The Call of Go
Chapter 8
By Warrior Seadra
"Hitsuji, are you still playing?" Hitsuji hears his mother ask.
Hitsuji, sitting before his father's memorial, 'pachi' places a stone on the goban. He carefully moves the kifu scattered over the floor and turns to greet his mother. "I can't stop yet."
"Hitsuji," his mother shakes her head. She approaches her son, carefully stepping around the kifu, and places a hand on his cheek. "you've been playing against Shou-chan's kifu day in and day out for over a week. Has something happened between you and Ayumi?"
"N-no," Hitsuji shakes his head. "Ayumi and I are fine, it's just... just, I..."
Hitsuji glances to his father's goban and purses his lips.
Hitsuji's mother recognises her son's struggle and smiles. "Have you called your grandfather yet?"
Hitsuji jumps at the question. "Ye-yes. He was happy to hear I passed the preliminaries, but sad I didn't call sooner."
"See, telling your grandfather wasn't too difficult." Hitsuji's mother guides her son to his feet. "You shouldn't drive away those who care about you."
As Hitsuji is lead to he kitchen, he ignores the vibration of his cell phone while mumbling, "He's already trying to plan a celebration for passing."
…..
"Ayumi!" Hitsuji calls into a crowd, raising his hand.
His girlfriend turns her head at the name. She smiles upon spotting Hitsuji and makes her way to him.
"Hitsuji," Ayumi embraces her boyfriend. "I was afraid you'd be too busy again."
"Sorry," Hitsuji apologises as he slide his arms around Ayumi. His mother's words from the night before play through his memory as he continues, "I almost was."
"So, what were you doing?" Ayumi asks as they step apart from each other.
Hitsuji takes Ayumi's hand, saying, "I was... getting to know my father.
"Your father?" Ayumi tilts her head.
"His Go," Hitsuji sighs. "I started by playing against his kifu, but then... I had to go back.
"To that Go salon?"
"Yeah," Hitsuji looks to the clouds. His uncertainty from the past few days washes over his face. "a few hours every day."
Hitsuji faces Ayumi, radiating in confidence, "But, if anything, I too walk the endless path of Go."
The grasp Ayumi has on Hitsuji's hand tightens as she grins. "Hitsuji, that's great." Still smiling, Ayumi pulls Hitsuji into the crowd.
…..
"Ayumi!" Hitsuji and Ayumi hear Xiao Lan call as they step into a café. They turn to the voice and see Xiao Lan gasp in excitement, "You brought Hitsuji!"
Hitsuji smiles and lifts his hand to wave at the girl as he and Ayumi join her.
"Hey, Xiao Lan." Hitsuji greets as he and Ayumi seat themselves across from their friend.
"'Hey?'" Xiao Lan repeats, forcefully dropping her palm on the table, "I don't see you for, like, ten days and all I get is a 'Hey, Xiao Lan?' Be more happy to see me!"
"I'm very happy to see you." Hitsuji says, a faint smile on his lips.
"Of course you are." Xiao Lan rolls her eyes. She looks back to Hitsuji and grins, "Anyway, it's great that you came today."
"Really, how come?" Hitsuji asks as he leans forward on the table.
"Remembered how you asked about a training session with pros a bit back?" Ayumi interrupts. As Hitsuji turns to her, she continues, "Well, one of the Go Association's biggest sponsors is having a public dinner to advertise some new product or something. Anyway, what matters is that pros will be there offering matches and discussions as entertainment before any of the formal ceremonies."
"That's great." Hitsuji grins, his eyes shinning with anticipation. "When is it?"
"The day after tomorrow." Xiao Lan sticks out her tongue. "Like I said, it's great that you came today."
"Anyway, should we meet at the station and go together from there?" Ayumi asks.
"I've a better a idea." Xiao Lan inches closer across the table to Ayumi and Hitsuji as she replies. "Ayumi, you should spend tomorrow night at my house instead. Then Hitsuji can pick us up the day after and we can all leave together."
"Wow, Souma," A male speaks between them, "since when did become so popular?"
Hitsuji, Ayumi, and Xiao Lan look to the voice and find two teenage boys standing at the end of the table.
"Is this what you've been up to?" The second male continues as he leans on the table, "Disappearing to live a secret, double life?"
"A secret, double life?" Xiao Lan grins. With an expression of disbelief, she tilts her head, "Hitsuji, what?"
"They're classmates of mine." Hitsuji sighs lightly as he smiles.
"Enough about us, Souma." The first male moves closer, supporting himself on the table. He gestures to Xiao Lan, "Is she your girlfriend?"
"I'm his girlfriend." Ayumi corrects as she straightens her posture. She looks at the male and gives him a firm look.
"Sorry, sorry." The first male waves his hands in apology as he steps back.
"You've got to understand." The second male chuckles, "Hitsuji just got really chill this past year and it really confused us."
