Someone (nobody knows the name): Hey, who owns this manga

A no-name person: Hey, who owns this manga? (holds up a volume of Hikaru no Go)

emeraldXonyx: Not me…not me…Yumi Hotta did.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HIKARU NO GO! But I wish I did…

- 00000 -

Destined to Play

by emeraldXonyx

Chapter 7 Surprises I

The school bell rang, signaling the end of another class day. Students could be seen loitering around the school's campus. Most of the pupils made their way out of Kaio's gates, either waiting to be fetch by their services or just starting to walk their path home. There were some, who (should we say) were too dedicated to their work or just too afraid of their senpais, left still finishing their club activities. And there were also few unlucky students, who were left in their classroom with their homeroom teacher reprimanding and lecturing them in a monotonous tone that could make even the dead rise to complain. Unfortunately, Hikaru Shindo was one of these unlucky students who still could not go home and was forced to hear the rumblings of his teacher.

"Why the hell did this happen this time!?" Hikaru asked himself, not hearing whatever their class adviser was talking about. He had gotten up late this morning, thanks to Lady Luck, who seemed to have decided to mess with his alarm clock today making him late to school (the clock actually stopped, seemed it's battery was all used up). This would have not happen if Yuki was there. He would definitely do everything to make Hikaru on time. But, it's as if all his luck was gone, Yuki told him last night that he'll leave early for something connected to the business or so and could not, therefore, wake his young master up. Yuki would definitely give him another hearing regarding this. But this was not the time to think of what will happen at home. There's something much worst at hand. Hikaru glanced at the open door.

"Akira." He muttered to himself. He had seen the annoyed look of his friend's face when he heard that he could not join him immediately after class. Hikaru let out another sigh. "Talk about timing." The boy thought referring to his unfortunate events. Luck wasn't really on his side. The two friends had planned to go straight away at Akira's house to recreate the game Akira had played against a higher dan. Hikaru was very excited for one, he could see another player's Go and second, he could meet his friend's parents.

"Hn. When are you going to finish talking?" Hikaru thought to himself. He really wished that the teacher would hurry up and stop this detention. "Please, stop now. I really have to go or Akira will have my neck." The boy pleaded silently. And it was as if, he was heard, the teacher decided to finish his long and boring speech.

"So, Shindo-kun you must not be late again okay?"

"Yes, sensei!" Hikaru called, grateful to be free at last. He cheerfully packed his things and walked out of the room, only to be welcomed by the still fuming Akira.

"Ugh. This is bad." He muttered to himself after seeing his best friend. "Yo, Akira!" Hikaru called in a louder voice, thinking that it would do him good to act as if he did not know that the person in front of him was angry. Akira's eyebrow twitched. He really was fuming. Hikaru, of all the times, had to made him wait for half an hour.

"Thought you have forgotten our plans for today. Making yourself late for class, of all the times, today and having a detention. Tsk. And you're the one who asked for this." Akira stated in a sarcastic voice.

"Eh…" Hikaru was at lost for words. "I really am sorry, Akira." The boy apologized. "It's not as if I planned to be late today, have a detention and make you wait." Hikaru mumbled. "Sorry."

Akira waved his hand as dismissal and started to walk towards the exit. "Let's go. It will do us no good if we stay here. We don't have much time." Akira told the other boy. Hikaru smiled. Akira had forgiven him. The other boy ran towards his friend.

"Hey, hey…Akira….wait for me."

- 0000000000000000000000000 -

Hikaru fidgeted at the back seat of a sleek red car. He had felt the intense gaze of the driver, who happened to be Akira's acquaintance. Akira introduced him as Ogata-sensei, a student of his father. The boy was wondering why the man continued staring at him at the rear view mirror. Hikaru felt the pressure of the man's gaze, making him really uncomfortable. He had been too focused on his thoughts that he did not hear Akira's call.

"Hikaru! Oi. Hikaru…" Akira called. "Hey, hey…you there?" The other boy asked Hikaru while at the same time, waving his hands on the boy's face. But still he did not get a response. Akira inhaled and the called in a louder voice. "HIKARU!"

