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… though I did receive suggestions… I'm just writing according to my flow and mood. 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. :)
p/s: Someone brought to my attention that Hikaru finished his junior schooling days already, therefore I have changed the fic to Hikaru attending senior high. Thousand apologies for forgetting that fact. Sorry!
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Chapter 3: Double Homecoming
Akira slowly walks up the stairs leading to his father's salon. School had actually ended for hours, but he had delayed coming to the salon early. True that this week is his turn to clean the classroom, but after that he willingly spent his time in the library, revising his studies and after all that, reads whatever books he managed to lay his hands on. By the time he decided to come to the salon, it was already evening and still he took his time coming here. He had not wanted to come to the salon, waiting for Hikaru for a few hours and then be disappointed if Hikaru did not turn up in the end. After all, he had evoked a promise from Hikaru to meet at the salon today.
'Evoke my foot, you practically force him to come.'
Akira sighs, knowing that his mind is right in berating him. He had, in his high-handed way, went to Hikaru's senior high school last week to find him, thanking Akari who helped out in pointing out his location again, and then proceeds to a short shouting match before he told… or rather, demanded that Hikaru come to the salon today. It seems that when it comes to Go and Hikaru, he is inexcusably passionate. Obviously then, Hikaru was angry and extremely pissed off at Akira, and those who are sane will stay far away from the danger zone that is Hikaru. But then again, none of Hikaru's friends seems to heed his hot-temper ness. And Akira is counted as one of those people. Akira frowned, remembering that even as Hikaru seems angry at that time, his eyes seem to tell a different story. In his eyes, there is pain and a deep sorrow. The normal fire in HIkaru's eyes seems to have died down to a small flicker of light. That was what that had prompt Akira's concern to emerge.
'And so that is why you forced him to come. The only way you know best is play Go. Maybe his pain and torture comes from Go, and you worsen it by forcing him to come… and you wanted to be his friend. Well, some friend you are.'
'Shut up already! I must be losing my mind if it can talks to me like this…'
At long last, Akira finally reaches the doors to the salon. He took a deep breath to steady himself, glad his little argument with his mind had stopped. He clenched his jaw in anticipation of no Hikaru and then step up to let the automatic door opens.
"Konbanwa, Akira-kun. You're pretty late today."
Ichikawa, who was at her counter as usual, leans across the counter and smiles at Akira.
"Aa… Hai. I had something to do today, so--"
"TOUYA!!! YOU'RE LATE!!"
At the loud shout, Akira turns to face his accuser. Surprise was etched into every features of his face. He had after all, pretty much concluded that Hikaru wasn't going to turn up. Especially since Akira did pissed him off… not to mention walked out on him so that Hikaru would have no chance to decline him. At the corner of his eye, he swears he could see Ichikawa-san tried to smother her snicker before rolling her eyes heavenwards.
Hikaru was sitting at one of the tables facing a goban already filled with stones. Annoyance was in his every one of his features as he glares at Akira.
"What? What is that look for? You asked me to come did you not? So here I am… and you have to be LATE! Kuso… Imagine, the perfect and punctual Touya Akira is LATE!"
Akira, upon hearing those words, flared up. He dumps his bag on the counter before stomping towards Hikaru.
"How could I be late?! We did not agree on a time!"
"Well, obviously! WHO walks off right after ORDERING me to come here today?"
"I did NOT ordered!! I ASKED!!"
"OH!! If that is ASKING, then the earth must be square!"
"I ASKED!! And I am NOT late! I am never late!"
"We had always met AN HOUR after school on weekdays! Look at the time! I've been here for almost two hours already! TWO HOURS!!"
"So?! You had made ME waited for longer than that before!"
"I did not!!"
"Yes, you did!!"
"Did not, I tell you… DID NOT!!"
"DID TOO!!"
At the counter, Ichikawa shook her head and closed up her ears as the argument continues on. The regular customers, who had moved a distance away from Hikaru when he first shouted at Akira, were ignoring the rising decibels like professionals. After all, this is a normal occurrence in the salon when it comes to the two young Go players. Those new customers were starring at the two bickering teenagers with a mixture of disbelief and fascination. Shindou Hikaru and Touya Akira are famous in their own rights in the Go world. Both are well known for their individual strength and prowess in Go and for their calm and stoic face when playing Go. But watching them now shouting at each other like there is no tomorrow, all the calmness and stoic ness not in appearance, and in a Go salon nonetheless was truly an eye opener.
