A/N: Hello, I do hope you like this chapter and will continue reading. I am so sorry if Hikaru and/or Mitani are OC in this. Troy is the coolest Red Power Ranger I have ever seen.

I am so sorry for not updating on Friday. I was in Washington DC all day and when I got home I was really tired. Watching Power Rangers was a lot more interesting than writing yesterday as well.

2781 words previous, 3148 words

Disclaimer: I do not own Hikaru no Go or its characters nor do I want to.

Chapter Eleven: Cheating Habit?

Hikaru's POV

"You guys!"

Looking to the door I saw Tsutsui walk in. He looked excited. "I got news guys! Do you remember that poster we put up with the Life and Death problem?" he really is excited. "Well? What happened?!"

I was trying to decide whether I should ask the family who owns the Go Board I'm holding if I should fix it up when Akari asked that. Tsutsui put the poster down on the table so we could see for ourselves what he was so excited about. Someone solved the problem, which is good, if we knew who solved it.

I placed the Go Board on the table very carefully to make sure that I won't damage it any more than it already was. It looks like it'll break apart very soon.

"Someone at this school is really good because they solved an Advance Problem" that made me smile. The only things we have to do now, is find who solved it, and if it's a man, convince them to join our team so we can compete.

I saw Akari was shuffling slightly before I turned to walk up to her. "You know who it is, don't you Akari?"

"I saw him write it down" she told me. 'So, it is a he? That's good at least' I thought before Tsutsui spoke. "Who is it? Please tell us"

"Yuuki Mitani from Class 3" she said making me nod. Tilting my head, I remembered something that has to do with him. I've seen him enter Go Salons, but I've never seen him play or if he plays a clean Go, no cheating involved. "You could've asked him to join you know"

"Don't be mean to me!"

"I wasn't being mean, that's common sense, especially since that was the whole point of the poster" I sighed, shaking my head at her. "How was I supposed to bring him here when he doesn't seem that interested in Go? If he was interested in it, he would've come in here by now"

I rubbed my forehead with a sigh of annoyance. "The posters weren't in very good places where people often pass, so he probably wouldn't have seen it. He probably likes Go but doesn't think it is worth it to join a Club that isn't popular. Another reason he probably wouldn't have known about the Go Club. From what I know of him, he's a good Go Player and he likes it enough to play it constantly even if he didn't have an ulterior motive"

She scoffed at me when I finished. "I'm leaving" she huffed making me frown slightly as she left. Besides the obvious I haven't said anything to make her that mad.

She slammed the door, which was overkill in my opinion. Though, I am similar to Akira in that I am not good with people my own age, especially with girls.

I went over to the Wash Bowl that some Black Stones were in. I poured water into it before I gently washed the Stones. I was careful of the cracks in them. When I felt more cracks, I frowned.

'They should take better care of their Stones. They may not play often but taking care of a game is a part of owning one' I sighed.

"I'll have to find Mitani-san and ask him if he would like to join our Club" I told Tsutsui when he started washing the White Stones. "Yeah, you should. If you're able to get him to join, then we'll have enough players to compete"

What he said brought me out of my thoughts. "Yeah, we would, wouldn't we?" I said with a small smile. I wonder if Akira will face me in the next Match between our schools. "I won because my opponent made a mistake, and even then we would've gotten disqualified if it wasn't for Fubuki-sama know you so well. Man! What luck we had that day"

I nodded at this before I heard Sai chuckling. I sighed at this because I don't know why he's laughing. "I wish Akira was going Pro, but I know that's not going to happen when he wants to play me" I frowned as I washed the delicate, cracked Stones.

"What do you mean Hikaru? Of course he's going Pro, what else would he be doing?"

"He joined the Kaio Go Club to go against me in a Tournament since I won't play him voluntarily" I told the man with a frown. I can't play Akira, despite him saying that he was wrong to have reacted how he did. I can't play someone with my own strength, let alone someone else's if they show those signs.

"Why won't you play him?" he asked as I placed the washed Stones on the towel, careful not to chip or crack them any further. "I can't play him again, he was so upset when a friend of mine beat him" I answered.

"I play Imitation Go where you imitate someone's play Stone-by-Stone every move. Playing Imitation Go correctly means that you have to be okay with losing if the one you're imitating is weaker than the one you're playing. Akira knows I didn't play him with my own strength, so he wants to play me until I do" I elaborated as I dried the Stones once I saw his confused expression.

Time Skip: Half Hour Later

I was walking down the street listening to Sai tell me that he wants to play Mr. Touya. I smiled at how happy and determined he sounded.

'And I know you will Sai, but I have to find the third member of our Team before I can even think of trying to make that happen' I told him before my stomach growled.

Sniffing the air, I turned to the right to see a Ramen Shop. I smelled Ramen, so it makes sense that there would be a Ramen Shop nearby. It was the best Ramen in the City to. 'I have to eat first though, Sai' I told the spirit as I went inside.

"You really like this Ramen, don't you?" Sai asked as I dug into the food. "They're the best noodles I've ever eaten" I smiled as I ate. "You want this delivered to the Go Salon nearby, right?" my ears perked up at the Delivery Man's voice. 'Do you want to go, Sai?'

