Disclaimer: I don't own Hikaru no Go

Author's note: Jaa, look, I'm sorry I haven't finished Dying Brilliance yet, but I don't think this story will be too hard to figure out if you've already read the first few chapters.

Summary: a star is dead, but another is born. And who ever said Hikaru was the only one who could see ghosts?

(Hajimari)

"Honored to meet you, Waya-sensei," the new Insei bowed. "I hope you will guide me."

Waya nodded his acknowledgement and told the boy to come back in two days, but that was all he did.

Narrowing his eyes every so slightly, the insei retreated from the room, leaving the 9-dan to his own devices.

Kaguya Akito didn't see what was so special about the gloomy man that people admired so much. So what if he waso ne of the darlings of the Go world, in league, with Touya Akira even. So what if, assuming he wrestles the honinbou title from Ogata, that he might become the youngest ever title holder in about a month. He was so bloated with his own importance he couldn't even be bothered to pay attention of a potential student, even one as talented as Akito, this year's favorite.

"How rude," the boy scowled as soon as he thought he was out of ear shot.

Unluckily, someone else heard it, and wasn't very happy about it.

"I'd shut up about it, noob-kun." The insei found himself the victim of a bone chilling glare. "You're a bout a century too early to be talking like that."

"Mi-Mitani 5dan……" He gasped. Probably the most irritable pro in the world of Go, Yuki Mitani was also one of it's rising stars. He passed his pro test at age sixteen and just kept climbing form there, never once falling or looking back. His rate of ascent was only comparable to that of the 9dan the poor insei had just criticized. Word is down the street that they were also pretty good friends.

It was just Akito's luck that he happen to pass him of all people. He didn't know how long, he stood there, pinned to the ground with those piercing violet eyes, but eventually, the orange haired walked past him with out another word.

"My god is the world of pros filled with jerks or something." Akito grumbled when he got back to his group of insei friends plus one pro. "I mean, damn."

Thwap!

"You don't read the news do you?" Tanaka Yoshihiro was the smartest of the group. Akito would even go so far as to say that the other boy knew almost everything about the Go world. However, Akito still didn't take kindly to the his habit of whacking him with the copy of Go weekly that he always carried around. Although, it was probably because the 12-year-old was one of Waya's biggest fans. He studied his games diligently, he watched every professional match that the 9-dan played. His name even sounds like that of his idol. He would have looked like him too, (actually, once, Akito, had htought his young friend would dye his hair red as well) but his messy bangs were dyed a golden blonde in the front that contrasted sharply with his natural black spikes in the back. "Here read this!"

June 7, 2006

'Man, this thing's like four years old?' Akito thought to himself. Why the hell was Tanaka carrying a news paper this ancient?

Only yesterday, a beautiful star was put out. The second prince of the Go world, Shindou Hikaru, who had been considered a pretentious upstart until just a few years ago. Shindou-san was a hard and very dedicated worker who took the go world by storm since his debut at his Shinshodan with the former Touya Meijin. Though some would scoff at his old style of fuseki, his later actions and reactions at the Hokutou cup affected every soul in the world of professional Go. Alas, it is our deepest regret to realize that this roaring flame had been smothered far too soon. So we dedicate this weeks copy of Go weekly to Shindou Hikaru 6dan, age 18. Shuusaku's reincarnation, may you rest in peace.

"What does this have to do with Waya and the other pros being asses?" Akito felt rather uneasy after reading about the death of someone so highly revered in the Go world. After all, who didn't know the so-called modern Shuusaku?

"You really don't know?" The other boy's eyes widened considerably before narrowing down.

THWAP!

"Ow! Hey, what the hell was that for?" Akito tried to yank the rolled up newspaper away form the younger boy. Sadly, Tanak had always been more stubborn (and faster)than he was.

"For being an ignorant fool is what!" He shouted back. "Don't you know who Waya-sama IS?!"

"A pro with an attitude problem!" This time he got punched. Not very hard, but it was still a punch. Tanak didn't usually punch people. Actually, he didn't often get into arguements with fellow Go players. The few times, he did, he had always been satisfied with ruthlessly kicing their asses off the goban. It had never descended into a fist fight.

"Don't say that about him, Kaguya, at least not on today of all days." Tanaka was angrier than Akito had ever seen him. Then realizing, the Akito still didn't understand, his f ace took one a more annoyed quality."Tell me what day is today?"

"June 5th." Akito replied. He had a horrible feeling there was something significant about that.

"He's only totally out of it for three days, Today's the first." The half blond lowered his arm. "Tell me, what's so important about tomorrow?"

"Don't tell me you believe in that world-ending crap….." he tried to joke but was silenced by a furious glare. "Um……the anniversary of Shindou-san's death?"

"Waya-sama and Shindou-sama were both in the Insei at roughly the same time. Some ofthe other pros knew them too. like Honda-sensei and Ijima sensei." Tanaka launched into monologue mode. "I heard from Nase-sensei that the two were pretty close, that Shindou-sama was almost like a younger brother to Waya-sama who had taken him under his wing as soon as Shindou-sama entered the Insei. He even invited him to a study group with Morishita 9-dan, we know him as Morishita Tengen now, but you get my point. In fact, there were even rumors going around that they were even closer than that. All rumors have some truth behind them you know. Don't you notice that the go institute gets a lot more somber around this time of year? Waya-sama's not the only one. All the higher dan are rightly upset, and for the idiots who aren't, well, Fukui-sensei and Shinoda-sensei keeps them quiet. Hell, Ashiwara-san isn't as bright as usual, and Ogata is even more impatient. Touya-sensei loses just a little bit of his normal polietness. However, for the next three days, Waya-sama will be at his worst. You can't blame him, really. He's lost one of, if not his best friend."

"Then why was Mitani glaring at me? He's not a higher dan, and certainly couldn't have know Shindou sensei too well. He waso nly a shodan when he died." Akito said as soon as he found his voice again. He ducked as Tanaka tried to assault him with the newspaper once again.

"DO YOU KNOW NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Mitani pro is one of Waya-sama's first ever students baka! THERE'S A CONNECTION! and even if he wasn't indignant for his teacher, he went to High school with Shindou-sama! HOW COULD HE NOT BE AFFECTED?!"

"Oh," was all he said. Honestly, what else could you say in a situation like this.

"Just keep that in mind the next time you attend a study session with him." Tanaka said tiredly, but put a firm hand on his shoulder when Akito decided to go back and apologize for his unnecessary behavior. "Don't even bother. They're not here anymore."

"How the heck to you know that?"

"Isumi 8dan told me. Every year, Mitani pro and Waya-sama go down to Innoshima where Shindou-sama is buried right next to his idol, Torajirou. You and I know him as Shuusaku. They stay for then ight and usualy come back around noon the next day."

"Tanaka?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you Waya-sensei's stalker or something?"

Thwap!

(Owari)