Chapter Eighteen:
Emotions and a Promise
Ocean View Hotel
Tea's Room
Saturday 7:10 am
Tea woke to the soothing hum of the alarm clock sitting on the small dresser next to her bed.
It was the same gentle sound she had opened her eyes to for the past few days during her stay at the Ocean View. Yet something was different about that morning…
There was a strange sensation in her mind…
It felt as if something had changed.
As she adjusted her eyes to the light of a new day, she noticed that the rain was still falling outside her window.
Through the drapes, she stared at the coconut trees swaying lightly in the wind, as the rain poured down onto the leaves.
She lay in bed for a few seconds, thinking of nothing….until the memory started pouring back into her mind like a smoldering cup of hot coffee…jolting her back to reality.
The memory burned into her mind causing her heart to speed up.
She had kissed Seto Kaiba!
She breathed in heavily as she put her hand over her forehead, feeling the full weight of what had happened crash down onto her.
She rolled over onto her side and lay staring at the time flashing across the screen of the alarm clock.
Could it have possibly been a dream?
She instantly remembered the taste of his lips and feel of his arms around her.
No, It wasn't.
It had happened! The memory was real!
She tried not to, but her thoughts wouldn't let her; she plunged herself into the moment once again.
Feeling her heart flooding with unparalleled emotion ….
Her pulse quickening with every breath as she allowed the memory to wash over her.
A few hours ago…
Tea's eyes remained closed as she allowed herself to enjoy the way Kaiba's lips felt against hers. She ignored every warning signal going off inside of her head. Her walls were desperately trying to build themselves back up again….but she wouldn't let them. This moment was unlike any she'd ever experienced. She wanted to enjoy it; she wanted him to keep kissing her, to keep touching her, to keep setting fire to her body.
Kaiba held her against him. He still couldn't believe what was happening but, he was glad that it was.
Her body was trembling and the cold air around them only accentuated the heat inside their own bodies.
He wanted to keep her there as long as he could; Blocking the rest of the world out of sight and out of mind. But he knew he would have to let go of her eventually.
He loosened his grip on her as he deliberately but slowly released her from his kiss, pulling his lips away ever so slightly. He saw her open her eyes as he drew back; giving them space and allowing them time to assess one another.
He studied her eyes as she stared back at him, keeping his hands around her waist. He felt her gently loosen her grip on him.
They simply stared at each other without a single word for a few seconds.
Tea noticed that his blue eyes were intent and full of compelling emotions.
Kaiba didn't wait for her to speak. He made it his responsibility to be the first.
He kept his voice quiet but sincere. She needed to understand how he felt….there was no more pretend. Everything had finally come to the light.
"…Do you resent me for that?"
Tea gazed into his eyes, unable to find her voice.
She was still trembling and she seemed reluctant to speak.
He waited for her to respond.
After a few short moments she managed to induce herself to say something.
"….No…"
She couldn't hold his stare. She averted her eyes but she didn't let go of him.
Kaiba understood her reluctance to look him in the eye.
He spoke again, his voice as sincere as before.
"…I… don't want you to think I'm forcing you to let me into your life…."
He paused, noticing that she was looking into his eyes again.
He continued, glad that he had gotten her full attention.
"...but …I'd be lying if I said…I didn't want you to."
Tea kept her eyes on his as he spoke. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest.
It was cold and the rain showed no signs of stopping.
She felt as if she had somehow been sucked into another reality.
His words seemed too unreal to grasp.
She listened to him as he continued.
"…I don't know how else to say this …other than to just tell you how I feel..."
Tea seemed to find a new helping of courage hidden behind her reluctance to accept the truth.
She imagined that it must've been extremely difficult for him to say those things to her.
So for his sake, she found her voice at last.
"…It's ok…
Her eyes were intense with feeling.
" …You don't have to say anything….I…understand…"
Kaiba listened to her intently as she went on.
"…because…I feel the same way…about you."
She averted her eyes again.
Kaiba felt something inside him stir. Her words were unexpected but more appreciated than she could ever imagine. He allowed her time to continue.
"…but…Is it really ok to feel this way? …The way I am now….I don't know if I can…"
Kaiba interrupted her before she could say anything else.
"You don't have to make a decision about this now…."
He lifted her chin so that she would look at him.
"..All I want… is for you to know that I'm here. Whatever you decide is fine with me, but…don't sentence yourself to a seclusion you don't deserve Tea…"
Tea gazed into his ocean blue eyes and saw nothing but intensity there.
He grazed his thumb over her check causing her entire body to succumb to fiery longing once again.
He kept his voice low and direct.
"When you're ready…you know where to find me."
Tea felt herself turning pink in the face, despite the cold.
She forced herself to respond, barely over a whisper as she looked up at him.
"…Ok…"
Kaiba kept his eyes on hers; feeling the urge to kiss her again slowing enveloping his sense of reason.
They stayed silent for a few moments longer, as Kaiba continued stroking her face.
He felt his feelings for her intensify and he could think of nothing else...
