Disclaimer: The previous chapter I forgot to write this. Anyways, I don't own Hikaru no Go and its characters and for the rest of my fic just in case I forget to write this again.

Chapter 1

Five years later…

Touya wondered down the street by himself. It was a hot summer day and the heat was actually getting to his head. However, even how the hot weather was affecting him Touya walked on looking undisturbed in his usual composed self.

He was on his way to the salon to play shidago with his frequent guests and to meet his usual opponent for the day Shindou Hikaru. Looking down at his watch he knew that he was slightly early. He looked up again and saw a small western looking café not far from where he was standing. The signboard on the top of the front doubled glass door read 'Eternal Snow'.

"I passed here almost everyday and I've never seen this place…" Touya said to himself walking over to the café. "Maybe it's new."

"Welcome," A lady with long orange hair tied in a high ponytail greeted him when he entered.

She was wearing a sleeveless white collared blouse, a short mini green skirt with a yellow apron and a silver name tag pinned on her left and standing over a table taking the orders of two older men.

"Please take a seat. Someone will be with you shortly." She said smiling at him.

"Thank you." Touya replied and looked around the very clean café. It looks small and cozy a place where he would like to hang out when he was free to have a cup of coffee and do his reading.

There were few teenagers occupied some tables laughing and chatting as he search for a perfect place to seat down. A quieter place.

Touya walked over to other end of the café where there was a single table with two chairs. He had chosen that place because it was almost hidden behind a huge plant tree that looked like a small coconut tree. He liked to be alone the solitude gave him a peaceful mind. Slowly taking a seat he waited for someone to take his order as he opened the menu that was placed on the table. He badly needed a cold drink.

Akari appeared from the kitchen balancing four trays in her arms, two on each side. Eternal Snow was a café she had built up on her own and also with help, support and encouragement from her family and friends. The one friend she had who had encouraged her through her hardship was Mitani Yuuki. He had been with her giving her the support she needed through her five years while she went through college and finally decided to open a café on her own.

She had been busy recently due to having to move her café to a new destination because her previous landlord increased in the rent charges to a price too high for her to pay every month. That was when she decided to get her own shop so that these troubles wouldn't occur again. When she found this small lot near the city she was so happy that the cost of it was affordable and the loan from the bank had agreed on loaning her the money. Besides that the monthly installment she had to pay for five years was reasonable.

"Here is your order," Akari grinned placing down one tray on the teenager's table and still balancing the other three.

It took her almost three months to finish all the renovations and alterations of the shop. Everything was worth it and everything seemed to be going her way. 'Eternal Snow' had been with her for almost three years and she had no intentions of giving it up.

"There is a new customer at table 7 Akari-chan." The girl in orange hair tied into a ponytail said taking the trays from her. "I'll help you with the orders."

"Hai," Akari smiled and took out her notepad and pen she kept in the front pocket of her apron. "Arigatou Mitani-oneechan."

"Daijebu, if Yuuki sees you working yourself to death. He will come after me." Mitani said with a wink and left.

Akari blinked watching Yuuki's sister serving the other customers. Yuuki had been with her since High school ended, even he didn't go college he went to get himself a job as a GO teacher for younger students. With his qualification in GO he was able to teach children how to start of with GO. She knew that Yuuki had been looking after her and maybe might had develop a caring or liking affections for her but Akari had sealed her heart away from everyone else.

Smiling softly shaking her head lightly from daydreaming she headed for table 7. She approached the hidden table behind the plant with a huge grin which she used to greet her customers. Everyone likes her smile and she was very happy that she was able to smile again even what had happened to her years ago.

"Konichiwa," Akari greeted looking down her notebook. "How can I help you?"

"All I need is something cold. Is there any recommendations I am new to this place."

"Oh, it must be the hot day affecting you sir, what about a cup of ice blended lemon tea. It always helps." Akari looked up from her notebook keeping the smile on her face but it didn't last when she saw who was before her eyes. "Touya-kun?"

