One more chance
Summary: Shindou Hikaru looses another match from Touya Akira in front of everyone and looses his title as an Ouza. Hikaru then tries to suicide himself then gets a second chance in life by going back 6 years in time when he first met Sai!! AkiHika- Multi-chaptered!
Pairings: Hikaru+Akira, Waya+Isumi, Akari+Mitani, Kaga+Tsutui and more!
A/N: I'm REALLY sorry for the long wait! I was making another HNG fic. It'll come up soon… It's supernatural, humor and romance. It has mixes of Death Note!
Chapter 4: Go-tournament
"You're so slow, Akari!"
Akari panted quietly as she pouted, "Well I'm sorry if I'm slow at running…"
17 year old Shindou Hikaru walked back to his childhood friend who seemed really exhausted. Nothing strange about that, right? Wrong. The picture is definitely wrong. Hikaru right now is stuck inside his 6th grader body and went back in time for an unknown reason! This couldn't get any twisted than this. Hikaru sighed as he responded to Akari's whine, "Look, if you'll be slow, I'll leave you here!"
"Eh?? No, don't! I don't even know where we are!" Akari's loud remark almost shattered Hikaru's ear drums since they were close together. It was a surprise that her high-pitched voice didn't shatter the windows every time she opened her mouth. No, maybe it's just the fact that Kami-sama took Hikaru's wish seriously which was supposed to be a half-joke… He was on a slump!
Hikaru was in his bad mood, "Let's just go..."
"Hai," Akari said smiling cheerfully,
Mental note to himself, do not make sarcastic remarks to Akari.
Hikaru's eyes caught a familiar figure that he knew that just came out from a supermarket… "Ichikawa-san?"
Ichikawa Harumi looked up and smiled, "Ara, Shindou-kun! Are you with your girlfriend?"
Akari blushed hotly as Hikaru rolled his eyes, "No, she's my childhood friend. She wanted to go to some go classes. Are you going back the Go salon?"
Ichikawa nodded, "Mm, would you mind paying a visit? Akira-kun doesn't have that much people to play with..."
Hikaru sweatdropped, "N-Not today. Maybe some other time! Tell him that, please!"
"Alright then," Ichikawa smiled as she stopped. Hikaru blinked as he watched her dig something at her purse. A paper was retrieved after that moment of search, "Here! There's a children's go tournament. If you want to join, go ahead!"
"Arigatou, Ichikawa-san… Let's go, Akari." Hikaru said as they walked out,
"Who was that, Hikaru?" Akari asked blinking,
"Cashier register person in a Go salon." Hikaru said as he stuffed the flier in his pocket.
Sai solidified beside Hikaru, "Ne, Hikaru!! Are we going to play some go?? Ne, ne??"
'Hai, hai… We will-- now shut up! You might make a stupid remark and I end up bursting it out.' Hikaru thought.
Akari bowed in front of Shirakawa and said, "Yoroshiku onegai shimasu!"
"Gomen, she really wanted to go…" Hikaru muttered,
"No, it's fine!" Shirakawa smiled, "It's nice to see people your age to play go… Let's go and have the class now, shall we? Please sit."
Akari and Hikaru sat down facing across each other. Shirakawa walked up towards the huge goban and said, "Recently, it's been popular to place the first move on a star point but komoku is probably still the safest. If you follow it up with a keima then it's like you're capture the entire corner already."
Akari whispered to Hikaru in great confusion, "Hikaru, do you get what he's talking about?"
Well, when he was a 6th grader, he didn't. Hikaru smirked, "Of course!"
Akari glared at Hikaru's boastful confidence, "Hmph!" The two listened to the lesson.
"But in an actual game, it won't always turn out the way you want it to. Okay, now let's say the white place his next move here. What should the black do?"
Hikaru smiled secretly and raised his hand, "I know."
Shirakawa blinked and said, "Shindou-kun? Okay, tell us."