Just then, before either of them could say or do anything else, a pair of head lights stole their attention away from each other. They both looked in the direction of the approaching vehicle.
Kaiba swallowed hard as he let go of Tea; both of them stepping away from each other instinctively like teenagers caught in the act.
The jeep drove to a stop in front of the hut, the rain gushing over the windshield.
Opening the car door, an over anxious looking Ryan poked his head out into the rain.
"Sorry about the inconvenience Mr Kaiba, we'll take you two back to the hotel."
Kaiba scoffed as he rolled his eyes.
Talk about shitty timing! No wonder he reminded him of Wheeler!
He glimpsed at Tea, silently instructing her to follow him.
She did so without a single word; both of them running out of the hut and into the jeep.
Once settled inside, Mokuba turned to look at them from the passenger seat.
"Good thing I ran into Ryan at the bar just now, otherwise you two would have been stuck there for a while."
Kaiba folded his arms as he easily transformed into the king of jerks once again, not bothering to say anything.
Tea responded instead as she smiled at Mokuba.
"Thanks you guys."
Ryan replied, sounding enthusiastic.
"No problem Mrs Kaiba, can't have our most renowned guests catching a cold under our hospitality can we."
She smiled as they made their way across the beach. For some reason her title as Mrs Kaiba, still brought heat to her cheeks, even more so after what just happened between her and Kaiba.
Kaiba opted not to say anything. He glimpsed at Tea. She was staring out of the window, deeply lost in a world of thought.
He wondered what she was thinking about and if he had come on too strongly just now.
But whether that were the case or not, the truth of the matter was finally out in the open. They both had feelings for each other. Where they were headed from that point on was any bodies' guess. But he had a hunch this was only the beginning of something deeper.
Tea kept her eyes on the beach, thinking of the man sitting next to her. As unreal as it seemed, they had confessed the way they felt about each other and now there was no turning back. How was she going to handle this? How should she react around him from now on? And what kind of label should she put on their relationship? Were they actually a…couple now?
Questions bombarded her mind, none of which she had a plausible answer for.
She sighed inwardly to herself, not knowing how she should resolve the uncertainty of where she stood with the infamous CEO of Kaiba Corp.
Tea lay in her bed, still staring at the clock.
The rain falling outside made her feel like pulling the covers over her head and forcing herself to fall asleep again. Or maybe it wasn't the rain….maybe what she really wanted was…to avoid human contact with a certain someone.
She sighed as she urged herself to get up. She slowly sat up in bed, smoothing her hair out of her face. For a moment Kaiba was all she could see in her mind. Everything he had said to her felt like something from a dream. But she knew trying to avoid the situation wouldn't erase the moment they shared. And maybe that was a good thing; despite all of her efforts to deny it, she knew the kiss they shared wasn't something she wanted to forget about. She wanted to savor the memory and keep it close to her. Her feelings for Kaiba were already out of her control and she liked the way they made her feel inside. It was the first real taste of happiness she had allowed herself to grasp since she and Yami parted ways.
Maybe moving on would be just what the doctor ordered. But she had to be careful; as far as she knew she was still walking on shaky ground.
She slipped out of bed, heading straight into the bathroom.
It was time to brave a new day…and possible something else.
Kaiba's room
8:00am
Kaiba lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. His hands were clasp behind his head and he was lost in thought. He couldn't seem to get Tea out of his head, since he opened his eyes that morning.
The TV was on but he couldn't hear it. Nothing seemed important or interesting enough to pull his mind away.
He had trouble sleeping that night, and had woken much earlier than he would have preferred that morning. The way Tea's lips felt against his, haunted his memory and as much as he tried to fight the feeling, he knew he wanted nothing more than to taste them again. The absurdity of the situation he found himself in was enough to send the old him packing and running for the door. But things were different now…she was different. He was serious about her…about wanting to be with her…about wanting to be the one she turned to.
He blew out a breath, his messy brown bangs shifting out of his eyes as he allowed himself to ponder.
As he thought about it, he realized that he had never actually been in a serious relationship before. Based on his experiences, everything he knew about romances were shallow and one sided.
He was no virgin and although few, he had had his share of romantic encounters with the opposite sex but this was nothing like those other times.
He had no idea what he was going to say to her the next time he saw her. But he knew he had better get his act together. He had made her a promise and he intended to keep it. When she finally decided to let him into her life, he needed to be ready for the responsibilities that came with the title.
The rain continued to pour as he finally made a real effort to reach for the T.V remote lying next to him on the bed.
Tea poured herself a cup of chocolate milk. She had already gotten dressed and had decided to have a small breakfast before venturing out of her hotel room.
Since the rain was showing no signs of stopping she doubted very much Mokuba had anything planned for them that day. Maybe she could use this downtime to her advantage. She had a lot of things to think about.
As she took a sip of the smoking cup of hot chocolate, she was startled by the sound of her cell phone buzzing lightly on the tiled counter. She stared at it as it vibrated, as if she was indecisive about reaching for it. She put the cup back onto the counter, biting down on her bottom lip as she reluctantly picked it up. To her relief however, it wasn't the man she had been avoiding the entire trip. Instead, it was another unexpected call from her Dance Instructor back in Japan.