"Really?" Ayumi turns to Hitsuji.
Hitsuji bites his lip. Lost in thought, he lowers his gaze. "Well... my grades did drop some near the end of the semester."
"Well, that's understandable." Xiao Lan says as she furrows her eyebrows. "It's more impressive that you've actually kept your grades up."
"Well, you did drop from the top twenty category, but that's not it." The first male denies. He grins excitedly while saying, "Souma was this impassive class rep, but now he's- he's... I don't know, he's just easier to be around."
"He's happier." The second male sighs as he flicks his friend's shoulder.
"Hitsuji, you're a class representative?" Ayumi gives her boyfriend a teasing smile.
"I didn't just want to finish high school." Hitsuji emphasis the word just as he shrugs and leans back against the booth wall. He bumps shoulders with his girlfriend's and continues, "Now, I'd be happy to just graduate."
"See, that's exactly what we're saying!" The first teen male points at Hitsuji, "Souma would never have said anything close to that before."
"It was always 'future' this, or 'college' that." The second teen chides the air. "Seriously, what happened?"
"I've new goals."
The second teen sighs as he shakes his head. "Hey, well we've got to get going. We'll catch you later."
"It was nice meeting the two of you." The first male says, bowing to Xiao Lan and Ayumi, "Souma, see you at the gathering."
Hitsuji, from his seat, gives the two teens a light bow. He looks up to Ayumi and Xiao Lan and says, "That was unexpected."
"You're telling us." Xiao Lan crosses her arms on the table.
"What did they mean gathering?" Ayumi asks.
"Oh, it's just a mid-summer get together my class is having." Hitsuji replies, waving the thought away with his hand.
"Why didn't you tell us about it?" Xiao Lan slams the table and stands up.
"I'm not attending."
"Hitsuji," Ayumi pouts. She tugs on her boyfriend's shoulder. "I want to go."
….
"There she is." Xiao Lan says excitedly as she points at the crowd exiting the train station.
"Ayumi!" Hitsuji calls out, raising his arm. He grins as Ayumi notices him.
The three gather together and Hitsuji helps Ayumi with her bag while saying, "Hey."
"Hey." Ayumi replies. She looks into Hitsuji's eyes and smiles coyly.
"Hi," Xiao Lan jumps between the two. She slings her arms around their necks, and uses her momentum to bring the two closer to her. "how about we get going?"
Hitsuji and Ayumi exchange a glance and smile. They follow Xiao Lan's lead and walk towards her apartment.
"Maybe we could stop at the bakery?" Hitsuji suggests.
"Actually, there is a cake shop I've been wanting to visit." Ayumi recalls, "I only saw it once, but the cakes there looked really delicious."
"You mean next to the flower shop?" Xiao Lan grins from beside the girl, "The cakes there are so yummy. Yeah, let's go, let's go! "
Hitsuji smiles mirthfully as the girls discuss their favourite types of cake. His smile strains as he recalls their previous visits to cake shops.
"So, Hitsuji," Ayumi tugs her boyfriend's sleeve. "what kind are you getting?"
"Hmm, I'm not too sure. Maybe something simple." He responds with his usual smile. 'Cake? I just wanted some bread for tomorrow...'
"You don't have to get a cake, you know..." Ayumi let's go of Hitsuji's sleeve as she casts her sight to the ground.
"No, no, no. I want to get something like the cake you brought last time. You know, with that really thin chocolate icing." Hitsuji quickly waves his hands. 'But they always change their minds unless I buy some too...'
"Chocolate icing?" Xiao Lan questions as she furrows her eyebrows.
"Yeah, we had some the other day when you beat that one pro." Hitsuji speaks quickly. He snaps his fingers, "You know, that really thin one."
"Oh that one." Xiao Lan replies. Her expressions widen in realisation. "Hitsuji, that was almost three weeks ago. But, you mean the condensed, chocolate, milk cake. Yeah, that's a good one."
"So, Ayumi," Hitsuji lightly pushes his girlfriend's back. "what kind are you getting?"
"I'm not so sure I want some anymore." Ayumi replies. She smiles, but her eyes are distant.
"What?" Xiao Lan asks crestfallen. "Well, if you're not getting any, then I guess I won't either."
"Really? I still want to get some for later, though." Hitsuji smiles as he scratches his cheek.
…..
With a large cake in hand, Hitsuji walks along with Ayumi and Xiao Lan. They reach Xiao Lan's apartment complex and enter the gate. As Hitsuji and Xiao Lan greet the guard, Ayumi stops walking and stares at the building.
"Nase-san, what's wrong?" Xiao Lan asks as she retraces her steps back to Ayumi.
"Isn't this Hitsuji's home?"
'She didn't know...' Hitsuji stops in place. Feeling a stare, he looks over his shoulder towards Ayumi. From his girlfriend's stare, he reads, "Why didn't you say anything?"
