Be with you Always Chapter 20: Final game, a hikaru no go fanfic

Disclaimer : I don't own Hikaru no Go.

Chapter 20 : Final game

The last day of the Pro exam 2000, Japanese Go Study Center, in the dining hall

" Hi, hi, Hikaru-chan," Nase welcomingly greeted the new comer who showed up in a forest-green hoody which had a bright yellow 5 on it. She was having a little chitchat with Iijima Ryou while the younger girl arrived.

" Hi, Good morning, you guys," Hikaru and Sai said back gleefully with a happy smile.

" Today is the big day, isn't it?" Nase'sunderstood boyfriendbrought up.

" Yes," the golden bangs girl in a knee-length skirt nodded in affirmation. She was playing against Ochi today, this game would decide who would pass the exam with the perfect record, who would snatch the 1st position.

" Play you best," " Iijima said before looking around the room. When he was confident that the snobby boy wasn't around, he confessed, " Don't tell Ochi this but I take your side,"

" Not Ochi, the genius boy's side?" the long-haired girl asked jokily.

" I'm always on a cute girl's side," Winking his eye playfully, the boy with glasses spoke lightheartedly.

" Haha, Thanks," Hikaru laughed awkwardly, just like the older girl had told her the other day , boys, they didn't know a thing, " Good luck to you too, I'm going to the room now," " I'd better leave the scene, Good luck to you too, Iijima-san, you need it,"

" Bye, see you later," Waving her goodbye, Nase sang, " Fight! Fight! Hikaru-chan," she cheered before abruptly turning around giving Iijima a fiery critical glare.

" What?" the slow boy questioned in a self-protective tone, seeing that look somehow make him feel uncomfortable.

" No, nothing," Quickly turning away, the dark long-haired girl replied wryly. Yet, there was a heavy dissatisfaction in her dry voice, "I'm fine, I'm perfectly fine, I'm not angry at anything," she babbled rapidly. I'm always on a cute girl's side, my ass!

Shaking his head, Iijima only sighed tiredly. ...Girls, if you don't tell me what's wrong with you, how am I supposed to know?

Well, Nase had another thought from different point of view. ...Boys, do you still want me to explain it? Isn't it clear to you? Are you blind?

Before the situation got worse, the red-headed savior came, " Hello, guys," It was Waya.

" Oh, Good morning, Waya," the undeclared couple greeted.

" So, you're still coming to play Fuku then," Iijima talked casually, " It's very brave of you," he teased.

" Of course! I want to pass the exam with the best record I can get!" Waya immediately answered in a sharp tone, " Although I…" Turning away, he tightened his teeth. It was settled that he had passed the exam as the 3rd player, even if he lost today. Isumi had defeated by Ochi last week. As he gained his 5th loss, his hope flied away…out of reach. Isumi Shinichiro failed the Pro exam for the 3rd time, " Where is he? Isumi-san, I mean," he asked with grave concern.

" He's not arrived yet," Nase informed, " Maybe, he oversleeps, who knows," she chuckled quietly, trying to melt the clouding anxiety.

" Oh…okay," Nodding, Waya didn't look so convinced. In fact, he wasn't convinced at all, he had to force himself to believe this absurd reason because he didn't want to be worried himself sick about his best friend, " I'm off then, you two should get prepared too,"

" We'll be there in a minute, you go first," Iijima told him.

" Ah, Okay," then Waya exited the dinning hall.

…………..

" Oversleep, huh? Do you actually think he will come?" Iijima questioned the brown-eyed girl after a short quiet moment.

" Of course, he will come," Nase replied straight away, " ……He will, right?" Frankly, she still doubted about that.

" He's already failed the exam," the light-brown haired boy mentioned, " There's no point in coming here anymore,"

" So have we! And Honda! And Fuku too!" the girl retorted. They had already lost 7 games , Honda had lost 8 while Fuku had lost 9, it was certain that they too couldn't be a pro this year, still… " Still, we attend the exam playing our best to get the best record for ourselves!"

" You are the one who told me that he probably gives up on Go if he fails this time," Iijima reminded her, he knew she was thinking the same as him, she just didn't want to admit it, " Besides, didn't you see his face after he lost to Ochi?"

...He looked like a walking-zombie. Of course, the anxious girl had seen it, so had everyone.

" I won't be surprise if he doesn't show up today," the still boy spoke openly, " He looked so depressed,"

" Isumi-kun won't just forfeit the game like that…never," No matter what her friend said, Nase still had a strong faith in the big brother. You won't do that right? Isumi-kun, you love Go, you won't just…quit, right?

" It's time," Iijima got up to his feet, " Let's go,"

" Eh? Aaa," Rising, the worried girl followed the boy to the game room. She turned back wishing to see the said black-haired boy, "Isumi-kun,"

But there was no trace of him, there was no trace of Isumi Shinichiro.

2 hours later,

/Pachi/

Umm…Ochi studied the board carefully as he noticed that his opponent made few bad moves. Strange, with this skill, she shouldn't have won Isumi-san and Waya…There must be something…What is it? What is she planning to do ?

………..

Ah! I see it! He sniggered as he saw what the cunning girl was trying to do. Very clever, Shindou, but you can't fool me. Studying with Touya Akira was definitely worth every penny ( or Yen, in this case) , playing against one of the most talented pros every week did expand Ochi's vision making him become a stronger player.