My small smile became larger when the spirit asked if I meant it. I nodded with a small, confused smile now. "There's also a Middle Schooler down there, he's pretty good" another man, a customer, told the Chef or Owner.

It got my attention the most because I know the Go Salon they're talking about. I had wanted to bring Sai there, so he could play, which is why I had come to this part of the City. Yuki Mitani also plays there, so it's a win-win for the both of us. I would get to talk to Mitani and Sai could, possibly, play Go there.

I paid for the Miso Ramen with Shitake and Chicken as well as the Genmaicha Tea* before I left. "Thank you for the food!" I told the Chef before I started to walk outside. 'Come on Sai' I told the spirit as I passed through the doors of the shop.

I turned right, down the street to the Go Salon. It is basically just an underground room though. Turning right again, I walked down the alley and through the glass double doors. I went down the stairs not long after that.

I opened the door, hearing the owner give the Delivery Man 700 Yen. "Sol-sensei? What are you doing here?" the owner asked me.

"I told Fubuki-san to stop calling me that, you should to, Shu-san" I told the man with a light smile. It made him chuckle. "Are you looking for someone today, Hikaru-sensei? Or are you going to play a game?"

"If you don't mind, I might do both" I shrugged with a smile still on my face as I walked up to him. "Who're you lookin' for?" he asked me.

I only smiled before I motioned my head to the farthest table closest to the wall. Mitani-san was sitting there, playing a game. I sighed when I noticed Shu-san's frown.

"We're out of Tea, will you bring us some more Shu?!" a man asked the owner as I walked over to Mitani's table to watch the game. Mitani and the other man were just about to finish the game. "Here you go, Hikaru-sensei. Sakura Tea, just how you like it"

I thanked Shu-san for the Tea with a small smile on my face. I watched as the two counted the Territory, seeing what Sai was talking about with ease before he even said it. "That boy is cheating Hikaru!" Sai told me passionately. He was very upset that Mitani was cheating.

I may have noticed the cheating, but I also noticed how natural cheating was to Mitani. He's been doing it for many years. It started out being for a good reason, until it became a habit.

Black: 44

White: 46

I sipped the Tea that was given to me, noticing that it was better than how he made it five years ago. "I owe you some money now, don't I?" I frowned when the man stood up.

'So, he needed money before and they were happy to give it to him… before it became habit, is that it?' I theorized as I watched the man hand Mitani 1000 Yen. The man sat back down but Mitani stood up. "Don't tell me you're leaving already? I want to at least win my money back"

"I have to get home since my parents think I'm at the Library" was the boy's excuse for leaving. "Greetings, Mitani-san" I greeted, surprising the man who was playing him.

"You know how to play Go, don't you? We can bet by game or by points if you want?" I shook my head at the man. "I do have enough money to do so, but I'd rather not play Go as a Gambling Session" I told the man.

"Don't be like that Hikaru-sensei. This boy is a good player as well as my teacher, so I wouldn't ask him that" Shu-san said. It made me smile slightly. Mitani left before I could ask him what I had come here to ask him. "Do you go to School with him, Hikaru-sensei?"

"I do, but I never saw him at School before. I sometimes see him come in here but that's the only time I've ever seen him" I explained with a frown. "He keeps winning but his playing style doesn't change" the man told me. I rolled my eyes at that.

"You already know he's cheating, so it's not a surprise that you say that" I told him. He jerked his head towards me in surprise. "He's a good man and that shows in his Go. He's too used to cheating to stop now" I informed, looking at Shu-san. He shook his head regretfully. "We know it's our fault, Hikaru-sensei. We apologize for getting him so wrapped up in Avarice**"

I smiled slightly at this. "The first step in fixing mistakes, is to admit to them" I told him before he nodded. "We can't let Mitani-kun cheat any longer Hikaru" Sai said in an angry tone. I know he hates cheaters, and the reason for it made me wince as I remembered that game.

Time Skip: School the Next Day

"Mitani-san! Mitani-san!" I called the man's name as I walked over to him. It got his attention, making him stop so I could catch up to him. "Mind joining the Go Club? If you want to play only for money, despite liking Go, I'll pay for the games as long as you join" I smiled. He stopped by his shoe locker when I mentioned paying him for every game he plays.

"I have to buy clothes and shoes later, so I can't take that offer" he told me, about to put on his Outdoor Shoes. "I tried asking nicely, gave you a proposition you seemed to like, but now you're coming with me" I shrugged.

I grabbed his arm, lightly enough to pull him along without hurting him, but firmly enough to actually have a grip on his arm. If he really didn't want to, like he keeps saying, he could pull free at any time.

Reaching the Science Lab, I opened the door. "I found Mitani-san, Akari, Tsutsui" I told the duo. They turned to me before greeting me. I, lightly, pushed Mitani into the room. I put him into a chair, not hurting him, and he could've gotten free if he really wanted to.

"Mitani-san is really good at Go and Shu-san agrees with me" I smiled when Mitani was sitting down. "Is he always so direct and forceful?" Mitani asked them, pointing his thumb at me.

