"Wanna play a game? If I play you I think I can relax my nerves."

He sounds as irreverent as ever, but she hears – feels – a newfound delicateness.

She gasps a little, and blushes.

"Well, of course I'm happy that you'd play against me!"

He smiles brightly. "Good! Then let's go to my house."

Her heart is beating fast. Flittering, fluttering… like leaves on the wind.

"What's wrong?" he asks. She blinks, then looks down thoughtfully.

"You've changed, Hikaru."

"Really?"

It's hard to put her feelings into words. Finally, she settles for something a bit different.

"Yeah, you've changed. I guess being a pro did it. You've become… more mature."

He laughs. "You've changed too."

"Really? How?"

Her heart dances; but he doesn't quite give her the answer she wants.

"…You shrunk." A small snicker.

"You just got taller!" She puffs up, in a mixture of mock anger and real frustration.

Grinning from ear to ear, he offers her a nonchalant shrug.

They walk forward a few steps – he in the lead, she a little behind; before he remarks, in his trademark offhanded way again:

"You've become really pretty."