A/N: Hey guys(and/or girls and/or whatever)! I'm writing as fast as I
can and I hope you guys are still enjoying this fic. Please keep
reviewing and thanks for all your (moral) support!

Chapter 5: Sunrise, Sunset ~Homecoming~

~Akira~

Hikaru had his first Honinbou league final game yesterday and insisted I come with him to the Go Institute. I followed him into the game room before the game began and the atmosphere was... well, electrifying. After that, he took me to a room with a TV to watch the game. I didn't understand anything that his opponent and him were doing but I just found myself completely drawn in somehow; I was glued to the screen the entire duration of the game. His opponent played a few hands that I sort of knew were rather good but then, so did Hikaru. Hikaru won by 2 and a half mokus in the end, much to my happiness and -strangely- satisfaction.

Evidently, I'm rather well known around there since almost everyone I met asked about my 'condition'. I also overheard some slightly disturbing news; everyone kept wondering why Hikaru and I seemed so close suddenly, as if we never used to be so friendly with each other. In fact, what I overheard of their hushed discussions seems to imply that I used to be horrid to Hikaru. Well, I know Hikaru and I are supposed to be rivals and we used to argue a lot, of course, but I had assumed that we were the friend-rival type and not enemy-rival type. Everything I overheard seems to imply otherwise. But if we were the enemy-rival type, why does it feel so wonderful being with him? I mean, even before I found out who he was at the hospital, I never wanted him to ever be unhappy. I don't think anyone feels that way about enemies.

Which is why I'm sitting here quietly beside him in the subway train, nervously fingering the hem of my new sweatshirt. We're on the way to my junior high school, Kaiou, where he says we played as third captains in a team tournament during our first year in junior high. He found out that the winter tournament was taking place today, which is why we are going there; he says that watching the team tournament might bring back some memories of the time we played. Which brings me back to why I'm sitting here beside him in silence on the train-ride there, nervously fingering the hem of my new sweatshirt; if I really was horrid to Hikaru before I lost my memory, then I never want to remember my life before the amnesia; I don't want to ever go back to being horrid to him.

"Aki?" he questions suddenly, startling me out of my reverie.

"Huh?" I manage weakly, not having heard anything he'd said in the past five minutes or so. I'm not sure if he's even been talking, being so utterly lost in thought and all.

"Are you alright? You've barely spoken since last night. Did I do or say something wrong?" he asks, a concerned look on his face.

"Ah, no! I mean, I'm fine but you haven't done or said anything wrong and I'm sorry I caused you to misunderstand or worry but..." I tell him, the words rushed in my alarm.

"Whoa, Aki, calm down. I was just concerned, that's all. So, why have you been so quiet suddenly?" he interrupts.

"Ah... I was just... thinking, that's all."

"Before you lost your memory, I'd have bet an entire month's allowance you were thinking about Go strategies; now, I don't know. What have you been thinking about?"

"You knew me that well?" I ask, in a feeble but hopeful attempt at changing the subject.

"I wish; you were just... uh... predictable. It's not like you think about much else but anyway, what were you thinking about?" Okay, plan foiled.

"Oh, nothing much. I was just wondering why there doesn't seem to be even one person at that Go Institute that doesn't know me, that's all," I lie nonchalantly.

"You're cute and popular, that's why. We're here," he says, standing and getting off the train with me close behind. "There's something you're not telling me; I know something's worrying you but it's okay if you don't want to tell me about it."

I wonder if he only said that to guilt-trip me into telling him since I really do feel bad about not telling him now; he probably knew for fact it'd make me feel bad and I wouldn't put it past him to try guilt-tripping me. "I say, Hikaru?"

"Hm?"

"How did I end up with amnesia? I mean, everyone says I had an accident but no one's been anywhere near forthcoming about how it happened. Can you tell me?" I ask him as we climb the stairs out of the station.

A long silence; no answer.

"Hikaru?" I look up at him.

Still no answer. He has an unreadable expression on his face and I distinctly feel like I've asked the wrong question.

"Uh, it's okay if..."

"You were run down by a car," he interjects flatly.

I blink. "Oh..."

"To save me," he bites out with a startling vehemence.

I blink again. Twice. "Oh... I..."

"It's my fault you can't remember anything," he says bitterly.

I am suddenly overcome by an overwhelming desire to hug him but settle for taking his hand in mine and squeezing it reassuringly instead. He looks up at me sadly and I smile at him. "It's okay; stop blaming yourself. I'm glad I did."