"Don't tell me you dragged him here?!" I sighed at Akari's question. "I may have had a firm grip on his arm to pull him here, but my grip wasn't that strong. He could have gotten out with a weak tug if he really didn't want to come here" narrowing my eyes at the boy.

"Maybe we can still play a game or two?" Tsutsui suggested as he sat down. "This is so lame" Mitani complained as he scratched the back of his head. "We know you like Go. You wouldn't have solved the Problem on our poster if you didn't" Tsutsui told him.

"Why do I have to though?"

"2000 Yen, but only if you do what you did at Shu-san's Go Salon, agreed?" It's two times more than at the Go Salon, so it's worth more, don't you think?"

I want to see if he really is more into money than he is into the game. If he cares so much for money then he will cheat, but if he doesn't cheat, he actually loves the game more than the money.

"Let's get this over with then"

"Is it alright if I play Black?" Tsutsui asked when he opened the Go Bowl on his side. "Sure" Mitani told him before they set their Go Bowls to the right side. "That's great!" Tsutsui was really excited to play him.

I watched as they played and so far, Mitani hasn't cheated. It was good that he hasn't cheated yet, but he was bored, his facial expression and mannerisms isn't what told me that though.

"I wanted you to come here, or more likely to join, because I was hoping you'd have fun in the Middle School Competition that's coming up" I told him when there were five White and six Black Stones on the Board. "Why?" he asked me. I can't really tell him yet, he'll be upset no matter when it happens, but I know it will at some point.

"Because, Go is a game and games are supposed to be fun" I answered simply. "You're a deep thinker, aren't you?" Mitani asked. "I'm sorry" I frowned at this. Tsutsui doesn't need to apologize for that so why did he?

After a few more moves, I saw Tsutsui was thinking again. I feel like he's thinking too much on the wrong thing than the most important thing. I saw Mitani tap the edge of the Go Board with his Stone. Tsutsui placed a Stone, making Mitani the winner.

"Here you go Mitani, as I promised you" I smiled. I handed him the 2000 Yen I mentioned. His shocked face and Sai's shouting made me smile. "But, I broke that part of the deal" he told me. I only smiled at him.

"I've noticed that many Go Players develop a habit of tapping the side of a Go Board in thought during their turn***. Those who are often too focused on a specific part of the Board end up calling those with that habit cheaters because they think they do it on purpose" I told him. I saw his eyes widen in shock.

"I've noticed many times during your games that you have developed the same habit as well. However, those who are not too absorbed in the game notice and don't fall for it" I explained, looking at Tsutsui. "I have to go now, you wasted too much of my time"

I could tell Mitani was just nervous about me figuring it out. "You're going to Shu-san's Gambling Salon, correct?" I asked him. "Yeah, I am" he answered before shutting the door.

"I have to figure out a way to help him get rid of his habit without hurting him in any way" I frowned, turning to the others. I wasn't looking at them in my thinking position. "He's a Gambler?! Seriously?!" Akari yelled furiously. It jolted me from my thoughts.

"Yes, he was doing it for a good reason until the resident Go Players decided to egg him on. Their encouragement resulted in Mitani-san's current Avarice" I explained. It surprised them.

"He has the habit that many say is cheating and I've seen many players quit Go because their habits were thought of as such. For those who pay attention to the whole Board, the habits don't work as they will see if their opponent places a Stone down or not. But for those like you, Tsutsui, who pay more attention to winning the game in a certain portion of the Board, call it cheating" I explained.

"It will be bad for the Team if someone sees him doing that in a Tournament though" Tsutsui told me. "I know that, I made the deal to see if he really likes Go or if he likes money more than Go" I explained, surprising them again.

"He didn't cheat, your concentration got the best of you. So, he actually likes Go" I smiled when I looked back at the door. "I'm going to get him to stop cheating in other ways that aren't habits. I've done it many times before. If that works, he might join the Team"

"If you still think of him as a cheater and doubt him regardless, you don't think people deserve a second chance no matter who they are or what they've done" I said before I left the room. I went to the Salon, knowing something bad is going to happen.

I was running the whole way, worrying Sai apparently. "Why are you running Hikaru?" Sai asked me. He sounded concerned.

'I have a feeling Shu-san is going to take care of this himself. The last times that I've seen him take care of things himself, the Go Players quit for long periods of time' I answered.

I walked into the Go Salon, greeting the people there. Turns out it was only Shu-san, Mitani-san, and Heihachi-kun****.

A/N: Hello, I finished writing this at 9:22 P.M. on November 11, 2016.

I finished rewriting this at 1:36 P.M. on October 21, 2018.

*I think it's a Green Tea and Roasted Brown Rice combination.

**For those who don't know what it is it's another word for Greed, just as Vanity is another word for Pride.

***I know this isn't true but I don't really want to have Mitani cheating every time he plays before he joins them.

****Made up name since I don't think his name is mentioned in the show.

I do hope you like this chapter and will continue reading. See you on November 2, 2018 for the rest that I was supposed to update.