Her heart was hesitant.
Did she dare to step into that world again?
It had taken her a considerably long time to convince herself to pack away her dreams and store them away inside a gilded box never to be touched or tampered with again.
How on earth was she supposed to undo such a sturdy resolution and waltz her way back into hoping a second time?
Despite herself she knew she had already made a promise to her instructor that she would give it another shot; yet she couldn't seem to find a plausible reason why she did.
She sighed not knowing what she should do.
She stared at the phone ringing inside her hand for a few moments longer.
Finally she made her decision.
Despite all of her fear and indecision she accepted the call.
For well over a few minutes, her dance instructor felt the need to apologize; First for not keeping in contact with her and secondly for adding her name to the list of Julliard applicants all those months ago.
Tea was glad for the gesture of kindness.
The conversation thereafter however, drifted into the subject which Tea feared the most; her future in relation to a new & improved dancing career.
"Ms, Reyuna, I really don't know how to say this but…I'm not sure that I like dancing anymore."
Ms Reyuna's voice reflected deep & troubled concern.
"..But Tea I don't understand, what happened to make you change your mind about this?"
Tea felt the hurt she had shoved at the back of her mind for the past few weeks, threatening to rear its ugly head again.
She breathed deeply before responding.
"…A lot of things have changed Ms Reyuna; and I….just can't see myself going back…"
"But, I thought you told me that you would think about coming to the audition…."
"…I did, and I have thought about it, and I've realized that I…. don't love dancing anymore."
Tea heard silence on the other end of the line.
It was obvious that her instructor was upset by what she had said.
But what should she have said? Should she simply lie to herself?
Or maybe, saying she didn't love dancing anymore….maybe that was the lie.
Maybe she was just scared…scared to face the part of her that she had thrown away along with the love she thought she would have forever.
Eventually, after a few moments of silence, her Instructor responded…her voice surprisingly sympathetic and understanding.
"Tea, I wouldn't be a hundred percent honest if I said I wasn't disappointed…but I did make a promise to you, I told you that I'd support your decision…no matter what it was..."
Tea smiled, feeling grateful.
"…Thank you…"
"..But, all I can say is that, I'll never stop believing in you Tea. The audition is still open, exactly one month from now. If you feel even the slightest change of heart….please, don't run away from it."
Tea sighed quietly.
"…I…understand."
After a few good natured well wishes, they finally ended their conversation.
Tea replaced the phone onto the counter, looking pensive and deeply resonated in her instructor's words.
She took a deep calming breath as she reached for her cup of chocolate milk again. She walked out to the balcony, peering out at the rain.
The beach was void of any sign of human life and the ocean was gray and choppy. The wind whipped around her and for some reason she loved the feel of it against her body. Her senses seemed more at ease when she was standing amidst nature's elements. Somehow, the sound of the rain reminded her that all of her frustration was only temporary and could easily be washed away.
She took another sip of her morning pick me up, feeling a longing she never knew she could feel for any other man. It didn't surprise her that Kaiba's embrace was all she could think about as her thoughts drifted away into the stormy blustery weather.
Kaiba's Room
9:32 am
Mokuba beamed as his older brother opened the door.
"Morning big brother!"
He didn't wait for a response, knowing all too well the kind of greeting he would receive.
Kaiba closed the door behind them as Mokuba ran into the room.
"Is there a reason you're so hyper this early in the morning Mokuba?"
"…Uh, no..I'm just happy to see you Seto…"
Kaiba scoffed, as he returned to the pantry to fix himself a cup of coffee.
"Happy to see me huh….I guess it has nothing to do with this Rebeeca that keeps calling you right?"
Mokuba plunged himself onto the couch and grabbed the remote.
"…Of course not Seto…whatever gave you that idea?"
Kaiba shook his head with amusement as he poured the hot water into his mug.
His brother was growing up before his very eyes, and his smart mouth was beginning to sound a little more like his own with every passing day.
The smell of the freshly brewed French Vanilla coffee finally made him feel like he was actually awake. He had done nothing but laze around the apartment all morning thinking about Tea.
The idea of spending more time with her made him anxious. He wanted to see her; A little too badly to be considered healthy.
But he knew charging carelessly into things would only prove to be unwise.
He would have to bide his time with her, he cared about her too much to risk causing her any more pain.
Eventually he would have her; he just needed to be patient.
Just then, before he had a chance to ponder on anything else, he felt his cell phone go off inside his pocket.
He irritably stopped what he was doing and fished it out, whipping it open.
-"This better be important…."
…
-"…What? I didn't put you in charge so you could screw up the entire deal!"
…..
-"…obviously that's impossible, I'm out of the country right now you moron!"
Mokuba overheard his brother conversing over the phone from the living room. He cringed to himself.
At times like these he was glad Seto was his brother and not his boss.
-"…How much money are we talking about here? Gimme something solid!"
Kaiba sighed in frustration.
