WR: (runs onto stage dodging knives and rotten tomatos)Um…before I get into the fic, I would like to announce something….I'm sorry I posted the wrong chapter, I got my titles mixed up so now I present the real chapter 2 of waiting for may. It's defiantly not my best work. But hey I'll try harder when I get more time.
Disclaimer: I don't own Hikaru no Go….cries
Waiting for May
Chapter 2
It wasn't until the beginning of the third week that their paths finally crossed again. He had been on his way to another dan game and waiting for the elevator. When the elevator doors opened, the world went into slow motion. Out waltzed his rival shouting in protest with his companions. Touya couldn't move. His body had forgotten how as eyes locked on the familiar body. Only one thought raced through his head, since when had Shindo become so… attractive? Then their eyes met and the world sped up.
"SHINDO!"
The door to the elevator slammed closed and shouting came from the other side of the door. Then it rose to the top floor, Touya took the stairs in sprint, exhausted when he finally reached the same floor. But this time when the door opened, only the friends remained petrified. Shindo was gone.
"What do you want Touya?" Waya asked coldly.
"Shindo? Where's Shindo?" he was going to become hysterical in a moment.
"He went home," Isumi replied calmly.
"Where does he live?"
"He's your rival and you don't even know where he lives?" Waya asked in shock.
"He lives in.."
"Don't tell him Isumi! Shindo will never get any sleep at this rate," Waya protested. The other pro lifted an eyebrow at his companion, and then shook his head.
"Please tell me," Touya ignored the comment.
Isumi ignored Waya, studying the other pro, then with a sigh and a gentle smile, "Sure."
It took him forty five minutes to finally reach the small apartment building with an overlook of a park. He huffed as he rang the door bell. Glaring at the door, his anger was once again building. How dare Shindo avoid me. I mean it was his idea in the first place. It's March, two months until May. Doesn't he want to tell me? We're running out of time. Shindo, what is going through your head? He tried the doorbell again, only to stare, a girl opened the door. Touya stared, his mouth just went dry, and he felt like he had just been punched in the stomach.
"Touya-kun!" the girl exclaimed with a smile, she was wearing a high school uniform. "It's been a while."
"Ah," he stated calmly, feeling like a fish out of water. The girl looked familiar, an old aquantiance of Shindo's. "Ah, Fujisaki-san, gomen nasi, I must have the wrong address," he stumbled over the words, turning away.
She grabbed his arm before he could successfully leave. "It's Akari," she corrected him with a smile, "Don't worry, Hikaru-kun is here," she stated, "I was just leaving. He's been tutoring me for our high school Go tournament, that's coming up in a few days." She smiled sweetly. He noticed it was the same mischievous look Shindo had after developing a new move and was about to try it. However, on Shindo's expression it was difficult to detect, the girl's intention was crystal clear. Someone had just caught the mouse.
"Touya!" Shindo appeared by the entrance. "What are you doing here? How did you get this address?"
Shindo was here. Shindo..you... The stupid moron was messing with my head, again. Touya's thoughts raced speeding up. There was a moment of silence. Then anger that had been building for the past three weeks erupted.
"What am I doing?" he snapped hotly. "I have been looking for you for three weeks."
"Three weeks….hm what did I do then…Oh,…oh shit!" his rival realized as his face paled, "I was so busy tutoring the Haze's High School Go Club that I forgot. They don't have a coach so they come to me for help. Gomen Touya."
"Don't say your sorry, let me in so we can play a game," he snapped, huffing. "Honestly, you're always doing this. How can you remember one thing and forget the next? Then how do you come up with such lousy stragetries that barely save yourself?"
"It's not my fault! I got busy," Shindo snapped back. "You don't see me complaining when you are busy and don't have time for a game. And they are not lousy strategies, they are good valid ones that help me win!"
"That's different, I contact you," Touya protested. "You just show up at my house demand to play and then…" he wanted to shout, "How could you kiss me and then leave like that." Part of him wanted to push Shindo against the wall and then….a blush reached his cheeks. Embrassed, ee turned away clenching his fist and then glared darkly, "You have been avoiding me."
"I have not!"
"Yes you have!"
"I told you I got busy."
"When are you too busy to play me?"
"I just got busy for a change. It's not like that."
"Oh then what's it like then eh?"
The girl watched the conservation quickly escalate. It was worse than watching a tennis match between rival schools. What is this like? She mused to herself and then smirked. She covered her mouth with her hand and giggled. At the echoing sound, both boys turned looking at her as if she had just appeared out of thin air.
"Huh? You're still here? Akari what is it?" Shindo asked curiously.
For once she her middle school friend off the hook. "You guys act like an old couple," she giggled, giving them a wink.
Shindo's face went bright red and he protested, "We… We do not act like an old couple." Touya looked like he was going to faint as he just silently stared between the two old friends. For a moment Akari thought he was going to bolt.
