Disclaimer: I have becoming really... or ... my bla bla bla... I don't own Hikaru No Go.

Thanks alot for your reviews, supports, ideas and advises, Coiling Death, Xiar, Kickkid3, Jamfase, Fudge Cake a la Mode, Suzuume. I'll take note about the FB reverences LOL. I am still reading the manga, got very much inspired and just couldn't help myself. Actually my plot for this fic had deviated. It didn't flow according to how I plot it in the beginning. (Akari and Touya wasn't really suppose to be together so soon) But my fingers flew away from the orginal plot and came up with a new one... Now I just had to write according to the flow, which I also had no idea how things are going to turn out! Ah well... now we will have to see how it goes right

Also thanks to all those who read this fic too!

Ok before the chapter start, I think there are some explaining to do because it was pretty vague in the previous chapter:

Akari's POV: She feels comfortable with Touya. So much that she was surprise that she likes him and don't mind to be around him all the time. She finds Touya like a good friend. Hikaru only managed to open up her heart a tiny little bit. Enough for her to realize that she can accept Touya and from there slowly build up something...

Touya's POV: Unlike Akari, his feelings are totally locked away. He love Akari to the point that he can do anything for her. His is afraid of loosing her if he confessed or forced her too early into a stronger relationship. ( He doesn't want his relationship to end like Yuuki) So he is very patient with her and with his feelings when he is around her. Though sometimes maybe... only maybe he could let his feelings slip. LOL wink wink.

Hope everyone enjoy reading this chapter...

Chapter 11

The loud drilling was overwhelming and hammering resonance echoed through the café. Akari walked through her almost completed café with a clipboard in her hand. The head construction worker was next to her pointing out some problems that had occurred during their renovation. Akari couldn't help but feel her heart panicked that her café won't be opened by end of the month.

"So I was thinking if you would probably change the colour of the tiles and…." The team leader said.

"There is no way I could get back my old tiles?" Akari asked. She was hoping to design Eternal Snow as it was before. "I mean, there must be some way we can order…."

"It will take another two weeks for them to come and another one to finish the renovation." The team leader explained.

"That will take too long…." Akari frowned.

"So I recommend you this, it's almost the same as the previous one though the colour may be slightly different."

"Alright, as long as everything is done by end of this month." Akari sighed.

"I'm sorry Fujisaki-san but I think we will have to extent the time…."

Winter snow had finally dissolved, leaving only puddles of water on the ground, indicating that spring was to come. It was late in the evening, the sun was setting and the side porch of Touya's house was bath in dim yellow and orange light. Akari lay curled in a tight ball at her side on the 'swing' her head on the fluffy pillow. She kept telling herself everything will be alright. For the passed weeks she had been putting on a strong outlook but truthfully she was breaking fast inside.

It was unusual for Touya to come home in the evening instead of staying at the salon, but since Akari and he had the little talk not long ago, he had been coming home early just to be with her. He liked the times they spent dinner together just talking to her about how he spent his day and most of all about GO. She always listens with interest and occasionally asked questions about some strategies he mentioned and she didn't understand. She was so easy to talk to and Touya begin to like her company more than ever.

Even though their relationship was not official yet but it is a stepping stone to something promising.

However, that evening when he returned, he found his home in a rather gloomy state and Akari wasn't there to greet him like always in her cheerful grin. He found this a rather queer and worrying situation. He headed to the place, he thought she will be at, the side porch and wasn't disappointed but highly surprised to see Akari in a state that he never seen before. He quickly went over to her.

"Fujisaki-san…" Touya whispered her name and knelt down on the floor next to her.

She was on her side, both her arms vertical, clasped together covering her face, both her palms clutching on to the top of her head that was hunched towards her front. Her legs drew close to her chin like a ball. He could see her jumped slightly at his voice but still made no movement to remove her arms away from her face to look at him. Touya reached out to touch her softly and gently move her arm away from her face. He just had to look at her no matter what.

Akari was caught off guard with her stance down. She never liked anyone seeing her in her weakest state. She had totally forgotten about the time and with Touya here next to her, she didn't know what else to do but to remain very still. When she felt Touya's gently taking her arms away from her, at that point she should have told him to leave her alone but her voice was stuck in her throat and not knowing why she didn't stop him from exposing her face that moment.

