The Never-ending Road: Chapter 38 – Study Group Controversy
By Santa Leity "I wonder how this chapter will read… for me,"
"Shindo, can you believe this!?"
Freezing halfway through the door of Waya's apartment and blinking in silence as he stared back at Isumi who was holding a copy of Weekly Go in hand, Hikaru finally said, "Umm, do I believe what?"
Motioning Hikaru into the room toward where Honda, Nakayama and himself were sitting, Isumi answered, "This! They updated the information on the new promotion system to say that any and all instant promotions will be retroactive!"
Blinking once more as he finished getting his shoes off and began to head toward the trio, Hikaru replied, "Oh, well then yeah, I really can't believe it! How dare they update the rules to say they're retroactive and everything."
A short pause passed, then Hikaru added, "Umm, Isumi?"
"Yes Shindo?"
"What does that mean, that the promotions are retroactive?"
Contempt flashing across Isumi's face, the young 2 – Dan replied, "It means that anyone who's ever been in a league previously and hasn't made 7 – Dan yet automatically gets promoted, even if they aren't in a league right now. Come on Shindo, I explained to you what this was before remember?"
Blinking once more, Hikaru responded, "Oh, so then even if Akira hadn't beaten Zama Oza on Thursday I would have still been promoted to 7 – Dan in the spring? Cool."
Rolling his eyes, Isumi went on, "But doesn't it bother you at all that they didn't announce this little fact until after you'd already clinched a spot in the next Kisei League, making this retroactive promotion moot?"
Shrugging as he settled down on the floor next to a Go board, Hikaru replied, "Not really. It's not like my rank meant all that much after I beat Ogata anyway. Everyone knows I'm strong now. It'll be nice to be 7 – Dan and all, but I'd much rather just play Go."
Honda and Isumi just looked at one another for a moment then shrugged. Yep, it was certainly just like Hikaru to not care about something as big as jumping five Dan ranks in an instant. Then Nakayama chimed in saying, "So, do you think he'll act this calm and unaffected when he wins a title too?"
This brought a bit of laughter from the room while Hikaru just frowned. "WILL YOU GUYS STOP IT WITH ME WINNING THE KISEI TITLE ALREADY!? Damn, you're going to give me bad luck if you talk like that."
The trio going silent at Hikaru's outburst, Nakayama glanced over at the other two on his right and then replied, "Umm, I was just talking about winning a title in general… you know, sometime in the future?"
Chuckling nervously as his mix up became apparent to him in his mind, Hikaru responded, "Oh… sorry about that."
Chuckling at their friend, Honda then commented, "Well Shindo, we all certainly know where your mind is these days. Relax, you've got some time, Zama-sensei has to play Serizawa-sensei in the Oza Finals first."
"No he doesn't." Hikaru replied in a nonchalant voice.
As the trio all cocked their eyebrows, Honda inquired, "What do you mean?"
"I just got the schedule notice yesterday," Hikaru answered soberly, "I'm playing him in three weeks, November 13th at 10 AM."
Eyes widening slightly, Honda replied, "November… but that only allows for them to play the first two games of the Oza Finals. Why would they-"
"Because sometimes they divide it up to avoid other tournaments from running too long. My goodness Honda, I expect this from Shindo but not you!" The rest of the room turned to watch Waya walking in from the bathroom where he had been brushing his teeth after oversleeping this morning.
Smiling up at his friend, Hikaru then said, "Good morning Waya, I-"
"Look Shindo," Waya interrupted, "Don't forget you have to play Sasaki 6 – Dan first in the Tengen 2nd Prelim. Focus too much on Zama Oza and you might lose that match."
Blinking at Waya, Hikaru replied, "I… I know Waya."
"Good." Waya responded as he plopped down on the floor between Hikaru and the other three, his back against his bedding. Glancing at Waya for a moment before turning his head away, Hikaru couldn't help but sense that there seemed to be a certain… hostility surrounding Waya today, not to mention a few extra wrinkles under his eyes.
Before he could inquire however the door opened once more and a familiar voice called out, "We're here! Hey Waya, everyone, we made it."
