This chapter was very very very difficult to write.. I tried my best. :( Also I realised I mixed up "middle school" with "elementary school" and "high school." Schooling in my country doesn't follow grade education, so I apologise for the mix ups.

Midnight Memories

Chapter 4: Go!

Tuesday Morning

"You know what? I hate you," Akari groused as she met Hikaru outside his house gates, "so much. But I did some research for you anyway."

"Aww thanks Akari-chaaaan~" Hikaru sang as he skipped out the gates after bidding his mother goodbye. "So, what have you found out?"

Akari took a deep breath, as if calming herself, before opening her mouth to speak, all the while giving Hikaru a death glare. "I swear if you do this to me again, we won't be friends anymore. At least show some appreciation for the things I do for you– Hikaru are you evenlistening to me?" Akari screeched as Hikaru stopped at a lampost to examine a poster on it.

"Hey look, Akari, Japanese Cultural Festival's in two months. And my birthday's in a few weeks. Are you getting me anything?" Then, as if detecting something wrong, Hikaru spun around, and upon meeting Akari's angry visage, chuckled in embarassment. "Hahaha so what were you saying?"

"Argh! Hikaru!"

"Sorry, sorry! The poster just drew me in, and you know I can't multitask!"

"Okay then, you can go look at your poster, and I'll just head to school!"

"Sorry Akari," Hikaru whined, "I'm listening! What have you found out?"

Akari turned her face skywards as if asking for more patience from a higher power. "I heard there are Go salons, which are places where people gather and play Go in, something like a club house, or computer café.. You know, those cafés that people go to use the computers at?" At Hikaru's nod as confirmation that he was listening, she continued," and there's also Go classes being taught by a pro nearby, but it's only on Fridays. I heard there are free trial lessons for new attendees. I think you should go for those."

"Go lessons? But I already know how to play Go.." Hikaru mused. Free Go lessons from someone other than Sai sounded interesting though, not to mention maybe he could play with someone there. "Let's go then."

Akari stared. "'Let's'?" She parroted, "what 'let's'? Since when am I coming with you? I'm not interested in learning Go."

"Okay then, I'll just go all alone, all alooone," Hikaru said, stressing the words, "all alo-"

"Fine!" Akari huffed in exasperation, "I'll come with you just because I don't have anything to do on Friday." Then she smirked and added: "You probably really need the lessons anyway, you suck at Go."

"I don't!" Hikaru protested.

"Then explain to me why you told me you have never won a game?"

"That's against Sai!" Hikaru groaned, "it's impossible to win against him."

"Excuses, Hikaru! Just admit you suck."

"I don't suck," Hikaru insisted.

"Do too."

"Do not!"

"Do too."

"Do not- oh wait, I know what's coming after this, I'm not falling for it again! See you in school Akari! Thanks for agreeing to go find a Go salon after school too." With that, Hikaru dashed off the remaining distance towards the school, leaving Akari in the dust again.

Akari couldn't even bother to yell after her childhood friend and walked the rest of the distance muttering unflattering things about him under her breath.

Tuesday After School

"Hey Shindo!"

Hikaru stopped in his tracks, turning as he heard his name being called, already knowing who it was. Izumo, a soccer buddy of his, caught up with Hikaru, looking quite annoyed.

"What's up, Izumo?" Hikaru asked as he resumed walking towards the school gate, where he was meeting Akari. The last lesson of the day was physical education, and the girls and boys were separated for the class, therefore they had set up the meeting point beforehand.

"What's up withyou?" Izumo retorted. "You didn't show up for practice yesterday."

Hikaru's mouth formed an 'O'. "Oh right!" He recalled he hadn't told the soccer club captain that he was quitting the team. "I'm quitting the team, I just haven't told Daichi yet."

Izumo's eyes had grown wide at the words 'quitting the team'. "What?!" He yelled, "what are you thinking? You're a great player! Don't you want to be scouted into Shinsei Academy?"

Shinsei Academy offered scholarship into its Junior High School on the basis of sports prowess, and it was affliated to its High School, therefore, if a student managed to get into Shinsei Junior High, it was definite that he'd get into Shinsei High as long as he just passed the end examination. Shinsei Academy was renowned for its sports teams- many of the members of their seeded teams made it to the national levels, and they even produced one or two professional sports players a year. Their soccer team was especially famous. It had been Hikaru's dream once to become a professional soccer player, but with Sai's disappearance, he wasn't very sure anymore.

"I don't know," Hikaru confessed truthfully, "I just have no time for it now, you know? I've got something that I need to do."

Izumo didn't understand what the reason could be. "But just what is it you need to do? What is more important than soccer?"

Hikaru still wasn't comfortable in letting his friends know about the fact that he played Go, and wanted to drop soccer for Go. They'd never understand. "Nothing much," he said evasively, "but I'll still play with you guys once I've settled a schedule." Saihad told him to live his life too right? Hikaru was prepared to dedicate his time down to play Go, but he wanted to have some time for himself too, and the teachers were always talking about 'time management', weren't they? He was pretty sure he could do that.. He hoped. Hikaru really didn't want to give up soccer fully, as he still felt an urge to play.