Hikaru was brought back from his deep thoughts and cried in surprise. "Woah! Why did you shout? You'll burst my eardrums!" The boy cried with exaggeration. Akira sighed. "Good. You're back with us?" He stated making Hikaru wondered what his words meant. Seeing the confusion on the other boy's face, Akira added, "I've been calling you too many times and you're not even responding, even a flick of an eye. What were you thinking about?" the blue-haired boy asked his friend.

"Eh.." Hikaru scratched his head. "Nothing." Akira put up an incredulous face. "I was just wondering about Go professionals." Hikaru decided to answer with a subject that Akira loved most.

"What about it?" Akira asked.

"Everything. I'm not really knowledgeable about these things." Hikaru said in his "as-I-told-you-before" voice.

Akira nodded his understanding. So, he talked about the pro world and the Go professionals, explaining to Hikaru about titles, matches and programs related to the topic. Ogata, as he was driving, decided to just listen at the conversation, not making any remarks or reactions, for that matter. He was really interested to this boy. He had not seen Akira out of his serious façade often. And Shindo-kun (he had learned Hikaru's full name from the introductions made earlier) had passed by Akira's barriers so easily as if it did not exist in the first place. The boy was a complete opposite of Akira. When he first saw him, he thought that he's a punk and Akira said he plays Go. "I could not really understand this boy. But I guess looks can be very deceiving." Ogata thought referring to the child's contrasting personalities. The man decided to listen to the boys' conversation, hoping to know more about the enigma that was Hikaru Shindo.

The talk made Hikaru comfortable and without knowing it, they had arrived at Akira's house.

The red car stopped at a classic Japanese-inspired house – a great contrast to Hikaru's own home, which was western inspired. The three got off the car and walked towards the gate.

"Here we are." Akira muttered. Ogata just kept his silence as the boy rang the doorbell. The gate opened to reveal a woman who looked so much like Akira.

"I guess this is Akira's mother." Hikaru bowed and said his greeting. Akiko smiled.

"You must be Hikaru-kun. Akira talked about you a lot." Akiko told the boy. Akira blushed at the confession. Hikaru smiled and then took a peek at the still red Akira.

"Okaa-san, I think we should enter now." Akira told his mother politely, trying to change the latter topic discretely.

"Ah..yes. Sorry, Hikaru-kun…Ogata-san.." Akiko apologized to their guests and showed the way inside the house. Akiko slid the door open to the receiving room.

"Your father will come after awhile. Please make yourself comfortable Hikaru-kun." Akiko left. Ogata-san followed the mistress to the playing room where the Meijin was waiting in front of his goban.

"Honey, Akira and Hikaru-kun had come." Akiko told him. The Meijin nodded and stated that he'll go meet them after awhile. Akiko made her way to the kitchen to prepare snacks.

"Touya-sensei." Ogata greeted and bowed to his teacher.

"Ogata." Touya-Meijin acknowledged. Then, he stood up and went towards the other man. "You had met Hikaru-kun?" He asked.

"Yes. It was good that he and Akira met. They are really close." Ogata told Master Touya as they walked towards the receiving room.

"Ah. As I thought." The old Touya stated receiving a questioning gaze from the young man. But before Ogata could ask the meaning of the last statement, they had reached their destination. They could hear Akira and Hikaru's voice ringing from the inside. "It seemed that they had entered another shouting match." Ogata muttered. The door slid open and revealed the two teenagers who were at each other's throat. Both Hikaru and Akira weren't aware of the new presence. And they were startled when they heard a voice near them.

"Ah. You must be Hikaru-kun." The Meijin stated, stepping in front of the bickering teenagers. The two stopped shouting and looked at the Meijin.

"Father." Akira was red with embarrassment. He was caught off guard.

Hikaru looked again at the man, Akira called father. And what he saw was a shock to him.

"Touya-sensei!" Hikaru squeaked in his surprise. The Meijin's face showed surprise just for a few seconds, smiled and calmly greeted the boy. "It's nice to see you again, Shindo Hikaru-kun."

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Author's Notes:

Sorry for this late update. I had written this a day after I finished the last chapter but I had a block and could not continue writing. I just had my exams earlier. It was TOXIC. sigh

So, it's nice to hear your reviews again. I mean read, in that sense

Thanks for reading. Please R&R.

Note: This was just the first part of the chapter Surprises. Hehe…