-"...Fine….then I guess it can't be helped! Think you can keep it from getting worse before then? Or is that not part of your job description!
…
-"Good, you should be! I'll deal with you and this situation when I get back!"
He shut the phone, looking extremely annoyed.
He shoved it back into his pocket, angrily switching his attention back to his cup of unmade coffee.
"Is everything ok big brother?"
Mokuba propped himself over the back of the couch, his full attention on Kaiba.
"Looks like that idiot screwed up the deal with Skynet.".
"…So does that mean, everything's off?"
Kaiba hesitated before responding.
"..Not yet, I'm supposed to meet with them before the end of the week to discuss the contract"
He finished making his cup of coffee and headed into the living room to join his brother.
Mokuba slid back into the couch, looking worried.
"So what does that mean? "
Kaiba took a seat in the single couch closest to the balcony.
He paused for a few seconds before responding, looking hesitant.
He paid close attention to his brother as he spoke.
"Mokuba…I'm sorry, but...I might have to cut our vacation short by a few days."
Mokuba looked back at him, with disappointment overshadowing his face.
"…But Seto, you promised you wouldn't let work get in the way of our vacation…Isn't there some other way?"
Kaiba looked back at him, apologetically.
"…There's no one else…I'm the only one who can do this…"
Kaiba saw the look of disenchantment in Mokuba's eyes and immediately regretted his decision.
But he knew there was nothing that could be done. As much as he wanted to this time, He couldn't shirk his responsibilities as CEO of Kaiba Corp.
Mokuba let his shoulders droop as he sighed miserably.
"…I guess being wealthy comes with a price huh Seto…"
Kaiba looked at his brother with real concern in his eyes. He hated having to make decisions like this one and he felt as if there was nothing else he could do. His decisions were always difficult and somehow it was always Mokuba who ended up paying for them each and every time.
At moments like this one, he wished he could trade it all for his brother's happiness.
Unfortunately, the world didn't work that way.
He sighed helplessly.
"… It's only a few days Mokuba…We still had a good time didn't we?"
Mokuba smiled halfheartedly.
"..I guess…, I just wanted us to spend more time together and…I wanted you to relax and not have to think about Kaiba Corp for at least a few more days…."
Kaiba understood his disappointment all too well and somehow he felt like the villain in all this.
"Mokuba…I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do about it. You know I wouldn't do this if I didn't absolutely have to."
Mokuba looked back at his brother supportively, despite his disappointment.
"…its ok big brother, I understand."
Kaiba couldn't help feeling like scum. Why did this always have to happen, it wasn't fair to him or his brother.
They paused for a bit as Kaiba reclined, taking a sip of his coffee at last.
Mokuba looked at his brother broodingly.
"Um…Seto, can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
Mokuba hesitated, but continued anyway.
"….uh, is something really going on between you and Tea?"
Kaiba felt the sudden mention of Tea, crash into his psyche, jolting his attention.
"…Where did this come from all of a sudden?"
"Well, yesterday, you told those girls that she was your girlfriend…"
"I only told them that to get them off her case…"
Mokuba decided to press on. Judging by his brother's tone, he was definitely hiding something.
"…Ok, so the fact that you actually defended her means nothing right?"
"Those girls needed a good scolding, if anything; I was doing society a favor."
He took another sip of his coffee, hoping his brother would drop the subject altogether, Unfortunately Mokuba wasn't one to back away from anything.
"But, you two have been spending a lot of time together; you even spent a night in the same hotel room! "
"And your point would be?…"
Mokuba looked at his brother knowingly.
"Come on Seto, don't you think I'm old enough to fit the pieces together? You like her don't you?"
Kaiba felt outwitted.
He tried to formulate a valid response in his mind, but he gave up just as fast.
He sighed, knowing full well that he wouldn't be able to lie to his brother…and judging by what happened between him and Tea last night, it was only a matter of time before he found out anyway.
He sighed, Frustrated with defeated.
"….Fine, I like her ok…happy?"
Mokuba beamed as if he had just won the lottery.
"I knew it!"
Kaiba rolled his eyes as he took another sip of coffee.
'So did you tell her? Do you want me to?"
Kaiba blew out a frustrated breath as he rose from his seat.
"Mokuba, would you just drop it already, I told you I like her, so just leave it at that ok! I don't want to hear another word about it!"
"Aye Aye big brother."
Mokuba pretended to salute, feeling giddy with childish excitement.
His brother and Tea falling for each other was exactly what he had hoped would happen.
Kaiba walked out onto the veranda, staring out at the beach. The rain continued to pour down onto the island. Everything was hazy and white and he couldn't see much of anything in the distance.
His thoughts wandered back to Tea. He still wanted to see her and he wondered what she was doing alone in her room. With everything that's happened between them and the way he felt about her, he wondered what the coming days had in store for them.
Mokuba reclined into the couch feeling irritable. He flipped through the channels aimlessly, hoping for something to grab his interest. After a few minutes he finally gave up, stopping on one of the island's local channels. There was an advertisement about the Ocean View Hotel hot spots going on; nothing of real interest. Since they were going to be leaving earlier than expected he didn't see the need to schedule any more hotspot excursions.
