Chapter 3

The four Go players hovered around the letter in shock.

Shindo Hikaru was going to commit suicide.

Impossible.

Shindo Hikaru was too strong, too stubborn to even think of such an act. And yet, in the hands of Touya Akira, lay the undeniable proof. Shindo Hikaru had sent them a suicide note. The image of the normally cheerful boy, had been dimmed since his collapse a week ago. but this sudden revelation shattered it. After a moment of silence all hell broke loose.

Akari panicked. "What are we going to do? Hikaru is probably already-"

"Don't say that! There has to be a way, we just have to think of it!" Waya yelled.

"But…" Akari started.

"Fujisaki, think! You've known Shindo the longest. Where could he be?" Waya asked frantically.

"I don't know! Hikaru never told me anything. Especially after…" Akari thought back frantically, and suddenly everything fell into place. The mystery that had shrouded her once close friend was now becoming clear, as she remembered…

"This stain won't come off." Hikaru complained.

Akari leaned over, "I don't see a stain, it's clean"

"There is a blood stain here." Hikaru continued.

Akari looked closer "Where?"

"Here" Hikaru pointed.

"Where??" Akari asked again.

"HERE!" Hikaru raised his voice. "Yeah, that's what I was saying…" he continued.

Who was he talking to then?

Suddenly Hikaru stood up, and searched the room frantically. "Who's there?" He exclaimed.

Frightened, Akari started to leave, when she heard Hikaru collapse. "Hikaru?" Whe she went to him, Hikaru was already unconscious.

That's right, since that day….

"Go?" Akari asked puzzled "Hikaru plays go?"

He was always looking over his shoulder, distracted by something. And he even passed history! He changed after that day. I always wondered why…

"Fujisaki! FUJISAKI!" Waya's voice snapped Akari out of her reverie.

"I know where he is! He's going to go to his Grandfather's house! That must be where he met Sai!" Akari exclaimed.

Then despaired, "but, its at the other side of town, that's at least a 25 minute train ride from here, we'll never make it! Hikaru is probably already--"

"Don't say that!" Everyone jumped. Kawai-san had finally said something, surprising everyone. "Everyone get in my taxi, I can have us there in five minutes." Everyone was shocked, and slow to react.

"Well, get a move on!" Kawai-san barked.

With that everyone scrambled into the taxi.

Hikaru hovered around the window of his room. He knew that Akari would be coming home before going to "meet" him. He had no intention whatsoever of accidentally running into Akari, and having to postpone his plans. Unfortunately a week of barely eating or sleeping had taken its toll on Hikaru's body. He had fainted shortly after lunch, during gym class. It took a lot of effort to convince his mother to let him go out, he told her that he was going to go meet up with some friends to hang out. After much persistence, his mother finally gave in saying that she had been worried about him not getting out enough lately. Feeling slightly guilty about lying, well it wasn't exactly a lie, its just that his friend happened to be dead.

Finally, 4:00 rolled by, and he could see Akari walking down the street to the train station. After waiting about a few minutes, he left to catch his own train.

Arriving at his grandfather's house, he snuck in, so as not to alert his grandfather. Pulling out the old Go board, he ran his fingers across the grain of the wood.

"It's completely gone" He whispered as if surprised.

Digging down deeper into the chest he found two old Go containers. Inside were beautiful clam shell and slate stones. Unable to resist the urge, he started to place the stones, replaying Sai's last game with him. Finally reaching his last move, he stared across the board, as if expecting Sai to suddenly appear to finish the game. A wretch in his heart as the realization hit him once again, and he remembered why he had come here. Taking out the family tanto that he had stolen from the display case in his grandfather's living room, he slowly ran his finger across it. Wincing at the pain, a trickle of blood ran down his finger. He decided it was sharp enough. With closed eyes he held his breath and quickly ran it across his wrist, cutting nearly to the bone. Gasping with pain, Hikaru let his hand drop on the Go board, spilling none of the stones, only his blood. After several minutes, Hikaru started to feel very cold, and weak. He was almost mesmerized by the growing red stain. How appropriate, that both Sai's hosts spill their blood on the same Go board. Looking up Hikaru thought he could see the barest outline of the Hein period ghost.

Smiling weakly he whispered "Sai, its your turn."

Just before his vision blacked out entirely, he heard his name called.

"Hikaru!"

Author's note: Thanks everyone for your reviews. I makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. To Kori Nibiki and Kyaroru-chan, you get the no-prize for figuring out my plot! Yea! Ummm, that just means special recognition, I can't really give you anything (well I could but that would take effort and thought). I really like reviews, and I don't mind if you do semi-rants, or even full rants. As long as its constructive, I'm fine with it. Now then, I've left you all with quite a cliffhanger haven't I? Unfortunately, I'm going to Oregon for the weekend, and probably won't have time to post until like Monday. I might even post later than that. Although... if I get enough reviews, it might motivate me to post as soon as possible hint, hint. Seriously though, the reason I even posted the third chapter so quickly is because of the reviews. It lets me know that someone else is enjoying the fruits of my labor.