Chapter Three

'So what do you think,' Alisa asked as Risa read over her final draft.

'It's different, sad and heartwarming,' Risa summarized her critique as she wiped at her unshed tears.

'That's good to hear,' she had worked hard the last couple of days to get it done and sent over to her publisher. Afterwords, she had printed off a copy for Risa to read.

'Has Yu sent you anything,' Risa asked.

'Not yet, the Chief made a lot of suggestions and asked me to tweak here and there. So I am hoping this met his exception. If not, I only have two days left to make changes,' her already tired body sagged at the idea of another restless night.

'That's why you should get your work done earlier,' Risa handed her the manuscript. 'But regardless, I think you won't have to worry.'

'May the heavens hear you,' she said as she looked down at her work. 'I might have to call Yu first this time, that way I know if I can have the evening free to go home and pass out.'

'I would have figured you not being an ugly duckling was going to be your next task. Not sleeping,' Risa reminded her of their conversation last week.

'Nah, I figured I'd give you another day to seize the opportunity to find someone.'

Risa didn't know how to feel about her sudden statement, 'Humph, you shouldn't sprout nonsense so freely. I'll have you know that whether you go out on the market or not, it is no threat to me.'

Both females challenged each other, Risa may have the upper hand in height, perfect body proportion and looks but that didn't mean that she needed to be cast out of the running. She could attract someone if she wanted to, she had feminine appeal too…maybe. Alisa kinda of doubted herself when she was around beautiful females like Risa. 'I am going to lunch, while I am out I am going to come up with a game plan,' Alisa told her as she yawned.

'Just don't think too much and fry your brain,' Risa advised her as she got ready to take off. 'Last thing I need is for you to pass out and leave me to close for the night.'

'But I am so tired,' she cried at the realization that she could fall asleep while at home.

'Don't even think about it,' Risa warned her and she nodded her head.

'Okay, okay,' she headed off towards the front door.

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Seto had enough, it seemed that everyday his brother became worse in his obsession with going to the book store and talking to his new friend. It was more like he had become a love sick puppy to one of the females there. Before he got coffee in the morning, now his lunches were later and he always came back as if on cloud nine. So today, he had gone out after his schedule was over to the coffee shop. He wanted to get his weekly magazines and talk to the woman his brother was infatuated with and ask her to leave him alone. At the most not to get his hopes up, Mokuba was a sensitive person and it would be a blow to his ego if she flat out rejected him.

If he recalled there were two women at the shop, so one of them had to be the one that was seducing his brother. To him it must have been the blond, but on the other hand the dark haired female; the one that knocked into him could be the one. At the sudden thought of Ms. Sweats, he shook his head, there was no way that his brother could be infatuated with her. She didn't wear make-up or dress up, plus she didn't seem interested in anything that wasn't of concern to her. The times that he had interacted with her had made him aware of the fact that she noticed things, but she failed to show much of a reaction. Or maybe…no, he was appealing, he recalled her smile faltering when she met him or greeted him.

He reach for the door to their shop when it opened and out came Ms. Sweats carrying a bunch of papers in her hands. 'Oh,' she looked up as she saw him, 'Hello, please welcome,' she stepped aside and tried to allow him to pass.

Seto stared down at her, it was almost like he was looking down at her and she was below him. Alisa smile turned into a grimace and she wanted to say something to him but he was a valued customer and Mokuba's brother. She shouldn't let her feelings about him get the best of her, in addition it was a part of his personality. 'Are you leaving,' he words were stern.

'Yes,' she answered suddenly taken back by his question, 'but Risa is still here to help you.'

His gaze followed her hand as she gestured to the blond that looked at him brightly. 'Did she have her lunch already,' he asked out of nowhere.

'She just came back not too long ago,' Alisa found the conversation uncomfortable, especially as she held the door open for him and he didn't make an effort to enter.

'I see, is your schedule usually like this,' if she said yes it meant that his brother came to talk to her, not the blond.

