"My name's Touya Akira." He said. "And you are?"
"Shindo Hikaru." She answered. "I'm in the 7th grade."
"I'm in the 7th grade too." He, now known as Touya, said. "How strong are you?"
The question caught her a little off guard. No one had really asked her that question before, unless she counted the sign up sheet in the front. And, seeing as how she never really played with that many people, she wasn't quite sure what the answer was. Sure, she knew Sai and her grandfather considered her strong, but they did teach her and she wasn't really sure how much bias was in their words (a lesson her teachers had drilled into her from their constant praise).
"I'm not really sure." Hikaru finally answered after a moment. "I don't really play with many people other than my grandfather."
He looked amused and laughed a bit, causing a slight blush to form on her cheeks.
'How rude. One should never underestimate an opponent, no matter who they are!' Sai huffed, causing Hikaru in wardly roll her eyes.
'Sai, it's fine. Look around. Do you see any other girls my age here? Or any girls at all?' She thought. 'I'm sure he doesn't mean much by it. I don't really look like the standard go player.'
At this, Hikaru ran her hand through her think, curled hair for emphasis and looked down at the white shirt that exposed her bare shoulders. Not something you would see in a typical go salon.
'Even so, Hikaru, anyone can be a challenge and it does no good to look down on someone because they don't look the part. Back when I was alive, women...'
"I'm sure you'll do just fine." Touya said, thankfully helping her tune Sai out again. "Why don't you put down 8 or 9 stones to start?"
Now that caused her to raise her eyebrows slightly. That was quite a big handicap, especially coming from someone her own age. Just how good was this kid (or think he was) to offer that much? Not even Sai or her grandfather offered their opponent that much (well, none at all for Sai, but that wasn't the point).
"None, but thank you for offering. I don't really need a handicap against a boy my own age, after all." She said with a slight shrug. "Besides, it's more fun if we play even."
He blushed, at least having the decency to look embarrassed. Whether it was for himself or her, though, she couldn't tell.
"No handicap against Touya-sensei?" A pair of men laughed from the next table over. "That poor girl."
Hikaru's looked over at them, only to see them look away from her in amusement. Her eye twitched a bit, but she turned back to Touya before she could say anything.
"Well then, why don't you take black then?" Touya said.
Hikaru inwardly sighed, a bit annoyed at the subtle handicap, but decided that this was as good as she was going to get from him. She reached her hand into the black stones, pulled one out and looked around the board for her first move. That didn't stop her from noticing the way he was looking at her hand.
'You're holding your stones wrong again, Hikaru.' Sai said, causing her to jump inwardly.
It was true. She had never really gotten the hang of holding go stones after the many years of holding her brushes and pencils. And she never really bothered to learn it either. It might have also been the fact that she grabbed her stones before making her move, unlike her grandfather and Akari. Just like with pencils, it was easier to think with the material already in her hand. Habits died hard and this wasn't one that she was really in a hurry to get rid of. After all, it only mattered where she put her stones, not how she held them and when.
She placed her stone down lightly at 17-4, a smile of delight tugging at her lips.
2 moku. She had won by 2 moku.
Hikaru stared at board which held the hardest game that she had ever won in her life. It had been close, so very close, and it was only by pure luck that she saw that move that managed to save her territory from his trap. Her stomach lurched a bit as she realized that, if he had not underestimated her so much as the beginning, there was no way that she could have won this game. No wonder he had offered such a large handicap to her. This kid was an absolute monster at this game. He would have completely destroyed her in no time.
A large smile graced her face.
She had never felt so great than she did now. It was exciting, thrilling even, to finish such a game. It was the same feeling she got whenever she finished a complex painting or pulled herself out of an art block or learned her way around a new technique. For the first time in nearly a year, go was fun. Truly fun. She had never realized how bored she was until this game, of playing the same players every day. A new opponent was just what she needed to pull her out of this slump. Overcoming a challenge never felt so good. No wonder Sai wanted her to get out and go play more people.
She really needed to thank him later.
Her smiled died, however, as she looked up at the boy across from her. He was staring at the bored with a mixture of shock, horror and disbelief. His hands were shaking in his lap and he looked like he was close to tears. She blinked in confusion, then frowned is annoyance and slight anger. Hikaru recognized that look. It was the same look that competitors in art contests, both children and adults alike, help whenever they won anything other than first place. She really hated that look.
Did he not enjoy the game? Or was he just mad that he lost? Suddenly, she really didn't want to be here anymore.
"Thank you for the game, Touya-san." Hikaru said, standing up and scooping up her stuff.
She was just about to turn around to leave, when he suddenly stood up.
"Who the hell are you?"