Izumo exhaled loudly, shaking his head. "Okay, whatever," he said in a tone that implied he didn't really care. "I'll tell Daichi for you. I think he would want to talk to you about this further though."

"I'll see him tomorrow then, see you." Hikaru bade his soccer buddy goodbye as they rounded across the bend and had the school gates in sight. Akari was standing at a corner, looking upward at the school flag fluttering in the wind. Inwardly, Hikaru winced while preparing for another one of Akari's spiels, noticing the signs of boredom in the girl.

Without waiting for a reply from Izumo, he dashed forward and pretended as though he had run very, very fast from his classroom all the way to the school gates.

"Akari! Sorry for making you wait, the teacher released us late from PE, I came here as fast as I could-" Hikaru immediately started babbling as soon as he was within earshot of the girl.

"Whatever," Akari snapped, "let's just go."

As the pair walked out the school gates together, Hikaru couldn't help but ask, "Did you manage to ask for the location of a Go Salon?"

Akari gave him the evil eye. "Maybe," she said evasively.

Hikaru then gave her a sheepish smile as he asked if they could have lunch first.

Akari looked thoughtful, yet the tiniest pinch of nose told Hikaru he wasn't all forgiven. "I think there is a ramen stall around the place where we're going."

Hikaru perked up. "Ramen!" He cheered. "What are we waiting for, let's go! Walk faster, Akari, you're so slow!" Hikaru started speed-walking straight ahead, but Akari must have felt a tad mischievous as she deliberately slowed down her steps until she was talking a small step every two seconds or so.

Hikaru made a sound of frustration, getting the hint, reluctantly going back to the previous pace at which they were walking. Akari started walking normally again, and directed Hikaru toward a ramen stall located in a row of shop-houses.

"Geez," Hikaru commented, taking in the old decor, "everything's so old in here." He had lowered his voice so only Akari could hear him. It wouldn't do him any good if he got thrown out of the ramen stall after all. Ramen was ramen, no matter where the ramen originated from.

"Hikaru!" Akari scolded in an equally soft tone.

"What are you kids whispering about?" The stall owner, a wizened old man, asked them suspiciously.

"Nothing!" Hikaru yelped and started rattling off his order as he counted out his coins, mentally grumbling about how food is always so expensive, 500 yen for a bowl of ramen is a ripoff.

That was before he saw the Go salon.

Akari and Hikaru stood at the entrance of the place, neither of them wanting to step foot into the Go Salon.

It wasn't because the place looked old, oh no, after seeing the ramen stall Hikaru had been prepared to see a dilapidated old shack posing as the Go Salon, but it was because of the faint wisps of cigarette smoke he could smell originating from its depths that put the two children off.

"That's gross, Hikaru, are you sure you want to go in there?"whispered Akari unhappily.

"I have to, I said I'd play Go and I will!" Hikaru whispered back in determination. He won't disappoint Sai.

Braving the smoke, Hikaru took a deep breath and plunged in, leaving Akari who had disgusted look on her face outside. Turning the corner, Hikaru came upon a dimly lit room with two rows of gobans on top of tables. There was a smattering of elderly playing Go upon the gobans. Hikaru was about to check it out before there was a clearing of throat behind Hikaru, prompting him to turn around.

The person who coughed turned out to be an elderly lady, sitting behind a registration desk, which Hikaru only just noticed. She had placed the magazine she was reading down, gazing at Hikaru with an unimpressed frown.

"Boyo," the elderly lady started in a deadpan voice, "you play Go?" It sounded less like a question than a demand the way she said it.

Hikaru hesitantly nodded. "Um.."

Before he could continue though, the elderly lady interrupted him. "It's 500 yen for children if you want to play here," she recited in a monotone.

"I have to pay to play here?" Hikaru yelped.

"Of course, what did you expect? Play for free?" At Hikaru's silence, the elderly made a 'tsk' sound. "Are you going to pay or not?"

Hikaru was annoyed at the woman. 500 yen to play Go at such a dingy little place filled to the brim with the smell of cigarette smoke wasn't just a rip off, it was daylight robbery. Without answering, Hikaru turned and stomped out the Go salon.

Hikaru could just imagine himself shaking his fist in a comic book villain-esque style at the entrance of the Go Salon while shouting 'I will be back!'.

Akari wasn't at the entrance when Hikaru arrived outside. He saw her through the windowpanes of the opposite store, which looked like a bookstore. The doorbell tinkled as Hikaru opened it to slip through.

"What happened?" Akari asked when she spotted him.

"Attempted daylight robbery," answered Hikaru. "What are you looking at?" He asked as he peered at the books around. It was mostly old literature books, and many of the books had a slight yellowing of pages. It must be a secondhand bookstore, Hikaru guessed.

"Trying to find something to read," Akari replied while scrutinizing a book in her hand. "Most of these books are in ancient Japanese kanji. I already have difficulty reading normal kanji."

"We can go to the bookstore near Haze," Hikaru suggested. "I'm not going to the Go salon ever, so I might as well go get some Go kifu books. Maybe a few tsumego as well."

Akari agreed readily and soon they were on their way to the large bookstore near Haze Middle School, Hikaru's prospective school- if he continued having such terrible marks in elementary school and if he couldn't get into Shinsei Academy. It was the largest bookstore in their neighbourhood, stocking books from all over Japan and even from outside the country.

