Chapter 2 - Shiragaku Yumita

Hikaru rushed home, he quickly went into his room and closed the door, making sure that his parents dont notice. He sat down beside Sai, waiting for an answer.
"What is he going to tell me, i wonder if it's another lame thing of Sai?" Hikaru thought.
"Hikaru, you might think that i have gone crazy and gone nutso, but i'm quite sure about what i'm going to tell you." Sai said.
"Ok Sai, i'm listening, get to the point," Hikaru sighed, looking at Sai, he had changed somehow, from a happy, cry baby Sai to a very worry and concern Sai. Hikaru doesnt know, and may be he will never know. And he was just starting to notice those after their last game with Akira.

"Akira does have a ghost, like you, i dont know why i didn't see that person when Akira played against you, may be he or she hided somewhere, or didnt appear. But i am quite sure that it is one of the top player at my time, the Heian period, I recognised the style of that pattern. I played that person long long time ago."

Sai told Hikaru everything about the tournament when he played with a very powerful Pro.

"Ok, so what we do now is you have to play your best the next time i play Touya, and somehow manage to get that ghost to appear. But how???? I can't think of anything at all. Sai you think, since you want to find out so much." Hikaru replied with annoyance in his voice. Afterall, he was never the one who has to think about complicated things like this. When it comes to Go, it was always and still has been Sai.

Akira, at the same time, questioned the fact about Sai.
"So you actually met him?" Akira asked in surprise.
"Yes i did, his name is Fujiwarano Sai, the greastest player in the Heian Period, he taught the Emperor Go, but unfortunately, he got driven out of the city a short while after that, and i havent heard anything about him." A voice answered Akira.
"No wonder, the first time i played him, i lost so badly, i never know that Shindo has a ghost within him." Akira sighed, he sat on the end of his bed, thinking, he has never been beaten so bad in his life, not when playing with Shindo.

"Akira, it's ok, it's not your fault, dont be so miserable, i'll try my best to defeat Sai next time." The same voice said in a light and soft tone. Akira stared at the sky for a while, and fell asleep a shortwhile after that, his fist still clenching tight.

Back at Shindo's house.
The night fell, and the morning came up quickly, Hikaru woke up by the heat of the day. Still yawning, he looked at his clock, and screamed.
"Sai, why didnt you wake me up." Hikaru screamed at Sai, but only found that Sai is still sleeping at the end of Hikaru's bed.
"Saaaaaaaaaiiiiiiii. Get up, how can you sleep at this hour?" he yelled in Sai ears, causing Sai to fell off the bed, face flat on the floor. Sai opened his eyes, tears started to fall like waterfall.
"Hikaru, you meanie, i'll get you back for that." Sai stampted his feet on the ground.
"What are you going to do? Snore at me?" Hikaru sniggered and left for school.
"Hikaru wait. Hiikaaruuuuuuuuu. You are sooo mean." Sai ran off after Hikaru.

When Hikaru arrived at school, he found out that he has a test, a history test.
"Hmmm, Sai, what is this? Tell me Sai, when did this happen?" Hikaru started throwing Sai all of the history questions that is in the test, like always. Sai, who is used to Hikaru's stupid routine of asking question, now has a method of dealing with it.
"Why dont you do it yourself, it is your test after all. You let me play and i'll do it, how about that?" Sai said, grinning evilly at Hikaru.
"Fine, if i fail this test, i wont be able to play Go anymore, no more Go, no more Go." Hikaru started singing in Sai's ear, causing Sai to start flooding himself with tears.

"Ok, i'll do it, but dont ever take Go away from me, why am i stuck with you anyway?" Sai sighed and started to answer Hikaru's questions. When the test finished, everyone rushed out of the classroom, tried to forget about the horrible test.
"Hikaru, let's go to the Go Salon, let's play Akira." Sai nagged Hikaru again and again, Hikaru tried to cover his ears but it won't work. Hikaru walked hopelessly to the Go Salon, with Sai next to him, singing the most horrible song of his time.
"Do i ever get a break?" Hikaru asked himself, remembering the time when he found Sai and the Goban in the attic at his grandpa's house. They arrived at the Go Salon, as usual; Akira was by himself, in the back corner, recreating games. Hikaru paided his money and went to where Akira is sitting.
"Konichiwa Touya, mind if we have a game?" Hikaru asked, but sat himself across Akira anyway, before Akira can protest or not.

Akira put away his book, Hikaru took his jumper off and made himself comfortable, and they started the game. But when Hikaru was about to put his first stone down, Akira whispered in a low tone.
"Sai." Hikaru caught his word and looked at him, dumbstruck. 'How on Earth did he know?' Hikaru thought.
"What does that name mean to you, Shindo?" Akira continued. Sai was now looking at Akira with his eyebrows raised up.
"What do you mean Touya, i dont get what you mean." Hikaru looked down at the goban, pretending he doesnt know anything.

Akira kept his eyes on Hikaru for a while, still inspecting.
"Tell me the truth, i knew already, so there is no point hiding." Akira said.
"Sai, what do i do? Tell me, dont just sit there." Hikaru thought. However, Sai was distracted by something else; he was looking at Akira's shoulder. There stood a beautiful young woman with long raven hair, as long as Sai's, her deep brown eyes shined like stars under the night sky; she has delicate skin, and a lovely smile. It was love at first sight for Sai, who never realised that.

