I've realized at this point, there is NO timeline. So whenI say that Akiko has been suspended for two weeks,I mean she's not in school until I feel like writing another scene where she is :P

Anyway, sorry for the delay...exams and all. enjoy this installment of Akiko!

CHAPTER 19

After they had breakfast, Akiko insisted they go shopping. Hatori didn't really protest. After wandering through shops for about an hour, they happened upon a little jewelry shop. Hatori noticed Akiko eyeing a gorgeous diamond pendant on a white gold chain almost longingly, but she pulled herself away and examined the racks of silver on the other side of the shop.

"Pretty girl you got there," Said the shopkeeper in a low voice. "You should be careful with her."

"Oh, she's not my..." Hatori trailed off. "How much is that necklace?" he asked, pointing to the one that Akiko had been eyeing.

The shopkeeper chuckled. "And you say she's not your girl?" When Hatori heard the price, his eyes nearly bugged out of his head. He reached for his wallet. Akiko hadn't noticed anything. A few minutes later, the transaction was made, and the little jewelry box was tucked away in one of Hatori's pockets. Akiko was calling for Hatori to come and see something.

"Look!" she exclaimed, holding out a little pewter pendant for him to see. It was shaped like a seahorse, and looked exactly like Hatori in his junishi form. She smiled playfully and turned to the shopkeeper. "How much is this pendant?" She asked.

"400 yen," He replied with a smile. Akiko pulled her wallet out of her little purse and handed the money to the shopkeeper. "Do you want that in a bag?" He asked.

"No thanks," She replied. Her smile grew wider as she turned to Hatori. "Give my your key ring."

Puzzled, Hatori handed it over. She smiled and handed it back a few seconds later. She'd put the seahorse on the key ring. Hatori smiled and shook his head. "It is cute." he said, putting it back in his pocket. They walked leisurely out of the shop and stopped to get some crepes. Akiko nibbled on her strawberry crepe slowly, sitting on a bench in a park they came across. Hatori had already finished his. He fished into his pocket and pulled out the jewelry box. He glanced at Akiko out of the corner of his eye, noting that she was still engrossed in her crepe. He quietly took the delicate chain out of the box, and stood quietly. Akiko didn't notice. He walked around the bench and stood behind her, just as she crumpled the wrapper of her crepe. He unfastened the chain and held the chain around her neck. She twitched slightly, not realizing what Hatori was doing. He fastened the chain around her neck.

"Hatori, wha-?"She picked up the diamond on the chain, her eyes widening. "You didn't..."

Hatori smiled slightly. "Happy birthday." Akiko choked slightly. She dropped the chain, whirled around and almost flung herself over the back of the bench.

"Thank you!" She squealed, hugging Hatori tightly.

PYON!

"Ahh! Hatori, I'm so sorry! I forgot!" Akiko wailed, hanging over the back of the bench and staring down and the pile of Hatori's clothes.

"You sound like Tohru." said Hatori with a hint of amusment in his voice. Akiko had been acting a lot more like a girl recently…and he was really starting to think of her as a girl as well. He had just bought her a necklace, after all. Akiko walked around the bench and picked him and his clothes up. She touched the necklace gently, hugging the seahorse.

"Thank you, Hatori. You really shouldn't have."

"But I did. Happy Birthday, again."

"How did you know that today was my birthday?" Asked Akiko, who was starting to walk back towards the hotel.

"I'm a doctor. I have access to all of your medical records." If he'd been in human form he would have been smiling. "I checked a few months ago...and I

realized I'd never given you a birthday present. So..."

Akiko opened the door to her room, smiling. "Well, thank you. Actually...No one has ever given me a birthday present before."

"You're joking." said Hatori, his disbelief evident in his voice.

PYON!

Akiko tossed Hatori a towel."I'm not." She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you again."

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Hatori quickly got out of sight of the door. Akiko tossed his clothes at him and answered the door. It was Kana.

"Ah...Hello. I just wanted to talk to Hatori-san. Is he here?"

"Yes, he is," replied Akiko politely. She leaned back and glanced around the corner. "Hatori, are you finished dressing?"

"Almost," he called back. A few seconds later, he walked to the door, his shirt crinkled and half undone and his hair messed up. His tie was draped around his neck. "Oh! Kana." He said, quickly doing up his shirt and straightening his clothes.

"H...Hatori..." Kana replied, looking vaugely shocked. "I just...wanted to talk to you... about your presentation. Ah...would you like to have lunch with me? both of you?"

