Disclaimer: I don't own Hikaru no Go.

Chapter 28 : Romeo and Juliet

Mars 2001, Japanese Go Association

Today was the day that 3 rookies received their certificate, therefore, in order to congratulate them, a party was held in the hall on the 2nd floor at the Association. It wasn't a teen noisy party with a deafening music but a formal sophisticated party. For that reason everyone was required to dress properly, a suit, in this case. The boys ( Waya and Ochi) were in their best suits.

What about Hikaru?

No one had asked the said girl to wear a women's suit so she would look like a 30-year-old office lady. Maybe it was a privilege of being a girl, especially when there were so few female players in the Pro world.

" Something decent will be fine," an officer from the Association had told her through the phone.

Maybe that officer didn't know Shindou-Pro well enough or maybe he didn't know what " Decent" meant to a 15-year-old girl nowadays. However, to Hikaru, " Decent" meant " Not too colorful but skill looks cool as if you've just walked out a cat walk,". So, she showed up at the party wearing a white long-sleeved One-the-Shoulder top, a black short skirt and black Below-the-knee boots. Telling the truth, her dress wasn't that trendy, it was just a normal costume for normal people. But for Go players, it was very very trendy, after all, the majority of this conservative society was a geek man in his mid-forties, they didn't get used to seeing a female pro showing off her bare shoulder like this.

Yet, nobody complained about her fashionable dress since she looked very adorable in it. If Waya arrived at the party in his funky clothes, he would be criticized for sure, yeah, sometimes it was good to be a girl.

" China?" Hikaru, Sai and Ochi exclaimed in surprise after hearing the shocking news.

" Yap, China," Waya confirmed, he had just reported them about Isumi's latest state.

" But why China?" the blonde wondered, " Why did he go there?"

" There's some sort of student exchange program between our Go Association and China's," the red-headed pro explained, " So, he decides to study Go there for couple months before coming back to take the Pro exam," he clarified.

" Oh, that's great! So, he's still playing…China, ne?...Cool," the long-haired girl uttered with amazement…and a slight jealousy, " I wanna go there too,"

" Me too! Me too!" Raising his hand up high into the air, Sai shouted childishly.

" Me too," Waya thought the same, " I heard that Chinese players are pretty tough," he noted.

" He'd better learn something from them," Cleaning his glasses with his handkerchief, Ochi spoke with his typical detached voice, " If not, he's going to waste his money in vain,"

" Ochi!" the older boy scolded crossly, " You!"

Ignoring his angry friend, the short pro asked," By the way, didn't he say he would quit playing?"

" Ah! Speak of it, Shindou," Tapping his fist on his hand, Waya turned to the girl.

" Yes?"

" You went to Isumi-san's house, didn't you?" he spoke up, " Isumi-san told me that but he didn't tell me what you two talked about, he just wanna say 'Thank you' to you,"

" You went to his house?" Ochi inquired in disbelief. He had known the black-haired boy for years but the thought of visiting him at his home had never crossed his mind.

" Yes," Nodding, Hikaru admitted.

" So, what did you talk to him?" the kittenish boy asked curiously, " You must say something to him, if not he wouldn't just wake up one day and change his mind!"

" That's right, it's because of my Hikaru!" Sai declared proudly.

" Excuse me, but who is your Hikaru?" How many times I have to tell him not to call me like that? The two-tone-haired pro mentally grumbled before changing into her good mood, " You two wanna know?" she grinned playfully.

Both boys exchanged a look and nodded in unison.

" Do you really really wanna know?" the naughty girl smirked.

" Yes," Feeling heart beating faster, the boys uttered excitedly.

" Well, I….," Hikaru paused and smiled triumphantly, " I'm not gonna tell you, it's a secret,"

" What?" Waya moaned in protest, " That's not fair!"

" You are so childish, Both of you," the orange-haired cocky pro complained.

" He doesn't quit Go, that's what matters, right?" the pretty blonde spoke cheerfully.

Sighing, the loud-mouthed boy gave in, he knew he couldn't force her to spill it out, " Anyway, Thank you, as you said he comes back to us now, that's what important,"

"...I don't know what you said to him but whatever it was, it is cruel enough to chase the man away to China," Ochi pointed out darkly.

" Ochi!" Waya yelled crossly at him.

" You know what? Ochi," Hikaru countered back, " You're not adorable at all,"

" Yes, yes, you are not being nice at all," Sai lectured him too.

Then Ochi made a look as if to say " Like hell, I want to be,"

" Hey, Isn't that Saeki-san?" Waya exclaimed as he saw his Sempai standing in the crowd talking with his friends, " Saeki-san…n," Waving his hand, he called.

Unfortunately, it was too far, the 4-Dans didn't hear him, " Arrz, I'm gonna bring him here, wait here, okay?" he told his friends before disappearing into the crowd.

While Hikaru was waiting for Waya and Seaki, Ochi noticed another known face, a very famous one. That was right, it was him.

