Kaga and the beast
Kal Kally
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Disclaimer: HnG is not mine. Kaga is not mine. Akira is not mine. Hikaru is not mine.
Summary: Ogata had to give one of his children to the hideous beast as compensation for the mistake that he made. Would the chosen child have the strength to bear the beast's cruelty and capture his heart?
Warning: AU, Yaoi
A/N: Please review…
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Chapter 8: Of a failed test and the happy Prince
Three days later…
Sai stepped into the lake near his house.
He was taking a bath to cleanse both his body and his mind, preparing for the final battle.
Around the lake, flowers were blooming. There were so many types of flowers with various shapes and colors, but they all had one thing in common, that their all carried wonderful smell. The water was cool, caressing his skin like velvet. The trees casted shadows over the lake's surface, looking like shapeless emeralds. And before him…
Sai looked up, and saw right before him was a lotus leave. On it was a frog.
He stared at the frog.
The frog stared at him.
He squeaked and took several stepped back.
The frog jumped forward.
Sai started to turn back and run.
But he tripped over some rock and fell down to the water.
And he drowned.
The townies never saw Sai again and hundred years later, he was found haunting some man named Torajiro. It was said that they could get along so well because this Torajiro was the incarnation of Sai's late husband, whom he had haunted to death before he died. His fate was not sad at all, since Torajiro liked him a lot, and together, they conquered the world with Sai's surprising talent.
≈•≈
Ogata pushed his glass up his nose and corrected his tie. Today was an important day as he would soon enter a contest. He must not lose this contest, for it would decide the future of his Super Ultimate Surprisingly Wonderful Goldfish Corporation.
He stepped out of his room, at the same time, Akira got out of his. They glared at each other the whole time they walked to the main door.
But waiting for them at the doorstep was no other than the famous Touya Meijin.
"What—what are you doing here?" Ogata shuttered, surprised that such a famous person would come upon their doorsteps.
"Who are you?" Akira asked. He was never into the goldfish business.
"I'm Touya Kouyou, Akira's real father."
"WHAT?"
"WHAT?"
"What are you talking about?" Ogata snapped angrily at the newcomer. "I am his father."
"That's not a funny joke!" Akira shouted furiously. "That stupid good-for-nothing loser is my father!"
"Hey, I'm better than that." Ogata objected.
"But I am Akira's father." Meijin Touya didn't waver. "Look, what's my name? Touya Kouyou. What is Akira then?"
"Touya Akira." Ogata answered.
"Then what is yours?"
"Ogata Seiji"
"Then how does that makes you his father and not me?"
"…"
"…"
"Then you're here to take him back?" Ogata asked carefully.
"No."
"WHAT?"
"WHAT?"
Both Ogata and his not-really-be daughter stared at the famous Meijin like he had grown another head. "Then what're you here for?!?"
"For this." The man closed the gap between him and Ogata. His arms encircled around the slender waist as he quickly captured Ogata's lips.
Ogata was startled, then narrowed his eyes angrily and pushed at the other's chest. However, he had been hanging around his girly daughters and his goldfish-oriented plans too much. As a result, he must have become weak, since Touya Meijin only needed to hold up both of his wrists with one hand while held his chin firmly with the other. The kiss deepened.
…
After a long while, Touya Meijin released him, and Ogata stumbled back, panting heavily. He scowled. "It's not right for fathers to do that! What about Akira?!?"
They turned to Akira.
Who had turned into stone, frozen from watching their kiss!
So everything was resolved. The not-yet-be-born Ogata's Super Absolutely Ultimate Surprisingly Wonderful Unique Goldfish Corporation merged with Touya Meijin's I-Will-Retire Enterprise. Their business prospered, brought them much fame and fortune, and more important, a chance to let their child to explore the world. True to his word, Ogata packed the statue of Akira into a goldfish container and sold it to the Kansai region, much to the dismay of Touya Meijin.
