Hikaru No Go Fan Fiction ❯ Outplayed ❯ A much desired meeting ( Chapter 8 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

As you probably know, I don't own Hikaru no Go and appreciate the owners letting me play in their universe.
This hasn't really been carefully edited, so I may expand and massage it and repost it later, but I wanted to get it out there anyway.
Thank you SO much to everyone who has taken the time to review, as well as everyone who has read Outplayed and added it to their favorites section or their “alerts.” I really appreciate it.
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All of the Team Managers and the team members attended the awards ceremony. Afterwards the three managers and a number of the young players gathered in the viewing room after the first Hokuto cup's awards ceremony. They talked amongst themselves as they collected their personal belongings.  An Te-son, Yang Hai and Kurata were discussing the games.  Yang Hai was reluctantly translating from Korean to Japanese for Kurata.  Ko Yeung-Ha was impatiently waiting for Su-Yeung to finish talking with Hikaru.  Yashiro had already left but Akira and Hikaru were talking with Su-Yeung and Chao Shi.  There was a lot of multi-lingual communication going on as Chao Shi tried to listen to the Japanese and Akira tried to make a few comments in mandarin to him.
 
“Shindou almost caught up to your second,” Kurata told Yang Hai.  “If there had been just a few more moves Shindou would have won, even without that one move Ko Yeung-Ha saw.”  Kurata glared at Ko.   Yeung-Ha just rolled his eyes, looked away from him and sniffed dismissively.  He didn't care a shred for what the obese Japanese man thought of him. An Te-Son grimaced inside. He agreed that Kurata could be difficult, but that didn't give Yeung-Ha an excuse to show it publically. Yeung-Ha's behavior was embarrassing for the Korean contingent.
 
“Don't forget tomorrow, Shindou.”  Su-Yeung said.  “It is 9:00 a.m. at the Salon.”  Su-Yeung had every intention of beating Hikaru tomorrow, but it didn't seem polite to predict another Korean victory so soon after Hikaru's difficult loss to Yeung-Ha. Besides, after witnessing the game they had played, he wasn't confident that he could have played so well against his fellow Korean. Su-Yeung remembered a proverb an American amateur had said to him once about `not counting chickens when they were eggs' or `before they were chickens' or something like that. He didn't speak English and the translation wasn't fully clear but Su-Yeung thought he had the basic idea.
 
“I won't forget,” Hikaru replied with a tiny smile.  It didn't reach his eyes and the trademark Shindou animation was gone.    His face immediately fell.  He was silent and glum and closed.
 
Yeung-Ha walked up close to Hikaru and smirked into his face.  “I told you your skills are nothing to mine.  Neither is Shuusaku.  You think so highly of him.  He was an antique player whose skills would be out of date if he faced me.  I would win easily.”  He laughed and then continued.  “Su-Yeung, translate that.”
 
“I won't.  He doesn't need to know how stupid you are being.” Su-Yeung glared at Yeung-Ha.
 
Yang Hai thought Hikaru had a right to know and translated for him.  When Hikaru heard the continuing insults to Sai, he went bright red. His fists were clenched tight against his body. He literally shook with his rage.  “Damn you.  I don't care what you say about me.  I lost to you, even if it was only by a moku, but don't you DARE insult Shuusaku.  You wouldn't be able to keep up with him for half a game.”
 
“Easy to say when he's been dead and buried for 150 years.” Yeung-Ha shrugged. An Te-Son and Su-Yeung just shook their heads in embarrassment and resignation. Clearly nothing was going to stop him. He had the proverbial bit between his teeth.
 
