Chapter 3

Knowing the Truth, It Hurts

"We're going to play," Hikaru caught his breath, "Tetsuo Kaga." he said finally.

"Ohh, Yay!" Sai squealed, "Another one of your friends!"

"Y-yeah." Hikaru was shaken. Another one of his old time friends from a Go tournament. One that they were disqualified from!

Maybe they were here to take revenge on him. No, that was too stupid. Akira was here, and he wasn't part of Hikaru's team. In fact, he was a rival.

"Yo." said Tetsuo as he made his was toward Hikaru and Sai. "Times up. Let's get this party started!" he yelled. As they got seated, Tetsuo threwopened his fan. " I hope you've improved, Hikaru 'cause I have, and I'm ich'in fora challange!"

Again, Hikaru felt this strangesence of dread. He wasn't getting better, and he wasn't playing Go anymore. Well, at least he wasn't playing a lot. That was what Sai was doing. Not him.

It seemed that was all Sai was doing. He was taking control of Hikaru's life. And Hikaru was getting sick of it.

Not him. Not him. He rethought and rethought the words in is head, his mind, his, whatever.

Those were the last words he was thinking about when the announcer yelled out "Begin!"

And "Onegaishimasu" was the last word he spoke as the second round of the tournament.


Hikaru tried playing some of the moves in that game against Tetsuo. He now knew the truth. He wasn't good at Go, and henever wasgoing to be. Those moves he played during the game were so horrible, that Hikaru and Sai almost lost. Sai was furious at him. It had been Sai who had saved them. Not him. Not him. Again, he was drawn in by two words, and two wordsonly, andalone.

"Come on Hikaru." complained Sai. "I want to see who we are facing!"

Hikaru dragged himself over to the board.

He gasped.

Sai squealed with delight.

Hikaru's heart sank. That same feeling of dread came to him once again, at the thought of who he had to play.

The one he had vowed not to play.

No, the one he couldn't play.

Never could play.