"Check this out, Akari." Hikaru passed a couple of books to his friend, who was staring at the floor-to-ceiling collection of books with awe in her face. It was her first time here, so Hikaru understood her feelings. The first time Sai had nagged at him to check out the bookstore, Hikaru had grumbled it, but the breathtaking architecture in the store had taken his breath away. Sai had been so happy at the sight of the books too.. At the thought of Sai, Hikaru felt like choking, but luckily Akari had interrupted his thoughts.

"[Touya Meijin's Go Tutorial], [Tsumego Book Intermediate 4], [A Collection of Shusaku's Kifu], [The History of Shusaku's Go], [Honinbo Shusaku's Go]. What is with you and this Shusaku guy?" Akari read the titles of the books aloud and asked.

"It's Sai's Go," Hikaru said simply. Akari just nodded with a strange look on her face, like the expression one would have when one hears a student's excuse that the dog ate the homework.

"Woah!" Akari gasped when she caught sight of the price. "4,200 yen for [Touya Meijin's Go book], 2,000 yen for [Tsumego Book Intermediate 4]- Are you sure you don't want to start with Beginner 1, Hikaru?- 3,500 yen for [A Collection of Shusaku's Kifu].. How are you going to afford this?"

"Are you serious?" Hikaru blurted as he rushed to Akari's side. Indeed, staring out at him from the back of the book were large numbers 3,500 yen. "That's seven bowls of ramen!" He said it so loud that people four rows over had shot dark looks at the boy.

"Figures you will think of the price in bowls of ramen, Hikaru," Akari said drily.

In the end, Hikaru only bought a book, [A Collection of Shusaku's Kifu]. As the cashier checked out his book, Hikaru noticed that the cashier had looked surprised.

"You're a fan of Shusaku?" The cashier asked, looking at Hikaru with an accessing eye. "You play Go?"

Hikaru had felt uncomfortable. Was it so rare that a child would play Go? "Yeah."

"Total is 3,500 yen," the cashier said, bored. He ducked down the counter, as if rummaging for something, and came back up with a phamplet. Hikaru handed over the exact amount, feeling his stomach pang as if already missing the seven bowls of ramen, accepting the phamplet that the cashier passed to him.

"Junior Go Competition for children below 12," Hikaru read out loud. It was held on Saturday, at a place a few train stops away from his house. Hikaru decided then and there to go visit it. Maybe they were even still accepting registrations on the day itself, even though it was written on the phamplet that registrations online ended last Saturday. Winning a Junior championship sounded quite pleasing. There was a complete list of Go-related events that would happen on Saturday on the other pages of the phamplet, so Hikaru tucked it into his pants pocket quickly, making a mental reminder to read it once he got home. "Thanks," Hikaru told the cashier.

"I was required to give that anyone who plays Go," the cashier replied, shrugging. He handed over the book in a plastic bag together with Hikaru's receipt. "Have a nice day."

"Um.. Hikaru," Akari piped up as they walked out the bookstore, "I can't go out on Saturday, I have to help my mom with something.."

"Awww man, does that mean you can't come to the Junior Go Competition with me?" Hikaru complained, and was about to do something dramatic and cool, like pretending to break down in the middle of the road and faux-cry, when he slammed into someone. "Ow!"

"I am so sorry!" The owner of the other voice, a nerdy looking young boy with black hair very much like Hikaru's own and thick square spectacles, gasped and helped Hikaru up to his feet.

Dazed, Hikaru could only thank the other boy as he picked up the phamplet which had fallen out of his pocket when he fell. The other boy made a noise very much like a squeak when he caught sight of the phamplet.

"You play Go?" The other boy asked Hikaru very enthusiastically.

"Yeah,"Hikaru replied, wondering what was it with people today, asking him the very same question.

"Me too!" The other boy blushed in embarrassment at his own cry. "I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself. I'm Tsutsui Kimihiro, from Haze Middle School." Indeed, the other boy was clad in Haze's school uniform.

"I'm Shindo Hikaru," Hikaru introduced, "and she's Fujisaki Akari," Hikaru pointed at Akari, who waved as Hikaru introduced her. He neglected to state the school he was from- he never knew if this 'Tsutsui Kimihiro' could turn out to be a stalker.

"Nice to meet you!" Tsutsui said, closely echoed by Hikaru and Akari's own greeting. "Are you going for this Saturday's Junior Go Competition?"

Hikaru nodded. "Not as a competitor though, I missed the registrations. I will be going to check it out though."

Tsutsui looked very happy at that. "You wanted to register? Wow, you must be really good at Go. I don't think I'm good enough yet, so I'm just going to cheer my friend on this Saturday- he's amazing."

Akari had cut in here, looking mischievous. "I'm sure Hikaru would just lose in the first round. He's never won a Go game, nor play with anyone else."

Hikaru had stared, betrayed at Akari as the insinuations processed in his mind. "Are you calling Sai imaginary?"he hissed quietly at Akari, before turning to Tsutsui and defending himself. "I don't think I'm that bad!"

