Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ All's Fair... ❯ Chapter Four: Why are boxing "rings" square? ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter Four: Why are boxing rings square?

"It's going to rain," Seto commented as he and Mina left from the garden door. The clouds above were dark and ominous, and the air was so humid and full of water one could have drowned by walking through it.

"That's fine. Who's afraid of a little water? Certainly not Seto Kaiba, multimillionaire and CEO?" Mina chided, shaking her head. "Besides, you're Seto. You never go anywhere unprepared."

Seto thought about the flashlight [1] he had in one of his pockets, and he shrugged. "I suppose."

They walked in silence down the sidewalk, heads bent and arms touching.

This is perfect. How I wanted it to be…I don't deserve this-him, this moment. None of it-why does he love me, out of every girl he knows he could have?

She's so completely perfect in every way…I wonder if I don't tell her enough? Maybe I should start…I don't want her to think I've lost interest or anything…Wait, what am I doing? When did I start thinking like this…??

"Seto? What are you thinking about?" Mina's voice suddenly broke through his musing, and he nearly gave a start.

"About the dinner I just missed," came the answer, and he heard her giggle.

"Seriously?"

"No. I was just thinking about you…"

"Me??" She squeaked suddenly, turning red. "Why me?"

"That's a given-because I'm walking alone with you and my head has obviously had enough of thinking about Work."

Mina smiled, and they walked along for a few more sidewalk squares, once again lapsed into silence. And then, she reached into his jacket pocket and found his hand, entwining their fingers and pressing closer to him.

"And…what were you thinking about me?" She asked gently, raising a brow in a way that obviously meant something, and as Seto looked down at her, he felt a hot blush spread across his cheeks.

"That-right there-is classified."

"…Shy?"

"Nah. Just not the romantic type."

"Li-iar."

Smiling and shaking his head, he brushed her bangs out of her eyes, glancing behind them in a reflexive way. Suddenly, his step faltered, and he frowned before turning his head to the front again. Maybe it was a coincidence, but there was a car following them…

It was a black sports car, shined to such heights that the sky was reflected on it's glistening hood and heavily tinted windows. The engine ran completely silent, without a noise, and the car ambled along behind Seto and Mina like a slow, silent panther.

Seto lowered his head to whisper in Mina's ear, voice taking on a serious tone suddenly.

"Mina-don't turn around and look, but there's someone following us."

She gave a slow nod, very tempted to look, but trusting him. There was something so grave in his voice…

"There's a side street in about ten feet, casually, slowly, we're going to turn onto it. Our friend can't follow, it cuts onto the main pedestrian sidewalk vein in the city, then eventually comes out in the city square-Okay?" He took their hands out of his jacket pocket and switched sides with her on the sidewalk, so that she was on the side near the lawns and he was on the side near the street. Instinctively, he put an arm protectively around her waist.

"Yeah, okay." She said solemnly, and nodded.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The Mastermind was thrilled-this was going his way. If it hadn't been for that accursed girl earlier that day, the drowning might have gone his way too. He gave a slow, long sigh, settling back in the leather comfiness of the seat, his fingers drumming slowly on the steering wheel.

Seto had obviously seen him, he knew. Possibly the fact that they had just turned onto a side street that he could not go on told him so.

The Mastermind smiled at his reflection in the dark windows, glancing at his cell phone quickly. No, it wasn't time yet. Give the girl time to tell Seto about the beach incident, then get rid of her.

She didn't need to be there, she was but an accessory to the crime. The Mastermind gritted his teeth suddenly, knuckles going white on the steering wheel as he studied her jealously [2]. She was pretty, no doubt, but she couldn't have held a candle [3] to some of the other girls around-the taller ones. She would grow of course, but still…

He shook his head and licked his dry lips, running a hand through his hair. If he wanted this to be long and drawn out, he could make Seto squirm by having some fun with his friends-beginning with that girl. Maybe he wouldn't kill her tonight. Perhaps injure.

He wouldn't kill Seto yet, though, he thought. Because in this darkness he couldn't see the look in the young man's eyes before the shot rang through the night.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Once they were safely on the side street, Seto relaxed, allowing Mina to find his hand again and hold it. The evening was balmy, warm, humid, with an iron smell in the air that indicated rain. He looked up at the half cloud-covered moon and smiled, ever so slightly.