But don't worry. Akira's fate was not sad at all. His statue was placed in the Kansai's Go institution where all the matches took place. One day, he witnessed the match between the best player in Kansai, Yashiro and a mysterious person from Tokyo, a boy with tri-color hair. They had played in such a style that it shook him even more than the kiss from the pass. In the end, Akira was unfrozen; he married Yashiro and lived happily as the Gem of the Go world!
≈•≈
So, Ogata, Akira and Sai were all happy indeed. The ones who should be pitied were Kaga and his Prince.
Three days passed. They went to the town hall, preparing for the contest.
And they waited.
And waited.
And waited.
But no one appeared.
The judge had decided to declare Kaga the winner, but Prince Hikaru insisted that they must wait for Kaga's family.
"They're your father and brothers. They all love you, so I'm sure they will come. So Tetsuo, please don't be sad!" Hikaru encouraged.
"Hikaru, they aren't here, are they, so they must have given up! Just go back with me already, or you want to go with them?!?" Kaga nearly begged.
"Then why don't we wait and go back with them also? We'll be a big family, you don't have to be sad being separated with them anymore."
"I'm not sad!"
"But Tsutsui said that everyone who goes far from home will become homesick."
Kaga clasped his hand over his face and groaned. Not very far from them, the red-hair judge and his assistant Suyon sweat-dropped, both looking at Kaga sympathetically.
And so, they continued to wait.
And waited.
One day.
Two days.
…
Seven days passed by, and still Ogata and the others didn't turn up.
The judge was finally fed up with baby-sitting them, so he kicked them out of the town and forbid them to ever comeback.
Hikaru was furious about it, but Kaga sighed in relief. Not that he planned to go back to that place anyway.
Not willing to let Hikaru out of his sight anymore, Kaga brought him back to his castle.
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Everyone in the castle was happy that their Prince was back and decided to throw a party for this event. Kaga didn't take part in the preparation; he was still busy in reclaiming the time he had lost with Hikaru.
On their bed, go pieces scattered, the forgotten goban had been kicked to their feet. Clothes spilled carelessly on the floor, creating a small heap. Kaga looked at the boy cuddle to his chest and smiled. This happiness can only be described as love, and though Kaga had always thought love was stupid before, suddenly he realized he didn't really hate it after all.
Hikaru moved under the blanket. Kaga caressed the boy's arm under the blanket and whispered. "What's the matter? You can't sleep?"
"I just think…"
"About what?"
The boy peered up at him from inside the blanket, his hair tousled and his eyes sleepy. "The outside world surely is fun, but it's tiring going alone. Will you take me out next time?"
How cute!
Kaga placed a kiss on the boy's forehead. "Of course." He hesitated a little, then smiled softly and added. "You turn my world upside down, and you don't even know it. But I love you so much anyway."
Suddenly there was a thunder, so loud that it shook the whole castle. Kaga blinked. A thunder on a starry night that hadn't had even a trace of gray cloud?
Another thunder echoed and the window opened. A strong wind swept into the room, smothering all the candles. In a second, the whole castle was plunged into darkness. His hand felt empty. Kaga blinked again, realized Hikaru was no longer under the blanket with him. He sat up and frowned as he saw the boy kneeling on the floor, facing the window. In the darkness of the room, he looked like just a shadow
"What is it, Hikaru? Return to bed." Kaga asked, a little annoyed.
The shadow rose to his feet. A lightning struck a tree outside, and for a moment, Kaga could get a glimpse at his form.
And he was speechless.
Hikaru had become taller, and there were neither cat ears on his head nor tail growing behind him.
The boy turned back, and Kaga could only stare in amazement at the eyes that were no longer innocent, but keen and experienced. From the place of his heart, light spread out, first just a dim glow around his body, then a brilliant light that flowed to all floor and walls. The light continued to grow, spilling out of the room, changing everything that it met. The rusty metal became shiny, the dirty wall became bright and clean, the dying trees outside turn green in just seconds.
