Hikaru No Go Fan Fiction ❯ Riding the Wave ❯ Behind the Truth ( Chapter 7 )

Riding the Wave

Behind the Truth

They arrived a night early to ensure that they were well settled in before the chaos of the actual seminar the next day. Shindou-sensei would arrive tomorrow, along with most of the others, but a handful of pros and organizers had decided it would be more convenient to arrive early for various reasons. For Saya and Touya-sensei, this was done so that Saya would have time to become familiar with the place and settle in with the least amount of worry. They'd stopped to visit Saya's grandmother in the hospital before they left, leaving the hotel name, room number, and Touya-sensei's cell phone number with her. She was improving every day, so Saya felt no guilt upon arriving and enjoying the room they were assigned to.

The night went uneventfully, and Saya started getting stir-crazy soon after they woke up. Touya-sensei sent her to the vending machine just to let her get out of the room for a bit and stretch her legs. She practically danced down the hall, then all the way downstairs, singing to herself. She didn't bother with the elevator either, because stairs were more fun. After she had a can of soda for herself, and a can of tea for Touya-sensei, she decided she'd take the elevator and walk a little more sedately so she wouldn't shake the soda and make a mess when opening it.

The elevator was full of grownups, all going to the same floor as her. They were talking easily, like old friends or often seen acquaintances. "Would you like me to press the button for you, little girl?" a really large grownup asked.

Saya shook her head. "No, that is my floor as well." She pointed to the already highlighted button for the fifth floor.

The grownups all laughed except one, who crossed his arms and frowned. "I thought the whole floor was reserved for pros, so we could study or sleep in peace."

"So? Maybe she's one of our newest pros? How about it, miss? Are you coming after my title?"

Saya's eyes went wide as she looked up at the large man. "Ano..."

Laughter filled the small room again before the doors opened. The big man ruffled her hair as they exited, and Saya smiled up at him. "Are you here with your parents then?"

"No, I'm here with Sensei."

"So, you do play go! I wish I'd started when I was as young as you. Then maybe Touya wouldn't be pressing me so hard."

Saya gave a start, but one of the others in the group spoke up before she could open her mouth. "What are you talking about, Kurata? It doesn't matter how long you've been playing if it's against him."

"What? You think I won't be able to hold my title against him?" Kurata looked insulted.

"It's in his blood to be Meijin."

Kurata shook his head. "I'm doing him a favor, really. Imagine how confusing it would be, since everyone still calls his father Meijin."

Again the group laughter, and again the sullen man was the only one who didn't join in. "It's always Touya this, and Touya that."

"What? I thought you were a real Touya fan, Ochi. Didn't you used to study with him?"

Ochi, the sullen adult, scowled and seemed about to say something when they heard the another set of elevator doors open behind them. He paused and pushed at the center of his nose...a habit obviously outdated from having once worn glasses. Saya remembered with a pang that her father had done that a lot just after getting contacts.

"Saya-chan!" a voice interrupted cheerily.

Saya turned to look, and immediately brightened. "Shindou-sensei!"

Everyone in the group turned to greet him--some more warmly than others. In turn, Shindou-sensei had smiles for each of them and called them by name. He started talking to two of them, Ochi and another one, Isumi, about events that would happen that day with the warm tone of someone who had known these people for years.

The large man, Kurata, looked down at Saya again. "I see. Are you his student then?"

Saya was shaking her head when a clear voice cut through the chatter and everyone fell silent. "No. She is my student."

Touya-sensei hadn't even spoken loudly, but there was a quality to his voice that cut through conversations and made everybody listen. Saya immediately turned to smile up at him, but he was wearing that scary intense look on his face...glaring at Ochi for some reason.

"I see...that makes sense then," Kurata said, nodding. "Well, I'm going to go settle in. It was nice meeting you, Saya-san. I'll see the rest of you later." He continued on down the hall, and two others followed, leaving Saya standing in the hall with Touya-sensei, Shindou-sensei, Ochi and Isumi.

Touya-sensei was still glaring at Ochi.

Ochi was blatantly ignoring it.

