The second night of the Hokuto Hai.
Team Japan has just lost to Team China, and will face Team Korea the next day.
[ picture: the hotel ]
[ akira leaves his jacket on the bed, goes to the bathroom, puts on his robe ]
[ takes a bath, finishes and takes a bath ]
"TOUYA. IS THAT YOU?"
[ akira pauses before the sink and glances at the door ]
Touya Akira and Shindo Hikaru have adjoining bathrooms.
Akira: "SHINDO, I'M STILL HERE."
"YEAH."
Akira: "ARE YOU NERVOUS?" [ washes his face ]
"TOMORROW?"
[ akira is facing the mirror, frowning ]
Akira: "YES. TOMORROW, YOU'LL BE FIRST BOARD."
"I EXPECT YOU TO WIN."
"HAH!"
[turning to the door]
Akira: "ARE YOU DRUNK?"
[picture of Hikaru in the shadows, leaning on the door of the bathroom ]
Hikaru: "NO, DON'T BE STUPID."
"TOUYA, ISN'T TOMORROW MAY 5?"
[ akira frowns at the door, holding his toothbrush ]
Akira: "YEAH."
"ANOTHER COMPETITION DAY."
"BUT TOMORROW..."
[ akira brushes his teeth, two panels ]
Akira: "SHINDO?"
[ one panel of silence ]
"ONE YEAR AGO, MY LIFE CHANGED AGAIN."
[ akira completely turns to the door ]
[ hikaru is in the darkness, looking at his hands ]
Hikaru: "ONE YEAR AGO, I WAS SITTING IN MY ROOM, PLAYING GO, AND EVERYTHING
CHANGED."
"AGAIN."
"AGAIN?"
Hikaru: "IT HAPPENED IN THE MORNING, BUT I ALWAYS REMEMBER IT AT NIGHTS."
(THAT DAY, HE LEFT...)
"DO ME TWO FAVORS, TOUYA."
Akira: "I'LL HUMOR YOU."
Hikaru: [smiling] "ALWAYS THE LEVEL-HEADED ONE."
(...WITHOUT EVEN A GOODBYE.)
"FIRST, WHEN YOU GO OUT OF YOUR ROOM, LOOK OUT OF YOUR WINDOW."
[ view of the stars ]
"THE STARS ARE LIKE WHITE GO STONES."
"THEY NEED THE APPRECIATION OF SOMEONE LIKE YOU."
Akira: [ hand ] "WHAT ABOUT YOU?"
Hikaru: [ hand ] "I'VE HAD MY SHARE. I'M STARING AT IT RIGHT NOW."
Akira: [smiling] "YOU 'ARE' DRUNK."
Hikaru: "I DON'T DRINK."
[ silence in the bathroom as Akira takes his stuff ]
Akira: [back to the door] "WHAT'S THE SECOND FAVOR?"
[ a tear falls from hikaru's cheek ]
Hikaru: "IT'S TOUGHER."
Akira: "I THINK I CAN TAKE IT."
Hikaru: "THEN THE SECOND FAVOR..." [ a black go stone in hikaru's hand ]
[ panel of hikaru's bowed head. ]
Hikaru: "IS THAT WHENEVER I LOOK LIKE I'M ABOUT TO GIVE UP, TELL ME..."
"'SHINDO, YOUR HANDS AREN'T YOURS ALONE.'"
[ whole page panel of them on both sides of the wall, hikaru leaning on the
bathroom door while sitting, and akira leaning on the door, looking serious. ]
"WILL YOU REMEMBER THAT, TOUYA?"
Akira: "I DON'T UNDERSTAND."
Hikaru: "YOU DON'T HAVE TO."
akira: "THEN I WILL REMEMBER."
[ shuffling sounds indicating that hikaru has gotten up ]
[ akira's hand clenches ]
"SHINDO, YOUR HANDS AREN'T YOURS ALONE!" [emphasized]
[ hikaru against the window, looking stunned ]
[ a panel of him looking back to the bathroom door, eyes closed and smiling
gratefully ]
"THANKS, TOUYA."
"I'LL DEFINITELY WIN TOMORROW."
Akira: "FOR SHUSAKU'S SAKE?"
"NO."
"FOR MINE."
[ akira smiles and goes out of the bathroom door ]
[ shadow panel of him staring out of the window, where there are stars. ]
"YOU'RE WRONG, SHINDO."
"THE FIRST FAVOR IS THE HARDEST."