Disclaimer: Don't own Hikaru No Go
Thanks everyone for the reviews and for reading this fic. I am sorry there is a delay in this chapter...
Thanks for the support always.
Chapter 24
Eternal Snow café was buzzing busily with people during the holiday season. Akari and Mitani were up to their sleeves serving their customers. While on their services, the phone at the counter rang and Akari ran for it.
"Moshi moshi, Eternal Snow Café…"
"Fujisaki Akari?" A distinctively familiar female voice said.
"Hai," Akari knitted her eyebrows together slightly at the mysterious caller.
"It is a pity every time you have to wait so patiently for Akira who hardly comes to see you."
"Who is this?" Akari frowned.
"Hadn't you ever wondered why? Or maybe where he is? What he is doing? Or the most important question of all- who is he with?"
"I don't understand what you are trying to tell me, please do not call again." Akari replied sternly and hung up.
Akari was shaken slightly after she placed the receiver back on its cradle. She stared at the phone and had the strangest feeling that she may know who the caller was. Her worst suspicion was Sugisa Yuii, but she wasn't going to point any finger. The caller did not say who she was and it wasn't right to suspect someone like that. She, however, couldn't dwell on this thought for long because Mitani was calling for help minutes after.
Pushing all nagging and strange feelings away, Akari strode out to the counter again to help around the café. She was not aware that, near to her café, Yuii stood in a dark corner snapping her mobile phone shut with a small cruel smile on her lip.
It was just a matter of time to sway Akari away from trusting Touya so much, Yuii thought.
"Otosan, Okasan…" Touya greeted his parents when they came over to their old house. "It is time to go to the Meijin Temple."
The whole family dressed formally. Touya was wearing a suit, while his father his usual traditional Japanese hakama and gi. Touya's mother wore a normal conservative skirt and blouse. Today, Touya's parents will meet up with Akari's in a formal Japanese style 'pre-wedding offerings meeting'.
Akari looked at the expensive, satin woven light golden Kimono in awe as her mother adjusted her blue silk butterfly obi behind her back nicely. Her hair was done up beautifully in a Japanese fashion bun with glittering chopsticks and pins for decorations. Her face was made up lightly with some powder and eye glitters and her lips shone lightly with peach color gloss.
"You should be at the gathering room waiting for them, Akari." Her mother smiled encouragingly. "And don't worry, you look wonderful."
"Thank you okasan," Akari asked curiously, wondering where her mother had gotten such an expensive kimono. The material was designed so beautifully with shinny line patterns of a phoenix. "Where did you get this kimono?"
"It belonged to your grandmother and then carried down to me." Her mother replied, patting her hair slightly to smooth out any stray strands. "I was really happy when you decided for a really formal Japanese wedding. Since your sister had married the western way, I was hoping to see one done our way."
Akari smiled at her mother slightly and was about to say something when her mobile phone rang in her bag somewhere in the changing room. Akari went over to the bag searching for the phone. When she got it out of the bag, she looked at the caller id to see if it was her friends wishing her luck. The caller id showed her that someone was calling from a private number. With her head inclined, she answered the call.
"Moshi moshi?"
Her mother motioned to her saying she was going out at that moment and Akari nodded.
"So you are getting serious about this wedding more than I thought. You should be more careful."
Akari remembered the voice and a frown appeared on her face.
"Who is this? What do you want?"
"Just a warning to let you know, you will never agree to marry Touya Akira if you knew what he does behind your back."
"I don't believe you. Stop lying and don't call again!"
"He will not forget his past love, never forget."
Akari hung up the phone with a sigh. Of all days to get a prank call, it had to be on the most important day of her life. What was that all about? Besides, how did all these prank callers get her personal mobile number. They must be really good to be able to search so deeply into her life. The thought shook her slightly. It was exactly like having a psychotic stalker after her.
Slowly, Akari put her mobile phone away and looked out of the nearby window to see that Touya had already arrived. She smiled; it was about time she had to go the gathering room. Akari lost her smile when she saw him talking to the long black hair woman. She recognized that black hair. Why is Touya with her? And why is he talking to her? Or is she threatening him again?
She watched, from the room, as Yuii grabbed Touya's arm pulling him towards her. Akari's eyes widened slightly with a painful feeling in her heart when she saw Touya's hand came up to cover Yuii's hand in his. Why didn't he push her away? They were so close that they were almost kissing. She wanted to go out there, but she knew she had to be in the room waiting. Before she could continue watching the scene, to see what happened next, her mother came back to the room to get her.