Touya looked up from the menu at the young lady with burgundy eyes and long auburn chestnut hair she tied into a bun looking at him with surprised. He spotted her when she first came out from the kitchen in the same outfit the first young lady was wearing who had greeted him when he first stepped into the café. He was amused at how she tried her best to balance all four trays on both her arms and how her colleague came to her rescue later. She looked familiar but he couldn't recollect any memory where or when he had seen her before. Not long her surprised changed, brightening up with a huge grin.

"Touya-kun?" Akari exclaimed. "It had been a long time! Well I think you may not remember me for I think we only met twice and I remembered you because I still see you in the GO Weekly when I read it occasionally. I am Fujisaki Akari from Haze Junior High School. Hikaru's friend? From the School GO Club!"

Everything came out in a rush and Akari was surprised she could speak in one breath so quickly. Touya stared at her wide eye his memory coming back to him. That was right he saw her when he entered the Junior High School GO Tournament on the first year to challenge Hikaru. She was the only girl in that club and the other time was the third year in Junior High when he went to Haze to look for Hikaru. However there was another time he saw her, the third meeting though he knew that Akari had not noticed him was at Hikaru's wedding with his distant cousin.

At that time she looked withdrawn and she barely smiled. She looked like she had nothing focused around her and she barely noticed her surrounding like she was in a daze or in dreamland. He was glad that the Akari standing before him right now was smiling cheerfully like nothing in the world could worry her. A small smile appeared on his face.

"Fujisaki-san, it is pleasant surprise." Touya finally said. "You are working here?"

"Of course, I own this place." Akari inclined her head slightly still smiling.

"Own this place?" Touya looked at her slightly amazed and surprised.

"It had almost been three years now that I build this place." Akari explained looking very pleased with her hard work. "I am glad it was a success…"

"Three years?" Touya looked thoughtfully at her. "This is the first time I had seen this café."

"I was located in a different location before I moved here." Akari shrugged. "Some complications in the previous place but nothing can't be solved besides I seemed to like it is here better."

"I see," Touya smiled glad to see her looking so cheerful again.

"Alright, an ice blended lemon tea coming up!" Akari exclaimed enthusiastically. "Is that alright?"

Touya nod once.

"Anything to eat?" Akari looked at him wide eyed. "Today's specialties for snacks are bake potato with mince beef and sour cream but if you want something sweet that will be Tiramisu of the day."

"Iie, just the drink will do for today."

"Will be coming up in a minute." Akari smiled she was about to turn when she stopped suddenly. "Touya-kun, I am really glad to have met you today."

"Same here Fujisaki-san."

Akari smiled happily and left to place his order in the kitchen.

Touya didn't know whether to feel happy about the meeting. The truth was he hardly knew Akari and he was sure she barely knows him too. He couldn't remember much of the Fujisaki Akari from the school days. Her image was hazy in his memories. However, the Akari now seemed to be very energetic, lively and enthusiasm.

"She must have tried hard all these years." Touya uttered softly to himself.

He knew how Akari felt for Hikaru. Her heart must been torn into pieces at the news of his marriage with another and not any other but his distant cousin. Touya wondered if Akari ever blamed him for introducing his distant cousin to Hikaru, but when she stood before him smiling and talking to him. She seemed genuinely glad to see him and not like she had a grudge against him.

Touya sighed inwardly and lean back on his chair. It must been hard on her and he knew how that felt. The only person he ever cared for dumb him for another. He frowned at that memory and quickly shoved it into a shadowy place in his heart. He will not feel sorrow for that person again.

"Touya-kun are you alright?" Touya suddenly heard Akari's concerned voice.

Touya looked up at her with surprised. She had returned to his table with his ice blended lemon tea on a tray she was holding. Quickly forcing a smile on his face Touya shook his head.

"Must be the heat." He said lightly.

"It is sure hot today." Akari smiled softly putting the drink on the table. "Well if you need anything else please call."

"Arigatou."

