This was only proof read by me, so I apologize for any grammar or spelling errors that may have occurred. Also, I appreciate all the reviews and please keep them coming. They help me keep this story on track. Enjoy!

Central park was one of those beautiful places that couldn't be missed on a trip to New York. Luckily for Anzu, she had gone there twice before, being taken by friends who were planning on boyfriend hunting amongst the half-naked male joggers who ran by. Although many different men came across Anzu and asked her out for dates, she couldn't accept them. Somewhere in her heart she knew it wasn't quite right, and turning each perspective male down, her mind wandered over the man she'd left home.

Now they were side by side, Kaiba looking rather out of place amongst the crowds of people. Despite looking so much like the Americans, there was something about the way he stood that gave himself away as a foreigner. When bikers came by, he didn't make way but practically dared them with his eyes to run him over. It was like a constant game of chicken, the bicyclists moving out of his way as he walked along the gravel path. Kaiba was so bad; he scared a man on a skateboard into almost running into a tree.

Anzu didn't pay him too much attention though. She had a place to find and it was at least a mile's walk away. The crowds of people didn't really appeal to her either and she wanted somewhere quiet to talk. It wasn't like she often got a chance to do anything with Kaiba outside of her apartment or some restaurant. This was special, and she hoped he'd find it at least somewhat entertaining. There were food vendors everywhere, and feeling slightly peckish, she looked around for something interesting to nibble on.

"I've never tried that before…"

Stopping right in the road, she turned her head to look at the man selling fish tacos out of his trailer. People were lining up for them, and assuming Kaiba saw it too, Anzu got in line. Trying to look over the shoulders of the customers in front of her, she got one good look at the food, her stomach beginning to rumble at the thought to having one. The corn tortilla was covered with white fish, cilantro, and some white sauce she couldn't make out. It looked divine.

"Anzu?"

Kaiba had turned around finding Anzu no longer by his side. Looking behind him, he spotted her standing in line on her tippy toes like some kid. Sighing, he turned around to join, taking a spot next to her while crossing his arms. It wasn't a big deal, but he made it out to be, slouching his shoulders like a pissed off teenager. Visibly sulking, he stood directly behind Anzu and waited.

Anzu could smell Kaiba's cologne, and when she turned her head, the girl nearly jumped out of her skin. He was standing right behind her, like a second shadow. She didn't hear him even walk in behind her. For someone so tall and noticeable, the man was great at sneaking up on people. It was like that night in Domino Park again. He'd done the same thing, following behind for several minutes before bothering to make his presence known. It made Anzu jumpy.

"Jerk," she said while placing her hands on her hips, "you need to start announcing yourself before you just surprise me like that." Her face was tight and her lips were pursed, Anzu's face becoming flushed as she fumed. That look of aggravation would have intimidated most men, but Kaiba just grinned at her.

"And miss out on your "graceful" reactions at being spooked? I think not."

She didn't like that grin he was giving her. Turning her back towards him again, Anzu folded her arms and stared at the trailer in front of her. The people all around were speaking rapid English, along with some pockets of Spanish. It was frustrating, not being able to communicate with people like before. Sure, she had Kaiba, but he was only one person, and a very anti-social one at that. He was perfectly fine with just talking to her.

Glancing at a band of teenagers, Anzu frowned a little. There was a short young girl, with a handful of guys there, all surrounding themselves near an ice cream stand. The youngest looking guy had on a hat with a pyramid on it, while the blond kid had a cartoon of cigarettes in his hands. They were all laughing over something, and it just made the aching in Anzu's heart begin to rise. Turning around, she tried to focus her attention on other things.

"I can't see how you're hungry already," started Kaiba, who over looked the teenagers. He didn't seem interested in the people around him, despite understanding their conversations as well as any native. Maybe it was the snob in him, but he just didn't care about any of it.

"If you don't want food, you don't have to have any," snapped Anzu.

"I won't. The fish looks questionable and I bet you ten thousand yen that shit will cut through your stomach."

"Doubt it," she replied, rolling her eyes, "if it was giving people food poisoning, no one would be eating this still."

"Fine then. Your funeral."

Kaiba was becoming irritating. In some ways he reminded her of Jonouchi, in how he could be. Although the duelist was usually pretty good natured around her, there was a time when the blond was a complete asshole. Everything that came out of his mouth was perverted or mean spirited, and Anzu wanted nothing more than to slap the grin right off his smirking face. Now an even more challenging guy had taken his place.

Yet, she was drawn to him.

"You know what Kaiba; maybe you shouldn't be such a damn wimp and actually try this with me. One little taco isn't going to kill you."

"No thanks, I'm not interested."

"I guess you're scared then."

