Chapter 4

"Wah!" Sai walked around Hikaru's room, leaning close to observe every object. "Everything is still the same as I left."

"Oi, Sai," Hikaru crossed his legs as he sat on his bed in his room. "Although we finally convinced Mom to let you stay over for a couple of days, we gotta move out soon. It's not that convenient, you know."

"I'm sorry for the burden, Hikaru," Sai looked down, feeling guilty.

"Well, I understand why my mom feels unease about this. I mean, you are a young single girl and you aren't a ghost anymore. Staying over at a guy's place is kinda... you know what I mean," Hikaru let himself fall back onto his bed with a soft thud and continued saying his thoughts aloud, "With a 5-dan's earning, I can probably rent a place but it won't be huge or anything."

"Umm... maybe I can work and earn money too?" The former ghost suggested with a finger on his chin.

"You? What can you do? You'll have trouble working at a fast food restaurant!" Hikaru then rolled to the side.

"I'm sorry, Hikaru! I'm so useless. I can't do anything else but play Go!" Sai sobbed with hands on his face. Hikaru sat up upon saying that line. They looked at each other as if an imaginary light bulb lit up above their heads. "Alright! You are gonna take the Pro Exam and earn some cash!" Hikaru pointed a finger at his roommate.

Sai blinked twice as he absorbed what his former host had just decided. Then he exclaimed and jumped around in circles, hyped. "Yay! I get to play Go and I get to be a Pro too!" He only stopped when Mrs. Shindou had finally told them to quiet down from downstairs.

The next day, both Go players woke up early and headed to the Japanese Go Institution. They approached the counter where exam applications were accepted.

"Good morning, Shindou-Sensei," the man behind the counter greeted. "Do you have a game today?"

"Uh, good morning, Kujou-san." Hikaru replied. "No, I don't have a game. I just brought a friend here to apply for the Pro examination."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Shindou-Sensei. The deadline for applications has passed. I'm afraid your friend will have to wait till next year," Mr. Kujou apologized.

"What? But wait! Can't you let this slip? Please?" Hikaru begged. If they had to wait till next year, that means Hikaru would have to pay for all the expenses for the coming year and he certainly did not want that.

"Ya. Please? Please? Hikaru applied for the Insei exam late too and you allowed his application to slip by that year," Sai protested as well.

"Well, that was different. Ogata-Sensei made a special request for him that time," the man reasoned. Don't tell me Shindou-Sensei had been telling everyone I let his late Insei application slip, he thought.

"Oh, but I, Shindou 5-dan is making a special request too," Hikaru pressed on with a huge smile, leaning across the counter.

"Please don't make this difficult for us, Shindou-Sensei," The man clapped his hands together as if begging as well.

"Shindou," All three looked toward where the voice came from. It was Akira, who had also noticed the presence of Sai. "What are you doing here?"

"Touya-Sensei," Mr. Kujou explained. "This lady here would like to apply for the Pro examination, but unfortunately the deadline has already passed and we are not able to accept her application."

Sai wants to enter the Pro World! Akira found this surprising. Why now when she had already possessed such a high level of skill long ago? However, Sai's entrance would definitely change the entire Go World. It would be the greatest news to all Go players around the globe.

"Excuse me, Kujou-san, could you possibly make an exception?" Akira asked politely.

Not Again. Mr. Kujou thought silently. "Ah... if it's Touya-Sensei's request... I suppose that should be fine."

"Thank you very much, Kujou-san," Akira bowed slightly.

"What the-? So my request wasn't good enough but his is? That's not fair!" Hikaru protested, pointing a finger at the 6-dan. "He's only 1 dan higher than me!"

"Do you want the exam or not?" Akira looked at him with a low voice. "Quit whining. And you should thank me too."

"Thanks," Hikaru reluctantly said, not even looking at the other boy directly.

"Thank you very much, Touya-kun!" Sai expressed his gratefulness enthusiastically, bowing as low as he could manage with his violet hair almost touching the ground.

"Uh...you are very welcome, Sa-... Fujiwara-san," Touya did not expected such heartfelt gratitude from the girl. "I still have a game to play. I will see you."

"Goodbye, Touya-kun!" Sai waved happily while Hikaru snorted as an acknowledgement.

As the two were taking the elevator down, Sai couldn't stop praising how nice Akira was while Hikaru couldn't stop comparing the influence Akira and he had in the Go World. The elevator door opened on the ground level. A blond man with glasses inhaling a cigarette appeared in front of the door, waiting to enter.

"Ah...Ogata-Sensei," Hikaru bowed at the Meijin. Sai promptly followed. The man looked at both of them and nodded.

The two youngsters walked toward the main entrance of the Institution as Ogata pressed for his destination. "Cute girl Shindou's friend is," he thought, looking at the back of the two.

Just as the elevator was about to closed completely, he heard the 5-dan gestured the girl, "Yeah, whatever, Sai, I'm hungry. Let's go eat ramen."

Upon the sound of the name, Ogata quickly reached for the "Open" button in the elevator, but it was too late. He knew he had heard "Sai". Sai had disappeared for years now but he was sure Hikaru had connections with Sai. So the Sai Hikaru was with was definitely THE Sai. Furthermore, Sai is a girl - and just a young girl in her twenties? Is that possible?

Hikaru pushed the glass door of the Go Institution open and stepped outside to the busy street. He suddenly stopped and looked as if he had just remembered something. "Hey, that was Ogata-Sensei!"

"So?" The female Sai tied his eyebrows, confused.

"Good thing he didn't know you were Sai. If he did, he'd molest you or something." The 5-dan said casually, walking toward the direction of the nearby ramen shop.

"What do you mean?" Hikaru's claim made Sai shudder.

"Well, remember that time at the hospital - the day after you beat Touya-Sensei online? He thought I knew you and practically held me against the wall?" The memory still cause the boy with bleached bangs to shake. "That was so creepy! If Touya didn't arrive, who knows what would've happened to me? That man would do anything to play you, Sai. You better be careful." Hikaru continued to exaggerate, slightly amused as he found a worried look on Sai's pale face. Finally, he was not able to hold anymore and burst out laughing. Sai looked even more confused than ever.

"This is no funny matter, Hikaru!" Sai accused.

"I'm just kidding. But seriously, once the news of you entering the Go World is spread, everyone will want to play you. You better be prepared for this," Hikaru said thoughtfully. The pro-to-be looked more excited than worried about the statement.

"But hey, you are a girl now. Moreover, a rather pretty one. You really COULD get molested if you are careless," Hikaru smirked slyly as he teased. He then laughed as he found Sai blushed upon being called "pretty". He is rather cute. Wait. What am I thinking! Hikaru punched himself mentally.


A/N: Alright. Finally another entry. Not the greatest thing but a chapter is a chapter. :) Now be a good read and review.