Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Dreams Come True ❯ Chapter Nine: The Duelists' Ball ( Chapter 9 )

Chapter Nine: The Duelist's Ball

It was a breezy night, but still warm, and Mina only needed a gauzy shawl to keep warm. She stepped out of the car, looking at the giant building.

"I'll catch up with you inside." Kaiba was at her side for a moment, and then he wasn't. Mina shivered. She didn't like very big social events like this, but she straightened, lifted her chin, and walked into the ballroom.

Her dress was floor length, made of pearly blue material that fit her body like a glove. The collar was low, and white, going around the outsides of her shoulders, leaving the tops bare. Her hair was done up into a simple bun, but the small blue tiara rested there, and her two long sections of hair with the tubes was still the same. The tubes themselves, of course, glittered with light blue diamonds. She wore elbow length gloves on both arms, and a simple bracelet on each-and she wore the necklace she had received, from that "friend" of hers. In fear of needing it, she had tied the Ring around her waist on a loose golden chain.

Once inside the ballroom, she glanced nervously about, looking for a familiar face. Many eyes were on her, but she ignored them.

"See, told you she'd be here!" Joey whispered across the table to Yugi, who simply smiled.

"Wow. I love her dress!" Tea looked at Tristan, who grinned and motioned to Joey.

"Hey Joe, I know you wanna go ask her to dance or something," Tristan said carefully.

"Huh? No I don't! Besides, she's probably here with someone."

"Doesn't look like it, does it?" Tea looked around. "Go ahead, give it a try!!"

"Nah-I don't think…."

"Come on, Joey-what could happen?" Yugi gave him the thumbs up.

Joey stood. "Ok…Ok! I'll give it a go." He stood, took a deep breath, and started walking.

He came right back and sat down with a funny look on his face.

"What? You barely got three feet from the table!" Tea poked at him. Joey merely pointed at Mina over his shoulder.

"…Oh," Said the other three, watching Kaiba come up beside Mina, offer her an arm, and walk her to their reserved table.

"Gee, that really bites." Tristan sighed slowly.

Joey clenched his teeth. "Gah! She deserves better than that creep!!!"

"Calm down, Joey!"

Way on the other side of the room, Mina was carefully watching Kaiba. He looked restless, she noted, and she sighed slowly. Poor Kaiba-he obviously disliked these sort of things as much as her.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please? I would like Seto Kaiba and Yugi Motto to make their way up to the front for the formal dance introduction, please."

Kaiba looked at Mina and smiled. "Ready, kid?"

Thump.

"Um… oh, er, yeah!" She took the arm he offered and they walked slowly to the front, all eyes on them.

"Who's she?"

"I didn't know Seto Kaiba had a girlfriend."

"Me neither. Think it'll last?"

"I dunno. She's very pretty, though."

The whispers followed them all the way to the dance floor. Once there, the two broke apart and faced each other, and Kaiba put a hand on her waist, waiting for the music. Mina shook.

"Hm? What's wrong?" He looked at her, brow furrowed. She smiled back as reassuringly as she could and shook her head.

"It's nothing."

It's your hand, there, on my waist. Don't you notice? Your heart isn't thumping like mine is?

She cleared her throat meaningfully. "Um, Seto."

"Yes?"

"I don't know how to waltz."

He looked at her as if she were from another planet, then sighed in defeat as he took her hand and she put her other one on his shoulder.

"That's fine. Just follow my lead."

Mina closed her eyes from the rest of the people in the ballroom and concentrated on the moment. His hand holding hers. The light music. The way he firmly yet gently steered her around through the waltz.

As more and more couples slowly joined in on the dance floor, Mina became so enraptured and lost in the moment she forgot all sense of time, and crazy, unnatural things flew through her head.

I love you, Seto Kaiba.

And here we leave our heroine for now, dancing away the night in a borrowed dress and in an old family rival's arms.