"Ah," she shrugged and then stated, "Well, I gotta go home. Thanks for the game, Hikaru."
"It's Shindo-sensei!" the boy protested as the giggling girl skipped away, glancing back only to disappear at the end of the hallway. The bleached blonde boy sighed shaking his head, grabbing back for Touya's hand and pulling him into the apartment. The door slammed behind them.
"Honestly, I can't believe her at times," Shindo muttered crossly. Touya remained quiet as his rival went into his own world of ranting about best friends and secrets. "Can't just keep her mouth shut for two seconds."
Touya just stared in a daze at the back of his rival's head. Lowering his gaze slowly, he landed on the nap of a slender neck. For some reason, his face felt hot. He just threw on a pleasant smile.
"I swear, she has the worst timing," Shindo muttered, "She's graduating this year so she wants Haze to win very badly." Touya just stared at the other teenager in front of him. His heart rate was accelerating the longer their hands touched. "Akira? Are you getting sick again?" Shindo asked, suddenly standing very close. Touya jumped backwards, not realizing that their hands were still joined. Shindo sling shot into his body and they landed against the wall with a thud.
When Touya opened his eyes met pools of bright green. Am I back having that dream again? Unconciously, his eyes focused on soft lips in front of him.His mouth felt dry, and the thudding of his heart echoed through his ears. His face was getting hotter as he noticed the streak of red across Shindo's face. They just stood there, Shindo's hands planted firmly on the wall, their bodies only ten centimeters from each other. Touya closed his eyes for a moment, waiting for something. He wanted something but he couldn't really remember what it was.
A heavy sigh broke the spell as Shindo pulled away, leaving Touya's body feeling suddenly cold. The pit in his stomach had returned. He felt dizzy and suddenly sea sick. You need to get a hold of yourself, Touya, it's just Shindo. Firmly, he grit his teeth holding his breathe. I want…I…need…Shindo…how could you…I…I'm so confused. What do you want from me? His chest ached and he wanted to cry, he felt cornered and panicy. Then his breathe was coming in heaves and he couldn't get enough.
"Didn't you come for a game, Akira?" Shindo asked breaking the uneasy silence. He found himself staring at Shindo's back again. When did he turn away, why?
"Hai," he firmly stated, composing himself forcefully. The rage was back and this time he had a legitimate reason. "I came for a game, Shindo." His voice did not waver as he stepped away from the wall. "Because….I don' t recall giving you permission to call me by my frist name."
"Huh? You're mad about that!" Shindo's innocent eyes shone back at him. "I thought…"
"You thought? You can't just start calling people's their first names," Touya growled, "you never asked me permission, you just started to."
"But I thought," Shindo began.
"No," the other rival snapped, "when I beat you, then and only then do you have to the right to call me Akira." Shindo turned away, an expression of a lost puppy that had shown up on his front proch three weeks ago, flashed through Touya's mind. Sallowing the lump in his throat, Touya paused and gave a gentle smile, "And then I can call you Hikaru."
Shindo's face was something that Touya wasn't expecting. It was of surprise and a mixture of delight and fright.
"What if I win?" Shindo asked hesitantly.
"Then you're ready to tell me about Sai," Touya stated calmly noticing the cleared goban. He sat down across from where the familiar fan was sitting. He didn't say anything just waiting patiently. Briefly, he remembered the image of his father many years before waiting for an invisible opponent. His father's opponent was Sai, and Shindo Hikaru was his. His father had the patience more than a mortal man should so, he too could have the patience for Shindo to sit down and face him. Fortuantly for him, Shindo was easy to find in comparison to Sai.
An uneasy silence echoed through the apartment, as Shindo sat down with the fan at his side. His familiar bleach bangs hooding his face, then taking a deep sigh he looked up. Touya's lips went in a firm line. Both of them had their game faces on and it was only just beginning. So this is the silent Shindo, he won't even show to me. Touya's hands sweated with anticipation. Shindo's lips formed one word that set both of them in motion for the next three hours.
"Nigiri"
PA-CHI!
It had been three hours. Three long hours since Touya had come to Shindo demanding a game. Three hours of battling across a 19 by 19 board. Black destroyed white, white destroyed black. Now it was over. The winner had slaughtered and conquered. The defeated could only hang his head in shame. This was their dance that was never ending, the winner's shoulders relaxed silently as he doubled counted. Yes, I have won but only by two monk. It was a good game. He truly is my rival in every shape and form. Then he heard a sound that made him feel suddenly sick to his stomach.
Touya looked over at his rival, his heart ached at the image in front of him. Shindo Hikaru was crying. He couldn't count the amount of times he remembers his rival laughing, smiling, and being like the sunshine in spring. But he could count the number of times he had seen Shindo Hikaru cry. This was the third time but it was the first time he had ever been the cause. It was wrenching at his heart strings. Wetting his lips his voice tried to comfort his rival, "Shindo, are you alright?"
