Waking up a tad groggy, Shindou rubbed his eyes to try and focus in on the world. Stretching and putting on his new clothes, Shindou felt a bit better emotionally than the previous day. Grabbing his bag and getting his things, he was about to walk out his bedroom door when he received a phone call.

"Hikaru! The phone is for you!" yelled out his mom from downstairs.

"Coming mom!" replied Shindou, bolting down the stairs and reaching for the phone receiver.

"Moshi Moshi, this is Shindou."

"Hello Shindou-kun, this is Kosemura of Weekly Go. My boss wanted me to remind you of today's Go festival at the downtown recreation center. We have you set up to give a few teaching games and an exhibition match with Touya-kun. Your shidou go lessons will begin at about 11:30."

"Thank you Kosemura, I didn't forget. Ok, thanks, goodbye." Shindou set the receiver down on the phone. Getting the sinking feeling that he was missing something, Shindou reached into his knapsack and realized his fan was gone.

"I don't remember leaving it anywhere…"

Shindou immediately bolted back upstairs and scanned through his room for signs of the missing fan. Everything in the room was immaculate and every object had its own space. Therefore, not being able to find the fan anywhere was an extreme shock.

"Maybe…maybe I left it downstairs somewhere? I guess that's a possibility…" thought the young boy as he rushed back downstairs and went searching through every nook and cranny of his house.

"Hikaru! What are you doing making all that ruckus in the house!"

"Sorry mom I'm just looking for something I think I misplaced!"

"Didn't I tell you to put your things back in their proper place?"

"Yeah yeah mom"

Unsuccessful in his search, Shindou's mind began to turn over all the possible places the fan could be.

"Well it definitely can't still be at the Ki-in, I mean I remember having the fan with me at the study session…wait that's it! There's no other place it could be but besides there! I hope someone is still home…"

The bleached blonde go player picked up his sack and headed straight for the train station, hopping on the quickest route to get to Morishita sensei's home. Within moments of getting off the train he bolted down the street and made it to his master's home within minutes. He rang the doorbell several times, hoping upon hope that someone was still home. Saiko Morishita opened the door and was a little shocked to see Shindou back so soon.

"Shindou-kun isn't it? You were at my husband's study session yesterday. What can I help you with?"

"I think I left something behind yesterday, possibly. It was a white fan with purple tassel and…"

"Ahh! Shindou-kun isn't it?" resounded Ken Takahisa from within the home. "Here I just about to sit down for some tea, why don't you join me and chat for awhile?"

Takahisa reminded Shindou greatly of his own grandfather. Maybe it was the arced, elongated eyebrows, or just the way he carried himself. The old man had vitality in his eyes and despite the fact he walked with some trouble, he seemed to be able to get around as if he were forty years younger.

"Well I guess a little tea wouldn't hurt," Shindou replied, taking off his shoes at the entrance and following Takahisa into the living room. Putting his bag down, Shindou sat by the table where there were papers lying about as well as a copy of Weekly Go. Shindou couldn't help but notice Takahisa sat down with the same pomp his grandfather would, mumbling things under his breath. Within a few moments Saiko Morishita appeared with a pot of tea and a few porcelain cups, and immediately poured the two piping hot green tea.

"Sumimasen," replied Shindou bowing slightly and picking up his cup.

"Shigeo has told me a lot about you recently and I was glad to finally meet you yesterday. I came here to Tokyo to see a writer who wants to publish a series of go books, so I decided to drop in to see Shigeo since it's been such a long time,"

"You and Morishita-sensei seem to have known each other for a long time," replied Shindou, taking a sip of his tea and tapping his knee nervously. He really didn't have time for this but he would feel bad if he didn't at least humor the old man.

"Yes we became pro together. He, myself, and Touya Kouyou had all passed the pro examinations together, but that was some time ago. He and Kouyou were the young go stars, and I was the older guy that was just able to squeeze in before it was too late to take the pro exam. Since then we've all been working towards our own goals, although I don't feel the same rivalry he does towards Kouyou, that's for sure!" Takahisa remarked, laughing jovially and taking another sip of tea. "Speaking of rivals I hear that you and Kouyou's son have quite the history together?"

