EVERLASTING PASSION OF GO
Hinata pov:
3 years. 3 years have passed since I saw Akira.
It was just a few days after valentines day that things changed. I had confessed that I liked him and we played go together just like every other day, but he changed a few days after that. It all happened because of a boy named Hikaru Shindou.
I didn't know what had happened until I arrived at the go salon that day. I was cheerful that I would get to see Akira again, but when I got there, the atmosphere was grim. All the people on the go salon including the receptionist were standing around Akira's table and talking in hushed whispers. I had asked them what was going on and they had told me that Akira had been beaten by a kid his own age.
I was very surprised when I had heard that. Akira was one of the best players I had ever seen. He was good enough to be a pro at that age and yet there was another person our age who was good enough to beat him? That was just crazy! And the kid had played a teaching game against Akira...which made his defeat even more depressing for him.
But after that one game, Akira changed. For the first time, I had seen him so upset, so distracted. Days went on and all he did was play that one game over and over. I had tried to talk to him, to make him play a teaching game with me....but nothing worked. All he did was sit alone and think about how he was beaten by a kid his own age. He would stay at the go salon till late in the evening and I would be with him. But its like he was in a place I couldn't reach him and even my visits to his house stopped.
Time has flown by now. I stopped going to the salon as high school got hectic. I joined the tennis team and became the team captain soon after. Akira got busy with playing in the go associations and taking up the pro exams too. Well, he's done with the exams and he's a pro now and I have been keeping track of everything about him and his father.
The other kid, Hikaru is still taking the pro exam. He was a year late compared to Akira but I have been reading that he's quite a good player too. Akira had seen him as a rival ever since their first game and I had even heard that Akira played in the school tournament just to play against Hikaru. I guess they are both really passionate players and I can truly see that the put in everything they can to do their best in every game.
I haven't lost touch at go either. Even though I don't play as often as I used to when I was playing with Akira, I still try to play a few games every now and then. Even though I'm not someone who is good enough to go pro, I think having an interest and passion for the game is good enough to keep playing. And I have to say, I have gotten a little better. I'm a 7 kyu player now and that is a pretty good level to be I guess. Well, it would be embarrassing if I haven't progressed even this much in 3 years.
But the thing is, just as I reach a higher level, the strength of the players is so high that it takes me several games just to play as an equal against them. Since I play on online go websites, I can tell that people from all over the world have such amazing understanding and knowledge about the game. And I'm sure I have learnt quite a lot by playing against all those people.
But even though 3 years have passed, my feelings towards Akira haven't changed. In fact, I think they have grown a lot stronger. Watching him become a pro, and reading about all the games he's been winning makes me proud and happy that I know him. Well, I haven't met him in these three years but I believe that he hasn't forgotten me. Being a normal high school girl, I wasn't able to support him by being next to him but I always cheered him on from the side and prayed for his success. And I hope to meet him sometime soon.
In fact, when I say soon, I mean in the next four days.
In four days, the go association is holding a go festival to celebrate the anniversary of the go associations establishment. All the pro's will be attending an its open to public. Which means that the public can play against the new pro's. And obviously people will be flowing in like crazy to play against Akira....and I could get a chance to meet him again too. Of course, there is also the big obstacle of his fan girls.....but I'm sure I'll be able to meet him.
All the major pro's will be participating in random games against each other and even Toya sensei will be playing. He won a new title recently and I have really been itching to meet him and congratulate him on it.
"Mom, I'm off to school!" I called out and my moved wished me a good day from the kitchen. I had been leaving for school early since about a week. The national school tennis league was taking place and the day after the go association festival was the final showdown between my school and the previous years champions. We had been practicing our butts off so that we could become the champions this year.
Just like usual, I caught the subway and made it to school in about 15 minutes. I took a deep breath of fresh air and walked to the tennis grounds.
>>Timeskip
My mouth was open on awe as I walked into the go association auditorium. This place was huge and filled with thousands of people!
I looked at the pass in my hands and held it out to the person standing in front of the entrance door of the auditorium. He took mine, stamped it and let me in. He handed me a brochure that had a map of the different events being held in different parts of the auditorium. And the first thing I looked for was the new pro's gaming area.
As I followed the map to that place, I saw stalls having go boards and stones. Sets that were simple an elegant, some made of regular material that was at a nominal price and others made from casa wood just like the the ones made more than 400 years ago. They were really expensive and considered as antiques. Well, even the nominally priced ones were out of my league, but I bought a hand fan that had a painting of a go board and stones on it.
