Fic: Next to NetGo 7/19
Title: Next to NetGo 7/19
Series: Hikaru no Go
Disclaimer: Characters except Fujimoto, Kaneda and Ohda are the creation of Hotta and Obata
Pairing: Akira/Hikaru
Type: AU. What if Hikaru had continued playing NetGo, and never became an insei (or a pro)?
Summary: Hikaru is dragged to the world of professional Go, but you can't make him drink.
------------(7)-----------------
Taken aback, Akira took a moment to verify what he was seeing. Hikaru laid out the pieces of paper one by one--a few looked as though they had been crumpled and later smoothed out--on a nearby table, talking all the time. "I got the first one in my shoe locker two weeks ago, and new ones keep appearing in it! I've asked around," he said with an aggrieved air, "but no one knows who is doing it. I thought it was one of them," he nodded at his club members.
A chorus of denials and protest came from occupants of the room.
Hikaru pretended to cower, and had to duck a Go stone thrown by Mitani. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry!" he said, and turned to Akira again. "But it wasn't. And on Friday I found one placed under the door!" He indicated the door from which Akira had just come through. "So, what you do you think?"
Akira counted six pieces of paper, each identical: white sheets of paper, of the same size, neatly printed, with no name or identifying mark on them. "These... are kifu," he said.
"Yeah, that's what I said," Hikaru said.
"You said they were messages," Akira pointed out.
"They are!" Hikaru insisted. "See, this one says 'protect the right', while this one says 'atari on tengen'. And this one is 'dragon under threat'," he indicated the long, sprawling formation spreading across the kifu.
Akira made himself look down at the kifu, before Hikaru noticed him staring.
"... and this one says 'ko threat at the rear', even though White had other intentions..." Hikaru said, and Akira looked up again to see him frowning at the kifu held carefully between thumb and finger, looking the way he did whenever he discussed Go with Akira. "What do you think?" he pushed it at Akira.
I think you're just a tiny bit obsessed with Go, Akira thought, but he looked carefully at the kifu. It was a game in progress, he noted. The sequence of hands, the captured stones, and the way Black was being smartly and relentlessly overpowered--they were all carefully labelled. Recognition hit him. "Hikaru, this is a game that Sai played!" he said, much louder than he had intended.
The other members of the Go club looked up at his outburst. "A game that who played?" Mitani asked from where he was sitting.
Hikaru stiffened, while Akira said immediately, "It's nothing. I was mistaken about something I saw here. Sorry to have disturbed you."
Mitani eyed him, and gave Hikaru a suspicious look, before he snorted and turned to Fujisaki, raising his voice to talk about Go, deliberately ignoring them.
Akira heaved a sigh of relief, and turned to Hikaru with the intention of exploring this discovery.
Hikaru had a very strange look on his face.
He looked as though he had been about to laugh at what Akira had said, and had changed his mind suddenly. It was not an expression Akira often saw on his face; usually, Hikaru reacted the way he felt, without pause or even much thought. Akira opened his mouth to ask him what it was, when all of a sudden, he recalled what he had just said before Mitani's interruption. He felt himself flushing with awkwardness, wanting to apologize but not knowing how, and wishing he could take back those words. "Hikaru, I'm sor-"
Hikaru touched his lips with a hand, cutting off his words. "It's okay," he said, removing his hand. "Just took me back. I remember when you used to be all excited, each time you played with-" he stopped, and the strange look came to his face again. "Or when you saw a game played by-" he stopped again. "Damn it, I sound so stupid," he muttered darkly.
"I should have remembered-" Akira said, but Hikaru was shaking his head.
"No, no, it's okay. Look at it this way," he said. "Less risk of accidental exposure," he said, trying to smile, but failing. He seemed to shake off the strange look after a few seconds, though, regaining his normal, easy-going expression. "Yeah, some of these games were with Sai," he said.
Of course Hikaru would know that.
Akira tried to match his tone. "How many of them?" he began to look through the other kifu.
"Well... all but two." Hikaru turned away to survey the kifu on the table, and picked out two. "These two. I think this one is you," he said, indicating one with a slight flick of his chin.
Akira found himself looking at a familiar game. "This is a game I played with Murakami-san," he said in astonishment, naming one of his opponents in the third preliminary round for the Kisei title. "We played this game last month."
