(Hullo everyone who actually reads this stuff, I like to update ever day mostly because I want to get it over with. Like all of you out there I don't know how this will end, I just write what comes to mind so I still haven't got a concrete end in mind. So all of your comments and reviews are welcomed. It's okay if you tell me I suck. It's true that I'll cry myself to sleep but I can improve my writing because of it. Well whatever, here goes nothing.)
"I'm not good enough for the world of Go?" Rei's eyes narrowed dangerously, his backpack dropping to the ground.
"Why don't you get a reality check Shindou? You just lost to me; you are as weak as your chum Touya Akira."
"Touya is not weak!" Shindou shouted feeling his temper rising more if possible. "You just said you were my new rival, you are wrong! Even though you beat me, Touya is twice the player you are."
Both breathed heavily, newborn hate stifling the atmosphere, the angry words rang in their ears. Hikaru reached for his bag, he noticed his hand shake slightly.
"I'll come back, in two days, same time," he turned to Rei, their eyes burning into each other's. "Then I will beat you, no draw or half a moku setting us apart. Your ability won't matter any more than your face."
He walked out the door and was half way down the corridor before Rei ran after him pulling him roughly by the shoulder. "What does my face have to do with anything? Do you have a problem with it?"
Rei's voice rang with the promise of a fight but that wasn't what caused Hikaru's face to soften, the anger replaced by sadness.
"You look like him."
"Like who?" Rei took a step back from Hikaru his hands forming into fists ready to land blows even though he had become bewildered by Hikaru's sudden change of mood. He began to fear that the boy before him might be a tad bipolar.
"Like someone I can't get out of my head," not bothering to elaborate, Hikaru left breaking into a run once outside the building.
Two days, he had two days to become a better player. He had to admit Rei's ability was remarkable and it would take a four-dan player a long time to catch up, but his temper and big mouth had gotten the best of him. It was okay he meant what he had said. Looks were an accident so Sai's features on that jerk were a mere coincidence. Maybe Rei was a descendant of the Fujiwaras, who knew?
He took the subway back home, thinking all the way. He would play and replay games in his mind figuring how to battle this new wall before him. It would be difficult, he knew this. Hell, Akira had taken him at least two years to approach. Now it was only two days…two.
Akira sighed for the millionth time. He was in front of Shindou's house, it was getting dark. After an hour of torture in the Go salon with Kurata-sensei and Isumi, he had escaped with an excuse of dinner with his family. He had rushed to the Shindou residence but Hikaru wasn't home yet. Mrs. Shindou had offered to let him come in to wait and have some tea with her but Akira felt awkward even with all the hospitality. He had settled for pretending to leave and just waiting on the outside gates. That had been forty-five minutes ago, his legs were beginning to cramp for standing so stiff by the wall. He saw a pebble on the ground by his foot. It was odd…by the angle it lay, it kind of resembled Shindou's head from the back…he kicked it.
"Touya?" Hikaru came up grimacing somewhat he was carrying his bag to the side. It dragged on the ground making small noises of fabric tearing.
"Shindou how did your match go?" Akira felt like getting strait to the point might give him strength to ask what he really longed to ask all day long.
"Oh…I lost," Hikaru said dispiritedly kicking the pebble Akira had kicked a moment ago. They both watched it as it bounced and skittered to a dying bush on the neighbor's lawn.
"But we are going to have a rematch two days from now, I'll beat him then just you wait," Hikaru grinned but stopped as soon as he say Touya's burning eyes and pursed lips. "What's wrong?"
"Shindou, I'm going to ask him for a rematch tomorrow."
Hikaru blinked but inwardly he wasn't too surprised, this was Akira after all.
"If I—if I beat him, Shindou do you promise to forget all about him?"
"What do you mea—?"
"If I prove to you he is not a worthy opponent, will you forget all about him?"
Hikaru frowned trying to understand what Akira was asking it all seemed so stupid, "No! I want to play him, what's with you Touya?"
Akira felt a surge of defiance and competitiveness take hold of him, "Please Shidou, let me do this, I'll show you! I'll prove to you I'm better, please… if I beat him will you pretend we never met him?"
(Ho-hum. This is my shortest chapter so far, sorry but not only am I getting writer's block, I also believe this is a good stop point, so see ya, love, peace and…stuff.)