He sighed as he continued staring blankly at the advertisement. Suddenly one of the attractions caught his attention.
Hmmm…
It was an exclusive guest only night club.
Like clockwork the wheels in his head started to turn.
He whipped out his phone to record the contact numbers, a mischievous smile spreading across his lips.
Tea was curled up on the couch, watching the rain fall outside. Her mind was in a state of perplexity; all her thoughts clustering into a mesh of unstructured clouds.
Interestingly enough, her life had suddenly turned into a sequence of unanswered questions.
She laid out the details in her mind like a list of newspaper headlines.
First there was the issue of her dancing career. Was she really being truthful to herself about not wanting to follow her dreams again?
Then there was the issue of Yami. Why was he trying to be a part of her life again? It just didn't make any sense to her at all.
And then, last but certainly not least…there was Seto Kaiba.
This was where her questions ended.
Her pulse quickened at the thought of him.
Although she was uncertain about their relationship, there was something inside of her that wasn't so indecisive. She had feelings for him….Real feelings. And now, after the way he kissed her, she knew her heart would never be the same.
The sentiment was enough to make her feel like she was trapped inside a dream.
She had no idea how she was going to face him after all that's happened. But she knew she would have to find the courage somewhere, and fast. Kaiba wasn't one to be taken lightly.
Just then, there was a sturdy knock on the door.
She felt a jolt of electric anticipation rush through her body, fearing the worst.
Oh no, what if that was Kaiba?
She didn't realize how much his kiss had affected her until that very moment.
The prospect of facing him, made her feel like jumping out of the window and running through the rain in the opposite direction.
God, get a grip!
She scolded herself for being such a coward.
She swallowed hard as she forced herself to get up off the couch.
It was cold so she had slipped a baby pink cardigan sweater over her t-shirt.
She pulled the sleeves over her wrists trying to keep herself as warm as possible before venturing out to face the inevitable.
Her heart was pounding as she made sure her hair was still in place.
She scolded herself again for acting like a silly schoolgirl.
She crossed the living room and headed straight to the door.
She took a deep calming breath as she gently pulled it open.
Just as she had fearfully anticipated, Kaiba was standing in her doorway, looking down at her with those gorgeous ocean blue eyes of his, captivating her instantly.
Their eyes met in a clash of emotion rushing back into each of their bodies. Kaiba welcomed the sight of her. Instantly, everything they felt and everything they shared with each other the night before, gushed back into his memory. For a moment everything else seemed to fall away.
Tea looked up at him, her heart hammering in her chest. Her emotions were spilling over.
His eyes were even bluer than she remembered them.
She felt unhinged in his presence; like she was falling to pieces under his gaze.
She looked up at him not knowing what to say.
Kaiba forced himself to swallow the emotion threatening to drown his senses.
He saw her discomfort and decided that it was his responsibility to make her feel at ease around him.
He sighed hopelessly, the way he usually did, but he kept his voice as reassuring as he could.
"Relax, I'm not gonna kiss you."
Although stiff with unyielding anxiety, Tea felt a large part of it disappear under her amusement.
Despite the hurricane going on inside her, she managed to smile at him.
Kaiba felt something tighten in his chest as he looked at her beautiful smile.
She responded looking shy and as cute as a button.
"Good to know."
She felt her cheeks turning red and she felt like sinking into the ground. She pulled her eyes away from his, feeling the full weight of his gorgeous gaze taking its toll on her.
Kaiba saw that her eyes were full to bursting with unspoken emotion for him and he knew she was scared to let him see. But he was able to read her like an open book.
He stared at her, fighting the urge to pull her into his arms.
He eventually remembered the reason he had come to see her in the first place.
"So, can we talk?"
She looked back up at him, feeling the butterflies in her stomach having a party at her expense.
She nevertheless found the strength to respond; Patting herself on the back for not making a total fool of herself.
"..Yea, sure."
She stepped aside for him come in.
As he passed by her she felt the tension in her body start to intensify again.
She followed him into the living room, biting her lip and trying desperately to gather herself while she was momentarily safe from his piercing stare.
He walked over to the middle couch and casually took a seat. She did the same, opting for the couch next to his.
She sat quietly, fiddling with the edges of her sweater before finally looking at him. His arms were folded comfortably and he was staring at the floor as if he was deep in thought about something.
When he finally looked at her, she felt another jolt of intimidation run through her body.
He spoke first. His voice much kinder than it usually was.
"So, after last night, I take it you'll be trying to avoid me for the rest of the trip right?"
She felt heat rising to her checks again; his directness taking her by surprise.
"…No…why would I do that?"
"…Cuz you're afraid of me…even more, now that I've kissed you."
He kept his eyes glued to hers.
Tea noticed right away that he was trying to intimidate her the way he usually did. She was grateful; his childlike taunting made her feel more at ease.
She smiled, keeping her blushing to a bare minimum.
"...Despite what you think, I've never been afraid of you…"
"…If you weren't then…..you are now."
