Whenever Seto Kaiba had to sit in on a meeting he wasn't particularly interested in, he had the annoying habit of clicking his pen incessantly. People who knew him best knew that it wasn't a good sign when this occurred because usually the events that followed ended in disaster. Some poor junior executive would be told in front of all his peers in excruciating detail why all his ideas were absurd and that someone so poorly educated didn't belong in the company; or a secretary who came into the room at the wrong time would become the target of her boss's flash of anger, which wouldn't stop until the poor employee got enough sense to leave the room. If they dared to break down and cry, it always ended up being their last day at Kaiba Corp.

The worst pen clicking to date happened when Kaiba was just sixteen. It was right before the last meeting between him and Gozaburo. Unfortunately for Gozaburo, he ended up smeared across the pavement in front of Kaiba Corp as his better, the genius stepson, looked over the disposal of his remains.

"I believe, ladies and gentlemen, our dear CEO has heard enough tonight. We shall continue tomorrow again at eight."

The new staff was wizening up. They didn't keep their boss past five. His secretary closed his office by five-fifteen, and usually Kaiba stayed another forty-five minutes alone preparing for the next day before going home. Every night the chauffer meet him in front of Kaiba Corp right at six-fifteen, and just until recently, Kaiba went home each night to do more work before going to bed and repeating himself the very next day.

It was a very dull life. Despite being wealthy and famous, most days required strenuous amounts of energy. By the time Domino's night life had awakened, all the man could think about doing was going back to bed. He needed all the rest he could get. Years of sleep deprivation was starting to get to him and the doctors warned him that his health would go bad if he didn't take better care of himself.

Kaiba for once actually listened to their advice.

But then he met up with an old acquaintance. There was a pretty girl with a smart mouth from his high school that he had run into by accident one night that intrigued him. Since then, as much as he could, Kaiba made sure to bump into her, buying the girl dinner occasionally as an excuse to see her.

Some people would call it dating but he didn't see it that way. Dating would imply romantic intentions and Kaiba wasn't a romantic. He believed, quite strongly too, that his personality offended most females, men weren't attractive, and since he was such a damaged individual, that he'd die a bachelor. At twenty-one years old, the prospect of such a life didn't bother him.

Anzu Mazaki was a distraction. A pretty, witty, intelligent distraction that would bore him after a few weeks; less if he lost his temper with her. She could be fun to tease and take out every once in a while, but there was nothing serious going on. When people asked where he went with his Ferrari at night (mainly Isono, who lacked a personal life), he'd tell them he was picking up hookers and dumping their bodies over Domino Bridge. It was just as believable a story as what he was actually doing.

It was the weekend. Every other weekend, Anzu had to work at Burger World to pay off her dance lessons. Kaiba found the burger joint slightly degrading, but he parked outside the place regardless for her so she wouldn't be getting herself home alone. Although Japan was pretty safe, he still didn't trust the bus system. Weird people rode the bus at night.

As usual by late evening, Anzu would appear walking out of the restaurant and for some reason, looked surprised to see the fancy ass sports car parked out front for her even though this wasn't the first time he had waited for her. It had been a month now since they first bumped into each other, and after memorizing the girl's schedule, he was always there. For whatever reason though it always seemed to take her by surprise. Before getting into the car, she'd always hesitate, like it was some sort of trap.

"I wish you wouldn't wait for me."

Anzu always had something like that to say. Not a "thank you", or "I can't believe you're doing this for me", but some statement that was supposed to remind him of how independent of him she was. That she didn't need his help and she was actually doing him a favor by allowing him to pick her smelly ass from said burger joint.

The nerve.

"I wish you wouldn't complain about it," Kaiba would tell her, before turning on the engine.

"You act as if I didn't get myself home for months before you came around."

"I turned on the radio for a reason, Mazaki, and it wasn't to hear your voice competing against it."

A comment like that would usually make her stop. She'd sit back against the leather seats of the car sulking, crossing her legs as her eyes turned towards the window. Kaiba was always able to get a few glances in when they were on the freeway and it was interesting to see Anzu when she didn't know she was being looked at. Once her temper died down some, her eyes seemed to soften and she had this distant look on her face as if she were somewhere else.

