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. :)
Foreword: First of all… this fic is NOT beta. And I am NOT a native speaker of English. As someone already pointed out, I do have grammatical errors, horrible usage of verbs, yada, yada… in my fic. So if you were to read this and find my English a disaster, please do not say I did not warn you. As for getting it beta, I don't think so as I am only writing this for fun and to release some tension. To get it beta seems a bit too troublesome… and I had other commitments. Anyway, I'm still trying to improve my English… so for those still wanting to read my fic, thank you and please bear with me. Arigatou!!
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Chapter 7: The Night Before
It was late evening by the time Hikaru reached home with Sai in tow. Tiredly, he walked in and uttered a greeting to his parents as he took off his shoes. Hearing a soft 'okaerinasai' from both his parents coming from the kitchen, he walks towards it, leaving his backpack and books in the hallway.
Hikaru walked into the kitchen and waved tiredly at both his parents who were sitting on the dining table while walking towards the refrigerator and took out a bottle of milk. Both his parents had finished their dinner earlier and were waiting for Hikaru to return. Mrs. Shindou immediately got up to heat up Hikaru's dinner while his otou-san asked him about his day which he dutifully replied while gulping down his milk. From the corner of his eye he could see Sai standing beside his okaa-san, watching her heat up his dinner. Even after being with Hikaru in the twentieth century for so long had not lessened the ghost's fascination with modern gadgets.
Just then the hallway phone shrilled loudly. Excusing himself politely from the kitchen, Hikaru hurried to answer it… and promptly wished that he did not.
"Moshi moshi. Shindou desu."
"SHINDOU HIKARU!! YOU BAKA! WHERE IN THE SEVEN HELLS WERE YOU?!"
Hikaru winced, holding the phone away from his much abused ear, thinking mournfully at the same time what had he done this time. His eye widen comically as he realized that he stood Waya and the rest of the gang up when Touya met him and told him about Ko Yongha… in fact he forgotten totally about them.
'I am so dead…' Hikaru thought in panic as Sai rushed out from the kitchen to find him. Sai had felt the disturbance in Hikaru when he answered the phone so he rushed out to find the very much younger boy.
"Hikaru… daijoubu? (all right)" Sai asked worriedly, looking at the panicking boy in concern.
'I don't think so… Waya is no doubt asking for my head on a platter… I have totally forgotten about meeting them when Touya came over to school today. I am so dead!'
Quickly turning his attention back to the phone, Hikaru tried to pacify Waya as much as he could. Sai sagged down onto the ground with the knowledge that it was such a small matter after all. He smiled slightly to himself, realizing how much the boy means to him. He may be dead… but that does not means his emotions and feelings were as well. He knew he should had reminded Hikaru about the get-together, but he and Akira seems to have many things to talk about and settled, not to mention the heavy air that surrounded them when they were at the park. Besides… it is not like his memory is that good, by the time they ready to leave, Sai had forgotten all about Go and the get-together. He sighed as he watched Hikaru talked on the phone, getting more panicky as more sweat-drops form on his head.
Hikaru, on the other hand, was pretty much, as he claimed, dead. Waya was more than just pissed off, Waya was extremely pissed off and angry… which means Hikaru is still going to get it from the older boy the next time they meet. Hikaru was sure he could hear Isumi's pacifying voice on the other end of the line trying to calm Waya down as well. Hikaru winced as he heard Waya turned away from the phone to shout at Isumi momentary before going back full-force at him. He wondered slightly if he should sympathize with Isumi since he had to take some major telling-off from Waya thanks to him.
In the end, half an hour later Hikaru was convinced that he should sympathize himself more instead of Isumi. It had taken almost a thousand apologies together with an offer of free lunch and dinner courtesy of Hikaru and another promise to turn up tomorrow before Waya was able to forgive him, reluctantly.
"REMEMBER YOU BAKA! YOU OWE ALL OF US LUNCH AND DINNER! AND YOU BETTER TURN UP TOMORROW, OTHERWISE THE UPCOMING GO PRO SHINDOU HIKARU IS TURNING UP DEAD! YOU HEAR ME?!"
"Hai hai. Gomen nasai. I promise I'll turn up tomorrow no matter what. I won't forget this time."
"Huh! You BETTER!"
With that, Waya hung up the phone. Hikaru cradled the phone to his chest and slid down to the ground, relief evident in every part of his body. Sai came over to Hikaru and hovered around him, before gaining courage to poke him lightly, wondering the state of the boy now.
"Huh? Sorry, Sai. Waya scares me…" At his admission, Hikaru gave a little shiver before standing up and put the phone back to its cradle. Motioning to Sai, they went back to the kitchen.
