Disclaimer: I don't own Hikaru no Go. It belongs to Hotta Yumi and Obata Takeshi.
Crusty's Note: Hi again… :)
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Out For Lunch
Hikaru took a deep breath before he opened the Go salon's door.
The little talk he had with Waya and Isumi yesterday made him felt that he should take a test of truth.
Hikaru was still unsure, but if he really had a crush on Akira and Akira also had the same crush, he needs to know if it was true.
"Irasshaimase. Ah! Shindou, how are you today?" Ichikawa smiled to Hikaru.
"I'm fine, thank you," Hikaru smiled back. He walked nervously to the table where Akira already sat.
"You're on time. Wow…" Akira spoke in rather monotone.
"Yea-yea…" Hikaru sat his butt. Akira put down the Go journal he was reading before and took the stone bowl.
"Uh, Akira?"
"Yes?" Akira stopped his hand.
"Uh, I… Do you remember when you said that we spent too much time just by playing Go? I was wondering maybe this time we should pass that. Why don't we just hang out somewhere and forget about Go for a while…what do you say?"
Akira stared down at the bowl in his hand. Silent for a moment. Hikaru thought that Akira must be disappointed.
"Okay, let's do that."
Hikaru raised his brows. He didn't expect to be this easy.
Akira stood up from his chair and walked outside. Hikaru quickly stood up too and followed Akira.
"Where are you boys going?" Ichikawa stared at them confused.
"Hikaru said there's a ramen shop near the station that serves really good ramen, so we're out for lunch. His treat," Akira smiled to Ichikawa and pointed his thumb at Hikaru.
"Oh, I see," Ichikawa giggled a bit, meanwhile Hikaru grinned. 'What ramen? Moreover, my treat?'
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"So, we're out. Where do you wanna go?" Akira clutched his school bag.
"Uh, ramen shop near the station?"
"There is actually a ramen shop near the station?"
"No," Hikaru grinned.
Akira chuckled.
"I wonder how you ended up with that story."
"I don't know," Akira smiled. "Maybe we could go out to have some pizza?"
"Uh, okay."
Hikaru and Akira walked side by side and talked about their recent matches. They still talked about Go even though they said this trip shouldn't mention anything about Go, but that should be okay as long it doesn't all about Go. The board game that made them meets each other, anyway.
"Akira, your father had gone to China again, right?"
"Yes. The competition going on there is very tight, but that's what motivates him."
Hikaru observed Akira's face as they walked. If Waya saw them, would he say that Hikaru looks at Akira differently than he looks at other people?
Suddenly Akira turned his face to Hikaru. Hikaru startled and quickly looked the other way.
"What is it?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing," Hikaru answered nervously.
"Is there something on my face?" Akira rubbed his cheek.
"No! Nothing's weird with you face."
Akira glanced at Hikaru. "Umm… Hikaru…"
"What?"
"When you left my house, after the dinner, I felt there was something you were hiding."
"What? No, I wasn't hiding anything. What makes you think so?"
"Well, you seemed in a hurry that time, it was like you're avoiding me. You acted weird like that right after you went to the bathroom."
Hikaru didn't reply. That time, he met Ogata at the bathroom and Ogata were asking odd questions about the time Hikaru and Akira went to the beach together.
"Hikaru… did you... meet any ghost?"
"What!? Where?" The 'ghost' word suddenly reminded Hikaru of Sai and he was a bit panicked thinking that maybe Akira already figured out the secret.
"Well, maybe you met some ghost at the bathroom and you thought that my house is creepy, that's why you quickly decided to go home," Akira said lightly as if it wasn't something silly to say.
'A ghost? I was holding one's glasses that time…' "No, I didn't meet any ghost. Honestly, that is so silly, Akira."
"So, what's wrong?" Akira slightly blushed realizing his own stupidity.
Hikaru sighed to face Akira's stubbornness. He just won't stop after he got the answer. "Nothing's wrong, and I don't want to talk about this because we're going to have some pizza and we're going to eat happily!"
Akira said nothing. He realized he wanted this to be a pleasant walk and they weren't at his father's Go salon, so there was no reason for debating.
"Ah! Let's eat here!" Hikaru didn't wait for Akira's answer, he quickly entered a ramen shop.
