Chapter 26

Moving to take a seat across from Hikaru, Koyo Touya settled himself and gazed across the table at the young man before him. Hikaru just sat there looking back, unsure of what to do. All he could think about was to do his best to not show how much his body seemed to be trembling, or was it a tingling he felt? Those eyes, they just penetrated him so deeply, he could feel them even now probing him as if searching for some answer within his soul.

Finally, after what seemed like a short eternity had past, Koyo said calmly, "Thank you for being a friend to Akira. I know this life, this world of Go, can be difficult on someone like him who is different, special. To have someone like you to call his friend and to relate with is good for him, and as his father to see it brings me much joy."

Relaxing ever so slightly, Hikaru began to breathe easier. He had been somewhat afraid that Koyo would have requested another match against Sai, something that Hikaru would have loved to grant if it was within his power. Sadly, it was not, as Sai was now gone. Still, talking to him about himself and Akira, it just seemed… "Well Sensei, umm… I appreciate that and all, but I don't know if I'd say that Akira and I are friends."

Cocking an eyebrow as an amused expression slid over his face, Koyo replied, "Really? Why would you say that? You spend much time at my Go salon together, and I know that Akira enjoys your company. So what would you call the two of you then?"

His shoulders scrunching in slightly as a sense of diminutive size came over him, Hikaru answered, "Well, I guess we're rivals."

A light chuckle escaped Koyo's lips, transforming into a warm smile moments later. "Rivals you say? Well, the two of you are most certainly that. However I believe that you are also friends. I myself have known many rivals in my time, Kuwabara, Ichiryu, So Chan Wan, Shigeo, even if that rivalry is more between our students these days. I'm sure you can understand that."

Hikaru nodded. He had wondered for some time now if the rivalry between the Toya and Morishita groups had been a one-sided affair, but now Koyo Toya was saying that there was some validity to it. Wait until he told Waya.

Koyo continued. "However, in addition to being my rivals, I consider all of them to be my friends. Akira and you are the same Shindo, rivals in the game, but friends outside of the Go board."

Staring up at Koyo Toya in awe, Hikaru blinked his wide-eyed eyelids. Now that he thought about it that way, it sort of made sense. True, he had always thought of Akira as his rival, the person in the Go world he had the most respect for as he chased after him with all he had. The time spent together, their discussions, opinions, arguments even, was it truly possible that out of that rivalry friendship had been born? Was this something that just happened, a rival transforming into something more? Did people just wake up one day to discover such things? And not just friendship, but love too. Was this how people discovered love for one another, just waking up and saying, "Oh, wow, I just realized that I actually love that person." Goodness, it was all too confusing.

"I saw your match against Ko Yeong Ha. I watched it in the team discussion room."

Exhaling, Hikaru closed his eyes and then a long moment later reopened them. Perhaps it was all right, the conversation was moving away. So Koyo had been there after all, he'd watched that match. His eyes moving down to the table between them, Hikaru felt his fists tightening as memories of that match slid back into his head. "Yes, that was a very… frustrating match."

"Because you could not defend Shusaku?" Looking back up now in surprise, Hikaru just nodded, unable to really answer.

Noticing this, Koyo responded, "I heard about how Ko Yeong Ha insulted Shusaku from Kurata. Having seen other game records from your more recent games, I can see your study of Shusaku is as passionate as Kurata described it. I'm sure it hurt not being able to rise to the challenge that day against someone such as that boy. It is the same way I felt when I was unable to defeat Sai, that for all my struggles and study I was unable to rise to the challenge I had given myself."

Hikaru nodded. "Yeah, you retired after that, I remember. Toya-sensei, I never wanted you to do that you know. I just…"

"You wanted me to take Sai seriously. I know, and I'm glad you were so passionate about it. From that game I have begun to find a new vitality, a new kind of Go that I had never known before. You have been a very good influence on my family it seems, and when the gods arranged for you to enter our lives, it was truly a good day."

Blushing slightly, Hikaru replied, "Umm, thank you Sensei. I don't… I don't really think I did all that much but…"

"Oh, but you did" Koyo interjected. "I have also played against Ko Yeong Ha you know. After playing against him, and seeing his game, his soul before me, it was then I realized how fortunate my family has been to know you. Ko Yeong Ha is much like Akira you see; their talents and skills are comparable. The difference though is that Ko Yeong Ha has never known the challenge, the terror, that Akira has known from losing his match to you three and a half years ago. He is cocky, brazen, constantly seeking amusement because he can find no true challenge before him on the Go board, at least amongst his peers. My son may not have become like this even if you had not appeared before him, but back then I could sense his immense sorrow at having no one like himself to play, no rival to call his own.

