I have some free time on my hands tonight, as you can see ^^ Enjoy!
Also, I changed Yuri's and Mei's relationship - they are now cousins. I tried my best to edit the chapters, but if you find some mistake or Yuri being called 'brother', just let me know and I'll fix it. ^^ (Except in dialogues, for Yuri will sometimes call Mei 'sis' to show his affection, like a pet name)
I stepped into the school grounds, looking around. So, this was to be my new school. The white building shone in the light of sun, welcoming me. I looked at my watch - I had 10 minutes left until my first lesson. I went in and slowly walked along the corridors, thinking of a strange fate that brought me back to Japan. Well, it was a good opportunity to start anew.
I went to the teachers lounge and got acquainted with my homeroom teacher. Just a few minutes later she brought me to my new class. I bowed politely, "Hello, everyone. My name is Mei, I hope we get along."
Everyone greeted me as well and I saw a boy at the end of the class shot up, waving at me, "Mei-chan! Mei-chan! Come sit here!"
I sighed. It was my little cousin Yuri. He was already 16 and yet he always acted as a 6 year old, so even if we were the same age, I always belittled him. We had not met for quite some time, but we used to be close, when I was still living next-door to him. My mother had left me and my father almost right after my birth for another man. I didn't really blame her or anything, sometimes people just grow cold to each other. There's nothing more to it. Yuri was my closest cousin and I felt like he was my brother. After me and my father left for Europe, we did our best to keep in touch with letters and whenever I was back in Japan, we would always meet. If I had to point out another member of my family, it would definitely be Yuri. I doubt there was anyone else who could understand me better than him.
Meanwhile, the teacher showed me to my new seat, which, of course, happened to be just behind my cousin. I shook my head slightly and made my way towards the desk. Just as I sat down, Yuri turned around, smiling like an idiot.
"Hoy hoy, Mei, why didn't you wait up for me? I really wanted to go to school with you together!.."
I glanced at him, grinning, "Why? Do you have a sister complex or what?"
"Waaah?! I do NOT!"
I smirked, teasing him, "I bet you do!"
"No, I don't!" Yuri hissed at me angrily.
I chuckled, "Oh yes, you do!"
"Tch, prove it!"
I scoffed, "Hmmm... I wonder who was clinging to me yesterday as if for his dear life... or tried stuffing me up with food all the evening..."
"I... I was not!!!"
"Yep yep... and then, someone wanted to sleep in my bed..."
"THAT!!! That was not..."
"YURI AND MEI!" The teacher suddenly shouted and we both flinched. "Keep quiet, please!"
Yuri sighed and turned around, but before that he managed to whisper to me, "I just missed you, Mei-chan."
I smiled. I knew very well he missed me a lot. We haven't seen each other for a few years for I had traveled around Europe with my father again. He hoped of getting cured there, but it was not successful. I looked out of the window sadly. Well, nothing else to do now. I returned to Japan to stay with Yuri's mother and her family, but I didn't feel right here. I didn't want to intrude into their family. Yuri's parents were nice people and welcomed me warmly, but still, it wasn't my family anymore. I sighed. I was planning to earn some money and rent a room elsewhere. That would be the best, but I knew it was gonna be hard. I wasn't afraid of hard work, I was used to it. I and my father lived poorly so we used every means to get money we could. My sharp mind and high intellect was a huge help. I made money from working in a cafe as a maid and playing board games, betting money. At least, I found some use for my "cursed talent" or so I called it. Maybe I could do something similar again, but I wasn't sure I wanted to. I hadn't played in years and I was scared to play again. I was afraid I'd feel that strange pleasure, that feeling of blood rushing to my head and my fingers trembling when putting the piece on the board, that intensity, that thrill of meeting a worthy opponent... Not that there was one... I glanced down at my empty exercise book. All the games I ever played... they were boring. Simply boring. No tension and no excitement. I could see straight through them, I knew I could beat them in a few minutes, but I never did that. It would be too cruel. I could still remember those times when I was foolish enough to win. I was but a little girl back then and I could not understand why everyone looked at me with despise and disgust. No one liked loosing.
I shook my head, trying to get rid of the memories. No, I won't play chess or any other board game seriously again. Never again. Actually, I even doubted there was a person who could make me serious towards the game. All the moves they made, I could see them even before they thought about making them.