"Mazaki?"

"Hmm?"

"I need to ask a favor of you."

Turning around, she faced him, laying her hands on her lap. Now that she had a few minutes to cool down, Kaiba knew she'd be more receptive to helping him. She wasn't mean spirited as long as he didn't push her too far. He still didn't know what her breaking point was though and he was slightly too timid to find out.

At least while driving his half a million dollar vehicle.

"You see my company wants to hold a private dinner party at this hotel in town. It requires me to have a date, and since you're the only somewhat respectable female I know, I'm obligated to ask you to come along with me."

"How thoughtful of you, "replied Anzu, rolling her eyes.

"If anyone uses any big words you don't understand, you can always just whisper to them in my ear, and I'll tell you what they are."

"Shut your mouth Kaiba, you aren't helping your cause."

"Like you'd say no to me."

"Sounds like you want to test out that theory. Tease me again and see what happens."

He wouldn't press his luck. Scoffing though, Kaiba turned all concentration back on the road. She would say yes to him anyways. It was a free dinner with a chance for her to meet people who might be able to make her dancing career dreams a reality. The people who were coming to this engagement weren't his inferiors. They were everyone in Domino who mattered. People Anzu would never see in her lifetime if he hadn't thought of taking her.

And she threatened to turn him down. Unlikely story.

"You'll need to get a dress. The dress code requires formal wear, and anything costing less than the dinner on our plates won't be enough… Don't worry about it, I'll cover it."

"Where am I supposed to get such a dress in so little time?"

"I know people."

"People?"

Glancing over to Anzu's side of the car, she could see her brow raise in question.

"Yes, people. Just pick whatever you want, and they'll have you fitted and bill the dress on my account. Don't look at the price tags and pick something that looks nice on you. Cost is not a factor."

"… Who are these people?"

"My personal shoppers."

Did she honestly expect someone as busy as he was to bother getting all his own clothes? Sometimes he forgot just how the other half lived, because when Kaiba glanced at her face, he could see that puzzled expression written all over it. When he actually thought about it too, he had never once in his life bought clothes for himself. Someone else was always doing it for him.

"… And when am I supposed to be meeting up with these said personal shoppers?"

"Tomorrow. They'll stop by your house and show you what they have for the dinner. It's far easier doing it that way than wasting time at a store trying to figure out what's in fashion and what isn't."

"I never really cared about those sorts of things."

"Broke people usually don't."

Snorting, Anzu just ignore her driver. She had that look of contempt on her face, something that just didn't bother Kaiba in the least. If she wanted to take offense to the obvious, then she could. It wasn't hurting him any, she'd still end up being his date regardless. They fought enough on a daily basis that he knew she'd forget the moment entirely after a good five minutes had gone by.

"… If I go to this dinner with you, will you do something for me?"

Now she was happy again. Her eyes were big and bright, like shinning sapphires, and he knew that look too well. Mokuba did the same thing whenever he thought about asking for a car. Something Kaiba still was thinking over…

"Depends on what it is."

"See a ballet with me?" she asked.

"… Hell no."

"Oh come on, I'll even buy the tickets! Have you even ever been to a show? It's not that bad."

"-Says the ballet dancer," he answered unenthusiastically.

"I'm not going to this dinner unless you come with me."

"Don't you have some other guy friend of yours to bother with this sort of crap?"

"No. I'd drag Bakura Ryou, but he's busy that night. You're the only other person I know who could come along."

"Try harder at convincing him."

"Kaiba, please!"

He didn't answer her. Instead of saying anything else, Kaiba parked the car in front of Anzu's house and left her inside to fume. There was no way on earth he was going to allow himself to get dragged to a concert for a girl. That wasn't going to happen.

"Kaiba!"

Anzu got out of the car, slamming the door behind her like the prissy princess she was, arms folded. Her face was red and every time she huffed, a puff of cold air escaped her lips. It was more comical than anything. What was she doing to do, refuse to go inside her own house? Solid plan.