"Then you appeared and he changed. Never before had I seen Akira so frightened yet determined to improve, to face someone. He has never changed, and it's because he met you. He does not have the time to be arrogant or brash, to sit back and allow his ego to grow, because he knows that if he does-"

"I'll defeat Ko Yong Ha one day." Hikaru interrupted. A moment passed before Hikaru suddenly realized what he'd done, that he'd interrupted Koyo Toya.

Before he could apologize however, Koyo with a warm smile replied, "Yes, exactly. You should also know that I have heard from So Chan Wan that Ko Yeong Ha was quite distraught for a month or so after the Hokuto Cup. Apparently you left an impression on him that lingers, despite his victory."

Hikaru nodded. "He left an impression on me too. That's why next time I'll…"

"Surpass him? For that you'll need to improve some first, get closer to your master's level."

Cocking an eyebrow, Hikaru replied, "Master? Do you mean Morishita-sensei?"

Shaking his head, Koyo leaned in and answered softly, "No, I mean Sai."

His eyes widening, Hikaru replied, "Sensei I-"

"I do not know who, why, or even how," Koyo interrupted, "but I do know from what I have seen of your matches that it is Sai who taught you how to play. Do not worry though, I will not tell anyone else, including Akira. While I do not understand it completely, I will honor your secrecy on this."

Smiling, Hikaru nodded. "Thank you Sensei."

"After my retirement was announced Shigeo came over to visit me and during our discussions he mentioned that you had made a comment on my match against Sai. He said that you saw a path to victory that I had not seen. He was very impressed with you, and even if I were to write off that path as a lucky fluke, Shigeo's opinion of you, not to mention Akira's, carries great weight with me."

"That match against Sai was truly exquisite" Koyo went on. "Never have I desired a rematch against someone as I do against him. It was like… , it was as if Shusaku's ghost had returned to this world and challenged me to a match. Yes, that was exactly what it was like, as if I was facing a modern Shusaku, returned from the afterlife filled with the understanding of modern joseki, don't you agree?"

Hikaru could do nothing but sit there with his breath held. He'd done it, he'd solved the mystery of Sai, found him and seen what he truly was. Koyo Toya, listening to him talk about Go as he did was so much like listening to Sai, that depth of intuitiveness mixed with joy and sorrow. Perhaps he deserved to know, to be vindicated by learning the truth. He could certainly keep a secret.

As Hikaru began to speak however, Koyo began to laugh softly and said, "Heh, what am I saying? I shouldn't talk like that or else people might start to think I've lost my senses. Still, it is an intriguing notion. It's something my students have brought up to me on occasion, what it would be like if Shusaku were to return and knew modern joseki, quite amusing." Turning his gaze to view Hikaru fully Koyo then added, "Come Shindo, we had best make our way back to the game. After all, we wouldn't want Akira to think that we'd abandoned him. Who knows how that thought might drive him in his play."

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This was not good at all. Taking a towel and wiping the sweat from his brow, Akira scanned over the board one last time. He'd known after returning from lunch what he'd needed to do, spent all of lunch planning out what he needed to do, yet he had not allowed himself to do it once the game had begun again. He had sat back and secured his territory, allowing Ogata to do the same. Unfortunately, Ogata's territory was larger than his own was. All that left then was the center of the board.

Glancing at the time clock, Akira took a deep breath and then exhaled. He had plenty of time still, no need to panic. If he took his time and thought this out, he had a chance, panic and it was over. He had seen and played too many games in the past where a player panicked and overlooked a path to victory, and he could not allow that now, not as things were, with his father present, with Hikaru watching. But did the path even exist?

There was a path. Sitting off to the side watching as Akira searched over the board, Hikaru waited impatiently. The path was not an easy one to see, in fact the first several moves after entering the center looked rather foolish at first, but in the end that path would appear. It would ask much from Akira though; forcing him to abandon the timid and defensive play of earlier, not to mention several of his beliefs on what Ogata would or would not see, but it was there for him.

Closing his eyes, Akira lowered his head and let out a long sigh. It didn't exist, there was no path to salvation. If there was, he didn't see it. He had lost, hesitated against his opponent, and been cut down as a result. It was over.

Opening his eyes, Akira felt the words of resignation begin to choke in his throat, unable to arise. Hikaru, he had helped him so much, offered him advice and yet Akira had failed his rival's expectations, he'd allowed himself to feel fear and doubt and failed. He'd failed to keep up with Hikaru.