Akari looked at him for another second before she turned away to carry out her daily chores in the café. Touya saw that look. It was concern in her eyes even she didn't say a word he could read her like an open book. She was worried about him. If she blamed him for her unfortunate event with Hikaru she wouldn't show him concern although it could be phony, all girls were like that. Fake! Love to pretend. All those that he knew were always like that. But she really did look sincere to him.

Stop thinking about it, he screamed inside his head shutting his eyes tight placing a hand on his forehead.

"Here, it is in the house." He heard Akari's voice again and his eyes snapped opened.

Touya looked up at her smiling face and down at the table to see she had placed a plate of tiramisu on the table.

"You know whenever I am down or had too many things to worry about. I always go for something sweet." Akari smile and winked. "It usually helps."

With that she walked away again with Touya gaping at her.

Touya placed a white stone on the Go board without looking up at his usual opponent at his salon.

"You know you are extremely quiet today." His opponent with two tone hair colour said as he placed a black stone to block Touya's attack. "You usually had lots to say about my playing methods."

"Guess who I saw on my way here?" Touya asked suddenly still staring at the Go board and ignoring Hikaru's statement.

"Nichole Kidman?" Hikaru quipped. "Don't know. Who did you meet?"

Touya looked up at Hikaru mischievous face. He was a father of a three year old boy and he was still this playful. Now he was wondering if he should mention about Akari. There was a short pause before Touya looked down the board again and place another stone.

"Never mind." Touya replied softly changing his mind suddenly. "It is nothing important."

"Sou….?" Hikaru looked at his opponent slightly thoughtfully.

Touya was sure acting slightly strange today. He only acted that way when he met up with someone which gives him uncomfortable feelings.

"You saw Yuii?" Hikaru asked softly.

"What makes you say that?" Touya looked up hastily.

"Well, she is the only girl that you adores and had been dating for almost two years before she left you for another guy and whenever you bump into her in the streets you…."

"Shut up." Touya looked away again feeling angry. "I don't need you to remind me."

"Come on Touya, it had already been a year and you still can't let her go?" Hikaru asked worriedly. "It is time that you look for another you know."

"I don't need another." Touya replied heatedly. "Are we playing or not?"

"OK, OK…." Hikaru raised both hands up in a gesture that he surrendered. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you angry by mentioning her. You just asked me to guess who you saw and that was who I thought you did."

Touya remained silent. It wasn't Yuii but Akari. She reminded him of what happened to him a year ago because she went through the same ordeal with Hikaru many years back but she looked like she got over it pretty well. The way she smile could make anyone forgets their worries but the more she did the more worried he was.

What if she had never forgotten about the past but was only putting up façade to hide her true feelings. What if she really hated him? Touya couldn't imagine Akari hating him. He couldn't imagine anyone hating him. When he left the café Akari was busy with other customer and her colleague with orange hair took his bill. He wanted to know. He needed to know.

"Thank you for your hard work!" Akari exclaimed happily at her kitchen helpers and their chef as they pack to go home.

"Hai," Everyone replied. "Thank you for your hard work!"

Akari walked out the café smiling softly to see Mitani counting the cash flow at the registry. She went to the door to lock it and turned the open or close signboard to close and begun upturning the chairs to put them on the table.

"I'll do the accounts tomorrow morning when I come to work Mitani-oneechan." Akari said when she saw Mitani putting the money they have earned into a white envelope. "Your family especially your little girl is waiting for you to go home. You promise her you will be back to read her a bed time story."

"Rights," Mitani grinned. "Will you be alright closing by yourself?"

"Of course, it is not like I never done this before."

"Well, if you need someone here, I can always give Yuuki a call to come accompany you." Mitani grinned. "I am sure he is pretty free at the time like this."

"No, don't you dare. I will be fine. I'll see you tomorrow Mitani oneechan."

"Hai," Mitani chuckled softly. "Thank you for your hard work."

"Thank you for your hard work."

Akari watched Mitani leaving the café into the crowded street. She looked up the clock which showed her nine thirty at night. They usually closed at nine on the weekdays because not many customers come in after nine and ten during weekends due to the demand of customers on those days.