"Smiling as he turned to greet them, Hikaru replied, "Good morning Saeki, Kadowaki. Glad you could make it."
"Good morning Shindo. I heard you're going to be promoted to 7 – Dan in the spring. Congratulations."
Chuckling as he scratched the back of his head, Hikaru answered, "Heh, umm thanks."
Snorting, Waya retorted, "Just don't get a big head now Shindo. After all, just because you're a 7 – Dan doesn't mean you can't lose. I beat two 7 – Dans recently, so you better stay on guard." With that Waya rose up and made his way toward the bathroom once more.
As the door shut Hikaru turned to Saeki who was taking a seat next to him and said, "Um, is it just me or is Waya acting strange today?"
"Yeah he hasn't been in a good mood this morning" Isumi answered. "He's been going to the bathroom a lot too, I think he might be coming down with something."
"Nah, it's not that, he's been drinking a lot of coffee to stay up late and study," Saeki responded. "He's been in this mood ever since his match on Thursday ended. After that he's been grouchy and throwing all his time into studying game records and stuff, like Shindo's game against Ogata."
"Hey, I want to review that game some more too" Nakayama interjected. "Shindo wasn't here last Saturday so we didn't get to hear his thoughts on it."
Ignoring Nakayama however, Hikaru looked at Saeki and asked, "But why's he in a bad mood since then? I mean he won that match, he beat Kamimaezu 7 – Dan. Sure it was only by half a point, but a win is still a win."
His face contorting in solemn sobriety, Saeki replied, "It's because after he won Waya checked to see who his next opponent will be."
Blinking in surprise, Hikaru nodded as the pieces began to come together. Waya was upset because he was playing a strong opponent next round, perhaps a top pro like Serizawa or Kuwabara. There were certainly plenty of top pros in the prelims given that only the top 12 from the previous tournament stayed in, and with single knockout formats some of the best match ups occurred in the early rounds. Still, it would have made more sense for Waya to be scared rather than upset. "So, who's he have to play in the next round?"
Biting back his lip, Saeki hesitated for a moment and then answered, "He's playing the winner of the match between Sasaki 6 – Dan and… you."
Silence ensued as all eyes focused on Hikaru who just sat there dumbfounded. Then at last he muttered, "Waya's next opponent will be… me?"
Glancing down at the floor with a frown on his face, Saeki answered, "Yeah."
Exhaling heavily, Hikaru lowered his gaze and just shook his head. Why had it been set up this way? Sure the sorting was random, no one picked this potential match up, but it just seemed cruel, like a joke from some twisted sense of humor. Sure he'd played Waya several times already as a pro such as in the Oteai, but this was different, this time they'd been battling toward the Tengen Main Tournament together. Waya's confidence had just begun to rebound, he was playing some of the best Go Hikaru had ever seen him play as of late, and he was resolved. And now this.
It just didn't seem fair, even if in a way it was almost necessary. After all, Waya could gain all the confidence in the world, but until he faced down Hikaru and overcame him it would be confidence held on shaky ground. No, a match like this with entry to the Tengen Main Tournament on the line was a good thing; it was a prize and a consequence great enough to push Waya to his limits. Hikaru would show Waya his true strength and let that decide which of them was the most worthy to play for the Tengen Title.
Exhaling once more, Hikaru looked up as if staring at something far away and said nonchalantly, "I look forward to that match." Still, did this confrontation really have to occur this soon?
As Hikaru continued to ponder that thought the door to Waya's apartment opened once more as a familiar voice rang through the air, "Hey everyone, sorry I'm late my mom wanted me to run a few errands for her first so that's why…"
Nase's voice began to trail off as the rest of the group turned to look at her and her eyes locked with Hikaru's. Her heart leapt a beat as Hikaru stared back at her, no expression visible on his face. Perhaps coming hadn't been a wise idea after all.
The others in the group meanwhile were turning to view her more properly, Saeki even standing up as they all smiled at her. "Hey Nase, congratulations" Isumi shot out.
"About time you passed the exam" Nakayama added.
"Welcome to the world of the pros Nase" Saeki chimed in, motioning for her to take a seat.
Amongst the commotion being made at the new pro's arrival, Hikaru rose from his seat and facing Nase smiled warmly and said, "I told you that you could do it. Well done, we were all cheering for you."