His parents looked up from the living room as he pass by and while his okaa-san informed Hikaru that his dinner is all heated up and most probably cool down by now, his otou-san turned back to the news on the television. Hikaru gave his okaa-san a grateful smile and uttered a soft 'arigato' before proceeding to the kitchen and his cold dinner. His okaa-san watched as her son disappeared from the doorway and into the kitchen.
"Ne, anata, our son has all grown up huh?" Mrs. Shindou asked her husband. Startled, Mr. Shindou looked up.
"Huh… Aa. He had grown up since he started this Go business, even though he was then only twelve…"
"Iie, that's not what I mean. Our son has really grown up now. True, he had been growing up so much faster since he picked up Go, even more so when he became a pro. But what I mean is now. Look at him, he is more different than the Hikaru we are used to. The air around him is different."
"Different? How so?" Puzzled, Mr. Shindou complemented his wife's words while his wife just stared blankly at him.
"Anata… you are dense."
"Hey, don't say such things to the main bread winner of the family. Besides, you always had been closer to Hikaru than I have ever been. You'll be more subtle to any slight changes in our son than me."
"True…" At that, Mrs. Shindou smiled softly and leaned her head onto her husband's shoulders. Mr. Shindou gave a smile back and wrapped his arm around his wife's waist. Both of them relaxed into the embrace and let the peacefulness surrounds them. The only noise that could be heard is from the television, which was still displaying news after news. After a while Mr. Shindou spoke up.
"So, what was different about Hikaru that I should have known, despite being the dense husband of yours?" Mrs. Shindou giggles softly and answered.
"Hikaru's eyes. They are so much more peaceful now. The underlying pain that was usually there had disappeared. And he seems so much more balanced now. It's like he finally found the center of balance for him. I'm not so sure if you understand me."
"Balance huh? If he had found it, then it is good. Most people live their life without the balance to keep them stable at all time. I'll be happier too, if Hikaru had finally found his balance and reached out from the dark depth he seemed to have stumbled into."
"Ah, anata! You do know what I had been talking about. You're not as dense as I claimed then… well then, you have been promoted to slow." Mrs. Shindou exclaimed in a teasing tone, clasping her hands together.
"Slow? Why slow?"
"That's for me to know and for you to find out, anata."
Laughter could be heard from the occupants in the living as the couple continued their banter in a lighter mood. Unknown by them, Hikaru had been listening to their conversation all the while from the corridor. He had earlier come back to the living room, intending to tell his okaa-san not to cook dinner for him tomorrow and heard the conversation between his parents. His ears peaked up at the mentioned of his name and with his curiosity taking over, he stood hidden and listened in. Sai was still in the kitchen, happily looking around to search for any changes done since he left.
Hikaru turned back to the kitchen, deciding to tell his okaa-san tomorrow. Right now he wanted to ponder about the conversation he eavesdropped upon. He was unsure what to think of it. At one point, he wondered if he had been that lost. There was no other way to put it. Plainly, it had seem to his parents that although he had a career and still continuing his studies as his parents originally wished on his own free will, he is lost. If not on the outside, then on the inside, which means his soul has lost its way.
'Peaceful… okaa-san says my eyes reflected peacefulness. Had I not known peace before this? Surely I do…'
Hikaru slowly let his memories ran through his mind, thinking of the times he had with all his friends, and he realized that Sai dominated most of them. True, he and Touya had been each others obsessions and now a rival and friend. But Sai was there all the time, in his happiest, saddest, angriest… in fact, Sai has always been there. When Sai left, it seems like a part of him was gone too, making him lost. He stopped, just before the entrance to the kitchen, lost in his memories and thoughts.
'I have been selfish. Too everyone, all they ever do was worry about me. And I bet even Sai came back because he was worried about me too.'
Giving himself a hard mental shake, he strode into the kitchen. He immediately spotted Sai in front of his okaa-san's latest gadget, a brand new oven, much bigger than the last one. Sai stood up immediately upon noticing him and ran over and glomped him.
"Hikaruuu!! Look at the box over there. It's new, it's new! I have never seen it before… though I remembered seeing some other box that looked almost like this one… what was it called again, onen, noven, no, that wasn't it. Er… Never mind! Did you see all those buttons? They are so pretty! And there is a new cupboard there and--"
Hikaru smiled as he tuned Sai out. He peeled Sai arms from him and sat down at the table in front of his unfinished meal. As he ate, he watched Sai rattled on about his kitchen as the genki ghost practically jumped all around the kitchen. He suddenly remembered about how his okaa-san said that he was more peaceful now as he watched the ghost.
