An Act of Chance

Disclaimer: I don't own Hikaru no Go or any of the characters presented in the story (so far). I claim no rights to it and the characters in this story are used without permission (and I'm also not being paid).

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It had been a chance meeting. Akari was sitting by herself outside a coffee shop trying to decipher her homework. She was eighteen now, and she was so preoccupied with graduation preperations she hadn't found one moment of free time. She sighed. "I wish Hikaru was here. He always could lift my spirits," she muttered to herself as the people passed by. "And he could make me feel a lot smarter too," she added as she finally finished a problem she had been working on for at least an hour.

Hikaru, after becoming a pro, had spent less and less time at home over the years. Mostly because after earning enough money he had decided to get his own place. He visited his mother on occasion, but Akari doubted sometimes if he even remembered she existed.

"Oi! Akari!" she heard a familiar voice call and she raised her eyes from the somehow blindingly white paper. Waving from across the street was the boy with the bleached bangs. She smiled briefly and waved back, and he jogged to meet her.

"Hi Hikaru. Long time no see," she said with a smile, though she herself couldn't determine if it was real or not.

"Hi Akari. It has been a while hasn't it?" he rubbed the back of his head and she, if only for an instant, thought he might actually have been nervous.

"So..." Akari said, unsure of what he might want to speak of. "How are you doing in the tournaments?" she finally asked after a while.

"I'm doing ok. I'm gonna take a break for awhile. How have you been doing? You're graduating soon, right?" he asked, skirting the subject. Akari looked taken aback. In the past when she had asked about Go he spared no details, oftentimes boring her more than conversing. "What?" he asking, noticing this queer stare.

"Oh! Nothing, I was just a little surprised. Um.. Yeah, I am graduating soon. you wouldn't believe how tough getting all this work done is. I actually skipped Cram School today. I just couldn't do it," Akari gave an exassperated sigh to emphasize her point.

Hikaru laughed lightly, "Yeah, you never were one to just sit around inside all day."

"I'm surprised you would notice something like that," Akari let slip aloud. Hikaru looked at her in confusion and Akari covered her mouth and waved.

"Whadda ya mean by that?"

"Well... Um, I just got the impression when we were younger that you didn't like me very much..." she paused and Hikaru listened patiently... Or stared off into space. She couldn't quite tell. "Then you got caught up in Go, pulled me in too. A few other people. Then suddenly you grew up and left me behind," she let these words tumble quietly out as memories of all those years ago flooded her mind.

Hikaru was silent for a moment. "I didn't mean to leave anyone behind. I guess it did just sorta happen, huh?" Akari nodded as a few unwanted memories caught up with her. "So... how is everyone?" he asked.

Akari smiled, "Well, Tsusui is doing well in his new job. I can't remember what it is, but I'm sure you could give him a call and hear all about it. Kaga is actually doing great with shogi and when he stops by to visit the club at Haze he helps members of the Go club find more members."

"So the Haze Junior High Go club still isn't doing well?" Hikaru asked.

"'fraid not. It's sad, but there's always at least one person in the school whose willing to put in the time to get more members," Akari replied.

"And how's Mitani? I haven't spoken to him much since I left Haze," Hikaru asked with a grin. "Is he still a cheating bastard?"

Hikaru was about to laugh when Akari's expression changed. "You could say that," she replied, her eyes downcast.

"Did... did something happen when I was gone?" he asked. Akari looked almost as if she were ready to cry, but she took a few deep breaths and steadied herself.

"No, nothing important," she said with a bright grin and Hikaru frowned.

"Akari..."

"Really, it's nothing! So, um, I know you have to have made some new friends with all this touring the country for Go. Tell me about them," Hikaru looked at his old friend suspiciously but got the message that she was not willing to surrender any information on the subject.

"Yeah, I've made a few friends..." he told her all about the people from various Go clubs and Salons, tournaments, and other places that he had been. Akari listened with rapt interest and jumped in on occasion with her own little stories.

"You know, I never realized you actually had stories to tell before now," Hikaru laughed.

"Yeah, well, you were a stupid little boy who never took the time to listen before," both of them shared a laugh at Hikaru's expense. "I've missed you, you know," Akari managed to finally say.

"Yeah..," Hikaru replied. In truth, he hadn't really missed her. He hadn't had the time to think of her what with all the tournaments and running around. Go had always occupied most of his time. He was about to begin another conversation when a foriegn beeping came from both sides of the table.

"Oh, my Cell phone!" both of them said at the same time. They both turned away to check the id's and answer their respective phones.

"Oh, Mamimi! I completely forgot! I'll come down to the library right now!" Akari said into the phone.

"Sorry Waya! I met up with an old friend and lost track of time. I'll be home in a minute," Hikaru appologized to his friend.

"I have to go," they both said simultaneously.

"Um, you can call me anytime Akari, here's my number," he pulled out a small piece of paper with his number scrawled on it already.

"Giving these out to the ladies?" she asked with a laugh as she ripped a sheet from the homework she had been working on/ignoring prior to their meeting and scribbled down her own number. "Here, you can call me too."

"Well, I guess I'll see ya around." They waved eachother farewell and began off in seperate directions.

"Miss, you forgot the bill!"

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Well, I'm not sure if I wanna even continue this. I think I might just leave it as a one shot. You tell me. In any case, it's time to release it to the masses!