Chapter 5 –Hikaru's talent, Sai's depth
A chapter dedicated to all my lovely reviewers, your supportive comments are my source of motivation to continue this story. Actually, I wanted to abandon this story, cause I thought this plot was impossible... But your kind comments made it possible.
By the way, your drawings are great, Firehedgehog,
I love your nine-tails. :D
Oh right,
-niichan means brother
(On with the story…)
It seemed like he was not only playing for the title. It was like war. Every move that Ogata made was cut off swiftly, yet the whole game was flowing soothingly. The game was following in rhythm, just like a piece of classical music. Every move Sai made was quick and accurate. Ogata Seiji seemed to be pulled into Sai's make-believe world, a world fast paced world. A world of darkness. A world that makes him uncomfortable, a world that pressurized him.
The tension was suffocating him. He could hardly breathe. Beads of perspiration rolled down from his forehead, as he tried to concentrate.
Pa-chi.
He placed a stone while Sai paused slightly and Ogata thought that he had a chance to overturn this unfavorable situation. Less than two seconds, Sai placed the black Go stone right next to the white Go stone Ogata just placed. Sai did not cut off his route, instead, Sai created a route for him. The only route he could take. He wanted to take the route, it was the only way out. However, it was a trap. His decision was wavering.
Hikaru noted that the game was way too boring, he scrambled out of the Room of Profound Darkness cautiously, making sure that neither his father nor Ogata-niichan noticed that. Sai hid a smile, knowing that Hikaru had already run out. However, if something had not caught Hikaru's eyes, the child would probably go to the vending machine. He chose to ignore, because his game would be over in a moment.
Pa-chi.
Ogata made his move as he took off his spectacles, wiped it, before putting it back. Sai's gaze softened. Sai decided to be compassionate, he decided to let him off. He will give him a gentle death, a quick, silent and painless death. Sai closed his violet eyes and decided to let Ogata rise to a higher level. Sai knew, ever since his friendship with Seiji was broken, nothing was ever the same. However, Sai had already forgiven Seiji a long time ago. It was only that Seiji had not decided to let his barrier of ice to collapse.
"Ne, Seiji-chan, let's go to Mc Donald's after this, shall we?" It was a gentle request. A request that Ogata had no choice but to comply. The freezing tension was dissolving when Ogata gave a soft nod.
Pa-chi.
The game was over. Sai won, by only three and a half moku.
"Thank you for the game," they chorused, standing up and giving a slight bow and knelt down to keep the stones to their respective containers. The feelings that Ogata Seiji concealed for three years had been over. It started with a game and ended with a game.
After the game, they both smiled while leaving the room. However, outside the room, the Pros were gathering crowding onto a single game. Curiosity aroused, Sai skipped to the board and saw that Hikaru was just sitting on the mat comfortably with a man looking depressed. The crowds split up, noticing that it was Sai who was there.
"Chibi-chan, what happened?" Sai questioned, kneeling down to Hikaru's height with Ogata standing beside Sai. The Pros then exclaimed in unison ('Oh, it's Fujiwara-sensei's son! No wonder!'). Hikaru just sat there, sulking.
"Chibi-chan… Tell me… what happened?" Sai asked again, while Ogata tapped his shoulder and pointed to the game. The game shown that the white, whom the Pro played just now, was in an utter defeat.
"Chibi-chan played this game?" Sai murmured, while Ogata shook his head. Ogata then explained that it probably was the Pros who played that game. Sai nodded and asked Hikaru what was wrong. Hikaru pointed to the place where the white had sliced off the black's route.
"Paa-paa… Occhan don't to lose! But 'Karu no know to place stone!" Hikaru explained, which Sai laughed softly because of the mistakes Hikaru have made in his words, followed by few strings of chuckles from the Pros who was gathering around. Sai glanced at the game and nodded softly.
"Well, look here, Hikaru. If you want to overturn the situation, it's not impossible but you must sacrifice this side," Sai spoke, fingering the top-left spot of the Go board, "and you have to cut off the black's path by placing a stone here," Sai pointed to the point beside the black stone. Hikaru nodded, gleefully, like a child who had just gotten his Christmas present.
"But, Paa-paa," Hikaru called, tugging the hem of his father's white tee, "no put stone here?" the toddler pointed to the point where the black stones was cornering the white stones.
"Ah!" Sai exclaimed, "Why hadn't I thought of that?" The crowds 'ohhh-ed' and knew that there was something that Fujiwara no Sai had not thought of. Sai nodded and gave details that if the white stone was placed there, the game would have been overturned, but the white would only win by two moku. Both father and son tapped their fists onto their palm and sighed wistfully in unison.
The crowds looked at them suspiciously, Ogata included, all having the same thoughts. One would be weird if they did not know that they were father and son, not only they have superb skills, but their actions was the same too!
Sai carried Hikaru, while Hikaru was practically yelling for yogurt while yanking his father's hair.
"Yes, yes," Sai murmured, motioned Ogata for the Mc Donald's and they went out of the room. The crowds dispersed almost instantly when Sai, Ogata and the smart toddler disappeared. However, they left one thing forgotten. The Pro who lost the game was still sitting there sorrowfully.
A/N: I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter, and sorry for the late update. :D
Ara… I almost forgot to mention… Maybe the friendship thing between Sai and Ogata sounds a little sappy. But this is going to be a major plot in the future. :D
Can I have 25 hits now? xD It's closing in! C'mon, two more hits! (reviews)