'Since I was twelve, my life practically evolves around Sai. Even after Sai left, my decisions and choices, done consciously or unconsciously, are all Sai-influenced. If there is such thing called balance, then Sai is my balance.' Hikaru silently thought to himself with a satisfied smile.
"Ne, Hikaru. What are you smiling about?" Sai asked upon noticing Hikaru's smile, suddenly appearing right in front of Hikaru, curious as ever.
"Eh? No, it's nothing. I'm just happy." Hikaru smiled wider as if to prove his point. Just as suddenly, he frowned, remembering the conversation he had with Akira earlier today.
"What are you thinking now, Hikaru?" Asked Sai in a more subdued tone, as if realizing that Hikaru was thinking about something of great importance.
"Just about what Touya and I talk about today… Ne Sai, do you remembered me telling you about a Korean guy who bad-mouthed Shuusaku?"
"Eh…? Yes, you said his name was Ko Yongha I believe."
"Yes, he's the one. Touya told me that he had come back to Japan for a holiday, and according to Touya, Ko Yongha seems to be really interested in meeting me. Why I do not know… maybe to have a rematch or something. But he won that time, he beat me during the Hokuto tournament after all. If there's any request for rematch, it should rightly comes from me." Hikaru frown slightly, wondering at the wheels of thoughts of the redhead pro.
"Hmm… maybe he deemed you a worthy opponent? I want to meet this guy, Hikaruu!! He must be interesting!" Sai glomped Hikaru while saying this, stars born out of excitement twinkling in his eyes.
"Er… Sai? This guy insulted you and Shuusaku. I mean, if it is true, the first time was a misunderstanding thanks to a hopeless translator, but he insulted you and Shuusaku again during the opening ceremony of the tournament, just to rile me up! He is a jerk!" Hikaru heatedly replied, not understanding nor able to find any reasons for Sai's excitement.
"Exactly, Hikaru! If someone like him could insult Shuusaku, which meant me as well, it must mean that he is confident in his Go capabilities. Furthermore, I have seen his game with you. You played well, as he did, and both of your games are extraordinary. I would like to see him play against Shuusaku and lose and just how he'll react." Sai patiently and pompously explained to Hikaru.
Hikaru sighed, picking up his plate to the wash basin while Sai hovered around hi back.
"As much as I would love to let you crush that jerk to the underworld, I want to be the one who will defeat him, using my own Go. I want to get back Shuusaku's and you honor from him. I want to make him aware that Shuusaku is way above him. I want the revenge for myself. I'm sorry Sai."
Sai smiled happily.
"I know. There's nothing to be sorry about. Besides, I said I would like to see him play against me, not I would like to play against him, you little baka. You would just have to play Go more like me against him to satisfy my curiosity, Hikaru."
Upon hearing those words, Hikaru smiled a rare pure smile that came from his heart and light up his whole face, letting Sai know that this little sacrifice was well worth it. With a twinkle in his eyes, he smiled challengingly to Sai.
"I have a game tomorrow with a 3-Dan. Care to be my practice partner for now? I'll show you much of you I can become."
"Game? Yay!!! You're on Hikaru! I am going to crush you! Beware!" Sai shouted and glomped Hikaru.
Hikaru just laughed and choked, thanks to the pair of arms still circling around his neck. Quickly, he picked up his books and backpack from the floor before leading the ghost back up to his room, whence the game started.
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At the other side of town, another boy of the same age with green hair cut in a page-boy style entered his home and took off his shoes, placing them neatly at the side before straightening up and called out.
"Tadaima!"
"Okaerinasai, Akira. Come, we're about to start our dinner." His okaa-san replied.
"Hai."
Akira placed his bag at the side and walked into the kitchen, greeting his parents softly and habitually before his eyes found his two guests. Smiling slightly, he greeted his two guests as well before taking his place on the table. Seon-keun waved energetically at Akira as he resumed talking to his otou-san while Yongha nodded his head in greeting and smirk slightly. Although Akira did not face Yongha after the initial greeting, he could feel the elder male's gaze on him, never moving away. Throughout the whole of dinner, Akira could feel the shrewd eyes on him as he kept to his dinner and did nothing to contribute into the conversation flowing about the table.
Akira immediately excused himself when he could and left the dining room, thanking his okaa-san for the dinner and silently thanking Kami-sama for being able to escape Yongha's scrutiny. He went back into his room and proceeds to do his nightly routine, which was homework, Go then bedtime. He picked up his books and sat down on his study table and started on his first homework, which was Mathematics. Mathematics was easy for him, but it required his full attention. Soon, Akira was oblivious to everything but his figures.
Suddenly there was a knock on his door, and being as absorbed as he is in his homework, he called out for the person on the other side of the door to enter absently. Yongha walked in and stood near the door, watching the oblivious younger male bent over the table, tackling his homework.