She found herself blushing again, averting her eyes in the process.
"…I'd hate to admit it…but, you're probably right about that."
Kaiba loved the way she sounded when she was being shy; there was something seductively innocent about it.
"Don't worry…. you're safe. I only drink human blood on special occasions."
She smiled again, impressed by his wit and knack for controlling the conversation.
"…ok, good …as long as you give me the heads up."
"…Nah, I think it's better if you're constantly on your toes, it's more fun that way."
She felt herself succumbing to her girlish tendency to cringe under his unnerving confidence.
Kaiba was glad that he was able to get their little kissing scenario out of the way first, before he went on to anything else. Apparently he had made the right judgment call; being open about it eliminated most of the tension between them.
He wanted to discuss the way they felt about each other, but he decided that he would only be going against his promise to her.
He had told her that he was willing to wait for her and that she didn't have to force herself to let him into her life. So despite the way he felt at that moment, he knew he had no other choice but to leave the matter alone for now.
Instead he decided that it was time to focus on the other more pressing matters at hand.
He continued.
"Anyway, the real reason I came was to tell you I got an important call this morning from Kaiba Corp and I think we'll have to head back to Japan earlier than expected."
"Oh really, what's wrong? Did something happen?"
He blew out a frustrated breath, thinking about the whole messy contract situation.
"Nothing I can't handle, the idiot I put in charge managed to mess up one of my contracts with an important client."
"Oh, ok…"
As he spoke to her, Tea started to feel more at ease.
"Leaving here earlier isn't a problem for me but…Mokuba's not too happy about it."
Tea saw the concern in his eyes for his little brother and immediately felt the approbation building up in her chest.
"Yea, I guess he would be upset about that. This vacation means a lot to him."
She looked away, a worried expression on her face.
Kaiba noticed that she seemed equally concerned about Mokuba. Her tendency to care about others was always something he admired in her.
"Yea he is…"
For a moment Tea thought she saw him hesitate, but it was gone as fast as it reared its head so she dismissed it.
He continued.
"…That's why he was able to back me into a corner."
She frowned, looking perplexed.
"What do you mean?"
"The hotel is having a grand opening of their new Night Club tomorrow night…"
"…Ok…but, what does that have to do with backing you into a corner?"
Kaiba sighed, looking defeated.
"He wants me to take you to the premiere tomorrow…"
He paused
"…as my date."
Tea felt his words pierce through her, jolting the butterflies in her stomach into frenzy again.
She tore her eyes away from his and stared at the floor, looking mortified.
Kaiba couldn't help feeling amused at her tendency to panic over the slightest of things.
He leaned forward so that he could get her attention again.
"Would that be a problem for you?"
She looked back at him, feeling intimidated again. But she responded, nevertheless.
"..Not…Exactly..."
Kaiba listened to her attentively.
"So what's wrong?"
He watched her struggle within herself. She hesitated but was able to respond all the same.
"….Are…. you ok with people seeing us together?"
Kaiba studied her expression seriously, seeing the self-doubt practically drowning her eyes.
"Why would I have a problem with that?"
She hesitated again but continued.
"…I'm… not a public figure like you…"
Kaiba noticed that she was avoiding his eyes and he could tell that for whatever reason she was starting to feel insecure about their transition.
'Are you still worrying about what those walking cans of hairspray said to you yesterday?"
She smiled a bit, obviously amused by his choice of words. But it faded too soon.
She responded.
"…Not exactly, it's just that I know I…don't really …fit in around here…"
The tone of her voice made it easy for him to understand what she was going through. She was obviously, blissfully unaware of how special she was…..and it bothered him.
He lowered his voice, so she would look at him.
"…You're right, you don't..."
His statement made her look up at him.
His eyes were sincere.
"…because you're not rotten to the core like the rest of us."
He was glad to see her smile.
Tea noticed that his eyes were soft and comforting. He was concerned about her, and it made her grateful. She looked down at her lap again, unable to hold his piercing gaze.
She fiddled with the edge of her sweater.
Kaiba took the opportunity to shift the conversation back on track. Being direct was always best.
He paused before continuing.
"So… does this mean you're gonna turn me down?"
Tea looked at him again; Perplexity shadowing her features.
"Turn you down? You say that like you were the one that arranged this…I thought this whole thing was Mokuba's idea."
"It was, but that doesn't mean I can't take advantage of the opportunity."
Tea felt the blood rushing into her face again. She tried not to, but her curiosity wouldn't let her. She summoned the courage to ask.
"So… is this like…a real date?"
Tea noticed the devilish glint in his eyes.
"It can be whatever you want it to be…..do you want it to be a real date?"
Tea felt the full weight of his question crashing down on her head like a ton of bricks.
Yet, despite all the pressure building up inside her body, she couldn't stop herself from responding.
"…Maybe…"
Her voice was soft and a bit fearful, but Kaiba knew exactly what to make of it.
He smiled at her, glad that she was finally opening up to him.
"So is that a yes?"
Despite all the butterflies fluttering inside her stomach she managed to speak again; finding the courage to look him in the eye.