Hikaru's eyes flashed as he remembered the last time when Sai played Akira the first time, "16-5; underneath the star point…"
Akari blinked.
"16-5… You mean right here? Hmm…" Shirakawa said,
The people stared in awe or disbelief at Hikaru. Akari muffled a giggle but stopped when Shirakawa responded, "I thought you were a beginner…"
"Oh, was I wrong? I'm sorry!" Hikaru lied,
"No.. It's a very good move. Nowadays, people don't use it but In the past, it was quite popular." Shirakawa said as Hikaru sat down staring at Sai who was nodding gently at Shirakawa's remark but then blinked, "Why isn't it used now, Hikaru?"
Hikaru responded at his head, 'Komi rule. Black makes first move right? He gets the advantage so white gets 5 and a half moku to sart with. So, if white has like 20 moku, black should get like 26 or something!'
"I see…"
"So it's not used because of the komi rule, ne?" Hikaru smiled at Shirakawa who only nodded,
"Do you know how to nigiri?" Shirakawa asked as he walked towards Hikaru and Akari.
Hikaru nodded, "Hai. It's how to know who'll use black or white."
"Correct." Shirakawa smiled as he gave Hikaru a book, "Here… You can replay some games. I'll be back later."
"Hai."
Akari blinked at the notebook, "Hikaru, do you know how to use this book?"
Hikaru nodded yet again, "You put it in the correct place by number… See, the first move is here."
"And then this is the second move?"
"Aa, then here's the third--"
"Ha! 6 stone captured! I guess you like getting your stones taken or something!" A man said laughing. His plump figure, slopped in a chair, trying to reach for the stones was a horrible thing to look at especially if he's an arrogant person who bullies. Hikaru bit a sigh. It was Akoda-san bullying the weaker players yet again! Sai glared and said, "Hikaru!! Let's play a game with him!! I cannot allow such an imprudent man bully weak go players in front of my eyes! Let me play, Hikaru! I shall teach him a less--- Hikaru? Hikaru!!"
"Hey old man! Let's play a game!! I'll teach you a lesson…" Hikaru grinning. Sai's eyes bulged open! Good gracious, what did Hikaru do now? From all the years he had passed, he had never seen such a person like Hikaru!!
"Ha? Fine, little brat.. Sit down and let's play. I'll teach you how to shut your mouth. Grandpa's gonna do some spankin'…" Akoda said smirking,
Hikaru's left eye twitched as he sweatdropped at Akoda's weird statement. Spanking…? Oh yeah, this guy is seriously weird.
--
Akoda's jaw almost dropped down to the floor. How did this happen?? Since when did this kid have that kind of play? The only person that came out of his mind was Touya Akira, the son of Touya-Meijin. No, this kid's name is Shindou Hikaru!
"6 moku and a half…" Hikaru said smiling, "That was a nice game."
"Hikaru?"
'Mm?'
"How come your moves are like mine in ways?"
'I guess I decided to go into your style…'
"Just by watching me battle once??"
Hikaru sweatdropped. 'Yeah... Uh, I was born with a photographic memory so uh... yeah.'
Akoda laughed nervously, "I was just going easy on the kid. I could have won by 10 moku…" Akoda bluffed,
Hikaru's vein popped as he took the go ke and placed it at Akoda's head, "Ah, oh no… My hand slipped there." Hikaru smirked secretly as Akoda got annoyed. How dare that sixth grader pour go stones at his head?! He has no respect at all. "You little brat…"
"I'm sorry; I'll take it out…"
"Hey—W-Wait a minute, you brat—Ahh!!!"
A wig fell down the floor as the whole classroom became quiet. Everyone's eyes widened, unable to speak from what just happened. Akoda blushed in pure embarrassment. The senior citizens started laughing as Akoda ran out, humiliated and angry. Akari too had the same feeling and ran towards Hikaru with a flushed enraged face. Akari shouted at Hikaru, "Hikaru!! Did you bring me to go class for this?!"
