Rite of Spring

Summary: Nao finds a strangely familiar boy, and she and Akiyama discover a connection in their past that goes much deeper than they originally thought.

Disclaimer: Liar Game is the property of Shinobu Kaitani, who actually does interesting and educational things with it, instead of turning it into a cheesy romance story.

Author's notes: So this is the epilogue. Yeah. If you want to imagine something besides meaningless fluff, you'd probably be best off ending the story at the last chapter.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. ^^

The Days After

Three weeks after the younger Shinichi returns to his own time, and one week after the Liar Game finally ends, Akiyama finds himself at Nao's door. The mean time he has spent researching, planning, and practicing both his chess game and his sleight of hand. And perhaps a little bit of soul-searching. He comes to her doorstep with some information and an idea of how he wants everything to go.

"I did some research on the accident," Akiyama said, "Found some old newspaper articles. Time travel aside, everything corroborates." To demonstrate, he puts the folder of newspaper clippings he found on the table. There are a few articles, the accident report, the obituary for Kanzaki Natsuko, and then a small human-interest story on Akiyama's miraculous recovery. He keeps the letters to the editor he's found, particularly a nasty one condemning Natsuko for leaving her daughter motherless and making her husband a widower, to himself.

"Do you remember going through this?"

"Nothing about meeting my future self," Akiyama says, "but I remember waking up now. My mother was there, and so were you and your father."

"Me?"

"You slept a lot," Akiyama said. Not entirely accurate of his memories, but close enough. "I think your father wanted to play chess with me too." Akiyama is almost positive that it was during one of those chess games that he had learned about Nao's mother, even if he doesn't remember, the exact moments or the exact words, only that the news had been devastating enough to repress.

"I think I might have asked my mom if your dad was a new boyfriend, and thinking that it wouldn't be bad to have a dad and a baby sister."

Her eyes widen at that, and she tilts her head. "It would have been nice to have Akiyama-san as a big brother."

Akiyama recalls thinking something similar at the time. Eighteen years later though, and his opinion has definitely changed. "I think things worked out for the best."

"Akiyama-san?"

He digs for a non-obvious, but completely believable reason. "I couldn't have been nearly as objective, if it had been my little sister in danger." That's true, he guesses. Not that he'd ever been objective in his dealings with Nao, but the pretense had been there.

Fortunately she buys his excuse. Or at least all she does is nod at him.

Akiyama continues with his plan. "I should meet with your father."

"My father? Why?" She seems a little startled by that.

Before Nao can think too much about it, Akiyama steps in to explain his reasoning. "Don't you think he might be curious about what happened to the boy his wife saved?"

Nao nods. "I know he would."

"I'd like to thank him as well. Your mother wasn't the only one who helped my family out after the accident." That's actually the complete truth, even if it's one he only realizes in retrospect. Back then, Akiyama had never questioned the time his mother took off from work to look after him, but now, understanding how difficult money had been even then, he sees the extra help that Nao's father had given.

"I see."

"But most importantly," Akiyama says, "I want to see if I can beat your father at chess. I've been practicing."

Nao raises an eyebrow, suspicious, without suspecting anything. "Really, Akiyama-san? That's the most important reason?"

He smirks. "It's time for a rematch."

*

Later, they lay in Nao's bed together, about to go to sleep, but unable to do so just yet. Tempting as it would be to try and convince Nao that they should use the bed for something besides sleeping, Akiyama decides that his devious mind would best be put to use finding a way to get her to seduce him. If the way that she seems to automatically caress his bare chest and stomach are any indication, he shouldn't need to try too hard.

"I think," Nao says, her fingers on his stomach slowing to match the thoughtful pace of her words, "that all four of us needed Shin to be there at that time, and so it just happened."

"Things don't happen just because you need them to. Especially things that are impossible."

"I guess you're right," Nao's fingers stop their unconscious caresses, "but so many things have happened lately. There was a one in 100,000 chance that I would receive the invitation to the Liar Game. That itself is highly improbable. It happened though. And what were the chances of finding the one honest con-artist in all of Japan, and convincing him to help me?"

Akiyama lets himself give into the urge to touch her, just a brush of his fingers on her cheek. "One in a hundred-thousand is rare, not impossible, and your finding me wasn't random chance at all. You sought me out. Maybe you're just so naïve that it cracks the space-time continuum. Magical thinking is dangerous. "

"How do you think it happened Akiyama-san?"

To be honest, he has no clue about that even now. Maybe he has found the one person in the entire world who violates all laws of cause-and-effect. "To tell the truth, it's good enough that no one disappeared. If Shin were here and that he was from another time, we could perhaps piece together a case study. But he's gone. So don't lose sleep over wondering how it works."

Nao shakes her head, "I wouldn't have let Shin-kun stay with me. He needed to go back to his original time, grow up, and become Akiyama-san."

How simple of her, Akiyama thinks. How simple and absolutely perfect. Her arm drapes across his chest, and as Akiyama tries to figure out what—if anything—he can say to that. The words he wants to say get lodged up in his throat, and by the time he even considers forcing them out, she's fast asleep.

"He needed to grow up and meet you," Akiyama says when he's absolutely positive that she can't hear his voice. Akiyama kisses her on her forehead and smiles as she shifts slightly, and settles into his arms.

*

A few days later, Nao and Akiyama arrive at the hospice where the elder Kanzaki stays. To tell the truth, Nao's a little nervous, not that she has any reason to be, really. Except that after all Akiyama's done for her—and how much he means to her—if her father can't see past Akiyama's outside to the genuinely wonderful person he is, Nao's not sure she could take it.

