Work Text:
Your eyes stared wide at the building before you. Several students surrounded you, giggling and laughing. Some chatted excitedly about how awesome it had been to be picked for that. You just stood there among your fellow Americans, frozen in fear. You did not realize how much you might have stood out and you worried about your use of the native language. The language was not native to you, but from the country your school had been selected to travel to, Japan. Your school along with ten others were lucky enough to be picked to travel to Japan for several weeks attend school, and then play host back in America. Shallowing hard, you followed the group once the bus had been completely emptied. One-by-one, each of you were instructed to go into classrooms and embarrassingly introduced to the class. Gripping your backpack tightly, you gave an awkward smile.
You were given a seat, and wordlessly you sat, waiting for the day to come to a close. To your misfortunate, you forgot about the breaks between classes, lunch and gym. Each moment of downtime you were asked questions about where you were from, how long you lived in that part of the U.S., to expose your accent and other questions which made you feel like a circus show. Each question made you want to become small, disappear and pretend you hadn’t heard what was being said. But you knew this was not how things were done here and you had to be as welcoming to your host as you were being welcomed.
Honestly, you had only agreed to come here for one single reason. The anime. Yes, you wanted was to experience the anime life and culture within Japan. You wanted to go to all the café’s in the local area for that cute, tea and dessert experience. To buy goods which were not as expensive here, to watch and buy DvDs that would not make it overseas until some number of months in the future. Your goals were to live a life which made your soul sing in weeaboo glory. Luckily for you, after some misfortune in childhood, not only were you forced to start school when you turned six thanks to cut off dates, but by the time high school would and college would start, you were looking at twenty. So for now, being nineteen, probably the eldest in your group, but that gave you the most freedom.
When the first day came to a close, and all of you dropped off at the apartments you grinned. Now was your time. Changing quickly in the small apartment, which took hours of finding sponsors and selling candy to pay for, you were quickly out the door again. Running down the streets, you caught the bus and excitedly waited to be dropped off. For you had a plan, a great plan to leave your mark somewhere in Japan amongst all the anime glory.
Grabbing the strap of your backpack as you thought about it, you wondered where you would put the first one. For on your person was a series of handmade stickers you had crafted. Tagging was something largely common in the states, but you had no idea how it would go down in Domino, Japan. But you would not let yourself worry and figured even if the place was never seen by people, the fact that it was there would be enough for you. Smiling, you hopped off the bus and started your journey for anime goods and a good place to mark.
The first part was easy, you found many things worth buying, but did not go overboard. In fact, today you would just purchase food and take note of everything you would like to buy. You figured one purchase a day would make each day satisfying and keep the spending cash from suddenly running out. Wandering from store to store, you found little things, figurines, books, and little nick-nacks which filled your fancy. What you did not find was where to put your stickers.
Pouting, you were determined to find a place before you sat down for dinner. That’s when you found it. Three mighty dragons in front of a large building. Your eyes opened wide at the sight. Back in America, many gaming studios or companies known for their fantasy films would display such fantastic creatures in front of their doors and you wondered if this was the Japanese equivalent to Blizzard. Looking around, you checked to see if anyone was watching as you approached one of the statues. You had just the sticker for it! A small one, nit one which would be protected by the rain, snow or heat. Digging into your bag as you got closer, you pulled out one of your small stickers. A small decorative egg. The egg could have been from any creature, so it being with a dragon could have been for vanity’s sake or the dragon ‘s very own. Giving the area another look-around, you quickly stuck the egg to the inner (ancle, maybe?), of the foot. Smiling, you took a photo with your iPhone and quickly retreated to a local café you passed along the way.
You were giggly from the moment you sat down. You were so content in your actions that you had left a piece of yourself in Japan forever, you bubbly ordered a number of things without considering how much stomach capacity you had. Sitting there, in all your glory as you ate away, a loud groan caught your attention. Blinking, you turned to see a young man everyone had ignored. You felt your cheeks heat up as you looked at him. He appeared to be something out of your anime fantasies with his striking alabaster skin, rich chestnut hair, and brilliant blue eyes. Your heart was effectively pounding in your ears as you soaked in his unearthly beauty. His brows were pinched together as he ran a hand through his hair. His refine jawline tightening as he stared at a screen, before glaring at the person who brought him his food.
