Hikaru No Go Fan Fiction ❯ One Day Together ❯ All Japan Go Festival ( Chapter 3 )

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The “All-Japan Go Festival” sponsored by the Japanese Go Institute was bustling with people of all ages. There was a large white banner with “All Japan Go-Festival” hanging from the entrance to the recreation center. The center itself was a large white building, with a series of cement steps leading up to a large foyer area before the main entrance. Shindou, unable to contain his excitement, raced up the steps.

 

“C'mon Sai!” said Shindou, waving his hand at Sai. The newly reborn go master knew that his pupil probably couldn't contain his joy that day.

 

As Shindou made it up to the top of the steps, he caught sight of his two friends, Isumi and Waya chatting.

 

“Yo Waya, Isumi! You guys came,” said Shindou, panting.

 

“Of course we did, I wouldn't miss this festival for the world Shindou,” said Waya, clad in his trademark camouflage vest and hunter green T-shirt.

 

“I'm signed up to give a few shidou go lessons pretty soon,” said Isumi sporting a neat and pressed navy blue dress shirt and slacks.

 

“As am I. I can't wait though, today, today in front of everyone…” said Shindou, clenching both his hands in excitement.

 

“Oh that's right, you and Touya are holding an exhibition match in front of everyone! I'm looking forward to it…” said Waya, grinning. If Shindou won, Waya was certainly looking forward to Touya's defeat. Too bad it wouldn't be him to do it.

 

“Well, let's hurry on in and see what's going on,” said Isumi, walking towards the entrance.

 

The trio walked briskly into the recreation center, and became engulfed in the flurry of Go related activity going on inside. The festival was held in a large single room, sort of like a gymnasium. Shindou marveled at the sheer size of it, noticing all the different booths and people milling back and forth. The booths along the side showcased things such as Net Go and information on purchasing boards and stones. In front of the booths were a series of tables with foldable go boards and amateurs happily playing Go. Shindou noticed that at the far end of the section of tables were three tables with white tablecloth. A sign near the tables read “World Amateur Go Champions”. The top amateur player of Go, Li Lixin, was playing with several of the other top amateurs of the world.

 

“Waya, Isumi, this place is awesome!” said Shindou, taking in everything around him.

 

“Look, over there Shindou. There's Kurata 6-dan on the stage!” said Waya excitedly pointing towards the stage across the room.

 

The portly Kurata was indeed standing on the stage in front of a gigantic electronic monitor. Displayed on the monitor was a recent pro game between Cho Chikun and Yamashita Keigo. Eager amateurs were seated before the monitor, raising there hand and asking questions.

 

“Are there any questions?”, said Kurata, brimming and beaming as usual.

 

“Hikaru, isn't that the pro you played one color go with?” said Sai, tapping his fan against his chin.

 

“Yeah that's Kurata-sensei. He was the manager of our team at the North Star Cup,” Shindou replied. He immediately felt a slight pull in his stomach. Shindou had wished Sai was there for the North Star Cup, if not just for moral support. Even if the Japanese team did lose, the young go warrior wanted his mentor to witness his breathtaking match with Ko Yong-ha. Sai, too, felt disappointed at the fact he could not have been there.

 

“Oto, Shindou, we have to get to our shidou go matches. I think those tables at the other side of the room are where we'll be,” said Waya, pointing to the clock.

 

On the opposite side of the amateur section were booths set up for shidou go. Waya, Hikaru, and Isumi excitedly walked over to the shidou go booths, and sat down at the table where there name was printed on a laminated card. Their partners for shidou go were not the usual elderly Japanese people. Shindou's student was a young black haired boy named Taka Imamura, an Insei. Isumi and Waya's partners were also pro hopefuls, outsiders who were planning to take the pro exam. Everyone simultaneously bowed to each other.

 

“Onegaishimasu.”

 

Sai smiled gently, gazing at the huge crowd within the recreation center.

 

“The face of Go is truly changing. I see so many bright, young, and hopeful faces like Hikaru. The game has moved onto the new generation. There will be a new wave of strong and determined players. Yes it is best this way,” thought Sai.

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Taking a long drag of his cigarette, Seiji Ogata stood outside of the center to take a much needed smoke. Touya soon appeared from the bottom of the steps and bowed to him.

 

“Good morning, Ogata-san,”

 

“Morning. I thought you would have come here a bit more excited Touya-kun…” smoothly replied Ogata, blowing out a cloud of smoke. Baiting and teasing Touya had almost become his past time, and it never really got old.

 

“Why is that?” Touya replied, knowing full well he was putting his head in the lion's mouth.