"If you tell everybody about Sai, someone's bound to think something's wrong," Akari whispered back, before smiling innocently at Tsutsui who looked bewildered. Hikaru accepted the explanation unhappily- he wanted people know about Sai! But the conversation flowed on without Hikaru being able to say anything, so he let it be for now.

"I can teach you some Go on Saturday," Tsutsui offered. "I know quite a lot of the basics. Maybe my friend will be willing to guide a new player too. He's guided me a lot."

Hikaru grumbled that he wasn't that bad, but Akari had graciously accepted the offer for Hikaru.

"Thanks," Hikaru muttered to Akari as they left for home after, "but really, I'm not as terrible as you think I am at Go!"

"Riiiight," Akari, as usual, had waved his protest off.

Monday Night

"Makemashita. I've lost, again." Hikaru bowed his head toward Sai, yet with a small smile on his face.

"It was a good game, Hikaru," Sai's smile was hidden behind his fan, but Hikaru could see the crinkles of the ghost's eyes. "Would you like to hazard a guess, where you went wrong?"

Hikaru nodded, before clearing the board and recreating the game up to the twenty-third hand. "Here's my first mistake, instead of putting this black stone here, I should have placed it here." He put the black stone first at its original space, before moving it to the better spot to the right.

Sai nodded, peering at the board intently. "I would have then played a high kakari, endangering your small cluster in the area though."

Hikaru blinked, before looking again. "Oh. I did not think of it."

"Try again," Sai encouraged.

Hikaru closed his eyes, giving himself up to 'Sai mode', as he calls it. He started analysing Sai's past plays, matching and comparing it to the current game, finding the perfect move to counter Sai's current move.

"Here." Hikaru opening his eyes, and placed his stone outside the Sai's large cluster.

To any unexperienced Go player, it would have seemed as suicide. But Sai and Hikaru knew better. It may not be Sai's style to play such high risk, high reward moves often, but Hikaru had witnessed Sai play this hand once, and it had ended up with Hikaru's overwhelming defeat of 12 points, even with a six stone handicap. Mid-game had been going splendidly, with Hikaru obtaining many large clusters, but with that one move, Sai had orchestrated the devastating end-game that won him the game.

"Why?" Sai tested Hikaru's reasoning.

"Because of this." Hikaru then played out the rest of the hands for both black and white, and Sai was filled with guilt that he might just have stunted the growth of an aspiring new Go player.

Every single hand was his joseki.

"I wish you would live your life too, Hikaru." Sai said, eyes now sad.

"I am." Hikaru replied, looking at the ghost strangely. "What made you think I'm not?"

"Sometimes I forget you're still a child, Hikaru," Sai said teasingly. "It's nothing. I'm just worried about you."

"Don't be," Hikaru said strongly, grinning. "I'll get better at Go and then you'll see me as an adult!"

"It's not only about Go, it's about everything else as well. Don't live your life for others, but appreciate those people who are there for you too."

"Yeah, yeah," Hikaru waved off Sai's advice, as it took a tone too serious for him to bear. It always felt like last words these few days. Like all this was happening in Sai's will. "Another game?" Hikaru asked, knowing that Sai wouldn't say no.

"Yes please!"

Wednesday

It was physical education as the last period again, Hikaru really hated feeling sweaty at the end of a school day. Whoever created the timetable should burn.

Hikaru was feeling as if today would be a good day. He invited Akari over after school, promising to teach her what he knew about Go before they went for the Go pro's classes this Friday, and go through the book he bought yesterday, so that they wouldn't seem like total noobs to the Go pro.

"Hey Shindo!"

Hikaru was filled with a sense of deja vu as he paused in his walk to the school gates. Like yesterday, Izumo was the one who called him, but this time he was flanked by two buddies, Daichi, the captain of the Elementary School's soccer team, and Kiharo, the goalkeeper. Together with Izumo, they were the soccer friends Hikaru felt closest to.

"Hey Izumo, Kiharo, Daichi," Hikaru greeted, continuing his trek toward the gates once the soccer buddies caught up to him. "What's up?"

"'What's up?' You're what's up, Hikaru! Why did you quit the soccer team?" Kiharo demanded as soon as Hikaru finished his greeting.

"I told Izumo, I don't have time," Hikaru defended himself.

"Don't have time? What are you busy with?" Kiharo relentlessly interrogated Hikaru, not showing any signs of stopping even when Akari ran up to them as soon as the school gates were in sight.

"A girlfriend?" Daichi hissed as soon as he caught sight of Akari. "Isn't she your neighbour?"

"No," Hikaru hissed back, "Akari's just a friend, and yes, she is my neighbour."

"What are you busy with then?" Kiharo continued.

"Nothing okay?" Hikaru protested, still unwilling to tell his friends that he wanted to devout his time into playing Go.

"Bullshit," snarled Daichi. "You better tell us what you're up to."

Hikaru was starting to get annoyed. He never really liked the way Daichi had a temper, especially when they lost. Daichi was the captain because of his good situation awareness and his skills though, so Hikaru had been content to let it be.

"Hey Hikaru," Akari greeted during the silence. "Are you talking about Go?" she asked, innocently.

Hikaru turned and hissed at Akari. "Traitor!"