He was so easily to bait. As soon as Anzu said that, his face went red and his eyes got narrow. It made her snort in amusement, and eyeing the man down, she didn't back off from the possible staring contest. Sure, Kaiba was intimidating, but in most moments like these she couldn't take him too seriously. His reactions were getting more predictable and he was so easily offended.

"I don't get scared Anzu," he shoot back, "and I don't want your dirty street tacos."

She answered while grinning up at him. "Then you must be scared."

"I'm not."

"Are too."

"Fine… I'll try one. But just one. If I end up throwing up all night from food poisoning, you get to clean it up."

Once again Anzu rolled her eyes while walking up to the counter to order her food. The line had died down while they argued, no one having a possible clue what it was about. Just like at the diner, they were bickering in Japanese, which caused a few heads to turn as Anzu got more animated. It was really something to watch, especially when Kaiba started going in and out of between English and Japanese. He wasn't even aware he was doing it.

"I swear," Whispered the man, "If this makes me sick during my conference-"

"Kaiba, you'll be fine."

It didn't take too long to ask for what she wanted. After ordering the food, the cook shuffled a little in the trailer before reappearing with two trays full of tacos. The tortillas had cod fillets covered in a zesty yogurt white sauce and cabbage pieces, along with cilantro. There wasn't any cheese on them, or anything else strange, and after taking them Anzu got back on the path towards the private place she knew about. Absentmindedly she passed one to Kaiba, who luckily grabbed it before she could drop the entire thing on the ground.

"I'm not eating all of this."

"Don't be such a baby, it won't kill you."

Kaiba frowned, following behind her like a loyal dog. "I'm not even hungry."

"Then I'll eat it."

Taking out one taco, she stuffed it into her mouth. The flavors were spicy yet creamy, a strange sort of heat that came over slow as the delicate fish fell apart in her mouth. It was nothing like the food at home, yet Anzu loved it. Street vendors in Japan had their own rendition of "Mexican" tacos, and it was nothing like that she was experiencing. Having another bite, Kaiba raised an eye brow as he watched her chew.

"It's good, you're missing out," she teased, going for her second one.

He didn't say anything. Glancing at him from the corner of her eyes, Anzu tried to make out what he was thinking by his expression. From what she could see, he was looking at her, although trying very hard to not appear obvious about it. Kaiba was a very good actor and Anzu knew he'd keep his distance as long as they were in public together. She found it slightly bothersome, not being able to enjoy him like she could if she was with someone else, but it wasn't worth fretting over. Life was full of trade-offs.

They were getting closer to her destination anyways. People were starting to thin out, and leaving the gravel trail, Anzu cut through the grass into the woods. Thankfully for her she was wearing gym shoes, although the tall grass and bushes scratched her bare legs as she crossed. A smart girl would have worn pants, but Anzu enjoyed the challenge. As long as no bee snuck up and stung her, she would manage.

Kaiba didn't seem too thrilled about it, though. He grumbled as his pants collected pollen, looking slightly dirty now that his Armani dress pants were covered in twigs and leaves. At least he wasn't wearing the expensive leather anymore. That would have been a personal tragedy.

"Where are we going?"

"To a place I know," responded Anzu, "be patient."

"I am being patient…"

His pants would survive. Besides, it was Kaiba's fault for dressing so well everywhere he went, and he probably had a change of clothes waiting for him at the convention. He'd be fine for the cameras, and everyone would get to see their favorite CEO all perfect for his speech. Anzu would never sabotage him, knowing how important his image was to him. In a strange way the Kaiba Corporation was like his child, and Anzu was wise enough to know what happened to people who got between parents and their children.

Thinking about it made her self-conscious about her own clothes. Dark jean shorts, a tank, and gym shoes wouldn't be enough for the event, especially if he planned on having her near him like at the party. Kaiba Corporation's anniversary dinner required more socializing than Anzu had originally anticipated on. Being so young, she didn't have much experience with it, but somehow she managed, mostly by luck and alcohol-induced charm.

"We're really close now Kaiba, so don't think I'm just trying to get us lost. I actually know where I'm going."

"Well that's a relief."

There wasn't anyone around anymore. It was quiet, and looking up at the tree tops, Anzu couldn't even make out the sky scrapers anymore. They could have been anywhere. She could only imagine what the rest of the United States looked like, but she wanted to see it. Were the woods the same everywhere? Surrounding them stood oaks, pines, maples, birches, and other species both new to her and different. Passing a familiar elm tree, Anzu knew she was almost there.

