Disclaimer: I don't own Hikaru no GO

Chapter 5: Symphony

"So are you telling me that you played with a ten years old boy?"

Hikaru and Touya were making their way to the GO salon one morning. Touya had not forgotten about Soujiro. He was thinking that it would be great if Hikaru meets him too.

"And did you say Akari was the one that introduced him to you…"

Hikaru rubbed his forehead looking rather confused. He shifted his sports bag on his shoulder. He had spent a night over at Touya's studying GO manuals and previous game strategies. So he packed some clothes. It wasn't his first time and they usually spent more time studying together during summer.

"I was thinking of seeing him again of course." Touya told him. "He should be studying with professionals like we did."

"Well…" Hikaru looked rather doubtful. He was still trying to get the fact of Akari told Touya about this and not him. "By the way, when did you start hanging out with Akari?"

That was another thing that he couldn't understand.

Touya smiled softly when he remembered Akari jumping down from the big tree.

Hikaru raised an eyebrow at that sight.

"It wasn't planned I just met her at a park."

"Hah?" Hikaru became even more confused.

"I wonder if she is there today." Touya was still smiling unconsciously.

Hikaru sighed when he wasn't getting any more details from Touya about Akari.

"If you are talking about that big park near Shotengai, I think she should be there every morning."

"Oh so you know of that place?"

"We used to spend a lot of time in the summer there before I became an Insei."

"I see…" Touya remembered Akari said the same thing when they were at the sweet shop. "Let's see if Fujisaki-san is going to the centre today. We can meet that boy."

Touya was acting weird. Hikaru thought watching his game partner inquisitively.

He was eager to meet that boy or Akari? Hikaru couldn't tell. What happened that day? It seemed like something else happened that day rather then just meeting that boy.

He hadn't talked to Akari for days so he had not heard anything about any of this. It was so strange to hear it from Touya instead. That didn't sit well with Hikaru at all.

It may be by chance they met and Akari thought it was a good idea to get Touya to meet this boy for he was busy after all. But he also remembered about the time she was injured. Touya was there too by coincidence.

Hikaru felt a heavy sensation weighing him down in his heart. It was cold and it made him feel awful.

No… he shook his head slightly pushing the feeling away quickly.

Akari was always friendly, besides Touya was always a helpful person and quickly concluded his thoughts there.

Their walk was silent after that.

The park was as usual filled the young and old. The children were playing robber and cop game with water gun that day. Screams and laughter filled the air.

"You think I can't catch you?" A little boy shouted as he chased a girl down the park with a water gun.

Akari laughed. She was already half drenched but she didn't mind. She was paid to babysit this boy today so she didn't have a choice when he decided to play this game. Besides its summer, its hot and being a little wet doesn't hurt.

"Take that." The boy aimed and shot.

Akari dodged the spraying water.

"OI…"

They both heard an annoyed voice behind Akari then. They turned to see Hikaru head drenched and half of his front shirt was wet. Touya stood next to him unscathed but looked rather wide eyed staring at Hikaru.

Akari closed her mouth to muffle her laughter at the sight. Hikaru veins were popping.

"You little brat!" Hikaru yelled and chased after the boy.

The little boy screamed and laughed at the same time as he ran away. Akari burst out laughing then.

"Are you alright Fujisaki-san?" Touya asked coming up to her.

"I am fine." Akari replied as her laughter died down and she wiped tears of mirth away from her eye.

Touya passed her his handkerchief. "Here… you are soaked."

Akari smiled and accepted it. "Thank you." She did get sprayed by the water gun a couple of times. So her face, hair and shirt were wet too.

"You are not walking the dogs today?"

"Nope, today is babysitting." Akari shook her head slightly wipe her face lightly with the handkerchief. "Shin-kun's mother needed to be at the community centre this morning for a meeting. So she asked me to look after her son for an hour."

How many kinds of job does Akari had? Touya wondered. She was always so busy.

They turned over when they heard Shin screaming and laughing as he ran back towards Akari.

"Nee-chan stop him!" Shin said with laughter.

He came over and gave Akari a big hug around her waist.

"Hikaru stopped scaring him." Akari said between giggles.

"Jeez…" Hikaru mumbled wiping his wet face with the sleeve of his jacket when he spotted a handkerchief in Akari's hand, he reached over to take it. "I can't believe you are doing this."

"Ah…" Akari wanted to point out that it didn't belong to her.

"It's ok…" Touya whispered to her.

"When did you even carry handkerchief around."