"Well yeah I guess you could say something like that."

"Don't be modest, Shigeo told me all about it. It's no mystery any more that you two are rivals. I had no problem believing it when he replayed your game against Touya Akira, and then after seeing your game against Ko Yongha I was more than sure of it."

Shindou didn't show it on his face, but he was kind of surprised a total stranger would take such a vested interest in his go career. I mean, after all he was just a shodan pro with a streak of losses and a poor shin shodan game. His performance at the North Star Cup, while very impressive, certainly didn't raise the overall opinion of him. No one besides his inner circle of go friends really took that much interest in him. It was rather refreshing.

"Never mind, I'm just rambling on and on today. I really just wanted to say don't let the North Star Cup bring you down. Shigeo told me about your string of absences, but I think things like that happen to everyone at some point or another. The fact you rose above it says so much about your character."

"Oto, I'm very sorry but I really have to leave, I have to be at the All Japan Go festival before it starts to help set up."

"Of course, of course. Thanks for listening to this old man's ramblings, I expect good things from you Shindou-kun."

"Thank you," replied Shindou, getting up and grabbing his bag. Slipping on his shoes and walking outside, the boy noticed that today was one of those clear sunny days you see on postcards or television. His hands in his pockets, Shindou couldn't help but be troubled by the disappearance of his beloved fan, but the search would have to wait since the festival was getting started in a little under an hour and a half. Sighing, Shindou looked up at the sky and saw a very curious site. Sticking out at the end of a row of shrubs looked like a small purple tassel.

"It can't be…?"

Walking up closer, Shindou was startled to see a bird emerge from behind the shrubs, it's tail feathers resembling the end of his fan. The bird flew into the sky as if saying 'Follow me' to Shindou. Clearly surprised as to the strange coincidence, Shindou broke into a run chasing after the bird.

"What in the world…" thought the young go warrior, running down the street nearly crashing into anyone with the bad luck of being in his way. The bird took several precise turns down the street, and Shindou soon realized he was being led, but to where? His answer soon came after about twenty minutes of pursuit...

"Honmyouji, but this is where…" whispered Shindou, gazing in wonderment as the bird landed on a grave in the interior of the temple grounds.

Walking slowly up to the bird, Shindou realized he was standing in front of the grave of Honinbo Shuusaku. There wasn't a soul around, the entire cemetery was entirely silent save for the calming sound of chirping birds. Bending down on one knee, Shindou couldn't believe his eyes; the fan was lying on the ground. Picking it up, tears welled into his eyes, his deep green eyes clouded behind mist. The fact that he once came here searching for Sai was definitely not lost on him. The wind started to pick up, lifting leaves and debris into the air. Shindou felt the hairs on his skin stand on edge, a feeling of vast power overtaking the area around him. Small orbs of light, much like fireflies, began to rise out of the ground. Shocked, Shindou fell backwards on his behind, beholding the waves of energy and orbs of light erupting from the ground. In a flash of blinding light a glowing form emerged into existence. Within a few moments Shindou beheld an all too familiar site.

"S…S…Sai…" choked Shindou, too overcome with emotion to speak properly.

Opening his eyes, Sai gave his pupil a warm and understand smile. Thoroughly pleased at being reborn once more into the world of the living, Sai felt euphoric at seeing Shindou.

"Hello Hikaru, it is good to see you again,"

Shindou stammered with his words, not quite being able to make himself understood. How he wanted to jump up and embrace Sai if he were not in his ghostly state. Despite not being physically able, Sai knew just how happy Shindou was.

"How, why, what happened Sai! You're back! I thought you were gone forever!"

"I did too, but Kami-sama thinks I should be back on Earth for just today. There might be something happening today that you would need me for, but what that is I do not yet know Hikaru."