"GO?"The three soccer fanatics yelled at the same time. "The old man's game?" Izumo added.

"Yeah, that," Hikaru muttered.

"Ew, since when do you play something so uncool?" Kiharo wrinkled his nose.

"It's not uncool, I like it," Hikaru said, sounding very unconvincing, even to himself. Immediately he thought to himself that no, he should like it very much because his fa- because Sai had liked it very much. "I like it very much,"he said, stronger this time.

"Lame game," snorted Daichi. "You're giving up soccer just for Go?"

Hikaru shook his head, trying to calm down and not flare up at his friends just because they thought Go as lame. "Just for the moment. I've got to set up a schedule and plan my time properly before I can pick up any other side hobbies, like soccer."

"Side hobbies?" Kiharo scowled. "You're putting that old man's game as priority?"

Hikaru nodded mutely, feeling exasperated. Akari was just standing quietly at the side, glancing ever so often at the one who had spoken, just like when watching a soccer game, eyes following the ball.

"Okay whatever, go have fun with that stupid game and that stupid girl," Daichi snarled at Hikaru , who flared up when Akari was mentioned. His patience had snapped with the captain's last comment. A quick glance at Akari had let Hikaru know that Akari had been on the verge of tears at the captain's insult.

"Why are you treating my friends and my hobbies so badly?" Hikaru had retorted, shoving Daichi, who had steadily been getting closer and closer to his person in order to threaten Hikaru, backward.

"Because they're stupid!" Daichi shoved Hikaru back as Izumo and Kiharo backed him up, tempting Hikaru to get into a fist fight with his former friends.

"Don't, Hikaru, it's okay," murmured Akari as she grabbed Hikaru's arm, tugging him toward the school gate. "Let's just go."

For once, Hikaru listened to Akari as he knew Sai would have liked him to, despite wanting to turn around and sock the creep in the face when Daichi once again yelled, "yeah! Listen to your girlfriend, loser!" as a parting goodbye.

"Sorry for my friends, Akari," Hikaru apologised as soon as they were out of earshot. "They're not my friends anymore though."

"It's okay Hikaru," Akari assured, even though Hikaru knew that she wasn't feeling 'okay'.

"Are you still up for Go at my place?" Hikaru asked hopefully.

"I should go home," Akari excused herself, "I don't feel well."

Hikaru frowned. Evidently, Akari was very much affected by the insult that Daichi had dealt her. "Okay," Hikaru accepted. "I'll get you chocolate to make up for it."

"It's fine!" Akari decline immediately. Hikaru knew that it was only for appearances sake though, Akari loved chocolate and would not complain if he got her some. Hikaru remembered his mother had some chocolate in the fridge at home, reminding himself to check it when he got home and bring the chocolate to Akari's house next door.

"Mom!" Hikaru called as soon as he got home.

Shindo Mitsuko, a homely woman and the best mother ever, poked her head out from the kitchen, where she was most probably preparing dinner. "Yes, Hikaru?"

"Do we have any chocolate?" Hikaru asked, heading straight to the fridge after dumping his school bag at the door.

"Take off your socks!" Hikaru's mother screeched as soon as she saw. "And yes we do have some Meiji chocolate with macademia. Why do you need it?"

"Later mom. I'm going to head over to Akari's to give her the chocolate. My soccer friends, y'know, Kiharo and Daichi and company, they made Akari cry by calling her stupid," Hikaru explained as he ransacked the fridge. "Ah, here it is. Thanks mom, I'll be back soon." Upon saying that, Hikaru headed out the main door, box of chocolate in hand.

Hikaru was back within half an hour, sucking on a popsicle. At his mother's questioning look, Hikaru volunteered, "Akari's mom gave it to me. She also tried to give me a packet of sweets, but it was strawberry, and I don't like strawberry.."

His mother had shook her head in amusement at her son's words.

"Oh yeah, mom," Hikaru turned around halfway up the stairs to his room, "if you ever meet my soccer friends, y'know, Kiharo, Izumo and Daichi especially, don't be nice to them. Be as mean to them as possible! Make them cry! They're not my friends anymore, they made Akari cry." Hikaru had pouted before rushing up the rest of the steps.

Hikaru's mother had smiled. "Kids. I'm sure they'll be back to being friends in no time," she commented to the fish stew she had been watching over. "Nice to see that Hikaru's so close to Akari, don't you think, Fish-san?"She asked, poking the fish head sticking out of the broth. The fish head didn't reply, just flipped over so that it was staring at her with its right eye instead.

"I should get a hobby," Mitsuko mused to herself. "Maybe that Go game that 'Sai' plays?"

She was distracted when a loud crash sound came from Hikaru's room. "Are you okay, Hikaru?" she called, receiving a muffled "okay!" in reply. "Then again, I don't have time for any of that. The boy's a handful on his own. And you too, Fish-san," Mitsuko told the fish head when a particularly large broth bubble popped, spraying bits of fish soup onto her hand. "The boys will starve if I didn't cook every meal."

Thursday Dream

Like every night since Sai's disappearance, Hikaru begun dreaming.