Sai was sweat-dropping right besides Hikaru, amusement in his face as he watches the shouting match going on. He had assume that Hikaru and Akira gets along well as they both loves Go and had finally acknowledged each other to the point that they play each other every once in a while… but he had not been prepared to see the two of them arguing like… well, old friends. Of all things Hikaru had up-dated him about since this morning, this was definately not one of them.
'Things have definitely changed a lot since I've been gone… Kawaii!!! The two of them looks so kawaii together!'
After a full ten minutes of blowing up the salon, Sai finally decided he had enough. The two Go prodigies are now locked in a starring match.
"Hikaru… ne, Hikaru. Stop arguing with Touya-kun. Aren't you two going to play a game? I want to see how much Touya-kun have improved. Besides… the two of you are very noisy."
'Well, it's his fault we started on this argument. Who asked him to be late!'
"But you played with me for those two hours, surely there's nothing to get mad at Touya-kun since you are definitely not left alone. Even if you are, you can always rebuilt games or study kifus. You shouldn't put all the blame on Touya-kun."
'Sai! Who's side are you on? Traitor…'
"Waaahhhhh!!! Hikaruuuu!!! Hidoi!! HIDOIIIII!!!!"
'Wah!! Gomen! Gomen!! Please stop crying!! I did not mean what I had said…'
Hikaru now have to pacify a crying Sai who was clinging to his leg. Akira was surprise when Hikaru broke off their starring match with a panic look and even more so when Hikaru looks distracted and was acting funny.
"Shindou… daijoubu desu ka?"
"Aa..? Hai, hai. Daijoubu. Gomen, there was something on my pants just now."
At this, Hikaru seems to turn to looks at his pants, but in reality, he was glaring at the ghost who was still clinging and crying on his pants. Akira, although still doubtful of it, accepted the explanation gracefully. He then smiles at Hikaru, all past disagreement forgotten.
"Yosh. Shall we play a game now?"
At the word 'game', Sai immediately perk up and glomps Hikaru by the neck.
"A game! A game!! Hikaruu!! I wanna playyy!!"
'Alright! Just stop trying to strangle me!!'
"Ah!! Hikaru! Gomen ne…"
"Shindou! Are you sure you're alright?"
The alarm features of Akira was facing Hikaru, who was rubbing his neck gingerly and coughing slightly. Hikaru was faintly surprise at the concern he can see in Akira's face. As he caught himself starring and wondering, he smiled crookedly at Akira.
"Daijoubu. Don't worry…"
'I just happen to have a hyperactive ghost back with me now… whose favourite activity now happens to be 'lets try and cause harm to Hikaru'.'
"Ne, Hikaru… gomen." Sai was feeling very guilty right now. Being gone from Hikaru… and Go… for so long had taken a toll on the ghost. The whole day he had been either strangling Hikaru or glomping him by just getting over excited. Just like it was when he first appeared from the goban and met Hikaru for the first time.
'It's alright Sai. You are always like this… besides I would never want to have you any other way. Come, lets start your game with Touya now.'
"Get ready to be crushed Touya! Today I'm ('Sai, actually…') gonna win!"
"We'll see about that Shindou." Touya smirked. "Nigiri."
"Hikaru, you sure it'll be alright for me to play? I mean surely Touya-kun is going to notice something."
'Don't worry. Just remember to hold back some of your strength. You played me earlier, so you should know my strength… in other words, do not crush Touya like how you ALWAYS did to me.'
"… Gomen…"
The nigiri ended with Shindou having the black stones. And thus the game started between the infamous Go prodigy, Touya Akira and the ghost of Go, Sai. As usual, Sai took out his fan and spread it out and smile in anticipation behind it. He finally get to have another game with the boy who had caught both Sai's and Hikaru's attention though the former earlier than the latter. As the game proceeds on, Sai's smile gets more serene.