Now it's his turn to blink. "Lose your memory?" he questions, confused.

"No, save you, silly." Actually, depending on how I used to be, I might really be glad I lost my memory but I'm not about to tell him that. We step out in front of a row of shops and I follow him down the road. I have not released his hand and I really don't want to anyway. "I wouldn't want our current positions reversed; you're probably a much better tour guide than I could ever be," I tell him jokingly.

He chuckles softly. "Yeah, I don't think shopping and concerts even existed in Touya's dictionary. You were right in thinking that you weren't normal."

"Hey! I try to comfort you and look what I get in return. I try to be nice and reassuring and you start teasing me," I whine, pouting petulantly.

I lament to no avail; he just gets even more amused and giggles hysterically to himself. "It's still quite early. You want to eat something before going there?" he asks finally, after several fits of hysterical laughter.

I give him a dirty Look. "Sukiyaki," I reply grudgingly.

He laughs some more. "Right-o, sukiyaki it is," he agrees and leads me off to a restaurant.

Ten minutes later, we are sitting at a table in a restaurant with a boiling pot of sukiyaki and a plate of half a dozen onigiris between us. As we eat quietly, my earlier worries return to haunt me. Now I'm even more confused. All other feelings and theories aside, why would I willingly sacrifice my life to save Hikaru if we were like enemies? I don't understand. I want to ask him about it but if that's the way it was, then I don't want to remind him. I don't feel any hatred or malice for him and I don't think he does towards me either. In fact, he's been so wonderful that I simply can't believe he dislikes me. But I don't know for sure and I'm afraid to find out in case I end up not liking what I hear.

"I never knew you liked sukiyaki," my rival remarks suddenly as he takes a huge bite of an onigiri, snapping my train of thought.

"I don't know; just felt like it today. I wouldn't remember if I did."

"Now that I think about it, there are many things I never knew about you. You probably knew me better than I did you." His eyes cloud with regret. "I only wish I had gotten to know you better before this happened," he says sadly, helping himself to some konnyaku noodles.

"Maybe you did; you just never realized it. Besides, it wasn't your fault, was it?"

Oh, come on; you don't have to keep trying to make me feel better, Aki. I don't even know what your favourite drink was. Or your favourite subject in school, or..."

"Apple juice with strawberry ice cream. Japanese Literature," I tell him without thinking.

He narrows his eyes. "I thought you said you couldn't remember!" he says accusingly.

"I can't!" I protest defensively. "I just sort of think I like those stuff, okay?" I pause in thought. "Well, now's your chance. What would you like to know?"

"I can ask anything?"

"Yeah, anything."

"Anything?" he repeats incredulously.

"Yes!"

"Okay... Do you play video games?"

"I don't think so. I don't own a Playstation. Or a PS2, or a X-box, or a..."

"Yeah, yeah; I get the point," he cuts in. "Um...Watch movies? What's your favourite movie?"

"I don't think so and I don't know."

"Manga?"

"Didn't. Not until you got me those few and now Chobits and CCS."

"Shopping? Hang out with friends?"

"Doubt it; don't think so."

"Do you even do anything besides play Go?" he asks in utter exasperation.

"Judging by what's in my room, I surmise that I read and use the computer."

"Right-o. What do you read? Besides kifu and Go strategies and joseki, that is."

"Uh... Tanka."

He chokes on his food and starts coughing and spluttering very badly. "You read tanka?" he asks incredulously after half a glass of iced tea.

Well, I didn't think he'd take it too well but I never thought he'd take it this badly. "Yeah. And haiku, and other types of poetry."

"Touya Akira reads poetry and likes Japanese Literature," he repeats to himself, shaking his head in disbelief. "And just when I thought it couldn't get worse. Never mind; what do you do on the computer? I mean, besides playing Go."

"I don't know what I did with it before but now, I use it to play Counterstrike."

His eyes widen with amazement. "Oh God, maybe amnesia is good for you after all; you got yourself a life!" he enthuses melodramatically. "Touya Akira now plays Counterstrike," he adds quietly to himself.

I decide to ignore the blatant implication that I lacked a life previously. "Anything else?"

"Hm... What do you like to eat?" he asks.

