldn't help but let out,

"You sound a little too excited. It's not a bad thing, but you're the only female guest not squeaming."

Alex looked at the other female guests, who seemed to be cowering in fear over a dead body. She rolled her eyes and replied,

"Geez, this isn't a real murder, but even if it was, I'd be more interested in solving it. But you can be my Watson and I'll be Holmes."

Kaiba replied, "So I've been relegated to your assistant?"

Alex replied, "Of course. I am the ultimate genius, so it's only fitting that I'm Holmes."

Kaiba replied, "Fine, but I will be smarter than you someday."

Alex smirked and replied, "You wish. Now we have a murder to solve."

She went back to examining the body and then the crime scene. She'd have Kaiba take important notes, and then they'd move to neighboring rooms and talk to witnesses. Of course, the other guests did the same, but Alex seemed to do so with lots of enthusiasm.

A little more than an hour passed, and Alex was exchanging her thoughts and conclusions with Kaiba. Kaiba looked to be in agreement, so they went to the sitting room to make their public announcement. Once everyone else was gathered in the sitting room, Alex announced their findings, naming the culprit, cause of death, and the motive.

After she was done, Alex looked on excitedly at the butler, and the butler announced,

"Incredible, miss. You have solved the mystery indeed and in one of the fastest times ever for this event."

Alex fist pumped in the air and Kaiba looked at her, smiling for a moment. The butler approached them and handing Alex an envelope, he said,

"For the winners, your grand prize, and I'd like to thank everyone for their participation."

The others clapped and then people began to disperse. Alex looked curiously at the envelope and then opened it, revealing its contents. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she asked,

"Did you know what the grand prize would be?"

Kaiba replied, "What? A huge monetary award?"

Alex shook her head and replied, "A weekend ski getaway. I wasn't expecting that."

She handed the envelope to Kaiba and added, "You should take it. It was more than enough that I got to participate."

Kaiba shook his head and replied, "But you solved it, so you should keep it. On the other hand…"

He took the envelope and smirking, he added, "I wouldn't want you to use this for you and Wheeler."

Alex smiled a bit sadly and replied, "I wouldn't worry about that. But I'm sure you can put it to good use."

Kaiba was curious about Alex's words but decided to hold off on asking for now. He said,

"We should go. This date isn't over yet."

Alex replied, "There's more? Although I'm certainly not complaining."

Kaiba replied, "There is, although it's probably unusual for a date."

Alex looked curious and replied, "Then lead the way, please."

Kaiba offered his arm to Alex, which she happily held onto. The two of them left the mansion and headed back towards the car. Once they were on the road again, Alex said,

"I know I already said it, but thanks again for this."

Kaiba replied, "I'm glad you've been having fun."

He looked a bit troubled by something, which prompted Alex to ask, "Is something wrong?"

Kaiba replied, "Not exactly, but I don't wish to pry."

Alex replied, "If you're concerned about hurting my feelings, it's ok. I'll tell you if I can't handle it."

Kaiba nodded and then asked, "What did you mean by your earlier reply? After I mentioned Wheeler."

Alex replied, "Oh. It's just that I'm not planning to go on another date with Joey, at least not so soon."

Kaiba replied, "Is it because of what I did?"

Alex replied, "Not really. I think I made a mistake. I can't explain why, but I have this feeling that Joey and I are better off as friends. I thought there could be something more, and he wants there to be, but…"

Kaiba nodded and replied, "I see. You don't have to explain anymore. I think I get it."

Alex smiled and replied, "Thanks."

She looked off into the distance and muttered, "Maybe I'm just meant to be alone."

Kaiba overheard the comment and replied, "That's not true."

Alex looked at Kaiba and replied, "Huh?"

Kaiba replied, "You're something else. But you're not meant to be with just anyone."

Alex replied, "Wait. Are you trying to cheer me up?"

Kaiba replied, "If I were, is it working?"

Alex nodded happily and replied, "It is."

The two of them were back in the city and heading towards Kaiba's mansion. Alex curiously asked, "So the next part of our date is at your place?"

Kaiba nodded and replied, "Yes, but as I said, this will be a little unusual. But I think you'll like it."

Alex nodded and they arrived at the grounds of the mansion. Kaiba stopped the car just outside the front door, and Roland went outside to greet them. He smiled and said,

"Welcome back. I hope you've been having a wonderful day, Ms. Alex."

Alex happily replied, "The best."

Kaiba added, "Would you take Ms. Lawrence inside?"

He turned to Alex and said, "You and Mokuba can play some video games. He's been wanting to do that."

Alex laughed and replied, "Sure, but one thing. Since this is a date, call me Alex. At least for today?"

Kaiba let out a smile and replied, "Ok."

Satisfied, Alex got out of the car and followed Roland inside, while Kaiba drove the car towards the garage to park it.

Meanwhile, Alex followed Roland to a room where Mokuba was sitting on the couch and playing video games. Roland coughed and said,

"Ms. Alex is here."

Mokuba happily looked up from the television screen and grinning, he replied, "Hey, Alex."

Alex smiled and replied, "It's good to see you, Mokuba."