"I don't…" Akari told him with an amused smile. "I have a towel in the locker though."

Before he could use it, the handkerchief raised almost touching his face he looked over at Touya who smirked slightly.

"Oh…" Hikaru mumbled, made a face and handed it back to him.

"You can use it." Touya said still smirking.

"It's fine." Hikaru replied huffily shoving the handkerchief back at him.

Touya just shook his head lightly and sighed softly. "You don't have to treat it like a germ."

"Whatever," Hikaru grumbled taking off his jacket and flung it once before wearing back again.

"Why are you guys here anyways?" Akari wanted to laugh again.

Sometimes it was hard to tell whether they were in good terms or not. However, they can be humorous when they were together.

"Touya was talking about this boy he met at the day care centre you worked in. We were thinking of meeting him today."

"Soujiro-kun?" Akari looked rather wide-eyed.

"I am surprised you never mentioned him." Hikaru was rather haughty about Touya knowing about it before he did.

"I did… remember you gave me GO manuals about a week ago or so. You told me to let him study those."

There was a short pause before it finally dawn to Hikaru.

"So that was for the kid?"

Akari nodded.

"Gosh you should have told me he was ten!"

"You were busy Hikaru." Akari told him indignantly. "I tried to explain."

Touya was quiet as he watched them dispute. Do they always argue like this? Akari was different when she talked to Hikaru. She looked so laid back and easy going. She was always so polite and cautious when she was talking to him.

They were bickering for a few more minutes before Shin's mother came to pick him up.

After seeing Shin off, Akari went to get changed at the toilet near the park. When she reappeared again, Touya was a little surprised at the formal outfit she was wearing. She actually looked really pretty.

She was wearing a white lace dress with the skirt reaching down her knees and a black suit jacket over it and wore a pair of black leather shoes with slight heal unlike her usual sneakers she usually had on. Her hair was tied up in a neat bun instead of a ponytail and Touya could see she still used the pin he bought.

Unknowingly Touya smile gently at the sight. Despite what he heard Hikaru said that it wasn't her style. It seemed like she still wore it everyday. He had no idea that this small gesture could make him happy like that.

Hikaru on the other hand had seen her in this outfit many times. So it didn't affect him at all. He had also witnessed her in long frilly black evening gowns, which made her looked rather enchanting though Akari only wears that for night performances.

Hikaru knew Akari was pretty but he never thought that it was necessary to voice it out. To his surprised he spotted that look on Touya's face as he stared at Akari. He didn't need to second-guess what Touya was thinking about. It was written all over his face.

Touya was about to tell her something but Hikaru quickly stopped him.

"Let me guess, orchestra performance?" Hikaru said to Akari rather calmly trying his best to act normal. He didn't want to come out as if he was trying to intersect with Touya.

Touya snapped back to his usual demeanor when Hikaru interrupted his thoughts.

He quickly looked away from Akari. He was surprised at himself. He almost revealed his thoughts. Even all those beautiful and sophisticated girls came to the salon to see him; he was never once attracted to their charm.

So he couldn't understand why now? He took a deep breath silently to calm himself.

"It's live rehearsal." Akari replied casually not realizing what was going on between the boys. "So we have to dress in our attire for this rehearsal."

Touya was glad that Akari didn't notice him acting weird.

She headed towards the lockers by the toilet to take out her violin.

"If you all want to meet Soujiro-kun. You all are in luck."

Hikaru and Touya looked at her curiously wondering what she meant and she smiled.

"He is not at day care today … but he is at the orchestra centre."

"Eh?" Hikaru exclaimed. "Gosh we almost went to the day care centre!"

"Come on," Akari lead them out the park.

"I actually knew Soujiro-kun at Orchestra classes before I met him at day care." Akari explained as they made their way to the station. "He plays the cello."

"How many skills does he have?" Hikaru muttered. "He is in an Orchestra group that means he is pretty skill at whatever he is playing. And now you are saying that he may be a genius in GO?"

Akari shrugged. "It was only by chance I found out about his talent in GO. If I hadn't taught those boys that day, nobody would have known cause his family was not expose to this sport."

"What does his parents do?" Touya asked unable to imagine how would it be like if nobody knew of his talent in GO. It would be so upsetting.

"His father is an international pianist and the mother is a traditional Japanese musician. She plays the koto."

"A family of musician, no wonder." Hikaru whispered.

"So it may be difficult to take him into professional GO even if he wants to." Akari said looking straight ahead with determination. "But I feel if he really do want to venture into your world. We should give it a shot."

