Ch. 4

Hikaru's mom had apparently discussed the horse thing with his father, and they had agreed, that should Hikaru at least pass all of his tests, they would enroll him in hors-riding lessons, and would discuss the getting him a horse thing in about a year, if he still wanted it at that time.

"But" she warned him "if you ever score below 80% after you have gotten all of your grades up, we will stop your riding lessons, and if it is after, not saying you get one, but if it is after you have gotten a horse, we will sell it again, unless there is a very good reason for your lowered score."

Well talk about incentive for actually answering the tests in school. Looks like he would have to actually do the work.

Suddenly he panicked "what about my popularity?" he asked Sai "I really worked hard on getting and staying popular, now I'm just going to become one of the nerds."

Sai started to panic too, running back and forth in the room. And then he suddenly became serious, something Hikaru hadn't seen outside of go games and his lessons in becoming a noble of the Heian court.

"Stop being so worried, you have worked really hard on your popularity, it isn't all superficial now, they actually admire you. Getting better grades won't be detrimental to that, on the contrary, you will probably become even more popular, if you just remember to care for your reputation and connections. And even if it means you will have to work a little harder for your popularity, isn't it worth it? I mean you will probably start getting an allowance again, and there could be other perks to it too, other than getting a horse."

…o0O0o…

His sword lessons were going well to. He was probably never going to become a master of the sword, but even with his apparent coordination problem, a ting he never knew he had, as he had always done well at soccer, it was going forward, and within another half a year, he would be ready for fighting against someone else. Who that someone else was going to be, he didn't know, as Sai couldn't handle a sword, but Sai assured him that they would find a solution.

He had also been locking for a place to learn to shoot with bow and arrow. It didn't need to have good instructors, as Sai could easily instruct him. But he did need the facilities. The big problem wasn't finding somewhere he could afford, but rather finding somewhere that didn't need parental agreement. Because his parents wasn't going to pay for a shooting club, on top of horse riding lessons. And there were no way he was going to tell his parents about his little job, playing against his grandfather. They would take away his money, and deny him the right to earn more.

In the end he ended up aiming at a middle school which had arrow shooting as an after school activity. The schools name was Kaio middle school, and to Sai's great enjoyment, there was also a go club at the school.

…o0O0o...

He had lost terribly to the stranger, whose name he found out was Kawai. He was really good, but when they were discussing the game afterwards, it was like Hikaru could finally see the whole universe, where upon the stones were stars. He knew what he should have done to win, and as he communicated his understanding, to Kawai-san and Sai, Sai couldn't help but be excited over how good Hikaru had become, just by watching Sai play his grandfather, and the few overwhelmingly un-even games between Sai and Hikaru.

To Kawai-san's great surprise, after Hikaru had convinced him to play another game, at their second game Hikaru won. Only by half a moku, but he still won. They would have played another game, to make it best out of 3, but Kawai-san had to leave, as he worked as a taxi driver, and had to go back to work.

While their two games had been intense, they hadn't taken all that long. As such Hikaru still had 5 and a half hours left to play in. And play he did. While there were no children in this go salon, a fact which just convinced Hikaru further that go was an old man game, the men, and lone woman, who played in the salon, was more than willing to play Hikaru. It soon became standard, that he would lose the first game, ask for a second, and win the second.

Slowly he started to understand the different ways to play go.

7 hours and 15 minutes after entering the salon, he ended the last game, but before he could discuss the game with his opponent, he accidentally glanced at the clock.

"No, no, no, no, I'm late; my mom's going to kill me if I don't get home in time for dinner. I'm sorry, but I have to go… bye." With those words, he grabbed his back pack and jacket, and run out of the door, Sai on his heels.

"Why didn't you tell me how late it is? If we don't get home in time, mom will flip out… at least I have already done my homework up to her standards! Come on… we have to hurry."

The two figures ran, as if the dogs of hell were after them, one; a boy with blonde bangs, and a rather filthy mouth. The second reproving the first one, although he was the only one who could see and hear him, while wearing a high hat and a flowering white kimono.

…o0O0o…

Hikaru ended up coming to that go salon every Sunday. And while he always let his grandfather play against Sai, in that salon, it was Hikaru's go that was played.

Slowly Sai started to beg for more diversity in his players, and Hikaru found another place to play, this time as Sai.

It was a Korean go salon, and most of the people there didn't speak Japanese very well, so while he spent many hours there, and learned to communicate the after game discussion, without words, he hardly spoke while there.

Friday after school was the time that was reserved for the Korean go Salon, and while he was irritated over using the time he could earn money playing go, to spend money playing go, fair was fair. And for that little act of kindness towards Sai, who Hikaru by now saw as his teacher, he was given many times again, in the form of lessons in both go, but also in the rest of the things he was learning. Sai even told him stories about his upbringing, something Hikaru obviously enjoyed.

…o0O0o…

Hikaru kept his part of the deal with his mother. Not because he was all honorable, a part of being noble that Sai still had difficulties instilling in him, but because he really wanted a horse.

In the beginning, the teachers at school accused him of cheating. But after he was put in a bare room, to take the next test, and he aced it (well at least he got 91%) he was believed to have done his tests and homework on his own. Unfortunately this resulted in him getting asked far more during class, which again resulted in him having to pay attention.

The days of secret manga reading during class were over.