"That doesn't matter Sai, the point is that you're back! Oh man there has been so much I wanted to tell you, since so much has gone on since you left. I mean first there was my game with Touya, oh wait I probably already mentioned that last time we spoke…" sputtered Shindou, trying to get out everything he's ever wanted to say to Sai out but not having the time to do it. Sai simply smiled warmly, happy that his pupil had been having such a busy life since he left.

"Oto! You're in luck today Sai, today is the all Japan Go festival, and I have to be there to do some teaching games. I'm also going to play Touya in front of a big crowd!"

"Wonderful Hikaru. It sounds wonderful."

Touya Akira never liked to eat before a match and seldom if ever snacked, but today was somehow different. He found himself sneaking into his mother's hidden stash of shrimp flavored chips, crunching on the seafood flavored treats while looking out the window. Touya was a big fan of seafood and the chips were as good a snack as any. Besides his feelings were a little on edge that day after losing to a 9-dan in the Ouza tournament. Such things, however, never normally bothered him because he always knew that if he kept studying he'd eventually overcome all obstacles. No, the true reason that Touya had been uneasy all day was the fact he had another match with Shindou.

"That shouldn't really make me feel on edge at all though…" thought Touya, trying to eat his food as quietly as possible, but finding that the crunch eased his tensions a bit.

Something most definitely changed after his and Shindou's first match, but most notably after the North Star Cup. Shindou had suddenly altogether stopped coming to the go salon. At first Touya thought that maybe he was just down after losing to Ko Yongha, and that he felt some sort of embarrassment because of it, but that was entirely unlike the Shindou Touya knew. One loss, no matter how crucial or important it was, wouldn't embarrass Shindou. There was one more option that danced around Touya's mind, an option he didn't really want to entertain.

Maybe he meant less to Shindou as a rival.

"But that's impossible," thought Touya. However there had to be things bigger than their rivalry, he supposed. There was that strange occurrence the previous year where Shindou simply refused to play. When Touya went to visit Shindou at his school that day, he found him staring aimlessly into space. Could he be that depressed again?

"Akira-san," came a soft voice, slowly breaking Touya out of his deep contemplation. It was Touya Akiko, his mother, who had become adept at reaching the men in her life through gentle nudges. She knew they were constantly ensconced in their own worlds for most of the day.

"I believe it is time for the festival. Ogata sensei phoned earlier and said you should arrive early to help out with the preparations."

"Thank you mother," replied Touya, smiling up at his mother.

Grabbing his coat from the rack, Touya left the house, his mind turning back to the matter at hand.

"Itte kimasu…"

You couldn't exactly called Shindou and Touya's relationship a friendship, at least not a friendship of the normal variety. The boys didn't quite view the other as a person, but more of an idea or a goal more than anything else. "Besides, normal friends don't spend years chasing the other," thought Touya, holding onto the hand straps on the train. The train was mostly filled with salary men and school kids.

"He is the type to single mindedly chase a goal, that is for sure. Maybe he no longer wishes to chase me, but instead go after Ko Yong Ha. He seemed so intent on the win during the North Star Cup, enough so that even Kurata sensei chose him to be first board over me. From what I hear he was upset over the remarks Yong Ha made about Shuusaku. There's no doubt in my mind there is some connection between the two, and this just confirms the strength of such a connection. I shouldn't ask so many questions with answers I can't figure out. Maybe it's best if I let our game today be my answer."

Touya's imagination brought him back to first Ooteai game he played with Shindou. The battle was fierce, with both white and black groups constantly attacking and defending the weaknesses of the other. During the lunch break Touya had found Sai within Shindou's Go, despite the fact that he knew the two were different people.

"Your game, it is all that you are…"

"Yes, that is the one truth of Go and I will use it to lead me to the answers to my questions. I just have to be patient…"

Touya stepped off the train and made his way to the All Japan Go Festival, intent on finding the truth.