"…Yes…"
Kaiba stared back, satisfied with her answer; his deep ocean blue eyes reflecting his approval.
"Okay…then it's settled…."
His looked at her intensely.
"…it's a date."
Tea felt her heart pounding in her chest. It was a feeling like no other staring into his eyes; frightening and at the same time exhilarating.-Enough to make a girl lose all sense of emotional control.
Just then a whirring sound interrupted their moment.
Kaiba drew back irritably shoving his hand into his pocket to retrieve his buzzing cellphone.
"What?"
Tea was amazed at how easy it was for him to transform into business mode. He did it with so much confidence and ease it was almost…sexy.
She watched silently as he argued with the unfortunate soul on the other end of the line.
As she took the time to let her thoughts marinate, she suddenly realized something detrimental.
She felt girlish panic grip her chest.
She was glad he was distracted and he didn't see the look of mortification on her face.
She kept silent until he was finally finished with his phone call.
He sighed in frustration as he shoved the phone back into his pocket. As he drew his attention back to her, he noticed the worried expression on her face.
"What's the matter?"
She hesitated, feeling reluctant and a bit embarrassed.
"…Well...I…don't really have anything… appropriate to wear tomorrow night…"
Kaiba smirked mischievously as he folded his arms again.
"And you're worried about this why?"
"Well, it's not like I can stroll in there wearing nothing but my bathing suit."
"…I guess you're right; too many guys looking at you the wrong way, means too many assassination orders…I hate dealing with red tape."
Tea smiled, feeling the urge to blush.
For some reason the thought of him being jealous over her, made her insides turn to mush.
Kaiba was glad he could make her smile but he sensed she didn't actually feel any better about her wardrobe predicament. In his opinion she looked beautiful in anything she wore but he decided that girls weren't always as simple as men.
He decided to put her mind at ease.
"..Don't worry about it okay, Last time I checked I think the hotel has a shopping complex somewhere on the island. I'll take you there tomorrow. You can choose something then."
Tea felt the muscles in her stomach tighten.
"…But I won't feel right, having you spend money on me like that…"
He sighed.
"Have you forgotten who you're talking to? Not to brag or anything, but money isn't really an issue for me."
"…..I know but…"
He cut her off before she could finish.
"You need an outfit so I'll make sure you get one, it's that simple."
Tea knew when she was defeated. His confidence was almost scary sometimes.
She sighed.
"..Fine…"
Kaiba kept his eyes on her, sensing her inner battle with uncertainty and self-doubt.
It was in his hands now; he would rescue her from herself.
He leaned forward again. Her hands were resting on her lap. He placed his hand reassuringly over hers; holding it firmly so she would be able to feel the truth in his words.
He lowered his voice so she could hear the sincerity in it, captivating her with his eyes.
"Don't worry, it'll be fine…you're safe with me."
Tea stared back at him, feeling her pulse quickening. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't stop staring back at him.
She nodded.
"…ok…"
Kaiba felt her pulse as he held her hand under his. The feel of it heightened the way he felt as he stared at her.
"…And…just so you know, or in case you weren't sure…every word I said to you last night was real….."
He tightened his grip ever so slightly.
"…So trust me…I want you to."
Tea felt as if she were falling into a dream state and Kaiba was the only thing keeping her from fading away. Her heart was pounding and she couldn't stop herself from savoring the warmth he injected into her heart.
She felt the words begging to spill from her lips and she knew she couldn't stop the need to voice the way she felt.
She allowed herself to speak to him without restriction.
She kept her voice quiet and meaningful.
"…Is that… all you want from me? My trust?"
Kaiba felt the implication of her words. And he responded truthfully.
"…I think you know what I want…."
By the look in his eyes, Tea knew that he meant every word.
His words rippled in her mind, as if they were imagined.
She pulled her eyes away again, unable to face the intensity.
"..But I…"
He interrupted one more time.
"…But like I said before, I'm not forcing you….take your time…..then….. make a decision."
Kaiba knew she was scared and he couldn't blame her. In a matter of a few hours their relationship had transitioned a full 180 degrees. A few months ago they were practically worlds apart, mere acquaintances who barely tolerated one another….now they were staring into each other's eyes, on the brink of becoming something more.
He kept holding her hand, waiting for her to take in everything he had said to her.
She finally looked up at him, after a few seconds of gathering her thoughts.
"…You're serious about this…."
It was more of a statement than a question.
He responded seriously.
"..I am."
Giddy with disbelief and girlish introversion, she stared back at Kaiba.
It was like something from a movie but she willed herself to remember that it was real.
She returned his gestures with a smile.
She nodded, understanding what he was willing to give and feeling a bit more confident.
"..Ok, I'll consider your offer; after all, you're the boss Mr. Kaiba."
Kaiba smiled back amused by her choice of words.
"Good, don't ever forget that."
His voice was provocative and it sent shivers through her entire body.
As she looked at him she suddenly felt the urge to kiss him.
Where the hell did that come from?
But could you blame her?
