The Call of Go
Chapter 7
By Warrior Seadra
"Another game." Xiao Lan demands from across the goban.
Hitsuji sips tea. "Four stones, again?" he asks, setting his tea cup across Xiao Lan's. He momentarily glances to the clock.
She nods, affirming the condition. "I refuse to put down more stones than that baldy." Determination radiates from the girl as she places her handicap.
"Please," the two bow.
'Pachi,' Hitsuji claims the center of the board.
"You're playing tengan?" Xiao Lan gaps. Her astonishment melds into a grin. "That's pretty bold."
'Pachi,' Xiao Lan attacks Hitsuji's stone. 'Pachi,' Hitsuji counters her strike.
"This is training." Hitsuji smirks.
Xiao Lan studies the goban and 'pachi,' continues attacking Hitsuji's stone.
'Pachi,' Hitsuji's stone appears, as Xiao Lan releases her stone. Xiao Lan's hand jumps back in shock. She blinks, regaining her composure, and studies Hitsuji's counter. 'Pachi,' Xiao Lan stakes territory away from Hitsuji's stones.
As Xiao Lan pulls back her hand, 'pachi'. Hitsuji's stone cuts across the goban, attacking Xiao Lan's territory.
The two continue battling. Hitsuji ruthlessly strikes Xiao Lan the moment she releases her stones, slashing each of her formations in turn. With each hand, Hitsuji pushes Xiao Lan further, cutting deeper into her territory.
"I resign." Xiao Lan drops her head in shame. Her bangs drape across her face, covering her eyes from view.
Hitsuji exhales. He leans back on his seat, relaxing his tenseness. "Urk!"
"Hitsuji!" Xiao Lan jumps, reaching out to the boy as he jolts forward. Hitsuji leans on the table with his arm while covering his mouth.
Hitsuji wretches his face and swallows. Breathing deeply, his hand reaches out for the tea. He brings the tea to his lips and drinks. His cup empty, he sighs while forcefully placeing it on the table.
"Hitsuji," Xiao Lan stands next to the teen while placing a hand on his shoulder. "what happened? Are you sick?"
"No, no," Hitsuji holds up his hand as he shake his head. Avoiding Xiao Lan's eyes, he says, "just... just that... it's the pressure I mentioned the other day. Tense Go gets to me."
"A-are you going to be fine for later today? If it's too much, you should just rest."
"No," Hitsuji resolves, facing Xiao Lan's eyes. "if I'm becoming a pro, then this is something I need to overcome. Don't worry, I'll be fine. I just need some rest." Hitsuji smiles, appreciating Xiao Lan's concern.
"If you say so..." Xiao Lan murmurs. She bites her lower lip and furrows her eyebrows.
"Relax," Hitsuji dismisses Xiao Lan's concern with a flick of the hand. He reaches for his tea cup and tea pot as he continues, "more importantly, you're placing five stones next time, right?"
Xiao Lan's hand jumps from Hitsuji's shoulder. She blinks quickly, saying, "Wh-what?"
Hitsuji chuckles and gestures to the goban. "Although you've improved, you still lost."
Xiao Lan sighs, dropping her head. She massages her temples while turning away from the teen. "We'll see. For now, you just get some rest."
Hitsuji smiles as he reaches across the goban. Xiao Lan's hands rub against his as helps him pick up the Go stones. Hitsuji rises from his seat and stores the goban. He turns to Xiao Lan and sees her to the door.
"Same time as before, right?" Xiao Lan asks Hitsuji through the doorway.
"Yes, I'll stop by again."
"Thanks," Xiao Lan smiles. She jabs Hitsuji with a finger, "Just make sure to rest properly until then. Later."
"Bye," Hitsuji watches Xiao Lan walk to her apartment and enter. He closes his house door and walks to a closet.
"I still have to call grandfather, but first..." Hitsuji trails off. He opens the closet door and pulls out a broom.
…..
"Hitsuji!" Xiao Lan's voice rings through the apartment. Hitsuji hears her shuffle around the entrance room as his front door shuts. "Hey, Hitsuji!"
"Xiao Lan?" Hitsuji questions, peeking his head from the office room.
"There you are." Xiao Lan grins. She takes brisk steps towards Hitsuji, "Since Souma-san left for work, would you li- What are you doing?"
Xiao Lan stomps her foot upon seeing Hitsuji in the office. With her hands on her hips, she leans forward, chiding in Mandarin. "That is not resting! Give me that." Xiao Lan snatches the duster from Hitsuji's hand and sighs.
"Xiao Lan, I'm fine." Hitsuji smiles, reaching for the duster. "Besides, I'll be done once I get these cabine-"
Xiao Lan pulls her arm away. "You sit down!" Xiao Lan forces Hitsuji into the office chair and walks to the cabinets. With the duster, she begins to clean.
"Idiot, resting and cleaning are not the same thing. Once I finish here, you're coming over!"