'Touya-kun has improved a lot as well, as does Hikaru. But if I were to be judge, I would say Hikaru improved a lot more and much faster than Touya-kun. In fact, if I wasn't Hikaru's ghost and was with him constantly for 24/7, I would not believe that he started playing only at 12 years old and had hated Go then. Now, he's 16 years old and one of the top under 18 pros. I am so proud… especially since Hikaru can be considered as my student.'
The game soon comes to an end with Hikaru and Sai being the victor. Hikaru had expected Sai to win, and even though it is not his game and win, he could not help gloating about it to Akira.
"Yosh! I told you I will win, did I not?" Hikaru was smirking across the goban to Akira.
Akira just smirked back, "Well, do not expect a repeat performance. The next game is mine! Besides, you only won by two moku. Not that big a deal."
"A win is a win. So there!"
"Say what you want." Akira was starring at the goban and the game they just played.
'I wonder what it is that is plaguing me. Somehow this game seems different. I mean there are the distinct moves of Shuusaku that Hikaru seems to use often and the same style of Hikaru's… but it is still different. Like Hikaru is playing as a different person today. In fact I am sure I had played such game before… Different Hikaru? The game… Masaka…?!'
Akira's head immediately snapped up and gave Hikaru a piercing look. Hikaru was then having a conversation with Sai when Sai directed Hikaru to Akira's piercing gaze. The second Hikaru caught sight of Akira, he freeze up and start to sweat-drop, with a oh-great-what-did-I-do-wrong-now look on his face. Akira has his own suspicions regarding Hikaru and his connection with the infamous Sai. In fact, Hikaru had more or less admitted his connection with Sai, when he promised Akira that he'll tell him about it one day during the break of their first professional game. Well, the 'one day' seems long in coming, but now, somehow, the game reminds Akira of Sai.
"Shindou…" Akira, trailed off, not knowing how to phrase his question.
"Er… Yes, Touya? Is something wrong…?"
"…Iie, betsuni… By the way Shindou, your games are starting to become more and more Shuusaku-like…"
'And Sai-like as well.' added Akira silently in his mind, hoping to prompt the dense boy into talking about the connection unsuspectingly.
"Sou ka…? Iie, I'm glad. Touya! Let play another game!" Shindou, as dense as ever, did not realize that Touya was asking about the 'one day' promise discreetly. He is just happy that Sai is happy as Touya just reminded Sai of his old friend, Torajiro. Hikaru knew now that neither he nor Shuusaku is better. Both are different in their own ways and he is no longer jealous of Torajiro because of Sai. It is because he now knew that he, Shindou Hikaru, is important to Fujuwara Sai as well. Besides… he had totally forgotten about his promise of 'one day' to Akira.
"…Aa?" Akira, who was hoping for an answer of some sort, was caught surprise at the request for another game. Inwardly cursing Hikaru as a baka and a dense idiot, he nodded his head in agreement for another game. Suddenly he realizes what was missing with the whole picture. Hikaru is longer the same person he saw a week ago. The Hikaru in front of him is the same Hikaru who is passionate about Go like him and there were no traces of the pain and sorrow he saw a week ago.
'The old Hikaru is back… I wonder what had happened to change him back. Well, no matter, it's not like Hikaru ever going to open his mouth on it. But I am glad he is back. Maybe that is why the game seems different. It might be a game for Hikaru announcing that he is back. Yokata.'
Akira smiled, and then started his 'second' game with Hikaru, vowing to be the victor this round. Akira could not have known that he was so near and yet so far from the truth, for the game was a homecoming game, but it was not Hikaru's. Rather, it was Sai's homecoming game.
"Ano… Touya. What is Touya-sensei doing now?" Hikaru suddenly asked Touya in the middle of their game, thinking of Sai as he knew that Sai wanted a rematch with Touya Koya without even needing Sai to ask. And he believe that Touya Koya wanted the same thing as well.
"Otou-san? He is in Korea now, but I believe he is coming home either today or tomorrow. That was what he had said when I talk to him last. Why?"
"Iie, betsuni. I was just wondering… say Touya, does your father still play internet Go?"