It was still crowded outside so Akari knew she should be safe at this time though she still should be careful being in the café alone. She locked all the doors and did some last minute cleaning of the floor before entered the staffroom where there were lockers for the employees to keep their uniform at work place and to keep their belongings when they come to work every morning. There was a bench and a table in the staffroom too for those taking their one hour break.

Slowly Akari unlock her cupboard taking off her uniform and changed into a pair of faded blue jeans and short sleeve yellow blouse. Slowly she undid the bun she had put up for work letting her long slightly wavy auburn chestnut hair resting on her back gracefully. There was a mirror at the inside part of the locker door. She looked in the mirror momentarily.

"Thank you for your hard work." She whispered to herself with a small smile.

She checked whether her hair was in place before she grabbed her handbag and closed the locker door. Switched off every single light in the café and stepped out from her shop slowly, locked the glass doors and pulled down the shutter when someone tapped her shoulder. She nearly jumped out of her skin and whirled around so suddenly nearly letting the shutter slam down abruptly but she stopped it before it hit the ground.

"Sorry I didn't mean to startle you." Touya said helping her with the shutter.

"Iie, don't worry about it." Akari smiled when she realized it was only Touya. "What brings you here at this time of the night Touya-kun?"

Touya remained silent helping her to push the shutter to the ground without looking at her.

"Touya-kun?" Akari inclined her head wonderingly. She never really knew him except he was a professional GO player so she was wondering if he was always this quiet.

"Are you in a hurry to go anywhere right now?" Touya asked suddenly. "I have something to ask you and if you don't mind I want to treat you for supper."

"Eh?" Akari looked at him wide eyed.

That was an unexpected request but he did say he had something to ask her so it wouldn't be very polite to reject that offer. She hadn't been to anywhere alone with a guy to eat or drink for a long time. Even when she went out with Yuuki, Tsutsui or Kaga was there with them and sometimes with Tsutsui's wife too. She hadn't been alone with a guy for so long she felt very uncomfortable at Touya's request.

"You have something else to do?" Touya asked softly and rather dejectedly when Akari didn't answer immediately.

He was very used to girls agreeing to go out with him immediately. All those girls knew who he was and not to mention from a well off family too. So this was the very first time a girl before him hesitated to agree. Maybe she did blame him after all for her misfortune.

Akari wondered if it will be alright. After all he did say he had something to ask her. It maybe something important and it will be rude to disagree. Finally she sighed inwardly and smiled.

"Iie," Akari shook her head slowly, turned back to the shutter and knelt down to lock it. "Well let me lock up before we go. So where are we going?"

"Do you like soba?" Touya asked remembering a restaurant nearby that was still opened at this time.

"Of course," Akari grinned and stood up again enthusiastically. "I know of one place near here which sell great soba."

"I think I had the same place in mind." Touya grinned too. Being with her too often her smile was rubbing off on him.

"My favourite is Tororo Soba." Akari exclaimed, punching the air childishly as they walked together on the crowded sidewalk. "Yosh, Tororo Soba here we come!"

Touya stared at her as if she had gone mad.

"Excuse me," Akari laughed and blushed slightly when she saw his look. "It is just that I am hungry for not having dinner yet and I am really looking forward to it."

"You still haven't eaten at this time?" Touya stared at her wide eyed.

"Well my café is usually buzzing with lots of people in the evening and during dinner times. So there is always not much time for me to eat." Akari explained. "I'll always cook some soumen for myself when I get home or sometimes just eat at that restaurant we are heading now."

"Sou…?" Touya answered softly and looked at her wonderingly. He had never seen any girl working as hard as Akari before.

The restaurant they headed was crowded with elderly working men most of them drinking sake chatting loudly. Touya found a place away from the crowd so that they can't talk without difficulty of hearing each other. A waiter came to take their order and left. There was a short silence and Akari looked at her hands she had folded on her lap waiting for Touya to ask her what he needed to know.

