Disclaimer: Just borrowing characters for fanfic fun. I own nothing.

Author's Notes: I really struggled with this chapter (more than I though I would). (This doesn't sound promising, does it? lol) I wanted it to be great, and it sort of turned out like this, lol. ^.^;;; I think it's okay; I hope it's okay. 0.o I really am trying... Much thanks to my readers for continuing to read... after so many years. Oh, and to anime sleepovers that have me re-watching Hikago. ^.~ As always, I would really appreciate any feedback any of you have to offer. It really does help as I continue to progress further in the story and hopefully bring it to a conclusion... eventually. =)

Chapter 16: Monday, Monday

The beauty about Sundays was that there weren't often Go obligations, and if there were, such events were normally assigned to the pros with less seniority. So, luckily, neither Hikaru nor Akira had anywhere to be the day when the dreaded issue of Weekly Go hit the newsstands. They stayed home and spent the day mostly lying in bed and talking. In order to ensure they had some semblance of peace, they had both turned off their cell phones knowing that the following day, when they had to return to work, would bring nothing but a torrential downpour of questions.

To prepare, they had gone over every inch of the article, still wincing at the deeply personal pictures that were included, but concentrating on the words. At least the words weren't as sensationalistic as they could have been. Nothing like "scandal" had appeared anywhere in the article. Basically, all it stated was that an anonymous tipper had given them word that two of Go's brightest young players were romantically involved. It also stated that the boys were living together and that there was no confirmation on how long the relationship had been going on. At the end, there was a line that said something about respecting the couple's privacy.

Privacy my ass, Hikaru thought malevolently cursing the entire staff of Weekly Go. You print this, and you speak of privacy.

Although the article had tried to be insipid in the manner of writing, the nature of the subject was one that would foster curiosity and would lead to gossip of all of its readers.

"This is our reality," Akira said impassively.

It's so like him to put up this emotionless front, even though he's burning with embarrassment and anger on the inside, Hikaru thought, wishing that he could fake the same collected composure.

Although they tried, their situation was impossible to ignore. The couple was very much aware of the gathering crowd of reporters outside of the apartment they shared. Incessant banging and questions streamed in.

"Are you guys in there?"

"How long has your relationship been going on?"

"Are you sleeping together?"

Groaning, Akira buried his head in his arms, lying limply face down on the bed. "When will we finally be able to get peace and quiet?" he asked.

"Not sure," Hikaru answered tiredly, joining his lover on the bed, draping an arm across Akira's back, and pulling him close for comfort. "We'll just ignore them for today - pretend we're not home. I'm already getting used to the extra racket. Someone will kick the press out at some point. We live in a nice apartment complex; our neighbors won't stand for the noise."

"True," Akira relented with a sigh.

"How come you don't sound any more content?"

"What about when tomorrow comes? We have to leave to go to games and resume our jobs."

"We'll deal with tomorrow… together," Hikaru said firmly.

"Together," Akira echoed emptily. With a frustrated sigh, he grabbed the pillow underneath him and slammed it over his head still trying to pretend that nothing was happening outside.

Together. That was what they had decided on. They would be a united front, and they would not divulge further information. With an exhausted sigh, Hikaru wondered what Monday would bring, when they were once again thrust into the Go world with inquiring minds wanting to know every detail of his and Akira's life together.

It was the dreaded Monday, and Hikaru and Akira left for the Go Institute together. As they ventured through the lobby of their apartment complex, both of them became very aware that the news had spread. Whispers from neighbors followed them, and Akira couldn't help his keen ears from catching some of the comments. Many were speculative and curious, while others were homophobic and downright rude.

Akira flushed angrily, provoked by the harsh judgments. It just wasn't fair. Although, he relented, this problem is probably just exacerbated by the ruckus that the reporters had made the day before.

Upon exiting the building, they found that reporters still loitered outside waiting for them. This was the first time Akira wished he wasn't one of the best Go players of his generation and wished that nobody knew who he was. He doubted that any other couple would have gotten as much attention. In fact, he knew that Waya and Isumi had not; perhaps it was because they weren't forcibly outed, so it didn't constitute a "scandal."

