Note: This story takes place in the December following the end of the series ie Hikaru and Akira are 16 and the year is 2002 (hm I can't decide with Akira, he might still be 15 here).
Getting another pot of tea ready, Ichikawa smiled to herself as the usual bickering floated around her. Unconsciously it was something that she'd missed. The lively atmosphere was more relaxing, even though things were certainly a lot noiser...
"Hey! Is Touya Akira here?"
Turning around, Ichikawa found herself face to face with a teenage boy a little taller than Akira. He seemed kind of familiar but she couldn't put her finger on it exactly.
"Never mind." He turned away abrubtly and marched up to where Akira and Hikaru were having a game.
"... Wait! Hey!!"
"Oi, you're Touya Akira right?" The boy glared at Akira who was still focused on the game in front of him. "I'm talking to you!" He slammed his hand onto the table, making both boys jump and look up at the intruder.
Ichikawa jerked the rude boy around. "Are you playing or just watching? You have to pay you know, you can't just come marching in..."
The boy shoved 500 yen into her hand and turned his attention back to Akira. "Come on, let's play a game!"
"E-Excuse me?"
Shocked out of his concentration, Hikaru at last found his voice. "Hang on, who are you?"
"I think he's one of this year's passers. Haven't you read Weekly Go yet, Shindou?"
"I just got back a couple of days ago. Give me a break."
Anger mounting from being ignored, the stranger couldn't contain it anymore. "I'm Isobe Hideki! The one who challenged you three years ago in this Go salon! From that time onwards, I've been studying and training to become a Pro to catch up to you. I won't be satisfied until I finally beat you in an even game!"
Hikaru gave the angry teenager his full attention. Even though he was rude, Hikaru felt some respect for Hideki's fiery determination. To beat Touya Akira. He could remember when that was his goal too. Glancing at his rival, Hikaru realized something for the first time. To influence someone that much so that they would dedicate their life to chase after you... Akira really was something, to spark that much determination in people, whether it was stemmed from hate or good-natured competitiveness. Idly, Hikaru wondered if he had influenced anyone that way.
"I'm really sorry, Isobe-san but I don't remember anything about it. We could have a game after this though..."
"Wait, you can play him now." Hikaru got up out of his seat.
"Shindou?!"
"Come on, he deserves a game. I can play you any day of the week. He's been waiting to play you for years."
"That's true..."
Slipping into the vacant seat, Hideki could barely contain his eagerness. Finally, this day had come. The humiliation he had felt on that day, to be so utterly defeated by a kid who had never played in a tournament, all came down to this. And the fact that he was not even remembered in Touya Akira's mind. Was their first game nothing to him? Rage began to seep into his mind as old emotions swirled around in his mind. All he wanted was to be the strongest, to be acknowledged by everyone. If all he needed to do was defeat Touya Akira, then so be it!
They cleared the goban of the previous game and did the nigiri.
"Onegaishimasu."
Being black, Akira made his first move at the top left komoku. His opponent was the top passer for this year's Pro exams with one loss. But other than that, he was sure that he'd never seen him before. No matter, they would have to play sooner or later. An unofficial match would be a good way to measure his strength.
*pachi*
The small crowd that had gathered murmured over the previous move. No one dared to raise their voice and disturb the intense concentration of the two Pros. They were playing as if they were in an official tournament.
Kitajima had to grudgingly agree that the new kid was good although he liked him even less than that Shindou-kun. Still, his confidence in Touya-sensei was great. Akira would not lose this game, especially in front of Shindou.
Riveted to the spot, Hikaru couldn't take his eyes off the game. This guy was serious. Akira had been too casual in the beginning of the game and it was coming back to haunt him. But considering Isobe-san's strength, Akira would eventually turn the game around. His net to reverse his position was almost complete...
*pachi*
Hikaru hissed inwardly. The hole in the net was exploited and the prey had escaped. Just one more move and that would have been it. Had Isobe-san known all along? He had certainly taken his time over at the bottom right area. What would Akira do now?
*pachi*
A smile slowly crept onto his face. Of course, Akira would never give up. Although a chance was lost, it did not end the game. Hikaru had been looking forward to play with his rival ever since he got back from his trip to China. He wanted to show Akira what he had learned and in turn, he wanted to see how much stronger Akira had gotten. Even though he wasn't playing, it was great to see the new Akira, who still played like he used to but was subtly different, stronger.
*pachi*
Fingers itching, Hikaru hid his fidgeting hands behind his back. Truthfully, he was a little envious. This was turning out to be a great game. He wanted to be able to make Akira play in that way too. There was a special 'feel' to his rival's style of playing, brilliant and sharp like a blade. It was different from everyone else's style, it was Akira's own unique style. It was a style he missed facing for four months.
Not, he reminded himself, that he would ever say so.
"54, 55, 56, 57..."
"With the komi that's a 2 and a half moku win to black."
"Hey, who is that kid again? Inabe something?"
*jara* *jara*
The two players stayed silent as they cleared the board.
"It's Isobe Hideki." supplied Hikaru. "He passed the Pro exam this year."
