Author's note: Oh dear, it has been forever hasn't it? I'm terribly sorry. It's just that I've had no drive to update recently and I couldn't think of something exciting enough of this chapter to make me go "YEAH! That should totally happen." But in any case, this is not a filler chapter and I must forewarn that the timeline for Hikaru no Go is going to be messed up in this chapter. But hey, that's what fanfictions are for anyway right? So without more chatter, I present to you chapter 9. (Wow. Never went past 4 chapters before and here I am with 9. Not too shabby. Thanks reviewers for bringing me this far.)

Disclaimer: I, undersigned, henceforth do hereby claim that in no manner or form do I own Hikaru no Go.

"Blah" represents speech

'Blah' represents thoughts

Blah represents everything Sai says/ thinks


Chapter 9: Significance

Friday, Hikaru's Bedroom

Hikaru was really frustrated. Not only did she have Aki and the rest of the dance girls teasing her every second about BOTH Yuki-kun and Touya-san but she had also somehow incurred the wraith of Sai and now he was ignoring her. 'I don't get it! What did I do wrong?' Hikaru was never really all that fond of Sai's incessant chatter about "Let's play go!", but this suffocating silence was even worse.

Hikaru's predicament started last week on Friday when Akira had finally caught up with her, Mitani-free of course.


Flashback

She was walking out with the other girls and Sai when in the middle of no where, out popped the one and only Touya Akira. Startled, the girls jerked to a halt in front of him. Sadly for Hikaru, she was always a fast walker and hence always at the front of the group; not a good position to be when one has to stop abruptly to avoid crashing, especially when momentum is concerned. Needless to say, gravity, mass and momentum did the work and our dear Hikaru fell onto Akira. Thankfully, Akira was not as girly as he looked and so managed to catch her without falling down himself. But, this short moment had left them both in a compromising position with the minds of twelve or so year old girls running wild and the protests of an over protective thousand year old ghost. And this was just the beginning.

To make matters worse, once Hikaru had leaped away from Akira; he, being the single minded person that he was, jumped straight into asking Hikaru for a game. And he just had to do it in the overtly polite manner of his.

"Good afternoon Shindo-san, I had been meaning to ask you but it seems I was unable to catch you the last few times you were here. I would like to face you in a game of Go if possible."

Then, when she had refused without hesitation, he asked again and again and again. Till the point where she had gotten so fed up, she left. This of course displeased Sai who had perked up at the thought of a game against Akira only to have his hopes shattered by Hikaru's absolute rejection. Sai's sadness was a long lasting and noisy one.

At the same time, Hikaru's rejection was the perfect source of entertainment because when a girl rejects a boy so vehemently, it produces only one reaction from the bystanders. Ooo-la-la. Gossip.

That was Monday. On Wednesday, things got worse beginning with Hikaru sleeping in, hence being late for school. This resulted in detention because she had been late twice before. Detention made her late for dance; something both Hikaru and Mizuki-sensei could not tolerate.

"I'm sorry I'm late!" Hikaru yelled as she burst though the studio doors, hair coming out of her bun and hopping on one foot while slipping on her left carpezio.

Please forgive us! called Sai as he too walked through the doors.

"Hikaru-chan! What is the meaning of this? Why are you so late? No, I don't want to hear any excuses, do your stretching quickly and try to catch up."

Throwing her stuff onto the shelves, Hikaru ran to one corner and started her stretches. When she was done, she hurried over to join the back of the class, standing between Aki and Suzumi, another classmate.

"Hey, Hikaru-chan, your boyfriend's here again today," giggled Suzumi softly.

Here, Hikaru was stunned. "What boyfriend?"

"He's there. Outside the window, watching. See him?"

Following Suzumi's fingertips to a figure in the mirror, Hikaru squinted her eyes. There standing upright the only thing casual about that figure was the hands tucked in his pocket. Yet she could recognize him anywhere with his girl cut hair and enchanting green eyes.