"Touya-kun!" a reporter called to him, pen poised above a notebook. "Did you plan to come out like this? What spurred this series of actions forward? You know Weekly Go wasn't exactly clear whether your relationship with Shindou-kun was supposed to be kept a secret or not."

Head lowered, Akria stared at the ground, unheeding of the questions hurled his way.

"How did your father react, Touya-kun?" an older gentleman was asking him, eyes filled with curiosity.

I bet you follow the game, Akria thought surveying the container of that particular question. I bet you know who I am, who Hikaru is.

"Shindou-kun, are the two of you sleeping together?" a new voice asked.

And that, Akira thought, is most definitely a tabloid. He was grateful that the last particular question wasn't directed at him. The "normal" questions were embarrassing enough. Next to him, Akira felt Hikaru tense and knew that his boyfriend's infamous temper was about to explode. His instincts did not disappoint him, as Hikaru suddenly whirled around and faced the reports behind him.

"We're professional Go players who just happen to be in love. Don't you have better things to do than harass us?" Hikaru screamed at the top of his lungs.

Apparently they didn't. As flashbulbs went off, the questions poured out more quickly than ever.

"We are so out of here!" Hikaru cried, dragging an emotionless Akira behind him.

Once they made it to the subway station, the reporters had no choice but to give up their frantic chase. Akira commented, "Way to go." A ghost of a smile lingered on his face.

"I was never one to deal kindly with prying," Hikaru said disgustedly.

Because of Sai, Akira mentally filled in. "Hmm," was Akira's only audible comment. He grew silent as the Go Institute building came into view. Fear wracked Akira's mind and manifested itself in his nervously clenching and unclenching fingers.

"Like a dragon," Hikaru whispered to him brining his Go face forward, head lifted up confidently, all emotion wiped off of his face. Everything about him was as if he were carved in stone, except for his eyes, which were slightly narrowed, clear, but sparking with passion.

I can do that face, Akira thought, Hikaru's words assuaging him of his tightly wound nerves. I can do it better than him. He, too, wiped any tell-tale sign of emotion off of his countenance as he followed Hikaru through the front door.

Hushed whispers stopped when the couple entered the door. Instead, it was replaced by quiet, watchful eyes. Akira turned his head one way then the other, clearing his throat. It was as if he gave a signal that everyone was waiting for, because the talking began again, and this time he could catch fragments of the conversations.

"I wonder how Touya Meijin took it …" one boy was saying to another, eyes wide.

You'd rather not know, Akira answered silently in his head, cursing the fact that his hearing was sharp enough to pick up on other conversations.

"I wonder how long they have been together. Do you imagine it was before they moved in together?" one girl was asking her red-headed friend.

"I'd imagine so. Touya-san and Shindou-san used to be at each other's throats all the time, but now look at them."

The first girl eyed Akira nervously, lowered her voice, and asked her friend. "Then why did they need to move in together. You don't suppose that they're …"

"Absolutely," the friend affirmed. "When lovers move in together it means they need more privacy together. It'd be odd if they weren't having sex."

Is it that odd? Akira wondered to himself feeling his posture wilt a little. Sure he and Hikaru had begun exploring the physical side of their relationship, but it was very recently. He was very much aware of the fact that he was the reason they were moving so slowly and felt a warmth crawl up his neck and towards his cheeks. Although he didn't want to hear anymore, he wasn't quite so fortunate.

Another one of the younger female players was talking to a young man who both Akira and Hikaru were familiar with - Ochi. A mischievous look in her eye, she asked, "Who do you think is on top?"

Ochi's beady eyes widened, as his mouth opened and closed like a fish's.

The girl pressed on, clearly enjoying her companion's indignant reaction. "You know, because Touya's all reserved and stuff. You can tell by the way he acts. But when he's got a goban in front of him, there's definitely passion. Like, even with the slightest of openings, he's all over you. Hmm, I wonder if passion translates?"

From the corner of his eyes, Akira saw Ochi send the girl a horrified look.