" Isn't that Touya?" he said as he saw the prodigy surrounded by many Higher-Dan pros.

" Umm, yes, it's him," the lively girl agreed. A boy with long hair in an orderly suit? Yeah, it was Touya Akira definitely.

" You can go to talk to him if you want," the unsociable boy proposed, " You don't have to keep me company,"

" Why don't you come with me? So the three of us can have a little talk together," Hikaru suggested, she was a kind girl, without a doubt.

" No, thank, I'll be fine by myself," Ochi-1-Dan quickly turned down the invitation without hesitation, " Besides, I bet he's getting sick seeing my face," he muttered.

The statement caught Hikaru's attention, " Eh? Why? You meet him that often? Or you have a fight with him too?" she asked with concern.

" No, we don't have a fight, I'm not you, remember?" the difficult young boy retorted coldly, " In fact, before the Pro exam started my grandfather….," Then he told her everything…about their lesson…and about the deal, of course.

" What?" Hikaru uttered with a dangerous tone of voice, " A bet?"

" He must be very glad to know that I lost," Ochi assumed, he could be slow sometimes since he didn't notice the flaming blaze in his friend's emerald green eyes. So, he continued babbled, " Maybe he even danced when he heard the news, he hates me, he'd rather die than letting me join the Meijin's study group…Hey…Wait! Where're you going?" he asked as the girl suddenly left him talking to himself.

Walking with heavy steps, eyes shone with fury, Hikaru hastily grabbed Akira's arm.

" Shindou!" Blushing into deep-red, Akira stammered with great embarrassment. What was the blonde doing? He was talking to many Higher-Dan here! " What…!"

The newly pro simply gave those unfamiliar middle-aged pros who were shooting the 2-Dans with questions her smile, her sweet winning smile which could even bring a red-flush to the man who was old enough to be her grandpa, " Excuse me, sir, " she said with her captivating voice, " May I borrow him for a minute?"

" Eh?" Akira totally lost his balance. Before he realized what the hell was going on, he heard the girl said, " Let's go," then he was dragged out the plenary hall to the hallway.

" Wait…t! Hikaru! Wait for me!" Sai shouted as he speedily ran after them.

In the hall,

" I guess the new is true then," a pro spoke up.

" They make a lovely couple," his friend mentioned, the others just laughed merrily.

Outside the hall,

" Shin…Shindou! What are you doing?" She's holding my arm! She's holding my arm! " What…What's going on?" Akira asked with red-face.

Suddenly letting go of his arm, Hikaru abruptly turned back and demanded furiously, " Well, Why don't you tell me then!"

" Errr….Ano…," Sai wanted to break in.

" Eh?" the genius boy was taken aback. Seeing her fiery eyes, he knew instinctively that she was mad…very very mad. She looks angry, is she angry? Why? " What..what are you talking about?" he said defensively.

" You know damn well what I mean," the furious blonde intensely replied.

" What?" As an invisible bell rang in his head, giving him the signal, telling that it was time the fight started ,Akira questioned sharply, "Why don't you just tell me what your problem is?" Right now, he started to get angry.

" My problem, huh?" Hikaru said with a sarcastic laughter, " Why don't you ask yourself that question?"

" What? Me?"

" Oh, Touya, don't play innocent," she spoke with a weighty mockery in her voice, " Don't play game with me,"

What? Playing game? Me? Touya Akira? " I'm not playing game with you!" The clueless boy answered back sharply, " I don't even know what you are talking about! Or why did you just come out of no where and bombard me with your crazy rage!" he blurted out heatedly.

Cr…Crazy rage? " How dare you!"

" Am I not right?" Frowning, he asked back, " Why you are always be like this? I don't understand! "

" Oh, so, you don't know?" Hikaru ironically laughed at his words.

" No, I don't," The Meijin's successor emphasized.

"You are saying that you have nothing to do with it, huh?" she uttered darkly.

" I don't even know what this IT is !" Akira insisted wildly. He was so damn sure that he hadn't done anything offend the girl. He looked at the unreasonable mad girl before him and let out a heavy exhausted sigh, " You know what, we argue every times we meet, I don't understand, why can't we just…not fight and have a normal friendly talk like others,"

The moody girl snorted ironically, " You know, it's funny to hear it from you while I should be the one who say that,"

" What?" Raising his voice, the future-Meijin shook his head jadedly in hopelessness, " I completely have no idea what makes you angry at me like this," he said it with a sigh.

" Let me remind you then," Stepping closer to the boy, Hikaru leaned over to him bringing her pretty face close to his.

" Hikaru! What are you doing?" Sai screamed in horror. Is she going to kiss him? No!

" Shin!" Blushing hotly, Akira could hear his heart pounding loudly with excitement as if it was ready to jump out of his chest in any minute. She's getting closer and closer! God, Help me!"

" Noooooo! Hikaruuuu!" the very possessive brother cried uncontrollably.

