The CEO and the Bookworm

by AngelStar89

Kaiba never imagined that the book clerk with the annoying sweats would become an infuriating constant in his life. Especially, after her first impression became more vexing the longer he was around her. Alisa is what people would consider a bit eccentric, a spirit that runs to her own beat. Until her and Kaiba constantly cross paths with each other.

5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

'What is this I hear,' Risa came into the backroom and stood behind Alisa to snatch the invitation in her hands, 'someone has been invited to a ball.'

'Hey,' Alisa cried as she turned and tried to grab the invitation back, 'that's mine and it's not a ball it's a charity event.'

'Oh, it's this Saturday,' Risa read ignoring her and using her height to keep the invite away, 'and you can bring a plus one. How fabulous! I want to go.'

'To bad for you, it's business related.'

'Meaning that you're going on a date with Yu,' she teased and she noticed the small blush on the tall males cheeks as she lifted her gaze to look at him.

'More like he's going as my chaperon so that I don't embarrass the company or myself,' Alisa corrected. 'However, I don't want to go.'

'Why not?'

'It benefits me in no way,' she answered plainly.

'That's not true, if you go you'll be able to meet and interact with other clients and members of the Duel Monsters community. You are, after all one of the leading authors for Duel Monsters inspired books.' Yu pointed out.

'There are other authors at the company that write stories about Duel Monsters or the players,' she responded as she managed to grab the invitation from Risa. 'Therefore, you should take this back to the company and offer it to one of them,' she tried to hand him the card back.

'The media will also be there and it would make great publicity for your new book and current one,' Yu told her as he refused to take the invite back.

'My current one has nothing to do with Duel Monsters,' Alisa tried to plea her case.

'Still a great way for you to get your name out and increasing your revenue.'

'It'll increase the companies revenue, plus the auction will deplete my savings and I am going to have to interact with people.'

'It is for charity and we also want to donate signed copies of your Duel Monster series. So the Chief said to have you stop by the office tomorrow,' Yu informed her.

'See it's for a good cause,' Risa turned to look out at the empty bookshop through the open door. 'You should go and have fun, it's not like you can't afford to give to charity anyways.'

'I want to live comfortably when I am old and senile.'

Yu and Risa stared at her as if she had lost her marbles, 'Fine, but if I go back to the office and tell the Chief, he won't be happy. Last year you skipped out on the invitation too and he is still reeling from it and the previous year. I think that if anything should happen to me, you should be responsible for it.'

Alisa's dark eyes slightly closed as they glared at him with incredulity. 'I am not your mother, sister or wife to be held accountable for your misfortune. Plus, I am free to not accept the invitation.'

Risa smacked the back of Alisa's head, 'If you refuse to help him, at least be gentle about it. He's just doing his job and having to put up with your eccentric ways, as well as an angry boss, is too much.'

Alisa grabbed her head and pulled away from Risa's reach, 'That hurt,' she rubbed her head.

'You're being a pain, you should apologize to Yu and tell him that you'll go with him to the ball to make up for your rudeness.'

Alisa looked at her with her mouth hanging open in shock, who was she to tell her what to do. 'You're—'

'Not your mother or father, yeah I know. Having you as a child would be a pain. I feel sorry for Yu to have to deal with you,' Risa cut her off and crossed her arms challenging her to say something.

'I hate you,' Alisa pouted, 'I don't want to go to the ball and have to dress up, fix my hair and wear make-up.' She began to cry at the horrors of being constricted in a tight dress, wearing uncomfortable heels, having to play with her hair and wearing icky make-up. Sure a lot of people wouldn't mind the idea, but for her comfort was ideal and a given to the small pleasures that she took in life. She loved her sweats, her worry free hair style and her breathable skin.

'I knew there was a stupid reason for your refusal,' Risa sighed in disappointment. 'Mr. Manager, your problem is solved, she'll go to the charity event on Saturday. I'll make sure to have her dressed and ready.'

Yu exhaled a sigh of relief, but he had also been hurt by her glare and comment of not being responsible for him. She didn't have to be responsible for him, but she didn't have to state it as an offense. 'You should apologize to your cute little manager,' Risa ordered her. 'He looked like he was about to cry when you said you wouldn't be responsible for him.'

Alisa stopped freaking out at the impending torture and turned her glaze towards him. He did look a little weary and down, she moved over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder in comfort, 'I am sorry for hurting your feelings. If the Chief would have yelled at you, I would have treated you to something tasty. Anything your heart desired,' she consoled him.

'You said you'd treat me to something tasty last time Chief yelled at me because I had to get you an extension for your deadline,' he muttered and reminded her about her previous forgotten promise.

