Coversations over a Go Board - chapter 1

Conversation between Rivals
by Kim Smuga-Otto

Disclaimer - these are not my characters, this is not my world or set up, all credit, thanks and apologies go to Hotta Yumi and Obata Takeshi.

I've retitled this story "Conversations over a Go Board", with this, the first chapter being called "Conversation between Rivals" The story can be interpreted as yaoi or not, kind of like the series. The first part is more serious, the second more of a comedy of errors. Hope you enjoy.

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Her hunch was correct. There, tucked far into the back corner of the room was the familiar tuft of bleached hair. It was convenient that he'd finally had his growth spurt last year, it meant she didn't have to walk down each row of go players looking for him. Not that Hikaru had gotten tall, Akari still towered over him when she wore her platform shoes, but at least he now looked like a proper seventeen year old.

"Hikaru," she said as she approached the table, "your mother said you'd be here. Or rather, she said you were at the go salon. I don't think she's aware of just how many there are, even nearby your house."

Hikaru's attention didn't waver from the game he was playing. Akari could hear the chitter of the stones as he reached into his bowl. Hikaru's hand paused for the slightest of moments before placing decisively placing the stone, pachi.

Akari tried again, "I'm glad you guys decided to play here. Touya-kun, your father's salon is always so clean and cheerful, and there are no creepy guys here."

"Oh," Touya Akira looked up from his game, blinking as if surprised. Hikaru wasn't the only one completely engrossed in this game. "That's very kind, Fujisaki-kun."

"Don't distract him, Akari," growled Hikaru.

"She's not -"

"When I win this game, I don't want you claiming it was because you couldn't concentrate."

"When you win, Shindou?" Touya made a noise that Akari could only describe as a scoff, and placed a stone so deliberately on the board that Akari gave a small start. Hikaru barely scrunched his eyebrows.

Akari looked at the board. They were still in fuseki, the initial laying out of the stones. With her limited experience, she couldn't tell if either one was ahead.

"Is this your second game, then?" She ventured."You mother said you left several hours ago."

"No, this is our first game," Touya spoke, his attention fully on the board."We just started."

"What were you doing before?" Akari asked.

"Just talking, hanging out. Geez Akari." And Hikaru placed another stone.

"We were going over the kifu's from the recent international go tournament," explained Touya. The idea of the two rivals discussing anything seemed odd.

"Oh, so -"

"Akari!" Hikaru interrupted her, looking straight at her for the first time."Are you going to talk during the entire game?"

"I -"

"Perhaps we should take a break, Shindou? Fujisaki-kun must have searched you out for a reason," Touya pushed away from the table and fixed her with a mild look.

Unlike Hikaru, who seemed almost like a separate person when he wasn't playing or talking about go, Touya never lost his calculating look. The difference was in the intensity. The steely look that had been in his eyes when he placed his last move was gone, but that didn't mean they were now dulled or distracted. Akari sensed he was still evaluating, still judging the strengths of his opponent. Obviously his mind was still very much on Hikaru and their game.

Hikaru gave a martyred sigh."If I listen to you, will you let us play?"

Akari almost said yes, but revised her reply.

"If you agree to my request, I'll let you play." Akari said, and added, "I'll even leave."

"What do you want?" Hikaru eyed her suspiciously.

She launched into the spiel, "Haze junior high's festival's this weekend. The go club will have a stand and it might help them recruit more members if they had a real pro player giving short lessons. Would you come, Hikaru?"

"What? Why should I? We're in high school, or at least you are. And I believe it was you that asked me no to go to any more of your practices. And what would Mitani say?"

"Since when did you care about Mitani's feelings? Anyway, as alumni it's our duty to support our old club. You could inspire some kid to play go, just like Kaga and Tsutsui inspired you that one time."

"By threatening to throw me into an ice cold pool?" Hikaru looked incredulously at her.

"It sounds like fun."

"An ice cold pool? What, are you nuts, Touya?"

"No, the demonstration. I've never been to a school festival. I wasn't in your go club, but if you need go players . . ."

