Ahh, does anyone know a place around Washington DC where I can get Shounen
Jump?! Mouuu, it's becoming so interesting, but I can't read Chinese
scanlations and it's hard to get in Japanese, so I get behind... I wonder
if Hotta-sensei will really bring Sai back...? Anyway, I'm about at the
point where I'm really going to have to diverge more from the manga -
because if I try to follow it too closely, I'll be contradicting myself...
So, rather than deal with that uncertainty... I know that Hikaru doesn't
play Akira until after winning those 8 matches after he comes back, but
since I think opponents are drawn randomly, I'm going to have Akira be his
first opponent!
On another note, I've finally seen dear Isumi animated~ *heart* I didn't think I would like the anime as much as the manga, but it's really fun! It's colorful! Akira's hair is green! Kouyo has a sexy voice... *hits self*
Chapter Seventeen - Nowaki - Storm
"Hikaru! Wait up!" Waya squinted against the morning sunlight that glinted on passing cars. At least, he thought it was Hikaru... not many people did crazy things like that to their hair. But Hikaru acted as if he hadn't even heard Waya - and Waya had been chasing him for about two blocks, now. They were almost at the station. Hikaru's two-tone hair ruffled in the breeze from traffic as he crossed the pedestrian bridge that ran over the busy street.
"Hikaru!" Finally, Hikaru seemed to notice him. Waya ran out across the bridge, meeting Hikaru in the middle.
"Waya. What are you doing here?" Hikaru's voice was detached, and his eyes seemed to be staring off someplace else. No wonder he hadn't heard Waya's shouting.
"Well, since we both have a game today, I thought we could ride the subway together. I haven't seen you in ages." Actually, it had been a little less than two weeks, but it felt longer. Hikaru seemed... older.
"I know how to ride the subway by myself." Hikaru turned quickly and began to stalk off. A few paces later, he slowed and spoke quietly. "But if we're both going..." Waya nodded, frowning. What was wrong with Hikaru? So the younger boy had always been a bit rude, calling the Go masters 'old men' and never bowing at the right times, but this... Hikaru was cooler than Touya Akira.
Isumi had smiled the night before, when the two of them had poured over the latest issue of Go Weekly. Soon, Isumi would take the Pro exam, and he was trying to be as prepared as possible. Waya thought that no amount of preparation was as valuable as the change he had seen in Isumi's confidence. But still, Isumi read Go magazines as if some magic secret was hidden in their pages. There had been a short interview with Touya Akira, conducted a few weeks before, that had brought a gentle smile to Isumi's face. When Waya asked, Isumi had only said that it was something for Hikaru to tell.
Waya might have dropped out of school, but he was smart enough to figure that out. Hikaru had been angsting over Touya Akira for ages. But now, the look on Hikaru's face... something must have gone terribly wrong.
"Um, Hikaru..." began Waya, shoving his hands in the pockets of his camouflage jacket. "Isumi said... I mean... never mind. So you're playing Touya Akira today, right?" Hikaru whirled to face Waya with such speed that the older boy was taken aback.
"I'll crush him!" whispered Hikaru. Those green eyes were filled with determination, but the morning light reflected off them strangely - filled with tears, as well. Waya regretted even mentioning Touya's name.
"Umm... yeah, well... I've got a game against Yamahana Atsushi... he's only 18, but he's really good. But you know, us guys in the lower dan levels never make it out of the second round, if that far. These are O- teai matches; we've still got years to go before we can beat the top players. But the Hokuto Cup is pretty soon and all, and that's an international match for young guys..." Waya realised that Hikaru was barely listening to a word he said.
"Akira could make it." Waya could only see the back of Hikaru's head, but his fists were clenched tightly as his sides. When Hikaru slid his commuter pass through the subway machine, the paperboard card bend under the stress of his grasp. "And I don't ever want to be chasing him again. I have to win."
Damn, whatever had happened with Akira, it had been bad... Waya looked dejectedly out the subway window as it travelled through the darkness. Had Akira turned him down? Waya didn't think so. Hikaru wasn't the sort to let rejection tear him apart. He was a fighter, and would never give up. But the Hikaru sitting next to him only stared at the floor, letting bleached fringe fall over his eyes so Waya couldn't read his expression.
Staring out into the blurred emptiness between stations, Waya let his mind wander to more pleasant thoughts. In the back of the magazine shop, yesterday, Isumi had kissed him so lightly that Waya hadn't even been sure it was a kiss. But then looking over at Isumi covering his reddened face behind a newspaper, Waya had to grin. Isumi's shy, hesitant ways of showing his true feelings were a total contrast to Waya's usual openness, but those stolen kisses were sweeter than anything. It was silly to say that they "fit well together", because really, there were no rules that governed what kind of people could fall in love.
Soon, Isumi would also be a pro. This time, Waya felt sure of it. After his defeat last year, Waya had feared that Isumi would lose everything. But now, Isumi's lack of confidence had turned to determination, and nothing would hold him back.
Nothing at all would keep Isumi from winning. Waya breath had fogged the window, obscuring his view. The train slowed to a stop at their station.
