Hikaru No Go Fan Fiction ❯ Outplayed ❯ He Sat Where? ( Chapter 3 )

As you probably know, I don't own Hikaru no Go and appreciate the owners letting me play in their universe.

 

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Akira and Hikaru were sitting on the park bench again eating ice cream. Akira reflected somewhat humorously that his ice cream consumption had tripled since he first learned about Sai. By an unspoken agreement, they didn't discuss Sai when they were in the Go Institute or the Go salon and could be over heard by someone. The man at the ice cream store was certainly happy. `It's a good thing I'm naturally thin,' Akira thought.

 

Hikaru and Akira tried to meet at Hikaru's house occasionally, but it was a bit awkward. Akira was so naturally graceful and formal that he seemed out of place in Hikaru's normal kid's room. Also, Hikaru's mother didn't seem to know how to react to Akira. He was so formal and polite with adults she couldn't understand the yelling and fights that issued once they started to debate shapes and tactics over the goban. She always blamed Hikaru, even when he tried to defend himself and say `hey, Akira started it this time.' That never went over well as an excuse. It was a learning experience for her. She always offered Akira dinner, however, if the timing was appropriate, and Akira did stay for dinner occasionally.

 

For his part, Akira found the Shindou household totally different from what he was used to at home. While both mothers seemed supportive, Hikaru's mother maintained a more modern household and meals and snacks were less formal. It was different. Not bad, he thought, just different. Hikaru's mother didn't know the first thing about go and as far as Akira could tell, she really didn't want to know anything about it.  He got the impression she was confused by this thing which had taken over her son and turned him from a child into a young man with responsibilities at such an early age.

 

At first she thought nothing of walking into Hikaru's bedroom with snacks but without knocking when he had a guest and there had been some hastily stopped conversations. Hikaru did get his mother to understand that as a professional go player and a 16 year old, she should definitely knock before entering his room. At least they could discuss Sai there without a concern someone from the go world might overhear them. Today, however, they were back on the park bench eating more ice cream.

 

“He sat in the chair?” Akira asked.

 

“That's what I've been saying. It's why I looked like an idiot. Sai sat in the chair the moment we walked into the room to start the Shinshodan match. He just rushed past me, sat down and stared at your father with this serious expression like he was going into battle. He said `he wanted to try out the chair.' Really it was because he desperately wanted to face your father. He wouldn't move for the longest time and when he did he practically cried. It was awful. The reporter was talking to me. Everyone was trying to figure out why I wasn't moving. I suppose I could have sat on top of him but I just didn't do that kind of thing. Then he finally moved and I sat down and he kept begging to play your father. I could feel his depression. When Sai was sad or depressed he could quite literally make me physically ill. I guess it was part of his being in the consciousness or something. At any rate, at the Shinshodan match I kept saying no until he finally drove me nuts and I said he'd have to play with something like a 15 moku handicap. He immediately turned around and accepted the game. So I didn't know what to do. I was kind of stuck.

 

15 moku? He played with a 15 moku handicap? No wonder it looked like a mess.”

 

“Yeah, that's why it took 20 minutes for him to place the first hand. He had to lay out the strategy in his mind. It was really bad. We had one of our rare fights over it later, or maybe it was just me mad at Sai. He never really seemed to get mad at me although for an adult, he could be incredibly whiney and childish sometimes. The battle with your father wasn't satisfying for Sai because the handicap had been so huge there was little he could do. I was unhappy I didn't get to play my Shinshodan match. That was an important game for me. Plus the game made me look like the world's biggest go idiot. Maybe if I'd let him play with a 9 moku handicap it would have looked alright. It was not good all around. The weirdest thing though was your father figured it out. How could he have done that? You could have knocked me over with a feather. I was so shocked I couldn't even move when he said `Next time, I would like to play you in an even game.' Whoa. How did he know about the handicap?”

 

“I don't know but Kuwabara Honinbou recognized it also. It must be the experience they have. They have been playing go for 2 or 3 times longer than you and I have been alive” Akira suggested.

 

“He did?” Now that was a scary thought, thought Hikaru.

 

“Yes. He waited until everyone else had left and wondered out loud to me why you would do such a thing.”

 

“He's creepy. I remember now he gave me a strange look when I was an insei and Sai was still around. He walked out of the elevator and then turned around and eyed me for a bit. I could swear he looked at Sai as well. It's hard to tell with him only having the one eye. It was creepy and kind of freaked me out. Sai looked solemn about it too. I didn't know who he was but all the other insei stood at attention and bowed.”

 

“Maybe he could sense Sai,” suggested Akira.

 

“You think so?” answered Hikaru.

 

“It's possible. There are lots of people in the world who claim they can see ghosts or at least sense them. Some of them probably really can do it. There must be others who can sense them but don't tell anyone about it. My father and Kuwabara sensei are known for their intuition during a match. My father knew something was going on with your Shinshodan match. He told me superficially it looked like a mess but he could tell there was deep meaning behind the moves. He sensed a strong presence and then said he sensed the same thing during the internet match with Sai.”

 

“Scary,” said Hikaru. Akira nodded in agreement.