Shindou-sensei seemed a little puzzled, or maybe worried, but he kept talking animatedly to both Isumi and Ochi. That only lasted a few moments more before he said a quick goodbye and walked over to Touya-sensei. "So, it looks like the three of us are set for the weekend! Did you settle in well last night, Saya-chan?"

Saya nodded happily. "I like this place! It's comfortable, and the people here are all very nice. Like Kurata-sensei...he was really nice too!"

Shindou-sensei choked. Touya-sensei looked like he wanted to laugh, though Saya couldn't be sure if it was because of what she said, or how Shindou-sensei had reacted. At least the tension that had hovered around them was gone, and that was all that mattered to Saya.

~~~~~@~~~~~

The morning was over quickly, and before she knew it, Saya was avidly watching a demonstration between Isumi and Kurata. Not only did she know who they were, but Shindou-sensei was commenting. Touya-sensei sat next to Saya through most of the game, adding his own personal comments that he wanted her to concentrate on. He had to leave midway through though, for a tutoring match, and Saya stayed to watch the demonstration, promising to stay with Shindou-sensei when it was over.

"Saya-chan...I can't believe you sat still through all of that!" Shindou-sensei said, as soon as he hopped off the stage. This gained him a few dirty looks, and someone came up to scold him about using the stairs, but he just waved it off with a grin. "When I was your age, I would have gone nuts sitting still for that long."

Saya jumped out of her chair and started stretching. "But, if I got up I'd miss something," she said. "And anyway, that was a really cool game!" Now she could feel it though--she just really wanted to get up and do something.

"Well, why don't we go get something to eat, and we'll find something fun to do. You won't have many opportunities this weekend, so we should grab the chance while we can."

Saya nodded excitedly, bouncing a little.

"I think I saw a park not too far away, and--" Shindou-sensei suddenly cut off. He had stiffened, staring at a point over Saya's head, somewhere across the room.

"Sensei?"

She looked at him a moment more, then looked behind her though she didn't expect to know what had him so shaken. Saya shouldn't have underestimated her knowledge though--she recognized what had stunned Shindou-sensei right away. It was a grown-up wearing an almost matching expression. His hair was a deep red-brown color...not as bright a red as the pictures she'd seen, but close enough. His face was what was most recognizable though.

He moved toward them with a determined expression, even as Shindou-sensei looked like an animal trapped on the highway. Saya had no idea what to do. She took a step backward toward Shindou-sensei, but he was already walking past her.

"What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," Waya said softly, once he came within a range where they could speak at comfortable levels. "Are you free?"

"I..."

"I heard about the wedding."

Shindou-sensei looked at Saya helplessly for a minute, and then started looking around the room like a drowning man looking for a life preserver. "Ochi!"

The grown-up in question stopped in shock, turning to Shindou-sensei...and staring when he saw who he was with. Saya didn't like the look he gave them at all, but either Shindou-sensei didn't notice, or he didn't care. "What?" he asked shortly, not bothering to hide his irritation.

"Are you busy?"

Saya shrank into herself. It was clear the other adult wanted to say yes. He was too busy to take care of this little kid. But, he couldn't come up with an honest excuse. "I have a little bit of free time."

"I was going to take Saya to get something to eat, and maybe do something fun, but something important has come up. If you would take her out for food...or even if you just take her to where Touya is so she doesn't get lost...I would be in your debt."

Saya opened her mouth to say it was okay. She'd just go up to the room and order something to eat from room service.

"That's fine," Ochi answered though. "I was going to go out for some food anyway. The tutoring game I was just in was frustrating, so I'd like to get out of this place."

"Here's some money. Thank you." Shindou-sensei thrust a handful of bills into Ochi's hand, and he disappeared quickly with Waya.

Ochi sighed, looking down at Saya with an impatient expression. "Well, there's a fast food place within walking distance, or we could go somewhere else if you don't like hamburgers. It doesn't matter to me."

"Hamburgers are fine," Saya said in a small voice. "Thank you."

He didn't say another word. He just started walking. She followed quietly, and when they sat to eat it was also in silence. It wasn't until they were finished that Ochi said a word to her at all. "How old are you, Saya-san?"

"I just turned ten," she said in a small voice. She hadn't mentioned her birthday to anyone; too many things were going on. "Wednesday. On the fifth."

"Ah. How did your parents manage to get Touya to teach you? Are you a friend of his family? Your parents couldn't have gone to school with him; they'd be too young...."

She shook her head. "He...saw me playing in a tournament, and asked if I would like him to teach me."

Now he looked interested, and reluctantly impressed. "I see. You must have a lot of potential then. A lot of people would love to have him teaching them." He sighed, a scowl flashing across his face. "He can take his pick of who he teaches, because he's so well known. I'll bet your parents are paying a fortune for the lessons."

"He...he's teaching me for free."

Ochi's beady eyes grew wide, and he genuinely looked surprised at her words. "For free? Touya? Then--" He frowned, and then he looked at her intently. "When we get back, I would like to play you. I'm curious to see what Touya sees in you."

Saya blushed, surprised at the attention, but she nodded. "But...you're a pro as well. I mean...well...is that okay? For you to just play against me today like that?"

"I don't have anything scheduled for another two hours. That should be ample time to see how good you are, and why those two are so interested in you." He had a look on his face that didn't invite contradiction or discussion.

"O-okay."