 

“Today is your match with Shindou. Feeling nervous? I know you two have already played once but it's been so long it's about time you had another match. He was so close last time after all…” said Ogata, a sly smile teasing his face. He dropped his cigarette but to the ground and stamped it out, slowly making his way towards the inside of the center.

 

“I could say the same for you. You also have an exhibition match today, with Takao Nobuo.” A change of subject was much needed, as Touya didn't need someone like Ogata playing with the situation.

 

“That sort of thing needn't be on your mind Touya-kun, besides I always am sure that I am prepared for all of my matches. I'm sure even you will be impressed.”

 

Touya decided it'd be best not to really take things any further, besides it was an obvious attempt on Ogata's part to rile him up a bit. Why did he have to be Ogata's movie of the week? Besides, it was true, Touya did feel that this match was truly important in the grand scheme of things.

 

“Don't let his performance at the North Star Cup mislead you in any way…” calmly replied Ogata as he and Touya made their way to the professional sign in booth. Touya was a bit surprised, and let out his trademark gasp. How was it that Ogata sensei could read him like the morning newspaper?

 

“His road for the past three years has been straight and focused on a single goal. Events that have occurred along the way are merely stops along that path, not detours.”

 

Touya hid his feelings as best he could behind his expressionless visage, but deep down he was glad Ogata had taken the time to calm his nerves before the match. It was kind of frightening the guy always knew what was at work in his head. At the very least he didn't throw things into confusion like he always did.

 

“But then again who knows what will happen when he reaches the end of the road? I guess no one can say, we'll just have to wait and see!” replied Ogata, laughing.

 

Just when Touya was about to give the guy some credit, he remembered in the end Ogata was Ogata.

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After a fourty five minutes or so, Shindou's tutoring game had ended.

 

“Your shape here was quite interesting; however you should have taken sente on this side and continued to attack me,” said Shindou, his finger pointing to a section of the board.

 

Taka simply nodded and smiled as he happily absorbed Shindou's explanation of the game.

 

“To be honest it was hard to tone myself down. You have a knack for finding weaknesses and exploiting them. You will still need to work on your whole board analysis, but I think you will improve quickly,” said Shindou grinning. Looking into Taka's face was like looking back into time when he was an insei, getting pummeled by other insei. Memories like that made Shindou feel very warm inside, reminding him of very happy times.

 

“Arigatoo Gozaimasita”, said Taka, standing up and bowing.

 

“Good luck on this year's pro exam, Taka, I'll be rooting for you,” said Shindou grinning.

 

“Waya, Isumi, are you two done as well?”

 

“Yeah Shindou. This year there will be a lot of strong people taking the pro exam! I was surprised at the strength of my shidou go partner,” said Waya.

 

“Same here,” added Isumi.

 

The loudspeaker buzzed for a moment as a women's soft voice echoed throughout the bustling festival.

 

“The exhibition match between Touya Akira 3-dan and Shindou Hikaru shodan will soon begin on the stage in the main area in fifteen minutes.”

 

Shindou stood up, his eyes narrowed and determined. There was no more need to wait.

 

“It is finally time Hikaru…” said Sai.

 

“This time, this time I will win. I will show Sai just how far I've come since he left,” thought Shindou as he made his way to the stage. Walking up the steps, he caught sight of none other than Touya Akira, standing on the opposite side of the stage. Touya was usually expressionless, but the aura of determination he gave off was much like his fathers. Perhaps only Go players can truly appreciate such things, Shindou found himself thinking.

 

“It's been awhile, Shindou.'

 

“Yes, Touya.”

 

Both of the young warriors took their places at the center of the stage before the go board. The monitor behind them lit up, as everyone at the festival began to assemble to watch the match. Kurata walked up onto the stage carrying a microphone.

 

“Well everyone you're in for a treat, the exhibition match between Hikaru Shindou shodan and Akira Touya 3 dan is about to begin. Both Shindou and Touya represented Japan in the recent North Star Cup and put up an excellent fight against the Korean Pros. Now without further ado, Hikaru will nigiri,” said Kurata smiling.

 

Hikaru pulled out a handful of white stones, laying them atop the surface of the go board. Akira grabbed two stones out of his stone bowl and placed them atop the go board.

 

“It is odd, it looks like I'll take black,” said Hikaru, switching his stone bowl with Akira's.

 

Hikaru's gaze met Akira's, his eyes showing a clear determination to win. The two rivals had now together to fight upon the celestial battlefield. Both boys bowed to each other.

 

“Onegaishimasu,” they said simultaneously.

 

Hikaru lifted a black stone from his stone bowl, moved it between his index and middle finger, and played the stone on the board. The loud clink reverberated throughout the room.

 

“Let's play, Touya!” “This