/Pachi/ The young boy played his next move, he didn't fall into Hikaru's trap.

He knows it, he is as tough as I expected. After all he's another undefeated candidate…But I'm not gonna back off.

/Pachi/ Hikaru played a daring move as if she wanted to challenge the overconfident boy.

/Pachi/

…Umm, Ochi-kun is better than I thought. Sai observed the game before he turned to give the boy a long steady look. This is just my imagination? Surely, it's just my imagination…but his Go reminds me of you…Touya-kun. I wonder if you can feel it too or not, Hikaru.

/Pachi/

I know this aggressive style…I'm sure I know it from somewhere…but where? No, Hikaru, no, forget it, think about the game only.

/Pachi/

1 hour later, the Japanese Go Association, in the convention hall on the 2nd floor

" Thank you for the lesson, Touya-Sensei," A woman bowed respectfully to the young pro in order to express her gratitude, " Good luck with your Meijin league,"

" Thank you very much," Saying in a sweet tone, Akira lowered his head a little in return.

The woman bowed again and left the room. The tired boy let out a light sigh, he leaned on the back of the chair before he leaned forward and began to clear the Goban.

" Ah, Touya-kun, you student's left already?" Passing by, Amano asked genially.

" Yes, she's just left," the 14-year-old pro in a medium-gray suit replied politely.

" Good, then can I have a short interview? " Though Akira didn't give him the answer yet, the well-known senior reporter quickly brought out his pen and his small notepad, preparing to have the interview.

" Actually, my next student will come in any minute," the Meijin's son tried to be diplomatic as much as possible, " Sorry, Amano-san," he smiled sympathetically.

" Oh, that's fine," Laughing awkwardly, Amano halfheartedly put his pen and the notepad back into his breast pocket, " Oh, it's 4 p.m. already? The pro exam must finish by now, maybe I should call Shinoda-Sensei,"

" !"

" Goodbye, Touya-kun," Rising, he said.

" Wai..Wait!" the composed boy cried out at maximum volume, " Let me come with you! I want to know the result too!"

In the end, Akira followed the man in his late fifties to the 7th floor where the headquarters of Weekly Go located. He waited patiently as the journalist dialed to the Japanese Go Study Center.

" Ah, Hello, Shinoda-Sensei? It's me, Amano," Amano greeted the insei's teacher, " I want to ask about the final result,"

" xxxxxxxxx" ( Shinoda's speech)

" So, Waya-kun won Fuku-kun and come in the 3rd place with 3 losses?" he uttered.

"xxxxxxxxx"

The prodigy didn't want to know about Waya or Fuku, he didn't even know who they were. What he really wanted to know was….

" Ochi-kun lost?"

He lost? So it means…

" That girl, Shindou passed as the 1st player?" Amano exclaimed in awe, " With no loss?"

Just like me! She has a clean record, just like me! Akira mentally shouted excitedly. A part of him was shaking with burning thrill by the thought of his greatest rival finally entering the Pro world at long last. Another part of him was trembling with chilly fear as he could hear Hikaru's footsteps following right behind him. She's coming!

" I think you must be very glad to know that, right?" the experienced reporter questioned wittily.

" Err…well, I…" the timid young boy just realized that Amano had hung up the phone already. Since when did he finish talking to Shinoda anyway?

" She passes it with the highest score…I must say that you really are a guy with a good taste," the good-humored man chuckled mischievously.

" What...What do you mean? Amano-san," Looking away to hide his blushing face , Akira acted dumb , though he understood damn well what the man meant, " I don't understand,"

Amano didn't say anything in reply, he only tittered quietly…and strangely instead.

A/N : Finally, the Pro exam ended. Why Isumi-san lost to Ochi? Well, the real Isumi-san saw Hikaru-boy playing with Suyong right? He knew how strong Hikaru-boy is. But he didn't know how strong Hikaru-girl is, he was unprepared, it's like BANG, she simply hit him at the head! So he totally lost his balance and got lost in his track. About Akira's lesson on the 2nd floor at the Association, I read it from somewhere that sometimes pros offered their lesson there. ( 1761 words-length)

Giftfrombelow : Now you know what he thinks.

EadnaOhn : You're welcome :)

xiar : "Hikaru that sent Ochi to the toilet crying for like 4 hours" 4 Hours? You hate him that much? Poor boy!

Mirahime: Of course, she win, she's even better than Hikaru-boy, therefore,according to logic, I have to let her win.

Kinlin: "is the strange man the man mentioned last chapter?" Yes...you wonder why I use the word " Strange"? In a sense, strange can mean " Unfamiliar".

kathy: "after all he has had more classes with touya than in the anime" No,maybe it seems like that, butboth Ochi starts the class in the same time. "Do you think that hikaru's first battle will be with touya kouyo?" You'll know it soon.

karin1004: It's Isumi, we should worry about now.

OokamiFuu: Now I torture Isumi instead - - "

dragon-wing3: "YOU ARE NOW MY FAVOURITE HIKARU NO GO AUTHOR -EVER-!" Thank you! Now you make me secretly,passionately in love with you! Haha :)