Eternal Go
Summary: After Hokuto Cup tournament, Akira finally get to know about Sai and more.
Disclaimer: I do not own Hikaru no Go. Hikaru no Go belongs to the author, Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata. I merely use their characters and the story.
Author's Note: 1) This is NOT shounen-ai or yaoi. 2) Sentence which are in italic and within quotation mark "bla bla bla" means it's what the character thinks in his mind. Sentence which are in italic only (without quotation mark) represents the sentence in flashback. 3) I use "Akira" to refers "Touya Akira" and "Hikaru" to refers "Shindou Hikaru". All the other characters' name except that use only the surename. 4) English is not my native, and I live at a country that doesn't use English, so please forgive me for the mistakes and please bear with it. QAQ
Hope you like it!
Chapter 1
Hikaru sat upon the grass. He just finished his game this evening and so he took a walk to that riverbank not so far from his grandfather's house. It had been three days after the Hokuto Cup tournament, and two days ago he finally had a game against Su Yong that he won again. That day, Su Yong finally explained the misunderstood between him and Yong-Ha and apologized for the immature Yong-Ha who teased him by insulting Shusaku in his speech. Hikaru could accept that, but at the same time, he couldn't. The point is that Yong-Ha in the end did insult Shusaku even though the first one was a misunderstood. That was why, his urge to defeat Yong-Ha wouldn't disappear even after losing to him.
Even until now, he still didn't really know whether it's a good thing to be a pro or not since there are many things he had to leave behind for that sake. However, that was the path he had chosen back then so he couldn't back down again. He mustn't.
Though it's already 6.p.m, Hikaru wasn't the only person sitting in that area. About 500 meters from him some people gathered to see the sakura. Actually Waya and Isumi asked him to go out this evening along with Nase and the other for the same reason as the people here, but he turned it down. He didn't feel like doing anything right now. He lied down, letting his eyes wandered to the sakura trees around him. The pink and white petals were fluttering to the sky. It was such a magnificent sight.
.
.
"Hey, isn't that..." It was Honda who spotted it first.
"Hm?" Waya turned to the other side of the bank shown. Although it's night time, the lamps along the riverbank allowed him to find what Honda saw, "Shindou? What is he doing there alone? And after he turned us down and all,"
"Should we go there?" suggested Nase.
"But, he turned down our invitation, right? Maybe he want to be alone?"
"You said it as if Shindou's feeling down, Isumi-san,"
"That's what I mean, Nase,"
"Why would he? He did well in the game today, right?" commented the girl, "and it has three days since the Hokuto Cup,"
"Even after three days, he still can feeling depressed, you know." It seemed Ochi was the one to understand, "Let's leave him alo– Eh? That's!"
"What's wrong, Ochi?" Waya took a look toward the direction of Ochi's gaze, "Ah...!"
.
.
"What're you doing here, Shindou?"
A voice came from nowhere caused Hikaru to rise up abruptly only to find a really familiar face showed at his right.
"T-Tou– Wah–!"
"Shindou!"
Shocked, Hikaru lost his balance from his sitting position and fell halfway of the sloping riverbank.
"You're okay?"
"Idiot! It's your fault!" yelled Hikaru while he climbed up to his sitting area before, "Do you really need to appear out of nowhere?! And don't call me suddenly like that! You're really like Sa–" Hikaru covered his mouth at sudden realization.
" 'Sa'?"
"Ah, nothing,"
Suspiciously, Akira eyed him. "Oh, well. Here, take it as an apology,"
Akira handed a drink in which Hikaru grunted but still accepted it, "Thanks. What're you doing here?"
"Well... It's Kose-sensei. He asked us to come to the club for practice next Monday. I was told to ask you but you just disappear right after the game ended. I accidentally bumped into Fujisaki-san and she said you're heading this place."
"Okay then. I'll come," Hikaru pulled the can tab and drank the coffee from Akira.
Akira nodded, "Then we'll meet up at the station Monday," then he did the same thing as Hikaru did, "So, what're you doing here all by yourself? I thought you had declined your friend's invitation,"
"Geh. How can you even know that? What're you? A spy?" Hikaru grunted but he didn't give any answer.
