A/N: Ho... I got this written up. And in the end I combined the contents of two chapters that I'd planned... Well, not really. This was a hard one anyways. I didn't really know what to write. So mostly this is just about the setting... But I hope you like this one anyways...

The second file: Changes in life
Sub-file four: Kai-san, Yamato-san and Uehara-san

Shugo found his place in the village surprisingly quickly. Maybe because the people around were so friendly. The faux-teen even made some friends at school. They weren't too close but got along just fine during breaks and lunch-times. They usually had a competition who had the coolest looking bento. This far Shugo had won several times by default because his bento was 'made by Yamato' while the others had their mothers do their lunches. Shugo didn't mention that actually he made both his and Yamato's lunches. That would've been suspicious.

The computer genius had also taken up a new hobby. Climbing into trees. He had missed it. It had been a long time since he'd last climbed any trees because he wasn't exactly light as a teenager. Not that he was fat of even chubby. He was just tall and had muscles after playing Finnish baseball. (Did you think he was thin like a weed because of his geekiness?) Shugo didn't fancy falling down from a tree because of a cracked branch after all.

But boy, he was good. Shugo just needed a good hold on the lower branch and he could haul himself up and disappear in the foliage. He was like a squirrel. Climbing up and down, jumping from one tree to other. He didn't let anyone see the jumping though. It was 'dangerous' after all. But the people who did manage to spot him climbing just thought it cute. The advantages of his apparent age were great, weren't they? He could practically do anything he wanted to (within reason) and no one would look at him twice. Teenagers always put up such a façade to look cool… It as annoying.

From the trees he could see a lot. He quickly learnt to daily schedule of each and every neighbor of his and several other people. And he got to know Officer Kai Kuroto. It took time and some spying. Especially when the autumn approached. The village festival was coming and most of his free time, the man was practicing Yabusame. It looked great and Shugo wished he could one day learn it too.

"Why don't you come down from the tree now?" Kai asked with a smile and looked up at the tree by the training area but opposite side from the practice targets. A few moments later the leaves rustled and Shugo dropped down.

"You are the new kid, right? Midorikawa-kun?" The police officer continued smiling while making sure his horse wouldn't do anything unexpected.

Shugo nodded. "Midorikawa Shugo. Nice to meetcha, Kai-san."

"You've been watching me practicing for weeks now. Are you interested in Yabusame?"

"Yes, I am. I've never seen anything like it. It looks great though and I think Kai-san is really good at it."

"Would you like to learn it?"

Shugo blinked. Offering just like that? What was this?

"I don't know sir… I've never…"

"Usually people would wait until you are older and taller but I don't see any harm with it. What I've heard from people in village, you are very responsible boy."

"Arigatou…" The boy looked down with slight blush. It was weird. Yes, of course he was responsible for his apparent age but to hear it like a praise… It felt kind of good. "I'd really like to learn. But would Kai-san really teach me?" The villagers held the police officer in high regard so it was no wonder that some of it had affected Shugo too. After all, he practically knew nothing of the man because in the manga he'd died and the few mentions of him were full of admiration.

"I don't mind teaching and after the festival I would have time. Probably horseback riding would be good place to start since you still need to grow to be able to handle the smallest of the bows." Kai explained, still smiling. Shugo grinned back. This was going to be so great!

It was almost the time of the festival. When Shugo had formed the timeline of the events, he realized that this would probably be the year when Kai Kuroto had his first win in a row without any arrows missing the targets or something… And three years from now on, the man would die because of that stupid game. The boy clenched his hands into fists. There was nothing he could do to prevent it. But there was something… Shugo's hands hovered to his back where his magician's knife was hanging across his shoulder. Could he really do it?

But the time wasn't yet. He still had time. And meanwhile he'd practice both horseback riding and archery. It'd be great to have a proper hobby aside from computer stuff. Because of the timeline, Shugo didn't have any hurry. The main documents were already in and only needed a yearly update to remain valid. So the boy could take it easy for a while.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five! Kai hit all the targets. Shugo clapped enthusiastically from the audience. Yamato was also smiling.

"This is the first time I've seen Yabusame live." The man stated.

"It looks so great!" Shugo gushed. "And Kai-san is really good."

"My… You are being such a fanboy." The blond immediately teased. Shugo sobered quickly and aimed his elbow to the man's stomach. Yamato didn't bother dodging.

"Urusai… You are excited too."

"But not to the length that you are."

And Shugo couldn't help but glare him at that remark.

"Hm? Who're those two?" Yamato's attention was on two people who were talking with Kai. The archer had gotten off his horse and having a friendly chat with the duo who seemed to be old acquaintances. Shugo looked up at them too.

"They're Yamato Kansuke-san and Uehara Yui-san. They are natives to this village… and police officers too. At least Kansuke-san is. Yui-san… I don't know if she has finished academy yet but I doubt it." The boy frowned as he explained quietly. Then he brightened. "I'm going to go and say hello."

"Kai-san!"

The officer turned around slightly, giving a smile to the approaching boy.

"Why, hello, Shugo-kun. You were watching?"

"Hai! And Yamato-niisan was too. You were so great, Kai-san. You didn't miss a single target!" Shugo gushed. And no, he wasn't over doing it. He was perfectly in character, thank you very much.

"Kai-san… You have a fan…" Yui smiled at the man. Shugo's head snapped to her direction and he shot a glare at her back while biting back a scathing retort. It was a pity he couldn't show his full personality quite yet.