You were effectively stuck by the thunderbolt. Bitten by the bug of love. Found paradise among the weeds. Swooned by the greatest of songs. Finally, won over by the words most beautiful painting. You were ultimately smitten with the man with a frown on his face and a twinge in his jaw. Looking back at your food, you became nervous about eating in eye-shot of him. Quietly, you tried to readjust so your back faced him. Hurriedly, you ate your food, using your phone to check if he was still behind you. How your heart pounded each time you caught a glimpse of him. Was this what all the song and book writers meant when they talked about love at first sight? Or was this merely teenage hormone at work? Which ever it was, you were not one to fight nature.
Once your meal had finished and he still seated. You quickly paid and pulled another sticker out of your bag. A sticker lightened up everyone’s day and you knew one which might work for the grumpy prince. Unfortunately, you had no number to put on the back of the card, not realizing you could give your email instead, but rather you wrote quick message in Japanese telling him to look up, as the mighty sea dragon, a sea serpent you had created, was there to fill his day with fortune.
Gulping, you quietly and quickly walked past his table. Just as you reached the final corner you dropped the sticker and hurried off. Quickly, you found a light poll and hid behind it, peering into the large front glass at the café to see his reaction. Nervously, you watched as he looked more frustrated than before. He appeared to have said something before flipping over the sticker to see the image on the other side. Then there was a pause. Your heart skipped a beat when he pocketed the sticker. Then, to your horror, he stood up and made way towards the door. In a panic, you fled the sight. You were not good with people by nature, and you had no intention of becoming personal with the young man as your stay there was to be a short one. It would be too painful to make a connection of any kind and the just leave without a way to keep the bond.
Back in your apartment, you smiled to yourself. You were sure you had effectively left another part of yourself in Japan. Unknown to you, that you left a part of yourself to one of the most popular and power figures in Japan, and not just Japan, but Domino Japan, where he knew everything that happened.
*~*
Another day of classes, another day of more people and more questions. Another day of trying to understand the cultural differences, and another day of tours which passed everything you wanted to see and yet another late outing to make your daily purchase. Today would be a Sailor Moon day, where you would buy the most memorial merchandise to go with your current collection back at the states. At first, you had found her, the perfect action figure, then you found out that each form was sold separately, and you wanted to cry. This meant, for the whole collection, you had to buy one at a time, starting with the one they had the fewest stock of. However, when it came down to two of her forms, her Crisis and Original outfits, had only one left and there was a limited-edition poster, you walked out with a bigger bag than expected. Day two and you had broken your own rule.
Sitting in a new café you whined a little. You could not try as many things as you wanted today if you were going to account the extra cash spent and buy something tomorrow. You ended up googling the most delicious meal the current place you were in served and ordered that very set. The food smelt wonderful, and you happily thanked your server. Without much thought, you joyfully began eating your meal. The flavors were so rich, so divine, you ended up closing your eyes with every bite. So consumed into your meal you did not pay attention when the bell rang when someone entered. You didn’t notice the footsteps coming up from behind you and you barely heard the chair in front of you moving as you chewed happily on the tender meat your meal came with.
It was when you opened your eyes to take another bite did you notice him there. The creature of your young desires from yesterday. The food on your chopsticks fell down to the plate as you stared at him, eyes wide and a heat making your way towards your face. You looked around, surprised by it all. You were in a half booth, facing away from the door, to the corner of the café. Momentarily you wondered how he saw you until he said your name, making you jolt in surprise. Your eyes landed back on him. Your shoulders were still up, chopsticks in hand mid-distance to your mouth, and your mouth was wide open for the food which escaped back towards your plate.
“Kaiba Corp., would like to offer you a scholarship to attend any school you wish in Japan for illustration.”
You gulped at his perfect English words. All you did was give this guy a sticker.