"Yeah," the blonde hair teenager sniffled, wiping his face with the back of his hand. "I'm… find…it's…just a shock." He chuckled in the way he always did when he lost an important match, "I mean, it's just a game."
Touya did not relpy but started to clear the board. "I guess I should go."
"If you want," blonde bleach hair was hooding dull green eyes. A few sniffles echoed through the shuffling of the stones.
Touya frowned at this reaction and gently took his hand. When their faces had gotten so close, Touya never knew. Hesitantly, his arms wound around the other's body and Shindo's head fell on his shoulder. Then the heaves of breathe racked both their bodies, Touya found himself slowly rubbing Shindos' back in soothing circles. "It was a good game. I'm glad that you are my rival." He almost missed the fact he wanted to cry along with Shindo but he kept his face cool, "I'm sure Sai will be proud of any game that you play, Hikaru." Then the body in his embrace stiffened and he found himself staring at tear stained eyes. Green eyes held so many secrets and drove his rival forward with such passion.
"Akira…I…"
"It's ok," he gave a soft smile and kissed Hikaru's forehead. "Whenever you're ready, besides we still have a few months."
"No, it's not that, Akira," Hikaru replied trying to break the hug off, "I just couldn't breathe, you were hugging me too tight." Green eyes looked back, while stained with a pair of blushed cheeks.
Akira coughed nervously and broke away standing up. His dark eyes glanced at the clock it was eight at night. "I need to get going," he stated heading towards the door.
"Ah," Hikaru stood up, "Are you going to be at the Salon again this week?"
Akira snorted, "where else would I be?"
"Well, its just that Haze's High School Go Club is in a tournament this Wednesday," Hikaru was looking everywhere but at him. Akira frowned at his but waited as Hikaru continued, "I was wondering if you would like to come and see. They'll be playing Kaio and then you can go and see your old coach….Then if you wanted we could go out to eat."
"Hikaru," Akira's eyes widened at this, "Do you mean a date?"
"Umm…..h..hai," Hikaru hesitated, then started waving his hands around in protest, "but it doesn't have to be if you don't want. I…you… we could just go to a Salon."
"Hikaru," Akira paused, "what exactly is this?" His heart was pounding at the possibility that this might be something more. Something made his relationship with Shindo Hikaru even more special. But….that's not…
"I…I have no idea," Hikaru replied, looking away from him for a moment. A pit in his stomach formed. "But…I believe if Torajiro existed for Sai, and Sai existed for me, then I must exist for Akira. So…it can be whatever you want it to be."
Akira's face flushed bright red as he stared back at Hikaru. The boy was finding the floor fascinating again, "Ah," Akira stated nervously, then gave a smile, "sure I'll go."
"Really!" Hikaru's face lit up, only for him to barrel into the other boy in a bear hug.
Akira yipped in surprise as their bodies collided in an embrace.
"Thank you, I can't wait to tell the club," he stated with a smile, "They'll finally get to meet you."
"You told them about…me?"
"Well, Weekly Go was talking about our rivalry and they were asking a lot of questions. So naturally, I told them that I would bring you around something. I was meaning to ask you for some time actually." Hikaru sat on top of lap like it was the most natural position in the world. Akira's face was bright red as he pushed the other boy off.
"Hey, what did you do that for?" Hikaru snapped turning angry.
"Hikaru…I…I should be going," Akira coughed nervously, "it's getting late." He was panicing again, he didn't have control of his body. He needed to leave.
"Oh ok, I should be around the institute next week," Hikaru hovered around the door, their faces were rather close.
"Hai," Akira paused only to nervously laugh and wave, "Good night, Hikaru." Suddenly, his wrist was once more captive in Hikaru's hand and briefly their lips met.
"Good night, Akira."
Then the door slammed, leaving Akira once again blinking and walking around in a daze. Hesitantly, he left, glancing back at the door wanting to go back to his rival. I I definitely paniced…He's probably wondering why I'm acting like such a school girl. I defiantly have butterflies in my stomach, he mused as he headed towards the subway station. It wasn't until he got off at his stop did something seem rather off with the evening's events. Then the freight train hit him, hard. Touya stopped in mid step. Eyes popping out of his head as he whirled around to an invisible Shindo Hikaru. "Who the heck is Torajiro?!"
To be continued….
WR: Well, I think I should add one of my hobbies torturing Touya….hahahaha
A: evil woman.
WR: AW, I'm not evil…..ignores the protest going on outside. Thanks for the reviews guys! I'll try to keep up with this fic to finish before May but I'm not making any promises cause I have lots of work to get done. But I'll try when I can. Let me know what you think. See ya! (plucks up Aya and skips away)