Title: Pride

Author: hostilecrayon

Pairing: Future AkiHika

Rating: G

Warnings: Slight Angst

Word Count: 257

Disclaimer: I own a Go board, but that's about it.

Notes: Hikaru POV. Written for the Seven Deadly Sins: Pride challenge at the Stages of Love LJ community. This piece is the first of seven. How I managed only 257 words, I don't know. I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep them that short… we'll see…

Pride

There are very few things I've done that I can honesty say I am proud of in my life. There are quite a few more things that I can say I'm ashamed of.

I'm ashamed of the way I first looked at Go and the comments I made about taking titles for money. I did not understand that Go transcended all superficial possessions. I'm ashamed of pushing Akari out of my life. She was my best friend and I sometimes feel as if I almost ruined something very special. I'm ashamed of the way I treated Sai. He was in my life for such a short time, and now I cannot make it up to him, though I somehow know he understands. He always did.

But that is neither here nor there. I cannot change it now.

I began to realize my mistakes, and to atone for them, I decided to move forward.

It started with becoming an Insei. That was my first real accomplishment in the Go world. It brought me one step closer to Touya. Then came the Pro Exam, and after that, the Hokuto Cup. I've been playing Touya almost everyday for a year; something many Go players would envy. I have accomplishments in the Go world that I never could have hoped for before.

And today, I can hold my head up with pride. Today, people took notice of me. Today, my rival realized that I have finally caught up to him.

Today, I beat Touya Akira for the first time without Sai.