*~*
That one sticker ended up changing your life. You see, Seto Kaiba was hitting roadblocks with his game development team. For so many years he had focused his technology and games around the very popular card game from across the ocean, duel monsters. Now that high-school was over and a new generation of gamers were approaching, the Western market was now looking for the next ‘hot-new-thing’ and while duel monsters till held strong in the hearts of millions, Kaiba knew it was time to branch out with more original ideas. His problem? Kaiba’s teams were so used to focusing on the card game everything they created appeared as if it were a cheaper version or rip-off from it; this did not sit well with the CEO. No, Kaiba knew it was time to create a new team, a new department, and knew that all this meant new employees of every kind.
Kaiba, worked up by the need to make another section to Kaiba Corp. to fit his demand, had went to a local café to get away from the building. But that did not mean work did not follow him, no, Kaiba would take a device of some kind like he always did and look at resumes, portfolios, and CDs. Each person who applied had tried to cater to his fancy. Most artist choosing to add their own duel monsters art to the mix; not that it didn’t score points, however Kaiba was looking for something new, fresh, not hire on more people for card development.
That’s when you appeared. You, who so boldly came within a few centimeters too close for his liking. You, who had the bravery to put something on his table. You, with your offensive, half-assed attempt at Japanese, wrote him something. You, who had sparked his anger and was a great annoyance. Yet, it was also you who showed him sometimes, what he needs can just present itself to him without much effort. So, Kaiba concluded, before someone came along and tainted your skill, that he would be the one to mold your raw talent. Thus, you ended up attending college in Tokyo, Japan.
Your family didn’t have much to say, only that you come home for holidays. Kaiba did have a lot to say. That portfolio your professor wanted, Kaiba wanted a copy. Original ideas you created, Kaiba was the first to pick which designs he would buy outright before you even thought of posting them to sell. Conventions were also a way to market you and Kaiba Corp. Before you realized it, you had your own drafting table, equipment, tools, and a large range of mediums in a section of the illustration department of Kaiba Corp. after graduation.
You never stopped your sticker making.
With each positive report you received from your sponsor and soon to be boss, you sent a sticker version of whatever he did not buy. In fact, stickers were your main income. You made them for comic cons, business conventions, dinner parties, charities, and anytime else you could hand out a sticker. Kaiba never understood your obsession with the sticky images but said nothing when receiving one. Over the years of college and work probation, you would find time to stop by the statue and grin when you saw the sticker was still there. How it made you happy to see your hard work years ago had paid off.
But now you were bored as you sat in your rollie chair. You had finished the sketch, you had picked out serval color palettes, and now, you were waiting for the line art versions to dry. It wasn’t too late, only thirty-minutes passed work hours, but you needed the illustration samples done before morning. That was when another grand idea struck you.
How many stickers can I hide around Kaiba Corp. before someone notices them all? A playful grin graced your face as you began digging in the bag. How far up can I hide the stickers? Defacing Kaiba Corp. did not seem to bother you when you began thinking of putting a sticker on Kaiba’s office floor. I have to start low, for each day no one sees or says anything, I will put one on a higher floor the next day.
You would start with the lobby tonight. After hours were a usual for many employees, but that did mean the front doors were locked and the only exit would be through the parking lot. Which also meant the elevators would not be running to the lobby floor, but to the lowest part of the parking lot. You ended up running down ten flights of stairs to reach the lobby. Looking around, your eyebrow went up. Where was a good place to hide the first one? You wondered whilst tapping your chin. Walking across the marble floor an stroke of genius hit you when you saw the computer monitor. Grinning like a fool, you went to the monitor and found the weird design choice to be most ideal. In the gap of the steam holding the large screen, you placed a tiny sticker at the top. Only by flipping the whole monitor upside down would someone be able to find this one.
Heheh! That should do it! To say you were proud was an understatement. You found your new hobby.
Your naivety was your own though. You would think that you would have learned that nothing got passed the CEO of the company. But no, you did not learn as you forgot all about the cameras which recorded everything and the paranoid CEO who watched them every now and then. Kaiba would catch you tonight, but rather than have someone remove the sticky or call you in, he just watched to see just what you were planning. Each day he would make it a routine to watch where you ended up next and where the next sticker was. It was a funny little habit you had, one he wanted to figure out. Were you just some weird sticker enthuses? Or was this some weird psycho satisfaction you got from them?
