[Morikawa]
[GEN] AKIRA NO SOCCER
lanerose
Ogata 9-dan looked furtively around the lobby. It was quiet: just someone buying a fan, a pair of insei and the fish tank humming in the background. He took a deep breath and crossed to the elevator, pressing the button quickly.
"Ogata-kun!" called an all too familiar voice as the doors popped open with a ping! Ogata stiffened. The voice continued with a wheeze, "You're late for Koyo's match! How interesting…"
"I had a prior engagement which prevented my arrival, Kuwabara-sensei," Ogata replied through gritted teeth as they stepped into the elevator, the old man standing much closer to him than necessary. Ogata tilted his head down to look at Kuwabara. The Honinbo stared straight ahead, focused on the closing elevator doors. "I notice you're late as well."
"I was just waiting for you, Ogata-kun," Kuwabara said without turning from the doors, which finally clicked obligingly shut. The Go Institute had last been remodeled in the 1970s; after having been trapped once too often by the old man, Ogata was starting to wonder who he'd have to bribe (and how much) to get the doors replaced.
"By the way," the Honinbo continued, sliding his eyes right to peer at Ogata, "you mentioned something about an engagement. Should I be expecting an invitation?"
Ogata covered his choked inhalation with a quick cough, but the gleam in the old man's eyes told him exactly how much he'd gotten away with it. The blond man rolled his eyes. He pressed the button for the seventh floor, saying, "Not that sort of an engagement, sensei."
"Oh?" Kuwabara even managed to sound surprised, the bastard. He laughed, a short braying sound that forced his head back. "Don't worry too much Ogata-kun. I'm sure you'll find a girl willing to put up with you eventually."
Ogata ground his jaw tighter. "Thank you for the advice."
"Of course!" Kuwabara laughed again. Ogata took a breath, but held it when the old man turned to look at him again.
"So…" the Honinbo said as the elevator ticked slowly past the third floor, "what were you doing that was more important than watching this match?"
"I never said it was -"
"Ogata-kun." Kuwabara interrupted firmly. The man in the white suit sighed.
"A favor for Touya-sensei, of course." He reached into his pocket and withdrew a cigarette. He stuck it in his mouth. Where was his lighter? The Honinbo hummed thoughtfully. Ogata patted the pockets of his slacks. "Akira-kun needed a ride."
"Touya Akira, huh?" Kuwabara pulled a packet of matches from his pocket and tossed it to the still fumbling Ogata. The blond grabbed them easily, and pulled one free from the backing. "Now there's a name one doesn't hear very often these days. How is Koyo's boy?"
"Well enough," Ogata replied. He struck the match and brought it up to his waiting cigarette, inhaling deeply. The elevator slipped past the fifth floor.
The Honinbo tilted his head, considering. "Still not ready to join us in the pros then?" Ogata didn't reply. Kuwabara sighed. "Well, he'll get here soon enough."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Ogata took another drag and exhaled slowly. The smoke curled lazily upwards.
Kuwabara lifted his eyebrows. "Koyo's son, not play professional go?"
Ogata shrugged. "He's seeking a different part of divinity."
The elevator doors popped open with another ping! Ogata tossed the match package back to Kuwabara and strode out of the elevator.
"I'll be going ahead," the man in the white suit said as the old man remained in place. "I don't want to miss any more of the match."
Kuwabara-Honinbo stepped out of the elevator as the doors started closing. He turned the packet of matches over slowly in his hand, Ogata's fading footsteps echoing in his ears.
"A different part of divinity, huh?" He murmured aloud, glancing after Ogata. The Honinbo laughed. "Interesting!"
The smell of freshly cut grass wafted through Akira's nose as he leaned deeper into the hamstring stretch that had him seated on the field. Behind him, the voice of his own personal trainer carried on.
"Stretch Two Three Four! Stretch Two Three Four! Get those legs loose and limber! Come on, Akira!" Sai said, waving his arms enthusiastically in the air.
"I think I've exposed you to Shindou too often lately," the dark-haired boy thought darkly at the ghost. Sai pouted.