His life according to him was dedicated to Go only; love was never a word to be considered in Sai's mind. Sai looked at her speechless; never in his life has he seen such a beautiful woman. He tried to say something but no sound came out. Meanwhile, Akira was watching her looking at Sai, for her, Sai is an extremely good looking for a guy. (not to mention woman :D)

Hikaru looked at Akira's shoulder and realised why Sai has been staring at that spot for so long. He admired the young woman's beauty. Her kimono was simple but it suits her simplicity yet beautiful features.

Akira... on the other hand, looked at Sai and wondered to himself if that is truly a man or a woman ;)

They stared at each other for a while, until Hikaru broke the silence.
"Sai, u still on Earth?" Hikaru called, the woman giggled at what Hikaru said to Sai. Sai looked at Hikaru and nodded. He looked back at the woman.

"Konichiwa Fujiwarano-san." The woman said politely. "My name is Shiragaku Yumita, so finally we met. I have been so eager to speak to you."
"Oh, ahh, konichiwa Shiragaku-san, how do you know my name?" Sai answered, scratching his head, his face had now turned the colour of red, showing him blushing.
"How could i not? You are the greatest Go player at our time, or may be even now, I'm delighted to be able to talk to you. And please just call me Yumita." Yumita said.

Akira and Hikaru stayed silent listening to their conversations, Akira's gaze fixed upon the Goban, while Hikaru, giggled stupidly to himself.

"Can we have a game please Fujiwarano-san?" Yumita asked.
"Y...Yes...sure, of course we can." Sai replied, he turned to Shindo to find him giggling like mad to himself, pressing his hand to cover his mouth. Never had Hikaru seen Sai in such funny state. Sai made a confused face towards Hikaru, and told Hikaru that they would be starting a game soon.

An hour passed by, most people at the Go club had gone home, only some seniors stayed back to finished their game, including Akira and Hikaru. The game nearly
ended, but both players and ghosts had seen the end of it. Sai will win by 3 moku. Yumita resigned to Sai. They both left the table to collect their bags and went outside. It was getting dark, they were both hungry and tired, Hikaru decided to have ramen instead of having dinner at home.

As Hikaru started gulping down his ramen, Sai's mind is elsewhere. Hikaru half eating his ramen, half giving Sai a chukle. They made their way home after half an hour.

Meanwhile, on the otherhand, Yumita is in deep conversation with Akira.
"He is very strong Akira-kun, it was a really good game," Yumita said to Akira.
"Well I suppose he is supposed to be the best player after all. Something wrong Yumita-san? Your face is redder than usual." Akira noticed the blush on Yumita's face.
"Oh nothing, i'm tired, and it's hot, that's all." She answered quickly, turning her face to another direction.

They walked home silently, with Akira's head, still thinking of the game they played today, and Yumita kept blushing at the thought of Sai.

The next day, Akira woke early and went for early morning walk. He bumped into a person whom he would never expect to meet, at least not this early in the morning. It was, of course Shindo, who is still half-asleep, taking out the trashes.

Akira stopped and said good morning, Hikaru replied in a half-dead tone of murmuring, then turned and walked back into his house. But a voice called him back. It was Yumita's voice.

"Ohayou gozaimasu Shindou-kun. Ohayou gozaimasu Fujiwarano-san." Said Yumita politely. Sai blushed abit and replied back "Ohayou gozaimasu Yumita-san, what are you doing here so early in the morning?" Sai asked.

"Akira-kun and I are taking our morning walk." Yumita smiled at Sai, making him blush more, now his face represents somewhat of a tomato with a long pointy hat XD.

But poor Sai, Hikaru is murning for his sleep, so unconsciously slammed the door on Akira's face, and walked in his house. Akira and Yumita can still hear Sai's whining through the door.

At 8am, Hikaru is awaken by a deafening sound of a voice. He jumped up from the bed and looked around, Sai is on the floor, looking like he is meditating. Hikaru raised his eyebrow in question at Sai, who looked at Hikaru from the corner of his eye, and laughed to himself. 'Wow, that actually worked.'

By the time they got out of the house, it was already past 10, they walked slowly to Akira's Go Salon, with Sai talking non-stop about Yumita. Arriving at the Go Salon, Akira gave Hikaru an icy death glare, and Hikaru not understanding why, sat down and thought to himself that Akira is just having another bad day for a grumpy teenage boy.

This time, Akira and Hikaru decided to play a game with their own strength. So Sai and Yumita agreed to retreat to a more quiet corner, while the boys go against each other.

Sai found out that Yumita died because of her opponent putting poison in her drink before the game started. (A/N: I sound so cruel making her die like that TT) and like Sai, she died but couldn't go to heaven, her soul stayed at Inno Island, until Akira came there on an event and attached herself to him.

Sai started telling her about his life, about Torajiro. Yumita giggled when Sai mentioned, "i attached myself to a goban because i want to play more Go". This made Sai felt very embarrasing; he turned away, red face. At the same time, Akira and Hikaru was engaged in argument, again. Sai and Yumita looked at them and sighed.
"Boys, they never learn, can't stay together for one min without a fight."

"I'm leaving," said Hikaru to Akira. He stormed out of the Go Salon; Sai had to run off after Hikaru, saying a quick good bye to Yumita.
"Akira-kun, you could have not fight you know." She said sadly. Akira looked at her, realised the affect he made, quickly comforted her.

"Gomenasai Yumita-san, i didn't mean it, but he just so irritating, and annoying." Akira apologised, but Yumita just looked away through the window outside, thinking about Sai. Yumita and Akira arrived home, and Akira engaged himself with the Goban again, while Yumita kept thinking about Sai. Suddenly the phone rings. Akira picked up; he listened to it and yelled

"NANI?"

A/N: well, that's the end of chapter 2, any suggestion for next chapter is welcome .