Author Notes:
This is set after the series. Warning for character death. I'm using "he" back and forth referring to Hikaru or Touya; hope it's not confusing.. tell me if so. :)
In Times of Need
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Touya Akira came to him late in the evening that day, asking for a game.
It was unusual for him to appear out of the blue asking to play him, as they had been meeting regularly to play in the Go salon.
It was unusual for him to come specially to Hikaru's house to do so, and at that late an hour, as the guest's own apology to Hikaru's mother conveyed.
It was unusual, but he agreed anyway.
They went up to his room; little time was needed to set up the well-used goban, and they immediately plunged into battle on the board.
Touya was his usual quiet self, his first and so far only word in the room being "Please", and his eyes were all stern concentration once facing the board as always. Hikaru, being equally absorbed in the game, didn't notice anything out of the ordinary until they finished counting territories in Touya's favor, and his opponent stood up to leave.
"Thank you," he said, and it wasn't the after-game ritual nor the after-visit pleasantries, because Hikaru heard, somehow, the weight in those words.
"You're welcome," he replied in spite of this realization, not knowing what else to say.
Touya left, and Hikaru pondered on the strange incident for a whole of ten minutes, before giving up and putting the thought aside.
It was only the next day when he came to the Institute, that he learned about the retired Meijin's premature return from Korea due to a heart attack.
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Four months later, Touya 4-dan had his first loss for the year in an official match. They had recreated the match in Morishita-sensei's study group, and more than one had remarked on the subtle wavering in the young pro's play during the second half of the game.
Hikaru knew his rival. He affirmed their suspicion.
Morishita-sensei knew better. He snorted, saying simply, "Kuwabara!"
The long interval since the first visit made the second one no less unexpected, but the discussion in the study group had prepared Hikaru to find the agitation in his rival's eyes this time.
The thoughts that had briefly bothered him at that time returned, and Hikaru began to see the reason.
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Touya Kouyo's second collapse since Korea brought the third game request. The news spread through Japan's Go world within a day, and with the hospital restricting visitors to family members only, made his son the target of a few not-so-considerate reporters.
The game went unusually slow that evening, with Touya losing by one and a half moku. He didn't stand up directly after the board was cleared, staring silently not at his defeat, but the empty universe laid out between them.
Hikaru looked at him, and offered another game.
His rival lifted his gaze to him for a brief second, then bowed slightly with a "Please".
At half past eleven Hikaru's mother entered the room, after getting no response for her knocks. She wanted to ask if it should be time for Touya to go home, since his family might be worried; but neither of the boys heard her.
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The rumble went on for five days, but tiring as it had been, noone was relieved when it was finally over.
All games were cancelled that day to allow anyone who wished to pay their last respect to the legendary Go player to do so.
Hikaru only caught a glimpse of Touya during the funeral, and when he joined the line to say his condolences to the family, the son merely bowed while the mother thanked him for coming.
He stayed home that night despite the invitation to a memorial session at the Institute, and went directly downstairs at the sound of the door bell.
His mother had not known Touya Kouyo, and soon left them on their own. Formalities dropped, the seasonal guest turned to him and asked straight for the game he had come for.
Now he understood, and readily agreed.
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..
Author Notes:
I thought this was a bit too Touya Kouyo-centred, but in my opinion few things other than his father's matters would upset Akira to the point of seeking solace. Only the second time was not so grave; Touya was just upset at himself for letting his emotional state disturb his play (otherwise I don't think he would be that agitated over a defeat). But since he'd gone to Hikaru once before, he was less reserved to do it again for a less serious reason.