In the scant year since Akira had tripped over the old ball on his way home, much had changed. Before then, Akira thought that all he wanted, all he'd ever need, was go. Not that he changed his mind immediately. Sure, obliging child that he was, he'd gone to watch a couple of soccer matches and left them playing on television while he studied, but none of it was go.
"Do you see it, Akira!" Sai had asked after school one day. "It's a practice! Would it be all right if we watched, for just a minute?"
They were good, even though they were kids, just like him - even he could tell. More than that, though… they were together. Not a child stranded in a world of adults, but children with their peers. Not alone, waiting each day for a rival who would never stand before him. Not… like him.
"Look out!" A voice had shouted then, but Akira hadn't had nearly enough time to react before the ball smacked right into his forehead, heading neatly back towards the goal though it had knocked him to the ground. "Oh, geez, what are you doing, coming to a field and not paying any attention like that! You're all right, aren't you?"
"He wouldn't be hurt at all if you hadn't taken such a wild shot, brat!" Hands had pulled him up as a voice asked gruffly, "You're okay?"
"Yeah." Akira said, shaking his head. "Yeah, I'm -"
"Glad to hear it! You'll play with us, right?" The voice that had been insulting his attention span turned proud and bright. "We're going to win Nationals, after all."
"Shindou! What are you -?"
"Hey, did you *see* that header? If that's what he plays like accidentally, can you imagine what he'll be like with some training?" The grumbling voice had faded away. Akira looked up into bright green eyes and hand extended towards the field. "So? You in?"
"I… That is, I…"
"C'mon. You'll see, it'll be fun!" Akira stared at Shindou's outstretched hand. Shindou wriggled his fingers and winked while Sai enthused in the background. Not really sure why, he took it.
And that had been it. His love for the game had been shaped by those two, but especially Shindou, with his strange hair and stranger fashion sense. Sai jumped for joy on the sidelines that first day, and then trained him hard for weeks afterwards because it was obvious that he wasn't physically ready for it. Shindou had gone with him, though, on the long runs to build up his endurance, and after a time he'd joined the rest of the team on theirs.
Akira's head collided abruptly with the ground. "What -?"
"TOUYA!" Shindou's voice boomed in his ear, his weight leaning forward to 'help' with the stretch. The scent of the grass was significantly less pleasant up close and personal, but as quickly as he had attacked, Shindou released him and offered him a hand up. "Come on! Quick lap around the field before kick-off, all right?"
Touya studied the hand before him, and the green eyes above him before he smiling accepted.
lanerose
Ogata 9-dan looked furtively around the lobby. It was quiet: just someone buying a fan, a pair of insei and the fish tank humming in the background. He took a deep breath and crossed to the elevator, pressing the button quickly.
"Ogata-kun!" called an all too familiar voice as the doors popped open with a ping! Ogata stiffened. The voice continued with a wheeze, "You're late for Koyo's match! How interesting…"
"I had a prior engagement which prevented my arrival, Kuwabara-sensei," Ogata replied through gritted teeth as they stepped into the elevator, the old man standing much closer to him than necessary. Ogata tilted his head down to look at Kuwabara. The Honinbo stared straight ahead, focused on the closing elevator doors. "I notice you're late as well."
"I was just waiting for you, Ogata-kun," Kuwabara said without turning from the doors, which finally clicked obligingly shut. The Go Institute had last been remodeled in the 1970s; after having been trapped once too often by the old man, Ogata was starting to wonder who he'd have to bribe (and how much) to get the doors replaced.
"By the way," the Honinbo continued, sliding his eyes right to peer at Ogata, "you mentioned something about an engagement. Should I be expecting an invitation?"
Ogata covered his choked inhalation with a quick cough, but the gleam in the old man's eyes told him exactly how much he'd gotten away with it. The blond man rolled his eyes. He pressed the button for the seventh floor, saying, "Not that sort of an engagement, sensei."
"Oh?" Kuwabara even managed to sound surprised, the bastard. He laughed, a short braying sound that forced his head back. "Don't worry too much Ogata-kun. I'm sure you'll find a girl willing to put up with you eventually."