So slowly, Touya saw her tear streaked face and his heart wretch painfully but as soon as he saw them, Akari jerked away from him and sat up in a speed so fast he never thought was possible for anyone. She quickly wiped her face dry with the sleeve of her sweater before she turned back to him with a weary smile.

"Sorry, I forgot about dinner…." Akari said lamely. "I'll go and…."

"Fujisaki-san, stop…" Touya's voice was stern but still had the gentle momentum in it. "Stop doing this to yourself…"

The smile wilt immediately and her bottom lip quivering so slightly that it was almost impossible to notice but Touya saw it and got up, going to her. He sat down next to her on the swing and pulled her into his arms. Akari didn't protest and gently rested her head on the curve of his neck. She could feel Touya resting his cheek on top of her head.

"Do you want to share it with me?" Touya asked softly.

Akari shook her head.

Touya sighed inwardly. She is still so stubborn and so careful in guarding her emotions from others.

"Let's go out for dinner tonight Fujisaki-san…" Touya said softly.

Akari nodded softly without answering. At that moment she just didn't trust her voice.

"Well, go wash up and change." Touya pulled her away from him to look at her, smiling reassuringly. Gently cupping both his hands on her face reaching his thumb up towards her eyes, he tenderly wiped the remainder of her tears stuck on her lashes away. "It's time to take a break."

Akari smiled softly and nodded finally cheering up slightly.

Dinner was most enjoyable, when Akari talked about her school days, when she and Kuniko were in High School together. Touya listened attentively because it was the first time Akari ever talked about her life.

"It was the School Cultural Festival and I was helping Kuniko-chan on a play she had arranged…." Akari grinned. "At the side of that I was organizing a small GO tournament in at the festival…"

"You were in the GO club in High School?" Touya asked.

"Well, there wasn't a GO club in my school… so I organized one!" Akari explained. "Tsutsui-san did that in Haze and I thought I can do it too… though it is not easy! Since I am not good in GO…."

"You play fairly well Fujisaki-san…" Touya smiled at her modesty. He had played with her a couple of times since they stay together and he could see Akari a rather fair female GO player.

"Well, thank you Touya-kun." Akari grinned and continued with her story. "Kuniko-chan was actually organizing this Romeo and Juliet drama thing and I was supposed to be…"

Akari's voice trail off in embarrassment for a moment. Touya watched her carefully wondering why she stopped her story like that.

"You were supposed to be Juliet?" Touya asked slowly and uncertainly. With her good looks, she could pass for a really attractive Juliet but when Akari laughed nervously Touya realized that his guess was way wrong.

"No, it was opposite… I was Romeo…." Akari finally said. "Kuniko-chan did that on purpose to make fun of me…"

"Oh…" Touya really didn't expect that.

"And to think I have to kiss another girl on her lips!" Akari exclaimed. "But it was so funny! Every time during rehearsal, I would pretend to faint when I have to kiss Juliet. So during the real performance, Kuniko-chan threatened never to talk to me ever again if I do that…"

The evening carried on rather interesting for Touya, as Akari continued on with her life in school…

Touya looked up the sky, to see stars twinkling brightly in the faraway distance up the clear night sky. Akari was standing next to him as they both made their way home. They were in silence since Akari had totally worn herself out by telling the things she did in school, which amused him because he never had friends to tease him or have fun together. But she never mentioned anything about an accident. Nothing about how she got the scar on her left rib. That was something he was most anxious to know, but Akari didn't mention it at all. Somehow Touya guessed Akari was still afraid to reveal too much about her feelings deep in her heart.

Finally tearing his eyes away from the sky, he turned to look at Akari who had a small smile on her face looking in front of her. She was having problems earlier but now she looked like nothing bothered her. Touya felt like he needed to do something more than just giving her a good time, if only he knew what was troubling her. Like sensing he was looking at her, she turned to him still smiling, her head incline and her face curious.

"Is something wrong Touya-kun?"

"No," Touya smiled in returned. "You had a great time tonight?"

"Yeah I did," Akari grinned. "Arigatou Touya-kun…"

"I will always help you no matter what happens Fujisaki-san, if it's all right, you could tell me what's wrong and why were you crying today?"

"It doesn't matter now Touya-kun," Akari shook her head still smiling. "After giving me such a great night, I find myself able to face anything."

