Title: That Which Lingers : Existence
Rating: PG
Summery: Sai. Shindou Hikaru. And the degrees by which they are (not) separated. Sequel to That Which Lingers


Touya Akira is a cultivated genius. He is a refined gem, shining brightly in the light. His father has taught him Go since he was two years old. He is a well-known prodigy in the Go world. His father, Touya Kouyo, is patient and smart and taught Akira everything he knows.

Akira has always looked up to his father and had set him as the goal he would one-day achieve. He is very intelligent for his age and although that singled him out, he hadn't minded it too much. His life was nice, comfortable, and orderly.

And then one day when he is eleven, a child growing to be set in his way, Shindou Hikaru walks into his life. Shindou turns the whole world upside down on him and makes him reconsider almost everything he has known. It's the first time Akira sees that the world might cultivate more like him. That he is not alone on the pinnacle.

Shindou at age twelve escapes from him and Akira chases after this boy, this enigma, with everything he has. Shindou is energetic and animated where he is calm and collected. Though they are different Akira sees in him someone who might understand.

Months later he is disappointed and turns away. He walks away from Shindou but leaves the trail for him to follow, pushing the loneliness away, wishing inside to be proven wrong. A year later Shindou walks the path he has tread.

For the next while Shindou and he fights it out, in their hearts with themselves, and with those around them. Later, finally they stand next to each other again. They are the pinnacles; Akira will not accept anything else. He will also accept no one else.

They are all right for a while: studying together, playing games, bumping into each other around town, and hanging together at celebrations. They move up in levels and in the world. But then Shindou slips.

His game levels are the same but sometimes he will look sad and sometimes his body will be with them but his mind would be somewhere else. Shindou becomes preoccupied with something but no amount of encouragement can get it out of him. A few months later Shindou shows up with a duffle bag over his shoulder and announces that he is going traveling.

And thus, a year and a half passes. Letters and photos come in the mail frequently at first but then slow down. Then they get a short letter once every few weeks about where he's been or maybe just a postcard. Shindou keeps moving place to place, never staying long enough for mail to reach him or to have a phone number for them to call. He spoke to them from payphones and hotels - if at all.

Months passed while they continued to get the occasional information from him but they never get a chance to let him know what was happening back in Tokyo. All they could do was wait while he searches, Akira knows he's searching for something, and wait even longer for him to come back.

When they finally get the news of his return, Akira breathes a sigh of relief. He won't be alone again.

But it's different this time.

It's been several days since Shindou has come back and Akira still can't forget the sight of the young man who walked up to him in the train station that day. He had barely recognized him. So much had changed in a year. Lengthy black with blue highlights hair. Long and delicate fingers grasping at the strap. The small ruby drops in his ears gleaming in the light as he turned. The look in his eyes - clear and filled with certainty.

And the way he moved, weaving through the crowd as if he was feather light. The soft smile on his face as his eyes passed over familiar sights. The gentle touch of his hand as the pads of his fingers lingered over every surface.

A week passes and all their friends and associates plan parties and get-togethers to welcome the prodigy back. And every time his appearance sends indiscernible waves through Akira. There is something there in the new occasional indulgent smile and shining eyes.

The Shindou that has come back is different than the one Akira remembers. He loves sashimi and ramen. Vending machines and planes flying overhead fascinate him. He grins cheekily at the mention of a game. He smiles knowingly as Fujisaki blushes in front of him. He lives on his own and has a part time job. He is loud and whines and gets on people's nerves. There is an unconscious grace in his movements and he reads classical literature.

" Has he always been like this?" Waya asks him weeks later half confused, half wondering.

" No." Akira replies.

This person who has come back is almost like a different person than the one they knew. He is very similar to the Shindou that had been there a year and a half ago but there are instances where things feel different. Akira watches for the flashes of uncertainty he feels and he waits.

Waya only reaffirms his thoughts and he asks a select few if they feel anything as well. Ichikawa-san tells him that it's been a year and a half and it's not written anywhere people have to stay the same. Shindou has gone away and traveled, experienced things, grew up a bit while he was away - of course he would have had to change some bit.

He bites his lips and wonders if that is what had happened. He chooses to accept the statement and things go back to normal. He avoids looking at Shindou unless he has to, and he concentrates on the color of his eyes and the way he speaks his words as opposed the change in the length of his hair and the slight tilt of his mouth.

For a while everything is all right again between them, and Akira ignores the flashes of change that he sees and feels and just waits until Shindou is back to the Shindou that he knows. They play games, discuss strategies, and yell and scream at each other when they get on the other's nerves.

Everything is all right until the day Akira notices that he's watching Shindou again for the flashes of change and he's not ignoring them anymore, but storing them away for future reference and tries piecing them together to solve the puzzle. Like that time years ago, the answer eludes him and Akira wonders when or if he would ever solve the enigma that is Shindou Hikaru.

One day, after a game in his father's Go Salon as they clean up the stones, he sits and stares at the one in front of him. Shindou looks back at him with calm eyes and a tilted head, a red drop bright against his ear lobe, hands holding the fan lightly. Looking into the green eyes he boldly states, "You've changed."

"I know." Shindou replies, and smiles like he used to and shrugs like he used to.

Akira nods and because Shindou knows, he's satisfied, for now. He can wait a bit longer for the answer, because Shindou promised he would tell him one day, and he will get his answer.

So he and Waya and maybe a few more people who have noticed continue on and live and let the days pass. Shindou has changed but he himself knows it, so it'll be all right. Things will work out in the end and Akira will have his answer when time comes. They put it behind them and life moves on.

Unnoticed, Sai reappears on the Internet.

. : i want to know about you : .