Four Rivals Who Were Almost Good Enough
By MoonClaimed
"Go can't be played with just one person…You need two equally blessed players. Two."—Kuwabara
One. Tsutsui:
When he first met Shindo Hikaru, the sixth grader had an oddly unstable Go talent. At times he displayed a shining brilliance that was simply unbelievable in a child, and at others times he… didn't.
But Hikaru had enthusiasm, and he was willing to join the Go club—even bringing in new members! And as Tsutsui himself wasn't an extraordinary player, he figured that they could learn together. That they could take their own slow, unsteady steps down the long road of Go side-by-side, as opponents and friends, and lead each other's steps when they stumbled.
But… no. Hikaru was greater than that—too great for Tsutsui to even keep Hikaru's quickly advancing back in sight as the boy hurtled towards a goal greater than Tsutsui.
Two. Mitani:
When Mitani first met Shindo Hikaru, he didn't think much about the other boy. Shindo was just some kid in his school who, it just so happened, played go. But there were lots of kids who had played go before, and there were better thing to do with his time than to get to know the energetic boy who wanted him to join a lame, little school club.
But before he knew it, he found that in the wake of Shindo's will, his own was swept to the wayside. He was literally dragged into the club and ended up...having fun. Tsutsui had some good tips for his end-game, and even though Shindo might not have been the greatest player…that was it's own kind of fun. Mitani'd never had someone to teach before. And—though he'd never admit it—he was a little proud too, whenever Shindo grew enough to take away another handicap stone.
Quietly, Mitani waited for the day when he and Shindo could play an even game. He longed for the day when he would finally have a real rival to battle against. And, he thought with mixed trepidation and excitement, one day, if they both kept growing, he might even be able to bring himself to say that there was more to go than just being a quick way to get pocket money.
But… no. Shindo grew just a little too fast for that. Mitani blinked, and he missed it. He never even got that one perfect game where the two of them were on the same level: one day he was beating Shindo with hardly a problem, the next Shindo was winning against him in three-on-one go and joining the insei. And by the time he realized it, Shindo was too far ahead to hear Mitani when he called out for the other boy to wait for him, too.
Three. Waya:
When Waya first met Hikaru, he thought he was a bit of a joke. Sure, he was a nice enough kid—and maybe it was just the nerves talking—but claiming to be Akira Touya's rival was a little much for any newbie.
Shindo wasn't great, but he played exciting hands and kept his games interesting. Plus, in a group of go-nerds, he was almost normal. And he was good for a laugh. That was worth something to Waya, so he hung around the little brat and gave him a few pointers, even encouragement when he needed it. He even wents so far as to invite him to join his master's study group. In a few years—Waya briefly thought before making the invitation—that little brat might be real competition. But for the present, it was kinda wonderful to have a little brother that he could take under his wing.
But… no. It hurt, badly, to admit it, but the truth was that he…he couldn't keep up with Shindo. Though his breath was ragged, though he ran—one foot and then the next—until his whole body ached with the strain, he just couldn't keep abreast of the other boy as he rocketed past and kept on going.
Four. Ko Youngha:
When Ko Youngha first met Hikaru Shindo, he nearly missed him from where the teen was hidden under Akira Touya's long shadow.
When he did notice, it was only because he was so much fun to provoke, not because he was anything special. Looking down on that furious face, Ko Youngha had laughed—that such a boy thought he could challenge Korea's champion! But then they met over a board, and the world shifted under his feet.
Someone his own age that could make his palms sweat, that could make his heart pound in his throat. Someone he could rile up so effortlessly. Someone that wanted to beat him and not just the top young pro of Korea. That's what he'd always longed for: someone he could play with instead of just someone to beat.
But…