What would happen when Isumi was also a pro? Was competition all that stood between Akira and Hikaru? As they left the station, Hikaru was strangely silent. Usually he ran up the stairs; today his body seemed too weary to make it to the next step. Today, Hikaru would face Akira. How long before Waya faced Isumi, and what kind of fight would it be?
The white Japan Go building loomed in his view once they reached street level, a silent threat. 'Isumi, I...' he thought. Could he win against Isumi? They were both strong players... the real question was, could he play against Isumi?
'Isumi, I... I can't do it!' Of course, no one could hear Waya's mental confession. How could he go against the person he loved? 'Isumi... we can't do this.' Pushing through the doors of the Go Institute, Waya's thoughts were interrupted by a man carrying a clipboard.
"Waya Yoshitaka-kun?" Ah, no one besides his mother called him "Yoshitaka." The man with the clipboard continued. "You're almost late - Yamahana-kun is in the playing room already." Now the man frowned, looking at Hikaru. "Shindou-kun? The games begin soon, and your opponent has not yet checked in."
"Touya's not here?!" There was desperation in Hikaru's voice. The man shook his head.
"Not yet, at least. Usually he's very punctual. Perhaps his father is ill again. I thought I should tell you, since if he does not appear, you get a forfeit win."
"I don't want a forfeit wi..." Hikaru was cut off by a woman's voice calling his name.
"Shindou-kun!" Hikaru and Waya both turned to see a girl, maybe college age, who looked out of breath from running.
"You know her?" Hikaru's brow furrowed.
"She... she works at the Go salon where I first played... that guy." Akira, obviously.
"Shindou-kun, please wait!" He shoes made clicking noises as she rushed over to the two boys. "Maybe it would have been better to call!" She smoothed her light-colored hair before bowing to the older man. "I'm sorry, but Akira-kun won't be coming today." Hikaru's reaction was predictable, and the man with the clipboard nearly dropped his pen. Waya just frowned. "He hasn't been at the Go salon all week, so I called his home to make sure he wasn't ill! He... he's fine..." She trailed off, biting her lower lip.
"Where is he?!" blurted Hikaru.
"He... Shindou-kun, I don't know why, but... Akira-kun doesn't want to play." This shocked even Waya.
"But Touya Akira is..." Waya was pale, and the hands in the pockets of his jacket had formed tight fists. He feared this year's pro exams more than he had feared his own. Soon, Isumi... Waya almost missed the girl's next quiet words.
"Akira-kun doesn't want to play Go anymore."
Useful Japanese Section!
Nowaki - Chapter 28 of "Genji", translated as "Typhoon" in my edition. But a typhoon is a sea storm, and a nowaki is actually a late-autumn windstorm that foreshadows winter's harshness. O-teai - Pro matches Hokuto Cup - Is this real, or did Hotta-sensei make it up? It's a China- Japan-Korea tournament for young pros that works like a team match.
On another note, I've finally seen dear Isumi animated~ *heart* I didn't think I would like the anime as much as the manga, but it's really fun! It's colorful! Akira's hair is green! Kouyo has a sexy voice... *hits self*
Chapter Seventeen - Nowaki - Storm
"Hikaru! Wait up!" Waya squinted against the morning sunlight that glinted on passing cars. At least, he thought it was Hikaru... not many people did crazy things like that to their hair. But Hikaru acted as if he hadn't even heard Waya - and Waya had been chasing him for about two blocks, now. They were almost at the station. Hikaru's two-tone hair ruffled in the breeze from traffic as he crossed the pedestrian bridge that ran over the busy street.
"Hikaru!" Finally, Hikaru seemed to notice him. Waya ran out across the bridge, meeting Hikaru in the middle.
"Waya. What are you doing here?" Hikaru's voice was detached, and his eyes seemed to be staring off someplace else. No wonder he hadn't heard Waya's shouting.
"Well, since we both have a game today, I thought we could ride the subway together. I haven't seen you in ages." Actually, it had been a little less than two weeks, but it felt longer. Hikaru seemed... older.
"I know how to ride the subway by myself." Hikaru turned quickly and began to stalk off. A few paces later, he slowed and spoke quietly. "But if we're both going..." Waya nodded, frowning. What was wrong with Hikaru? So the younger boy had always been a bit rude, calling the Go masters 'old men' and never bowing at the right times, but this... Hikaru was cooler than Touya Akira.
Isumi had smiled the night before, when the two of them had poured over the latest issue of Go Weekly. Soon, Isumi would take the Pro exam, and he was trying to be as prepared as possible. Waya thought that no amount of preparation was as valuable as the change he had seen in Isumi's confidence. But still, Isumi read Go magazines as if some magic secret was hidden in their pages. There had been a short interview with Touya Akira, conducted a few weeks before, that had brought a gentle smile to Isumi's face. When Waya asked, Isumi had only said that it was something for Hikaru to tell.
Waya might have dropped out of school, but he was smart enough to figure that out. Hikaru had been angsting over Touya Akira for ages. But now, the look on Hikaru's face... something must have gone terribly wrong.