"Um... Sukiyaki, I guess... Sashimi? Mom says I like konnyaku jelly and right now, I'd really like some barley mints, lollipops, cotton candy..." His eyes widen as I go down the list. "...Champagne truffles, mint chocolate, jelly beans, Skittles, M & Ms, Snickers, Mars Bars, the like." He simply gapes at me. "Now, enough about me. How about you? What do you do besides play Go?" I ask him calmly.

He blinks. Twice. "The normal stuff that you don't," he replies finally.

"Like...?" I coax.

"Video games, manga, movies, hang out, you know... Normal stuff."

"Hang out?" I repeat.

"Yeah. I do have friends, you know..." he informs me dryly with a dirty Look.

I feel my chest tighten slightly with an unfamiliar tension. A stab of jealousy, I think, or maybe envy. Yeah, he has friends and I don't; I have people to share him with. Now I know why people say both those emotions are green. "Right," I reply, finishing my lunch.

We pay, leave the restaurant, and make our way to Kaiou. My junior high school is huge, neat, and from what Hikaru tells me, has a good reputation and a very big Go club. The interschool team tournaments are held here twice a year every year. I let Hikaru lead me up stairs and down corridors that seem at once familiar and yet unknown to the tournament room. We pass by a few rooms on the way and I can't shake the feeling that something bad once happened in one of them. I absently wonder what happened there that was bad enough to leave a subconscious impression and then all of a sudden we're at the tournament room and the atmosphere of intense concentration just blows my mind. There are thirty students in there, all of whom are busy playing Go, and a teacher keeping an eye on them. My rival waves at the teacher who looks vaguely foreign and he comes over.

"Konnichiwa, Yun-sensei," Hikaru greets politely.

"Konnichiwa," I echo. I was right; Chinese or Korean, then.

"Shindou-kun, Touya-kun; how nice to see you here. So, what brings you back to Kaiou?" the teacher asks, his slight accent betraying his Korean roots. "If either of you came alone, I'd think you came to see how your ex- school's team is doing this year. But when you two turn up together..." He shrugs.

"Memories," my rival replies suavely, inclining his head meaningfully towards me.

"Ah... I heard." He nods understandingly. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, it's okay. It's not so bad really, like a holiday with Hikaru as a tour guide," I chip in smoothly.

Yun-sensei blinks. Twice. Hikaru coughs slightly, probably to disguise a chuckle. He glances at Hikaru who pretends to be interested in the scenery outside the window. "Right," he says finally. "Uh... Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Yeah, actually. The seat we played at last time is empty; you think you could spare us a Goban and some stones? I'm trying to jolt someone's memory here," Hikaru informs him.

"Sure, just try not to be a distraction...?"

"Aa," we agree simultaneously.

The good teacher blinks again, but wisely chooses to let the matter slide and instead walks off to fetch us the Goban. I let my rival lead me to a table by the window and I obediently sit opposite instead of beside him. "This is exactly where we sat when we played in the team competition during our freshman year; we were both third captains," he tells me, having decided to enlighten me on the idea.

"Oh," I respond glumly; I'm not even sure I want to regain my memory.

"Back then, I lost really badly to you and you accused me of playing around."

I look up at him. "Were you?"

"Playing around? No, that wasn't it. Anyway, you were really furious and disappointed. Till this day, I don't know if you ever forgave me," he says sadly.

"Would it be enough if I forgive you now?" I ask impulsively.

He looks up at me and blinks. "Now? Well, of course. Why wouldn't it be enough, Aki?"

"Because I'm not quite myself now, am I?"

"You are... Touya Akira," he says at last.

Then... "Here you go!" Yun-sensei hands Hikaru a Goban with two Go-tsubos.

Hikaru promptly thanks him and he returns to 'invigilating' the tournament. "Here, you start," my rival tells me, handing me a Go-tsubo.

"Do we really have to?" I take the offered tsubo. "Can't we do something like watch a movie instead?" I implore.

Hikaru face-faults. "Uh... Well, just humour me. Since you can't remember, why don't you place nine stones?" he suggests tentatively.

"Uh... Alright," I submit resignedly and proceed to place nine stones on the board.

"Um... Like this." Hikaru moves the nine stones on to the nine little black squares; the hoshi, was it? Then he places a white stone on my 14-3.

"Ara? I thought I start..."

"Not in a handicapped game. In such cases, white always starts."

"Oh." And I resignedly place my stones wherever I think I should with a sigh.