"Xiao Lan, I'll be fi-"
"Like hell you will!" Xiao Lan turns to glare at Hitsuji. "You're going to come over, eat lunch, and then watch anime with me until it's time to go! Got that?"
"Yes." Hitsuji sighs in resignation. He decides to call his grandfather later.
…..
"That was very delicious," Hitsuji, holding a train handrail, gives Xiao Lan a light bow. "thank you."
"Really, then why didn't you thank me earlier?" Xiao Lan crosses her arms from her seat as she accepts Hitsuji's compliment.
"Something would keep interrupt." Hitsuji tries to avoid bumping other passengers as he shrugs, "Did you cook it yourself?"
"Yeah," Xiao Lan grins. "My grandmother taught me that dish before I moved to Japan. But I'm surprised, do you really not watch any television?"
"You've seen my living room. We can't afford a television."
The train comes to stop at the station and the two navigate their way through the crowd onto the platform. They continue and exit the station.
Hitsuji searches for Ayumi when he feels Xiao Lan beginning to grab his arm. He steps forward, freeing himself from her grasp. He looks to Xiao Lan's eye and follows her line of sight to spot Ayumi.
Hitsuji smirks, "I've been wondering, but do you do this on purpose?"
"Yeah, Nase-san is really fun to tease." Xiao Lan whispers.
"Just be careful you don't over do it." Hitsuji quietly says. Smiling he takes quick steps towards his girlfriend.
…..
"This must be the place." Xiao Lan says, opening a door.
A bell above the door rings as Xiao Lan, Ayumi, and Hitsuji enter a Go salon.
An older lady walks to the service counter and says, "Welcome, it's five hundred yen per student." She smiles and slides a log book across the counter top.
Hitsuji feels a discomfort. He looks around the Go salon and finds many of the guests giving him and his friends curious gazes. Ignoring them, Hitsuji turns to clerk and pays his entrance fee. He feels a stare as he signs the log book and looks up. The clerk too gazes at him. She smiles, noticing Hitsuji's confusion and says, "I assume you three would like to play our strongest customers."
"Ye-yes, please." Hitsuji slightly bows his head.
"Have a seat," the clerk gestures to a table. "they'll be with you in a moment."
The trio seat themselves and Ayumi whispers from her the middle seat, "Hitsuji, do you know these people?"
"No?" Hitsuji questions, "Maybe teenagers are rare here?"
"Maybe, but Hitsuji," Xiao Lan whispers. "aren't they looking at you the most?"
"Isn't that because I came in with two girls?"
"Maybe..." Ayumi and Xiao Lan trail off as their opponents appear.
"Say," an older man sits down before Hitsuji. "let's make this interesting. How about a team match?"
"Sounds like fun." Hitsuji nods. He turns to Ayumi and Xiao Lan, "How about it?"
The two grin while Xiao Lan also sneaks a wink.
Hitsuji faces his opponent and says, "Then, please." while bowing.
"By the way, I'm the owner. Beat me and I'll let you come for free." The owner replies while bowing.
They nigiri and, 'pachi.' Hitsuji pulls his left hand from the board.
'Pachi,' his opponent responds.
From the side, Hitsuji hears Ayumi and Xiao Lan place their stones. He looks back to the board and finds his opponent hasn't placed his hand. Finding his opponent in deep though, Hitsuji excuses himself and orders tea from the counter.
With tea in his hand, Hitsuji returns to his game. With a glance to the goban, he understands the intention of the owner's hand. Hitsuji sips his tea. As he considers where to play his next stone, he glances up to his opponent.
'They're right,' he thinks to himself, recalling Ayumi and Xiao Lans' comments. Turning his head slightly, he uses his peripheral to observe the surrounding players. 'I am being stared at. Well then, I'll just give them a game to remember.'
'Pachi,' Hitsuji removes his hand from his stone.
…..
"Excuse me," Ayumi stands from the table and turns away from the goban. She looks around the salon for the bathroom only to find many of the customers are still sneaking glances at Hitsuji.
'It's been two hours.' she says to herself, 'What's with these people?'
She walks to the back of the salon, passing tables decorated with various pictures. One cabinet displays a stuffed, black sheep.
'Although, it's really the older ones who keep looking at him.' She realizes as she enters the bathroom. 'Creepy.'
Ayumi exits the bathroom. As she walks back to her goban, she glances at a table. She stops.
Ayumi grabs a picture. She examines the smiling child playing go within the frame. "Hi-Hitsuji...?"
…..
"Hitsuji!" Ayumi grabs her boyfriend's arm. Many of the customers in the salon turn their heads at the commotion.
"A-Ayumi?" Hitsuji looks to his girlfriend. Unlike everyone else's expression of confusion, Hitsuji furrows his eyebrows in concern, "What's wro-"
"Come with me!" Ayumi cuts Hitsuji off and drags him from his seat. The eyes of the many onlookers pop open upon witnessing a sudden abduction. Whispering about Ayumi's boldness breaks out within the shop.