'For the most part,' so he was interested in Risa, she came to the conclusion. He must have wanted to ask her out for lunch and since he didn't know their schedule he was stumped about what to do. 'But please enter,' she ushered him in again, they were letting out too much cold air. 'Feel free to stay and chat.'

'Does Mokuba do that?'

'Huh,' his train of though was throwing her off. Now he was asking about his brother. 'Mokuba?'

She wasn't playing an idiot was she? 'Mokuba, the young man that comes in every afternoon for coffee.'

'Yes,' she answered puzzled.

'You're leaving,' he asked her again.

'Yes,' she was becoming worried of where he was going with his bizarre assortment of question.

'Then it is you I wish to speak with,' he stated.

She looked up at him as if he had grown a second head, 'You wish to speak with me,' she stepped away from the door and stepped outside.

'It is what I said,' he watched her.

Why would he want to speak with her, she questioned as she looked up at him. She had never really interacted with him and she felt out of place at the fact that he was looking for her specifically. She didn't want to be alone with someone that she couldn't understand or know why he wanted to talk to her. In the pit of her stomach she had a feeling it was because of Mokuba, but she hadn't done anything to his little brother to warrant his visit. On top of that what was she supposed to do now, going out with him in public would be ill advised. He was a celebrity here in Domino city and she was sure that anywhere he went or who he was out with would be noticed. She sighed, 'If you wish to speak with me, then would you like to come to my place. I was just about to head there and make lunch,' she told him.

He was about to protest, when he noticed her gray black jersey sweats and cringed at the idea of anyone spotting him out with her in public. It was probably best that they stayed in, 'Would you like me to hail a cab?'

'Um, no,' he was seriously going to take her offer and why did he look at her jersey set like it was offending? Did he have something against sweats? 'My place is right upstairs.'

She led the way around the building to the alley and he noticed the stairs leading up to the roof top. So her home was on the roof top, he noted the tall black iron railing that went around the roof wall and iron fence door that guarded the entrance. Looking beyond, he saw the apartment that was being protected and the wooden porch that expanded the front of it, the half leading towards the front door was exposed but to the left she had an over hanging roof with a small flower garden. The flowers that surrounded it, along with the shade made it a refreshing oasis against the sun. She unlocked the front gate and allowed him passage.

Silently they walked across the roof top and towards the apartment, there she entered another code and opened to reveal a clean and well organized living room. It was something Seto wasn't expecting from her laid back nature and lazy presentation, since she always wore sweats. 'Your place is clean,' he stated.

She looked at him from the corner of her eye and unsure about what to say awkwardly said, 'Thanks.'

Seto continued to look around and he realized that besides working at a book store, she had an unhealthy obsession with books. Her walls were made out of books cases and each one was full. He studied some of the novels she had and they all varied, there was no consistent topic and as for authors besides collecting a series she seemed to like there was no real consistent one besides A. Eliza. The genre of her books varied from romance to adventure. 'Would you like something to drink,' she offered and he nodded.

Alisa wanted to tell him to take a seat, but he looked intent on looking around the living room at the book shelves. Therefore, she left him to his own accord and went to prep them some drinks. She opted for a white flat for him, she had a feeling that the morning orders that Mokuba usually got was one for him and one for his brother. Since Mokuba liked sweets without the caffeine, Kaiba must be the opposite of his little brother. After all they seemed like complete opposites when it came to personalities. It was weird having someone in the house that she wasn't accustomed too. However, for him to have come all the way to the shop and then her house, he really needed to get something off his chest. Yet she questioned what he could possible want and why couldn't he have picked a better day? She could feel the pressure in her head start to slowly build as she became more and more tired, a nap would have been nice.

Seto continued to look about the room, he noticed that she had a lot of books on duel monsters. He wondered if she played, but he didn't think so. If she did she'd know him. He looked back at the books by A. Eliza and found that a lot of them used some of the duel monsters as main characters or side characters. She had even written one about the blue eyes white dragon, he grabbed that book and read the back summary. From what he could see it was an adventure fantasy themed book with some romance thrown in. He placed it back when he heard foot steps returning from the kitchen. 'I brought you some coffee,' she told him.