"Ah, no… Yui-kun. Shugo-kun is more like a student for me." Kai explained, having noticed the glare alongside with Kansuke.

"A student?" The woman blinked and looked down at the boy who'd by now schooled his expression into mild politeness. "Aren't you a bit young to learn Yabusame… Shugo-kun was it?"

"I don't think so, miss. And I do have patience to learn." Shugo replied cordially. And thankfully he was saved from adding anything else as Yamato arrived.

"Shugo, you shouldn't go running around this many people." The platinum blonde 'scolded'. And the shrunken teen was immediately into eight-year-old mode again.

"But, Yamato-niisan… I wanted to say hello to Kai-san before he was lost in the crowd again."

"Did you now?" Yamato chuckled and addressed the adults then. "Thank you Kai-san for watching after Shugo. I hope he wasn't a bother."

"Oh, not at all." Kai waved his hand in dismissive gesture. He proceeded then introducing the duo with him. "Ishikawa-san, these are Yamato Kansuke-kun and Uehara Yui-kun. They have been living in this village since they were young. Kansuke-kun, Yui-kun, this is Ishikawa Yamato-san and Midorikawa Shugo-kun. They moved here at the end of the summer."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance." Yamato gave a short bow.

"Likewise." Kansuke nodded. Yui smiled too. The conversation flowed from there. The 'two Yamatos' hit off immediately with Kai making an occasional input. Yui was standing a bit to the side and keeping a company to Shugo who didn't care about the 'adult conversation'.

"Nee, nee… How should I address Yamato-san because I already have Yamato-niisan? It'll be too confusing if there is two Yamatos." Shugo decided to ask Yui and tugged her sleeve. And for some reason Yui got this devious expression on her face. The female exchanged a glance with Kai who gave almost unnoticeable nod to her, obviously having heard the question.

Yui crouched down next to the boy and covered her mouth a bit to whisper to him. "Just call him Kan-chan. I do so too…"

Shugo's eyes widened. He hadn't expected this. It'd be hugely disrespective of him to do so. But for some reason the idea was tempting. "Are you sure?" He whispered back. Yui nodded and winked to him.

"Kan-chan…"

Kansuke whirled around to shoot a glare at the boy as soon as he heard the nick-name. And he also knew who to blame as soon as he saw the kid. Shugo was covering his mouth with his both hands and glancing at Yui who was trying her best to stifle her laugh.

"Yui…" The police officer growled but the giggles just got louder. Even Kai and Yamato joined them. Shugo kept quiet, his face burning. He couldn't believe he'd actually said that. True, he called his friends with '-chan' – Ran-chan, Shin-chan, Sonoko-chan, Kai-chan, Ei-chan… – and he hoped to be able to call future Inspector Yamato Kansuke his friend too but this was still completely new situation.

"…and stop teaching bad manners to kids. Kami's sake you are trying to become a police officer." Kansuke lectured the mirthful woman. Shugo smiled faintly. Maybe living in this village wouldn't be so boring after all.

And thus flowed Shugo's time. On days he'd go to school, chat with friends, do homework beforehand, and just wing the classes… On evenings he'd either practice archery, horse-back riding or climbed to trees. Nights in the other hand were reserved for hacking. Oh, and they did get the piano finally. Shugo began practicing the old songs he used to play and searched notes for some his sister played too. He still wasn't entirely sure which name to use on her. Jade was of the past. Hoshi was in the papers but Shugo knew the girl wasn't using the name… Maybe he'd find some other use for it then… And Tsukiko… well, Tsukiko technically didn't exist yet. He'd asked Yamato's opinion once. The man had blinked quite stupidly and stated then it was the boy's own choice. Personally the man would probably use either Tsukiko or Kage, depending on the person in control.

Zhiing. Twhack.

"Great shot."

Shugo lowered his bow and grinned. "Thanks, Akira-san."

"Your aim has definitely improved during these months." The man complimented the boy and dropped down from the horse he'd been riding.

"It's all thanks to Kai-san." The boy told him. "He is a great teacher. And one year I'm going to participate in the village festival!" It was true. Shugo really wanted to test his abilities against other archers one day. He needed something else in his life than just computers and taking down the organization. And archery was the target for it.

"With the way you are going, I don't doubt it." Akira patted the boy's back before lifting him up on the horse. "Maybe you'll become even better than Kai-san."

"I will! But you are first to surpass him, Akira-san."

"Ah ha ha ha. Maybe so…"

A/N: And this super whort chapter is done. Next is a bit of a time jump. Thank gods for that, Shugo will be older. And that also means the fateful competition will happen...

Replies to Reviews:

-Mystery0028:
Thank you very much for your review. And as you can see, Shugo did meet Yui and Kansuke. I hope you liked the scene.

-Grace F:

I also hope that my hunch(and the theory I support) is right. I'm always nervous when I'm writing up theories as truth before the confirmation...
Yesh, Shugo is just a observer. The mention of the feud was more like hint-hint for readers to knew where exactly they are now. In next chapter there will be more Kansuke and maybe Morofushi will make an appearance too...
You're welcome.
Oh... That will be handled when Saya comes up. But if someone manages to figure it out beforehand... Cookies! (it's not that hard really...)
*hums happily*
Ah, you are welcome. I thank you. I love long reviews. ;)

-Kimmiko T:
Updated, ;)