As the words hit Nase's ears her heart seemed to melt as she fought back yet more tears. Why do I always seem to be crying lately? While everyone's words had warmed her heart, seeing Hikaru give her that boyish smile that so defined his warm, caring personality made her feel as if she were a meter off the ground. He wasn't angry with her, he didn't hate her. She had known it, known that he just wouldn't have held her forwardness in kissing him against her. After all, compared to the events with the fan, this had been a small matter. Well, kissing him was big in a very different way.
As she continued to bask in this newfound hope, Nase wiped away the tears and bowed her head to the group. "Thank you everyone, for all your help, for believing in me. I ask that you keep guiding me on my journey."
Stepping out of the bathroom as Nase said this, Waya blinked for a moment and then smiled at Nase. Gesturing toward the board, he said, "Well we may have helped, but you're the one who passed. So I think I speak for us all when I say we are proud to have you join us, not only as our friend, but now as a pro."
Tears sliding down her face at that, Nase replied, "Come on Waya, you're making me cry again."
"Don't worry, " Isumi cut in, "Waya cried when he passed the exam too."
Frowning at Isumi Waya moved to sit down in front of the board as Hikaru rose up and smiled at Nase. "We all got emotional when we passed in some way, don't let it bother you. We all understand."
Wiping away another tear Nase smiled back at Hikaru. He was so good at finding ways to cheer her up, to push her passed her doubts and worries. Maybe that was why she...
As the pair continued to smile at each other Saeki glanced between the pair for a moment then said, "Um you two aren't going to like make out or anything are you?"
Nakayama added with a smile, "Wow, Kisei League players get all the perks I guess."
Turning to look back at the group, Hikaru cracked a wry grin and began to chuckle as he made his way back to his seat. As he took his seat, Nase following behind him a little nervous still, Hikaru answered, "Haha, funny guys. Now come on, let's review Akira's match against Zama Oza. We can talk about my game later."
Wide grins across the faces of the others as well now, they nodded with mild chuckling of their own as they began to shift their seats to better view the board while Hikaru pulled out the game record. As he did so Isumi added, "Hey Shindo, I thought you would have remembered the whole game without the game record since you were there to watch it. Starting to slip a little?"
"Nah," Hikaru replied soberly, "I can recreate the game from memory no problem, the game record is for Nakayama." Hikaru then handed the record across the board to Nakayama who was sitting on the other side. As Nakayama opened the game record up Hikaru casually added, "You go first."
As the stones began to hit the board Waya returned, nodding and congratulating Nase on the side before taking his own seat around the board. A few minutes later Honda said, "Hey Shindo, speaking of your game against Ogata-sensei, did you hear about his match on Thursday against Hatanaka-sensei?"
"You mean Game 4 of the Meijin Finals?" Hikaru replied without looking up, "Yeah, I heard about it, or at least I heard that Ogata lost. He's down 3-1 now, it was a hard loss."
Nodding, Honda continued, "Yeah well I took a look at the game record, and he didn't just lose, he got crushed. It was completely different from the Go he played against you. From the look of it I'd say he was exhausted or something."
"He looked pretty exhausted when I played him too. So what?"
Isumi then chimed in, "I think what Honda is trying to say is that you didn't just beat him to become the frontrunner in the Kisei League, but might have beaten him to the point where it's effecting his challenge for the Meijin Title as well."
Finally taking his eyes off the board Hikaru turned to look at Isumi and answered, "What, like some kind of mental breakdown or something? You think I beat Ogata so bad that he couldn't even focus on his Meijin match? Heh, I find it hard to believe."
"I don't know about that Shindo," Kadowaki replied, "I was watching that game too and at one point I was certain Ogata-sensei was going to win, and I'm pretty sure Ogata-sensei thought so as well. While I don't really know him I do know that if someone came back on what I was sure was a certain win the way you did and just overwhelmed me like that I'd likely start doubting myself."
"Yeah and that's why he's the Judan titleholder and not you."
"Actually," Nase interjected, "it's probably worse for him because he's Judan. Titleholders have a lot of pride, so losing like that to a 2 – Dan would really hurt that pride."