Half an hour later, Hikaru has his face buried in his hands. I lost... by 82 moku. Oops... I guess I really can't remember after all. Truth is, I feel really sick about myself now. He gave me a _nine_ stone handicap and I still lost by *82* moku. Despair! This has got to be my life's worse embarrassment, since I don't think I've ever lost this badly before. Actually, I'm not really sure why I'm so angry with myself for losing. It probably has something to do with the fact that it's Go I'm playing and it's Hikaru I'm playing with. Hikaru looks up with an I-give-up look on his face. Then he swiftly starts clearing the stones on the board and I realize why a moment later; there are a few people approaching, two guys and a girl.

"Excuse me, Shindou-sensei, Touya-sensei; uh... could you play Shidougo with us please?" the girl asks us shyly.

Shidougo? That's... Suddenly, a score of images flashes past my eyes; memories, people, a shock of yellow and black, a burst of murky green, pieces of black and white... They speed by, flying just out of reach. I don't...

"Can you play a teaching game with me?" a voice asks; vague yet familiar, I can't grasp it. "Blind Go is tough even for the pros." Is that... me? Voices, voices... Whirling into a maelstrom of sound. "Don't play around!!" Anger. Bitterness. Disappointment. If I'm the best, I should be able to play blind Go easily. "Fine, 16-4 hoshi." A sneer, a smirk, a leering taunt. "That was a beautiful game. I'm so envious. Why couldn't I have been your opponent?" A smile, a joy, a nostalgic voice. "I won't play with you, Touya." Why? Hurt. I don't understand! Sorrow. "Shindou!!" "If only you weren't here." But he left me no choice. "Why did you join the Go club?" Because I wanted... the magic... There was nothing I wanted more. "Because of you everyone is upset." Upset... "Looking for an opponent? Okay, I'll play with you." I'll play with you... "It's fine, I don't need a handicap. After all, we're the same age, right?" That voice. A grin, a shock, a dark intrigue. "Become a pro for a bit and just win a few titles?! That's an insult to all the current Go pros!! Do you know the heights of the pros?! Do you realize how hard it is?!" The perseverance, the pain, the disappointment, all the hard work... Hours, days, years of endless practice. Just become a pro... Outrage. Sai. Why do I keep overlapping him with the old Shindou? Who is Sai? "There's another you. The Shindou Hikaru I first met; he is Sai." "No...The Go that you play is all that you are. That won't change and that's enough." Enough... Will it ever be enough? I want... everything... "I might tell you someday." Tell me someday... What's your secret? Will I like what I hear? I might tell you someday... Tell you someday... Tell you someday... I can't hear... I don't understand... "Can you play a teaching game with me?" A teaching game...? "Play a game with me?" Play a game with me. Play a game with me. Play a game with me... Play a game... Shindou, I want...

"Ah... uh!" I cry out softly in pain and hold my head in my hands. I squeeze my eyes shut; my head feels like it's incinerating from the inside out.

"Akira!!" Concern. My rival is on me in an instant. My rival... That's right, my eternal rival; Shindou Hikaru. I collapse into his arms. "Akira, daijoubu?"

I force my eyes open and regret it immediately; the bright light just makes the searing pain in my head worse. But I have to... I look up at the person who has become so much a part of my life that I can't imagine a life without him. "Shindou, boku ga..."

His eyes widen. "Touya!"

"I want... I... Play a game with me..."

Darkness... Nothing.

~Hikaru~

"I took him to Kaiou," I speak into the phone at the hospital.

"And then.?" Touya Meijin.

"A girl asked us for Shidougo and then he fainted."

"Right. We're coming."

Click. I look at the handset before replacing it in its cradle. That's leaving out a lot.

Touya. Please, come back to me.

* * *

I quietly push the door open and step in before letting it click softly shut behind me and walking silently into the ward.

"Shindou!"

I turn. My rival is sitting up on the bed surrounded by his immediate family and Ishikawa-san. What a coincidence. I just go to the bathroom for a few minutes and he wakes up in my absence. How pleasant of you, Touya; you're still the sweet jerk I remember. I roll my eyes. "Touya," I acknowledge.

He points a long slender finger at me; I blink and raise my eyebrows. "You... I... Play a game with me now!" he orders imperiously. At least he's trying to be imperious, but trying too hard and failing miserably.

I turn a chuckle into a cough. "Um... Goban...?" I point out.