"What about the musician parents." Hikaru wasn't so sure.

"You know it is always a way. "Akari looked over at him mischievously. "What happened to your sense of adventure?"

"I am still adventurous." Hikaru said in a huff. "But going pro means money and time…"

"I am going to sponsor him." Touya cut in.

"Eh?" Hikaru turned to his adversary with big eyes.

"If he wants it I will help him." Touya said with determination too.

"Well let's go hear what Soujiro has to say." Akari smiled at them.

Hikaru noticed that Akari wasn't surprised at what Touya said. She looked like she already knew about it. Darn! What else was he missing? He thought feeling lost and rather irritated about the matter.

He didn't dwell on the matter for long as the train arrived and they boarded the train together.

At the orchestra centre Akari got two guests passes for the boys.

"Here," Akari said as she handed the tags to them by the entrance door to the theater. "It's a good thing I am familiar with the security guard on duty today. So it is easier to get this from him."

"Outsiders are not allowed?" Touya asked wondering if they had cause trouble. He slung the tag around his shoulder.

"Don't worry, they do allow family members sometimes on special circumstances."

"So what excuse did you make this time?" Hikaru asked curiously.

Hikaru still remembered that day when Akari tried to sneak him in. She told the guard that he was an adopted child so he was her stepbrother. He almost chuckled at the thought. Did she use the same excuse again that Touya and him were her brothers?

"Well, I know that security's daughter is a fan of Touya-kun." Akari shrugged. "So I said I will get an autograph for him."

She turned to Touya apologetically. "Wari… without your permission." She raised a hand up in front of her face with an eye closed.

Touya laughed then. "It is fine." He said between laughter. "That wasn't so hard."

It surprised both Hikaru and Akari.

For Akari she felt like her heart was about to leap out to see Touya's laughing face. She blushed slightly at the sight her heart pounding loudly.

For Hikaru who had not witness him laughing before was taken aback. He then caught sight of Akari's expression and frowned slightly. She looked dazed while staring at Touya with slightly flush cheeks. He had never seen her looked at any boys that way before.

"Ok fine…" Hikaru quickly break the spell and pushed Akari gently towards the entrance. "You got rehearsals right."

"Hey!" Akari retorted. "Don't push I am going."

"We will be waiting outside here after this is over, don't forget about Soujiro-kun." Hikaru said as they followed her inside but didn't proceed any further as they stood by the door.

"Right," Akari looked back at them as she descended the stairs in the theatre towards the stage. "Don't worry and take any seat you want and please don't snore too loudly Hikaru if you going to sleep."

"Shut up." Hikaru hissed at her. "I don't snore!"

Akari grinned at him before she turned away going down further towards the stage and made her way up the stage where the group of people about her age and older grouped together taking their places.

Among the group Hikaru notice the only boy the youngest among them.

"That must be Soujiro…" Hikaru whispered as he and Touya scooted into the furthest back seat of the theatre not wanting to be seen.

"Yeah …" Touya saw him too. No wonder he felt connected to the boy. He really were like him when he was younger always surrounded by people a lot older than him.

Touya had not been to a musical recital before. So he was rather intrigued by the whole thing. The conductor finally came to stage when everyone was ready with their musical instruments. He could see Akari among five other violinists at the left side of the stage front row. She sat in the middle of them.

When the music started Hikaru had already fallen asleep like Akari said he would. But the music caught Touya's attention fully. It was filled with emotions and it was like watching a movie. He wondered how Hikaru could sleep through all that.

Touya leaned forward slowly and placed his arms crossed on the headrest of the chair in front of him. He then propped his chin on his arms as he watched the performance with full concentration. The music was truly amazing.

He could see Akari in that distant looking confident and graceful as she played the violin. She looked so different from all those times he seen her.

She was always rushing somewhere, protecting customers, being up a tree, hauling dogs down the street or playing robbers and cop with children.

Touya chuckled softly at those memories.

She really never ceases to amaze him.

Hikaru opened his eyes slightly to see Touya smiling softly to himself. That heavy feeling in his heart crept back to him again. He felt that all those time he had not been able to see Akari, something did happened.

He knew that he needed to talk to Akari seriously about their relationship for once, he thought silently. They never did and he had taken it for granted.

He shifted his gaze over to Akari and looked at her rather despondently. Somehow in his heart he knew the answer and dreaded it. Maybe it could wait. Things didn't have to change at the moment.

He shut his eyes again waiting for the rehearsal to end. Hoping that nothing changes.