"You need to be reasonable! If I'm going to do you a favor, you need to do me one too."

"Bring you to this dinner /is/ doing you a favor."

"That's not how I see it. Ugh, I don't even know why I bothered asking you about the ballet in the first place. I knew you'd act like this and say no…"

Kaiba watched her with his arms folded as she passed him, wrinkling her nose like a rabbit as she unlocked her front door. Once inside, she dumped all her things on the table, heading towards her bedroom, leaving him alone. Not that he cared, Kaiba couldn't be guiled. If she wanted to give him the cold shoulder, she could. It wouldn't change anything.

Locking the door behind him, Kaiba scanned the living room before turning on the lights. He liked Anzu's small apartment. Unlike the old mansion that still didn't even feel like his house, this place belonged to its owner. It smelled like vanilla, something that seemed to have a soothing effect on Kaiba in ways that other odors didn't, and Anzu always had a hint of it on her skin even after coming back from Burger World.

Then there were the pictures she had framed on the bookshelves. A black haired woman with long hair, three similar looking daughters with brown instead, and a proud father with blonde hair and grey eyes who seemed far too relaxed in Kaiba's opinion for someone trapped in a household full of women. They all looked very attractive, but Anzu had the most youthful face of all of them, even more so than her younger sister.

Amongst the family portrait was a silver framed black and white photo. Picking it up to examine the shot, Kaiba could only make out the figure to be a ballet dancer at first, balancing on one pointed toe while her other leg stretched out perfectly aligned behind her. Looking closer he could see that it was Anzu, her face nearly unrecognizable behind the glittering makeup and pulled back hair. For once, she didn't look like such a kid.

"Liking what you're seeing?"

She was back, walking over in that curious manner of hers to see what he was holding in his hands Kaiba could only assume. Dressed back down in sweat pants and an oversized t-shirt with her hair in a ponytail, Anzu looked positively normal in comparison to the woman his eyes were looking at just a second ago. How did they manage to get her so cleaned up? At least he knew she'd look halfway decent at the dinner.

"When was this picture?"

"Which picture?"

Grabbing it out of Kaiba's hands, Anzu examined the shot before giving it back, smiling to herself. "This," she said in a rather satisfied tone, "was my first performance at college level dance a year back. We were doing Giselle and I had the lead. It was the best moment in my life."

"Do you still know the show?"

"By heart."

Sighing, Anzu turned around and collapsed on her couch rather dramatically, looking quite put out. Her eyes were staring out at the kitchen but her body didn't budge from its place. He couldn't tell what exactly she was thinking, but it appeared to Kaiba that she was arguing over something in her mind.

"It's late, I'm hungry and I can't make up my mind over what I want to eat."

"We could go out."

Blinking, she turned her head and stared at Kaiba. Maybe she wasn't too partial with that plan, but it wasn't like she kept much food in her house. From what he'd seen, all Anzu had was vegetables and fruit for snacks. There was very little of anything else besides that, and he figured it was because of her diet for dance.

"Depends on what it is, though. I need to watch what I eat, I have ballet auditions for "Cinderella" coming soon and my figure can't gain another pound before then."

"Gain a pound where?" thought Kaiba, but he didn't feel like getting into it with her. If she wanted to worry over dieting, that was her business. In his opinion, despite her curvy figure, Anzu was still too skinny. Her waist was tiny and she had hardly any fat on her. However, he doubted that she'd want to hear that from him.

"When's your audition?"

"A month from now. It's for parts at the fine arts program I'm going to in New York soon. I need to find out which character I'll perform, and I'm hoping for the Diamond Fairy. I know you don't know about ballet, but she has the best solo, in my opinion."

"… You're leaving to New York?"

This was news. Why hadn't she said anything about it before?"

"Yes Kaiba, I thought you already knew? I'm leaving for the summer and I'll be back in the fall in time for school again. It's just a temporary thing..."

"… Unless?"

"…Unless I get into the program for good. I might be able to transfer. That's what I'm hoping for."