Trudging on, she looked behind at her companion. Kaiba was staring at the ground, trying to avoid stepping in mud. He was wearing the wrong sort of shoes as well as pants, the fancy leather getting muddy as they cut through the undergrowth. Leaves covered the ground, hiding pockets of thick mud that just loved sticking to them, and it made Anzu feel slightly guilty for taking him off the beaten path. No doubt his shoes were expensive and their little excursion had probably ruined them.

"How much longer?" Kaiba asked from behind, looking disgusted.

"No much."

There was a break in the trees, and crossing through it, the pair found themselves by the edge of a pond. Looking around, Anzu couldn't find any people around, so she placed the food down and took a seat against the trunk of a tree. She didn't care too much about getting her shorts dirty but since the grass was right under the sun, it wasn't all that wet anyways. Relaxing, she took another taco and handed it to Kaiba.

"Try it."

He just stared at it before sitting down next to her, leaning back against the same trunk so he could take it into his own hands. It wasn't all that warm anymore, but it still smelled spicy and appetizing. Then, after being stared down by Anzu for several seconds, he rolled his eyes and took a bite. His expression was hard to read, but the girl noticed the corner of his lips rising as he began chewing it.

"See Kaiba, I knew you'd like it," teased Anzu, "I don't get why you needed to be so damn stubborn about trying it."

"It was much better than I thought it would be."

Of course he'd give out a lame answer like that. Ignoring him, Anzu turned her attention back towards the pond. The water was so clear and she could spot some fish in it coming up to the surface for food. They didn't look like the beautiful koi she admired back at home, but it gave the place a more natural feel.

Along with the fish were several ducks and geese, all on the water with their babies, and the sounds of frogs that were hiding in the reeds. Unfortunately for Anzu, she knew very little about animals. Her parents never allowed her to have a pet and because of her schooling, the only thing she could have was a betta fish. Even that was still at home in Japan, being cared for by Ryou. Hopefully he hadn't killed it yet…

Ryou. She missed her friend. Thinking about him made her wonder how he was doing, it being months since she'd last talked to him. It was about time to make at least one call to see how he was doing. Besides, Anzu needed someone trustworthy to talk to about other things, and she didn't have any girl friends to talk to about it. The only person she could even think of discussing her little secret with was Ryou.

And he was all the way in Japan still. It made things hard, and furrowing her eye brows, Anzu tried to come up with a plan. Maybe that night she could try getting a hold of him, since she doubted that Kaiba planned on staying over again that night. He looked pretty irritated with her after having his clothes ruined, and there was also his conference. They didn't have much time before they'd need to get there and events like that were always draining.

However, a small piece of her wanted to stay with him. It was nice having someone to sleep next to. Even if the man snored, his body was warm and it put Anzu at ease not being alone in the apartment. At home she was used to it, but in New York it was different. Her roommate had bailed and even though she was only going to stay for one more month, it was expensive. If she hadn't been saving her tips for the last four years, Anzu would have been forced to the dormitories. Luckily, her finances ended up working out.

Soon, however, Anzu would be broke again.

"… I want to take you out for dinner tonight," said Kaiba, still staring at his half eaten taco. "I've taken you out before, but I don't think I've ever really asked…"

"No, you didn't. If I remember correctly, you just told me to show up somewhere and expected me to arrive," replied Anzu, still staring at the water. "If I had any sense, I would have stood you up."

"But you didn't."

"No, I didn't… I'll have dinner with you. What did you have in mind?"

"Some restaurant in the old meat packing district that my head accountant told me about where they serve Kobe beef. I don't know if you've ever tried it before, but it's something you'll never forget, I guarantee it."

"We'll see about that," said Anzu, smirking slightly. "When exactly does your conference end?"

"I only need to be there until seven. Then I can go disappear somewhere and no one will care too much about it. Although I have a speech to deliver, I'm not actually running this show. My head of product development is taking care of this. They only brought me here to show my support, so to speak."

"And do they have it?"

"Yes," answered Kaiba, "but I find this whole situation slightly frustrating. This is the second damn time I've brought this idea up to the board of directors, although these people are different from the last guys who used to be around. My shareholders had them replaced."

"Are you talking about those assholes that trapped us in the virtual world?"

"Yes, those idiots."

"Ugh… How did they get the job in the first place?" she asked, finally turning around to face Kaiba. He wasn't looking at her, but that didn't bother Anzu in the least. It was actually nice just admiring him without his eyes staring at her. Sometimes steady eye contact just made her feel slightly self-conscious.

"The company was different before I took over. But after that incident with the virtual world, my shareholders voted almost unanimously for an entire new board of directors. Unfortunately I didn't have enough time to push for my own people in those positions, but the new board members aren't too bad. They're like puppets actually, and as long as I keep them happy, they'll do whatever I want."

"And why's that?"