"I..." He averts his gaze.

A doctor enters in the nick of time. He is dressed completely in white with a trench coat to complete the picture. He has fine silver hair and a fake left eye; he actually looks creepy. The doctor insists on performing a nice long check-up on an extremely restless and impatient Aki- Touya, much to my amusement. A-Touya keeps pestering the good doctor to hurry up and yet, is being completely uncooperative. Five minutes into the check-up and I'm already openly laughing, whether from amusement or happiness or a combination of both, I don't know. The Touya I knew best is back and as annoying as ever. And typically Touya, he wants to play Go now; and he means, right now. I shake my head to myself as he irritably puts up with the examinations, muttering complaints to himself all the while.

"Hey!! What are you...? Don't touch me!!" Touya shrieks suddenly. I blink.

The weird doctor straightens. "Ah, well... Too bad... Nice but... wrong... You don't have... those eyes... that quality..." he states quietly. "Okay, you can go," he says, louder this time signing the discharge papers. He really is creepy.

"Right," Touya's father acknowledges, taking the documents. "Thank you, Doctor...?"

"Kazutaka, Muraki Kazutaka," he replies with a hair-raising creepy smile.

Akira gets up and hurries off to change out of the hospital gown. Dr. Muraki seems content to linger and the air in the room seems stiff. The more I think of it, the more I find that this doctor simply reeks of evil. Hell, he even looks evil, damn it! I hope nothing's wrong with Touya. I wouldn't put it past him to plant something in my rival and his other patients using whatever dark art it is he practices; the man doesn't seem quite human. He fixes me with a stare and I quickly but casually avert my gaze to the window. Suddenly, his eyes light up with a glint I can only describe as chilling.

"Tsuzuki-san..." he whispers quietly to himself in obvious delight. Then he looks around at us, his gaze lingering creepily on me; I feel goosebumps and my hair stands on end. "Excuse me," he says at last. "I must be going." He turns and leaves the room.

Barely three seconds later, A-Touya pops his head in. "Is he still here?" he asks the general public. We all know who he means by 'he'.

I shake my head. "He left three seconds ago. Didn't you see him outside?"

He looks at me, eyes wide with horror. "No, the corridor is empty," he answers slowly.

I feel a chill up my spine. I mean, I know Sai was a good ghost but I've heard of bad ghosts too; what if the doctor was... I quickly grab my jacket from off the chair I draped it over. "A-Touya, I'm sorry to have to delay our game a little while more but I'm think I'll pay the nearest temple a visit first. Excuse me." I bow and turn to leave.

"Wait!"

I pause and turn.

My rival hurries towards me. "I think I'll go to. Itte kimasu," he calls before we hurry out together.

As it turns out, the nearest temple happens to be a temple of Inari, the thousand-tailed fox goddess of women and fertility[1]. Well, not one I'd ever _want_ to visit but then, beggars can't be choosers; right now, I'm rather too spooked to care. A-Touya gives me a queasy look but doesn't complain. We quickly climb the steps up to the temple and hurry into the temple. There is a... person clad in a white robe kneeling on a cushion before the altar. The person stands and turns to face us, taking off the large white scarf covering his or her head. I find myself staring at a creature of enthralling beauty; emerald green eyes quite like Touya's, waist-length flowing scarlet tresses, small mouth, high slightly pointed nose, and a flawless complexion add up to a vision of perfection. The beauty before me is of slight build and medium height, with fair smooth skin, slender fingers, a slender neck, and a slightly pointed chin. All these observations and I have still failed to determine the person's gender. I finally decide to make a lucky guess and pick 'female'.

"Uh... Sister, I..." I begin.

Those perfect features cloud over slightly. "I'm hardly anyone's sister," the person interjects calmly; a soft gentle contralto, almost musical in quality. Oops, wrong choice.

"Sorry. Um... Father, I..." I try again.

"Kurama," he corrects. "I'm not a priest; something like an acolyte, I guess. But the point is... Call me father again and I'll just kill you," Kurama tells us calmly, his tone still even and polite.

I don't need to be told twice. "Um... Kurama-san, I need two talismans against evil. The strongest ones you have, please."

He raises his perfectly arched eyebrows. "What? You guys met a demon or something?"

"Uh... I'm not sure but he fairly reeked of evil though."

"Very well, then; come with me." He turns and leads us down two corridors to the back courtyard of the temple. "Kasumi-sama," he greets with slight reverence.