Hikaru literally cut his nails into his palms to prevent himself from punching the smarmy young man. The entire room was stiff and silent from tension. Then everyone heard a slight creak and the door opened. A man in his mid twenties stood in the doorway wearing modern formal Japanese attire. He was slender with large purple eyes in an otherwise Japanese face. His hair was shoulder length and pulled back in a short queue.
“What are you doing here?” Kurata said loudly. “Sorry, but I'm not giving autographs right now. You'll have to leave. However, I'd be happy to give you one at my next public appearance.”
“Excuse me,” Yang Hai said more politely to the man in Japanese. “This room is not open to the public. It is for the team participants only.”
“Oh that is not a problem,” the man said. “I'm not the public. I'm looking for Hikaru.” He smiled genially at Hikaru, who stared back at him in shock.
“Sai?” A tiny whisper came from Hikaru. Akira heard it and he stared at Hikaru before focusing on the man in the doorway again.
“SAI?”
“SAI!”
“I've missed you too, Hikaru,” was all he said with a gentle smile. Hikaru reached him before he could take another step into the room and held on tight. `Sai?' One thought went through several brains. Could this truly be the Sai from net go? Akira didn't doubt it at all. He'd always known there was some connection. Except if this was Sai, then how did Hikaru beat him all those years ago when they were both young?
“I can't believe it. I can't believe it. What are you doing here? You disappeared. I thought you were gone forever.” Hikaru shook Sai by the shoulders several times before hugging him again. “I can't believe it,” he kept saying. His eyes were wet. “I'm so sorry. I tried so hard, but still lost. My go wasn't strong enough to win. I couldn't defend…” Sai's hand reached up to stop the flow of words coming from Hikaru.
“You are upset and frustrated because you believe you failed to defend Shuusaku, isn't that right?” Sai stated. Hikaru just nodded his head a little forlornly. “Don't worry. After all, I could beat Ko Yeung-Ha. I know that. So do you.” Sai slid a glance sideways at Yeung-Ha. “Of course, it wouldn't be fair to ask him to play a game now, when he is just recovering from the battle with you.”
“What? I could take you on all day long. If you're some friend of the kid, I could beat you with my eyes closed. I just don't see the point of wasting my time and skill on you.” It didn't occur to Yeung-Ha to wonder why Sai was speaking Korean, or why the Japanese team wasn't having problems understanding him given that he was speaking Korean.
At this point An Te-son spoke up. “Be quiet, Yeung-Ha. If this is the player from net go online a year ago I don't think you'd find it so easy.”
“Nonsense,” said Yeung-Ha with an arrogant sniff. “I could sit down right now at this goban and beat him hollow.”
Sai's face lit up with glee and he bounced and clapped his hands. It looked a little odd with the formal Japanese attire he was wearing. “I accept,” he said with elation. “Play, play. Let's play go.”
`What kind of an expression is that? He looks like an idiot clapping his hands and jumping up and down. Pah. He might be some friend of Shindou but no one who acts that childish could possible play go. He couldn't be the Sai from the Internet. He and Shindou just have everyone else in the room snowed. The person in front of me could never have beaten Touya Kouyo. I'll sit down and destroy him now. It will be my final act to grinding that kid's confidence into the floor.'
As Yeung-Ha and Sai sat down in front of the goban, Kurata prepared to leave the room. “I can't possibly watch another game of go without something to eat. I'm starving.” He left. No one else was about to leave. They all wanted to watch this game. Even though Chao Shi was not that familiar with “the legend of Sai,” he didn't intend to give up an opportunity to watch two strong players.
“You may play black,” said Sai with a small smile and a bow.
“Nigiri,” spat Yeung-Ha.
Hikaru watched as they prepared to start the game. `He should have taken Sai up on his offer,' he thought. `Now he doesn't have any chance at all.' Sai played the first move and moved the black stone gracefully to the 4-4 star point where it landed with a loud pa-chi. Hikaru watched with satisfaction and everyone else watched with awe and disbelief as Sai quickly, methodically and systematically dissected Ko Yeung-Ha's go.
