Sometimes when Yoshitaka has a quiet moment to himself, he thinks about his life, and how much more complicated it's become since becoming a pro. He had thought everything would be simpler: no more wondering if he'd ever make it, he's already there. Now he just has to show the pro world what he's got, and he's more than up for that challenge. But the longer he thinks about it, the clearer it's become that the complications in his life can be attributed to five things.
1. Shindou
He made the mistake of letting his mother meet Shindou, and now she thinks he's some sort of delinquent Go player hanging out with the wrong crowd ("He dyes his hair, after all! And not some respectable color, like brown!"), and eating nothing but junk food. He's practically 18, and because of Shindou his mother has started nagging him to come home for dinner more often than she had when he first moved out.
2. Shindou
Yoshitaka hadn't meant to yell at Yoshino-san, one of the Ki-in's schedulers. She is a very nice woman, and he had been yelling at Shindou on the phone. But she had misunderstood the situation, and now it almost takes an act of god to get assigned to any of the interesting seminars, and he pretty much has to beg for more side jobs as a scorekeeper or timekeeper. He feels like he's going to go broke buying Yoshino-san flowers and expensive chocolates to try to get back on her good side.
3. Shindou
As if the situation with Yoshino-san isn't difficult enough on his wallet, after a study session at Morishita-sensei's house Shindou let it slip that Yoshitaka had made a decent amount of money at the last Young Lions Tournament in front of Shigeko. Who has now decided that she just HAS to start a designer purse collection. Yoshitaka has no idea how he's going to get out of having to pay for that hobby, unless he can somehow find a way to foist that off on Saeki-san. So far the prospects are looking a little bleak.
4. Shindou
Speaking of the fragile hearts of the Morishita clan, Yoshitaka owes Shindou a swift kick in the butt for letting it slip that he was going to be going to a study session that included Touya. He had left that night wondering if he would ever hear normally in his right ear again.
5. Shindou
Shindou Hikaru has been a constant thorn in his side, pain in his butt, pebble in his shoe. He's like a hurricane, creating havoc and chaos and Yoshitaka sometimes can't remember why they're friends. But he can't deny that Shindou can be loads of fun to hang out with when he's not being a one-man wildfire, and loathe as he is to admit it, Yoshitaka knows that his Go wouldn't be the same without him.