I finally made it to the pro game room and I craned my neck to look around and spot Akira. My heart skipped a beat when I saw him sitting a little away from the center and he was wearing a gray turtleneck shirt. My chest felt awkwardly tight and I could barely breathe normally. All theses years, I had seen him in pictures in the newspaper or on TV during interviews and seeing him in person now made my heart flutter in excitement.
He was playing against a git and there was a crowd of girls surrounding him and squealing with every move he played. I'm not surprised actually. He had become more handsome and mature and the way he played and put down the stones on the board was just amazing! He had a gentle smile on his face as he played a teaching game and explained some of the moved to them. I took a deep breath to ease the tightness in my chest and I walked to where he was.
When I reached the crowd, I couldn't see him anymore. More people had piled up around him and I jumped ant tried to see him. But all I could see was the top of his head. I gave an annoyed huff and tried to squeeze through the crowd. "Um, excuse me...." I said softly, but I gasped when I was shoved off by three girls. I stumbled back nut thankfully I did t fall and I looked up to see the three of them glaring. I flinched but smoothened out my clothes and stood up straight. "What do you think you're doing huh?"
"O just wanted to see Akira....I'm a fan and I'm his old friend too." I said and the three of them scoffed. "Yeah right! Like we'll believe that! Besides, why would Toya kun want to meet an ugly girl like you? You better leave when we're still being nice." They sneered and I cringed. "B-but...." "Get lost!" One of them screeched and my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. My eyes stung and my chest felt tight but I turned around and walked away.
When I was a good distance from them, I gave a heavy sigh as my eyes stung. But I cleared my throat and looked around to see if I could play against someone else for the time being.....at least until Akira was sorta alone and I could talk to him. I spotted one empty seat and I composed myself before heading over. "Um, can I play a game?" I asked and the boy looked up. He was probably a few years older than me and he grinned. "Sure! Take a seat missy." He said and I sat down.
I didn't like the way he smiled....for some reason it looked mocking. But nonetheless, I took a seat and put down my bag. "How many stones handicap?" He asked and I put down four stones. He smirked and chuckled. "How weak. I hate weak players." He said and I flinched. But we started playing and I got lost in the game.
A few people had gathered around us and I was playing as well as I could. And it looked like it was an even game. My opponent was cursing under his breath as I made different moves and he was fidgety. I placed sown another stone and he hit the board with his hand. I flinched and looked up and he was glaring. "Are you trying to make a fool of my you b****?! Taking a four stone handicap and then playing like this!" He yelled and I blinked. "I don't know why you mean...." I said softly and he growled and picked up some stones and threw it at my face. I winched and shut my eyes as I flinched. The stones bruised my cheek and I held that part of my cheek with the back of my hand as I watched him with wide eyes.
"You cocky b****!" He yelled again and my eyes stung. "What's going on here?" I heard a voice and I looked up. A man in a white suit having blond hair and wearing glasses walked up to the table with an annoyed look. "Ogata sensei! This b**** is trying to mock me!" My opponent screamed and the man adjusted his glasses. "That is not the way to talk to guests here, Arai. Apologize. Besides sometimes this game goes on luck, so don't forget what the game is really about." He said and my opponent sat down hiving a scoff.
I stood up and sighed. "I'm sorry." The guy said half heartedly and I gave a bow and picked up my bag. Ogata sensei bowed to me and apologized and I just smiled. "Come. Lets get that scratch treated." He said but I shook my head. "Its fine. I was going to leave after this game anyway." I said and I bowed once and walked away before he could try to convince me again.
But I stopped for a moment and looked at Ogata sensei. "Um, could you give this to Akira please?" I rummaged through my bag and held out a card. Ogata sensei looked at the card curiously. I smiled. "I just wanted to congratulate him on becoming a pro. I've always been a fan." I said and he took the card from my hand. I smiled and bowed once more and swiftly turned around and began to walk away.
I just couldn't take it anymore and I didn't even look up as I walked through the auditorium and out of the go association. My eyes stung and I walked quickly on the sidewalk back home. The sky was dark with rain clouds and when I was barely halfway home, it began to pour. I didn't have an umbrella so I stood below the shade of a shop and waited for the rain to die down.
There was no one around and I stood with my hands in front of me as I watched the ground with a heavy heart. Today was probably the worst day of my life. I had so much hopes to meet Akira after waiting this long....but that didn't happen and I even got pushed around and hurt. Was this it? Was this the limit of my love for him?