"Akari-chan, it is time. It won't be polite if they arrive and you are not there."
"Hai, okasan." Akari tore her eyes away from the scene, looking rather downcast, and followed her mother out of the room.
Besides, did she really want to see the rest of it? Akari knew that she preferred not knowing as she entered the gathering room. Her father, in a formal suit, was already waiting there, knelt on his knees appropriately. When they came in, he looked up and smiled at Akari.
"You look beautiful."
"Domo arigatou otosan." Akari replied rather softly and took her place, staring down the matted floor.
The Touyas decided to pray before meeting their soon-to-be-in-law since they were actually early for the appointed time. Touya stood around the garden, waiting for them. He was rather astounded when Yuii coming towards him out of nowhere.
"What are you doing here?" Touya asked rather coolly.
"Come to see you getting betrothed…" Yuii answered rather casually. "I wonder if Fujisaki would be happy today."
"Of course she would be." Touya retorted and was about to turn away when Yuii grabbed his arm pulling him back. "What the…"
Yuii pulled Touya closer to her as she leant in almost kissing him when Touya's hand flew up towards her hands to pry those away from his. When he finally got away from her, he made sure she was at least a meter away.
"Don't ever touch me again!" Touya nearly shouted at her, loosing his calm composure slightly, and he walked away.
Yuii smiled, when she saw, in the distance, the girl with red hair, dressed formally in a light golden kimono walking away from a window. Yuii knew that Akari saw everything. From that angle and from such a far distance, she knew that it would be very different, in Akari's point of view, from what actually happened.
"Score one…" She whispered before leaving.
"Arigatou gosaimasu…" Akari bowed politely at the Touyas' offering gift for the wedding.
Touya couldn't take his eyes off Akari when he entered the room. A sight of how beautiful she looked in her kimono and make over welcomed him. But somehow, Touya could see that Akari didn't look as bright and cheerful today and he wondered why. He recalled Yuii said something about whether Akari would be happy or not during this time. He wondered if Yuii did something to Akari before this meeting and he felt his heart stopped at the thought. Maybe she did and that's why Akari looked so distracted now.
The conversations between the parents were rather jovial one. They introduced themselves politely and talked about what they like to do. Touya watched Akari the whole time and he realized that even she was physically in this room but her mind had wondered off somewhere. His uncertainties were confirmed when his mother asked her a question and she never answered as she stared rather blankly straight ahead.
"Akari-chan, Akiko-san had asked you a question." Her mother whispered rather urgently because Akiko had asked the question twice.
Slowly, Akari came back to her senses and turned to her future mother in law with an apologetic look.
"Gomenesai…" Akari bowed. "I…"
"Don't worry Akari-san." Akiko smiled. "I was just asking you, what do you like? And do you like GO. Since I heard from Akira-kun that you do play the game."
"Hai, I like GO." Akari answered with a small forced smile. "I used to play a lot when I was in school. I am not that good though but Akira-san had been teaching me plenty."
"That is good to hear."
Akari's mother laughed slightly. "Hai, I am very glad to know Akira-san is so patient with my daughter…" And the conversation went on with Akari's mind wondering away again.
Touya continued to observe Akari throughout the whole meeting. There was not once Akari turned to look at him and he had been trying to catch her eyes the whole time. He could sense the way Akari forced her laugh when his mother told a joke. That smile on her lips that didn't reach her eyes and what worried him most was why did Akari avoid eye contact with him.
After having a traditional lunch, their family gathering had ended. Akari retreated back to the changing room after excusing herself. She was still unable to make herself to look at Touya. She stared at the mirror for a long time seeing the sad girl in a beautiful kimono staring back at her.
Slowly, Akari pulled out all the ornaments in her hair and let her hair free from its restraints. Her long straight hair curled slightly in beautiful waves, caused by the bun, lay gracefully on her shoulders and towards her back. Taking a deep breath, Akari started to change back to her normal clothing.
She had told her parents to leave if they were busy and she may be going back to Eternal Snow for the rest of the day. She put the expensive kimono back to the plastic gown bag carefully. She then grabbed her bag and slung it over one arm before leaving the building. She stepped out into the garden to see a traditional wedding being taken place. Standing in a distance, she watched the couple looking so happy with their family getting ready for a family photo.