"Ayumi, what's wrong?" Hitsuji struggles to maintain his balance as Ayumi drags him to the back of the salon. "Hey, Ayumi!"
The Go players watch Hitsuji being dragged to the back of the salon. While some return to their games, most give Xiao Lan perplexed expressions.
"Maybe..." Xiao Lan shrinks in her seat as she notices everyone staring at her, "it's a kind of lover's quarrel?"
…..
"Hitsuji," Ayumi points at a collage of pictures on the wall. "what is this?"
"This is you, right?" She accuses her boyfriend.
Ayumi studies the young boy within the collage. While in many of the pictures he sits behind a goban, in others he's carried or tossed in the air by a man. 'His father...' Ayumi concludes from the resemblance.
'He's even playing with the owner.' Ayumi realizes as she continues studying the pictures.
Ayumi turns to Hitsuji saying, "Hey Hitsu-"
Ayumi's eyes widen upon seeing Hitsuji holding a small, black, stuffed sheep within his arms.
"Hi-chan..." Hitsuji mutters, stroking the old doll.
"Hitsuji?" Ayumi takes a small step towards her boyfriend. She leans closer to his face and finds he's biting the inside of his lip. "Hitsuji, what's wrong?"
"Ayumi?" Hitsuji blankly looks to Ayumi. He blinks through his gaze, lost in thought. "Sorry, it's just... Hi-chan, I thought I lost him..."
As Hitsuji looks down to the sheep within his arms, the shine within his eyes dim.
…..
"Ayumi, what's going on?" Xiao Lan asks Ayumi as she returns to the front of the salon. "What's Hitsuji doing?"
"Hitsuji...he's... umm... " Ayumi glances towards her boyfriend, "I think he's confused, he called that doll Hi-chan."
"There's no problem." the owner says from his seat, "It's been a long time since we've seen our Hi-chan1."
"Hi-chan?" Xiao Lan tilts her head as she furrows her eyebrows in confusion.
"No, I guess he's too old for that name now." The owner scratches his chin and chuckles, "But wow, were we surprised to see him. Looks like he forgot about us."
"That's not too surprising, though." The clerk says from the counter. She looks towards Hitsuji and smiles sadly, "He's just like his father. Although Shou-kun never came in with two girls."
"Oy, he's coming back." An older customer calls out.
"Ayumi, Xiao Lan," Hitsuji says as he approaches the two girls. "sorry, but I'll be leaving a bit early today."
Hitsuji gives the two a bow and turns for the door. Ayumi calls, "Hitusji." as he stops to thank the clerk and owner.
Ayumi approaches her boyfriend and kisses him on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow, ok?"
"Yeah." Hitsuji gives a soft smile. He gives Ayumi a final glance and turns, leaving the salon.
"I'm glad," The owner says as the door shuts itself. "I thought for sure he quit Go."
The owner turns to Ayumi, "You're his girlfriend, right? What's Hitsuji-chan been up to?"
"Wha-what?" Ayumi blankly stares at the owner.
"Don't mind him." The clerk walks up and flicks the owner's balding head. She turns to Ayumi, "Let me explain. Hitsuji-chan use to come here all the time with his father, Shou-kun. This was what, ten years ago?"
Numerous murmurs of agreement rise from the customers. Ayumi looks around to find many intently listening to clerk's story.
"That boy was quite spirited about Go. Everyday was one thing or another with him. Then all of it stopped." The clerk sighs, pursing her lips.
"What?" Xiao Lan presses, "What happened?"
With a breath, the clerk continues, "The day before Hitsuji-chan's birthday, actually we were going to celebrate it here. As I was saying, Shou-kun was on his way to a title match... That other driver was fine. Being completely drunk and ignoring the light..." The clerk grits her teeth as she recalls the memory.
"Hitsuji-chan never came back." The owner wraps his arm around the clerk, "Regardless, he's turned into quite a young man."
"When Hitsuji and I first met, he adamantly refused to play Go." Ayumi mentions.
"Really?" The owner furrows his eyebrows. He face relaxes into a gentle smile, "Yet his play has matured so much."
Ayumi looks to the ceiling. With a sigh, she says, "Next thing I know, he's siting next to me taking the pro-exam."
"He's taking the pro-exam!" A voice shouts from within the store. Various customers begin gossiping about the Go world's future.
Mention of the "Tengen moving to a new owner,"is a curious comment Ayumi hears.
…..
Hitsuji sits before his father's memorial. Between them the old goban. Hitsuji places a black stone the board with his left hand, 'Tokin'. As he reaches for a white stone, he examines a kifu held by his right hand. Various kifu blanket the floor around him.
1Hitsuji's name means sheep, Hi-chan sounds cute.
A/N: It's been a while since my last update. I feel as though the start of this chapter is bit slow, but then picks up during the middle. That last scene is suppose to be a bit symbolic. Can you try guessing the message I'm try to show there? Please do try in a review. It'll help me know how I can improve as a writer. Thanks for reading and reviewing.
Ja ne.