Disclaimer: (I don't think I'm going to repeat this every time because it's so obvious! ) I don't own Hikaru No Go. I only own the plot for this story.

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Anyway, here's the new chapter. Thanks for all the reviews, because they really helped, and really gave me lots of encouragement. By the way, I guessed this chapter might be one of the last few, probably the second last. Hope you like it.

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Akari could not sleep that night. She kept tossing about on her bed... thinking. Did Hikaru really mean it that way, the way she thinks he was? Maybe, just maybe, Hikaru also like her! But it couldn't be...he had always found her irritating and chased her away. Akari kept thinking about all these...she knew very well that she herself like him, but will he ever ... find out about it...

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Facing her was Hikaru, smiling happily and holding her hands.

"I like you, Akari!" said the very blurred image of Hikaru.

She blushed on hearing this and said, "Me too."

The image faded to darkness...

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At least I did it, thought Hikaru to himself. But what in the world made me do that! I just thought it was a great thing I asked her out. But what is it that made me do that? Do I need something from her? Do I need to know anything that by asking her, I can find the answer? Maybe...

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Akari woke with sunlight pouring down on her room. She had forgotten the dream, but just knew that she had a good dream last night. She kept remembering how Hikaru had smiled to her just yesterday. Maybe her wish could really come true.

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It was already passed half of the whole morning when she realized that she hasn't even started with her homework. She quickly got herself to concentrate on her work rather than letting her thoughts wander about.

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At half past one in the afternoon, Akari finally completed her homework and was so shocked at how late it was that she cried, "Oh no!".

She quickly changed and managed to get herself ready minutes before two.

"Ding dong!" the doorbell sounded and Akari, who had been sitting just a few feet away, jumped up and rushed to the door.

"Hello." It was indeed Hikaru, just as she was expecting, standing right in front of her. "Are you ready?"

"Oh yes! Please wait for a while." She turned away and walked into the kitchen.

She came back seconds later. "I just went to tell my mum that I'm going out. By the way, where are we er... going?"

"Actually, it's not really anywhere special, I just thought ... maybe talking to you will solve my problem ...You know, people always say that girls are better with things concerning the heart. So I reckon I could ask you a few things."

"Oh, alright then." Akari felt that almost half of all her enthusiasm she had felt during that whole morning had drained away. But still she was quite happy to be able to share some things with Hikaru.

"Let's walk to the park." Hikaru suggested.

They walked on quietly to the park and started strolling by the pond.

"What is it that you want to ask?" Akari asked gently.

Hikaru felt himself going red because he suddenly thought that whatever he was going to ask might not be so appropriate after all.

"Erm ...do you know what the feeling is all about ... when you, erm ... are kind of nervous in front of someone of another gender, and really hopes to get to know the person better, and-er-really wishes to stay by the person's side?" Hikaru finished his question looking rather digusted with himself for asking this.

As Akari listened to his question, she felt her heart sank ...What Hikaru had just asked, she felt it too, then and there. She had this same feeling for Hikaru, which meant that ... Hikaru had fallen in love with someone!

'Do I stand a chance?' she thought bitterly to herself.

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-End of chapter-

The next chapter is confirmed the last. It won't be changed unless I'm going to make some editing to the plot. I am quite happy with myself because this is the longest chapter I have ever written so far. So, what do you think of this chapter?