One day Kaiba got curious enough to watch you on camera as a coworker walked right passed one of your many stickers on the illustration department floor. Your impish grin and giggling fit had confirmed that you did get some sick satisfaction from your quiet game. Kaiba, however, never ignored games when they happened in front of him. Thus, he would interject himself in your fun. Realizing your little game, Kaiba smirked and waited.
Months after you started your little game, months of painfully making your way up the departments and planting your hand made beauties did a book appear on your desk, waiting for you. Looking around, you saw everyone was busy doing their usual work, not one looked at you with the slightest hint of curiosity. Placing your things down, you opened the book and to your shock, all your stickers had been collected along with a note.
Try again. Was all the note said.
Pouting, you figured someone else who stays late must have caught you one of the nights and found out what you were doing. Again, you began plotting your next move, this time, from the lobby, the starting point. You waited this time, until you were sure you were the last one in your department. You did not care if you had to take a cab home, you would hide this one someplace even better than before. Another stroke of genius! You would place the sticker under the keyboard. No one looks under their keyboard.
Again, and again. You placed your little creations in different hiding places. Growing more confident as the months went by, you were devastated when once more, before you could make it to Kaiba’s office, another book of stickers were at your desk. But you did not have time to be sadden by the restart of the game as a promotion was given to you that very said day. You were now a team leader. Whomever it was, knew you were doing this after work, so you came up with a new plan. You would come to work even earlier.
Meanwhile Kaiba, who so happened to be an early bird, happened to walk in on you as you placed your first sticker one bright and early morning. Rather than call you out, as it would be no fun if he revealed he was the other player in the game, he called you to his office to go over your team’s next project and receive updates on the current. He enjoyed seeing you struggle in the seat in front of him, completely unprepared for the prompt-to meeting. Just as he was starting to see you break out in a sweat he was called out of his office. Annoyed, but not completely irritated, he told you to wait. Little did Kaiba know that he gave you the chance of a lifetime. When he returned Kaiba could sense the atmosphere had changed. There was a grin on your face, eyes twinkling with mischief. It was then he realized, he left you with time to hide one directly in his office.
His wide smirk confused you as he, shockingly, politely excused you. You two were never close, but a weird work relationship had developed over the years. You respected him and he was rather flexible with you. Something you chalked up to being around the same age, but nothing too crazy. You sure did not receive the Isono treatment but years having him mentor you had laid ground to you both being comfortable in the same room together.
You just had no idea you had played a great card when you decided to place the sticker the one place you were sure Kaiba would never look. Under his desk, well, on the top part of one of his draws but under the desk none-the-least. You had no way of knowing how crazy Kaiba would go when looking for that sticker. Cheerfully day by day you placed more stickers, this time, except the lobby, from the top down. As long as no one found all the stickers you counted this as a success.
With time passing as it usually does, you were promoted from team leader, to team manager and finally, co-department manager for innovative games. One day you were called to the office, nothing unusual with your new title. What was unusual was the fact that no one else was there. Blinking at the empty room, you quietly went over to where you usually sat. Sitting, you tapped your fingers on the large stained red-wood table until a book hit the space in front of you. You jumped and then blinked up to see the eyes of your employer. Confused and unsure what was happening, you looked back at the book and opened it.
It had been a few years since the game was last played and you had forgotten about it, but Kaiba had not. He found that sticker and every other sticker at that. You blinked in surprise and realization when you connected the dots. Kaiba had been the player to your quiet game. Smiling up at him, you laughed.
“You win! What would you like?” You grinned playfully, not really expecting him to say anything but to be told you had some damages to pay towards paint or whatever.
“Dinner.”
Kaiba’s statement took you for another surprise. First he made you into an illustrator what was next??
You snorted. “Why? Plan to put me in the direction of moving towards being your wife from being one of your lead illustrators?”
Then he smirked. “Maybe. Depends on what strategy you used to convince me.”
Your mouth opened and then shut, unsure if he was joking. But knowing him, there was never a joke. Well I’ll be damn.