A woman -this time I'm sure she's a woman- of equal beauty to that of Kurama's sits upon the branch of a nearby cherry tree with a swallow perched on her right forefinger. She is dressed in a white robe like Kurama's but it is sleeveless with a silver sash at her waist and an open white overcoat. She also wears a string of beads around her neck like most priests or priestesses do and a glittering translucent silvery-white mantel with a round collar of fine silvery-white fur. Her hair is knee-length, straight, and white-blonde and her eyes are frosty sapphire orbs. Her hair is kept back by two thins braids -one on either side- tied together with a thin silver ribbon at the back and a light fringe frames a fine-boned slightly oval face with high nose and cheekbones as well as a small mouth with full lips. The swallow takes flight and Kasumi pushes off the tree gracefully, landing lightly on her feet despite wearing silver getas[2]. She walks over silently, her back straight and posture regal with poise and grace.

"Please meet the Lady Toukou Kasumi, High Priestess of the Order of Inari," Kurama introduces.

"Konnichiwa, Kasumi-sama," Touya and I greet reverently at the same time.

The priestess smiles kindly. "Konnichiwa. I see you met Kurama," she observes, her voice a soft alto and definitely musical. Her voice seemed to linger in the air long after she had stopped speaking and where Muraki exuded a dark presence, she had a powerful aura of peace and light. "You are fortunate. His kind is rarely seen now, even in their homeland," she speaks again, her voice almost hypnotic as she reaches out to bury her fingers in his hair. Lady Kasumi is tall, nearing six feet in height. "He is the guardian of this temple now but don't let that stunning beauty and nice polite act fool you; he's hardly as supplicant as he looks. Kurama only serves because I healed his mother once and his lover is busy elsewhere."

Kurama merely smiles. "You do see through everything, don't you, Kasumi- sama?"

"What kind of high priestess would I be if I didn't? Anyway, speaking of which, how is Shiori-san?"

"Rather well, I believe, thanks to you."

"No, there is more. She does not wish to leave; she resists going. She still has a strong attachment to this life, as the Shinigamis say; her will to live is strong. There would be nothing I can do if that were not so. Something keeps her here and strongly believe it stands before me now."

Kurama smiles but remains silent.

"And Hiei? Still with Mukuro?"

His features cloud over at the mention of the name. "Yes, Kasumi-sama."

"I wouldn't worry about it, dear. Mukuro's scarcely your rival in that which troubles you."

His eyes widen in surprise. "You knew?!"

"Of course. Like I said, what kind of high priestess would I be if I didn't?" She turns to us. "I'm sorry, your patience must be wearing thin."

Touya swallows guiltily and averts his gaze but remains silent.

"Well, how may I help you? What exactly brings a rare couple of boys to the temple of the great Lady Inari?" she asks.

I blush lightly and swallow thickly before speaking; Toukou Kasumi has got to be the most intimidating lady I've ever met and ever will meet. "Uh... We'd like talismans, Kasumi-sama. The strongest ones you have."

She raises her eyebrows. "To what end? If I didn't know any better, I'd think you two ran into demons; but then, you wouldn't be here. So what exactly do you need wards of that magnitude for?"

"Uh... Someone we met. He's creepy and scary and a psychotic raving maniac..." Touya replies before I can. Oh, God; Touya's talking.

"Oh, that sounds like someone I know." The lady gives us appraising look and nods understandingly. "Let me guess, Muraki Kazutaka."

"You know him?" my rival asks in amazement.

"Naturally. In this area, everyone who does what I do does. But I'm not just your average cleric, so don't expect every temple to have heard of him. I do a lot more than pray. But I'm sorry to say that if he's as interested in you as he is in someone else I know, then nothing short of staying dead or here permanently will keep him from you."

Touya looks like he's going to be sick.

"He doesn't come here because I do not allow it and I possess the power to keep him out, but most importantly because I am not within his range of preferences. Anyhow, I'll give you something to deflect freezing magic. If nothing else, it'll give you a little time to run away since he can't stop you with magic. But he won't be tricked by the same thing twice, so pray he's not interested in you. The man's crazy, but he's smart; brilliant, in fact, in a rather twisted way."