The rehearsal didn't take long and soon Akari was ushering Soujiro out the theatre to the location she was suppose to meet Hikaru and Touya.

"Whao!" Soujiro's face lit up when he saw Touya. "Touya-niisan!"

He ran over to him happily and jumped at him. Touya almost fell over but he smiled nonetheless.

"Akari-niisan told me you want to play GO with me again!" Soujiro looked up at Touya, his face glowing. "When can we play?"

"Why don't you come over to a GO salon with me." Touya told him. "Do you think your parents will be ok with that?"

"It's fine, they are not in Japan now." Soujiro told him without any sadness like it was a normal occurrence. "Tanaka-san will accompany me there."

"Tanaka-san?" Touya asked wondering who was this person to him.

"My Chauffeur. He brings me everywhere."

"Soujiro-kun, that lady who came to pick you up. Who is she?" Akari asked then.

She remembered the lady that came every evening. If he said that both his parents were out of the country that lady couldn't be his mother.

It was always the same lady. She comes and never talked to anyone, pick up Soujiro and leave. So Akari had assumed her to be the mother.

"That's my nanny." Soujiro said. "Lately nanny's son is sick in the hospital so she couldn't take care of me during the day. But she could come during the night when her husband takes over at the hospital looking after their son."

So that was the reason he came to the day care centre.

"The day care centre is getting boring."Soujiro whined and turned back to Touya. "I want to go to this GO salon. Akari-neesan, are you coming too?"

"Eh?" Akari looked at him. "I am working at the café today…"

Soujiro's cheerfulness faltered slightly. But he quickly spoke up.

"It's ok Touya-oniisan will be there right?" He looked back up at Touya.

"Yes and you will meet a lot more people that can play GO." Touya smiled at him.

"Don't forget about me though." Hikaru said haughtily with his arms cross. He had been ignored the whole time and it was getting annoying.

"Who are you?" Soujiro asked suspiciously hiding slightly behind Touya.

"You should remember my name, Shindou Hikaru." Hikaru told him bending over slightly to be at the same height with Soujiro. "Someone that will kick your butt in GO."

"Not if I kick yours first." Soujiro retorted bravely.

Akari laughed. "Soh soh, I would love to see that."

"You should be on my side Akari…" Hikaru said in a rather incredulous voice.

"Mya mya…" Akari slapped Hikaru at he back forcefully and laughed. "He is only a kid be nice." She whispered the last part rather seriously though.

Hikaru mouth a silent 'itai' as he reached back where Akari slapped.

"Will you come later after work Akari-neesan?" Soujiro then asked again timidly.

Akari smiled at him and knelt down to face him.

"I will try my best ok." Akari told him gently and patted him on his head. "This two onii-san here will take good care of you. I promise, if I can finish early I will come by."

Soujiro cheered up again. They all headed out the building as Tanaka brought the car up the front entrance of the centre.

"How are you going to tell him about professional GO?" Akari asked Touya when they were by Soujiro's family car.

Hikaru and the younger boy were already seated inside. Akari still had a few matters to discuss with the conductor before she leave for her next part time job so she was staying behind.

"I will let him play at the Salon first before I explain to him." Touya told her. "Don't worry."

He gave her an assuring smile that warms her heart.

His smile always never failed to make Akari's heart race a little faster than usual. Her cheeks flushed again. She needed to get use to seeing different sides of him.

Calm down, she thought to herself and breath in deeply.

When Touya saw Akari looking anxious, he misunderstood her feelings thinking that she was worried about Soujiro. So he took out his cell phone.

"Here…" He searched his setting to send Akari his contact through Bluetooth. "If you couldn't make it today I will let you know what happen."

Akari reached for her phone quickly, her heart pounding. She never thought they would be exchanging numbers. This day was becoming bizarre for her. In the first place she didn't expect to even meet Touya again so soon. To see him with Hikaru this morning was the furthest thing in her mind.

And now they are exchanging contacts!

"Arigatou…" Akari said softly unable to look at Touya in the eye.

Touya smiled and nodded before he stepped into the car.

"I hope we are doing the right thing." She said to herself softly and clutched her phone tightly in both hands against her chest.

Without a doubt Akari was worried about Soujiro, she knew that even if the boy could excel in GO but with his family background, it might not be easy road for him.

It wouldn't be easy for Touya to support him too.

Akari took a deep breath, watching the car pulled away from the building in silent.

To be continued...


Shōtengai (商店街) is a style of Japanese commercial district running along a certain street.

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