"Ah-"

"Certainly," Akiko cut in smoothly, smiling. "That's ok, right Hatori? It's nice to be with a familiar face for a while."

Hatori smiled, hiding his wish to flee from both of them. "That's a wonderful idea. We would be happy to join you." Akiko picked up her purse and the three of them went down to the hotel's dining room. They were seated quickly.

After they had ordered, Hatori quickly excused himself to go to the washroom. In truth, he just didn't feel like making conversation. He had no idea how much of a mistake it was to leave the two women alone.

"I didn't know you were sharing a room." Kana said, a questioning look in her eyes.

"Oh, that was a mistake. The hotel staff assumed we were married because we share the same name and I'm a guest of his." Akiko dissmissed the topic with a wave of her hand. "It's not that bad."

Kana nodded stiffly. "Uh...that's an interesting outfit."

Akiko smiled, slightly meanacingly. "It's mostly Hatori's, actually. The shirt and the belt are his."

Kana nodded stiffly again. She kept silent this time, looking around for a topic of conversation that did not involve Hatori. A sparkle caught her eye.

"Wow! What a pretty necklace. Is it real?" Kana exclaimed genuinely.

Akiko smiled dreamily and touched it lightly. "Yes, Hatori gave it to me this morning. For my birthday."

"Oh, uh...Happy Birthday."

They sat in silence after that, until their food came. Hatori arrived few seconds later. "Did I miss anything?" He asked lightly.

Silence.

"I take it you two don't have much in common?"

Silence again.

"Umm...I'm sorry, Kana, didn't you want to talk to me about my presentation?"

"It's not important," Kana mumbled around a mouthful of food.

The silence continued.

"I'm really getting tired of this awkward silence." said Hatori in a desperate effort to make conversation.

"Why are you so interested in whether Hatori and I are dating, anyway?" asked Akiko suddenly. Kana sputtered indignantly.

"I beg your pardon? I...what are you talking about?"

Akiko tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at Kana. "You seem awfully interested. You asked about it last night, and you asked about it a few minutes ago."

"Akiko, that's enough." Hatori said firmly, giving her a look. Akiko subsided sulkily. "I apologize for her rudeness, Kana."

"That's all right," Kana said coldly. "I should be leaving now, anyway. I'm on the earlier train."

Hatori nodded to her. "I'll talk to you later."

Kana nodded coolly back and walked off. Akiko sat in silence for a minute.

"We should go and prepare to leave." She said. Hatori nodded and they returned to the room to pack up. Akiko was completely silent while they were packing, and on the enitre train ride home. Hatori had brought a book, but Akiko just stared out the window, toying with her necklace.

Hatori was exhausted when they got home, but Akiko said she wanted to talk to him. She was wearing one of her old kimonos again. Hatori was sprawled out on a couch, but she was standing, staring at the floor. She raised her head slowly and looked him in the eye.

"You still love her, don't you?" She said softly, completely expressionless. Hatori sat up suddenly.

"I...I don't know." He replied.

"She still cares about you, even though she doesn't remember anything." said Akiko. There was definitely a note of bitterness in her voice now.

"Why do you care?" said Hatori suddenly, defensively. Akiko didn't say anything. She simply sighed slowly and turned away.

"You have to forget about her, Hatori. She's married now, and even if...even if she still cares about you, you can't be together."

"Don't you think I know that?" said Hatori angrily.

"I'm just trying to help, you idiot!" Akiko cried, whirling around to face him. Hatori was shocked to see tears in her eyes. One of them trickled down her cheek, but she didn't appear to notice. "I'm sorry, ok? I don't ...I don't know what to say. I..." She turned and ran from the room.

Hatori followed her. He didn't know why, but he felt as though it was his fault. "Akiko?"

She was sitting on her futon, staring at the floor. "Damn," she muttered under her breath.

"Akiko," said Hatori from the doorway. "I..." he sighed and walked in front of her. She slowly raised her head to look at him.

"I'm sorry." They said in unison. They both laughed. Hatori held out his hand.

"Friends?" He asked. Akiko smiled slightly and shook his hand, western-style. "Well, now that's settled, it's time for bed." Hatori stretched.

"Mmm. I'll see you in the morning." Akiko said, sprawling lazily back over her bed.

"Oh, Akiko, remember that you have school in the morning." called Hatori over his shoulder. Akiko just nodded sleepily.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

A rather sappyish chapter. they're all out of character andI don't really are :P...anyway review, now that you have read! hugs for all!