I quickly start praying to every single kami I can remember for Muraki's disinterest. I know Touya started praying a long time ago. We follow Kasumi- sama to the altar and I watch as she takes something from a drawer nearby before kneeling and praying. Holding the item between her hands, she begins to chant softly. I stare in utter amazement as her hands glow softly with a white light and white mist forms and swirls around her hands while she chants. A minute later, the light and mist fade and she rises. She walks over and ties a thin bracelet with a yellow stone set in silver and two silver beads on it around each of our left wrists. Out of the blue, she smiles.

"I see the thread of fate[3]," she explains calmly. "I wish you both happiness."

"Uh... Thanks," Aki-Touya replies.

"Thank you. By the way, how did you come to know Muraki?" I question.

"He's notorious among some people I work with. Speaking of which..." She steps past us towards the front courtyard and we turn to see what caught her attention. A blonde boy stands not too far away, carrying an unconscious man in a black trench coat. The boy has big emerald green eyes while the man has brown hair. "Hisoka," greets Kasumi quietly, with her back to us.

"Kasumi-sama," Hisoka acknowledges. "I'd like to leave Tsuzuki with you." He sounds anxious, worried, and tired.

"If I know Tsuzuki-san, there can only be two reasons for this; which one is it this time, Muraki or the Grand Duke Astalte?" Maybe that's the someone she mentioned...?

"Bad news; both, one after the other. That's why I'm here; this is the only place I know that's off-limits to both."

"Indeed... Is Kira with you?"

"That's who I'm going back to the..." he notices us. "... the other side to fetch. Tatsumi's distracting them at the moment."

"Very well. Kurama," she calls. "Please take Tsuzuki-san inside. When you're done with him, go call Yuusuke."

Kurama takes the man from Hisoka's arms and walks away into the temple.

"If Astalte is getting as desperate as I think he is, my power alone might not be sufficient. Hisoka, while you're there, please call my sister Arisa."

His eyes widen visibly in astonishment. "You knew?!"

"That she became a demon-slayer after her death? Of course. Now go."

Hisoka turns and hurries down the steps out of sight.

Kasumi whistles, a clear musical sound almost as if played to perfection on a flute, and a swallow swoops down to land on her forefinger. The priestess slips something onto the bird's right foot. "Rei, find Sumeragi Subaru for me. Go." The swallow flies away and she turns to us. "Please, you must go."

"Uh... Right, we were going to leave anyway," I tell her, taking my rival by the elbow. "Thank you and excuse us." I hurry down the steps with Touya and turn to face him when we reach the bottom and stop. "Why don't we play at your house?" I suggest.

~Akira~

"Why don't we play at your house?"

I blink. "My house?" I echo incredulously. He's inviting himself to my house. Wait, he's already been there, quite recently slept there even.

He nods.

"Um... Fine, alright," I agree grudgingly.

We take the subway and then walk to my house in silence. What was I thinking, inviting him to stay the night like that? I shake my head quietly to myself as I step in and greet my parents who have already reached home. I lead him to my room, silently berating myself over losing to him with a nine-stone handicap. How could I have lost, even with amnesia? And that had to be Shindou I lost to, damn it. I walk into my room, grab the Goban from the corner I keep it in and place it in the middle of the floor. Shindou sits down on one side, wordlessly taking a Go-tsubo and I do the same, sitting down opposite him. We Nigiri and I win, taking the tsubo with black stones from him and passing him the one with white. I gaze at the board for a moment, then finally lift a stone and place it on the 4-16 hoshi.

My rival places a stone on his upper left komoku. We continue taking turns to place our stones. Damn, I missed this; we barely played all the time I was an amnesiac. I quickly play an ikken-tobi in response to his hane and he attaches. We play a few more hands. Damn it, he's improved. A lot. I attack his lower right and he responds correctly almost instantly. I still see a shadow of the Internet player Sai in him when he plays. I look up at him as I place my stone. That look of intense concentration, how I have missed it. I return my gaze to the Goban as Shindou answers my attack. I hesitate, that's... That hand... It's... amazing; it almost completely disables the attack. Stronger, so much stronger in just slightly more than a month. I realize once again why I was drawn to him from the first, why among all other players he is my rival. Shindou Hikaru, you are... You are truly my rival, now and forever.