"You're going to leave Domino for good so you can go dance in New York?"

"Yes. That's what I've wanted… Do you doubt my abilities?" she asked, frowning.

"How could I doubt you Mazaki, I've never seen you dance before."

"One day you should… I've thought of a place to go now. Come on."

Anzu jumped off the couch and quickly got her shoes on, looking almost kid like with the huge smile on her face. What she just got all excited over, Kaiba wasn't sure. The girl had more mood swings than he could keep up with, and her sudden energy kick threw him off. It made him wonder a little about her sanity too.

"Go for dinner?"

"Of course silly, why else would we be leaving the house?"

When she headed for the door, Kaiba swore to himself that Anzu had rolled her eyes at him. Calling him silly was insulting enough…

"Mazaki, don't call me silly. Ever."

"Why not?"

She stopped and leaned against the door, hands on her hips. It was like she was trying to be serious and intimidating, but just failed at it from the obvious way her eyes wouldn't stop smiling at him. Anzu appeared to be trying to keep something funny to herself and Kaiba wanted to know what…

"It's irritating."

"That can't be helped, you're an irritable person. Maybe if you'd lighten up some, it wouldn't be such a problem for you. Some would say you're being far too sensitive about it. Or, in my personal opinion, you take yourself far too seriously."

"Oh shut up."

Once out the door, Kaiba followed Anzu without question, much like an obedient dog. Never saying a word, his eyes stayed on her body as she walked ahead in that motion between a skip and a step, something so juvenile compared to the stalking sort of stride he made himself. How could she get so much enjoyment out of being like that? Especially when he couldn't see people taking Anzu too seriously, her youth was so obvious to everyone around her.

"Kaiba, are you ignoring me now?" she called out behind her, smiling to no one in particular.

"No."

"You've gone all quiet. I'm kind of getting worried about you now."

"Mazaki, I'm fine. Although you don't appreciate it being of the female persuasion, silence suits me. Sometimes I just don't feel like talking," he replied.

"Hmmm. Okay. As long as you aren't feeling shy now that we're in public together." She that in a rather teasing sing-song voice sort of way that made Kaiba's stomach flop at the last word. Together? They weren't together and he had nothing to be shy about. It wasn't a date.

"I don't get shy."

Anzu only smiled at that, and before Kaiba could say more, she stopped in front of an old looking shop. The place was dimly lit and smelled amazing, like limes and Asian basil leaves. Something delicious was waiting for him, and he was much more excited now to see that Anzu made a good dinner choice, despite annoying him half to death while getting there.

"I hope you like pho, Kaiba."

"Pho?"

"Beef noodles. I thought a man of the world like you must have had them before, but if not; you're in for a special treat!"

She took a seat in the back of the restaurant where they'd have some privacy away from the other customers who were too busy slurping their soup to notice their presence. Kaiba wasn't embarrassed to be in her company in public, but he hated the feeling of people's eyes creeping on him. People were always getting into his business, and if he could avoid the spot light in his personal time, it made him a very happy man.

Thankfully, Anzu knew that without having to be told. Their dinner location was small, with limited capacity, and was usually only full of local dinners. No one the businessman knew from the city would be around, nor would the press who liked to create rumors about his private life. They were across town chasing after lesser celebrities.

When the lady came to take their orders, surprisingly Anzu handled the entire thing. There was no menu to order off of and she seemed to know already what to get. "Two orders of large beef noodles with medium spice please." Within minutes, their soups had appeared, steaming flowing off the bowls as Anzu used her chop sticks to move around the food inside of it.

There were thick noodles in boiling liquid inside, with rare cuts of steak that cooked in the juices. The woman left behind a large platter of seasonings with cut limes, basil, green sprouts, onions, and chili to put on top for heat. Not afraid of spice, Anzu was generous with her's, turning the yellowish-gold soup red from chili sauce.

"This is the best comfort food in the world," she told Kaiba, before starting to eat it.