It didn't start with the lucid dreams with Sai that Hikaru enjoyed. It started with the dreams where Hikaru was just a spectator. He felt like he wasn't really there, like he was watching a movie in first person.

Today's dream was of Sai and baby Hikaru. Something new. The last few days had been Sai's memories of his younger self.

Hikaru smiled softly as Sai made funny faces at the baby that was him in the crib. Baby Hikaru had giggled, reaching up for the ghost, grasping Sai's long, black hair. Sai had poked his nose, making baby Hikaru's face scrunch up cutely.

And then it was over, and Hikaru was suddenly in the empty courtyard of the Imperial palace, where it was night and the silhouette of Sai and their goban could be seen illuminated from within a room.

Sai, who had been staring at the goban in contemplative silence, looked up at the sound of the door opening. A smile spread across his beautiful face as he welcomed Hikaru, gesturing him to take a seat opposite him. "Ne, how was your day, Hikaru-kun~?"

"The same as ever, nothing much changed from yesterday."

Sai seemed to be searching for something as he examined Hikaru's face, looking strangely serious. "Are you still upset about your friends? I told you, you should also live your life-"

"I am!" Hikaru interrupted, tired of hearing the same words again from his mentor/friend/parent. What is Sai to him? Hikaru really doesn't know..

There was a beat of silence between the two before Hikaru chipped in. "Want to play a game?"

"Yes please!"

The mood lightened, and the previous topic lay forgotten.

Friday

"Hey, mom, I'm going to be staying out till late today," Hikaru told his mother after he came out from his room in the morning, yawning. Why must school start so early?

Mitsuko turned concerned eyes toward her son. "Why?" She was never very strict with her son, but it was a mother's duty to at least know where and what her son was doing.

"I'm going for Go lessons with Akari-chan," Hikaru answered, while hopping around trying to fit a sock onto his foot.

"Alright then, take care. Will you be having dinner at home?"

"I guess so,"Hikaru shrugged. "Save more allowance money that way," he said slyly.

Mitsuko laughed. "Go to school, you brat," she called out fondly as her son rushed out the door to meet Akari who was standing at the gates, early as usual, and waiting more or less patiently.

That was until Hikaru caught up to her, and Akari gave his hair a ruffle, looking annoyed at being made to wait. Again.

"Sorry Akari," Hikaru apologised. "But I don't see how you can expect me to be an alien like you and wake up earlier than I already do!"

"You're the reason why we're always cutting it close," scowled Akari. "We better be early for Go lessons with that Go pro this evening in order to make a good impression!"

"Yeah, yeah." As usual, Hikaru waved Akari's warning off. "We'll be early, no worries."

xoxoxoxoxo

"Hurry up Hikaru! We'll be late!" Akari screeched as she hurried down the corridor of the building toward the room where the Go class would be held.

"Wait up, Akari! My tummy's rebelling," Hikaru called out weakly, looking quite green. He regretting chomping down on the hamburgers so fast now. In his defense, it wasn't his fault that Burger World was having a promotion: If you manage to finish two burgers within five minutes, you'll only have to pay half the price of one. Hikaru managed to finish the two burgers and only had to pay 50 yen for them both.

After Hikaru had insisted to take a little tour of the arcade to see the new game, they were pressed for time. And another problem showed itself:

The burgers had threatened to show themselves again as soon as Hikaru started running, or, well, walking faster than normal.

When they got to the classroom where the Go class was held, Hikaru waved at Akari, signaling her to go on ahead, while he took a detour to the nearby toilet.

Akari sighed. "That Hikaru..." Left her all alone! Steeling her nerves, she took a deep breath and knocked on the door before letting herself into the classroom.

The classroom was perculiar, it was very much like a normal school's classroom, with neat rows of tables and chairs and a whiteboard at the front of the room. There were Go boards situated on some of the tables, though, and kifu paper tucked under. The class was small. Akari counted a total of three students, and she caught sight of the Go pro by the whiteboard. He was a blond man around his thirties, if Akari estimated correctly.

Akari flushed as she realized she was standing at the doorway for more than five seconds without moving, attracting the attention of the room's occupants. "Uh-m.. I-I'm here for the Go lesson," she said, before hurriedly adding, "it's my first time here and I heard there would be trial lessons available."

The Go pro said nothing, just staring at her.

Akari felt terribly nervous. "My friend is coming too if that's okay. Sir."

Finally the Go pro nodded in assent. "Very well. First trial lesson is free, but the two of you would have to pay for subsequent lessons. My name is Kushiya Keto, 3-dan, you may call me Kushiya-sensei. Is that clear?"

The Go pro's gaze was electrifying, Akari was wide-eyed. "Err.. yes sir. I mean, Kushiya-sensei." Perhaps this wasn't a good time to ask about how much the subsequent lessons would cost..

"Take a seat."

Akari slid into a seat at the back, further away from the other students. She hoped Hikaru would show up soon, feeling a flash of fond irritation when she thought of him.

"Today, we'll be pairing up as usual. New girl, you're with Mino-san for today." Kushiya-sensei gestured toward a fat, balding guy, who looked to be in his forties like the Go pro himself. Akari gave the guy a wave awkwardly as he groaned and moved seats, seating himself opposite her.