"Why am I feeling like this?" Akari wondered out loud. "I shouldn't have any doubt about Akira…"
However, she had seen something so deceiving to the eyes, so Akari couldn't help but felt a sharp painful pang stabbing excruciatingly at her heart. Was it a good thing that she saw what happened or would she rather be in the dark forever? Akari bit down her lower lip painfully until she drew blood.
"Stop doing that."
Akari turned around to see the person who caused her pain at the moment. Touya was looking at her worriedly a foot away from where she stood. He was studying her rather intently and still wondering what caused her to look so upset.
"What is wrong Akari?" Touya asked coming closer to her.
Akari clutched her handle of her bag tightly and she fought down the urge to step back from him. She knew that if she did, Touya would be hurt at her gesture and she had no intentions to hurt the person she had learned to love.
"You are hurting yourself." Touya said gently, his hand resting gently on the side of her face and his thumb caressing the slight wound she had inflicted on her lower lip. "You don't look happy today. Is something wrong?"
Akari shook her head, unable to find her voice.
"Akari, if something is troubling you, please tell me." Touya whispered leaning in closer to her. "Do you know it hurts to see you like this?"
"I am alright." Akari managed to give him a weak smile. "I may be nervous about all this. I mean it is a really big step to a new life."
"Everything will be alright." Touya promised, leaning in to kiss her wounded lips gently and sweeping his tongue over it lightly. "And now stop hurting those beautiful lips you have."
"I am sorry…" Akari whispered and she closed her eyes as soon as she felt Touya's warm soft lips on hers. "I was distracted that was all."
"From what?"
"Nothing important," Akari replied, looking up at him, and gave him a reassuring smile.
Touya was quite unconvinced however he didn't press on for answers. For now, he didn't want to upset Akari any more. She looked like she was about to break into tears and he had no intentions on making her cry on the most happiest day of his life and he had really hoped that Akari felt the same.
Gradually, Touya reached over to Akari and laced his hand in hers before they made their way out of the Meijin Temple together.
Akari checked her stitches carefully before she carried on knitting a woolen sweater for Touya's Christmas present. She sat comfortably on the two sitter couch with a warm blanket over her. Kuniko who was visiting her at her apartment, was sitting next to Akari sharing the warm blanket and switching channels on the television.
"So how did the family meeting go?" Kuniko asked casually.
"It was alright…" Akari answered unflappably.
"You don't sound very excited about it." Kuniko stalled at her motion but the remote still held up in her hand, while she turned around to look at Akari. "Something happened."
"No…" Akari replied shortly.
"Akari-chan, I know you this long. What happened?
"Nothing happened," Akari insisted. "Everything went great and everyone got along!"
Kuniko sighed.
There was a long silence between them with the only sounds coming from the television before the phone rang suddenly. Akari put away her knitting and walked over to the phone to answer it.
"Moshi moshi, Fujisaki Akari speaking."
"Are you sad knowing that he still cares for his ex-lover, aren't you?"
Akari stiffened.
"He is not with you today, isn't he?"
Akari frowned at the question but she did not answer. Touya told her that he had GO discussion today at the GO Institute. She had always believed him. That was where he is if he said so. Somehow…
"Well, don't you want to know where he really is?"
Akari hung up, slamming the receiver down so hard, that Kuniko jumped on the couch.
"Akari-chan, what's wrong? Who was that?"
"No one, some prank callers decided to play dirty conversation…" Akari lied.
"Damn, those guys should learn to get a life!" Kuniko shook her head buying it. "Ignore them, they're not worth getting work up with."
"Yeah…" Akari mumbled; getting back on the couch under the warm blanket and taking her knitting back in her hands.
However, the urge to continue knitting the sweater had died in her heart as she stared at her work rather stonily. Her emotions suddenly locked again and her eyes cold. Kuniko who noticed the sudden change of Akari's expression, turned to her in surprise. She had only seen Akari like this once, a long time ago and it's kind of scared her to see Akari like this again.
"Are you sure you are alright?" Kuniko asked. "Those callers are not worth getting upset over."
Akari snapped back to reality again and blinked.
"Hai," Akari agreed and started knitting again. "I drifted off a bit…"
Kuniko eyed Akari strangely for a moment. Her eyes were narrowing slightly while watching Akari continue the knitting again like nothing was wrong. With a shrug, she moved her attention back to the television once more. As for Akari, she fought down an inner turmoil. She was telling herself repeatedly that Touya will never hurt her and she gripped on to that slightest hope she had in her heart…
TBC
I will try to post the chapter up soon... credits for improvement of this fic will go to my beta reader! Thanks to her very much!