"Yeah, you're right," the girl continued, feigning ignorance at Ochi's obvious discomfort. "It would have to be Hikaru. He's more emotional and expresses those emotions more easily. He's probably a lot more forceful."

"Eww!" Ochi finally managed to spit out, clamping hands over his ears.

Great, Ochi, of all people, is repulsed by me. I'm sure he's not the only one. With a heavy sigh, Akira felt his head droop, embarrassed that he was the center of all talk, but not in a way he was accustomed to. I feel like I'm roasting in an oven, he thought miserably, raising a hand to loosen his tie. I'm going to suffocate. Hands tugged the collar of his button up shirt away from his neck, and instinctively, those hands rose up to touch his flaming face, as if to hide it from the public.

Hikaru stopped in his tracks and looked straight at Akira, who could read the displeased emotion within Hikaru's olive green eyes. Hikaru's message of, "We are not hiding" was clear without Hikaru having even said a word. With that, Hikaru reached out his own hand and placed it over Akira's, letting it rest along the contour of his face momentarily. Then, those fingers forcefully curled themselves around Akira's hand and tugged it down to his side. Pulling gently, he urged his lover forward.

"Chin up," he whispered to Akira. With a wicked smile, he added, "Unless you're too frazzled, frazzled enough to lose today. Ogata will eat you alive on the board unless you're playing your best game, Touya Kisei." The appeal to Akira's pride worked like a charm.

Lose? I will not, Akira thought indignantly, straightening his posture and lifting his head once more. "Let's go," he hissed subtly moving his hand within Hikaru's so that their fingers were interlaced.

Like always, at the worst possible time, a voice from behind him called, "Akira-kun!"

"O-ogata-san," Akira stammered closing his eyes, feeling his whole body tense. Turning around, he bowed his head slightly and managed to say, "G-good morning."

The blond-haired man pushed up his glasses and favored junior Touya with an amused look. "No need to sound so resigned when addressing me."

"I-I was not," he protested, his hand gripping Hikaru's harder, glad for the support. "I'm looking forward to our game today."

Ogata, with those eyes that seemed to see too deeply, gave him a look that said "Like our game is what everybody's talking about; give me a break, Akira-kun."

"Is there something wrong, Ogata-san?" Akira asked, voice quiet, the look in his eyes dangerous and calculating.

"I still don't have my key back," Ogata said, taking a drag on his cigarette.

"I'll return it to you soon," Akira replied automatically, nodding his head politely. Eyes narrowing further, he asked one more question, and although his voice was quiet, it carried through the now silent room. "Is there anything you'd like to ask, Ogata-san?"

Eyebrows rose, interested at the offer. "How will you play today?"

Shocked, Akira's eyes widened momentarily before they narrowed again. "You're about to find out."

"That's all anybody should be interested in," Ogata said, eyes surveying little pockets of gossiping groups on either side of the hallway.

"It's okay, Akira," Hikaru said touching his lover lightly on the arm.

"I completely got caught up in his pace," Akira replied shaking his head disappointedly. "I followed him too far in this corner, and then –"

"You played fine though, Akira. Your Go was fine."

"But—"

"Everyone loses games sometimes. Even you." He planted a big sloppy kiss on Akira's forehead.

"Hikaru!" he gasped wiping his forehead, eyes darting cautiously from side to side.

"Not many people are around anymore," Hikaru defended. "And seriously, what are you trying to hide. The cat's out of the bag."

"But … but … we're in public," he whispered, clearly still in shock.

Hikaru looked at him with a deadpanned face and nodded to his left, where Isumi and Waya stood, hand in hand.

"Oh."

"Come on, let's get you some lunch." They went over to the other couple, where Hikaru unceremoniously thrust Akira into their care.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Akria spluttered as Hikaru turned to leave.

"S'okay," he said with a wink. "I have some business to take of. Waya and Isumi will take good care of you. I'll see you later."

Hikaru waved and smiled good-naturedly, but by the time he turned around the happy look was already wiped off of his face. Jaw set and eyes narrowed challengingly, he headed for Weekly Go's headquarters.

TBC