The boy in question looked up at the person who spoke for him. He hadn't paid attention to his surroundings since coming to this place. The only person on his mind was Touya Akira.
"You. You're Shindou Hikaru right? The one who lost twice in the Hokuto Cup?"
Blushing, Hikaru opened his mouth to make a comeback.
"But you won the Young Lions Tournament? That's kind of weird isn't it? You must have beaten Touya Akira then. So did you chicken out at the Hokuto Cup? Or was it just luck that you won the Young Lions Tournament?"
Silence reigned at the little tirade of questions. When this boy was playing Go, he seemed a lot nicer.
"Well, you'll need whatever it is you used next year. I'll be in the Hokuto Cup preliminaries and the Young Lions Tournament and I don't plan to lose to you." Fixing his eyes onto Akira, Isobe continued. "The next time we play, I will have improved and I will not lose again." He stood up and proceded to the door.
"Hey! Watch your mouth, brat!" Kitajima, who had finally found his tongue, set about defending his sensei.
Isobe turned around. "Did you just call me a brat? What do you think it says about the person who said it? And they say our generation is rude." The door closed behind him.
"What the-! You're the rude one! Get back in here!"
"Calm down, Kitajima-san!"
"Why I ought to give him a piece of my mind..." The crowd slowly dispersed, whispering about the game and a particular player who had taken part in it.
Supressing the urge to go after Isobe, Hikaru let out his anger through a long sigh instead. As long as he only had to play him and not talk to him... Feeling somewhat tired, Hikaru slipped into the seat Isobe had left.
"By the way, have you two really met before?"
"Not that I remember." Akira irritably put the last of his stones in their caskets. "His Go isn't particularly memorable."
"Then why are you so pissed off?"
Akira paused, taking Hikaru's comment into consideration. Did Isobe really get under his skin? He had almost gotten the upper hand during the game. It really irked him that such a thing could have happened. That someone of his level could be bested by such a player. Was he relaxing his game-play with weaker players? Had entering the Honinbou League again ballooned his confidence that he was brushing aside people below him? He mentally kicked himself. Foolish! What an idiotic thing to do!
With a small sigh, Akira replied patiently, "I'm not pissed off." "I don't suppose you're up for a game?" Silence. "No, I didn't think so. What'd you think of Isobe anyway? You know, from an objective point of view this time."
Akira made a face at Hikaru's small jibe. "He was very good," he admitted, "Better than I thought he'd be."
Silence ensued. Hikaru looked up from the goke he was fiddling with. "Is that it?"
"What else do you want me to say? He was better than you? His game woke me up from the boring one you were playing before, perhaps? Or-"
"Hey, don't go off at me if you're the one who underestimated him."
Akira bit his tongue. It was out of line. Trust Hikaru to say the blunt truth in his face.
"I don't know about you but the prospect of having him as third board for the Hokuto Cup is kinda unsettling."
"If he is strong, then he should be on the team. We don't have a say in it anyway. We both have to go through the preliminaries to be picked for the team next year."
Rolling his eyes to the ceiling, Hikaru attempted a half-hearted prayer. "Oh please Yashirou, someone, beat him and be third board. I don't think I could stand it if he was a team mate." He lowered his head to look at his rival, serious once more. "But I guess you're right, if he is the strongest he should be on the team. Unfortunately. And you can be second board." He gave an impish smile and quickly got up.
"Not without a match I won't be. Shindou, sit down!" When his order didn't work, Akira too got out of his chair and headed towards the counter.
"It's 8:30, I gotta get home you know." Hikaru took his bag from Ichikawa and dashed out the door in an effort to ditch his rival.
Notes and Message:
Wooo did I over-do Akira's reaction to the match? I don't think he's that emotional nor immature ^^; Oh well *shrug* I'll try to make him more serious and mature next time ne? In fact... is Hikaru a little bit too mature? Haha maybe that trip to China matured him (ponders what events should have happened when he was there).
I think I mucked up Kitajima/Hideki's argument at the end too
I'm sorry if it's kinda confusing. I'm attempting to write a huge story arc that continues after the manga finishes and *hopefully* ends at the next Hokuto Cup. The thing is, I'm doing it in bits and pieces ie a fic set in December and then August etc. Sorry for any confusion caused m-_-m
Anyway, please review!! I really do not mind at all if you tell me this fic sucked as long as you tell me why so I can fix it (and I most likely will). Of course it's even better if you like my fic and tell me :) A simple, "I like it." is fine (it sends me over the moon, it really does *nods enthusiastically*). And of course, please point out any mistakes in the grammar, storyline, Go related stuff etc (come on, english was my worst subject. I know there are mistakes in this thing).
** Thanks to hng0.net for their scanlations on the later chapters (and their re-edits of the sleepover).
** Thanks to my friend who lent me an almost complete collection of Hikaru no Go episodes! A modem is not suited for downloading anime and getting them on a disk is so much faster ^________^
** And thanks to TVTokyo for making a 90 minute HnG special! I haven't seen it yet but I will somehow! ^___^
** Thanks to Takaya Natsuki for inventing Hiro who acted as a base for Hideki-kun's character ^^