"Fujisaki-san," Touya stopped on his track. "You don't have to be strong all the time…. I really want to help."

"I know and I am grateful Touya-kun." Fujisaki stopped to turning to face him fully. "But I really don't want to trouble you, besides I am already a great burden to you staying over at your place."

"You are not a burden Fujisaki-san!" Touya exclaimed with more force than he intended too.

Akari raised her eyebrows for a moment before she smiled slightly.

"Anyways, thank you Touya-kun…." She said softly and stepped closer to him. "Thank you…"

To Touya's astonishment Akari threw her arms around his neck and rest her head on his shoulder her body pressed onto his in a warm tight, lingering hug. Touya raise his arms and encircled them around her back tightly burying his face in her hair that smells strangely like lavender. A beautiful fragrance and he liked it very much. He inhaled softly thinking that he will never want to let her go ever.

"You know if you weren't there, I wouldn't know if I could get back up to my feet again," Touya heard Akari spoke her voice slightly muffled because her face was buried on his shirt. "You have already done plenty for me Touya-kun and I don't even know how to thank you for it…"

"How many times must I say you don't have to thank me…?" Touya tightened his arms around her more protectively, and raised one hand to stroke the back of her hair gently.

Touya wasn't sure how long they stood wrapping in each others arms, but when they broke apart, he could see Akari's cheeks stained slightly with embarrassment. She looked up at Touya shyly for a second before she quickly turned away, but Touya caught her chin gently to stop her.

"Fujisaki-san please let me help you…" Touya whispered their face inches apart.

"Everything is fine Touya-kun, really." Akari replied stubbornly. "This is something I want to face myself…."

"But…" Touya frowned slightly.

"Please…" Akari smiled catching his hand that held her chin in hers. "You won't let me repay you if I let you help me…."

"I don't need any repayment from you Fujisaki-san…." Touya said slightly sternly. "I wouldn't even think of any repayment after helping you."

"That is why I have to do this by myself…." Akari smiled squeezing his hand slightly before she let it go. "Don't worry, I'm fine…"

Touya remained silent as he took a deep breath, watching Akari turning away from him. His heart felt rather heavy suddenly, not understanding why Akari refused to let him help her, but he wasn't going to force her. He promise that he won't push her too much and give her the space that she needed until she is ready and Touya said no more.

Akari was very touch that Touya was so insistent on wanting to help her, but she just couldn't let him after he had done so much for her. He had let her stay at his place and never even thought of collecting any rent. If she told him that Eternal Snow was in some sort of financial problem, she was very sure he will help with that too, without wanting her to return her debts. She just couldn't have that. Slowly, she looked up and her eyes widened when she saw a very clear shooting star flashing across the dark sky. She gasped and quickly reached her hand back and found Touya's.

"Touya-kun look!" Akari exclaimed happily pointing up the sky with her other free hand. "It's a shooting star!"

Touya was slightly surprised when he felt Akari grabbed his hand lightly and stared at her. She was looking up the sky smiling happily, her other hand pointing up. He turned towards the sky where she indicated and saw true enough a shooting star, so swiftly it moved and so beautiful over the dark sky.

"Did you see it?" Akari asked turning to him with a grin.

"Yeah, I saw it." Touya said his eyes still up the sky.

"It's beautiful isn't it?"

"Yeah," Touya smiled turning back to her. "Like you…"

Akari blushed, staring at him rather taken aback. Touya was still smiling gently, twist his fingers around Akari's and clasped them together in a prayer form, holding her hand tightly. They were standing quite close together as Touya looked at her tenderly. At that moment, the wind blew softly moving Akari's hair gently across her face. Both of them had their eyes connected in a magical spell.

"Let's go home?" Touya said softly pulling her closer to him, without breaking that spell, reaching out towards her hair to touch those soft tendrils in his hand and gently tucked them behind her ear.

Akari nodded with a small smile, her cheeks still flushed attractively. Touya was glad that Akari didn't pull away from his hold and side by side, holding hands they walked home together, under the beautiful star filled sky.

TBC

I had already finished up with the next chapter... all I need now is some time to edit it. Pls forgive me if there is any mistakes in this chapters because I didn't really read through or edit this chapter much. Gomen (bow bow) I find this chapter nothing extraordinary but I hope everyone was alright with it. I will post the next chapter up in a few days time... till next time!

Thank you for reading!