I play a hand close by, now even more determined to win this game. I must connect. If I connect, there shouldn't be much he can do. Damn, he knows what I'm trying to do and he's not making it easy. Perhaps if I just strengthen here...? Good, he hasn't noticed just yet. But he will soon enough. He hesitates for a moment, then attacks. Shit, he noticed. Well, I'd expect nothing less. Half an hour later, the game is over and I feel terrible. I lost by four and a half moku. He's gotten so much better in all the time I haven't played. Despair, despair, despair... No, I can't; I must improve, must surpass him. I can't let one defeat get me down.

"Touya?"

I look up at him.

"I missed that."

I blink. Twice. "Yeah," I agree at last.

"It was a great game. You just need to practice to regain the touch."

"Quit trying to console me." I know I sound horribly ungrateful and bitter; the first of which I'm not, the second of which I am.

"No, it was. Best I've played in a while."

Somehow, that made me feel a lot better. "Shall we discuss it?"

He looks up at the clock on the wall and I wonder at the fact that he knows precisely where it is. Shindou shakes his head. "No, it's late; I should go. Save it, Touya; we'd probably end up arguing if we did anyway." My rival rises.

I hate to admit that he's right. I stand up as he walks to the door. "I'll uh... see you to the door," I tell him.

"Hm."

I walk with him to the gate outside in awkward silence and open the gate for him.

He turns. "Um... I guess I'll go now. Goodnight." He turns back around and starts to walk away.

"Um... Shindou!"

He pauses and turns. "Hm?"

"Um... Thanks." I can feel the colour rising in my cheeks; I can't believe I'm standing here thanking Shindou Hikaru. But it would be horribly rude and ungrateful not to and it would leave me with no right to complain about him being rude and tactless if I didn't.

"For what?"

"Uh... Everything." I'm amazed to find that I actually kind of mean it; I _am_ thankful. "I heard from Ishikawa-san that you spent almost the entire time I was in a coma at the hospital. And you've been taking me around these past couple of weeks, so..."

He shakes his head and looks up at me sadly. "Please don't thank me, Touya. It was all my fault to begin with anyway. I should be the one thanking you. It was supposed to have been me in that ward. Thank you," he responds, walking back over.

I smile instinctively. "Right, um... Goodnight, then."

"Aa." Out of the blue, he hugs me. "Sorry, it's just good to have you back."

I tentatively return the embrace and shake my head. "Iia, it's good to be back... Sorta."

He lets go and steps away. "Right, goodnight."

I watch him as he walks away until even his silhouette fades from sight in the darkness of night before latching the gate, turning around and making my way back up to my room. Upon entering, I let my gaze rest on the Goban a while. No, it was my loss; he's improved so much in the short time I was... disoriented. I slide my eyes shut for a moment before kneeling to clear the board. Disappointment and satisfaction swims around in me. I am disappointed in myself and at the same time, satisfied that he's as skilled and talented as I remember. Shindou Hikaru... You are... an enigma. Yet even now I feel as if something's missing somewhere... Like everything I have now is somehow not enough; I wonder what is that missing piece of the puzzle as I place the last of the stones back in its tsubo and replace the cover. I sit back and my gaze inevitably lands on the bookshelf on the opposite wall; something there catches my eye. 'Chobits, Cardcaptor Sakura, Earthian, Rurouni Kenshin...' I read the titles. Manga. Suddenly, the full force of what I've done in the past couple of weeks hits me in its entirety.

Candy, clothes, ice cream. Oh my God. Circus, concert, shopping. No way. And... Oh my God! Touchwood, perish the thought. Oh God... I cross the room to my bed and bury my face in my pillow in despair. "I am never leaving this room!!" I wail in anguish.

A/N: Hi guys! This has got to be the fic's longest chapter so far. Hope
you enjoyed it and here are some explanations regarding some things.
Firstly, just to make it clear, Toukou Kasumi is an original character.
It's kind of too bad she plays such a small part in this fic, leaving me
no time to develop her better. Anyway, the rest is as follows:

[1] = Inari is a Shinto goddess, for those who haven't heard of her.
Anyone who knows better and thinks I made a mistake somewhere in my
description of her is free to correct me and I'll fix it, meaning no
disrespect to the good Lady.
[2] = Getas are those Japanese clogs you see around in Anime; not the
most comfortable of footwear, if I say so myself.
[3] = I heard somewhere that around your last finger there is a
'thread' that connects you to your destined partner in life (or
soulmate, if you like). For girls, it's on the right hand while for
guys, it's on the left. That's the thread High Priestess Kasumi saw and
was talking about. I guess you'll figure out the implication of that
line without my help, ne?