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Approximately 45 minutes later the door flew open and Ogata Juuydan stalked into the room. “I was told by Kurata that Ko Yeung-Ha is playing someone named Sai.” His eyes went first to Hikaru and then to the man sitting across from Yeung-Ha. He failed to notice the stunned defeated look in Yeung-Ha's eyes.
Hikaru just laughed and said happily “Yes, he's back; he's back; he's back.”
Ogata gave Hikaru an evil look. “I knew you knew him, you little shit.” He stepped toward Hikaru and raised his fist in his direction. Sai immediately rose gracefully to his feet and stepped between Ogata and Hikaru. He glared at the man.
“You are Sai?” Ogata asked.
“I am,” was all Sai said.
“Fight me. You fought Touya Kouyo. Fight me.”
Sai's eyes narrowed at the Jyudan. He stood up even straighter and stared down at Ogata. “Fight you? At one time I would have been pleased to fight you. Now I will not. I know what you did at that hospital. You physically attacked a boy less than half your age in your anger and self-indulgence over trying to find me. If I had had a body and a sword it would not have been a goban I would have chosen as a battlefield.” Sai glared. Suddenly Sai looked every inch the warrior, and not just one on the goban. Ogata looked astonished and took a step back. It occurred to Hikaru that 1,000 years ago a nobleman was taught more than the 4 accomplishments of go, flower arranging, painting and the flute. Sai always seemed so harmless and focused on go. He would have grown up learning the art of war. Sai was not limited to fighting with go stones.
`I wonder if anyone else noticed the bit about `If he had had a body?'' Yang Hai thought. He certainly didn't seem like a ghost to Yang Hai. He was dressed in modern formal Japanese attire and didn't have any problems manipulating the go stones. If he was a ghost he'd not have been able to move the stones, Yang Hai thought.
“This is impossible; impossible.” Yeung-Ha stared at the goban in stunned disbelief. Sai eyed Ogata one last time and then turned to Ko Yeung-Ha with a small smile.
“I believe your exact words were `If Shuusaku were to come back today, he would stand no chance against me.' Didn't Hikaru warn you you would have no chance against me? Ko Yeung-Ha, you are a talented child, but in your arrogance you fail to realize you are decades lacking in experience and ability to begin to challenge me,” Sai said with an indulgent smile and a small laugh.
“Yes!” said Hikaru with a grin and he pumped his arm in the air. “He is crushed into bones and dust in front of the goban. No one's going to insult you ever again.” Hikaru was so ecstatic he was beyond any sense of discretion. Yeung-Ha just stared at him in shock and then stared back at the board. Everyone in the room was staring. Their eyes would go to Sai, and then the board, and then Sai again.
“HIKARU, you should never insult an enemy after you have won, especially when he has been crushed,” Sai said sharply.
Hikaru hung his head. “I'm sorry Sai.”
He smiled gently at Hikaru. “I understand. Hikaru, I must go now. I was only allowed back for one purpose. It was clear you would have fixated on this silly feud with Ko Yeung-Ha. Put it behind you. The foolish words of an arrogant child mean nothing to me anymore, but they have the power to hurt you. Please stop taking such things to heart. He is now defeated. Promise me you will put it behind you and continue moving forward on this path you have chosen.”
Hikaru tried but couldn't stop the tears which came to his eyes. He grabbed Sai just to touch him physically. “Don't go. Don't leave me alone again. I'll, I'll give up go if you stay.” Sai shook him a bit about the shoulders, then hugged Hikaru and gently withdrew from him.
“Hikaru, would I want you to stop? Did I teach you to play only to have you give it up?” Sai looked at him with a bit of exasperation. “Those forfeits upset me greatly, although I understand why they happened. I never want you to go through that again. Win or lose, do not avoid the fight. This time at least we can say goodbye properly.” He smiled regretfully at Hikaru. “Now I must go. My time is passed and I have to move on. I have made peace with that. You should do the same. You are strong and will be fine. You have Akira to challenge you to continue moving forward on this path. The two of you will strive together for the hand of god. Do not bury yourself in regret for having lost the match against Yeung-Ha. It was a strong glorious fight against a player with vastly more experience and your will came close to defeating him. You can be proud of that fight. You defended my honor well.” While he said this his clothing had morphed from modern kimono to his normal attire; his hair returned to its normal length and appearance. Stunned silence filled the room.