Turning to look at Nase Hikaru shot back, "Hey, who's side are you on?"
"Come on Shindo you played a terrific game," Waya shot in. "You know quite well that Ogata-sensei likely took it badly, even if he respected you enough to invite you to Koyo Toya's study group when you were still in B League."
All eyes shot to Waya, then Hikaru. Isumi then spat out, "He did?"
Scratching the back of his head in embarrassment, Hikaru answered, "Well… yeah sorta. I was already joining Morishita's study group though so I turned him down."
Eyes widening slightly, Nakayama whistled as he leaned back and said, "Wow, turning down a spot in Toya former Meijin's study group, talk about confidence."
"Speaking of study groups," Honda added in, "Shindo, when are you going to start having your own study group?"
Faces across the room save Waya's began to light up as Saeki chimed in, "Yeah, that's right you should start your own study group. I know I'd come."
"I'm already in it" Nase added.
"I'd come too" Honda followed.
Nakayama then said, "Hey, if we're all going to be coming why don't we just convert Waya's study group into Shindo's?"
"Screw that!" Waya shot back, "This is my study group, not Shindo's! Why should he take it over?"
"Because he's about to become a 7 – Dan." Kadowaki said bluntly. "I mean look around the room, other than Saeki who's a 5 – Dan no one else is above 3 – Dan. Seems strange that a 7 – Dan would be coming to the study group of a 3 – Dan."
"Guys it's quite all right, Waya can-"
Waya cut Hikaru off however as he shouted, "So what!? Just because he's in the Kisei League you all want to take my own study group away from me? I'm playing to get into the Tengen Main tournament too you know, or have you all written me off!?"
Raising his hands slightly in submission, Isumi replied, "Calm down Waya, they were just joking. Hikaru would never do something like that, and we'd never give your study group to Shindo."
Snorting in frustration, Waya turned his head away grumpily. Meanwhile Nase was sitting there trying to take in what she had just heard. "Wait, what do you mean Shindo's a 7 – Dan?"
"Well," Isumi answered, "basically with Toya's victory over Zama Oza on Thursday Hikaru can't be knocked out of the Kisei League so according to the new rules Hikaru will be promoted to 7 – Dan for making it into a League when the new rules take affect on April 1st. Granted he'd have been promoted anyway due to the rules being retroactive, but that's another story that we don't want to get into again."
Nase meanwhile sat there dumbstruck. Instant promotion? Sure she'd heard about the new rules and the instant promotions, but she hadn't even considered the possibility that Hikaru would take advantage of them and gain promotion. But if that was the case then… "But then… but then that means Hikaru will be seeded in all the tournaments. I'd have to get into the 2nd Preliminary just to have a shot at playing him!" Damnit, she'd slipped with his name again.
"Thank goodness" Nakayama replied. "No offense Shindo but it'll be nice for the rest of us to have a shot at making it out of the 1st Preliminary."
"I made it out of the Honinbo 1st prelim," Isumi interjected, "and Waya got into the 2nd prelim for the Tengen. Ochi's been in a couple too, Shindo isn't the only one."
"Yeah but landing Shindo in the 1st preliminary is like an automatic loss these days," Nakayama rebutted, "and I don't know about you, but if I'm ever going to make 4 – Dan I'll need all the wins I can get."
Finally Hikaru chimed in, "You guys do realize I'm sitting right here don't you?" As the others looked at him silently Hikaru continued, "Come on guys, let's get back to reviewing the game, that is why we're here remember?"
Shrugging his shoulders as he leaned back over the board, Nakayama just replied, "Sure, whatever you say Mr. Kisei."
With that the others broke into laughter.
Making their way down the sidewalk toward the train station, Nase glanced over at Hikaru. He had been quiet since they'd left Waya's apartment, and while he'd seemed fine there she was starting to wonder if things weren't as good as she'd hoped. This was the first time they'd been together since that night, she'd decided to leave him be for the time being, and having passed the exam there'd been no immediate need to return to studying together. Now though here they were, perhaps she should say something.
"Um, Shindo?"
Glancing over at her, Hikaru answered, "Yes Nase?"