He looked over at her and saw the coffee cup in her hand, 'Please have a seat,' she gestured with her head for him to have a seat on one of the couches.

Taking a seat on the love seat he took the drink that she offered him, 'Thank you,' he noticed that it was his usual.

'So,' she sat across from him on the arm chair, 'to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?'

He watched as she took a sip from her cup and looked over the brim of it at him. 'My brother,' he told her and he was subtly surprised at the difference between her cup of coffee and the blond's.

'Mokuba, what about him?' She was confused as to why he was here to talk about his brother.

'I want to know what your intentions with him are ,' Seto got straight to the point.

She was taken back from his sudden question, 'To be his friend,' she answered with hesitation, worried that she would say something to offend him. Or maybe he was just afraid that his brother would get trapped by one of the two older women that the shop. Because she ran into him first, he thought that he ought to talk to her before Risa. Nevertheless, his brother was old enough to make his own decisions.

'From my point of view that is not what I see,' he was blunt.

'What? Has he told you he fancies me,' she asked, 'because he hasn't mentioned anything to me and he's only been friendly towards Risa and I.'

'If you only wish to establish a friendship with him I have no problem, but I hope that it doesn't interfere with his work or other responsibilities.'

Alisa cocked her head to the side for some odd reason she had the feeling that even her friendship was an offense. For him to come all the way to see her, he must really dislike the idea of his brother having anything to do them or mainly her. However, unlike before he wasn't straight forward in his dislike for people. Now it was his round about manner and the way he looked at people told them what he was actually thinking. Nevertheless, his dislike for her was apparent and it rubbed her the wrong way. Why was she disapproved of? What made him so high and mighty as to dictate who was worthy of his brother's friendship or affection? It wasn't as if everyone was after his money, name or company. She wanted to say something to him, but it was best not to instigate him, his brother was a friend and he was a customer as well. Plus, it wasn't as if he flat out told her not to see Mokuba, just not to have a relationship that grew romantic, for whatever his reasons. 'I guess we all change,' she said as she took another drink of her elixir of life.

'Excuse me.'

She sighed, 'I guess, I am not as memorable as you,' she was disappointed to see that he didn't remember her. Who was to blame him. She didn't fall within his circle of friends, admirers or lackeys.

'We've met before,' he studied her face and tried to remember where they might have met. She had a pleasant face, pale skin against her dark hair and eyes, her beauty marks were also memorable under her right eye and of course her horrible sweats. 'I don't recall you.'

'Right, it was such a long time ago. If it weren't for you being famous, I wouldn't have remembered you either,' she bluntly slapped him on the face with that one.

'You must not have good taste then,' he returned it without thinking.

Her headache was suddenly getting worse and she could feel the right corner of her lips begin to twitch at her forced smile. 'I'll have you know that I have very good taste in men. If you don't meet my standards then you must be lacking.'

She didn't, did she, she just…how could she say that he was lacking? He had everything that a woman could ask for he was handsome, smart and wealthy. Any woman in her right mind would be happy to have him, let alone be in his presence. 'I'll have you know that I lack nothing.'

'Defensive aren't you, somethings never change,' she yawned.

Now she was acting like him being there was a bother, sure it was a bother having an unexpected guest but that didn't mean that she had to show it. 'Well,' he got up. He had come to say what he wanted, finished his coffee and got insulted in the process, 'It's time that I take my leave.'

Alisa stood up, 'It was a pleasure to have you over,' she sarcastically stated as she walked with him towards the door.

'No, the pleasure was mine,' he threw back at her.

'Great, I'm glad,' her head was pulsing now, the headache was worse and her vision was becoming spotty. 'Kaiba,' she suddenly called out to him as vertigo hit and she began to sway.

He would have snapped at the fact that she had reached out and pulled on his suit jacket, but as soon as he turned she fell forward on to him. 'Hey,' he barely manage to save her from falling. 'Hey, what's wrong?'

As he shook her, trying to get her to react, the buzzard for the gate went off. Being so close to the door, he reached out and opened it. He saw the push over manager of her standing in front of the gate, 'You should use the code, if you know it to get in,' he told him.