"So what happened at the beach today, anyways?" He asked casually, turning his gaze down to Mina for a minute then to the shop windows they had begun passing a few feet back.

"Oh… Mokuba had wanted me to go swimming, and so we went in, and I turned around for a second, but the next he was gone! So I got really scared, then I heard him cough somewhere…I think it was..so far out that I got really tired…" She paused a minute, trying to collect her thoughts. "I'm not a very good swimmer, so I got a whole bunch of saltwater in my eyes and swallowed a lot. By the time I had retrieved Mokuba, I couldn't see three inches past my nose because my vision was so blurred and my eyes hurt so much, and I just wanted to sleep. I think I remember seeing someone surface a little bit aways, but I wasn't sure. It could have been anything." She stopped again, and shook her head, shrugging. "I think I fainted when the lifeguards got there."

"What did Mokuba say about all of this?"

"He was absolutely positive that someone had pulled him down and tried to drown him…"

Seto suddenly stopped walking, took Mina by the upper arms and turned her to face him.

"This person that you saw surface-what did they look like?"

"I don't know!"

"Mina.." He trailed off, sighing. "Oh, nevermind. The important thing is that you and Mokuba are safe." He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her and kissing the top of her head.

They held each other for a moment, and then Mina sighed.

"Hey Seto, do you remember the Duelists' Ball?"

"Of course I do. It was less than two months ago-my memory isn't that bad, is it?"

"What did you think of me back then?"

"Back when?"

"At the ball!"

"Ah. Well.." He paused, grimacing. "I thought you looked beautiful that night, and I was worried that I was being too nice a lot of the time…"

"Too nice? You worry about the wrong things."

"Oh? And what about you-what were you thinking about?" Seto leaned back to look at her face-she was blushing. Giving a small, almost invisible smirk, he brushes the hair out of her eyes.

"I remember worrying about you being too nice-I kept going `Okaaaay, he's being nice. Maybe I better run.' And I remember nearly having a heart attack when we were supposed to start out the dance."

"Ugh, I wasn't that horrible, was I?"

"Actually, you didn't treat me nearly as bad as you treated some others…It doesn't matter now. Really."

"I'm sorry for being a jerk a lot of the time back then."

Mina laughed, hugging him tighter, pressing her cheek against his chest and closing her eyes.

"You make me smile, Seto-kun."

It was then that the heavens tore open with a loud bang and the rain started pouring down with a vengeance.

The next few moments were a flurry of confusion as the pair fumbled for cover, randomly yelling things out. In the mêlée, Seto quite forgot about his flashlight[4], and when the mess quieted down, it was too late for it.

"I'm wet," Mina stated, giggling. Seto nodded solemnly.

"Yes, you are. Come on, we better take the short way home."

They started off again, feet making a slightly wet slapping sound as they hit the puddley pavement.

"This is so romantic," Mina randomly sighed, and this prompted Seto into laughter.

"You're a hopeless girl," He teased, winking.

She rolled her eyes, grabbing him by the shirt collar and turning him to face her, bringing their faces close.

"And I'm sure you wouldn't have it any other way," She whispered, smiling.

"Oh, I don't know…" Was all he managed to say before she laughed and pulled him into a deep kiss.

The rain fell about them in thick sheets, accentuated periodically by dazzling flashes of heat lightning and a clap of heavy thunder. A black car pulled out of the shadows, waiting, biding its time, its driver watching the two lovers on the sidewalk with an unreadable expression on his face. Mayhaps it was disgust. Or an evil-toned smirk. Whatever it was, it was soon engulfed in the shadows as the figure leaned back, crossing his arms across his chest and humming a tune. He could wait all night.

They broke apart, Mina's fingers entwined in his hair, his forehead touching hers as he smiled.

"We better get home, jounin. Or we'll catch colds." He whispered in a soft, throaty tone, his arms encircling her waist slowly. "Or even worse-Mokuba'll give us a scolding."

"That wouldn't be much fun at all," agreed Mina, brushing his sopping wet bangs out of his eyes. They turned and began walking again.

The Mastermind signaled to someone with a hand.

And so began the first act.