Nase took a breath. "Umm, well... about the other night, you know at your house... I-"
"It's ok," Hikaru interjected. "I'll admit I was a bit stunned at first, confused, perhaps even frustrated, but I've had some time to think."
Nase felt her heart begin to speed up. "And what did you decide?"
"Well I guess I realized that with everything that happened with passing the exam and all, that I can understand why you might kiss me like that. I mean when I passed I don't know if I would have kissed someone, but the feeling that would lead to wanting to hug someone or dance around like an idiot... yeah I get it."
Nase exhaled. So he was seeing it as an emotional outburst, the excitement getting the best of her. Well he wasn't entirely wrong, it had been pretty spontaneous, even she wasn't entirely sure why she'd done it, but she suspected it had at least something to do with the feelings she was beginning to have for Hikaru. Feelings that, apparently, he didn't feel back, or even realize she had. Then again maybe he did have them, but didn't mention it because he didn't know she actually felt that way, or maybe he just sucked with understanding his feelings like that. Not that she was all that better.
Lowering her gaze slightly, Nase responded, "I'd been afraid that I'd upset you, that I might have offended you or something."
Hikaru shook his head. "No, we're good. If you want to keep coming by to study though you can. Not really a teacher thing anymore, we're on the same level, both pros now, but like I said before, I have fun playing you." Stopping suddenly, Hikaru said, "Oh I forgot."
Stopping and turning to look at Hikaru as he pulled his backpack off his shoulder and unzipped it, rummaging through the contents, Nase raised an eyebrow. What was he...?
"Ah here it is." Pulling a thin white box from the bag, Hikaru turned and smiling said, "This is for you, a 'Congrats on passing the Exam' gift you could say." He then offered the gift toward her with both hands, bowing his head slightly.
Blushing slightly as she was taken aback by it all, Nase touched her fingers to her lips for a moment, then hesitantly reached out and took the gift. It wasn't really wrapped, no ribbon, no wrapping paper, just a thin box with a lid over it. What could it be, the box size, almost seemed like something you'd put a bracelet or something in. Hikaru woudn't have gotten her something like that would he? That's the sort of thing one would give to someone that they...
Taking a deep breath, Nase reached down and gently lifted the box cover off and gazed inside. Sitting there neatly was a paper fan, the paper white, the wood smooth and pristine. As she reached in to lift it out Hikaru said, "I hope you like it, figured now you won't need to challenge me for mine again."
Giggling as she held the fan up and looked it over, Nase flicked her wrist, opening it up, giving herself a pair of quick waves before closing it back up and smiled brightly. "Thank you Hikaru."
Smiling back, Hikaru replied. "You're welcome. Ummm, you're not going to kiss me right?"
Rolling her eyes as she giggled again, Nase answered, "No, I'm not. Maybe next time we study at your place though."
Shaking his head with a smile, Hikaru flung his backpack over his shoulder. "Haha, very funny." At that the pair resumed their walk down the road toward the train station.
Sitting back in his recliner with a cigarette in mouth and a glass of liquor on the table to his side, Ogata exhaled, blowing bursts of smoke into the air. Those moves toward the end of the game, how could he have turned it around? The game was more than a week old now, and yet it still haunted him. Was this what his master had felt after the loss to Sai, this uneasy confusion and frustration? Perhaps that had been why Toya had retired, frustration at what had seemed like a perfect game for so long.
No, his reaction was nothing like that of his master's. After all, when Toya had lost he had returned to face Ogata in the Judan Final with a renewed spirit, a revamped style that showed exuberance and flexibility. That one loss had caused Toya Meijin to reinvent both himself and his style of Go, taking his game to an even greater height. Ogata meanwhile found himself wallowing and struggling just to get by. Hatanaka had not been in top form that day, and yet somehow Ogata had completely blown his chance to tie the series up. It was… vexing.
Hikaru's fingertips had been glowing, of that he was certain. It seemed impossible really, to go from a strong game at the level of what would certainly have been that of a high pro of 7 or 8 – Dan to that of Toya Meijin in an instant. No, perhaps he had gone beyond even Ogata's master, into the realm of Sai.