Yu had arrived late because he was getting the last review and editors check for her recent work and he had come to give her the good new that the editor chief liked her piece. Yet now she was passed out in the arms of another man that looked at him as if he was an annoyance for not being able to get inside. 'If you can reach the intercom to the left there is a red button, buzz me in.'

Seto sighed as he readjusted her in his arms and had to shift her so she was flushed against him. She wasn't as heavy as she appeared and her petit body frame actually felt nice pressed against him, her shapeless sweats seemed to hide what seemed to be a voluptuous body. He theorized as her soft mounds leaned into him and his arm wrapped around her slender waist and rested on her curvy hip. Snap out of it, his inner voice told him and he focused on keeping his balance and hers as he reached out to push the red button her manager said. He watched as the push over of a man rushed to their side. 'Sorry, she must be heavy,' her manager arrived next to them and placed his case on the ground as he made to reach out for her. 'I'll take her.'

Seto suddenly felt defensive and held her firmly against him, 'Shouldn't you call the ambulance for help?'

'There's no need,' he reached out again to take her. 'After last night, this is normal. Risa said that there was a high probably of her passing out, I came to see if she was alright.' Yu explained as he took Alisa from the intimidating male, who looked weary of him.

'It would have been useless to come up here and check on her if you didn't even know the passcode,' it was almost a relief that he didn't know it. Seto watched as the young man took her into his arms and lifted her up bridal style, it would have been a romantic moment if it weren't from the fact that she leaned over the opposite side and had drool slipping from her mouth. Either she was shameless or because she was dead tired and asleep she didn't care. Probably the latter, but what was she up to the night before to make her pass out?

'Right,' he could feel his cheeks warming up. 'I am going to go and put her in bed,' Yu told him. 'Please, feel free to leave.'

'I'll wait for you,' Seto told him. It was one thing for her to be alone with someone when she was conscious and able to fight, it was another when she was unconscious and more vulnerable.

Yu just nodded and made his way to her bedroom in the back, down the short hallway beside the kitchen. Once he got there he walked over to her bed and laid her down, happily she turned away from him and grabbed the body pillow she used to sleep. He picked up the blanket she had thrown at the end of the bed and covered her. 'We shouldn't stay longer than we have too,' Yu turned to see the other male at the doorway watching him.

'Right, we should let her rest,' Yu agreed with him and turned to head out. As he walked by the male he couldn't help but think he looked familiar, 'By the way I haven't formally introduced myself, my name is Yu Gray. I work as Ms. Prism's manager.'

They had reached the living room and Yu had decided to introduce himself, he didn't want him to think he was some stranger. 'Seto Kaiba,' Seto told him and took the hand that he offered.

'Are you a friend of Ms. Prism,' Yu wanted to know why he was there but couldn't come right out and ask him.

'No,' he answered as he watched the young man go to his abandoned briefcase, pick it up and look through it before pulling out a folder to leave on her coffee table.

'Than you must be helping her with research,' Yu summarized because there was no way that she was seeing someone. He didn't know much of her private life, since they hadn't worked together for that long, but he was sure that she wasn't dating. Unless it was a new relationship, he looked at the tall and imposing man. Sure he was good looking, but he didn't seem like someone that would be interested in her or she would be interested in him. He had this way of looking down at people that made them feel inferior than him and it was something that would rub Alisa the wrong way.

'No, I just had some business with her and was on my way out when she collapsed,' he answered and followed him when he saw that he was on his way out.

'Oh,' he led them out and pulled the door shut behind them as they left, hearing the automatic lock. What kind of business, why would she bring him upstairs and why would she be so unguarded as to faint? Did she trust him, even if he was a stranger? But then again he was her manager and he treated him like a stranger that would attack her. Seto Kaiba, he repeated the name to himself as they left the roof top and walked down the stairs. He would have to ask her about their relationship next time they met, for now he would go and tell Risa the status of Alisa current state.

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A/N: I hope that you all have been enjoying the story so far. I was torn between just uploading one or two chapters and I opted for uploading two chapters next week, so please look forward to that.