'Right,' she lifted her hand and patted him, 'I forgot about that, but since you're going to the event with me then that counts as something tasty. I heard that they serve some delicious food at the dinner.'

'That's not the same thing,' Risa told her.

'But for him to get it, I have to sacrifice myself and pay the price,' Alisa complained as she remembered her approaching doom.

'I feel like he will be the one suffering more than you,' Risa mumbled under her breath as she turned back to head out to the front.

'I heard that,' Alisa cried as she removed her hand from Yu's shoulder and walked after her, but stopped and turned back towards her manager. 'Well, now that you are going to be reporting the good news, you should be off the hook. Make sure to wear something nice, cause if I have to suffer, so do you and don't be late picking me up. As soon as the charity ball and dinner are over I am out of there.' She set the invitation down on the table by the door.

'Understood,' Yu nodded and got out the notes he had for the new piece she was working on. 'So now that that is out of the way, why don't we get on to the topic of your—' He had looked away for just a second when she had taken off through the open door. 'Not again!' He cried and could hear her laughter as she headed down the aisle of book shelves towards the door.

She had turned to see his look of disbelief, forgetting to pay attention as the door of the shop. 'Alisa!' Risa cried out as she noticed she was about to crash into the customer entering.

Seto had arrived to get some coffee and pick up his weekly magazines when out of nowhere a small bulldozer crashed into him, knocking him backwards. 'Whoah,' he heard the cry of the female assailant. Instinct told him to protect the small figure on top of him so as he fell he wrapped one arm around her waist and the other he tried to lighten the impact of the blow as he fell backwards.

Alisa had been set on pushing the door open, but her arms hit air and her body crashed into a solid mass that went flying backwards. She had closed her eyes and encircled her arms around the person before her, bracing for impact. 'Ugh,' the male below her cried out as he fell and landed on his back. To make matters worse the door knocked into his side as it tried to close on them.

'Oh, my gosh, are you alright,' Risa scrambled to join them followed by Yu.

'I am alright,' Alisa groaned as she lifted her buried face from his chest and unwrapped her arms from around him.

'Not you, you idiot,' Risa yelled at her and looked at the person she had knocked into. 'Mokuba's big brother.'

Seto looked up at the blond that hovered over them and the incompetent manager. 'I would be better if you'd get this off me,' he referred to Alisa, who was still laying on top of him.

'I am not a thing,' she lightly hit his chest with her right fist. 'I could get off of you if you would let me go,' his arm was still around her waist.

'You're the one that came running out like a bulldozer,' Seto snapped.

Alisa reached behind her and pinched his hand to get free from his hold, so that she could sit up and look down at him condescendingly. 'If you saw me, you should have moved out of the way in the first place,' she threw back at him.

'This wasn't his fault, it is yours for always running away when work is involved and you want to avoid it,' Risa reprimanded her, but was intrigued by the sudden development and situation. It was like watching a drama beginning to unfold and the protagonists meeting for the first time.

Yu didn't like the sudden position they were in, it was rather intimate. 'Any normal person would have avoided me, not let me crash land into them,' she continued to use her weak argument.

'A normal person wouldn't be running out of their place of employment making a scene,' Seto told her as his placed his hands on her waist and was about to lift her off of him.

'Well,' she leaned forward and placed her hands on either side of his shoulder and braced them tightly, 'I am not that normal and I can do as I please.'

'No, you can't,' Risa reached out to pull Alisa off, who was hover too close to Seto's face while straddling him and staring at him hotly. 'We are a PG-13 retail. We can't have you acting all wanton in front of the store.'

'What?!' Seto and Alisa turned to look at Risa in outrage at her sudden claim.

'Let her go,' Risa told Seto as she pulled Alisa up, 'and you help me out here,' she referred to Alisa's jelly legs.

Yu reached out to help the annoyed older male, who refused his help and got up on his own. 'If you are hurt or need compensation for your suit, please feel free—' he had been digging for one of his cards after he was refused his assistance, but Seto cut him off.

'I'll get compensation from the person who crashed into me, not her manager,' he told Yu, but stared at Alisa in challenge so she could try and contradict him.

'Ha, you think I can't pay for your dry cleaning or bruised ego,' she indignantly shot back.

Risa grabbed Alisa's wrist to keep her from saying anything else, but it seemed that her passion for the male ran deep. 'Why don't we come inside and talk about this calmly. We're adults and can come to the acceptance of the apology given.' She ushered them inside, 'You're not hurt anywhere are you?'