Hikaru's eyebrows rose. "This person is a pro?" he said, with an air of sudden comprehension. "I recognize his style. He plays on the internet as well, but he calls himself 'GoGo-Gadget' on the Net Go website, and he ranked himself as an amateur."
"Yes, it's him," Akira said, not letting himself be distracted Hikaru's quick identification of Murakami with the latter's NetGo name. "Eight-dan, and one of the contenders for the Kisei title." Akira had played with him only last month.
"Oh." Hikaru's eyes narrowed for a second, as though he was making a mental note about Murakami. Akira had the feeling that it would be instructive to watch out for Sai's game with 'GoGo-Gadget' in the near future.
"And this one..." Hikaru pushed another kifu at him as well, as though he thought Akira would recognize it.
Akira frowned. Black's style leapt out at him right away, but there was something about it that bothered him. He knew this style, but the version he knew was considerably evolved from the one in this particular game.
"It's Touya-sensei, playing Black," Hikaru said.
Akira nodded. "With-"
"Ichiryu," Hikaru said.
"Ichiryu-sensei," Akira said to Hikaru. "But the style is old." That puzzled him.
"It's an old game, one that Touya-sensei played before he retired."
"Oh." His father had retired not long after that Net Go game with Sai. He had not played many Net Go games in that short time between that game--losing the Juudan title to Ogata in the meantime--and announcing his retirement. Of course, he had played many more games after his retirement.
"That's the oldest game among all these," Hikaru said. He blinked. "I wonder why the sender sent this one."
"And why most of the kifu are of games Sai played," Akira said. His heart was beating fast. "Do you think it's someone who knows that you-"
Hikaru shook his head. "No!" he exclaimed, but he looked as horrified as Akira felt. "Can't be," he said. "I've been really careful," he said. "I can't let other people know. They'll want to know how I learnt all that Go, and if I tell the truth, they won't believe me, and..."
Akira placed his hand on Hikaru's shoulder to calm him. "Shh. It was just a thought."
"But-" Hikaru paused when Akira gave him a little shake. "I've been trying to figure what all the messages mean," he said. "But I'm not getting anywhere."
"Maybe they aren't messages."
"What? But they are!" Hikaru said, pushing the kifu at him. "See, even this one, when there's a threat to cut! And-" his face changed.
"Hikaru?" Akira asked when Hikaru said nothing for several seconds.
"I've just realized," Hikaru said. "In all these games, Black is being threatened by White."
Akira looked at the sheets of kifu again, before looking at Hikaru, "You're right."
They discussed it further, but neither of them could think of any other explanation. Hikaru dismissed the Go Club at precisely four, managing to hide his mood from even Fujisaki, who was planning to go out with Mitani, and bade the rest of the Go Club members a cheerful goodbye.
-----
They were just leaving the school gates when Hikaru groaned dramatically, "Oh damn, it's him again." He tugged at Akira's arm, pushing him towards the trees outside the school as though to avoid detection from someone approaching the school.
"Hikaru, what-" Akira found Hikaru's lips on his before he could complete his question.
Hikaru wasn't really kissing him, though. He only placed his lips on Akira's, though he also wrapped his arms around Akira's waist and pulled him close.
Akira felt horribly embarrassed and exposed, expecting someone to appear at any moment. He was not used to doing this in public. Should Hikaru be doing this in public? After all, he was still wearing his uniform. All it took was a teacher, or even a member of the public... the part of his mind that was still pondering those earth-shattering questions stuttered to a stop when Hikaru started to nibble gently at the corner of his mouth.
Hikaru smelt of sweat and dust, from the classroom--and underneath that the faint chemical smell of the numerous hair products that he slathered on his hair daily. Involuntarily, Akira tightened his hands on Hikaru's uniform, gripping handfuls of the thick, black material, and pulled him close, in turn.
But Hikaru paused after a few seconds, to Akira's secret regret. "Let's hope he won't notice it's me," he whispered, his eyes flickering to the side before focusing on Akira again.
Akira held him off at those words. "Who are you talking about?" he asked.
Hikaru grimaced. "Him! That person who came to that study session the first time."
"But who-" Embarrassment was returning, when it looked like there wasn't going to be more kissing.
"That only works on TV, you know." A new voice interrupted his question. "Besides, your hair is rather distinctive, Shindou-san."
"Damn," Hikaru said, and straightened, turning towards the speaker and allowing Akira a glimpse of him.