"You're volunteering? Oh, that would be wonderful." Touya was an excellent instructor, and with him committed, Hikaru was sure to want to join in. They were rivals after all. "Thank you, Touya-kun. It will just be next Saturday afternoon, from 12:00 to 4:00."

"I'm free then," said Touya, "What do you say, Shindou-kun?"

"Please Hikaru," Akari executed a slight bow, "I'll even buy you a ramen dinner afterwards. You too, Touya-kun." She added.

"Free dinner?" Hikaru seemed to consider this, "Do I get to choose the place?"

Touya's smile dropped slightly."I'd be glad to come for the demonstration, but I'm afraid I'll have to decline the meal, I have a commitment later that day." It was a standard apology, but Akari wondered briefly if there wasn't genuine regret behind the words. It couldn't be, Touya wasn't like Hikaru, able to get actually worked up about going out for ramen.

"All right, I'll do it." Hikaru decided. "But only until four, and then we go get ramen." He gave her a goofy sort of grin, probably thinking about the free dinner, but it cheered her nevertheless.

"Oh, yes!" cried Akari, clapping her hands. "I'll see you tomorrow, by the steps. Don't be late."

"All right already." Hikaru's voice had an edge to it once more. "I'll see you then."

Akari knew when not to push her luck and headed for the exit. She had to keep herself from skipping, she was so happy. Hikaru was coming, and afterwards they were going out to dinner. It was a date, or something close to one.

Not that Hikaru would see it that way, she realized as she stood just inside the salon's entrance. He'd be too busy stuffing his face with ramen to even realize that it was just the two of them out together. And he'd be sure to complain about all the poor go players he had to play. They'd most likely end up arguing until one of them stormed out of the restaurant.

The sun had just set and it was going to be a chilly trip home. She'd probably come up with a hundred reasons why the ramen dinner would end in failure. Cold reality would soon set in.

She'd pause here, just a moment in the warm foyer. Just a few minutes to enjoy the idea of having a date with Hikaru. And who knew, Hikaru was nearly eighteen, maybe things would go better. Maybe something wonderful would happen.

"Just you wait, Hikaru-chan, I'll make you have fun." She spoke the words quietly, but aloud.

"Such determination," came a voice behind her.

"What?" she spun about to see Touya. He was giving her a bemused look, and something more that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Hikaru will be pleased to know he's not the only one Touya snuck up on.

Waya, Hikaru's friend and another professional go player, claimed that Touya was stuck-up and arrogant, but he'd always been quite charming to Akari and, for tht matter, to other women,, quite unlike Hikaru. But there was a coldness to his looks as well, and right now it seemed to be aimed at her. No, that couldn't be, Touya's mind must still be on his and Hikaru's go game.

"You didn't give me directions, and I don't trust Shindou to write them down."

"Oh," said Akari. She dug through her purse for a scrap of paper and pen to write with.

"It doesn't take much for Shindou to have fun, though. He's extremely easy going about almost everything." Touya's focus didn't stray from her face.

"Yeah, he's always been that way. I never saw him looking serious until he started playing go." Akari smiled, remembering the exasperated look his mother would give him after each parent teacher conference. "Here," she handed Touya the rough sketch, "You know where Haze Junior High School is, this is the front gate, and you go here and left here, and that's where the stairs are. Okay?"

Touya nodded, took the paper, and placed it carefully in his pocket.

"You like him, don't you." the way Touya spoke made it a statement, not a question. Akari felt herself go red and managed a quick nod.

"Have you confessed how you feel?" This was a question, and Touya was watching her intently for her answer.

"Once," she admitted. Why was Touya so interested? She didn't see him as the type of boy who'd volunteer as matchmaker. Was it some ploy to get a psychological edge over Hikaru? But Touya loved the challenge of playing Hikaru as much as Hikaru loved the challenge of playing Touya, he wouldn't want any unfair advantage.

"And?" asked Touya.

Akari smile, "He told me wasn't interested in girls."

Touya's face went blank, like he had been physically struck. It was as he raised his hand to cover his mouth that Akari realized how he had interpreted Hikaru's statement.

