Chapter 3

Placing a stone down on the board, Hikaru sighed with his cheek resting on his hand as he waited for his opponent to move. He was starting to regret having not insisted on using game clocks. True it wasn't an official game, but he did want to finish before he became an adult.

Across from him, Kawai stared at the board with sweat dripping down his face, fingers scratching his chin. A minute later he placed a stone down, attaching to one of Hikaru's white stones. Lifting his head up, Hikaru was pleasantly surprised at the short delay. Quickly placing another stone, he decided to glance around the Go Salon while Kawai continued to study the board in a futile attempt to survive. Four others stood around the board watching the game, some scratching or rubbing their chins, one with arms folded. The owner of the Salon had been watching, but had gone off to check up on another pair of paying customers who were in the middle of a game as well. Then there was the strange old lady who ran the register who otherwise Hikaru couldn't remember having ever seen do anything.

A 'klak' on the board told Hikaru that Kawai had made his move, and turning to see the board again, Hikaru needed merely glance to see what Kawai was attempting. Placing his white stone down to a collective sound of gasps and 'ohhh' from around him, Hikaru returned to scanning the room.

"Hey, don't think just because you're a pro that you don't have to pay attention against me and still win!"

Without even thinking Hikaru replied, "Well I guess only five stones was a bit unfair. Maybe seven or eight would have been better."

"YOU PUNK!" Kawai dove around the board and put Hikaru into a headlock. "Don't think you're all that just because of that article in Weekly Go! After all, you lost by half a point to that Korean guy, Ko Yeong Ha!"

Gritting his teeth Hikaru struggled to get free; finally managing it once Kawai realized that while he was putting Hikaru in a headlock someone else had taken his seat. The lack of focus had been enough to allow Hikaru to escape. "Hey Niimi, I was… that is I…"

"Six stones for me, and if you don't mind could we play shidougo instead?"

The owner, overhearing this, said, "Hey Niimi, if you're going to have him teaching you, don't you think you should be paying him for it? He is a pro after all."

"Ack!"

Everyone around including Hikaru began to laugh at that. As the laughter died down, Hikaru answered, "It's all right, I don't mind. You sure six will be enough though?"

"Heh, yeah, as long as it's a teaching game it should be."

Silently admitting defeat at a rematch anytime soon, Kawai walked over by the owner near the counter as Niimi began to place his handicap stones. Leaning back against the counter so that he could watch the game from afar, Kawai said, "Shindo is amazing huh?"

The owner nodded. "It's hard to believe he was that same insei who challenged us to a team game almost two years ago. Now he's right up there with Akira Toya 3 - Dan as one of the premier young pro players."

Kawai chuckled. "Yeah, but he's good for business if he keeps coming here. Famous player like that always attracts a crowd."

Then he heard Hikaru saying "No. Playing these types of games relaxes me. Besides, there's something else right now that I need to focus on. I have to face Akira in the Young Lions Tournament."

The mention of Akira's name caused a calamity of comments and questions. It was a big deal for many of the patrons, all huge fans of Hikaru, to hear about him facing off against the other lower Dan heavyweight. Meanwhile the owner was once again scanning Weekly Go, then said, "Ah, here it is. You'd have to play Toya though in the finals. It says here that your next match is against someone named Asumi Nase. Hmmm, no ranking, is she an insei then?"

Hikaru nodded. "Yeah, I know her from when I was an insei."

Kawai then said, "Well if she's just an insei then she won't be much of a challenge for our Shindo."

Doumoto replied, "But doesn't she have to be decent to get to the third round?"

"So what?" Kawai rebutted. "Shindo went blow for blow with Ko Yongha and almost won!" Turning to Hikaru he said, "Come on tell them Shindo. Easy win right?"

Hikaru's eyes became distant, as his thoughts flashed back to the glimpses of Nase's recent games. More importantly though, he was listening to his instinct on the matter. Finally he replied, "I won't know until we play."

###

Standing by one of the few remaining game tables, two young pros conversed. "Yeah, this tournament is a relief for me, I don't get to play that many games right now. Outside this tournament, I've only played four official games so far."

Hikaru nodded. "Tell me about it Isumi. I remember when I first started; it seemed like I had to wait forever for each of my games. The Honinbo 1st prelims should be starting up next month though, so that should get you some tournament play."

"I know." Isumi answered. "So far they've just given me Dan matches. I'm two and two in them though."

Hikaru then added, "You and I don't have any Dan games against each other this year. Guess we'll have to play in a tournament match."

Isumi smiled. "I look forward to it. I've improved since our last game."

"Cool. You better not lose in the tournaments until we play then."

Hikaru nodded, his own expression remaining calm and cheerful. "Yeah, I'm playing Nase in my first match today. I'm looking forward to it. I think it'll be very interesting."

Isumi nodded, then frowned. "I play Toya in my first game."

Hikaru's mind came into focus and his expression turned serious at the mentioning of his rival. "Touya? You're playing Touya?"

Isumi nodded. "I'll really have to focus. To be honest I'd rather switch with you. Playing Nase ought to be a piece of cake by comparison."

As Hikaru was about to reply they heard a strange noise and turned to see Nase standing there frozen in shock. Isumi jumped to rephrase. "Nase I… I didn't mean that you're… it's just that, compared to Toya… I didn't mean that…"

Words failed him though, and Nase's head lowered. It was quite obvious that she was taking the comment as a statement on her lack of strength, and her confidence was waning as a result.

###

The announcement came, and Nase reached for her bowl to nigiri. As she placed two stones on the board, she looked up again at Hikaru, and was amazed at how much his facial expression had changed. Gone was the smiling, friendly face she'd remembered, replaced by a taut, determined gaze. He really was taking this seriously.

Klak. Klak. Klak.

Klak. Klak.

The lower corner became a pitched battleground, with Nase pushing and Hikaru easily countering. Still, she was hardly making this game easy on him.

Klak. Klak. Klak. Klak.

Nase froze. He'd played a hane. She had been sure he'd attach there. What was he thinking? Was it a mistake, or was it a plan? He had to have noticed the trap by now. Then she saw it, and her face paled. He'd done it on purpose. He'd trapped her in a trap of her own creation. The position now favored Hikaru, and she couldn't stop it now.

Klak.

She could try to endure, but it seemed pointless now.

Klak.

Hikaru had out-read her, and this game was over.

Shhft.

Hikaru had opened his fan up and was now watching the board with it covering his lower face. Feeling the tears well up again, Nase lowered her head and said, "I… I resign."

Closing up the fan, Hikaru smiled and said, "Thank you. That was really fun."

Nase thanked him back, and wiped away a tear. Fun, it was fun for him. She'd tried so hard, and he'd just been having fun.

"You sure gave me a workout though. Man, my palms were sweating there for awhile."

Looking up, Nase just stared at him. She had him sweating? Smiling as the compliment of before dawned on her, Nase once again wiped away the tears. He'd found the game fun because it was challenging, not because she'd been easy for him to beat.

Sniffing again, Nase then said, "Shindou… thank you."