Akira was watching Hikaru from the corner of his eyes. Noticing that his rival didn't want to answer, he decided to stop prying on him. Actually, on the way there, seeing Hikaru sat by himself, he realized something off on him. That's the only reason he brought drinks with him. Of course, it would be a lie to say he didn't want know why he acted like that. No, there's so much he wanted to know. About Shindou Hikaru, about Sai, and about Shusaku. He really wanted to know, but spending time with him, little by little he became aware of the past he hid. And he felt that more not long after his rival returned to the pro world. He didn't know what caused Hikaru to decide stop playing Go back then, but the only thing he knew was that he changed after he returned. That was why he didn't want to press him further and that left him no choice but to wait for his rival to tell him everything. Still, it's easier to be said. The more he became aware, the more he wished for the time to come as soon as possible.
.
.
"Touya?" Just like Ochi and Waya, the group was surprised by Akira who was walking toward Hikaru. They were standing there watching as Akira approaching Hikaru.
"Did they have an appointment?" Isumi was also curious by Akira's appearance.
"Shindou!" Waya and Isumi freaked out as watching Hikaru fell then sighed at relief after knowing he was fine. They all heard Hikaru's desperate cry for Touya.
"It looks like they didn't purposely meet up," said Honda after escaped from his own shock.
"Huh?" Nase watched in amazed as Akira sat beside Hikaru, "Did they really have that good relationship?"
"Um... They're rival." Waya was finally able to say that with confidence. He started believe that Touya Akira saw Hikaru as rival.
"Guys, why don't we go?" Isumi started feel uncomfortable.
"But, it's interesting. Maybe they will have a game later? We can follow them and watch it,"
"You're enjoying this, huh, Nase?"
"Of course, I didn't think that Touya really see Shindou as his rival back then,"
Hearing the more word 'rival' made me Ochi who also watched at that scene became furious, "Let's go,"
The group exchanged glances behind Ochi, understood the reason of his anger and sighed before finally agreeing to go.
.
.
Hearing nothing more from Akira, Hikaru took a glance of his rival. It was strange for him to stay quiet and overlook his question since he knew that Akira was really stubborn. Hikaru then noticed that he was troubled by something and somehow that expression reminded him of something. Or rather, he felt like that wasn't the first time Akira had that kind of expression. After trying at his best, he finally remembered that look, but it gave him a new headache.
"I just want to take a walk," said Hikaru after staying silent for some minutes. He had thought it and he thought that was the best.
"Could it be, you still feeling down for losing to Yong-Ha? Come on, I know it's hard, but–"
"It's not the end, I know. It's not that. Well, it's true that I still feel down for losing since what I had said before, but–" Hikaru wandering in deep thought then finally gave a sigh, "but, I don't know, just for today, I..." he himself couldn't really understand what he wanted. "Do I want to remember everything? Do I want to forget everything? Do I want to be alone? I just don't know."
"Today, huh,"
Hikaru paused for the second time and made a decision, "Yeah, because today is the day I parted with Sai a year ago. The day Sai was disappeared for once and all,"
In realization, Akira turned abruptly at Hikaru's unexpected confession. "Wh–!"
"Wasn't there anything you want to ask back at the Hokuto Cup tournament?"
"He knew? Well, but, I wonder if it's okay,"Akira was hesitant to ask, "Well, I just curious why you're so hung up on Shusaku. It's not like you to act like that without any reason,"
Hikaru, however, didn't look satisfied with that answer, "Oh, really?"
"What?"
"That's not all, right?"
Akira gasped, but then faced him with a serious expression, "Then, I'll tell you. I want to know about you, about Sai, and also about Shusaku,"
"Woah! You really don't know to hold back, aren't you?"
"Then don't ask!" yelled Akira in annoyance.
"In that case, do you have a plan after this and tomorrow?"
Akira looked at the sky as he recalled his schedule, "No, but I have to be in Japanese Go Association at 11."
"Ah, me too. What about stay overnight at my place then? But, I'll tell you beforehand, my house is much smaller than yours, if you don't mind,"
"Eh?" It was too sudden, but because he had a feeling that chance might be once for all, he nodded in agreement, "Okay, I'll call my parents,"
"Great. We have plenty of time. Then, let's go,"
Hikaru stood up and started walking towards the paved road. Even though Akira still had a doubt that his rival will tell him everything, he decided to follow him. Some fluttering petals fell around them. Hikaru reached out his hand and let some petals fell upon his palm. "To the place where it all began."
A/N
Maybe you're wondering that the part Waya, etc. are not important, well that's right, but I just love their attitude towards Hikaru and Akira's rivalry. Most character in Hikaru no Go might think: "No way! He's a rival of THAT Touya?!" something like that, and it's interesting. Much more interesting that they do not know how they argue and have quarrel all the time (Most them thought Akira as a polite and calm, right?) ^^