"What's your name, girl?" Kushiya-sensei asked, looking unimpressed at Akari, who was fidgeting.

"Fujisaki Akari," she squeaked.

"Do you know how to play Go, Fujisaki-san?"

Akari looked down at the goban, then at the bowls containing the black and white stones. "Umm... a little. My friend taught me the basics, like how to capture stones and stuff.."

"Very well. Why don't you start playing with Mino-san first, and I'll guide the both of you. I'll come to you guys later," Kushiya-sensei addressed the other pair.

Akari reached for the stones, but was interrupted by her opponent.

"How many stones do you need, little girl," Mino-san leered.

Akari blinked. She didn't like how the man's tone, but she didn't know what 'stones' meant. She turned to Kushiya-sensei and asked so.

Kushiya-sensei stared at her uncomprehendingly. "Are you stupid? No, don't answer that,"he said, looking at her crossly. "Why do I get all the beginners," he muttered loud enough that Akari could hear.

Akari stared. What kind of sensei was this guy?

"Stones are handicaps. Mino-san's asking how many handicaps you want in the game, Fujisaki-san."

"Oh." Akari glanced up at Mino-san, before shifting her gaze to her own black stones. "I don't know," she said lamely.

"Urgh, just start with no komi," Kushiya-sensei suggested after a moment of awkward silence. Akari's head was perpetually down, avoiding eye contact with the adults. Akari didn't know what 'komi' was, but when Mino-san put down his first stone, she thought it to mean that the game was starting just then, and placed her own stone a ways away from Mino-san's.

"Urgh, don't put that there. Don't be a coward, Fujisaki-san," Kushiya-sensei chided at her fifth hand, pointing at another spot on the board. "You could have put it here."

"Oh." Akari made a noise of acknowledgement, although she didn't really get the logic behind it.

Mino-san had also placed a stone defensively at the side instead of taking a small cluster of Akari's stones later in the game, but Kushiya-sensei had also disparaged him for that. "Don't be so afraid!"

Akari thought that Kushiya-sensei was just too aggressive in his playing style, but he was also very prone to insults when one of his students made a mistake.

"What kind of idiot would put that stone there, Fujisaki-san!"

"Sorry, sensei.." Akari murmured, disliking the guy very much. She didn't think she'd like to come back for repeat lessons at all.

"You should have placed that at 2,3 and cut off the formation of Mino-san's-"

"Actually," Kushiya-sensei's comment was cut off by a familiar voice, "that would be a stupid move. Akari was right at putting her stone at 3,4. A better place to put the stone would be at 2,5, not 2,3." Akari felt relief as Hikaru came to her rescue. He was so silent, no one in the classroom had heard him come in.

"Who are you, brat?" Kushiya-sensei demanded, looking none-too-pleased with the interruption.

"Shindo Hikaru," Hikaru replied with a cocky smirk. "Who are you?"

Kushiya-sensei turned purple at Hikaru's attitude, and Akari felt quite terrified that he was about to blow up and throw Hikaru (and probably her too) out of the class. "That's Kushiya-sensei, Hikaru," Akari hissed warningly at her friend, hoping that he would stop that attitude. She knew he was doing it for her. Hikaru was quite protective of his friends. Well. Of her, now that he didn't really have any other friends.

"I'm a 3-dan, boy. You better show me the respect I deserve else it's out of the classroom for you and girlie over here."

Akari shook her head when Hikaru opened his mouth to say something sassy, prompting him to keep his mouth shut. Hikaru had gave the 3-dan a glare, but obligingly kept quiet.

"Let's continue," Akari said quickly, "sorry Kushiya-sensei."

Hikaru hadn't apologised, but since Kushiya-sensei wasn't pushing for one, Akari and Mino-san just continued the game.

The silence didn't last for very long before Kushiya-sensei insulted Akari again.

"That's it!" Hikaru had seethed, "Akari, let's go. I don't care if you're a 3-dan or 10-dan or 1000-dan, you can't insult my friend like that. It's not nice, you're supposed to be a teacher! Us students come to you for lessons, of course we're not good at this game. If we were, why would we even need lessons?"

The other pair of students who were playing Go had turned to stare wide eyed at the drama that was happening. Akari felt like wilting in the attention and embarrassment. "It's okay, Hikaru, let it go, I know I'm bad at this game.."

Hikaru had shot her a look, the same one she used on him sometimes to tell him to keep quiet. "It's not you, Akari, it's this guy's attitude that I have a problem with."

Kushiya-sensei was not amused by the boy's mouthing off. Since he couldn't get in a word edgewise over Hikaru, he turned to Akari instead. "Need your boyfriend to defend you, how sad," he taunted, doubtless of the fact that the kids were nine and were just best friends.

Akari felt tears welling up in her eyes. She took Hikaru's suggestion to heart and decided to leave the room. Hikaru had moved to follow her, but Kushiya had grabbed his arm.

"You need to be taken down a peg or two," Kushiya growled.

Hikaru narrowed his eyes at the teacher. "That's what I was thinking too. Shall we have a game?"

Akari was worried as she left the room. 'I should find an adult,' she thought, 'what if Kushiya decides to do something bad towards Hikaru?' She left as quickly as possible for home, so that she could get either Auntie Mitsuko, Hikaru's mother, or her own to come to Hikaru's rescue.