"Father?" Nao pokes her head into his room, and reminds herself that he's not meeting her father for any traditional purpose.

"Nao-chan," He gives a weak smile. "It's always wonderful to see you."

"I brought a visitor today," Nao steps aside and reveals Akiyama Shinichi, who has—with the help of a hairbrush and some styling gel—managed to tame his hair into something almost respectable to go with the button-up shirt and dress pants that he suddenly remembered that he owns. "This is Akiyama Shinichi-san."

"Akiyama-san," The voice crackles, "It appears you've grown up well. Do you remember me?"

Akiyama nods. "I owe you and your wife everything. I just came by to thank you. My mother and I will always be grateful for what your family has done for us."

Her father looks at Akiyama-san closely, and Nao shifts a little on behalf of Akiyama. "You play chess, Akiyama-san?"

"Yes."

Nao already has the old chessboard out and sets the pieces up for both sides. A little part of her—the one who has grown up sharing in her father's hobby—wants to see the outcome of this game. Akiyama's brilliance on one end, and her father's years of experience and own sharp mind on the other.

"You take white. Nao will move the pieces for me."

Akiyama nods his assent, and the following battle becomes one that even Nao, as a bystander, has to admire for its intensity.

"I concede." Her father says at last, "you should take mercy on the old and infirm." He smiles though. "Although, for your level of experience, I'd say your strategy is brilliant."

Akiyama's eyes widen. "Thank you, sir. It's an honor."

"Nao," her father says, breaking a silence with his gravelly voice, "Tanaka-san down the hall says that she misses having your company."

"Oh!" Nao's been so on edge with the business of the Liar Game final and Shin that she really hasn't had time to visit any of the other patients, the ones she's come to see as a family of some sort. "I should visit her, shouldn't I? If Akiyama-san doesn't mind..."

Akiyama shakes his head. "I'd like to talk to your father one-on-one."

"Of course."

When Nao returns from her visit with Tanaka, and then with Nakamura two doors down and Ichinose across the hall, she can still hear the low sounds of her father and Akiyama's voices. Though it's dishonest, she does listen for a couple of seconds before walking in.

"...my blessing as long as she's fine with it..."

"Of course, sir."

"Just wait until she graduates...."

Nao walks in, a forcing her grin and her racing heart to fit inside a more serene expression. The conversation between the two men ends, although Akiyama gives a serious nod to her father.

"Ah...Nao," Her father smiles at her, "How did your visit with Tanaka-san go?"

Nao recalls looking over the pictures of Tanaka's new granddaughter, and listening to the old lady's recollection of growing up. "It was nice."

"That's good." Her father's glance goes to Akiyama-san. "Tell me what do you think of our visitor here?"

"Oh, Akiyama-san?" Nao feels the blush going past her cheeks and up to her ears. How much does her father know about what happened over the past year? "I think, that he's truly an amazing person. Very clever. Very strong. Very kind."

They both stare at her. What? Did she say too much?

"Well, Akiyama-san," her father says with a smile, "I think everything will be fine."

Akiyama bows. "Thank you, sir. I'm happy to have the chance to meet with you again."

"Same here, Akiyama-san. I'm counting on you."

*

"So, you and my father got along well." Nao observes, on the way back to her apartment. At this point, even she knows something is up, but she's waited until after she's bought the ingredients for dinner tonight—cooking for both herself and Akiyama of course—before she says anything.

He smirks. "It went well."

Nao sighs. Of course Akiyama has to be cryptic.

"I've been thinking about what I should do next," Akiyama says, taking the bag from Nao suddenly. His hand lingers a bit on hers as he takes the bag. " Manual labor isn't bad, but it's not what I want to spend the rest of my life doing. So I've been thinking about getting back into school, maybe become a professor."

Nao can see him doing that. "You're a good teacher, Akiyama-san. I've definitely learned a lot from you." She has. Nao has aced her psychology course this past semester and managed to impress the teacher with the insights she's gained from her experiences with Akiyama and the Liar Game.

"My criminal record might make it difficult to get into a top university, but I have the qualifications for an assistant otherwise, and I can get my PhD at the same time."

She can see Akiyama back at school, working in academia. Of course, if he were her professor—Nao can already imagine how many students would have a huge crush on him. "You'd definitely be able to do it. I believe in you." Unable to look at Akiyama, Nao focuses her attention on unlocking the door.

"There's one more thing," Akiyama says too casually, unpacking the bag of groceries, while Nao gets out the pots and pans for making dinner. Then he says nothing else for a minute or two.

"What?" Nao finally asks, when he remains silent for a little too long.

"You really haven't noticed yet?" Akiyama raises an eyebrow, and Nao feels like she must have missed something obvious.

"Huh?"

"Your hand."

Nao looks down. Her normally bare left-hand now wears a silver ring. She stares and blinks, letting the message it sends sink in. "Akiyama-san...how..." She tries to ask how he slipped the ring on her finger, but the words slide from her grasp.

Akiyama smirks. "When I took the bags from you." He grows serious. "I've spent almost a year trying to protect you from the corporation. If something were to happen to you now..." He shakes his head, "I'd like to watch over you for a little bit longer."

Did he just say--? Does that mean he's--?No... but then, Nao looks at the ring on her finger that implies so much more than what he says. It looks right sitting there. Her voice has difficulties coming out. "I wouldn't mind but--" Nao blushes, "how much longer are we talking about?"

He shrugs. "However much longer you decide."

It's Nao's turn to smirk. Her imagination already has begun to go wild in the past few weeks thinking of what it would be like to have Akiyama as a much larger part of her life. "I think it'll be a very long time."

He smiles. "I do too."