Disclaimer: I don't own Hikaru no Go, Bleach or its "Swing Back the Pendulum" arc, a two-ton boulder, nor the original idea of Teriyaki Beef.
CHAPTER THREE – EMERGENCY
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
I sighed impatiently. The occupants of the room were only uncomfortable because they caused this awkward air in the first place! Still, I certainly wasn't unoccupied.
Hikaru, look at the Go boards! This man, or someone in his family must play Go! Can we please ask them to play? Please, please…
Really, could he not be quiet for a minute? All the time, everyday, it's about Go, me playing Go, Internet Go, and of course, Sai playing Go. Now, the obvious choice at this point would be to ignore the ghost. And I tried that. But it failed due the emotional link we shared. My stomach felt ill, and my throat became dry. So really, there was no way to escape the blathering "Go genius", or so he says.
Can't you shut up for a bit? Didn't I already take you to that Go salon? We even met a girl who played Go there.
He seemed to ponder that fact for a moment before answering.
Yes… she did play Go… very skilled as well. In any way, it just goes to show you need to work harder at Go! There's someone your age that plays so magnificently! Of course, her skills are inferior to mine…
I wasn't paying attention anymore, and directed my attention to the boy who was sitting across from me. Rather obvious to anyone who looked at him, Touya Akira's mind was elsewhere, most likely somewhere in the Go mindscape. I had heard his fame in the Go world was quite a substantial amount, though he had yet to become a professional.
How monotonous that must be.
Who wants to live a life like that? There was no excitement, no challenge. I was sure he was met with no match – at least from someone his own age – in the Go world. Not that I was particularly concerned. In fact, I didn't really give a damn toward the boy. He shared the same age as I did, but he had an enormously different mindset, at least from my point of view. When I had talked with him earlier, he seemed much closed off, as if he thought if he openly talked with anyone, he would despair to no end.
Such a disagreeable person.
He seemed the type of person that didn't have many friends.
No friends at all.
I wondered what he was like in public.
Fake; different.
The situation seemed familiar, though certainly not fond.
How similar is it to mine?
I couldn't have been like that; our backgrounds were completely different.
What about my attitude?
No. I refused to think like that. Forcing the depressing thoughts out of my head, I tried to listen to the cheerful conversation Takagi was having with our caretaker, who apparently also happened to be a world-renowned Go pro, Touya Meijin.
"… I'm not really clear on what my hobbies are, though Onii-chan recently showed me a new board game." I smiled softly when he mentioned how I had taught him the basics of Go the other night. Amazingly, he easily overcame the mental barrier Go presented to most people and worked on Go problems for the remainder of the night. In the morning, I woke to find him collapsed in front of the goban.
"Really?" Touya-san said in an amused tone. Takagi nodded furiously.
"It was really fun!" he exclaimed with a wide grin. "I think Onii-chan called it…" His face contorted in concentration. "Go." Touya-san's face registered obvious surprise; most likely from the fact I knew how to play. Soon, though, his expression transformed to a warm smile.
"Is that so? Well, then, you can play anytime on one of the gobans here."
Yay! I wonder if that offer is extended to you, Hikaru! It must be, it has to be! Oh, can we please play sometime, Hikaru?
I winced at the sudden outburst and silently agreed to calm the spirit. Touya Akira noticed my sudden movement and narrowed his eyes at me. I just stared back, hoping he would break the awkward contact. My wish was granted when he directed his attention toward his father.
"Otou-san, may I take my leave?" He spoke so formally at the time. I would later learn the reason behind his way of speaking. Touya-san nodded his consent before his son dashed away, retreating to his room. Throughout the rest of dinner, I stayed silent.
I confined myself to my room (Takagi slept in the bedroom next to me) and set up the goban, preparing myself for my daily game against Sai.
"Onegaishimasu," I said, bowing my head. Sai did the same. I was white, he was black. He placed the first stone. As we got farther and farther into the game, I noticed a significant difference in his usual playing style. Thinking he was just testing me, I adapted to the new style of play, which, unexpectedly, changed again, this time to a less controlled, more robotic, type of play. Confused, I continued to try and counter the strange moves. Oddly, when I played a hand rather easy to counter, he totally ignored it and instead made a mistake. I immediately knew something was wrong. What it was, though, I had no idea. I looked up at his slightly transparent form. He was clearly deep in thought, though not about our game.
It was too late when I registered the dull pain in the back of my head. Before, when I had first met him, I would have tried to yell at Sai, hit him (though he was incorporeal), or somehow get his attention. Now I knew it was futile. I could only prepare for the pain I knew was coming. I heard a light knock on my door.
"Onii-chan!"
Not now! Why did he have to come now of all times?
The door opened to reveal a tired Takagi, dressed and ready for bed.
"Onii-chan, I came to say goodnight…" I smiled lightly at him, trying to hide the discomfort I was feeling. I motioned for him to come over. I gave him a hug, and quietly told him to go to bed. I could feel the attack imminent.
"See you in the morning, Onii-chan…" I didn't hear the rest of his sentence. A deluge of suffering poured over my head, and I grit my teeth, trying to persevere.
My head was splitting; it felt as if a two-ton boulder crushed my skull, and then a four year old stapled the pieces together. Soon, the pain worsened, and a groan escaped from my mouth. I fell backwards, holding my head as if it was my lifeline.
What in the world is Sai thinking about?
Unfortunately for me, our mental link had grown over the past two years. Thus, whenever Sai contemplated ideas I couldn't understand, some sort of headache would occur. Usually, I would also pass out. I dimly heard Takagi call out in surprise and Touya-san tell his son something before the pain intensified to the point where I lost consciousness. My last thought was, Sai, you are so in trouble.
A/N: Another update! I'm on a roll!
So, a complication has risen! Hikaru's headaches will be explained more in-depth during the "Negative Chapters" (chapters dedicated to the past of certain characters - think Bleach "Swing Back the Pendulum" arc) and later in the story, so I hope you'll be satisfied with the short explanation I've given here.
Akira and his father have discovered one of Hikaru's secrets! What questions will they have when he wakes up? When will Hikaru realize who Akira really is? Will he ever? What about school? Does Teriyaki Beef fall from the sky?
Find out most of that and more in this story! Keep reading, and continue to enjoy "Born For This"!