Not too bad? A new chapter 2 days after the prologue? Am I fast enough? I realized how rusty I was today, while trying to get this chapter out. A lot of things just didnt make sense, and I had to correct a lot of part of this text. I really need to get back to writing, or i'd lose it completely...

Chapter a bit longer this time,

Onwards!


Shindo Hikaru sighed. And again.

Why was he kept reminded of that game? And that taunting boy? He ruffled his blond bangs, frustrated at himself. He even dreamed of Go! This is getting out of hand, he decided.

No, that can't do. He will not go back to the world of Go! Not after he had disappointed Sai!

He really need to take a walk, to get his mind off Go, he decided. But things always go unplanned. Just as he was about to get out of the door, a voiced called to him: "Oy, Shindo!"

"…" He turned around, exasperated to not be able to fulfill his decision. "Yes Park-san?" He politely asked his classmate, using Japanese just to express his displeasure.

The newcomer looked slightly taken back, but still shrugged it off, and excitedly boasted at Hikaru: "I passed the Go Institute entrance test! I'm now a brand new Yeon'gusaeng!"

With that, he happily skipped to other classmates, and continued on his boasting, leaving an aghast Hikaru who wanted to beat himself again and again. Why did he want to be polite and stayed again? He could save himself the trouble of hearing Go again… Why is that after that event with that redheaded boy, everything around him seemed to be revolving around Go again? Why oh why Kami-Sama?

He sighed dejectedly, and left the classroom.

.-.

"Hikaru, get up! You'll be late!" A yell from downstairs woke the immobile mass of "object" that stayed deeply hidden inside the covers. Hikaru fought for a second with the covers, and while resisting the call of the bed that was luring him to stay, he groggily sat up and rubbed his eyes. He yawned, opening his mouth wide, and got up to dress.

A few minutes later, a refreshed looking Hikaru appeared in front of the kitchen table, where a wonderful breakfast awaits. He happily sat down, beaming at his mother, and started to shove food in his mouth. His mom scowled at his table manners, but inwardly hid a small smile at seeing him so bright and vibrant of energy.

Finishing shoving all the foods in his mouth and gulped down, Hikaru smiled brightly and yelled out an "Arigatou Okaa-san" before dashing out of the door. He ran as fast and he could to the bus station and barely caught on the bus that was about to leave. He swiftly got onto the bus, squished into the pile of people already in it, and breathed a sigh of relief.

He wasn't going to be late anymore.

.-.

School has been finished, and Hikaru was furiously packing his things. He had an appointment with a tutee in Japanese, someone who found his posting as a Japanese tutor online. It was at 6:00, and he was already tight on schedule. He hurriedly stuffed the rest of his books into his bag, swung it onto his right shoulder, and ran out of the room. He seemed to be always in a rush, he mentally smacked himself: that is not good!

At least it wasn't far… he tried to tell his guilty conscience as he ran towards his tutee's house. Arriving there barely on time, he rang the doorbell. Waited for a few minutes, steps were heard coming towards the door. He flattened his shirt and combed his hair with his fingers, trying to look more professional and older.

The door opened. Hikaru lifted his face, prepared to smile, only to falter when he saw who was in front of him. A red head. And not any red head. That boy.

He groaned inwardly; just his luck. He mentally prayed that the person in front of him wouldn't remember him, but his prayers fell deaf eared as the person in front of him opened his mouth.

"Hn." And it was all he said, while turning his face sideways and looked arrogantly at Hikaru; at least, that was how Hikaru felt.

Hikaru looked disbelievingly at the red-head in front of him. Really? Just an "hn"? If he didn't remember him just ignore him. Who would greet someone, even an unknown person, with an "hn"? And with such arrogance! How impolite was that!

"You…!" Hikaru was about to explode, but luckily someone saved his unfortunate burst of emotions.

"Shindo-san?" a young male voice sounded in the hallway, closing towards the door. Hikaru sighed of relief; it was his tutee. Finally.

"Hai Suyong-san!" he replied back, a small smile crept back to his face. His tutee was a bit younger than him, and albeit his first reticence to open up, Suyong was a good student. The only question was that why he would want to learn Japanese at this young age… he did not gave Hikaru the sense that he would move to Japan any time soon.

"Shindo-san, come in!" the Korean boy politely invited Hikaru, before addressing to the red-head: "Yeong-Ha, why are you standing at the door? I could have opened it myself."

"Hn. I'm going." And with that, the redhead opened the door, and left without saying another word.

"Sorry, he doesn't mean any harm… Please follow me!" Suyong looked appologizingly at Hikaru, and motioned the latter to follow him to the study room.

"Sorry about the mess, I was discussing a game with Yeong-Ha." At the sight of the goban and kifus laying around, Suyong explained.

"You… play Go?" Hikaru looked at Suyong with surprise evident on his face.

"Of course! I'm a professional player," replied Suyong. "Studying Japanese is also for my career. I need to prepare myself for international events that are coming soon in Japan."

"…I see." Hikaru quietly replied, before quickly recomposed himself, and cheerfully add, "Let's start with our Japanese session will you?"

.-.

On the bus ride back home, Hikaru thought back to the goban and the kifus that were in the study room of Suyong. His mind drifted back to the time he still loved to play Go, where his room was similar to Suyong's... With the goban covered with stones, the kifus lying messily around, Sai who would keep commenting on each of them, with his fan hiding his face.

It was such an old scene in his memory, yet after today, it seemed to get so much clearer… as if it happened yesterday.

Hikaru fondly thought back to the ghost who was with him during the years his parents were busy with work. It was Sai who taught him the principals of politeness, the histories, the values of the Old. And most importely, it was Sai who taught him Go, and induced the passion into him, as Sai had been by his own uncle. In so much ways, Sai was his mentor. But he was also his brother, his friend. They bickered together, they fought, and they played. They were inseparable… until Sai disappeared after that game with the Meijin. He tried to get him back. He really did! He ran away home, trying to find Sai at the places they spent time together… but no avail. Sai was still gone.

He went back home that day, feeling so depressed that he was sick for a month. And that was then his parents were so worried of him that they decided to change country, and moved to Korea where he would get a change of scenery, so that whatever that was bothering him could leave him alone. So that he could recover. So that he could move on.

And he did. He moved on. Never touched a stone anymore. He locked the Goban into the attic; packed all the kifus into big carton boxes and put them beside the Goban. He threw all his Go knowledge into the deepest part of his brain… only to realize that it wasn't gone this whole time.

After 5 years, he felt the passion of Go again. He desperately wants to touch a Go stone again. He wants to play a game again.

'…Sai. Would you forgive me if I do?'