Turning his head slowly, Akira moved his eyes to find Hikaru. He had to tell him, if only in silence, that he had failed and to apologize. As his eyes locked onto his rival however, Akira saw something else, something that caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end. Hikaru was staring back at him with a fire in his eyes. Not an angry fire, but one of determination. It could only mean…

The weight that seemed to press down upon Akira suddenly vanished as his spirit began to rise. Hikaru saw it, the path to victory. He had seen that look in his rival's eyes before, the look of a wounded predator who had not given in, but rather was encouraged by the sheer impossibility of it all. He was undeterred, the path open to his eyes.

His eyes returning to the board before him, Akira once more began to look ahead into the depths of the board. The path he sought, he knew how to look now. If it was Hikaru, then there was a means by which he would respond. When down and cornered, Hikaru resorted to one thing, attack. The path would be strong and bold, striking deeply at his opponent and forcing them to reel back in defense while he took the time to secure the position. Whether it was a thrust, a ko threat or an endgame maneuver, Hikaru would call to push and attack, allowing no time to breathe. That was his Go.

Then suddenly Akira's eyes froze over the board. There, that spot, it was everything that Hikaru would look for, and it was just unexpected enough to force his opponent to think for a moment. First though…

Ka-Chi.

First he needed to enter. Ogata would respond by playing the approach to keep him from playing there himself, and then…

Ka-Chi. Ka-Chi.

Hikaru grinned as several people around him began to sit up more attentively. They might think that move seemed wrong, a clear mistake, but in four moves from now they ought to begin to see the purpose behind it. As those moves began to play out across the board Hikaru sat back contently and began to calculate out the final score after all was said and done. It would be close, and though it could easily vary depending on the exact order of the endgame placements, Akira ought to come out ahead by about a point and a half. All that was left now was to…

Ka-Chi.

Hikaru's eyes froze on the board as his house of cards began to crumble at this new vibration. That wasn't the correct order, Akira was deviating, playing something else. No, this wasn't happening, he had been certain that Akira had seen it, but then he…

Ka-Chi.

Yes, Ogata would play there and then there and there and after it was all said and done Akira would lose by a good eight points. As long as Ogata was careful and made sure to respond to… what was he thinking, he was figuring out how Ogata would win now?

Ka-Chi. Ka-Chi.

Ka-Chi.

Both Hikaru and Akira froze. That move, it was… how could they have not seen it? By playing there they'd have to go around on the other side or else… it wasn't going to work. That stone forced them to come down on the wrong side, and more importantly cost about four points in the process.

Hikaru began to recalculate but he knew there was no point. The game was over now, Akira would lose by a good four or five points. He could try and play it out of course, but there was no point and Hikaru knew it. Unless Akira took all the ko battles remaining in his own favor, something that at this point it was unlikely that even someone like Akari would allow to happen let alone a titleholder like Ogata, he had no more chance. It was all over. The only possible reason to play it out would be to force Ogata to keep playing to the end, to say that he won by points rather than resignation.

It seemed stupid, pointless even, but then Akira was nothing if not stubborn, even if it was purely for stubbornness' sake. So it was likely that they'd have to wait until the end before-

"…I resign."

Ogata removed his glasses and began to clean the lenses, Hikaru began to make his way over to the board to discuss. "So", Ogata commented with a sneer as he finished wiping his lenses, "you've grown a little Akira, but you're still quite below me."

As Akira's head lowered in shame, tears beginning to well up in his eyes, he sensed a sudden surge of aggression off to one side. Turning to view it, he saw Hikaru scraping his teeth together in anger. Before anyone could respond or say anything else, Hikaru shot back, "He is not below you Ogata-sensei! A couple of moves played differently and he would have beaten you!"

Turning to view Hikaru fully as he put his glasses back on, Ogata grinned and with a mocking voice replied, "Maybe, but he failed to make those moves now didn't he? Before you boast about Akira's skill, perhaps you should think things through.'

Frowning as a slight growl entered his voice, Hikaru shot back, "I wouldn't have said that if I didn't believe in what I said. I could have beaten you, and if I can, then so can Touya!"

Cocking an eyebrow at this, Ogata replied calmly, "Defeat me? Hmmm, now that sounds interesting. Perhaps then, since I am your next opponent in the Kisei League, you will show me where your confidence comes from then?"

His anger rising as the Judan titleholder gave him that smug, superior grin, Hikaru responded, "Of course! I won't lose to you, no matter what! And when I do, you'll have to acknowledge that both Touya and I are at you level."

Chuckling to himself as he pressed his glasses back up his nose, Ogata replied, "Fine then, it's a bet. If you defeat me, I will. However, if you can't then you will agree to my terms."

Giving a mock grunt, Hikaru shot back, "Fine, whatever."

At those words a devilish grin slid across Ogata's face. "Good, then if I win Shindo…" Ogata leaned closer to Hikaru and said softly, "you will let me play Sai."

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Credits to: Leitbur (The Never-ending Road)