"Um, Hikaru..." began Waya, shoving his hands in the pockets of his camouflage jacket. "Isumi said... I mean... never mind. So you're playing Touya Akira today, right?" Hikaru whirled to face Waya with such speed that the older boy was taken aback.
"I'll crush him!" whispered Hikaru. Those green eyes were filled with determination, but the morning light reflected off them strangely - filled with tears, as well. Waya regretted even mentioning Touya's name.
"Umm... yeah, well... I've got a game against Yamahana Atsushi... he's only 18, but he's really good. But you know, us guys in the lower dan levels never make it out of the second round, if that far. These are O- teai matches; we've still got years to go before we can beat the top players. But the Hokuto Cup is pretty soon and all, and that's an international match for young guys..." Waya realised that Hikaru was barely listening to a word he said.
"Akira could make it." Waya could only see the back of Hikaru's head, but his fists were clenched tightly as his sides. When Hikaru slid his commuter pass through the subway machine, the paperboard card bend under the stress of his grasp. "And I don't ever want to be chasing him again. I have to win."
Damn, whatever had happened with Akira, it had been bad... Waya looked dejectedly out the subway window as it travelled through the darkness. Had Akira turned him down? Waya didn't think so. Hikaru wasn't the sort to let rejection tear him apart. He was a fighter, and would never give up. But the Hikaru sitting next to him only stared at the floor, letting bleached fringe fall over his eyes so Waya couldn't read his expression.
Staring out into the blurred emptiness between stations, Waya let his mind wander to more pleasant thoughts. In the back of the magazine shop, yesterday, Isumi had kissed him so lightly that Waya hadn't even been sure it was a kiss. But then looking over at Isumi covering his reddened face behind a newspaper, Waya had to grin. Isumi's shy, hesitant ways of showing his true feelings were a total contrast to Waya's usual openness, but those stolen kisses were sweeter than anything. It was silly to say that they "fit well together", because really, there were no rules that governed what kind of people could fall in love.
Soon, Isumi would also be a pro. This time, Waya felt sure of it. After his defeat last year, Waya had feared that Isumi would lose everything. But now, Isumi's lack of confidence had turned to determination, and nothing would hold him back.
Nothing at all would keep Isumi from winning. Waya breath had fogged the window, obscuring his view. The train slowed to a stop at their station.
What would happen when Isumi was also a pro? Was competition all that stood between Akira and Hikaru? As they left the station, Hikaru was strangely silent. Usually he ran up the stairs; today his body seemed too weary to make it to the next step. Today, Hikaru would face Akira. How long before Waya faced Isumi, and what kind of fight would it be?
The white Japan Go building loomed in his view once they reached street level, a silent threat. 'Isumi, I...' he thought. Could he win against Isumi? They were both strong players... the real question was, could he play against Isumi?
'Isumi, I... I can't do it!' Of course, no one could hear Waya's mental confession. How could he go against the person he loved? 'Isumi... we can't do this.' Pushing through the doors of the Go Institute, Waya's thoughts were interrupted by a man carrying a clipboard.
"Waya Yoshitaka-kun?" Ah, no one besides his mother called him "Yoshitaka." The man with the clipboard continued. "You're almost late - Yamahana-kun is in the playing room already." Now the man frowned, looking at Hikaru. "Shindou-kun? The games begin soon, and your opponent has not yet checked in."
"Touya's not here?!" There was desperation in Hikaru's voice. The man shook his head.
"Not yet, at least. Usually he's very punctual. Perhaps his father is ill again. I thought I should tell you, since if he does not appear, you get a forfeit win."
"I don't want a forfeit wi..." Hikaru was cut off by a woman's voice calling his name.
"Shindou-kun!" Hikaru and Waya both turned to see a girl, maybe college age, who looked out of breath from running.
"You know her?" Hikaru's brow furrowed.
"She... she works at the Go salon where I first played... that guy." Akira, obviously.
"Shindou-kun, please wait!" He shoes made clicking noises as she rushed over to the two boys. "Maybe it would have been better to call!" She smoothed her light-colored hair before bowing to the older man. "I'm sorry, but Akira-kun won't be coming today." Hikaru's reaction was predictable, and the man with the clipboard nearly dropped his pen. Waya just frowned. "He hasn't been at the Go salon all week, so I called his home to make sure he wasn't ill! He... he's fine..." She trailed off, biting her lower lip.
"Where is he?!" blurted Hikaru.
"He... Shindou-kun, I don't know why, but... Akira-kun doesn't want to play." This shocked even Waya.
"But Touya Akira is..." Waya was pale, and the hands in the pockets of his jacket had formed tight fists. He feared this year's pro exams more than he had feared his own. Soon, Isumi... Waya almost missed the girl's next quiet words.
"Akira-kun doesn't want to play Go anymore."
Useful Japanese Section!
Nowaki - Chapter 28 of "Genji", translated as "Typhoon" in my edition. But a typhoon is a sea storm, and a nowaki is actually a late-autumn windstorm that foreshadows winter's harshness. O-teai - Pro matches Hokuto Cup - Is this real, or did Hotta-sensei make it up? It's a China- Japan-Korea tournament for young pros that works like a team match.