"What is he doing here!" exclaimed Hikaru as she whipped her head back to glare at him, fuming, all the while moving with the practiced steps not missing a beat despite her distraction.

Yet for some reason or another, Hikaru couldn't seem to concentrate. Maybe it was because no matter where she turned, his face was everywhere. The viewing window faced the long wall mirrors so it didn't matter where she looked. She would still he his face perfectly clearly among the bodies of parents and siblings waiting beside him. Or maybe the reason why she couldn't concentrate was because a certain ghost was currently trying, keyword here trying, to hug Touya Akira while wailing out about how unfair it was that she the cruel villain of the story wouldn't let him play with Touya. It was disturbing so to speak and for some reason she couldn't help but feel responsible for the ghost who was harassing Touya-san. Never mind the fact that he couldn't feel, see or hear Sai anyway.

"Hikaru! Just what exactly are you staring at! Stop turning your head back and focus!" cut in Mizuki-sensei's voice, yanking her out from her thoughts.

"You'll have to forgive her for being distracted today Mizuki-sensei!" chimed out Ayuri.

"Yeah, she can't help it because her boyfriend's here today!"

The whole dance studio burst into giggles and Hikaru could only bemoan her situation. Banging her head against the mirrored walls, she questioned, "What did I do to deserve this?"

At the end of the lesson, Hikaru rushed out as quickly as she possibly could so as to try and avoid Touya Akira; again leaving the age old ghost to chase after her.

Aki was too amused by the situation. She was perfectly aware that it was impossible for the green-eyed boy to be Hikaru's boyfriend. It was not a Hikaru thing to do, having a boyfriend that is. Despite years of doing a girly activity, she was still a tomboy underneath all the frills, ribbons and pointe shoes. Still, a little teasing never hurt anybody, so Aki was perfectly content with taking advantage of poor Hikaru's distress. "Wow, look at her run. I bet she's really excited to see him" she said loudly, well aware that Hikaru could still hear her.

A thump resounded in the corridor and Aki smirked. That thump was the sign of Hikaru almost crashing into a wall from shock. 'That girl is too fun to tease.'

Outside, Touya had just managed to catch Hikaru.

"Hello, Shindo-san. I know you said no the last time but I would still like to challenge you to a game at my father's Go saloon again. I'll be there everyday from four onwards so if you are not free today you can take up the challenge on another day."

Sighing inwardly, Hikaru looked down and shuffled her feet all the while cursing her luck for not running away in time and stupid Sai for being so slow and holding her back.

Hikaru! Say yes! Please say yes! Say yes! Say yes! Please Hikaru! Please! Please! Pleaseeeee! begged Sai as he jumped around and around Hikaru.

'No Sai. I will not play with Touya Akira. I'd rather play Netgo everyday for you than play against him.'

Sai was shocked and upset at Hikaru's response. Why Hikaru? You can't possibly still be angry at Touya-san.

'I'm not angry at him. I'm angry at the trouble he's causing me.'

Taking a deep breathe, Hikaru tried to calm herself before she said something she would regret later. "Look, Touya-san, why are you so insistent on this? Don't you have other people to play with?"

"I do but I can't play them. I have to defeat you."

"Why? Why me?"

"Watching you that night at my home, I realized that I would never be ready to enter the Professional world unless I defeat you first. So I've sworn that until I have won in a fair game between us, I will not take my pro examinations."

"Wait. Stop. Rewind. Play. You did what?!" Hikaru was in shock.

"I vowed to postpone my Professional Examinations until such a time when I have defeated you in a fair game." repeated Akira.

Hikaru was rather confused. "Firstly, what on earth is a pro examination?"

Akira was rather surprised as this. 'How could she have gotten so good at go without even knowing what a pro exam is?' Akira then explained what the professional examination was.

Upon hearing the explanation, Hikaru was shocked.

