Chapter One

Chapter One

A Day Out

What is taking him so long? He reached into his coat pocket and took out a small cardboard box and lighter. He popped out a cigarette from the carton and took it out with his mouth. He lit the cigarette and put the carton and the lighter away. He breathed in deeply and let out a puff of smoke. Yuki Eri was leaning up against his car waiting for his companion Shindo Schuichi to finish shopping.

It was a bright, sunny, Sunday afternoon. There were only a few clouds floating in the clear, blue sky above with just a hint of a warm breeze. It was the perfect day to be outside. Since both Yuki and Schuichi had free time that day they decided to run errands together. This was their last stop before going home. Yuki was getting tired and so decided to wait for Schuichi to finish his shopping. Really now, what the hell is he doing? It's not that hard to buy that new shirt you've been wanting for the past week. Yuki started to get impatient. Well, if he isn't out in the next two minutes, I'm leaving. Yuki looked at his wrist watch, folded his arms and kept his eyes on the store.

Why do I have to do this? Doesn't she know I have better things to do than shop for her? "You'll be in the area Hikaru" he said in a high-pitched, mocking voice trying to imitate his mother. Shindo Hikaru just left the Go Association and was walking down the street by himself. He finished playing a match against a 4-dan and won. It wasn't much of a challenge for him, even though he was only a 1st-dan. If only he hadn't miss all those matches a couple of months ago. Then he would be playing more challenging opponents. And he would be able to face Toya Akira sooner than having to wait God knows how long. Toya Akira. Stop thinking about Toya! It's only going to drive you crazy. Just focus on your game now. You'll be facing Toya soon! Hikaru tried to take his thoughts away from Go and concentrated onlooking for the bookstore. It has to be around here somewhere.

Hikaru walked down the street further and found the store. He swung his yellow backpack around to his front, unzipped a compartment and took out a folded piece of paper. He zipped up his bag and returned it onto his back. He walked up to the doors of the bookstore and they slid open for him. He went inside. Hikaru stood there. Looking around, he wasn't sure where to go. He opened the piece of paper that had written on it, 'Always by Eri Yuki'. "Now where would this be?" He decided he'd better ask someone for help. It would probably take him all day just to find this book.

"E-excuse me?" Hikaru walked up to the front counter where there were a couple of employees.

"Can I help you?" One of the girls asked.

Yes, I need to find this book. Can you help me find it?" Hikaru handed the girl the piece of paper. The girl took it and looked at it.

"Oh, yes. I know this book. You're in luck we should have a few copies left. I'll show you where it is." The girl came out from behind the counter and proceeded down one of the isles. Hikaru followed. They stopped a little ways down. She picked up a book and handed it to Hikaru. "Here you go." She said politely and with a smile. Hikaru took the book from her hands. "Thanks." Hikaru said. "No problem. Just let me know if you need anymore help." The girl walked away.

Hikaru looked at the book. So this is the book my mom wants. Hikaru examined it closely. It was plain looking. The jacket was all white with silver lettering for the title.He looked at the bookshelf from where the girl took the book from. There were several copies in a neat display of the book 'Always'. He saw many more books written by the same author behind the big stack that was right in front of him. Wow, this guy's written a lot! Must be some old guy to have written this much. Hikaru opened the back cover of the book he was holding to read the Author biography. He scanned it quickly.

"23!" Hikaru said out loud. "The guy's only 23 and he's already written this much!? Man, he must like to write a lot if he has this many books out."

Hikaru looked at the self again. A book caught his eye that was placed next to the book he was holding for his mother. This book was also stacked with several copies of the same title. He picked it up and studied it. The picture on the cover was that of two boys in what looked like high school uniforms. One boy had his arm around the other boy. 'Rivals by Usami Akihiko'. Huh. I wonder what this is all about. He placed the book he was buying for his mother back down on the shelf. He began flipping through the book. He stopped at a random page and began reading.

"…..as they stared intently at one another. The tension between them grew more and more as the seconds past. Misaki knew he was loosing but he didn't want to give up without a fight. He had to think of something quick. Akihiko chuckled.

"W-why are you laughing?" Misaki asked trying to keep his composure.

Akihiko looked deep into Misaki's eyes.

"There's no escaping now."

Misaki's eyes grew wide. He couldn't believe it. Here? Now? Misaki felt the pressure of Akihiko beginning to enter him. Pain and pleasure ran through Misaki…"

Hikaru slammed the book shut. He stared straight ahead, in total shock. I didn't just read that! This isn't what I think it is, right? Two guys doing..…no, I actually don't want to think about it! Hikaru squeezed his eyes shut, trying to purge the memory from his mind of what he just read. After a few moments he opened his eyes and realized he still held the book. He began to blush. He quickly put the book back where he had gotten it from.

"Just down that way," Hikaru heard the female employee speaking to someone else. He didn't bother to look up to see who she was talking to. Hikaru picked up the book that he was going to buy for his mother.

"Shindo?"

Hikaru looked in the direction of the person calling his name. "Toya! W-what are you doing here?" Hikaru asked, surprised to see his Go rival in the same bookstore as him.

'You had a match today. How did you do?" Akira asked.

"I won, of course!" Hikaru started to get serious. "Don't worry, I'll catch up to you soon enough." Hikaru's facial expression was that of sheer determination as he faced Akira there in the bookstore.

"So, what brings you here?" Akira changed the subject. "I see you're buying a book. Which one is it?" Akira took the book that was in Hikaru's hand. "Um…" Hikaru wasn't expecting Akira to take the book from him. Akira looked at it. "Do you like these kinds of books?"