That was the other name that haunted him, and it had been for far longer than this newest haunting caused by Hikaru's stunning comeback. Somehow or other Sai and Hikaru were connected, that much was certain, but as to how he didn't know. Those moves were certainly at Sai's level, although having reviewed the game several times already he could tell that they were not Sai exactly.
Ten Go players could all play the same stone on the same spot on the board and the move would still be different for each player. It was style, a way of going about things that a truly experienced player could pick up on. Brilliant though they were, Ogata was certain that they reflected not Sai but rather a hyper-accelerated version of Hikaru's own style. Hikaru had been in each of those moves, his will definitely expressed. Because he had been there playing it had been easier to sense, and why the idea of Sai and Hikaru being the same person became impossible.
No, the answer had to lie somewhere else. Perhaps Sai was Hikaru's mentor, a shadowy master hiding from the world but strong and talented enough to see Hikaru's talent and to be willing to nurture it. But if that were the case then what had he witnessed, the awakening of what remained of Hikaru's sleeping talents?
The boy had won his match on Wednesday, but that was no big accomplishment, defeating a mere 3 – Dan. No, he'd have to wait until Hikaru's match against Zama Oza to see if what he thought that had been was actually that, or just another illusion created by his now intoxicated mind.
Taking another sip from his glass Ogata threw his head back and closed his eyes. He really should get to sleep soon, begin to prepare for his next Meijin match on Thursday, dropping all thoughts of what he had witnessed by the wayside until the finals were all over. Still, the thought lingered in his mind, festering as it did so, and the more he thought on it, the more his doubts in himself seemed to grow. How could he have done that?
Perhaps another drink would hold the answer to that question.
Author's Notes:
Hello and Merry Christmas to all of you out there who happen to celebrate this most wonderful of holidays. I hope Santa has rewarded all of you good readers well. I did my best to get this story out for you by the holidays, and I have succeeded. Hope it's a nice Christmas present for all of you.
"Santa Leity, I'm wearing a cute little teddy for you… light blue,"
Yeah I know that this is the third straight light chapter, but after all the events of the last six chapters or so there was still more information I needed to get out there and such before moving on. This would include of course Hikaru's upcoming promotion, Ogata's struggles (the scene with him was another last minute addition) and of course the predicament with Waya and Hikaru. We will of course see this match later on, but I wanted to get it out there as something to build on. Honestly chapters like this are controversial for me because on the one hand I know I need them and they are quite interesting and fun to write, but on the other hand the Kisei Arc is already nearly 30 chapters long and I sort of want to get it over with. Fear not though, I will bear down and make sure not to rush and thus skip by something that needs to be brushed up on.
*Note: This chapter was modified from its original release in 2006, specifically adding the scene between Hikaru and Nase with Hikaru presenting her with the fan. This to me just seemed like a better way to bring some conclusion to the incident with the fan and Nase's change from insei to pro. It was also better than just having Nase get her own fan as she originally did during the exam.
"Santa Leity, you like to give me a spoiled holiday… but that's ok,"
Terms:
Lower Dans: This is just sort of a quick note in case some of you missed it, but a lower Dan is anyone with a rank between 1 -–Dan and 4 – Dan. They are unseeded in all major tournaments and must play in the 1st preliminary against one another until the winners move on to where the seeded higher Dans reside. The only exception to this is the Kisei League where, while still only playing 1-4 – Dans in the 1st Preliminary, the high Dans are likewise playing in their own 1st Preliminary tournaments. See the Kisei Tournament term for more details.
"Santa Leity, I like the love story the best… then the rest,"
Now onto questions. One of the best stories on the site period? Wow, that's pretty high praise given all the stories on this site. I'm flattered, and hope I can live up to such praise (calm down, just one chapter at a time… now breathe). Yes, my knowledge of Go is fairly good I guess, but I don't know what to compare it to so…
Heh, actually in regard to Akira letting Hikaru leave the room first, it wasn't meant to be a sign of respect so much as in my mind I pictured the two moving toward the door at an angle that had one of them not stopped they would have collided and Hikaru sort of had the 'right of way' I guess, so Akira stopped due to politeness. That and it would be embarrassing if the two princes collided like that, although it might have been the most male on male action you would have seen in this story. Oh well.