Tears continued to fall down Hikaru's face. “Please don't go,” he whispered.
“I have no choice. I must leave you.” He turned to Touya Akira and bowed his head to him. Akira looked startled at the attention and then responded with a deep bow of his own. “Touya Akira-kun, please tell your father the battle with him was the highlight of 1,000 years. He is truly the one closest to the hand of god right now, although I have hopes for you and Hikaru in another 20 years.” He smiled. “Tell him I deeply regret being unable to face him again as I regretted being unable to battle him in person. I shall look forward to challenging him in the future but hope that fight is many, many years from now.” He laughed softly.
Yang Hai was brash. He was never at a loss for words. “I asked Touya Kouyo why you would have appeared on the internet and he said `to do battle with me.' It sounds as though he was right.”
Sai looked at Yang Hai, smiled and said, “He was partially right. I realized after the battle I was given 1,000 years not just to battle Touya Kouyo, but to show the game to Hikaru.”
Everyone in the room absorbed that thought with varying degrees of shock or disbelief. He `was given 1,000 years' just to show Hikaru something? Yang Hai eyed Hikaru with trepidation and wondered what this kid would be doing 10 years from now if the god of go made special arrangements just to get him walking the path.
Sai turned back to Hikaru. “Making the moves for me gave you an insight into the game as though you had played it yourself. You saw a path to victory that Touya Kouyo missed and you grew as a player. I am sorry to have to leave you and already miss you more than I can say. It's been fun, even if I still don't understand how people could put a man on the moon but they haven't been able to improve umbrellas in over 1,000 years.” His eyes twinkled at that.
Hikaru managed a weak laugh. Then he held out his fan again and Hikaru slowly took it. It felt real and solid in his hand. “Goodbye Hikaru.” With that last comment, Sai wavered and disappeared. No one said a word. Tears continued to run down Hikaru's face as he collapsed to his knees.
S A I !!!!!!!” Hikaru screamed. An antique yellow fan remained clutched tightly in his right hand.
Oddly, it was Yang Hai rather than one of Hikaru's Japanese associates who moved to comfort him with a pat on the back. No one else seemed capable of movement or speech. Even Yeung-Ha had nothing to say. Hikaru slowly got back to his feet still clutching the fan which had remained in his hand. He stared at the spot Sai had disappeared and sighed. Yeung-Ha and the others were silent but eyeing each other. They each were thinking similar thoughts. `Did I imagine that? Did that person see and hear what I think I just did?'
Then the door started to open and all eyes flew to it. Kurata came in toting a half eaten sandwich in one hand and a plate with a full sandwich in the other. He smiled when he saw the gathering of Korean, Japanese and Chinese players and said, “So, are you making friends with some friendly games? Good, good. Now we can forget all this nonsense about some harmless insults to a long dead Shuusaku, even if he was the best in history.” Yang Hai and Hong Su-Yeung glanced at each other then each grabbed an arm of Hikaru's when it looked for a moment as if he would launch himself at the Japanese 6-dan.
Hikaru's eyes flashed at Kurata with such intensity that Kurata took a step back with an “Eh?” Then Hikaru gathered him, smiled his cheerful grin and said “the insults weren't harmless; but they have been avenged.”
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“Sai.” Hikaru woke up with tears in his eyes, as he so often did when he dreamed of Sai. He stared at his fan, which was right on his bed side table as usual.
Across town, Akira woke up stunned. He didn't usually remember his dreams. His mind was a whirl wind of thoughts but one thought overrode the others. `Kifu. Kifu. I must make a kifu.' He got out of bed.
One Thousand Three Hundred miles to the east, Yang Hai blearily rubbed his eyes. He smacked his head lightly to try to get his brain functioning. “What an odd dream,” he said out loud to no one in particular.