"Oh, yeah." Xiao Lan grins nervously as she scratches the back of her head. "Well, we're kinda neighbours."
"Kinda?" Ayumi raises an eyebrow as she looks back and forth between the two.
"We have a few apartments in between us." Hitsuji explains with a pleasant smile, "Sorry, does this surprise you?"
"A bit." Ayumi shrugs. She turns to Xiao Lan and points at her accusingly "But now I know how you've improved so much!"
"What?" Xiao Lan exclaims, taking a few steps back. As the trio continue to the elevator, Xiao Lan continues, "That's what bothers you?"
"Yeah, Hitsuji's my boyfriend." Ayumi stresses the word 'my.' With her thumb1, she points to herself as she says. "He should be playing me in the mornings and at night, not you."
They reach the elevator and Xiao Lan presses the button to call for it. Ayumi steps next to Hitsuji and whispers, "Hey, if something's bothering you, then let it show. You don't have to smile and pretend to be fine."
Hitsuji's eyes open slightly in surprise. With a genuine smiling, he turns to Ayumi and says, "It's something I picked up when I was younger."
"Really, what?" Xiao Lan asks as she turns to Hitsuji.
Hitsuji takes Ayumi's hand while saying, "A vision where I'd beat you despite nine stone handicap."
"Eh?" Xiao Lan cries as Ayumi bursts laughing.
As Hitsuji laughs at Xiao Lan's changing expressions, he sneaks a glance at his girlfriend. Her laughing face leaves Hitsuji with a sense of comfort as the elevator doors open.
…..
"Ok, that's enough of the warm up." Xiao Lan says from a goban across from Hitsuji. She uses a fork and brings a piece of cake to her mouth.
From a second goban across from Hitsuji, Ayumi swallows and says, "Yeah, we should decide on our order for tomorrow. Ayumi crawls to the coffee table next to them and serves herself another piece of cake.
Hitsuji sips tea and smiles. As the two girls glare at each other, he looks to the double game that just ended on the goban and compares their strength.
Xiao Lan cracks he knuckles and smirks, "It's been a while since we've actually played, Ayumi. I've been training with Hitsuji day and night for this, you're losing this game."
"Again, Hitsuji is my boyfriend." Ayumi growls. "And a few days of more practice aren't going to help you."
Hitsuji rolls his eyes recalling the first morning Xiao Lan appeared requesting a game. 'That was almost six weeks ago.'
The two girls clear a goban and finish their pieces of cake. They nigiri and give the customary bow, beginning the match.
"Please." They say to each other raising their heads
Xiao Lan takes a stone from her bowl and 'pachi,' claims a corner.
Ayumi takes a white stone and 'pachi' replies by taking the corner across from Xiao Lan's.
Hitsuji pours himself more tea as he watches the two girls build their territory.
Xiao Lan smirks and 'pachi', attacks Ayumi's stone. Ayumi counters the attack by claiming the space next it. Xiao Lan then attacks the other end of Ayumi's territory.
Ayumi holds her stone over the goban within her fingers. She studies the board and attacks Xiao Lan's territory instead of defending.
Xiao Lan stares at Ayumi's stone for a moment and tilts her head. Pursing her lips, 'pachi', she continues her attack.
'Pachi', Ayumi continues her attack on Xiao Lan's stones.
Hitsuji watches the two attack each other without defending their territory. With a smile, he stands and refills the tea pot.
"What, no way!" Hitsuji hears Xiao Lan cry from the kitchen. As Hitsuji re-enters the living room, Xiao Lan stands and says, "Hitsuji, do you know what you're girlfriend did?"
"Beat you?" Hitsuji guess as he glances to the goban. Even though Ayumi and Xiao Lan ignored there territories as they attacked each other, Ayumi was able to loop her attack and surround Xiao Lan's attacking stones.
Xiao Lan sighs and turns to Ayumi, "You completely out read me. I resign."
"Of course," Ayumi says, standing up. With a smirk, she points a finger at Xiao Lan and declares, "there's no way I could let you win. Not after finding out you've been playing Hitsuji like that."
1 In Japan, holding up your thumb while in conversation like that means you're talking about someone's boyfriend. Like wise, If you hold up your pinkie, it refers to someone's girlfriend.
A/N: I think this is a good area to stop. Wow, this story is actually almost over. Maybe 5 or 6 chapters left, I'm not sure. But, that means there's still more to come. Anyway, about this chapter. Some of Hitsuji's back story was revealed and Ayumi was shown to be a bit jealous. Other than that, nothing really happened. If anything, it set up the stage for the next chapter. Yet, I can't help but feel as though this chapter went by really fast. Still, I hope you all liked it. Please, tell me what you think in the review box below.
Ja ne
Warrior Seadra