Illuminati

Chapter II

The Spiral of fate is begun to wheel...

Today was the last day of qualification for Hokuto Cup. Like last year Kurata was the team leader and Akira still became the first player. But that wasn't the thing Akira had on his mind now.

Akira glanced at his watch; there was still a time. Inside the room, Shindou was playing against Waya, to decide whom the last member of the team. Yashiro and Ochi already finished their games; Yashiro was the one who won.

Akira smiled; he still remembered what happened in the last Hokuto Cup. At that time Shindou had requested to be the first board so he could play against Ko Yonha and then the exchange of fiery stare between them right before the game started.

Too bad Shindou lost to him but they had promised to meet again, to play again in the next Hokuto Cup and that meant this year. Knowing Shindou, of course that boy would not break his promise but on other hand Waya also struggled for his first chance to join Hokuto Cup for the first time.

The door opened, Akira abruptly turned, as well also Yashiro, Isumi and Ochi. Four of them were waiting for the result of the game.

Shindou walked out first, a broad grin spreading across his face, followed by Waya, whose face was a little sad. It was clear who the winner was.

"Yes! You did it Shindou!" Yashiro exclaimed happily, then he noticed it, "Err...I didn't mean to...what I meant...is...you did great too Waya...I..." he tried to correct his words but failed miserably.

"No, it's okay." Waya smiled weakly. "Shindou played great, he deserves this," he turned his attention to the smaller boy. "Shindou, you must win, okay? If you lose I'm not gonna forgive you, you know."

Shindou's face turned serious. "I won't lose. Not anymore, especially to him," he said, his tone was sure.

Everyone went silent; it didn't take a genius to know who the one Shindou's referring to. It was him, Ko Yonha, the go player from Korea. They still remembered Shindou's lost last year and how disappointed he was.

"Don't worry! You will win." Yashiro said then he smacked Shindou's head playfully.

"Hey! Why did you do that?" Shindou asked indignantly while rubbing his head.

Everyone laughed, Akira as well with the others, knew Yashiro intentionally smacked Shindou's head to smooth the tension there and he did success.

Akira couldn't help but wondered did Shindou have split personalities or what? For sometimes he was a loud, cheerful and blunt boy who never serious about anything, except go, especially when he was playing.

But then he could turn into a serious and silent boy, with sadness in his eyes. Actually, which one was the real him? Had anyone else realize about this? Or it was only him?

"Touya! Oi Touya!" That brought him back from his musings. He looked at Shindou; the boy had a questioned look in his eyes. "What're you thinking?"

"Nothing." He replied automatically.

"Oh? Really?" Shindou seemed doesn't believe his answer, but knowing him Akira knew he would let the matter drop.

"Yeah whatever you say," Shindou said. And it was just like his prediction. "We are going to have lunch, are you coming with us or no?"

The answer came out from his mouth without he even need to think. "I'm coming."

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Akira was waiting for Shindou, they had a promise to play go but because Akira had something to do in Go Institute they promised to meet there instead of Go Salon. But why Shindou hadn't come yet?

He shifted in his chair. Shindou was late again, like usual. Never, even just for once the boy arrived right on the time, he really was not a punctual type. And Akira had learned to tolerate it. What else he could do? Hoping him not to be late was like asking the sun not to shine.

Suddenly he heard a footsteps, he lifted his head and smiled. It was Shindou, the boy seemed had run for a miles, judged from the way he breathed. "I-I'm sorry," he said under his breath. "I was overslept."

"It's okay," he said. "Shall we go now?"

"Yeah, sure."

They were walking headed the exit when Shindou suddenly froze. At first, Akira didn't realize it; he kept talking but when he heard there was no reaction he turned and saw Shindou was not walking beside him. Shindou was standing few feet behind him, stopped dead on his track. His face was unreadable.

Worried, he hurriedly asked as he reached him. "Shindou, are you okay? Shindou!"

"Ayame..." was the only thing his rival said.

"What?" he asked, puzzled by his friend behavior.

Shindou didn't answer him, or maybe he also didn't hear what he said. As if he had been hypnotized, he walked slowly to the receptionist desk, his eyes focused only to one single thing.

Then Akira immediately saw it, what had snatched Shindou's attention away. And it was something he never expected. It was a flower, big purple flower. What was the name? Japanese Iris...Shindou mentioned that earlier. He frowned. Since when Shindou knew such a thing? And since when he interested in this?

Shindou took the bouquet into his hand.

"Ah Shindou-kun. This flower is for you," the woman behind the receptionist desk said. "And here's the card."

So it was really for him, but even so he didn't need to act like that, did he? Since Shindou's attention only focused in that flower, something Akira didn't understand why, he was the one who took the card from the woman's hand. "Thank you," he said then opened it.

There was only one sentence written there. "Congratulations you had been chosen as the team member of Hokuto Cup. Good luck for your next game." Akira read it loudly; it was a normal and standard greeting card.

He glanced at Shindou and realized Shindou actually didn't bother to find out what inside the card. "Excuse me," he said. "There is no name here. Do you know who is the person send this?"

The woman shook his head.

"There is no need to ask." For the first time Shindou spoke. "I know who the one send me this."

"You do?" Akira asked, his astonishment was clear.

"Yes, after all there is no one else but him, isn't so Eyes?" he asked loudly.

Someone rose from one of the chairs in the lobby and turned to face them. It was a man. He dressed in black. As he walked towards them, Shindou smiled. "Long time no see. How are you Eyes?"

"Fine." The man answered, his voice was cold and held no emotions at all.

Akira instantly realized their conversation was one kind of courtesy. As the man neared him he could see him clearly. That man was still young, apparently their ages, beautifully proportioned and his hair was rich silver.

And his eyes...his eyes were an incredible shade of ice blue. They were cold with a sharp intelligence that warned that he didn't miss even a single trick and cautious of his surroundings. It was like looking into a sea of blue ice. They froze him solid.

"Touya, let me introduce you. Touya, this is Eyes Rutherford and Eyes, this is Touya Akira."

Rutherford didn't give his hand, he merely nodded. From his name and his appearance he must be foreigner. How Shindou befriends with him?

Shindou exchanged a quick glance with Rutherford. "Err...Touya..." he cleared his throat. "I can't play go with you today, I know we have promise but I have something to talk with Eyes. So...maybe next time, okay?" He gave him a pleading smile, one Akira could never resist.

"Fine...we play next time."

"Thank you," Shindou said happily. "I will call you later."

"Let's go Hikaru," Rutherford was already standing near the exit.

"Yes, I'm coming," he turned to him. "Bye Touya."

Hikaru...that man called Shindou by his given name. As he knew the one called Shindou by his given name was only his childhood friend, Fujisaki-san.

But...as he recalled Shindou also called the man using his first name. They must have known each other for a long time. But...why he never heard about him before?

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Unknown to Akira, there was a pair of eye watching them from behind the pillar. The figure whispered, "Aha...so the cursed one...those Blade Children finally show up."