Kaiba looked at her for support before picking up his chop sticks and bringing some of the meat and noodles to his mouth. The taste was amazing. It was such a simple dish, but the flavors were rich and tense. He could taste the beef in the broth, which had to have stewed for hours. There were so many different things in it, and adding more lime just made his skin tingle with over stimulus every time he brought more to his lips.

"This is really good."

"See Kaiba? Just because I work in a burger joint doesn't mean I don't have good taste in food. You should put more faith in me next time."

The walk back had him content. Even though he was still behind his companion who didn't wait up for him, he left far less bothered than he did coming to the restaurant. Maybe the food was mind altering. Anzu's cherry disposition hadn't changed since deciding where to eat, not even when she paid the bill. Even when Kaiba tried baiting her into a tantrum, she took all his comments in stride.

Coming home, she only then frowned when Kaiba stopped in front of her doorway, unsure over entering again or not. It was late, and he was tired, but a small part of him wasn't quite ready to make the trip home yet.

But that was partly why he needed to go soon. He couldn't let Anzu trap him into staying, and he was being too dependent upon her already. She was going to leave him soon, and he'd be alone again. The nerve of Anzu, playing Kaiba so easily when she just planned on tossing him to the curb for New York as soon as the chance came, like he was something for her to use.

In that regard, she was like everyone else in his disappointing life.

"You're not leaving so soon, are you?"

She sounded hesitant to ask, but Kaiba just shrugged her off.

"I'll need to soon. It's late, and I have a meeting in the morning."

"Fine. I'll see you later then."

Narrowing her eyes at Kaiba, Anzu opened her apartment door and already planned to slam it in his face when Kaiba's hand stopped her. He had grabbed the door handle and being much stronger than she was, over powered her enough to step half way through before her grip loosened. Pride wouldn't allow him to just stand there and be shut upon.

"What's wrong with you, Mazaki?" he asked, looking pissed off while she avoided his eyes.

"Nothing."

"Stop lying. You were happy one moment and now you're pissed off with me. I can see it all over your face."

"… I don't like how you dismiss me so easily. It's like I don't mean anything to you. Do you even still consider me a friend or were you just lying? Probably not, you don't have use for friends."

He forced himself into the house. Walking inside, he shut the door to find Anzu close by in the dark, arms folded and defensive. He knew he wasn't going to be able to leave until she spilled everything off her chest, and leaning against the door, Kaiba prepared himself. This was a chance to set things straight before she got him first.

"I don't. Friends are distractions."

"Then what am I? A distraction? Some toy for you to play with for now until you've grown bored of me? I'm not some doll, and I won't be thrown around like I don't have feelings."

"I never insinuated anything with you."

"Am I your friend or not?"

"… You're not. If you thought you were anything more, you are sadly mistaken."

Her expression went from one of disappointment to anger.

"Then what, pray tell, am I to you?"

"You're nothing. A pretty distraction, and if you can't handle that, then I won't waste your time with my presence anymore."

She took a step closer.

"Good. I don't want to see your face here again."

"You won't. You're piss poor company, and it's no wonder why your friends have abandoned you here."

She moved closer again. Kaiba could feel her stare, their faces so close he could see the color in her eyes despite being in the dark. But when she tried moving past his body to unlock the door and kick him out, he didn't move. His body weight kept the door shut, and grabbing her hands, Anzu couldn't do much of anything besides try and break away.

"You can't force me out of here until I damn well feel like leaving."

She wouldn't have a chance breaking loose, his grip was too strong. Struggling did no good, especially when she found herself pinned against the door after failing to kick him in the shins. He was angry, and now awake from the sudden attack after threatening to stay against Anzu's will, Kaiba didn't feel like letting up anytime soon. Not until he won against her.

Anzu wasn't an easy opponent though.

"Yes I can. I'll scream," she threatened.

"You wouldn't dare-"

She closed her eyes and took a large breath. He only had a few seconds to decide what to do next before her voice carried through the entire neighborhood. Anzu wouldn't beat him so easily though, and despite calling check mate on him, he knew how to stop her. No one ever beat him at games.

Before Anzu could let her voice escape past her lips, Kaiba kissed her, hard.