'No, I am just shock at how rude your coworker is,' he commented. 'She hasn't even apologized.'

'Well, I'm sorry,' Alisa sarcastically stated, 'I wish I would have crashed into anyone else but you.'

'Alisa,' Risa couldn't believe her.

'Humph, a lamp post or a rabid dog would have been easier to deal with than him,' she muttered.

Either she really detested Seto or she was really denying her attraction for the handsome young man. 'Make a drink for Kaiba,' Risa ordered her as she led Seto to a table where he could take a seat on one of the chairs.

Alisa was about to protest when she got a sharp glare from Risa and shut her mouth to do as she was told. 'Please enjoy a drink on the house, if you feel the need to go to the hospital or be compensated for your dry cleaning Alisa will take care of it.'

She wanted to put poison in his coffee, he rubbed her the wrong way and got on her nerves. If he would have been more accepting of her and not rude she would have apologized right away and checked to see if he was okay. However, he called her a thing, a bulldozer and not normal. He was still a jerk through and through, how could Mokuba be related to him and boost that he was a protagonist. He was totally a villain. She finished making his drink and began to take it to him and again she got annoyed with the way he looked down at her even as he was sitting. 'Here,' she told him as she placed the drink before him, but wanted to shove it in his face.

'How about before you apologize sincerely, you go and attend to Yu so you can both calm down,' Risa said as their intermediate.

'I would rather just take my coffee and leave,' Seto scrutinized the small female.

'Fine,' she agreed with him.

Risa released a sigh of exasperation at their attitude towards each other. They were like two children that couldn't get along, but were forced too at all cost. 'Yu,' she turned to the silent manager, who stood by Alisa like a shadow.

'Come along, Ms. Prism,' he grabbed her elbow and tried to lead her back to the backroom with him so they could talk.

'I can go on my own,' she jerked her arm away and stomped towards the backroom.

After she and Yu had gone inside, Risa turned back to Seto, 'I apologize for her, she's currently out of her mind.'

'Currently, I thought it was all the time,' he said as he looked in the direct Alisa had gone before taking a drink of his coffee.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

'Before you say anything, just know that I will be reflecting on my actions and for the time being taking my work seriously. So you don't have to worry about me running away or running into someone else,' Alisa told him as the door closed behind him and she stalked towards one of the chairs in the back room. 'Now let's get to work, what does the Chief have to advice?'

Yu just watched her as he remained motionless by the entryway, he wanted to reprimand her but it seemed that it was a sensitive subject to touch. On top of that she had already made the wise decision as to think about her actions. She was an adult after all, but she did act childish and liberal half the time. Nevertheless, it sort of irked him to see the reaction she had when with the other male. She seemed to dislike him, but she was natural in her interaction with him and close. When she had hovered over him earlier, even if she was angry at him, she was still a hair's breathe away from him and unaffected by his close proximity. She hadn't even minded when he had put his hands around her waist. He walked over to his briefcase to get his notes and begin work.

Alisa listened to Yu's notes and suggestion, but to say she put her full attention into what he was saying was a lie. She was fuming over her stupidity and it having to be him. Anyone but him, never the less she should be grateful that he wasn't wearing one of his white suits but instead a dark cobalt blue suit with pin stripes. The dry cleaning would be easier and cheaper. She also needed to properly apologize to Seto. Things needed to go back to normal, where she didn't always run into him because lately he was a constant in her life. 'That's all,' Yu finished.

'Great,' she got up and took the notes from him, 'I am sorry about today. I will be waiting for you on Saturday, please don't be late.'

Yu stared at her forgetting she was also serious at times and not carefree. Had the crash with Seto really been unpleasant or did it release some hidden emotion that she had buried deep. 'I'll see you on Saturday.'

They walked out of the backroom, Alisa said good-bye and wished against all else that Seto had left. However, fate wasn't so kind and he was still there in all his annoying glory waiting for her return. Unlike his brother he wasn't as kind and understanding. 'Are you ready to apologize,' Risa asked her as she walked over to join her side.

Alisa nodded and took a deep breath before walking over to Seto, who sat with his right leg cross over his left all high and mighty. Relax, relax, she told herself in her head as she neared him, her annoyance continued to grow. 'Kaiba,' she said his name as she neared him.

Dark blue hues looked up at her in acknowledgement, 'Yes, have you finally reflected on your actions and come to apologize,' he instigated.

I hate you, I hate you, she repeated in her head as he belittled her and treated her like a child. She will admit, she acted like one most of the time, but she was still an adult. She took another deep calming breath, 'I have reflected on my actions and know that I was in the wrong. I deeply apologize and will take responsibility for your dry cleaning. If you will come with me,' she gestured him to please get up and follow her. He did and joined her, 'I'll be back later,' she told Risa who just watched them.

