Last time I logged on was in 2009... 3 years have passed, and I have not written any fanfic, let alone publish any chapters. I've become rather rusty, yet just recently I got back on reading HnG fanfics... and to be blunt, there is not many that catch my eyes (especially a lot of good ones were discontinued). I shall try to take this on my own, but seeing how rusty I am, and my periodical laziness, this doesnt sound too promising.
But nonetheless, a first prologue written in 30 minutes with no proof-reading or editing, instead of doing proper work for school, showed my current addiction.
Onwards!
-pachi-
-pachi-
The sound of stones hitting the board hit his senses; sweats coated his hands… it was such a foreign sound to him, after all these years. His brows furrowed, his eyes perplex. He unconsciously clenched his left hand as he stared at the big screen in front of him.
How long had it been? He cannot remember. 3 years? 5 years? His mind confused as he tried to localize the familiar sound. The commentaries faded to the back of his brain as he, seemly undisturbed, stared. A strange sensation crept up his spine. What was it? He vaguely wondered.
Ah. Anticipation. Yes, that is exactly how he felt.
Why though? He perplexedly thought. Why does the image of Go – and just with the thought of this word, he felt strange – disturbed him so? A distant memory flashed; the smell of insense that seemed to come out directly from a dream. A fan? A smile? A strange hat? With all these coming from the deepest of his mind, Hikaru wondered.
.-.
It seemed to be long time ago, while he was still a kid, a strange man appeared in front of him… calling himself – what was it again?
…oh yes, Fujiwara no Sai.
Go.
Oh yes, Go. The Go. Seemly destined, he started to play Go with this eccentric foreigner in his life. It was a rather strange period of his life… where he started to have two different personalities.
One childish and bold.
One calm and reflective.
To others, it seemed he became two different people. His parents even brought him to see a psychologist; just to make sure he was still sane. But he knew he was. There was just someone else that was with him. Someone childish, but also determined and incredibly focused to all things related to Go.
He thought that was going to be the same for the rest of life. He thought indeed. He thought he would be with Sai for his whole life, until death, just like Shuusaku before him… But he was mistaken. Sai left. Left without saying goodbye. He wailed, yelled, refused to accept. His family and friends all thought him to be insane… But Sai did not come back. He left as suddenly as he came.
Without a sound, without anyone else knowing.
From that day on, Shindo Hikaru never touched a stone. No one dared to bring the subject of Go to him. He moved to a new country; a new beginning. His world completely rejected that game… up until this day, when by chance he stumbled onto this game, where the sound of stones brought up the memories. The long buried memories of Go, and how he loved the game.
.-.
Could it be? Hikaru wondered. Could it be he still wanted to play?
That cluster is dead… no wait. It could still be saved! His hands clenched as millions of scenarios flashed through his brain.
"4-10" He whispered. A barely audible sound escaping his lips. Barely? Indeed, because someone heard him. A boy with red hair looked at him sideways, seemely interested by his whisper.
"Good answer."
Hikaru jumped, not expecting someone could hear him. He turned wide-eyed to that boy beside him, and stared. The redhead did not look at him back, only continued staring at the screen. "Good answer, but boy, that's not enough."
Hikaru sighed. True, that was just the first move; others were to follow. Only in 5 hands these moves would be able to change the outcome of the game, and only if the adversary did not react properly. It could drag onto at least 10 hands, if that happens.
"Indeed. " But he did not explain. He saw no need of it. After all, he would not start playing again. Sai left, along with his purpose of playing Go. All he had left are his life… a life that does not include Go.
He turned around, and walked away. The redhead perplexedly looked after him, seemly wondering why he did not replay to his taunt. But Hikaru didn't care. He didn't much nowadays…
Little did he know, however, that his life would be changed again. All because of a tenacious redheaded boy.