That said, Akira's respect for Hikaru has grown greatly, but while both might think that they are now equal or one is ahead of the other, both also know that the final answer will come down to their upcoming match.
A chapter that shows what Ko Yeong Ha thinks of Hikaru you say? Hmm, now that you mention it, that sounds kind of interesting. I'll have to give it some thought…
How much research do I do for this story? Whoa, quite a lot actually. I have detailed information on the different rounds and formats of all the major and minor tournaments, not to mention the amounts for the winner, same for several international tournaments, names of all pro players mentioned in the story and where possible their ranks, same with all foreign pro players. The info on different Go terms and such is from my own experience, but I also have historical info, game records, and other such facts and tidbits like info on Go equipment.
I also have information on the Pro Exam, what time of the year each round of each tournament takes place, what times, etc. Then there's the research on different locations in Japan like Nagoya, Kyoto, Tokyo, etc and modes of transportation. I've got information on the Japanese school system, sports, Japanese culture, religion, customs, and a lot more that I can't reveal for fear of spoiling future events. Thus let me say that I want every last detail to be as accurate as possible, and I put a lot of effort into making sure that it is. I think it enhances the reading experience, plus an informed reader is a better reader as the story makes more sense.
Yeah, I suppose I could word that a little better. I'll just have to give it another shot. Thanks.
The match between Hikaru and Ochi took place on October 22nd, ironically Leitbur's Libra birthday. Sorry, there's a while to go before the story reaches Christmas (although you did get a Christmas chapter with this one in a way). Pro matches do take place on December 25th though, as Christmas is a secular holiday for romantic couples in Japan. After all, a high majority of Japanese are not Christian, but rather practice Shinto. I will say though that in this fic, though it won't be shown, I have scheduled a match on Christmas between Zama Oza and Nogi Tengen in the Meijin League. As for New Year's Day, there are four matches scheduled, including a Honinbo League match for Akira against Hatanaka.
No I haven't read Tsumego. I try to keep away from reading too much fanfiction actually to keep from stealing other peoples' ideas, although I will take a peek at a story from time to time. As for Yashiro, he appeared in Chapter 1 of the story if you recall, so he's already been in it. But yes, Yashiro will be showing up again, and will actually make an appearance before this Arc is over. Expect to see him more next arc though.
Write a lemon alternate version of the romance that involves a threesome between Hikaru, Nase and Akari? Not exactly something I'd given much thought to, and I'm sure plenty of people here don't want to see me take time off from TNR to write such a story. Plus I'm actually not all that perverted, despite several accusations to the contrary. That said, I will be kind and simply say that I will consider it for something later on. Note though that if I ever did bring myself to write it that given my writing style in this manner that it would most certainly be NC17 and posted exclusively on my yahoogroup. Just don't get your hopes up.
On a related topic, I got a pair of emails asking how long this love triangle will go on. While I can't give a definitive answer, I can say that it will likely be resolved long before the story ends. The love triangle will be heating up more in the next arc, and likely will end with either a victor or a pair of broken hearts near the end of the arc or around the beginning of the arc after that. So basically it will likely run for about a year or so story time. This doesn't mean that a clear winner won't appear before then or that it will be up for grabs either. Remember this is a guess, and if I make a decision and the circumstances are right then it could happen a lot sooner. The length given here is more of what I'd see as the maximum possible length. That doesn't mean love will vanish afterwards, just that the type of love will change.
Note: If you're wondering what the little quotes are, I've sort of done a little Christmas parody song (tidbits of it anyway) as another form of entertainment. You know, just a little fun.
"Santa Leity, I'd like to have Ogata's corvette… you bet,"
Well I think we've had enough fluff. So instead of hinting at little tidbits of next chapter I'll just say that next chapter will be Hikaru vs. Zama Oza! A little time jump, but not too bad. Don't miss it.
Nice to see all the support from everyone. It really is encouraging and helps me write so much more. Thank you for all the reviews and please keep it up, I really do read them all so if you write me, I will see it. R&R!
"Santa Leity, so hurry and write the next chapter tonight." ;)