The look of surprise on Waya's face was entertaining, at least. "It's you?" Waya exclaimed, looking from him to Hikaru. "Not someone I was expecting."
Hikaru raised his eyebrows. "What, did you think I go about kissing strangers? Of course it's Akira."
"I didn't expect it, that's all," Waya said. He glanced at the Haze school building. "Touya-san was from an exclusive school in the past. Kaio, wasn't it? I didn't expect him to come to a place like this." There was something that looked like a sneer in his face.
Hikaru bristled. "What did you mean by that?" he asked.
Waya looked at his face, and made a visible effort to restrain himself. "Nothing," he said.
Hikaru scowled at him. "Good. Now, what do you want?"
"I've thought about what you said the last time," Waya said. He seemed to brace himself. "3-6."
Hikaru said, "5-1."
Waya's expression said that he had been expecting this. "9-9."
"3-1."
"5-12."
"6-2," Hikaru said almost immediately, without even missing a beat.
Waya looked frustrated. "15-3."
"11-1." Hikaru seemed to derive huge satisfaction from Waya's reaction. He bumped shoulders gently with Akira to get his attention, and winked when Akira turned to him.
Luckily, Waya did not seem to notice. "10-8." His voice was a little shaky.
Hikaru had an expression of pure, malicious delight on his face. "3... 18," he said, pronouncing the second part with relish.
The look that Waya gave him was pure shock. He stared at Hikaru for long seconds. "I... I..."
Hikaru shrugged with exaggerated casualness. "Feel free to surrender anytime," he said.
"Not yet!" Waya said, but he sounded helpless. His gaze fell on Akira. "He's not helping you, is he?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.
Hikaru crossed his arms. "I fight my own battles, thank you very much."
"Huh." Waya looked at them for another long moment, then nodded. "I'll need to think about this," he said to Hikaru, ignoring Akira, before turning away and walking rapidly in the other direction.
"Uh, sure," Hikaru said to his back. Akira was sure he waited only until Waya was out of earshot before he started laughing. "Did you see his face? Did you? Did you?" he asked Akira, between guffaws.
"The last time?" Akira asked, keeping his voice soft. "And what was that all about?"
"I’ll tell you on the way." Hikaru leaned towards him, and took his hand, leading them in the direction of his home. "It was the weirdest thing. He turned up at the school gate the first time... I think it was the Monday after that practice session."
"How did he know that you're from Haze?" Akira asked.
Hikaru shrugged. "He said he checked the regional Go school tournament records. Haze has won the regional tournaments for the last three years, and the players' names are always recorded. I guess that's how?" he said with a dubious air.
"Then what was that, all about? That was Go, right?" Akira asked, seeking confirmation.
"Yeah," Hikaru said. "It was just weird. First he accused me of being... well, Sai," he gave Akira a mischievous look, and for once the shadows that always came into his eyes at the mention of Sai were not there. Akira's heart gave a little flip at that--he had longed to do that, one day, and felt a moment's resentment at Waya. "Nearly gave me a heart attack. Right here," Hikaru continued, putting a hand over his chest and making a fist.
"That's your stomach," Akira said, and moved his hand two inches higher.
"Oh. Thanks." Hikaru flashed him a smile, and went on with his story. "Anyway, I was denying it like crazy, when, all of a sudden, he said, '15-4'!"
"What did you do?"
"You need to ask? Of course I said, '4-3'!"
"Of course," Akira said weakly.
"We must have looked like idiots, shouting positions at each other. After about ten hands, he said he needed to think, and left. I thought that was the end of it. Two days later, he came again. And again." Akira worked it out. "So the two of you are continuing that game?"
"Yeah." Hikaru shrugged. "It's a damn nuisance. At least he approaches me when he's sure that other people aren't around." He looked up at the sky, frowning at the clouds. Finally he said, "Let's go, Akira."
---
Hikaru was yelling at his laptop when Akira re-entered the room.
"That was the stupidest thing I have ever seen!" Hikaru raged, his eyes hard as he stared at the screen, seemingly ready to climb through it.
"I was wondering what was making all that noise, from downstairs," Akira said, walking closer. He had taken it upon himself to help with the dishes, to please Hikaru's mother. "It was you, after all. I'm surprised your mother didn't say anything."