"Who said I wanted you to come?!" Hikaru snapped,
"Go to hell!!" Akari shouted as she stomped off,
"Shindou-kun!! Please leave already!!" Shirakawa nearly shouted, also embarrassed. The door slammed at the back of Hikaru who just nearly regretted what he did. He was suppose to make his future better not make it worse by adding this in. "Mou, Hikaru!! You made the teacher mad!! Now we'll never play go!!!" Sai whined. Hikaru scratched his head in frustration, just letting out a cry. "ARRGH!!!"
He stopped and took the crumpled flier and opened it revealing the advertisement for the children's go tournament. He remembered this. Akira and him met at the subway, him asking for another fight with Sai. He needs to take that off. Hikaru needed to remember not to exclaim that he wanted to take the pro exam for money or an enraged Akira will certainly come out.
"Ne, Sai. Let's go to this place then…" Hikaru sighed as Sai stopped his crying, replacing it with a cheerful face.
"Wai!! Arigatou, Hikaru!!"
Hikaru and Sai stared at the kids playing. The strange feeling in the place did not change, Everyone was still serious and Hikaru was still touched at remembering the memory of that time. He looked at Sai who was smiling gently at the kids. "I guess it makes you happy too, eh?"
Sai blinked and looked at Hikaru, "Eh?"
Hikaru smiled, his eyes closed. "The children are playing go. They show you that go is still a game that is in their hearts, that time did not change even if you had played for several years before. It's nice to see people at their age play with a heated passion that it warms your heart deeply."
Sai smiled, nodding at his statement. "Yes, it touches me deeply. Does it touch you?"
Hikaru nodded with a smile, "Aa, it reminds me of my determination…" The determination to surpass Touya Akira and grab the hand of God for Sai and himself; yes, the determination he forgot when he lost his title. He could just stand up and walk towards the path of pros, trying his very best bno matter how much times he falls down. Loosing a game does not make you weak but makes you stronger. Hikaru clustched the paper as his smile turned soft.
"Determination?"
Hikaru smiled, "You'll see someday."
Ichikawa stared at the quiet Touya Akira, sitting alone in the dark, looking at the goban across him. He's waiting for him. She already told him that Hikaru would certainly come back but Akira couldn't wait. Ichikawa walked towards Akira. "Akira-kun…? Hirose-san would like a shidougo."
"Ah… I'm sorry, Ichikawa-san, Hirose-san but…" Akira said but no words came out to express it,
"You're waiting for him aren't you, Akira-kun?"
"Hai…"
Akira bit his lip then Ichikawa smiled, "Ah!! I gave Shindou-kun a flier about the Children's go tournament. He might be there though.." Akira's head shot up as he repeated, "Children's go tournament…?"
Ichikawa nodded, "He wasn't that interested but who knows.. Ah, Akira-kun??"
And with that, Akira ran out without saying a word making Ichikawa and Hirose blink.
"Isn't that Shindou person the kid who asked Akira out for dinner?"
Ichikawa made a face, "You better not think of Akira-kun gay like the other man last time…"
"I am not saying that!"
Hikaru and Sai walked towards a goban having a fierce fight at the upper-left. Sai's eyes turned serious and said, "Hikaru…"
'Aa, black will die if he won't get it right…' Hikaru thought with the same serious eyes. 'The answer.. It's 1-2.'
Sai nodded as he hid the lower area of his face with his fan. "Yes."
The kid answered his opponent's respond by putting his stone to "1-3" making Sai and Hikaru sweatdrop. He didn't notice it… The other kid placed it at the wrong place as Hikaru and Sai began to startle. He missed the chance too! This is definitely different from before. "Ah, you could have put it to 1-2 instead of 1-3, you know. You missed the chance of making black live." The whole place turned silent as the two opponents blinked.