Akira sighed, 'I thought we're going to have pizza…'
Inside the place, Akira and Hikaru sat side by side by the counter. Hikaru huffed and puffed his steaming ramen excitedly.
"Hikaru…"
"Hn?" Hikaru couldn't exactly talk because his mouth was stuffed with the noodles.
"What were you talking about with Ogata-san?"
Hikaru choked on his ramen. "What-what do you mean?" He thought could it be that Akira already knew about his little talk with Ogata at the bathroom.
"You know, during the ride to and from my house."
"Oh… Well, umm… nothing special, just small talks. That's all."
"Well, I hope you guys get along well."
"Why you think like that?"
Akira chuckled, "Because you always think he's creepy."
Hikaru scratched his head rather embarrassed. Slowly he sipped the soup from his bowl and glanced at Akira. Perhaps this is the right time to ask.
"Uh, Akira… You said before that you like Ogata, right?"
"That's true."
"How much?"
"Huh?"
"How much do you like him?"
"Uh…" Akira scratched his head rather confused, "Well, I… like him a lot…"
Hikaru bit his lip. 'Okay, that was too straight to the point…' "And… what about me… I mean... do you like me?"
Akira stared Hikaru. "Yes. I like you."
"How… how much?"
"A lot."
"Like Ogata?"
"A lot... but not like Ogata," Akira smiled.
Hikaru silenced to see the smile. He wanted to ask again what was the meaning of Akira's words, but he just couldn't spit out the line.
"And what about you, Hikaru?" Suddenly Akira spoke, "Do you like me?"
"Uh… I…" It was supposed to be easy to say it, but why it wasn't? "I…"
Akira was still staring at Hikaru. He has to get the answer.
"I… Yes."
Akira raised his brows "Yes? Yes what?"
Hikaru muttered inside. "Yes… I like you…"
Akira smiled. Meanwhile Hikaru looked down to his shoes. His face blushed in red.
Akira leaned his chin on his palm, "How much?" It seemed that he found the right time to tease Hikaru. It's not his habit to tease someone, but Hikaru looked adorably cute when he's blushing.
Hikaru swore some more inside. He knew Akira was playing with him, but at the same time he wanted to answer the question. This was more than enough to assure Hikaru that he actually got a crush on Akira.
"…lot…" Hikaru mumbled.
"What?"
"A lot! I like you a lot!!" Hikaru shouted and made the customers in that shop stared. Even the chef nearly threw his wok for he was surprised because of the yell.
Akira quickly paid the food and dragged Hikaru out.
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Akira didn't let go of his grip untill he thought they were far enough from the shop. He realized they were at an empty playground after he looked around. He thought he just has to get themselves away from the stares, he didn't care where he dragged Hikaru.
"Hikaru, what was that!? You don't have to shout!"
"You need an answer, there you have it," Hikaru replied careless and walked ahead Akira.
Akira sighed, "You're such a handful to handle…"
Hikaru turned to face Akira, "No I'm not!"
"Yes you are actually…"
"No – I – am - not!"
"Hikaru…"
"What!?"
"Can I kiss you?"
Hikaru got stiffen. His jaws were tightly closed and his heart felt like it stopped beating.
"Sorry… Forget I said that." Akira started to walk, "Let's go home, it's getting dark."
Hikaru was still standing mutely meanwhile Akira already about two meters in front of him.
"Akira…"
Akira stopped and turned.
"Why you want to kiss me?"
"Because I like you."
"Does that mean you're going to kiss Ogata too?"
"No."
"But you like him."
"Not like the way I like you. I've said that before, right?"
"How exactly is… the way you like me?"
Akira slightly smiled, "I don't know how to put it into words. Maybe I'll come up with an idea tomorrow. Let's go…" Akira reached out his hand to Hikaru.
Hikaru walked approaching Akira, but he didn't take Akira's hand.
They left the playground in silence.
"Next time, I'll pay for the ramen," Hikaru mumbled beside Akira.
Akira smiled inside. "Yes."
While they walked, secretly Hikaru glanced at Akira. 'Akira, it's not that I don't want you to kiss me, but… I ate a lot of onion in my ramen. An onion flavored kiss isn't a good idea for a first kiss…'
tbc