She had actually done the unthinkable…a fan girl's dream…locking lips with the infamous CEO of Kaiba Corp.
And he was good…better than anyone could ever imagine.
All she could think about at that moment was kissing him and having him touch her the way he did before.
Her cheeks involuntarily burned crimson with inner embarrassment over her inability to control her hormones.
God, you would think that she had somehow receded back into a teenager.
Kaiba noticed that she was turning pink and he didn't have to think hard to know why.
He was holding her hand after all and the subject wasn't exactly what you'd call 'friendly conversation.'
He couldn't lie to himself; he wanted to kiss her again.
He had to use every ounce of his inner strength to keep himself from doing just that.
There was a time and place for everything…and now wasn't either.
They had their first date tomorrow, courtesy Mokuba's meddling, and he would just have to wait for everything between them to unfold naturally.
Until then, he would just have to curb his insatiable desire to do 'bad' things to her.
His mind scolded him for being overbearingly primal.
Before they could say anything else, another unwelcomed call interrupted their moment.
Kaiba casually let go of her hand as he sighed angrily.
Tea watched as he reclined comfortably into the couch, whipping out his cellphone once again.
She stayed silent as he bantered back and forth with the unfortunate person on the other end of the line.
She glanced out the sliding door, leading to the balcony. The rain was still pouring and the wind was a bit stronger than it was a few minutes ago.
For some reason the weather only accentuated the way she felt. It was so cozy sitting there in such a lovely living room taking to him like that. Her heart felt content.
After a few minutes, Kaiba was finally done with his phone call.
He was frustrated and it showed.
He sighed
"Sorry to cut our conversation short but, looks like I have some urgent stuff to take care of."
He rose to his feet.
Tea rose as well, looking concerned.
"…Is it the contract again?"
"Yea."
They both crossed the living room.
Tea opened the door for him to leave.
As he stood out in the hallway, Tea intervened.
"..Do you need any help?"
He turned to look at her.
"…I mean I am still your secretary right?"
Tea saw his trade mark of a smirk pull across his lips.
"…Secretaries don't usually make out with their bosses."
Tea felt herself blushing again, but she was never one to back away from his challenges.
She smiled shyly.
"…You kissed me remember…"
"And you kissed me back…so I guess we're even."
Tea folded her arms in amusement.
Were they actually flirting?
It was strange but for some reason she felt like playing along.
"So does this mean my services aren't needed anymore Mr Kaiba?"
"Highly unlikely…besides…after tomorrow night, if you play your cards right…you might just get a promotion."
Tea felt her heart start to hammer inside her chest. Flirting with Seto Kaiba wasn't for the faint of heart.
The butterflies in her stomach rekindled the party again.
She couldn't respond.
She dragged her eyes away, turning red.
Kaiba was glad he was able to make her blush so easily. Winning was something he did well and without much effort.
"Just make sure you're ready for what's coming…"
Tea reluctantly stared up at him again.
She assumed that he was referring to their date tomorrow night but there was something playful in his eyes…something dangerously suggestive.
She simply nodded, despite the fact that she was still turning pink.
"…Don't worry, I will be…"
She had no idea where her courage was coming from but she was grateful for the strength.
They finally parted ways, both retreating to their respective hotel rooms.
Tea propped her back against the door, looking up at the ceiling, her heart still beating heavily in her chest.
Her reality was about to be changed forever…and even if she wanted to, there was nothing she could do to stop it. Her dormant love life was about to be jolted back into the world of the living again… sooner than she had time to prepare herself for...
The day went by slowly. With the rain, there was little they could do.
Kaiba had spent the remainder of the day tying up loose ends and liaising with Kaiba Corp personnel.
Mokuba had decided to give him some privacy so that he could work without any distractions.
He and Tea had spent most of the day in her room, watching TV and discussing certain topics of interest; mainly, the fact that she and his brother had actually admitted to falling for each other.
By the time they had parted ways at the end of the day, Tea had enough anxiety to make her want to catch a flight back to Japan that very same night.
Mokuba had explained the basics of a typical public appearance by Seto Kaiba.
There would be lights, cameras, reporters, people talking and curious on lookers.
As she prepared for her evening shower she couldn't help anticipating the worst.
Apparently, the hotel had made their night club premiere into a larger than life event.
There was no way that Seto Kaiba would slip by unnoticed…..and neither would his date for that matter.
She sighed as she changed into her bath robe.
How on earth was she going to get through something like this? She wasn't cut out for life under the spot light.
How Kaiba and Mokuba did it was beyond her.
When she finally stepped into the shower her head was spinning.
Why did it have to be so complicated?
She turned the knob, allowing the warm water to flow over her body.
Her thoughts were a jumbled mess…and yet, despite all her anxiety, one thing remained clear and unchanged. There would be someone standing beside her through all the insanity. Kaiba promised to keep her safe and she believed him.
She smiled as she allowed herself to experience the warmth that only the thought of Kaiba could bring to her heart. Tomorrow would be nothing short of interesting to say the least.
Her first official date with an unlikely candidate…the one and only Seto Kaiba.