Chapter 1

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Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh. It belongs to Mr. Takahashi (I think....')

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i dUNt cAYeH wUt u pPL tHiNk, bUT i tHiNk SeTo n SHizuKa MaKe a gReaT cOuPLe...deYR sO pReTTy tOGeTHa! -^o^- So aS uLL fiGuRe, diS iS mAi fuRSt sHoT aT iT...fuRSt YGO fiC tOoH...^_^ RNR, oNeGai!

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It was a dark, cold, and wet night. Thunder boomed over my head and raindrops pounded on the damp cement. To make matters worse, I was wearing a rose-pink tank top, a denim skirt, and platform shoes. I also didn't happen to have my jacket with me at the moment. I huddled under the eaves of the tall building as the wind blew fiercely.

So how did I, Shizuka Katsuya, get stuck here like this? First of all, I was wearing what I was because when I left the house, the weather was still rather sunny, and the skies were cloud-free. Of course I didn't anticipate a heavy thunderstorm to occur on the same day. So why was I here? Originally, I was seeing a movie and browsing around in the nearby shops with a group of friends, whose parents had already picked them up. When Yuriko, the last of my friends to leave, noticed the time, she asked me whether or not I wanted to have a ride back to my house with her. I politely refused, since I knew onii-chan would pick me up, and he said so. I also didn't want him to worry that much, because I promised I would wait for him around this area. Common sense would tell a person to stay indoors while it's raining, but I figured onii-chan wouldn't be able to see me through the windows.

My feathery auburn hair flapped in the wind and I clung to my handbag. I clamped my eyes shut, since the wind was blowing at my face and it would hurt if I kept them open.

When it had receded, I looked at the cloudy night sky. It was still as dark as ever, and it looked as if the rain would never let up. In fact, it was as if you were looking right through water, and when the water is moving (believe me), it's really difficult to see through it.

It was a rash and stupid thing to do, but I decided that if I got to the other side of the street, which was higher up, I would be able to see onii-chan's car easier. I looked to my left, then to the right, but I couldn't find a cross street, meaning I would walk who-knows-how-far in either direction without an umbrella. Actually, I knew this street pretty well since I went here a lot, but as we all know, it's better to go somewhere and actually know where you're going. Since I didn't see many cars—none when it started raining and none at this moment, I decided it would be okay if I ran across the street—I knew there was another building for me to temporarily take refuge under.

I shivered again as the icy wind blew, and getting up on my nearly-frozen feet, I stood on my side of the street, made sure there were no cars coming, and ran as fast as I could to the other side, which wasn't very fast, considering the fact that all my limbs were frozen. The only sound I could hear was the hammering of the rain, which silenced almost any other sound, including the sound of my breathing or the pounding of my heart.

The street was wider than I anticipated, and my timing seemed to be too late…since I could barely make out a black vehicle coming closer and closer—the image getting clearer and clearer…

If I wanted to scream, I would not have been able to. I was purely petrified with fear, and my feet could no longer move.

'Well, Jou,' I thought. 'Onii-chan…I'm sorry I didn't look after myself…I'm sorry for any grief I cause you…I'm just sorry…'

I closed my eyes, not wanting to witness how I would die. The only sound I could hear now was the approaching car…and brakes…I started to wish I were blind again.

I held my breath, waiting for the expected impact, but it didn't come. I thought that maybe I fainted and I was in the hospital now and I just woke up, but that couldn't be right, since I was completely drenched and I felt more water coming down on me.

"Hey! You!"

I opened my eyes to see a black limousine about half a centimeter away from me and a chauffer in a black uniform wearing sunglasses. I thought it was strange for him to be wearing them on a day like this, but I didn't comment. At least he didn't hit me and made it just in time.

"You're holding us up! Get out of the way! What do you think you're doing?" he yelled.

"What is it? I told you I wanted to get to my meeting at least an hour early!" another masculine voice said with impatience.

"There's this girl in the middle of the street—"

"Let me handle this," the other said in an irritated tone.

I saw a young man that looked as if he were about seventeen. He had russet brown hair and cold and piercing blue eyes. He walked up to me, carrying an umbrella and glaring at me.

"What do you think you're doing here? I have an important business meeting to attend!"

I looked down, then at him apologetically. "Gomen…gomen…I just wanted to get to the other side of the street so onii-chan could pick me up—"

"Do you know who you're talking to?"

Did he seem familiar? Heck, I don't think I ever saw him before. But he probably was some important and rich businessman, because of his limousine, his expensive-looking clothes, and the way he seemed to look down on me. I stood in the rain, now completely soaked as it continued to pour.

"I-iie…"

He scoffed. "You're telling me you haven't ever heard of Kaiba Corporation?" He looked at me haughtily.