Now what was she up to, Seto wondered as he followed after her past the counter, by Yu who hadn't left and waited to see how they would interact, and then out the building. 'Where are we going?'

'My place, I need you to give me your suit if I am going to have it dry cleaned for you.'

'I doubt your clothes fit me and I am not going to wear such unappealing garments,' he referred to her sweats.

'I never said you were going to wear my clothes,' she told him as they walked around the building and up the stairs. 'Plus, you have to get back to work, don't you?'

'I do,' he still didn't know what she was up too.

They arrived at her place and she told him to wait while she went back to her room. After rummaging in her closet for a while she appeared before him with a suit. 'It might be a little big, but I don't think that your portions are too far off.'

He looked at the dark black suit that she held out for him, 'I am not—'

'You can't wear a dirty suit to work and it is my responsibility to have it cleaned,' she cut him off. 'Anyways, you are only borrowing this suit, not keeping it.'

'If you are insistent,' he walked over to her and loomed over her with his height.

'I am not, just responsible,' she handed the suit over to him. 'The bathroom is to the left,' she gestured to the hall leading to her room and also to the bathroom.

He was going to say something else to her, but thought against it, she would just rebuke anything he said. He walked in the direction she told him and went to put on the suit. He was impressed that it was brand named and the material looked of a good quality. However, a solid black suit was unappealing and didn't offer any character.

Alisa waited patiently for him to come out. The suit would fit him, not to a perfect tee, since her brother was a little bulkier, but it would look decent. She turned towards the bathroom when she heard the door latch being triggered as the door knob turned and opened announcing he was finished. When she saw him it was as if the poor forgotten suit had returned to life, it was a plain and simple un-tailored suit. A gift for her younger brother that had only been worn once. She walked over to him without hesitating and walked around him to study him, it was a little bigger than him, but lengthwise it was perfect. His broad shoulders filled out the top, yet it hung loose around the rest of his body.

She stood before him to adjust the collar and ran her hands along the lapel of the jacket. 'It's a little big, but it looks nice,' she told his chest or better yet the suit.

'If you enjoy loose, plain and simple,' he looked down at the petit female before him that was absorbed in the suit as if it were a living breathing thing. 'Did this belong to your lover? You seem so passionate about it. I would think that Yugi would find it upsetting to see you more in love with this suit than him.'

Beautiful black orbs snapped open to look at him, 'What are you talking about? This suit was my late brother's, it is the only thing that I have left of him.'

'And Yugi?'

'I don't know what you are talking about,' she took the suit in his hands. 'He is just a friend.'

'Right, I am blind and can't read in-between the lines,' he rolled his eyes as he watched her fiddle with his jacket.

'The interpretation of your literature is misconstrued,' she told him as she turned to lead him to the door so they could leave, but he didn't move. 'It seems that everyone has their own notions of me.'

'You can lie to yourself and everyone else, but it doesn't hide the fact that when we where at the restaurant. There was something there,' he took a seat in the armchair.

'We should leave,' she repeated, 'you have to get back to work, I am sure that you have important meetings to attend too.'

'They can wait, annoying you is more fun. You owe me for knocking me over and jumping me,' he stated.

'I also have to get back to work and we aren't on great terms to say we are friends,' she pointed out, 'or acquaintances.'

'That's harsh, we are old schoolmates,' he taunted her as he saw the slight twitch of her right hand.

'Risa will be upset with me,' Alisa tried to get him to understand and leave. 'Unlike you, it's only us two and when one of us is gone it is a burden for the other.'

'Which seems you are used to causing, with your escapades with your manager or your random sleep comas,' Seto instigated.

'I've been very friendly with you, but we have to leave now,' she told him, but it was like trying to talk to a brick that wouldn't budge. Then she thought of something, 'I don't think that your brother would approve of you being here. In fact, if he knew that you were here making absurd claims he would be upset.'

'So are you coming to terms with the fact that my little brother likes you,' Seto inquired.

'There is nothing to come to terms with, your brother is a friend that seems too attached to his big brother to let you wonder off for a long period of time.' Alisa told him.

'I've come to the realization that all you do is deny the obvious, but like I said if it is just friendship you seek it is fine by me. You can continue be friends my brother.'

'Oh, you are but a gracious Lord to allow me to continue my friendship.' She mocked as she watched his royal highness assort his authority. Only problem was he did it in someone else home that didn't care much for him. 'Now if you would be even more kind and accompany me out of my house, so that we may go to our respective jobs. I would be more than grateful to you.'