Roland replied, "I'll be going, but I'll inform you when dinner's ready."

After Roland left the room, Alex took a seat next to Mokuba and said, "How's your day been?"

Mokuba replied, "It's been good. Have you and Seto been having fun?"

Alex nodded happily and replied, "It's been wonderful. Everything has been perfect."

Mokuba replied, "I'm happy to hear that. Seto tried really hard to make this perfect for you."

Alex replied, "I can tell. Hey, what is this next part of the date? Kaiba said that it would be unusual."

Mokuba looked mischievously at Alex and replied, "It is, but I can't tell you. I promised."

Alex pouted and replied, "Oh ok. I guess I'll just have to wait and see. So what are you playing? Can I join in or should I watch?"

Mokuba replied, "It's a racing game, and I could use some competition."

Alex laughed and happily took the second controller that Mokuba gave her. They played for a while until Roland entered the room and said,

"Mr. Kaiba says that dinner is about ready, so he requests that you both join him."

Mokuba and Alex stopped their game, and Mokuba replied, "Ok. Thanks, Roland."

Alex looked curious and replied, "So it's like a family dinner?"

Mokuba replied, "Yup, in a way."

Alex nodded and followed Mokuba as they left the room and headed to the dining room. Once they arrived, Mokuba took his seat and Alex sat next to him.

A couple of minutes later, Kaiba came out, carrying plates of food and putting them on the table. Alex was surprised and thought,

Did he cook all this?

As though he could read her thoughts, Kaiba replied, "Yes, I cooked. Are you surprised, Alex?"

Mokuba raised an eyebrow as Kaiba called Alex by her first name although he didn't say anything. Alex replied,

"I am."

Kaiba took a seat across from Alex and replied, "I hope it'll be to your liking. Feel free to take whatever you want."

Alex nodded happily, and everyone began to take and eat what they wanted. Alex commented,

"It's good. You should cook more often."

Mokuba grinned and replied, "I agree, and it's great to have dinner with both of you."

Alex smiled fondly at Mokuba, and Kaiba smiled, too. They were both happy to see Mokuba happy. Mokuba then said,

"So have you two kissed yet?"

The question caught both of them off guard, and Alex replied,

"Wait, what?"

Mokuba teasingly replied, "That's what people do on dates, isn't it?"

Kaiba coughed and looked speechless. Alex blushed in embarrassment, but thinking that it was best to take control of the situation, she replied,

"Yes, but not always. It's not necessary. Sometimes, two people can just have fun."

She looked at Kaiba and almost added,

I know he's only doing this because he feels bad. It's not like he has any actual feelings for me.

Kaiba looked questioningly at Alex and asked, "What are you thinking?"

Alex quickly snapped out of her thoughts and replied, "Nothing. Just a bit surprised by the question."

Mokuba replied, "Sorry about that. Can't blame me for being curious."

Alex shook her head and continued to eat the rest of her dinner. She tried to make some small talk and such although she couldn't stop thinking about Mokuba's question. Did she want Kaiba to kiss her? It would be the perfect way to end their date, but she wasn't sure how she'd feel if he did. As the case was, though, she wasn't expecting it.

After dinner, the three of them took care of the cleanup (after Alex insisted that she help, too). Seeing how late it was getting, Kaiba said,

"I'll take you back to your apartment now. I think you've had plenty of excitement and surprises to last for a while."

Alex happily replied, "That's true."

Kaiba and Alex walked towards the garage after Alex said good night to Mokuba. Once they got in Kaiba's car and drove off, heading towards Alex's apartment, Kaiba said,

"I hope you've had a wonderful time, and I'm sorry about Mokuba."

Alex smiled and replied, "It's been the best date ever, and it's ok. I was surprised, but he's a sweet kid."

Kaiba replied, "He is."

Kaiba continued to drive towards Alex's apartment building, and after several minutes passed, they finally arrived. He got out of the car and held the passenger door open for Alex. Alex got out and then Kaiba said,

"I'll take you to your door. I'd like to think I'm a gentleman."

Alex blushed and replied, "Ok."

The two of them walked upstairs until they reached the front door of Alex's apartment. Once they did, Alex realized that it was the end of their date. She couldn't help feeling a bit sad although she was mostly happy that today was wonderful. Kaiba said,

"Well, I should go, but I'll see you on Monday."

Alex nodded and replied, "Yes, and thank you again."

Kaiba turned around, preparing to leave. As Alex watched him go, she couldn't help thinking that she really had wanted him to kiss her. Just as she had that thought, Kaiba suddenly turned around and approached Alex. He then said,

"I almost forgot."

Alex looked curiously and replied, "What?"

Kaiba wrapped his arms around Alex's waist and gazed deeply into her eyes. He then leaned in to kiss her on the lips. Alex was surprised, but she couldn't help kissing him back, enjoying that sweet, romantic moment. Once their lips parted, Kaiba let go of Alex and said,

"Now that's the perfect way to end a first date. I'll see you on Monday, Alex."

He smiled and then left for real this time. Alex couldn't help smiling, and after she opened the door and got into her apartment, she sighed happily and fell to her knees.