~~~~~@~~~~~

They had only been playing for half an hour. Saya was looking at the board carefully, but she couldn't keep herself from noticing how Ochi kept frowning at her, and at the board. It was a little distracting, but she could still feel where she wanted to play, so it was okay. She knew what moves needed to be made, and she was starting to understand better and better why certain moves just felt more right than others.

"Saya-chan...I was looking for y-- Ochi! What's going on here?" Touya-sensei's voice cut through the crowd that had formed, unnoticed, around them.

"Shindou asked me to look after her while you were busy," Ochi answered in an even tone, though icicles could have formed from the cold glare that clashed between the two of them.

"I see. Well, I am not busy any longer. Saya, we should go."

"We just started playing," Ochi said, and Saya froze in the middle of standing.

"Are you telling me what to do with my own student?"

"I wouldn't dream of it," came the droll reply. Ochi then stood and bowed formally to Saya. "I'm sorry we can't finish this--yet. I look forward to doing so soon, when you are a pro."

"But I'm only ten," she said softly in protest. Ochi wasn't listening though. He had turned to leave already, after a quick glare at Touya-sensei. Saya stared in silence for a moment more, then sat back down and started clearing the stones from the board. With his departure, the crowd that had surrounded them seemed to have gotten its cue to dissipate.

Touya-sensei sat down across from her, practically collapsing in the chair. "You're playing by instinct less and less," he said softly. "That was a better game than usual."

Saya looked up, startled. "Sensei?"

"Ochi is the type of player who won't let you win by instinct. He's studied too many different styles, and he reads too deeply."

"Like you, Sensei?"

"You've got better instincts for playing than any other player I've seen, Saya-chan. But, you play even better when you take the time to think. Have you noticed?"

She nodded, and started to smile. "It's more fun that way, too. Thank you for teaching me." She bowed slightly, but her gratitude shone more clearly in the sincere smile she gave him. He smiled in return, but his expression remained guarded. "Sensei? If Ochi-sensei is a good player, why do you hate him so much?"

"He said some things he shouldn't have." He looked distant, like he wasn't even aware of who he was talking to. Lost in a memory, maybe.

"What? He insulted you, Sensei? But why?"

"No. He said things to a reporter once." Touya-sensei looked across at Saya and sighed, remembering who he was actually talking to. "You're too young to know what happened, but I can't forgive him for the things he said."

"What? He said bad things about you to a reporter?" Now she was truly shocked.

Touya-sensei just shook his head. "No. Not about me."

Saya felt the same feeling drive her that drove her when she played go and just knew where to play. "Does Shindou-sensei know it was Ochi-sensei that said those things?"

Her question was met with complete surprise, and then a rueful grin. "You keep surprising me, Saya-chan. No, I don't know if he does or not. Now let's go. I have more tutoring games, and then a demonstration, but these are games I wanted you to watch and pay attention to."

Saya followed silently, resisting the urge to sigh. She had already learned a lot today. Tomorrow was going to be the same, she was sure. What she really wanted to be learning right now wasn't how to play go better, but about the lives the two professional players who were such a part of her life right now. Even knowing Shindou-sensei's secret, even knowing about Sai, she still felt like she was missing so many important things.