Staring at Akira's red face, Hikaru whispered quietly but clearly, " O-Chi,"

" Eh?"

Taking a large step back, she placed her hand on her waist, " Yes, Ochi, The bet, Ring a bell?"

The bet? Ah! What? She knows? Damn it! " Shindou, I…,"

" I thought we are friends and rivals…at least that was what I thought, apparently I was wrong," she said dejectedly without looking at Akira, her eyes were wandering somewhere else to avoid meeting his blue eyes.

" Shindou, Listen," Of course, we're friends! If not why I bother to protect your reputation? Of course, we're rivals! If not why I was so confident that you would win Ochi for sure?

" It's fine if you don't think the same as me but…," Not meeting the boy's gaze, she spoke sorrowfully, " It's never occurred to me that you hate me this much,"

Hate? No! " NO! I don't hate you!" Akira cried out in panic. It was really amazing how the situation changed swiftly. One minute this girl succeeded in provoking the icy Touya Akira bringing him a grave madness, then the very same girl managed to make him felt guilty as if he was responsible for her miserable life, Why does she look so sad? Will she cry? Please, don't cry! " I always consider you as my rival and my friend too!"

" Oh! Is that why you used me as a buffer?" Hikaru immediately countered, " What planet are you from? Touya, Here on Planet Earth, we don't use our friends like a tool!" she exploded wildly, " If you don't want Ochi to join your study group, just tell him! You have no right to use me like this!"

" IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" the 2-Dans burst out crazily at the top of his voice, it was loud enough to make the blonde jump backward in shock.

………

………

After a short silent pause, both of them finally calmed down so Hikaru spoke first, " You've trained him for months, just to beat me," Laughing bitterly with no hope in her tired voice, she mentioned sadly.

" Shindou, Please," Akira drew closer to her, " Listen to me, please, let me explain, it's not what you think it is," he said with his sweetest softest tone of voice.

…………..

…………..

…………..

" It's not? …Really?"

" Really," he confirmed with a gentle assuring smile. In fact, Even Akira himself didn't realize that he could be this sweet.

…And they tell them that they're not a couple. Who will ever believe them if they act like this? Squatting on the floor with both hands cupping his face, Sai ,who witnessed the whole dramatic fight between the two friends, looked between them and shrugged. At least, Hikaru isn't angry anymore, Better choose your words wisely, Touya-kun.

" Really, Really?" Raising her questioning eyebrows, Hikaru posed with doubt.

" Really," How old is she? Five or fifteen? Without noticing, Akira smiled in amusement. It seemed that he found that the girl childish behavior was cute. ! Wait! Akira! What are you thinking? He shook his head to gain back the control. Explain it to her! " The thing is…," As he was about to explain everything to his friend about how Ochi had underestimated her skill, how he had stood up for her, about the bet. Fatefully, he was interrupted by none other else but…

" Well, well, well, What do we have here?" Walking into the scene, a man in a white suit appeared out of no where. That was correct, it was his Sempai, Ogata 9-Dans.

" O..Ogata-san!" NO!

" Let's see, a boy from Touya Group and a girl from Morishita Group," the 10-Dans-wanna-be eyed on both teenagers, " You two are a real life Romeo and Juliet,"

" !" Ro..Romeo?

" !" Juliet? What?

" Hikaru, who are Romeo and Juliet?" Sai asked nosily.

Glaring at the innocent boy, Hikaru demanded threateningly, " What did you tell him about us? Did you tell him that I'm…that we are…Arrz! I can't believe this!" she roared with anger before storming into the plenary hall ditching both guys behind.

" Shindou! Wait!" Akira called out but it was too late, the blonde had already entered the room.

………

He sighed heavily in despair, " Ogata-san," he said wearily.

" What?" Ogata uttered defensively, " Did I say something wrong?"

Hand slaped his forhead, the poor boy shook his head tiredly. Maybe God only exists in fairy tale.

A/N : One-the-Shoulder tops is ashirt that shows one bare shoulder. ( right?)

thuyhy-thuyhy : "the woman whose name 's Hikaru , it's scary the most" Yeah!

OokamiFuu : Sakuno? She met Isumi at the 9 stars club. She appeared in Vol 20, when Isumi played with Kuwabara.

Kireshai-chan837: "it's giving me the twitchies" So..sorry.

Kinlin : "does isumi-san had a brother?" Yes, it's in his profile in Toriyama's world.

Kathy: Kadowaki played with Sai, actually the way it happened in the Anime.

Mirahime: "...game between Toyua Meijin and Sai?..." Be patient.

Giftfrombelow: "Isumi-san likes Hikaru-chan too now?" No, he just..err...kindahad a crush onher for a minute! For a minute only!

Karin: Maybe Sai is the only one who can :)

Where can I find Harukanaru's scanlation? I only saw 4 episodes ( Anime). And, here, in Thailand, the publisher publishs only 1 Vol a year. Imagine! I've been waiting for freak'in 6 years for 6 Vol only!