"Ano, Fujisaki-san I was wondering if I could ask you a personal question." Touya said hesitantly. "It is about Shindou…."

"Hikaru?" Akari's eyes widened anxiously. "What is wrong? Did something happen to him?"

"No," Touya shook his head. "Nothing like that he is doing well and have kid, a three year old boy now…."

"Really?" Akari relaxed and a small smile appeared on her face. "That is nice."

Touya watched her looked down her hands again and wondered how to put into words to ask her whether if she ever blamed anyone for her lost.

"Touya-kun, I am not angry…." Akari said in a small voice with her head still bowed. "If that is what's bothering you. Besides I am happy to hear Hikaru is doing well with his family. I still do read about him sometimes in the GO Weekly and also sometimes about you…."

She paused.

Touya remained silent and waited for her to continue.

"But I was angry at first," Akari continued slowly. "I wondered why I met Hikaru if I had got to go through pain and sorrow. I couldn't understand but there was something I learn from this."

Slowly Akari looked up and looked at Touya in the eye. Her eyes were gentle and her smile was kind which almost made his heart flip flop.

"To be a stronger person and as life goes on, I will move on no matter what."

At that moment, their orders came and the only thing both of them did was stare into each other eyes, Touya's ones with surprise and shock while Akari's remained gentle and understanding.

"I never blamed anyone for the losing Hikaru." Akari continued after the waiter left. "Besides I am glad that I was able to go through that obstacle because it really made me a better and courageous person."

Touya still remained silent. One thought came into his mind. She didn't blame him or his distant cousin that she lost someone special. What he understood in her conversation was she was happy that it actually happened. He frowned slightly and looked away from her gentle eyes quickly. He had blamed the third person who came into Yuii and his life. He hated him but there was nothing he could do about it. His thoughts were interrupted when Akari continued her speech.

"Touya-kun I don't know why you confront me today but I can see there is something you are worried about and something is troubling you."

Touya stiffened on his seat but still didn't look up to meet her eyes.

"The feeling you get once you have fallen as low as you can into darkness and felt that you will never be able to climb back to the light again." Akari continued softly in her calm voice. "It is a moment of true clarity and when you reach that point, everything changes. All this time you had tried to keep away from the true fact in life and feeling confused about it you will begin to see everything in a new light. This is because when there is pain there has to be kindness and for darkness to stand out there has to be the light. You can't have one without the other and both have their uses. So even when you stumble and made mistakes or things didn't go your way that doesn't mean you are useless. Think of it as motivation though I know it feels like crap but it will help you become a better and braver person."

There was still no answer from Touya and Akari took a deep breath and said the final point.

"To put it in more simple words it is time to move on, Touya-kun."

Touya looked up again and Akari smiled gently at him with her head slightly inclined.

"Well, it had been sometimes since I talked this much." Akari took a wooden chopstick from a mug that held a bunch of them and split it, her usual cheerful grin appeared again. "Itadakimasu."

Touya watched Akari eating her Tororo Soba and pondered on the conversation they had. She was right. It was time to move on.

My goal to reach the Hand of God and I will continue with that pursue and this time no one will stop me from doing so. The last time Yuii had been a distraction and I know I will not let it happen the second time, Touya thought silently and also wondered what goals Akari had set for herself.

He was tempted to ask but he thought he should put a rest on asking anymore question for the night. Fujisaki Akari was an interesting young lady. He never knew anyone would be able to advice him except maybe for his father.

"Arigatou Fuijisaki-san," Touya said softly and for the first time that day there was a genuine smile on his face.

"Huh?" Akari looked up at him with surprise and confusion.

She had no idea what Touya was thanking her for when she was the one who should be thanking him for treating her supper and was even more taken aback when Touya started laughing. Akari could only stare at him momentarily before she joined in the laughter with him.

Touya couldn't help himself but burst out laughing at Akari flabbergasted look. He never knew his bad day could end in a pleasant way.

Was it all because of Fujisaki Akari?

TBC