"No," she said quickly, "I didn't mean to imply - he was only seven years old back then. I haven't brought it up recently."

Touya turned away from her briefly, when he looked back he was more composed, with even a small smile on his face.

"There isn't anyone that Hikaru likes, is there?" Akari asked. Maybe Touya was trying to let her know not to get her hopes up.

Touya shook his head, "For Hikaru there's only go."

"For you too, right Touya-kun?"

"Yes," said Touya, but there was a hint of color to his cheeks that made Akari think he was lying. No doubt with Touya's looks and social standing he'd at least be dating. That woman who managed the go salon certainly had her eye on him.

"You're a nice girl, Akari-san, and cute. I'm sure you could find a boyfriend much more conscientious than Shindou."

"Maybe," admitted Akari. Mitani was fond of telling her that, usually pointing out several of Hikaru's shortcomings to illustrate his point. "But . . . Hikaru's special. He's unique."

Touya was nodding in agreement, "You mean the way he plays go."

"Kind of, but . . ." why was Hikaru special? How could she explain what she just knew instinctively? "Even before he started playing go, I always knew he had the potential to do something great, and I wanted to be there when he achieved that greatness. Not just to be standing by, but to actually be a part of it. You probably think it's rather silly."

"I know," she continued as Touya gave her a curious look, "since his talent is go, I'll never really be able to be part of his world. I've tried my best to learn, but I know I'll never catch up to him. So, it really is hopeless."

She didn't dare look at Touya as she spoke. Akoto-san assured her that the important part was that she was trying, that she was getting better, and while it was great that she was learning go, most men chose girlfriends and wives for other reasons. But Hikaru wasn't a normal boy, and he wouldn't be a normal man. More than anyone else, Touya knew this and Akari didn't think he'd lie to make her feel better.

For a while, Touya said nothing, like he really was planning out a move in go.

"Shindou chased after me, when he should have known it was hopeless. And now we truly are rivals."

"Hikaru's known for having a thick skull."

"And a one-track mind, and the ability to ignore everything that doesn't support him achieving his goal. At first I thought him an idiot, but now . . ." he had an almost dreamy smile on his face, "it's one of the things I admire most about him."

Touya's eyes had softened too. Akari felt a momentary pang of jealousy. Touya was like the teen-idols that graced the covers of girls' magazines. How could he know what it was like caring for someone who would never see you as more than a friend, and most of the time see you as something less?

"So give up on him." said Akari, her bitterness came through to her voice.

"What?" Touya's grace fled. He looked shocked, possibly even scared.

"You're saying that I should just give up because Hikaru will never see me the way that I want him to." Akari was angry. No one understood, not Touya, not Hikaru. "That I should walk away from the one thing I know I want, to settle for just being the friend that's lousy at go and makes demands on him. It would make sense, after all. But . . . "

The burst of emotion had left her. She looked to Touya to see if she'd offended him, but no, he had that curious smile on his face again.

"But you're too thick-headed to know what's impossible." He said.

"Just like Hikaru." Akari finished. For a moment she'd felt utter despair, but now she felt hope. Not in changing the way that Hikaru felt about her, but in her ability to keep chasing her dream. It was probably just her imagination, but Touya looked like he was experiencing something similar.

"Yes, just like Shindou. We're both hopeless, aren't we? Oh," he glanced at his watch, "I need to get back to the game. Shindou's going to have a fit." And, with uncharacteristic abruptness, Touya retreated back into the salon without saying goodbye.

Akari shook her head. Touya didn't know how much Hikaru admired him as a player, must not see how, even now, Hikaru was chasing after him. He might not realize, but Touya was and would always be Hikaru's rival.

That's what he desired after all, wasn't it? Of course - she assured herself as she stepped out into the cold winter night - what else could Touya Akira desire?

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authors notes (12/23/02) - I had some spelling and grammer errors in this the first time, so this is the revised version. I was really impressed that the Hikago fanfiction readers noticed such things. It's good to have standards.