The light slowly died down. All the candles lit up, and for the first time Kaga was able to see the person in front of him clearly. There was nothing left of the cute boy he had learned to love, standing on his place was a handsome young man in flashy Prince clothes.
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At the same moment, the invisible curse had been broken, and the whole castle immediately fell into chaos.
In the kitchen…
There were noises of clothes hastily being pulled up.
"I told you not to do it in public, but you never listen to me!"
"But Mitsui, how can I know we'll be changed back?!?"
In the dining room…
There were noises of people quickly rolled off a wooden surface.
"Isumi! Waya! What are you doing? That's where we're going to eat!"
"Er, but… I didn't think the spell would be lifted."
"That's not the point!"
In the great hall…
There were girls screaming their lungs off.
"Tsutsui!!! Why are you holding your… your…"
"Wait! I can explain—"
"Pervert!!!" *Sound of footsteps running away*
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Inside the Prince's room…
"What the--" Kaga sprang to his feet and ran to the young man. "Who are you? Where's my Hikaru?"
The young man bowed politely, his voice deeper than Kaga could remember. "Thank you for taking care of me all that time. I'm Prince Hikaru, the owner of this castle."
"What?"
"Years ago, a Go witch was envious of my talent. He casted a spell on me and this castle, turning me into a beast and my servant into invisible people. Only if someone can love me in that hideous form with all his heart will the curse be broken and things return to what they were before."
"…"
"So you see, you are truly the savior of this castle, I—what are you doing?" Prince Hikaru looked at Kaga suspiciously.
Kaga had picked up all his clothes and headed to the door. He couldn't sort out of his emotions anymore. Part of him yearned for the new Hikaru, part of him missed the old one. On the whole he felt betrayed and tricked.
"Don't!" Prince Hikaru ran to him and blocked his way out. "You love me, right? Don't leave me!"
"I loved Hikaru the beast, not some nasty Prince." Kaga answered coldly at the young man who was only shorter than him a little.
"But--!"
"Get out of my way." He harshly pushed the Prince to a side and took the doorknob.
Suddenly Hikaru pulled him back and crushed his lips to Kaga's. Kaga's eyes widened, the first thought was to punch the daring prince in the face, but that thought could not stayed long.
For the kiss was nothing like he had experienced before… It was passionate, so passionate that it made his knees week and his entire body felt hot like in a fever. And still, it was inexperienced and sweet, the feeling that he could only feel with Hikaru the beast.
Hikaru looked at him with pleading eyes as the kiss broke. "Please stay. I may have changed, but I'm still Hikaru. Hikaru the beast and I may look different, but we still shared the same heart." He took Kaga's hand and placed it on his chest. "And our hearts bleed hearing that you will not stay by our side anymore."
"I…" Kaga could not look away, realizing that even though Hikaru had changed, there was still something innocent and vulnerable on that mature face. Not to mention that if in his beast form Hikaru was sexy, in the mature form he was irresistible.
And there at that moment, he found himself falling in love all again.
"Please. I want to travel the world, challenging great Go player. Tsutsui said that there's a strong one in Kansai, so… but it's' not funs anymore if you leave." Hikaru begged.
"…"
"Kaga?"
"Oh, shut up." Kaga pulled the other closer to him. "The problem with you is that whatever form you're in, you still talked too much! You said you're still him? It's time I explore to see if you lied about that, isn't it?" He said with a playful smile, and captured the prince's lips.
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It took a whole week for everything to calm down. To Prince Hikaru's surprise, his servants actually missed the old days where they were still invisible. But touching something that you can watch was still far better than touching something that you can't see, so no one complained.
What about Kaga?
He still hadn't found out if Prince Hikaru and Hikaru the Beast were alike or not.
And look at the way he always steal a glance at Hikaru and touched the Prince whenever he could, it might took him a whole lifetime to find out.
And as how every fairy tale ended, they lived happily forever and ever.
… that was, of course, not when they quarreled with each other to decide if they should play Go or Shougi.
END