"Alright; but what does this pro exam have anything to do with me?"

Akira considered Hikaru's question. Remembering the disbelief he previously held and the skill she had displayed, Akira explained to her how he could not accept that someone like her who claims to have never played Go before until recently could defeat him and play such a game against his father. He explained how he had always looked up to his father but never once had he evoked such a response from his father. His father was impressed enough to recommend her parents to let her take part in the pro exams (Hikaru's parents had yet to discuss this with her) so he decided that defeating Hikaru was the minimum requirement he must achieve before he was worthy of the professional world.

Hikaru's jaw dropped, literally. "Why… why would you do such a thing? What does the pro examination and I have anything to do with each other? What does that have anything to do with you? No. No, I shall not play go with you. Stop asking me."

Hikaru had made up her mind and turned to leave a disappointed Touya Akira behind. Following behind her was an upset and disappointed Sai. Sai was very much honored at Akira-kun's request and could not comprehend why Hikaru would deny Akira his request after hearing his reasons. As a go player himself, Sai knew how much such rejection from a rival hurt. A go player cannot grow without a challenge. A rival was an honorary position granted to another. It was an unspoken agreement between both parties to work together and against each other with the goal of helping the Go world grow. A rival, a challenge, was the key that opened the door to the next level. One level closer to the ultimate goal; the Hand of God. And for Hikaru to have rejected Akira after he had sworn to not take another step down the Go path without her was cruel.

Hikaru-chan, why did you deny Akira his request? Sai was almost too afraid of the answer but he had to know.

Hikaru halted in her tracks and turned to face Sai. Giving out a sigh, she ran her hand though her hair, loosening the tight bun while she thought about her rationale behind rejecting Touya-san.

'I rejected him because he doesn't deserve this.'

At these words, Sai was taken aback. To think that Hikaru thought so highly of herself! How dare she claim that Akira was not worthy of her rival-ship when she was the disgraceful and unworthy one with this kind of attitude! To deny Akira what he wanted just because of a childish squabble!

Not wanting to hear anymore, Sai turned away from Hikaru was floated off to the Shindo household, visible just ahead, refusing to even acknowledge Hikaru.

Hikaru was confused at Sai's reaction. She didn't understand why he was suddenly being so cold so with no idea what to do, she decided to just follow him back to her home. She had homework to concern herself with anyway.

End Flashback


So that was how her troubles started. She really didn't get it. Why was Sai so angry with her? Gathering her courage, she tried to approach Sai who was sitting on the roof just outside her window again.

'Sai. Sai, please answer me, I know you can hear me. Sai please. At least tell me what I did to make you so mad.'

Sai remained still, his back to the girl. Internally, he was contemplating if he should respond. After much deliberation, he decided to spare her the misery and tell her. Whipping around to face her, Sai let all this pent up angry spill out at Hikaru.

You, you denied Touya as a rival all because according to you he was not worthy of it!

Hikaru finally was let into the light, 'so this was what all that silent treatment was all about.'

But Sai was not done with his rant.

Who are you to decide that he wasn't worthy enough to take you on as a rival. No to take me on as a rival! And all this because he committed one offence against you at your concert!

Hikaru was taken aback. 'That's not what I meant when I said he didn't deserve this!'

How can you be so childish!

"But." Hikaru tried to defend herself.

I am so disappointed with you Hikaru. You had no right to deny Akira a rival and me a chance to nurture his potential. It is not he who is not worthy. It is you. I never wish to speak to you again.

Those words were like a slap on the face. Sai's blazing eyes full of fury were so painful for Hikaru to look upon. Silent, Hikaru slowly pursed her lips and blinked to keep the tears away. She backed away from Sai a few steps before turning and bolting out of the house. Blinded by tears, Hikaru ran down the streets, turning this way and that until she came upon a fountain in front of a tall building.

