Title : A game of lost and found

Warnings :I am not sure where the story is gonna head, and I do not know which pairing I'm putting or if there's even a pairing. Hehe, but I'm evil enough to put in a few characters fighting over Hikaru. :D And plz review, whether to insult  me or whatever. Will love you if you do :) Domo!!

Summary : Set after the Hokuto Cup, where Hikaru still trying to go on. This time around though, he has Sai back with him. But life isn't that easy, not when another Go genius other than Akira had his sights set on him. Life is definitely not easy nor simple for him. 

Disclaimer : I do not own Hikaru No Go, its characters, and what-so-ever I used in this fic that associates with HnG. It's solely for my own entertainment... and yours if you enjoy it. :) 

         

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Chapter 2: Yume Ja Nai…?

A light breeze blew teasingly over to Hikaru, causing the young boy to shiver. Although his body acknowledged the chill, his mind doesn't as he had fallen into another restless but deep sleep and again, as it usually does, right beside the goban on the floor with the only game that could give Hikaru such negative effects. The one where he lost to Ko Yongha. Sparkling lights, combinations of white, purple and tinge of silver, suddenly filled the room before slowly fading away… to reveal a being dressed in clothings that would only seem ridiculous and bothersome in this era.

Sai slowly open his eyes. Hoping against hope and preparing for the worse as he finally able to focus and looked around. 'I'm back…' Sai thought in amazement, seeing the familiar room he had spent two years in, then in gladness as he realize he is back on earth. 'Hikaru…' Immediately Sai start looking around the familiar room for the boy who is the reason of his return, and found him on the floor, sleeping and shivering slightly.

"Hikaru…" whisper Sai softly. 'Hikaru is here… I'm back.' Sharp pang filled his heart, for when he saw Hikaru he realize just how much he had missed the boy.

"Hikaru." Sai called out a bit louder this time, impatient to be reunited with the boy. Hikaru just grunted and continue sleeping in an awkward position on the cold, hard floor.

"Ne, Hikaru, Hikaru… can you hear me? Hikaru…? BAKA NO HIKARU!!"

"…Huh? What?" Groggily Hikaru woke up, trying to sort out the noise he heard. A few seconds passed on before he realize that he knew that voice and the tone that was used to accompany the words, yes words as his half-dead brain finally deduced. "Sai…? Sai! Is that you? Where are you?" Hikaru sat up immediately, spinning around, trying to locate the source of the voice. He finally spotted Sai sitting beside him, surrounded by the moonlight shining in from the window, giving Sai an ethereal light. Sai gave him a smile, eyes full of love, happiness, contentment… and annoyance as it's still such a hard task to wake Hikaru, a.k.a the 'Sleeping Beauty', up. 'Some things never changed…'

"Sai! You're here! I'm so glad to see you. Do you know how much I miss you? I'm so glad to be able to talk you again." Hikaru's face then grew sad, "But then, this is just another dream, isn't it Sai? One where I'll be able to talk to you and then I'll still be alone again when morning comes. I… Why… Why have you to go? Am I not good enough? Why… in dreams… why do I still feel the pain of your departure?" Hikaru finally stop talking, hand placed where his heart is, eyes asking Sai for answers, half expecting Sai not to answer, but smile his wonderful smile at him like he usually does when they meet in dreams. Events of the Hokuto Cup is still too raw for Hikaru, bringing up the pain and sadness Hikaru felt at the lost of his best friend again.

"Hikaru… This is not a dream. It's real and I'm here. Look around you, everything is solid and we are in your room."

Shocked filled Hikaru upon hearing those words and he looked around as the ghost instructed and his eyes widen in confirmation to what Sai had said. Hikaru even pinched himself hard to double-check, not bothering about bruises. Turning back to the ghost, confusion in his eyes, " What do this mean? Why are you here…? It's not that I do not want you here… but I thought… Wait… Are you… I mean… Have you come back? To stay… or… to say… good… bye?" Hikaru, fearing the worse, look down on the floor, suddenly finding it so interesting.

"Hikaru…  Hai, I've come back. And to stay, forever by your side. I miss you too. I have been given a second chance to be with you again, Hikaru. Kami-sama took pity on both of our sadness and despair of being torn apart. He said that we had forged a very strong bond with each other and He realize that our separation is slowly tearing us inside out, a youma and a ningen, two totally different kind of being, who was brought together by a goban and forged an unbreakable bond through the love of Go. But He did warn me not to take over your life. He mentions something about me being a youma and you a ningen with a whole life in front of you and I must not take over your life like I did to Torajiro." Sai, who started his small speech like a wise being of importance, but of course reciting the exact words he received from Kami-sama, now looked very sheepish, one hand behind his head.

