Disclaimer: I do not own Hikaru no Go
Chapter 8: Shuusaku memorial
In the room
2 minutes to go.
"I have to agree with you, Hikaru. The best outcome is a 5.5 moku loss." Akira conceded.
"Is there really no other way..." Hikaru still refused to give up.
"I can't see any... maybe it's time to resign."
"Resign? No, we can't do that! Sai cannot lose!"
1 minute to go.
"Well, then, you'll need to come up with something brilliant..."
"Sai! If only Sai is here... he will be able to think of something. Sai, please tell me what to do..."
30 seconds to go.
"Look Akira, the problem lie with these stones." Hikaru drew Akira's attention to a group of stones. Those stones were alive, since they had 2 eyes. However, the shape was awkward. "As a result of Touya-Sensei's intense attack, we were forced to respond in such awkward places. The stones may be alive, but they serve no purpose. If only they are not there..."
Byo-yomi time started. From this point, it was sudden death, and each move had to be made within 30 seconds.
If only they are not there...
If only the stones were not there!
Almost by impulse, Hikaru filled up one of the eyes in the formation.
"Hikaru! What are you doing? This is suicide!" Akira was flabbergasted.
True enough, Touya Kouyo proceeded to kill the group of stones.
Without hesitation, Hikaru placed a stone right in the middle of the group that just got removed.
"This... this is unprecedented..." Akira suddenly realized what Hikaru was doing "I've not come across it in any match before. After all, who would deliberately kill his own stones? But hey, it may just work..."
Once again, another pause from Touya Kouyo. When he placed his next move, however, there was no pause from Hikaru. To every one of his subsequent move, Hikaru had a reply almost instantaneouly.
"Hikaru is playing totally by instinct now. I don't think I have ever seen him like that... he has almost totally recovered our lost ground now."
Black resigned. It was another 0.5 moku victory for Sai.
"We did it, Akira... we did it." The two rivals hugged each other. Tears of joy poured uncontrollably down Hikaru's face...
Waya's room
"That totally blew my mind away..." Waya was still in a state of shock and awe.
"A new precedence has been set. Sai has ventured where no one had gone before. This game will be immortalized in the history of Go" Isumi summed it up neatly.
In the hospital. 1 hour later.
"Touya-sensei! That was an amazing game!" Hikaru could barely contain himself as he burst into the hospital room.
"The two of you played way above yourself. I see great future for you and the Japanese Go world." Touya Kouyo seemed not at all upset at his loss.
"You... knew that it was us?"
"Of course I did. Though I must admit you guys had me fooled at first."
"I'm sorry Touya-sensei... Sai couldn't play... you must be very disappointed."
"Don't be silly, Hikaru. How can I be disappointed with a game like that... there must have been a very good reason why Sai couldn't play... I won't probe any further. That game was amazing whichever way I looked at it. All I needed to win was to ignore your "suicidal" move and strengthen myself first. But isn't it human nature to try to kill his opponent when the opportunity arises?" said Touya Kouyo with a chuckle. "By the way, Akira, can you do me a favor?"
"Yes, father?"
"The manuscript for my book is ready. However, I had no time to include our latest game inside. Can you help me add it in, and then send it to the publisher? It is my hope that my book will be an inspiration to the two of you, and future aspiring Go pros."
"Of course, father. Hikaru and I will study the book diligently."
"Thank you, Akira. And thank you, Hikaru."
Touya Kouyo passed away peacefully that night, with a smile on his face. Perhaps he had finally found what he had been looking for.
Three years later.
Two young men and a young lady stepped onto the grounds of the Shuusaku memorial. They made their way to a row of gravestones.
"Father, Hikaru has come to visit you. And this is Akari, Hikaru's fiancee." Akira knelt down respectfully in front of his father's grave.
"Touya-sensei, Akira has done you proud." Hikaru followed Akira's example and knelt down "He has recently defended his Meijin title against a strong challenge from Ogata-sensei!"
"Hikaru has done very well too." said Akira, almost in reply "Last month, he defeated Kuwabara-sensei to clinch the Honinbou title. Kuwabara-sensei retired after that, saying that it is time to hand over to the next generation."
"Touya, was it your father's wish to be buried next to Honinbou Shuusaku?" asked Akari.
"That's right" replied Akira "He once told me that it would be a great honor for him to be buried next to the man he admired most. I spoke to the people in charge of this place, and they were supportive of the idea. For that I am really grateful."
"Alright, it is time for me to pay my respects to Shuusaku." Hikaru walked over and knelt in front of Shuusaku's grave, bowing respectfully.
"Hikaru, you still haven't told me your secret connection with Sai and Shuusaku." Akira tried again to pry open the mystery that had been bugging him for so long.
"Ha ha, I will tell you someday, when the time is ripe. Shall we play a game?" Hikaru took out a magnetic Go set from his backpack.
"Right here?"
"Yes, why not? Your father and Shuusaku can watch the game."
"Alright." They nigirii. Hikaru was black. "Oneigaiishimasu".
Meanwhile, Akari took out pen and paper, and began to record down the game. "Shindou Hikaru 7-dan, Honinbou, Kisei, vs Touya Akira 7-dan, Meijin, Ouza. No matter who wins, this shall be another classic match of the Go world."
- The End -
Author's note: That's all, folks! Honestly, I am not sure if it is possible to commit suicide and then play again in the area left vacant by the dead stones. And I have no idea if it had been done before. But let's just accept that it is possible. The inspiration for such a move comes from the chinese swordfighting novel 'Tian Long Ba Bu', by Louis Cha. In summary, I want to say that I wrote this fic because I was disappointed with how HnG ended. This story would be close to how I would want it to end.
kathy: Special thanks for being my most faithful reviewer! I'm glad you like the story :-)
KagomeGirl: You got your wish! Sai won :-)
Firehedgehog, Night-Owl: Thanks for reviewing!