Hikaru started with upper right komoku, as Sai usually does. He got white, so he started after Kushiya, who put his black stone at a star point.

Pachi

Kushiya had placed another stone to his left.

Hikaru was tense. This was his first ever game played with someone other than Sai. His hand shook as he placed his stone.

Pachi

Pachi

Hikaru paused after one of Kushiya's moves. Strange, that stone didn't benefit the 3-dan at all, in fact it was detrimental. Was it a mistake? Or was it a trap?

Pachi

It seemed that it was an honest mistake, as the black stone started causing Kushiya to lose territory. Hikaru kept his senses focused. He knew how often games could turn with a single move, especially if that stone turned out to be a trap even later in the game.

Pachi

Pachi

It was strange though, Hikaru thought as he placed one stone after another. It seemed like he was winning, by a large margin too. Hikaru berated himself for the thought. Don't count your chickens before the eggs hatch.

Pachi

The margin was getting bigger. It wasn't his fault. Hikaru thought he could feel Sai guiding his moves. This time, he didn't even need to think 'what would Sai do in this situation?' as he usually did when he was playing against himself. It seemed instinctual.

Pachi

Pachi

Hikaru didn't fight it. He let Sai's imprint guide his moves.

Pachi

Pachi!

And finally, Kushiya bowed his head.

"Arimasen, I have lost." It seemed like his defeat had drained all his energy and anger out in one fell swoop. Kushiya didn't even dare lift his head to meet Hikaru's eyes even when the boy had bit out, "thank you for the game," and stood to leave.

Kushiya knew he was not as good as his fellow Go professionals at Go. His ranking, 3-dan, was something of a joke among the Go professionals at the Go Association. He had been the butt of many jokes with some saying that he only made it to 3-dan after over forty years, and it was also only due to luck that he managed to get this far. Kushiya had his pride too. He knew that he wasn't as good as a prodigy, but he was a Go professional after all. He should have been better than the little snot rag of a boy.

But he lost to a no-name boy who came for his tutoring lesson.

If the boy was like Touya Akira, Kushiya would be mollified. After all, Touya was known to have Touya Meijin as his tutor since he was old enough to hold a Go stone, it was expected that even if the young Touya wasn't a prodigy, he'd still be exceptional.

But this no-name boy probably didn't have such a teacher. Kushiya couldn't think of any Go professionals with the surname 'Shindo', neither had he heard of a 'Shindo Hikaru' before today.

And he, a 3-dan professional, lost to a nine year old boy.

Kushiya clenched his fist and drove it into his thigh in anger and disappointment in himself. "What are you looking at?" He snapped at his other students. "Mino-san, I'll play with you this time."

The other forty year old man had nodded in assent.

Was it his imagination, thought Kushiya, or did Mino-san no longer respect him as much as he did in the past?

It was all that Shindo Hikaru's fault.

Friday Night

After having a nice dinner of ramen, Hikaru fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

This time, the 'spectator dream' was about Sai and another guy whom Hikaru didn't recognize, until Sai had addressed the other guy with the name 'Torajiro'.

Hikaru gaped at the man who was the 'undefeatable Shusaku' in the later years.

His wonder didn't last very long though, as Shusaku started coughing. Hikaru's horror grew as he realised he was witnessing the death of the man when Shusaku spat out blood.

Hikaru's suspicions were confirmed when he saw Shusaku was sprawled on top of the goban. Sai's goban. He shut his eyes, hands clapped over his ears as he didn't, he didn't want to see Shusaku's death!

After what seemed like an eternity, he lifted his hands. He heard crickets chirping. Hikaru opened his eyes then, and saw the Imperial courtyard. He stumbled over to the bamboo doors and pushed them open on shaky legs. "Sai," Hikaru greeted happily, determined to push what he almost witnessed to the corner of his mind. "I played someone today. It was a Go professional, 3-dan."

Sai had looked up, a jubilant smile on his face. It faltered when Sai caught sight of Hikaru's white visage. "What's wrong, Hikaru? What happened?" Sai asked, surprisingly serious.

Hikaru shook his head, before wincing as the floor spun dangerously. Sai had stood up and caught Hikaru in his arms, just as he was about to fall. Hikaru leant against his mentor, sighing. "I had a dream before I came here," Hikaru explained, "I thought I witnessed Shusaku dying."

Sai scrutinized Hikaru's face. "A dream? I thought this was your dream."

Hikaru shook his head again, before standing up straight again and heading back to his usual seat. Sai sat down opposite him, but still stared at Hikaru worriedly. "I don't think it's anything," Hikaru assured, "it's nothing."

Sai wanted to press it further out of worry, but Hikaru had determinedly started replaying the game that he played against that 3-dan professional today on their goban, so he let it be. He still snuck looks at the boy throughout their entire time together.

He tried putting it aside and concentrate on the game that Hikaru showed played against that professional Go player. Once again, he saw his Go in every hand the boy played. It was too perfect. It was too accurate, too perfect to be just a mimicry of his own Go.

There was something going on here, and Sai feared that it would end up with him having to leave Hikaru again.