"I'm not sure. I do not think so. He is too busy playing other countries professionals to play internet Go I think. Ever since the internet Sai disappeared, otou-san no longer play net Go."
"Sou… sou ka?"
"…Baka!! What type of move is that? How could you have used such move to counter my attack?!"
"Ee…? What is wrong with that move? It is perfect!"
"What??!! Could you have not foreseen that in about three moves, I'll crush your defense there!"
"Obviously I did! I was aiming for another goal!"
"And you just gave up your section there? Is your head really filled with air or are you just plain stupid?!"
And so the fight goes on for another ten minutes before it finally stops, again with both of them glaring at each other above the goban. Ichikawa and Sai sighs, somehow knowing that this will be another long and noisy day at the salon. Ichikawa looks up towards the ceiling, praying that those eruptions will not one day ended with a hole up there. Then Ichikawa sneaks another look towards the pair. It has seems that they finally got back into playing again. Secretly, Ichikawa took out a piece of paper and added another tick to it.
'Their record of having the most eruptions before Shindou-kun walks out is 15 times. I wonder when they're going to break it…'
"I HAVE ENOUGH! I'M LEAVING!!"
With that well-used phrase, Hikaru stomped towards the exit where Ichikawa already had his bag ready on the counter. He picks up his bag, grunted his farewell to Ichikawa and then stomped out, leaving an extremely dumb-founded Sai behind, who immediately ran after Hikaru when he can no longer see Hikaru. Akira just calmly picked up the stones they had used and placed them back into their respective containers before walking towards Ichikawa to retrieve his bag and go home as well.
"Going home already?" asked Ichikawa, taking out Akira's bag.
"Hai. It's getting late. Besides, otou-san and okaa-san is coming home soon. I must get the house ready."
Akira smiles at Ichikawa and then took his bag. "Saa, I take my leave now. Sayonara, Ichikawa-san."
"Sayonara, Akira-kun." Ichikawa waves Akira out of the salon, while secretly thinking, 'Nine times of eruptions this round…'
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RRIINNGG!!! RRIINNG!!
Akira looked up from his homework as the phone started shrilling. He got up gracefully and reached out to the phone.
"Moshi moshi. Touya desu."
"Akira? It's okaa-san here."
"Okaa-san! I'm glad to hear from you. Where are you and otou-san now?"
"We have just reached TokyoInternationalAirport. We should reach home soon."
"Honto? Great! I can't wait to see you and otou-san again. Is otou-san well?"
"Your otou-san's health is fine. Akira, I called you to inform you that we'll be having two guests coming home with us and I would like you to prepare the guest room for them."
"Wakata. Who are they by the way, okaa-san?"
"Oh! That is himitsu, Akira! I'm sure you'll be surprise!"
"Ara, okaa-san. I'm no longer a child. Well, no matter, I'm sure I'll know who he is when you all reach home. I just have to be patient. Go players have plenty of patience, do they not okaa-san?"
"Mou… Akira-kun, you are no fun. Can't you at least indulge your okaa-san a bit? I haven't seen you in two weeks you know…"
"Hai. Hai. I'll get everything ready by the time you reach home, okaa-san."
"Arigatou,, Akira. I'll see you soon."
"Hai… Sayonara."
Click!
Akira hangs up the phone with a smile. Ever since his otou-san announced his retirement and travel around the world bringing his okaa-san along, his okaa-san has been in a genki mode. It seems that his otou-san retirement really brings more benefits than what the rest of the world thinks so. At least more benefits to his family. He had never seen his okaa-san this happy for as long as he can remembered. Not only that, he had never seen his father this happy and relaxed also. Yes, the decision to retire was a good one.
'Saa… lets go get the guest room ready. I wonder who these guests we'll be entertaining are…'
-owari-
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Finally, another chapter up! I had an idea what the gist of my story for this chapter is… my only problem was how to play it out. But finally, here I am, although I not so sure I've done a very good job with it. So for those reading this, please tell me what you think about this chappie.
Mnemea – Thanx for informing me about the anonymous thingy. My only excuse was I did not know. So sorry.
For those who are waiting for my update, have fun reading!! I hope I did not disappoint you all. Thanx!
