Corporate Prince

Chapter 22: Dinner and Prototype

Why is she wearing that? Why did she have to wear this outfit and what is up with her hair? I've never seen her do anything besides put it up. Why did she braid it? Why the frick' did she dress so cute? Seto was glad that years of dealing with crappy adults had made a poker face second nature. If he was a normal teen, he might have lost all sensibility when Ana opened the door. He hadn't really spoken to her since she tracked him down at lunch and then ate his food right off his chopsticks. It was one of the few times his poker face had slipped in his life. Then again, who wouldn't be embarrassed when a girl like Ana seeks someone out and... He'd almost, almost being the key word here, turned into a pervert after she left and was tempted to stick the chopsticks in his mouth. Instead, he threw them and his lunch away. He already carried her handkerchief around in his pocket and had smelled it once. He refused to cross another line and stick her spit in his mouth. That was just too much.

"Well, come on in. The torture awaits." Ana joked and a quirky smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

Stop being so cute! Seto rolled his eyes and entered. He followed her to the dining room where the rest of her family was already waiting. Hikari's annoyance was obvious when he entered. Ana's parents looked between each other nervously while her sister stared out the window, apparently trying to ignore his presence all together. Dai sat at the head of the table and had left a seat open next to him.

"Sit here." Was the old man's rough command.

Seto's eye twitched ever so slightly. Being told to do anything by someone else irked him. He'd already snapped at this old man once. Obeying him now would put a foul taste in his mouth, especially since his "nice guy" act had already been blown out of the water. The room tensed when Seto didn't move toward the invitation. Dai seemed to understand and changed his command to a request.

"Please have a seat." Dai tried again.

Seto paused, but finally took the seat. Dai had Ana sit next to him. Ana's mother got up to bring the food to the table and served the dishes out to them. Apparently, they didn't have servants when it was just a family dinner. No one said much of anything as they passed around the dishes and filled their plates. After they said "Itadakimasu" and started eating, Dai was the first to break the silence.

"So, Kaiba-san, what takes you away from Domino City?" Dai asked.

Seto eyed the old man, wondering why he was asking before he answered, "Work."

When he didn't expand on it, Dai raised an eyebrow. "I see. I suppose it has something to do with why Hikari's been staying so late at school every night."

Seto shot a glare at Hikari, who seemed surprised at his grandfather's words.

"He didn't tell me anything, and I don't know anything concrete about your work. I do know most everything that goes on in this city though." Dai explained before Seto could attack Hikari for breaching confidentiality. "When your work is done do you intend to return to Domino city?"

The corner of Seto's mouth twitched. Did he find out that our relationship is staged? "I can't leave my company forever."

"That's true, a man needs to respect his work." Dai commented before taking a bite of his rice.

I don't know why, but the way he said that pisses me off. No, actually this old man just pisses me off. It took everything he had not to say anything and focus on his food. Ana was uncharacteristically quiet, which bothered him more than the old man's questions. She was acting much different from at school or when she was only around her brother. Did her grandfather and parents scare her that much? Screw living up to expectations. If it's going to make you miserable, then do what you want.