DISCLAIMER: Hikaru no Go and its characters belong to Hotta Yumi and Obata Takeshi.

WARNINGS: Sequel to "The Long Awaited Confession". No spoilers per se, but might be a bit difficult to understand if you didn't read the manga or didn't see the anime. Language – from our dear Hikaru, maybe others – possible underage drinking again and mild boy on boy theme. Or maybe not so mild, depending on my mood.

A/N: I apologize for any errors, discrepancies, inaccuracies or mistakes for they are all mine, as this work is unbeta'd. Reviews are really appreciated. All hail the cookie-free author's note.

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Hiking and onsen

The sky is gray and ominous over our little group, as we are hiking one of the well-known paths spiralling around Mount Fuji while the hired guide shows us the way and indicates the various points of interest. Touya and I are walking side by side. I can't think of a single thing to say to him, which sparkles his curiosity as I normally am a bit of a chatterbox.

Ahead of us, Waya, Isumi, Saeki and Ashiwara are talking animatedly about one of the previous games of the former Meijin against some 9-Dan Korean. Despite the fact that one of the opponents is actually Touya's father, he doesn't seem to be interested in joining the exchange. He probably has heard it all in his father's study group.

Tugging at my sleeve, Touya motions me to stay at the back of the group. He begins to whisper.

"What is it, Shindou? You barely said a word since we arrived here, and you said even less since we began walking. So what is it?"

"N-Nothing." I sputter. The situation is preposterous. I can't stop thinking about Akari's words and every time I look at Touya, I find myself colouring lightly at the thought of him kissing me in Innoshima and me eyeing him up since then. "I've been a bit bothered about some conversation I had with Akari… my childhood friend, do you remember her?" At least, it is the truth. I hope he will take the cue and change the subject under discussion.

"Well, what has bothered you so much? Don't you want to talk about it? Even with me?"

'I don't want to talk about it, certainly not with you.'

"Look," I exclaim, "the group is way ahead of us. We should catch up before we lose sight of them!" The others are slowly disappearing, following a bend in the road. I suspect they are going back to the inn as rain is threatening to fall down on us.

"Shindou!" Touya uncharacteristically shouts. "Are you trying to get back to me for those weeks of silence I imposed on you? I thought we were back to normal, but now it's your turn to stop speaking to me! How unfair that –" His tirade is stopped by a thunderous crash and a sudden shower of rain which lets us both soaked and speechless.

I glance at Touya whose face is hidden by his wet hair. I hold out my hand and put back one of his drenched locks behind his ear.

"I remember doing that once before, you know." I say sweetly. He is staring at me, his pupils widening slightly. I guess I am a bit entranced at my brazenness and bewitched by his expression as I continue. "It was just after that first game, the one after the bet… Your hair is so soft, it's enticing..."

Touya is looking like a deer stopped dead by the headlamps of an incoming truck. He abruptly takes a step backwards to get away from my hand, but the soil is viscous with water and he loses his balance. He slips on the ground before sliding down the narrow ditch surrounding the road. I can hear him cry out as he is gliding deeper and deeper. I don't hesitate a second before jumping after him.

Thankfully, the fall doesn't hurt him but it gives us both quite a scare. I take his hand to help him climb back and don't let go of it until we are safely back on the path.

We reach back the inn weary and filthy. It is night already. Our travel companions have been worried about us. Ashiwara is frantic when he sees Touya's condition and Waya looks livid.

"You two look like you just crawled out of a cesspit." Isumi announce dryly.

"Ground…muddy…fall… ditch…" Touya rumbles gloomily in a low voice. No one, except me, understands what he says. "The ground was muddy and I fell into a ditch." He repeats louder.

"And you had to go after him, Shindou. The things you do for someone as queer as Touya… I just don't understand…" Waya smirks in disdain.

"Shut it, Waya!" I yell, hurt by the double entendre.

Waya leers and says: "What a waste of time. I'm not even sure little delicate Touya was worth the trouble."

"He is worth the trouble!" I retort angrily. "He's my best friend!" I go on, growling. "I'm not even sure I would have gone after you though." I leave the hall before saying something to Waya I would be sorry about later.

Back into my room, I strip out of my clothes and use a towel to dry my bleached bangs. I am jaded by my rescue of Touya, furious at Waya and his gross scuttlebutts and confused at my own behaviour. I call the reception desk and lie about my age in order to have them bring me a couple of beer bottles. I am so agitated that I can't sleep, so a few beers might have a soporific effect.

However, it doesn't work and I am soon pacing back and forth in my room like a lion in a cage. Maybe a soak would improve my disposition. I head out for the bathhouse, wrapped in my towel. A secluded spot to think about today's events is indeed welcome.

As I am getting rid of the towel and entering the hot waters, I glimpse Touya immersed in a remote corner. I bow my head and ask him if I can stay. He agrees with a curt nod. We relax in companionable silence for a while. After a moment, I muse aloud upon the subject of given names and how come we hardly ever use them despite being friends. None of us see Waya entering the room, gazing at us, sitting on a bench and listening intently to our chat.

"I have never called you by your given name, Shindou. Ever." Touya claims.

"You did once." I contradict him. "When you said you loved me, you called me Hikaru. Of course you were drunk…"

Touya flushes. "Don't talk about that."

I scoot closer to him and observe him closely. "You do remember now, don't you?"

Touya's face gets redder and he repeats: "Don't talk about that."

Maybe it is the effect the beers have on me, but I feel bold tonight. I move from sitting beside him to floating in front of him and take his hands in mine to pin them on the wall of the pool. I press my body against his. He can smell the beer on my breath.

"Stop it, Shindou, you're drunk!" He protests.

I straddle his thighs, brush my lips against his ear before licking its shell and murmurs: "Say these words again…"

As he stays silent, I place my mouth over his and nibble at his lower lip with glee. I am rewarded by a low moan. But Touya disrupts the mood.

"Don't." He pleads. "Don't do this, Hikaru. Please don't do this, you're going to regret it in the morning. So please don't."

"Then say these words again, Akira…" I reply breathlessly.

It seems to me that he won't say anything to me tonight, but I am intoxicated by the closeness of our bodies. I search his mouth with mine and kiss him gently. I lick his upper lip as my hands free his and stroke his sides. My hands trail from his shoulders to his hips and he whimpers at my touch. My fingers explore his stomach before caressing his chest. I am deliciously aroused and pinch one of his nipples. He cries softly, opening his mouth enough for my tongue to go in.

Waya witness the scene through the steam. He is open-mouthed while the consequences register in his mind. It isn't a horny Touya trying to seduce Shindou, but Shindou trying to beguile Touya. Maybe he hasn't been a very good friend lately. No wonder Shindou hasn't confided in him.

Touya and I kiss in earnest before he puts his hands on my chest and pushes me away.

"You're drunk, Shindou. You can't turn me on like this, because you will have forgotten everything tomorrow morning. I won't say these words to you, because you will forget them too… You should go back to your room and sleep. You won't remember when you wake up."

"Somehow, I doubt it." I smile at him ruefully, get out of the bath to get my towel and head back to my room. I'm thinking to myself: 'Gods help me if I didn't do the right thing…'