Sitting down by the fountain, Hikaru wiped off her tears with the back of her hand. Leaning down into the water, Hikaru observed her tear stained refection. Swirling a finger around in the water to destroy her image, Hikaru muttered softly to herself the words Sai didn't allow her to speak.

"That's not what I meant. That's not what I meant. I didn't mean it that way. He doesn't deserve to have to chase a person like me as his rival. He deserves someone as passionate about go as himself. Someone like Sai. But he can't have someone like Sai because I'm in the way. I'm sorry Sai, I'm selfish. As much as I admire your passion and Akira's passion, I cannot and will not deny myself. I'm sorry Akira-kun. I'm sorry Sai, I can't, I simply can't give up dance to let you play. I don't know if you'd understand but I can't let my dreams slip away just like this."

Wiping a stray tear away from her face, Hikaru continued her ramblings.

"Besides, even if I agreed, you won't be able to stay hidden for long. Then what will happen? Will I be sent for questioning? To the mental wards? How I'm I to continue this charade if I were to get any closer to Touya? He'll be sure to notice."

You could always tell him.

Hikaru spun around that the sound of the voice. There standing not far behind her was Sai.

Hikaru starred at Sai, mouth open and gapping. Gathering her wits, she gulped before asking, 'why are you here Sai?'

I was worried about you when you ran out of the house so I followed.

'But… but I thought you were angry at me?'

I was but now that I've heard what you meant… oh Hikaru-chan, why didn't you just tell me what was going through your head?

'I…I tired but you kept shouting at me and you ignored me and I didn't know what was going on.'

Oh Hikaru-chan, Sai pulled his little sister into a hug and wiped off her tears. I'm so sorry for what I've done. I was so blinded by my love for Go that I never considered what Akira's request might mean to you.

Remembering herself, Hikaru pushed herself out of Sai's arms. She felt she didn't deserve is affection. And she told him why. 'I'm selfish Sai, I won't be able to fulfill your wish to play go forever and neither will I be able to take the status as Touya's rival. I am not worthy of it and he deserves more.'

Sai looked at this self-proclaimed little sister and smiled. She was such a contradiction. Graceful yet such a tomboy, annoying yet lovable, thoughtful yet somewhat selfish; yet Sai would have her no other way. Pulling Hikaru back into his comforting arms, Sai asked the same thing he asked earlier.

Have you ever considered telling him the truth?

Hikaru jerked her head up in shock. 'Are you mad? There's no way I can tell him something as important as this. I don't even know him that well. I've know Akari and Aki for years and I haven't even told them. How will telling him help?'

I just thought it would help make things clearer. Hikaru, at the very least, the boy deserves a reasonable explanation. coaxed Sai.

Well aware that Sai was right, Hikaru nodded her agreement to at least apologize to Touya about her appalling behavior. Her parents would have been so disappointed. Speaking of her parents, Hikaru just realized she'd been out of the house without permission for far longer a time than she should. Then, another thought stuck her. 'Sai, did you close the door after you when you left the house?'

No, Hikaru, I can't touch objects, you know that.

'Shit.' Hikaru had left the front door of her house wide open when she ran out earlier.

Realizing their predicament, the unlikely pair ran towards home.


Author's note: well, that's it. The end of chapter nine. Whoosh! Can you believe it?! I hit chapter 9! Lalala celebration. Alright, I'm really sorry this took so long. I've taken on the IB program you see, dying really. Anyway, I'm quite satisfied with this chapter, actually wanted to add Kaga in but I suppose I could do it some other time. I've been wondering, do you think I should just get rid of Aki and replace her with Akari? This would make things a bit difficult for chapter 6 but I suppose I could make do. It's just that I feel really bad that poor Akari doesn't show up often enough. Akari is supposed to be Hikaru's side kick sorta but its Aki taking her spot. I don't know. I actually prefer Aki to Akari but I suppose that's because Aki is my OC. In any case, I hope you've enjoyed the chapter, please review alright?