A man in a business suit came in gripping Hikaru's wrist, "You! Don't disturb the players…"
Another man came in, "They must start another game again. You, go with us to the office. We need to talk to you…" A man said sighing,
"It just slipped out of my mouth!!" Hikaru complained noisily,
"But you still said it, Hikaru..." Sai said simply fanning himself, still not showing the lower area of his face.
Hikaru cursed silently at his head. He forgot about this! Then, when he goes to have the pro exam, he'll see this man in front of him again! This is really bad for Hikaru. Stupid mouth! Hikaru can't trust it anymore…
Ogata came in to the two opponents, still startled from what just happened.
"You, what just happened?" Ogata said to the kid looking at the goban.
"I put the stone at 1-3 but he said I should have put it in 1-2 because that was the key to get black living."
Ogata's eyes widened a bit, "This is…"
--
Hikaru bowed repeatedly to the man fanning himself. The man sighed as he heard Hikaru's seventh apology, "You should really be more careful even if it did slip out in your mouth, you should really know when to keep quiet. Keep your ideas in your head."
"Right, sorry again…" Hikaru said as he closed the door sighing, 'This sucks…'
"You should have been careful on talking out loud." Sai said,
'You don't need to repeat what everyone's saying, Sai!!' Hikaru grumbled as he turned at the corner stopping. He let Touya Kouyo stop in his tracks. He looked at Hikaru with his sharp thin eyes, "I see you have seen where you are going so with that, you have prevented your fall." He nodded once and walked passed Hikaru and Sai. Sai's eyes turned slightly serious. He felt a strange feeling in that man…
"Who was that, Hikaru?"
"Eh? Touya Akira's dad…" Hikaru said not letting Sai know he plays go,
"Really? Does he play go?"
"Uhh... No?" Hikaru said as his smile twitched.
Sai blinked at Hikaru's weird face and said, "Okay, let us go."
Touya Kouyo stopped and looked back to see the kid run off fast. Yes, he heard Hikaru say "Touya Akira's dad" and not "Touya-Meijin." Does this child know his son, Akira? He will have to speak to him later. For now, he walked towards the office and saw Ogata inside, and beside him was a goban that had just have a recent fight.
"What is this all about, Ogata-kun?" Kouyo said,
"Take a look at this, Touya-sensei. A kid found the answer to this problem by just looking at it. Even pros need to take time to think about this situation on handling black well for it to live." Ogata said,
"I cannot think of any other child than my own son to find the answer. Who is this child?"
"You should have asked the name…" Ogata said to the men who were in a straight horizontal line,
"Sumimasen," The man bowed,
"If he is that strong, he shall come up to us one day in the pro world." Kouyo said as he slammed the go stone to 1-2.
Shindou Hikaru.
Akira wants to know who he really is. He needs to see him right now and ask him to play with him. His curiosity is at its high level. He clutched the silver pole as he bit his lip again. Please be there, Shindou…
The automatic doors opened as Akira ran out with that second.
Voices could be heard as he ran up the stairs leading out of the subway.
"Oh yeah?! It's your fault!!" A familiar voice shouted,
There was a pause..
"You—No game for you tomorrow!!" another pause, "Ha, it suits you!!"
"Shindou!!"
Akira panted heavily as Hikaru looked up to see his exhausted rival. Yes, it's this memory yet again. This is not going well. Hikaru whispered out Akira's name, "Touya..?"
"I finally found you… Shindou Hikaru!" Akira said,
Shindou blinked and smiled happily, "Yeah, you did!"
Akira blinked at the sudden warmness of Hikaru, "Eh…?" Eh? Is that all he could say?? That's not even a word. This is not good for his mental health when Shindou Hikaru is concerned.
"You were looking for me?"
Akira nodded once. "Let us play go." His eyes determined with the hint of icy glares that Hikaru thought Akira for that second was a dragon with its fangs sticking out to get him.
End of chapter 4