CHAPTER 6
By id62000
"THAT IDIOT!"
Isumi winced at the sudden but not unexpected loud noise from the other end of the retaurant.
"SHINDOU!" It continued, getting louder by the minute.
Isumi weighed his chances of escaping unnoticed and found it was one in a million since the source of that voice was standing right on the doormat. He thanked fortune that they were the only ones in the restaurant besides the shocked waiter.
"He'll be here Waya." Isumi san said in soothing tones.
The red haired pro marched across the room towards him and sat down across him still fuming.
"First he looses two matches at the international level," Waya thrust out two fingers to emphasis his point, "Then he phones up and says 'Of course I'm coming', and finally he doesn't bother to show up!" Waya glared at the board on the table, "Let's just go Isumi san, I'm not going to wait any longer!"
"Here he is!" Isumi san said relieved as the blonde walked in panting.
"You better have a very, very good excuse as to why you weren't here twenty minutes ago!" Waya shot out as the newcomer dropped his bag next to Isumi and took the adjacent seat.
"Train was late." Hikaru said, rolling his eyes at the red head, "Why else?"
Isumi, like all human beings who witnessed a first hand raging war between the two Inseis, foresaw a probable third degree murder.
"Well, we got hardly an hour and a half, so let's discuss that Chinese - Korean match." Isumi inserted quickly before Waya could open his mouth, "The kufus are a copy from the Nine Star club." He added for Hikaru's benefit.
"That's right! Waya said last night that you rejoined the club." Hikaru flipped through the booklet.
"Yeah! It was like I never left." smiled Isumi, "Let's get going, the salon isn't far from here."
"A new one?" Shindou asked interested, rising with the other two.
"I don't think you have been there before. It's a private one – like Touya Sensei's."
"Like Touya's?" frowned Hikaru, "Then only geezers will be there! Plus they're no fun to play with."
"Ah!" Isumi sweatdropped. Geezers!
"That won't matter" Waya said rolling his eyes, "Any place with a goban will do right now. All we're going to do is discuss that game."
"Kuwabara Sensei is old too you know, but he's a title holder" Isumi wasn't going to let that end just like that. Gee, it won't be long before he joins that 'Geezers'category. And besides-Shindou should learn to respect his elders.
"But they take sooo long to play a hand." whined Hikaru.
"That's because they're experienced. They weigh each move." Isumi returned.
"Experienced?" Hikaru thought that one over, "And they still lose?"
Isumi winched.
"Isn't that the place?" Waya interrupted, as he paused in front of a short but wide series of steps.
"Yeah!" Isumi said as he looked around, "Opposite M & Ms."
"I hope the fee isn't too high" Waya stated, taking in the expensive looking salon.
"I suppose they'll have that student's concession fee or something." Hikaru started up the steps, leading the way.
He pushed the double glass doors and entered, followed by Isumi and Waya.
Hikaru spotted the lady at the counter and made his way towards her.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
"We just want a place to discuss a game…"Isumi said from behind.
"You won't be playing then?" the lady asked.
"That's right." Waya said.
"Just recreating a game won't cost a lot of entrance fee right?" Hikaru asked anxiously.
"Oh! Let them in for free Sarah." A voice from behind made them turn around in surprise.
"Ikazuchi Sensei!"
Three heads bowed as Hikaru looked at the stranger in surprise.
"Ikazuchi?" He repeated wondering why the others respected him.
The man must be older than forty, for he had grey hair blended with his auburn hair. His eyes were that of a faded blue of the sky. The skin was wrinkled with many lines, and to Hikaru, it seemed that each had its own moral story to tell. His posture was one of confidence and elegance and his air demanded respect. A good five foot ten, he smiled at the new comers.
"Well, I'll be leaving now Sarah. Junior may drop in later in the evening." With a final smile and a sharp glance at Hikaru, the Pro walked out.
"Who was that? Was he your sensei or something?" Hikaru asked.
"Who was that." The lady at the counter repeated weakly.
"AH!" Waya glared at Hikaru and Isumi sighed.
"He's new to the Go World – just started to play three years ago!" Isumi said in an apologizing tone.
"THAT'S RIGHT!" said Waya, his voice a decibel too alto.
"Well" said Sarah hesitantly, "the right corner is free, if you would-"
"Thanks a lot!" Isumi said as the three walked to the corner.
"What on earth do you think you were doing-besides being rude?" Waya blurted out in an angry hiss as they sat down on the cushion chairs.
"What?" Hikaru asked grumpily, now uncomfortably aware that he should have known who that Ikazuchi guy was.
"Ikazuchi Sensei is the owner of this salon." Began Isumi but he was cut off by the angry glare from Waya.
"I can't believe you don't know about Ikazuchi Sensei!" Waya said in an angry whisper.
"How am I supposed to know about all the sensei in japan?"" Hikaru asked in a grumbling tone, "There could be millions of them!"
"Eh Waya, this won't get us anywhere." Isumi put in.
"You are so… Dense and so… ingenuo - naïve!" Waya glared.
"Ikazuchi Sensei is, right now, defending two titles – the León and the Mejor! Plus he was a former Ouza and Kisei when he wes in Japan. Besides that, he is said to on level with Touya Sensei."
"In level with Touya san?" Hikaru repeated, despite wanting to know what those two- leon and major- were.
"Well, more or less. In their last recorded match, Touya Sensei won by one moku." Isumi explained, "But that was nearly five years ago, when Ikazuchi was still in japan."
"Then Ikazuchi Sensei was not in japan for the past five years?" Hikaru asked
"Ikazuchi Sensei went to Korea to gain strength, since Korea was in a much better shape than japan in go those days." Isumi replied.
"I personally think Touya Sensei is much ahead of Ikazuchi Sensei now. Plus there was all that rumor about his Go becoming more youthful." Waya opened the Go-ke and picked up a black stone, "I'll play China, Isumi san- you play Korea."
"Me?" Hikaru asked hopefully.
"You!" Waya opened the kufu, "just sit there and watch. Seesh! Doesn't know Ikazuchi Sensei?"
"Let's hurry, we've got hardly an hour!" Isumi began placing the white stones on the goban.