"Because I'm their chairman. I hold the most authority, and right now they couldn't fire me even if they wanted to. There would be a mutiny. So as long as this continues, I'm safe."

It all sounded complicated to Anzu, and if Kaiba went on with it any further, she was sure everything he would tell her would go way over her head. Business didn't interest her. Although she took a basic class in high school and passed it with flying colors, all understanding of the material went out the window once the exams were finished. The complex dynamics between executives and shareholders in corporations just didn't compute with her.

But Kaiba didn't seem interested in continuing. He started talking more about the actual technology he was developing, which was much more understandable. Anzu had experienced something similar to it once before, although it wasn't one of Kaiba's designs. During her entrapment inside Noah's world, she learned what it was like to be tricked into another reality.

Hell, she could remember seeing Kaiba's digital twin. It had scared the living crap out of her when he appeared out of nowhere, wearing the same clothes from the year before. Glancing at Kaiba, she wondered if he still remembered that or if he was too distracted then to have noticed. He had told her it was a copycat of himself, but maybe he was just saying that in general. Before a few months ago, he never really paid her any attention.

"In this virtual world," asked Anzu, still looking at Kaiba's face, "did you create any doubles of yourself?"

"A bunch of lookalike Seto Kaiba's running around in my own gaming system? No. I'm not that egoistical, despite what you all would like to believe."

"What about Mokuba?"

"Not this last time. I don't think he liked it so much when I turned him into a girl, so I didn't bother with him during my latest project. He told me it wasn't funny and if I ever did that again, he'd hack the system and make a female version of me."

"And you think he would, Kaiba?"

"I don't know, but he's smart and I'm not taking any chances…"

"Scared of your own little brother…"

She heard a snort, which Anzu took for indifference on Kaiba's part, but she couldn't help but laugh at that. It made her want to see him again. Mokuba probably wasn't the same spunky eleven year old she knew years ago, but it would be a treat to see him again. However, she knew how touchy Kaiba was about his personal life. He could take offense to her asking about him too much, since the man liked his secrets. Deciding to wait on asking later, Anzu just smiled at the thought.

"Not scared, per say," remarked Kaiba, rolling his eyes, "I just know better than to under estimate a Kaiba, even if he's younger than me."

"He's that smart?"

"Mokuba gets the top grade point average at his school and has the highest test scores. He's just… unmotivated to do anything with me at Kaiba Corp. Or maybe he is, but I threaten him. I'm not quite sure exactly, but he just never hangs around my office or does much of anything with me like he used to."

Listening quietly, Anzu took Kaiba's taco out of his hands. She didn't think he'd notice. "Well when I was his age, I always felt challenged by my older sister. She was the smart one who got into med school, and I never got as much attention as she did. You have to understand, everyone knows that you're a genius. That's a hard thing to live up to."

"I'm no genius; I just see what others don't pay enough attention to…" said Kaiba, still unaware of his missing lunch. "And I know how much potential he has. I don't see why he'd feel the need to hide that fact because of something as silly as feeling inferior."

"He's your brother; he doesn't want to disappoint you. Also, he's a teenage boy. You should remember still what that time was like."

"I try not to reminisce."

Kaiba turned to look at Anzu just when she stuffed her mouth full of taco, his eyes narrowing slightly when he noticed that it was his. She didn't care though, grinning at him cheekily before giving a slight moan of pleasure. Getting a rather disgruntled look back with a small trace of embarrassment, Anzu swallowed the food and turned her attention back towards the water. It was getting late, and soon they'd have to leave.

"I'm going to miss New York when I go back home," said Anzu, talking more out loud than directly to Kaiba. "I wish I didn't have to leave so soon."

The man next to her said nothing. His eyes just looked away and knowing just how he felt, Anzu didn't say anything more about it. She didn't want to leave him in the first place. But if she had stayed home and continued as she was, her life would have been like everyone else's. Go to college. Work a job. Get a boyfriend. Her parents would have no doubt approved of it, but Anzu didn't. She couldn't.

Hopefully Kaiba understood that. Looking one last time at him before standing up, she wondered if maybe it would be best to talk to him about it. He was staring away off into space, and it seemed too cruel to remind him that she couldn't be his. That something else would always be in the way, even if she could allow herself to love him. Anzu's mother had always told her that life was full of tradeoffs, and this was clearly one of them.

But watching Kaiba rise up, Anzu began to question that for the first time. He had smiled briefly at the water before turning around, heading back towards the main trail. If she hadn't been paying some attention to him, she would have missed it. Kaiba rarely ever smiled, but when he did, it was pure. It was in his eyes, and following behind to catch up, Anzu tried making sense out of it. For the first time it occurred to her that maybe ballet wasn't the only thing she wanted. Maybe ballet wasn't worth giving him up.