"These kinds of books?" Hikaru asked puzzled, since he wasn't sure what kind of books they were in the first place.

"Yes, this author is famous for his romance novels."

"R-r-romance novels?" The passage he just read in the novel 'Rivals' was running through his head. Hikaru closed his eyes again to try to get himself to stop thinking about it. "This is a r-r-romance novel?" Hikaru blushed again. It can't be the same type of novel I unfortunately had to read. His mom was making him buy this kind of book? How can she do that to me? Hikaru opened his eyes and grabbed the book out of Akira's hand. "I'm buying this for someone!" Hikaru yelled, walked past Akira in a huff, down the isle and to the front counter to pay for the book.

Hikaru left the bookstore in a bad mood. Out of all people, why did he have to run into Akira at the bookstore? He began stomping down the street. I could only imagine what he must think of me now. Buying a romance novel. I'm never doing this for my mom again!

"Shindo, wait!" Akira was yelling from behind. He was running to catch up to Hikaru.

Hikaru stopped walking. He didn't turn around to face Akira. "What do you want Toya? Go ahead and make fun of me all you want."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Akira asked Hikaru, not knowing what he was so upset about.

"I see how it is. You want me to say it! Fine! Well for your information I didn't buy this for me." Hikaru turned around to face Akira and held up the bag with the book in it. "It's for my mom, ok?"

"Well, I got the same book." Akira lifted the bag up that he was holding. "I also had to purchase it for my mother."

Hikaru didn't expect this at all from Akira. He had to buy the same book for his mom too? Hikaru felt his anger growing. He couldn't face Akira anymore. He didn't know what to say anyway. Hikaru turned around and continued walking down the street.

"You're lucky you came out when you did. I was right about to leave." Yuki's tone was harsh as he spoke to Schuichi. This was nothing new to Yuki's lover. "Oh I wasn't that long, and besides I found another shirt I really wanted and had to choose between them."

"Why didn't you get both? It would have saved us a lot of time?"

"Oh I couldn't get both. It had to be one or the other. It was a really hard decision though. I wish you came in with me to help me out…." Schuichi just kept talking. Yuki ignored him. He could feel his temper rising. Yuki put his hand up to his forehead and sighed trying to calm himself down.

"…..that was the whole point of us going out together. But since I'm done, we can go home now, Yuki." Schuichi finally finished talking. When will this day end? Yuki felt drained all of a sudden.

Schuichi opened the passenger side car door. He put the bag he was carrying in the back seat. Yuki was making his way to the other side of the car.

"Wait, Shindo!"

"Huh?" This startled Schuichi. Yuki stopped before he could open the car door. They both looked in the direction the voice was coming from.

"Please Stop!" They heard someone shouting. They located two boys walking quickly down the street, with one trying to catch up to the other. Schuichi observed as they came to a halt practically right in front of him and Yuki. He immediately began to pay special attention to the young man with brown and blonde hair.

"Shindo," Akira said, impatience filling his voice. Hikaru stopped. He turned around. "Why are you following me?"

"I don't understand why you're so angry with me."

"Angry? I'm not angry with you." Hikaru noticed Akira's expression changing to one he had so rarely seen before. He wasn't sure what he was seeing was real. Akira was smiling. "Uh….Akira?"

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about."

"What?"

"You're still uncomfortable about what happened back at the bookstore right? That must have been your first experience. I remember mine. It was two years ago when…."

"Ahh, I don't want to hear it!" Hikaru screamed.

"I'm just trying to help, Shindo." Akira's tone was even.

'Well I didn't ask for your help!" Hikaru said condescendingly.

This immediately upset Akira. He could no longer hold back the abrupt irritation that welled up inside him in that instance. 'I don't understand why you're overreacting like this." Akira began yelling at Hikaru. "You're acting like a child!"

"I'm acting like a child!?" Hikaru took great offense to this. "This is actually all your fault!"

"What are you blaming me for!?"

"If you hadn't shown up, none of this would've happened!"

"That had nothing to do with it! You're just too self conscious!"

"I don't need to take this from you!"

"Well neither do I!"

"I'm going home!" Hikaru screamed even louder than he was before, disturbing the stream of passersby. Akira matched Hikaru's pitch and tone. "As am I!"

In unison, Hikaru and Akira turned around and stomped off in opposite directions each one fuming from the quarrel that had just taken place. Schuichi's eyes followed Hikaru as he carried on down the street.

"Hey, let's get going." Yuki opened the car door and got in. Schuichi kept his gaze on Hikaru. "Hey! Come on!"

"Oh, sorry." Schuichi climbed into the car and closed the door. They drove off down the road heading home.

"He a relative of yours?" Yuki asked Schuichi.

"Yes. How did you know?"

"Well, the last name kinda gave it away. But the way he acted reminded me of someone I know. Who is he?"

"He's my little cousin, Hikaru. We used to play a lot when we were younger. I haven't seen him in years. I wonder how he's doing."

"From what we both witnessed, not very well."

"I've never seen him act like that with a friend before."

"It appeared to be more than just a friendship the way they were behaving."

"You think so? You think my cousin and that kid are seeing each other?" Schuichi laughed at the thought that his cousin Hikaru was interested in a guy just like him. " I should stop by and pay Hikaru a visit soon since I haven't seen him in quite some time." I guess we have one more thing in common.

"Man, what is it with you and your family?"

"Huh? What do you mean Yuki?"

Yuki sighed. "Never mind. So, what do you want for dinner?"