Sorry that it took so long to get this updated. My computer has been down with a virus this past week so I haven't been able to write, update, or post anything. Gomen. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the story. Please forgive any gramatical errors, I haven't had a chance to properly check it. Gomenosai.

Author's Note

Tewari: it is where you examine a position by eliminating an equal number of stones. It is done to help the player understand the efficiency of the moves. Basically, it is a type of analysis.

Chapter 4: Tewari

"Are you coming?" Aki called over her shoulder at the two igo players just standing there.

Kurata-sensei and Hikaru were already on their way to get the luggage.

To Akira and Yashiro though her words felt almost like a taunts.

Yashiro took one look at Akira's face and he knew something was wrong. Akira was always the type of guy who was confident in his own abilities. His self-assurance always seemed to carry over into his every action, but right now…. Yashiro didn't know where that self-assurance had gone.

"Ano…"

"There isn't any choice."

Yashiro watched as Akira walked after them. He couldn't help but notice how tense he was. His motions were shifty and cautious, not at all like he would normally behave.

Yashiro was more than a little worried.

"Come on inside. You guys will have to be two to a room. It should be all right though. One room has bunk beds in it and the other has a single bed, but I have a futon around here… somewhere...

"I don't really worry about formalities so don't worry either."

She led them through the living room and up the stairs to their rooms.

"Whenever you guys are done unpacking just come on downstairs. Holly is running around here somewhere. She's staying in my room during the tournament. She's one of the other players, but she lives out in New York so… Anyway, it's these two rooms." She pointed to the two rooms right across from each other in the hallway.

"If you guys need anything I'm going to be downstairs. Oh yeah. We have a traditional bath outside."

"Outside?" Hikaru prodded.

"Yep. Grandpa built it himself. There is another one inside, but…" Aki shrugged it off. "What can I say, my grandpa was very traditional."

She didn't even give them a chance to respond, before she disappeared down the stairs.

"Well… " Hikaru stood facing one of the two doors reaching out his hand he turned the door handle. The others though were more than a bit surprised at the abrupt treatment they had been delivered. The only one not surprised by Aki's rude behavior was Akira and Hikaru. Akira though couldn't be surprised. Nothing about her would really surprise him anymore.

"Hey, Yashiro!" Hikaru prodded. "This room has bunk beds. Come on, we can share a room." Hikaru dumped his things on the floor and began to explore. "There's a igo board in here. Yashiro we can get some practice done. There is no way we are going to lose this year!"

Yashiro didn't feel the same enthusiasm. The air was too heavy around Akira, and oddly enough he was the most worried about him. This was definitely weird behavior for him.

"Come on Touya-kun, let's get unpacked."

"I'll take the futon, Kurata-san. You can have the bed."

"Thanks a lot Touya-kun!" He gave the young man a big smile of gratitude. "Well then it's time to get unpacked!"

Akira gave him a feeble smile, inside though he was more than a little worried. Was she going to pull some kind of sick jokes on them to destroy their moral? What exactly did she have up her sleeve anyway? He refused to believe it was just generosity. She was definitely up to something. Akira was very careful as he unpacked his things. His eyes were peeled for potential pranks.

"Aki! Aki, wake up!"

There was a loud banging sound coming from the back door.

"Get up!" Holly hissed. "There's a weird guy at your window, yelling for you. Should I call the police?"

Aki groggily opened her eyes. "What is it? I'm trying to sleep already."

"Aki! This is an emergency, and I don't have a key. Get up!"

That voice.

"Saitoh?"

What was he doing here?

"Aki?"

"It's all right, go back to bed."

Aki, wrapped a robe around her as she went over to the window. "Saitoh, what is it. Do you know what time it is?"

"Aki, get down here now! It's mother, they just took her away in an ambulance." Her blood ran cold. Mother? Ambulance? The two words didn't fully compute. This couldn't be right. No, this wasn't possible; this had to be a mistake.

"Saitoh…?"

"Get down here now! I know what hospital it is. I'm driving."

Aki's heart was still screaming that this had to be a mistake but it was finally beginning to compute. She tore away from the window and ran out into the hallway. There was something in the way, but it was too dark to tell what it was so she simply shoved it out of the way and ran at full speed down the stairs and outside. She was still in her pajamas when she climbed into her brother's car.

Akira though was still trying to pick himself off of the floor, where that stupid, moronic woman had shoved him.

Chapter 5