I took my pencil and started drawing bended lines on the paper, making weird combinations, strange black and white shapes... I wasn't even listening to the teacher - I already knew what she was explaining. It was way too easy for me. My father often repeated how sorry he was for not being able to give me proper conditions to further develop my mind. In his opinion, I was a genius. Maybe I was, I wasn't sure. But I knew, if I wanted to, I'd find the place for me in this world. I only had to wish for it, but I didn't know what to wish for. The world seemed grey to me, boring and always unchanging. Just like a black and white movie... no colors.
The lesson finally ended with me still in my depressing thoughts, but I was soon interrupted as I got surrounded by my classmates, who wanted to know everything about me and even my relationship with Yuri. I tried to be discrete and kept my personal information secret.
"Waah, but I'm so jealous of you, Mei-chan!" One of the girls squealed and I raised a brow, asking why.
"Well..." The girl fidgeted. "You get to sit next to Akira-kun... "
I looked behind her back, trying to get a look at the green-haired boy, sitting quietly at his desk. He didn't strike me as someone worth any attention though. Some girls were trying to talk to him, and he was answering them smiling a gentle smile, but to me he seemed to be quite oblivious to his surroundings.
The bell rang and the girls left to sit at their seats. I was still staring at the boy, called Akira, and by the time I realized it was kind of rude, he turned to me and smiled a little. I smiled at him as well, noticing he had beautiful greenish eyes, similar to mine. I turned my head, pretending to listen to what the teacher was saying, thinking that I should inquire Yuri more about my desk neighbor. Just as I thought that, Yuri turned around to me and beamed me a smile. I immediately realized he was gonna ask for another favor and prepared myself for an unreasonable demand.
"Hey, hey, Mei. I know, there's a Go event today, let's go watch together!"
I cocked a brow, "Excuse me, but... WHAT?!"
"Oh come on, sis! Mei-chaaaan... I know you'll like it! Come on!!!" Sometimes Yuri liked calling me sis, perhaps because he felt that I was like a sister to him.
I shook my head, playing along. "Sorry, little bro, I don't have any interest in it."
"Huh?! But aren't you a Go player?" Yuri asked looking confused.
My eyes widened in surprise but before I could correct him, I heard someone ask, "You play Go?"
I turned to my right to see the green-haired boy, looking at me intently. I shook my head, sighing, "No, I do not. As a matter of fact, I played Go like... maybe twice in my whole lifetime... yeah, I think it was twice."
I thought back to the two matches I played a few years ago, "And it was some years ago, though I remember my opponent was one peculiar elderly man."
I chuckled as I continued, "Yeah, he was a weirdo alright. And for your knowledge," I turned to my brother. "I used to play chess in my childhood. And let me repeat that - used to."
Yuri looked away from me grumbling something, while Akira asked almost curiously, "You don't play anymore?"
I shook my head, "No, I don't. "
"Tch, you're so boring, sis," Yuri rolled his eyes and then grinned. "But hey, how was that geezer weird? Like a pervert or something?"
I gave my cousin a glance of reproof as I said, "No, he was just... really old. And all the time he was playing he was laughing like mad, you know something like 'Hi hi hi...'" I tried to imitate the laughter to the best of my abilities. "Gave me the creeps. And always looking at me with only one eye opened."
I shuddered, "God, I'm telling you, he was one weird geezer. In a funny way, of course, but still. Weird."
I didn't notice Akira's eyes grow wider as I imitated the old man. He put his hand to his chin, thinking of something, his eyes narrowing contemplatively. Then, he turned to me, "May I ask what his name was?"
"Huh?" I looked at him surprised. "I don't know, I never asked him."
"Then, who won?" Akira seemed to be quite interested.
"Well... he did. Cheater, " I frowned.
"He CHEATED?!" My cousin exclaimed almost too loudly and I glowered at him.
"Hush, calm down! He didn't, he just didn't tell me all the rules. One would think I would be told something as important as extra points, but nooo, he thought I already knew. Apparently, in Go, they give free points to the white side. Stupid, if you ask me."
"Oh yeah, the komi rule," Yuri nodded his head and I scoffed. Stupid rule.
"Then, he won just by 6.5 moku?" Akira asked again, looking thoughtful again.
I looked at him surprised, "Don't know, I don't really remember."
"Heh, sis, you're pretty good then, huh?" Yuri laughed and I rolled my eyes.
"Think whatever you want, I couldn't care less."
"Yeah..." Akira mumbled shaking his head. "It couldn't have been him. He wouldn't lose by such a low margin."