'If you are going to act like my dutiful servant, take a seat,' he gestured to her sofa as if he owned it and the house.

'Why,' she asked defiantly.

'Because I would like to catch up with my old classmate,' he answered.

Catch up my but, she thought, he was there to mock her or drill her about his earlier comment. Reluctantly she went to her couch and took a seat as he asked. His clothes laid over her lap, 'What do you want to talk about?'

'We were classmates, but I have no recollection of you. I feel that you would be someone I would sadly remember,' they wore uniforms in high school, but that didn't mean that they couldn't be altered or customized to a person's style. For example, she could have worn her sweat pants under her skirt and her jacket over her shirt uniform.

'With you being so self absorbed and bent on proving your intellect, it was easy to over look people that didn't bother to challenge you. After all you were and are a handful,' she played with his jacket sleeve, so as not to bother looking at him.

'Maybe you just weren't up to snuff and worthy of my time,' he watched as she found his sleeve more interesting than him.

'But it seems like I am now,' she said before processing the meaning of her words first. Stupid Risa, she cursed as she felt a sudden warmth creep up her cheeks.

Her sudden words astonished him and the light blush on her cheeks even more, 'Only because I am looking out for the welfare of my brother,' he clarified. 'After all, someone that crashes into people on a daily bases, lacks manners and pines for a married man while seducing his son is far from worthy of his time and affection.'

She gripped his sleeve tightly with both her hands, the knuckles on her hand turned white. 'I don't crash into people on a daily bases, I don't pine for anyone and I can't help it if I am loved by my friend's son. It just shows that when he grows up and finds a partner, it'll be someone beautiful like me.'

'Ha,' he laughed at that last part.

He was really getting on her last nerve and why were they really here, if he was just going to mock her and defame her? She was starting to think that his wanting to get to know her was just an excuse. But two could tango and she wouldn't back down, 'At least I don't have a rotten interior that is covered up with an appealing exterior. I feel sorry for the woman that falls for you at first glance.'

'At least it'll be a woman that's available and not someone taken.'

'Why are you fixated on that? Are you jealous that Yugi is more popular than you as well as an excellent duel monsters' player. I mean, he did end up with the girl, a child and the title of Duel Monster Champion. What did you end up with?' Dark black hues met blue in challenge.

That jab was low and he was just about to get up and leave, but his ego and pride wouldn't let him. The little vixen knew how to trigger his buttons and it kind of excited him because not many challenged him the way that she did. 'Well,' she got up after his moment of silence, 'I think that before we say anything else that is too offensive, we should return. I know that you enjoy my company a little too much, but I need to get back to work and so do you.'

She was right, they had spent enough time offending and challenging each other that it was getting late. He needed to return to work, people were probably wondered what happened to him. 'I expect my suit back as soon as possible.'

Alisa nodded, 'Don't ruin my brother's suit, I want it in the same condition I lent it to you,' she told him and led him out after he got up.

'I wouldn't dream of ruining something so precious to you,' he told her and he looked down at the slightly oversized suit he was wearing.

She didn't know whether to take that as him being serious or him mocking her. 'Otherwise, kiss your expensive tailored suit goodbye,' she threatened him and walked with him down the stairs and alley.

Seto didn't say anything, he was sure that she meant what she said. As they rounded the corner, he quickly pulled her back and out of harms way when a cyclist came flying down the street next to them. 'Whoa,' she cried as she was suddenly jerked back and against Seto's body. Her heart beating two times faster than normal.

'Sorry,' they heard the biker call out as he was already halfway down the block.

Seto looked down at the wide eyed petite female that was flushed against him. Her right-hand rested against his chest and when she looked up at him, he slightly felt a flutter in his stomach. As soon as he realized that, he firmly pushed her away and muttered. 'You need to pay attention to your surroundings.'

'Right, thanks, I'll remember that,' she said as she tried to settle the flush on her cheeks. She realized it was becoming a normal occurrence with him and felt a cold chill on the sunny summer day. Things were suddenly becoming disturbing if she was blushing then that meant things were going in the wrong direction or she was just becoming self-conscious. Hopefully, she was just becoming self-conscious of the fact that he always caught her acting childish or pushed her buttons when he was near.

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A/N: Oh, it seems like things are starting to blossom with our two main characters and I got to say I owe it to Risa. She's my shining side character this time around and I hope to give her want she wants at the end of the story. I want to thank you all for making it this far and I hope that you are enjoying that story so far. So see ya next time.