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Hikaru and Akari ventures into Hikaru's grandfathers attic in search of something of value because Hikaru's allowance has been cut off. Hikaru finds an antique Go board and decides to clean it up maybe sell it for cash. As Hikaru was wiping the board, he sees a stain and cannot get it off. Apparently, Akari cannot see this when Hikaru points it out. He then hears a voice...Akari also cannot hear the voice gets scared and starts to run. A spirit appears and scares Hikaru so badly that he faints. In Hikaru's subconcious, the spirit tells Hikaru his tragic story. The spirit's name was Fujiwarano Sai. He was the Go tutor to an emperor in the Heian period. The Emperor also had another tutor and the tutor demanded a match against Sai and the winner will be the only tutor for the emperor. During the match, the tutor cheated by placing a white stone that has been mixed in his goke onto his agehama. Just when Sai was about to bring this up, the tutor turned it around and said Sai cheated. Sai lost the match, and was driven out of the palace. Being depressed and heartbroken, Sai drowned himself. But wanting to play Go so badly, Sai's unrested spirit inhabits a Go board. One day, a young boy name Torajirou comes across the Go board and can hear Sai's voice. SInce then Sai inhabits a corner of Torajirou's heart and plays Go as Torajirou. Eventually, Torajirou becomes Honinbou Shuusaku because of Sai's skills. Tragically, Torajirou falls to his death due to illness at age 34. Once again, Sai inhabits the Go board until Hikaru's appearance. Hikaru goes to school the next thinking that it was all a bad dream but once again hears Sai in his subconcious. Hikaru refuses to play Go and the thought of it upsets Sai so much that it also cause Hikaru to feel it as well and sends him running off to the sink with a sickly taste in his mouth. Sai helps Hikaru on a test and in return, Hikaru agrees to let Sai play Go. After school, Hikaru goes to a Go salon where he'll let Sai play. Not knowing anything about Go, Hikaru points to the only boy in the salon sitting in the back that he wants to play against. The boy greets Hikaru. The boy's name is Touya Akira. Hikaru sits down and Sai starts to cry because of the joy of being able to play Go again. Touya was shocked to see Hikaru play so well despite the fact that he was holding the Go stone like a beginner. Unknown to Touya, Hikaru was only placing the stones where Sai says. Touya struggles in the game and eventually loses. Hikaru leaves the salon leaving the lady in the front desk thinking that Hikaru lost. The entire Go salon was shocked of Touya's defeat. Hikaru walks home with Sai making a deal that from now on, Sai will help him with his homework and he, in return, will let Sai play Go. |
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