"You are staying? Honto? Yokata ne…" Relief and happiness pass through Hikaru's body, making him weak with emotion. "Sai, I don't care about anything else as long as you're back with me. You can play as many games as you want this time through me or internet or whatever. Anything as long as you won't leave me. I rather not lose you again. You're just too important to me."

"Thank you Hikaru, but I am grateful enough that I'll be by your side again. I do not want to jeopardize it by taking over your life and Go. I do not want Kami-sama to command me to come back and leave you again." A pause, but Hikaru, knowing Sai too well, hid a grin and waited, counting the seconds… "But I wouldn't mind playing Go again!! Especially against Touya Koyo and you!!" said Sai in a genki voice with his pleased childish look again. Which prompt Sai to continue his tirade on what, or rather who he wants to see and the games he wants to play, on the people Hikaru used to know, how is Touya Akira and Akari, how is Waya and the rest of his Go gang, has Isumi become a pro as well, has anything changed since he been gone, even on umbrellas as he still could not get over how ningens these days can fly to the moon and umbrellas are still umbrellas.

Hikaru just starred at Sai while he rambles on, out of the sudden feeling nostalgic. How he had missed that constant droning, whining and even the shouting of the ghost. One by one, without warning, tears began to flow. Tears of so many chocked up emotions that Hikaru had never been able to express, never been able to let go. Slowly Sai trailed off, wondering about the length of silence, and was shocked to see the tearful Hikaru. Suddenly, without warning, Hikaru launched himself into Sai's arms, sobbing. Sai, understanding the sudden gesture although still faintly shocked n surprise, just smile his melancholy smile and hug Hikaru, telling him that everything is going to be fine from now on. Finally the two friends are together again, their lonely heart healed by the fact that they are together again. Finally, both boy and ghost feel complete again. Sai just let Hikaru cry in his arms, his face a calm serenity, for he too knew he is finally back where he really belong.

"Hikaru, you really had suffer haven't you?" whisper Sai silently, cradling the youth gently, letting the boy cry himself to sleep again for the second time that night. But this time it is the tears of happiness.

Soon Hikaru fell into a deep slumber in Sai's arms. Sai was content to let him do so and look around the familiar room, noticing that nothing had change since he had left. As he look, memories of all the time he had spent with Hikaru in this room came up, reminding how much he had lost when he disappear that time. As memories after memories swamp him, a whisper of a smile came to his lips. The arguments, the games, the fight and so on. Soon Sai has his eyes closed, just to indulge into those fond memories and marvel at how much Hikaru has grown. When he finally opens his eyes, his sight fell on the goban with the stones still in position, where he had first found Hikaru sleeping beside. As he studied the shape of the stones, his beautiful purple eyes widen.

'That is a very good game. I wonder if Hikaru played it. If the game is truly Hikaru's, then he has grown, both in maturity and Go. I wonder who is the opponent…' As Sai studied the game closer, he noticed that black has a lot of moves that resembles his moves. 'Ah… I believe Hikaru did play this game after all. Who else knew my moves so well.' A feeling of gladness well up in his being, for the game had show Sai that Hikaru has never forgotten him at all, in his mind or Go.

'But why would Hikaru be crying over this game? If it is over one of our game I can understand. But this game… what significant does it hold for Hikaru.Did he played this game against Touya Akira? But then, losing to Touya-kun would only make Hikaru more determine to surpass himself…either that or hopping mad. So it must have not been Touya-kun.'

Sai looked at the boy sleeping peacefully in his arms. Looking closer, Sai can see that Hikaru indeed have grown, too fast that is. Sai, being around for over a thousand years, could see that Hikaru had been living an adult life in a child's body, for he has the look of maturity and a certain understanding of life that a youth of 15 years should not. Sorrow filled Sai's heart, as he realized that part of Hikaru's suffering was due to him.

'Hikaru…you have suffered too much alone. And I even add more burden into you by going. I know that no matter what I do i'll never be able to make up to you, but… right now I'm back, and for good this time, and I'll never leave again. I never let you suffer alone again. From today onwards, I shall share your suffering. I'll never leave you alone again.  Kitto…'

-owari-

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Yay!!!! Sai's back. I just love him! Which is the reason why I just have to bring him back. Besides… I think Hikaru is just too sad and lonely without Sai. And thanks for all the reviews and encouragement!! But do you think this is a boring chapter? Please tell…  as for my title, 'yume ja nai' means not a dream. I have finally gotten used to using fanfiction!!

Yo, Mikaii! A Hikaru and Yongha pairing…? I dunno yet, but it does sound interesting… Hehehe. I might, thanks to you. :D