"Since we're running out of time, please review the different types of SN2 reactions we mentioned today for the next lecture," Professor Azuma concluded as she dismissed the class.

Kaneko neatly finished copying the diagram of the transition state for the last reaction on the board before closing her notebook and gathering her books to leave. It was her last class of the day, and she hoped to leave before she would be seen by-

"Kaneko-san!"

Oh. Too late. She turned around reluctantly. "Hello, Mizusawa-san."

"Just in time! I told the girls that we'd be joining them at the izakaya after class."

Kaneko tried to smile. "Oh, that sounds...great."

"I heard that Akane-chan arranged a group of boys from Kogakuin University to come meet us there," Mizusawa said with a sly grin. "They're in the civil engineering department."

Kaneko sighed. "Not another goukon."

"Exactly!"

"Actually, I'm feeling a bit tired today, and I was hoping to go home early," Kaneko began, only to be interrupted by the sight of Mizusawa's crestfallen face.

"But Kaneko-san, there will be four boys there, and only three of us if you don't go."

"All right," she said with a rueful smile and followed Mizusawa out the door.

They were the last to arrive at the bar, and the group was already seated at the corner. Mizusawa and Kaneko both bowed, saying, "Sorry, sorry," as they slid into the last two seats in the booth. Kaneko put down her bag and settled herself comfortably in her seat before looking up to see the student sitting across from her.

He had hair curling over his ears and the collar of his shirt turned up. His face was turned away from her, but she recognized his profile nonetheless. That look of boredom-the eyeroll, the scowl, the slouch-was instantly familiar.

She grinned. Perhaps getting dragged to this goukon was not such a bad idea. "Oi, Mitani."

He straightened in surprise. "What?"

"Don't recognize me?" she said with a raised eyebrow.

"Kaneko! What on earth are you doing here?"

Mizusawa leaned over to whisper loudly, "Do you two know each other?"

"Yes, we went to the same middle school. But I don't think we've run into each other more than once or twice since then. How long has it been, Mitani? Three, four years?"

"Four," he said sharply. "At the district-wide high school tournament in second year."

She nodded. "Right. Where you lost to Kaio High. Again."

He glared at her. "We won the next year. But you weren't around to see it."

"Oh." She felt oddly deflated.

They ordered drinks and yakitori for the table. In a subdued mood, Kaneko listened to the ebb and flow of conversation among the rest of the group. From time to time, she sneaked a peek at Mitani, who was slouched back against his seat, hands behind his head. His eyes were half-closed and drooping. She fought the urge to kick him awake.

"That friend of yours is cute," Mizusawa said, when there was a lull in the chatter.

"He's not my friend," Kaneko muttered, as she skewered the last piece of grilled meat on her plate.

"Oh? You seemed to be quite friendly."

"We're not friends," Mitani cut in, "we're rivals."

At Misuzawa's look of bewilderment, Kaneko hastily said, "Er, we used to be in the go club together, back in middle school"

"Oh, I didn't realize you played go, Kaneko-san!"

"I used to," she said, conscious of Mitani's gaze, "but I haven't played in a long while."

After they'd finished eating, the group got to their feet and shuffled outside, dawdling outside the door as they debated whether to go to karaoke or head to another bar. Kaneko lingered on the edge, wondering if she could make her escape.

She felt a tug at her coat sleeve. "Oi," Mitani said, scuffing one foot against the pavement. "There's a go salon around the corner. Stays open late."

She blinked. "What?"

"Let's play a game. For old times' sake."

She glanced back at the rest of the group. Mizusawa was smiling up at one of the Kogakuin students and seemed to be completely engrossed in listening to him.

"All right, let's go." They slipped away from the rest of the group.

Mitani led her down a few blocks before heading down a stairwell to a rather seedy looking go-salon. The door rattled as he opened it. An old man at the counter looked up from his newspaper. "Ah, Mitani-kun. Here again so late at night? Shouldn't you students be in bed at this hour?"

"I'm in college now, Ikeda-san." Mitani tossed a couple of hundred-yen coins on the counter and headed towards an empty board.

Kaneko slung her bag on the back of the chair and sat down. Mitani handed her a bowl.

"Handicap?" he asked.

"Don't insult me. Nigiri."

Mitani took black and placed his first hand at a star point. He smirked at Kaneko. "Are you sure you don't want a handicap? I've improved a lot."

She didn't reply and placed her hand instead in the opposite corner. The beginning of the game progressed rapidly but as they moved past fuseki, Kaneko slowed down, pondering her moves. It was strangely difficult to read ahead in the game. Instead of instantly hitting upon the optimal solution to the half-familiar patterns on the board, her mind had to walk through the different possibilities. Mitani waited, patient, as she rested her chin on one hand while concentrating on the board.

"It's been a while since you played," he said at one point.

"I haven't had time," she muttered, trying to figure out whether she should protect her group on one side or give it up as dead. "Too busy trying to remember the difference between glutamate and glutamine."

He snorted. "Ever the top student. But yeah, I know what you mean."

"You've improved though." She decided to protect her group and placed her hand.

He said quietly, "It's good to hold onto things that are important to you."

It was nearing midnight when they neared the end of the game. She gnawed on her lip as she stared at the board. There was no point in holding out any longer. She sat back with a sigh as she dropped her stone back into the bowl. "I resign."

Mitani did not crow as he usually did when he won a game. Instead he nodded and began clearing the board. "Good game. You're not as rusty as I thought."

"Thanks, I guess."

"Kaneko," he said, not looking up. "It's good to see you again."

Much to her dismay, she felt her cheeks flush. "It's...good to see you too."

Quietly, they finished clearing the board and got up to their feet. Mitani gave a nod and a wave to the old man as they left the go salon and headed up the steps. On the sidewalk outside, the moon was glowing white above the city lights, and the air felt clear and crisp in her lungs. Despite the late hour, Kaneko was suddenly wide awake and aware of everything around her: the cold dark night, the glare of fluorescent streetlights, the pinch of her too-stiff shoes, the weight of the bag on her shoulder, and most of all, the distance between her and Mitani, who was standing in front of her, hands in pockets, and waiting. Waiting for what?

She said, dropping back into politeness, "We should play again sometime."

He stared at her, brow furrowed in a slight frown. "It's always a bit different, playing go with you."

"How so?"

He took one hand out of his pocket, reached out and clasped her own. His palm felt warm and slightly damp. "Well...you're my rival, aren't you?"

She wound her fingers between his. "That's one word for it," she said and smiled.

"Kaneko-san!" Mizusawa called out, as she hurried to catch up with Kaneko on the sidewalk. "The girls were talking about another goukon this weekend, this time with students from Waseda, of all places! Can we count on you to come?"

Kaneko shook her head. "Sorry, I have a prior commitment."

"Oh, but Kaneko-san!" Mizusawa paused and looked at her more closely. "Surely you don't have a date?"

"Not exactly a date," she said. "A game."

Mizusawa-san looked puzzled. "You're playing games instead of coming with us?"

Kaneko just smiled. "I have a promise to keep. For someone important to me."