"Oh, she's used to it," Hikaru said. "Back when Sai... back when I was younger, I used to shout even more loudly. She was convinced that I was talking to myself, instead of to... well. I guess it became a habit." His gaze not leaving the screen, Hikaru reached out in Akira's direction and felt the air blindly, before he finally touched Akira's waist and then his arm, and pulled him forward.
"Hikaru, I don't think your chair is big enough..." Akira began to protest, and found himself on Hikaru's lap. He met Hikaru's eyes.
Hikaru was grinning. "Now it is," he said, and buried his face in Akira's neck.
A soft 'beep' came from the laptop, and Hikaru straightened abruptly, his gaze focusing on the screen immediately. "Are you totally stupid, or what?" he shouted.
Having Hikaru yell into one's ear was extremely uncomfortable. Akira shook his head, and started to get up, but Hikaru's arms tightened around him. "See, he could have gone for the corner, instead he forgot to guard one of his groups! I'm going to flatten you, and it'd serve you right," he said, and his hand left Akira's waist to go to the front of the laptop, where he tapped out his response. Another small 'beep'.
Akira shook his head, and removed himself gently from Hikaru's grip. He pulled up another chair, sat down beside Hikaru, and observed the game. "You aren't playing as Sai," he said.
Hikaru shook his head. "Nah," he said easily. "I'm not in the mood today. I'm playing as myself."
"You're using your own name?" Akira asked. He had never seen the name 'Shindou Hikaru' on the NetGo website, or any of the major Go websites.
"Not everyone uses his real name, you know," Hikaru said. "Besides, 'Hikaru' was already taken," he said. "Maybe my parents should have given me a name that's not so common," he mused.
Akira scrutinized the screen. Hikaru was playing White, he had noticed. "You're 'Starmaker'?" he said. He had seen that name a few times before, but he had never approached him.
"Busted," Hikaru said. "I thought it sounded right, because I like to think that I'm creating a universe when I play. I would have gone with 'God of Go', but..." he started, a glint of humour in his eyes.
"It's too boastful?"
"Nope. Someone has taken it, too." Hikaru's light-hearted gaze turned serious again as his opponent--someone called 'Crazy Frog'--made his move. "Okay, Frog, you're asking for it!" he snarled, and placed a White stone on the left edge of the Go board.
Instantly, Akira could see that Black's defenses were going to unravel in a matter of hands. What was worse, 'Crazy Frog' seemed to have no idea of the mistakes he had made that would result in his defeat.
"Too easy," Hikaru said.
They exchanged more hands, before 'Crazy Frog' finally surrendered. Hikaru gave a loud sigh, and leant back, all his hostility gone. "I have to admit, I usually get more challenging opponents when I play as Sai," he said.
"I’ll play with you," Akira said. "Next time, when I see your name."
"Really?"
He sounded so surprised that Akira said, "Why not?" without thinking. I always want to play with you, he realized.
Hikaru turned to him. "I thought you wanted to play with Sai." There was a frown on his face, the furrow deep between his eyes, and his attention was focused on Akira, suddenly watchful of his every reaction.
"I do-" Akira stopped. That was not what he wanted to say. "Why wouldn't I want to play with my boyfriend?" he asked, hoping to turn the suddenly awkward moment around.
To his relief, Hikaru accepted that with a nod. He reached out and started to turn the laptop off. "I'll hold you to that," he said, trying to lighten his tone.
Akira nodded in promise, even as his thoughts ran on. He had always thought that to truly play Go, one had to be a professional. An amateur might love Go greatly, but he would never reach the level and dedication of a Go pro. An amateur would never make Go part of his life as thoroughly. But Hikaru broke the mold. He was not just a placeholder for Sai. Hikaru was as immersed in Go as one could be, from his involvement in the school Go Club, to his domination of internet Go, and even in the way he regarded Go to be an essential part of his life.
For the first time, Akira felt doubt about his presence in the Go world. He had wanted to climb the ranks as a professional Go player, and he had tried, as much as he dared, to bring Hikaru closer to his world. Hikaru, however, engaged the Go world on his own terms. Perhaps you did not really need to become a pro, to know Go. All you needed... was Hikaru.
"Akira?"
He looked up to see Hikaru waving a hand in front of his eyes. "I've been calling you for the last few minutes. What are you thinking so hard about?" Hikaru asked.
Akira shook his head. "Nothing special," he said.
---------to be continued----------
Chapter 6 | Chapter 8