Well, if I had met him and he has told me that he liked someone else, I probably wouldn't be this hurt. But waiting three years without looking at any other guy and refusing any proposals just because I still liked him.....this was such a pathetic way for it to end. I closed my eyes as my heart clenched again and a few tears fell from my eyes. I sniffled and wiped them off before anyone could see and I took a breath to compose myself.
The rain had come down to a light drizzle and I held a hand over my head and stepped out from the shade. But the rain suddenly stopped and I looked up to see an umbrella. I looked to the side and my heart raced seeing Akira standing there with a smile. "A-Akira!" I said surprised and he touched the scratch on my cheek with his thumb. I flinched and he lost his smile. "Why didn't you come and talk to me?" He asked and I looked at the ground. "You were the one they called ugly...and I didn't even realize I." He said but I didn't react.
"I've been waiting to meet you and you just ran away without saying hello. That's a little mean isn't it?" He asked and I looked up with wide eyes. "You've been waiting?" I asked softly and surprised. He laughed softly and smiled. He nodded and leaned in to press his lips lightly against mine. My eyes went wide and I felt like my heart stopped. But my eyes fluttered closed and I dropped my bag to the ground and held his shoulders as he held me on my back.
He still had his umbrella in one hand shielding us from the rain and we pulled away after a few minutes. I was sure I was bright red but he had a gentle smile on his face. I smiled softly as well and put my arms around his neck in a hug. "I missed you Akira.....so much. I like you.....I love you." I said and closed my eyes. "I love you too, Hinata." He said and we pulled out of the embrace.
"you're hair has grown longer and you've become more beautiful." He said and I blushed. "you've become more handsome too." I said and he laughed. "So, are you up for a game? I want to see Ho good you are now." He smiled and I nodded. "I'd like that." I said and we headed back to the go association.
When we reached the pro game room, a group of girls came running to Akira. "Akira kuuuun!! Where did you run off to? We thought....oh its you...." They gave me a look of distaste and I sweatdropped. "Uh....hi...." I said nervously but Akira held my hand in his and pulled me to his table. "I went out to bring back my girlfriend." He said confidently and I blushed as i heard gasps. God....how was he so cool about announcing this? I'm so sure this news would be out in the next addition od Go Daily magazine and I was going to ne questioned and teased for a loooooong time.
"Akira. And hello, Hinata." I looked to the side and gave a deep bow seeing Akira's father."Its good to see you again, Toya sensei." I smiled and he smiled back. "Its good to see you too. How has your go practice been going?" He asked and people around us whispered at the special attention i was getting. I blushed and scratched the back of my neck with a sheepish smile.
"I've gotten a little better I guess....I'm at 7 kyu now....and its all thanks to Akira teaching me the basics so well." I said. Although, standing in front of such great players, my skills seemed so insignificant. "That's good to hear. And I'm glad Akira got to meet you today. He was really looking forward to seeing you again." He added and I blushed more. "Akira, make sure you treat your girlfriend well." He said and my ears were steaming. So Toya sensei knew?!!
I noticed Akira blush a little too and je cleared his throat. "Father!" He yelled slightly and Toya sensei laughed. But we were interrupted when my cell phone began to ring. I jumped and pulled it out and answered it. "Hello?" "Hina where are you?! Practice started half an hour ago!" The vice captain of the tennis team yelled and I widened my eyes and looked t my watch. "Oh no! I'm late!!" I said and cut the call.
I hopped on my feet and looked at Akira. "I'm sorry!! I have to leave now! I have the national tennis tournament finals tomorrow and I have to get to practice!" I said and he laughed. "That's ok. We'll play next time." He said and I smiled. I threw myself at him giving him a tight hug before I raced out of the go association leaving Akira and several others blushing and his father giving an amused smile.
~~~~~~~~~~
Life was totally perfect. After meeting Akira at the go festival, we started dating officially. Akira's father and mother were totally fine with it and my mother was overjoyed that I finally and a boyfriend.....a prodigal go player nonetheless. And of course, it was big news buzzing around over the world which ended up with me being teased to no end by my friends.
The best part was, despite their super busy schedule, Akira and his family attended the finals. I didn't even know but I played my best and we won the finals. I was so happy when I saw Akira there and his parents. We went out to celebrate together after that.
"Hey Akira?" I asked leaning my head against his shoulder as we sat at the beach. "Hmm?" He replied. I closed my eyes as the sea breeze blew past us. "I'm. Really glad that I had an interest in go. Because of that, I got to meet you." "I'm glad too." He said and he shifted. I moved away from him and he smiled. "I love you Hinata." "I love you too, Akira." And with that we shared a sweet kiss as the sun sunk into the sea.
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