I paused. I did hear Jou talk about it sometimes…and this 'kid'…Mokuba Kaiba?

I shook my head. "Iie."

"Well, I am the owner of Kaiba Corporation…Kaiba Seto. And I am asking you to get out of my way. I have to get somewhere, and you're wasting my time." He glared at me again. Thunder clapped so loudly I could have swore it was going to hit me.

I looked down, close to tears. I never thought I could have been any more scared in my life. I was out here in the rain and during a thunderstorm, risking the chance of being electrocuted to death while talking to some guy that was scaring me out of my wits by his indifferent manner. How could anyone be so cold? Since I didn't want any more trouble or make this stranger late, and since I didn't want to let anyone see me cry, I was about to make a break for it and run to the other side as fast as I could. Right before I ordered my legs to move, however, Kaiba spoke.

"Who are you?"

I looked up at him. His voice was just as hard as it was, but his eyes—they were, if at all, a little warmer than before. At least he wasn't glaring at me now.

In a soft quivering voice, I said, "Katsuya, Shizuka."

If there was a look of disgust on his face as I mentioned it, it went away as quickly as it came. Did my name remind him of someone?

Both of us were silent for a moment, until I sneezed pretty hard. Not on him, of course.

Kaiba seemed to finally give up on his 'cold act'. He sighed and walked closer to me so that his umbrella completely shielded me from the rain.

"You're going to catch a cold if you don't get out of this soon. And why the heck are you wearing…what you are?"

It was finally like talking to a normal, average-classed person again. More easily than before, I replied.

"It was really sunny when I got here, and I didn't expect it to rain. Onii-chan was supposed to pick me up a while back, but he still hasn't gotten here yet."

Silence fell over us once more. Kaiba took off his jacket and handed it to me, as well as a cell phone. I looked at him, immensely surprised.

"You want me to take these?"

"I wouldn't want Kaiba Corporation's name to be tarnished because it let someone catch pneumonia and die," he replied matter-of-factly. "I don't want my company to be liable for a death that could have been prevented."

"Are you sure—"

"I'm sure. Take it before I change my mind though," he said in his cold tone once again—before he took pity on me.

"A-Arigatou…Kaiba-san." I smiled warmly at him and put on his jacket.

He looked a little surprised, probably because of the way I responded. But he quickly recovered and turned away.

"The cell's for you to call Jou. And keep the umbrella and other things with you until we see each other again."

"Arigatou," I said again, still smiling. But a thought had occurred in my mind. "Kaiba-san, how do you know of onii-chan?"

But when I turned around, Kaiba had sprinted back to his limousine…to avoid more rain and to make it to his business meeting, I guess. I sighed. I didn't mean to make him any later than he wanted to be.

I quickly ran to the other side of the street, and I saw the limousine take off at top speed. It quickly vanished from sight.

Anyhow, I was glad this stranger, Kaiba, had been so kind to me. The jacket was really warm and protected me from the bitter cold. The umbrella was keeping water off of me, and I was thankful for that. I don't think I could have gotten any more wet. As I still stood there, I remembered the attractive man with the blue eyes and caring heart—I was unaware of the warm feeling on my cheeks.

A couple more minutes passed while I stood under the building (by then, I wasn't holding the umbrella up any more). I was just about to take out my cell phone and ask Yugi (I was pretty sure he was one of Jou's best friends) if he knew where onii-chan was, but a recognizable minivan drove up. It was the minivan of Yugi's grandfather's store. The door opened and a teenage boy with blonde hair and brown eyes stepped out. He was wearing a green jacket, a plain white T-shirt, and jeans. As if by a cue, I ran to him and hugged him.

"Onii-chan! I was so scared…I thought you for—"

Jou put a finger over my mouth. "Shush. Of course I would never forget you. I was driving here, and some gangster crashed into my car. It took a while for a tow truck to get there, and it was by chance Yugi and his gramps were coming back from the card warehouse and saw me. I was afraid something bad might've happened to you…but you're okay now—hey! Where'd you get the jacket? And where'd you get the cell and umbrella? I don't think you were carrying it when you left…"

"I met this really nice guy. He gave me these and told me I could give it back to him the next time I see him."

Onii-chan paused. "A him?"

I nodded.

"So…who is this nice fellow?"

I smiled. "His name's Seto Kaiba. I think he knows you. You might know him too!"

Onii-chan just stared blankly at me. It was almost as if he didn't believe me.

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wHeE...sO wuT dO yOoH tHiNk? pLz dRoP bY n ReViOo, eVeN tHo i kNo i wONt geT mANee cUz deRe rNt mANee s/s faNs, bUt i gUeSS dAts oKee...iTs a TouGh cRowD oUt deRe...^_~...cYa neX tYMe!

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