"You know, I think it is considered rude to ignore someone when you granted them entrée into your room." Yongha finally called out in an amused and mocking tone.
Startled, Akira looked up from his book and turned around, only to be faced with a smirking Yongha. Registering Yongha's words, Akira's courtesy immediately kicked in and he stood up and bow.
"I'm sorry, you must forgive my lack of manners, Yongha-san. Is there something I could do for you?"
"Forgiven and forgotten. Anyway, I was just wondering, did you meet with Shindou Hikaru today?"
Straightening up slowly, Akira watched Yongha while he pondered the question and the off-handed way Yongha brushed off his apology. Keeping his eye trained on him, Akira finally replied slowly.
"Yes, yes I did. Why?"
Yongha's only response was to grin wider and he clasped his hands together.
"Then I'm sure Shindou knows of my appearance here in Japan then. Well then, I suppose I could see him without any worries of shocking him to death then!"
Shocked, Akira's eyes widen slightly at Yongha's cheerful reply before asking back in a slightly strangled voice.
"See him… but how? And why? If it is just for a rematch, you seem to be making or rather finding a lot trouble to get it. The way you seem to be going, it is more like you want Shindou to notice you. But surely that is my imagination… Anyway, how are you going to find him in order to see him?"
Yongha smiled, eyes narrowed slightly before widening back. He watched the younger male while he marveled at his sharp perspective, even though he did dismissed it as his imagination, and wondered how much did Akira guess about his interest in Hikaru before answering flippantly.
"I visited your association today, thanks to your otou-san. It is quite a nice place by the way. And I know for certain that Shindou has a game tomorrow morning. I'll just drop by then. I told you I'll find him, with or without your help."
Yongha gave an arrogant smile to Akira, before turning to the door. Stopping just outside the door, he turned back to Akira with a look that is decisively challenging and mocking.
"Shindou's fighting spirit had always been yours, is it not, Akira-san? Surely someone such as yourself wouldn't mind lending him to me for the short time I'm going to be here. But be careful you don't lose things that are precious to you. Sleep well, Akira-san. Oyasuminasai."
Yongha smirked as he saw Akira's jaw dropped slightly, before snapping shut with hateful look in his eyes. Mouth opened in a silent laugh, he waved before disappearing from the doorway. Walking away, he smiled as he congratulated himself on managing to ruffle the feathers of the ever perfect Touya Akira. His smile turned into a grin when he heard a loud slam from behind him, indicating that the feat is more than just well done. His mind ran back to the conversation he had with the prodigy and he wondered what actions Akira is going to take to go against him. After all, he all but told Akira that he wanted Shindou Hikaru… and what Ko Yongha wants is what Ko Yongha gets. Akira is thrown in for entertainment purposes, after all a challenge is not a challenge unless there are obstacles, and Yongha just made Akira into a bigger obstacle.
'Things are going to get very interesting from tomorrow onwards.' Yongha thought gleefully, 'I can't wait for the game to begin!'
In the room, Akira was leaning against the door he just slammed, breathing hard. Suddenly Ko Yongha seems like a much bigger threat. He still did not know what exactly that Yongha wants with Hikaru… all he knew now was he did not like it one bit. He thought back to the conversation today with Hikaru, the part where he claimed Hikaru as his rival and how glad and relief he was when Hikaru agreed to it. Yongha seems to be threatening that claim he had over Hikaru. Suddenly worried but not exactly knowing why, he paced around the room, stopping in front of his desk and glared down at his homework. Deciding that maybe homework could take his mind off everything especially since it is Mathematics, he sat down again in front of his homework. Fifteen minutes later, he was in front of his goban, hoping that Go could accomplish what even the mind-trapping Mathematics could not. Another fifteen minutes later, a royally pissed off Akira could be seen cursing a certain redhead as he paced around the room not unlike an angry tiger trapped in a cage. Finally dropping down onto his bed, he groaned.
'This is going to be a long night.'
-owari-
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A very very late chapter up. I'm so so sorry!! I just had my exams and now on holidays… I guess I was relaxing too much. And I also realize this is a much shorter chapter than most. But really, my mind is just not working during the holidays. It just shut down! Please, please forgive me. I'll try my best for the next chapter. I really hope you'll all enjoy this one though. I know I'm quite long-winded, I wanted to put out more of the individual characteristics. For those who had been following my story all along… thank you so much and please review!
I would also like to thanks those that reviewed. Your reviews reminded me all the time that I need to finish this chapter and update. Hehe, so people, especially those would want to kick me (to put it mildly) for a late update, give your thanks to my wonderful reviewers! Thank you!! Muaks!
