3.7.04 - My most recent HikaGo fanfic idea. Wrote it on a whim. :O It's my first time writing a fic with virtually NO humor in it whatsoever, so it might not be all that good yet. ._. It's actually going to be kind of dark, maybe. Heh.
Oh, if you read my "Camping Trip of DOOM!!" fic, I had hoped to get the next chapter out by now (it's almost done), but I got caught up in the idea of this story. :3 I was actually getting a little tired of writing it, so maybe I just needed a little seriousness. Now there might be a good balance, ne?

This chapter is kind of short… I'm hoping that others will be longer. ._.

Warnings: None yet. Possible shounen-ai in future chapters, but I'm not sure.

Pairings: As I said, don't know yet. I'll probably get AkiHika in here at some point… maybe a love triangle…?? ._. Again, not sure yet.

Fear, Love, Loss
by Umeko

Shindo Hikaru stared out the window of the bullet train, watching as the country whizzed by. To his left, Touya Akira watched on and sighed.

"Shindo, you're spacing out. Is something wrong?"

"Huh? Oh, no!" Hikaru snapped his attention back to his rival, wearing a goofy grin. "'Course not, Touya! I was just thinking that I've never been to Kyoto before."

Akira raised an eyebrow skeptically. "And that's a reason to go into a trance?"

"Uhh… yeah, heheh… I just…" Hikaru looked away. "I had a friend who lived there once. I always wondered what it was like."

"Right…" Akira sighed and hid his face behind his copy of Go Weekly. "Whatever."

There was a long pause before Hikaru spoke up again, smirking. "Hey, Touya?"

"Yes?"

"Are we there yet?"

Akira groaned. "Shut up, Shindo."

---

"Shindo-san, you'll be in that room right down the hall," the seminar coordinator instructed, pointing in the indicated direction. "Touya-san will be two doors past that. Your shidougo tables are already set up, but you should still get ready. Guests will be arriving in less than an hour. Please make yourself comfortable."

"Yes, thank you." Both boys bowed before departing.

Akira looked at his rival warily. "Shindo, you're really looking troubled. You have done this sort of thing before, right?"

"Oh, yeah, of course I have." Hikaru grinned weakly. "I don't know why I'm feeling uncomfortable, actually. I should be used to this. It's just shidougo."

"Indeed…"

"But, for some reason, I have a bad feeling…" The two stopped in front of the room that Hikaru was to enter.

"What kind of bad feeling?"

"Oh, I don't know." Hikaru laughed, waving it off. "It's probably nothing, you can just go to where you're supposed to be now."

Akira took one last cautious glance at him before continuing down the hall. As soon as he had gone out of sight, Hikaru opened the door. He was somewhat relieved to see that, so far, no one was in the room.

Sitting down at his place, he hugged his arms softly, looking around the room. Something was definitely discomforting him, but he wasn't sure what, or why.

Perhaps all the time he had spent with Sai gave him some sort of paranormal perception that he hadn't had before?

Or perhaps it was simply being in the city where Sai had spent the entirety of his own life…

Or a combination of both?

---

Around four o'clock, a rather large crowd had formed about Hikaru's table. It was to be expected, really, as he was one of the most popular rising pros, but the disconcerting feeling was still nagging that the back of his mind.

"And right here…" He pointed to a spot on the goban where he had just finished up playing a game with an older man. "Instead of attaching here, it would have been better to capture this stone over here… It didn't seem like a significant move at the time, but in the long run it would have gained more territory up here."

"Oh, yeah…" The man gazed over the board a bit longer before standing back up. "I guess I still have a bit of work to do, then."

Hikaru smiled up at him. "You have true potential, just a little more practice and you should be fine."

The man bowed and backed away to make room for others. Seconds later, a boy who looked to be the same age as Hikaru sat down in the chair.

"Shindo Hikaru…" he drawled, gazing across the table with dull black eyes. "How nice to finally meet you."

The pro looked the boy in the face, perplexed. He was addressing him in a rather odd manner, but he couldn't fathom why. "Uh, hello…?"

"My name is Sugawara. Sugawara Kageru." He paused before continuing. "I'd like to play a game with you, Shindo. Do you mind?"

"Uh…" Hikaru shifted uncomfortably. "Well… that's why I'm here, right?"

A light chuckle emanated from the crowd, but the boy paid no heed. "Let's play, then. An even game, I'll take black."

Hikaru nodded, and the game began.

The nagging feeling didn't subside at all during the course of the game; rather, it seemed to worsen. Especially since the boy's playing seemed to be a bit forced. He didn't play too well, but something about his playing style really bothered Hikaru.

At the end, Hikaru had won by a substantial margin - he hadn't meant to, but it turned out that way. Sugawara, however, didn't seemed at all bothered by the fact.

"Well, that was certainly enjoyable," Sugawara commented, grinning a humorless smile. He then reached into the breast pocket of his shirt and pulled out a folded slip of paper. "Here, Shindo." He gently pushed it across the table.

Hikaru took it cautiously and stared at the boy opposite him. "What-?"

"This evening, I want you to come to the location indicated on that paper." Sugawara leaned in closer, smiling softly. "I need to speak to you, regarding your ghost."

Hikaru froze in shock. Finding his voice, he managed to choke out, "H-how…?"

But his opponent had already disappeared into the crowd.

---

When one has too great a dread of what is impending, one feels some relief when the trouble has come.
-Joseph Joubert

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If you can guess who Kageru-kun is, then a cookie for you! :3