Ogata ground his jaw tighter. "Thank you for the advice."
"Of course!" Kuwabara laughed again. Ogata took a breath, but held it when the old man turned to look at him again.
"So…" the Honinbo said as the elevator ticked slowly past the third floor, "what were you doing that was more important than watching this match?"
"I never said it was -"
"Ogata-kun." Kuwabara interrupted firmly. The man in the white suit sighed.
"A favor for Touya-sensei, of course." He reached into his pocket and withdrew a cigarette. He stuck it in his mouth. Where was his lighter? The Honinbo hummed thoughtfully. Ogata patted the pockets of his slacks. "Akira-kun needed a ride."
"Touya Akira, huh?" Kuwabara pulled a packet of matches from his pocket and tossed it to the still fumbling Ogata. The blond grabbed them easily, and pulled one free from the backing. "Now there's a name one doesn't hear very often these days. How is Koyo's boy?"
"Well enough," Ogata replied. He struck the match and brought it up to his waiting cigarette, inhaling deeply. The elevator slipped past the fifth floor.
The Honinbo tilted his head, considering. "Still not ready to join us in the pros then?" Ogata didn't reply. Kuwabara sighed. "Well, he'll get here soon enough."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Ogata took another drag and exhaled slowly. The smoke curled lazily upwards.
Kuwabara lifted his eyebrows. "Koyo's son, not play professional go?"
Ogata shrugged. "He's seeking a different part of divinity."
The elevator doors popped open with another ping! Ogata tossed the match package back to Kuwabara and strode out of the elevator.
"I'll be going ahead," the man in the white suit said as the old man remained in place. "I don't want to miss any more of the match."
Kuwabara-Honinbo stepped out of the elevator as the doors started closing. He turned the packet of matches over slowly in his hand, Ogata's fading footsteps echoing in his ears.
"A different part of divinity, huh?" He murmured aloud, glancing after Ogata. The Honinbo laughed. "Interesting!"
The smell of freshly cut grass wafted through Akira's nose as he leaned deeper into the hamstring stretch that had him seated on the field. Behind him, the voice of his own personal trainer carried on.
"Stretch Two Three Four! Stretch Two Three Four! Get those legs loose and limber! Come on, Akira!" Sai said, waving his arms enthusiastically in the air.
"I think I've exposed you to Shindou too often lately," the dark-haired boy thought darkly at the ghost. Sai pouted.
In the scant year since Akira had tripped over the old ball on his way home, much had changed. Before then, Akira thought that all he wanted, all he'd ever need, was go. Not that he changed his mind immediately. Sure, obliging child that he was, he'd gone to watch a couple of soccer matches and left them playing on television while he studied, but none of it was go.
"Do you see it, Akira!" Sai had asked after school one day. "It's a practice! Would it be all right if we watched, for just a minute?"
They were good, even though they were kids, just like him - even he could tell. More than that, though… they were together. Not a child stranded in a world of adults, but children with their peers. Not alone, waiting each day for a rival who would never stand before him. Not… like him.
"Look out!" A voice had shouted then, but Akira hadn't had nearly enough time to react before the ball smacked right into his forehead, heading neatly back towards the goal though it had knocked him to the ground. "Oh, geez, what are you doing, coming to a field and not paying any attention like that! You're all right, aren't you?"
"He wouldn't be hurt at all if you hadn't taken such a wild shot, brat!" Hands had pulled him up as a voice asked gruffly, "You're okay?"
"Yeah." Akira said, shaking his head. "Yeah, I'm -"
"Glad to hear it! You'll play with us, right?" The voice that had been insulting his attention span turned proud and bright. "We're going to win Nationals, after all."
"Shindou! What are you -?"
"Hey, did you *see* that header? If that's what he plays like accidentally, can you imagine what he'll be like with some training?" The grumbling voice had faded away. Akira looked up into bright green eyes and hand extended towards the field. "So? You in?"
"I… That is, I…"
"C'mon. You'll see, it'll be fun!" Akira stared at Shindou's outstretched hand. Shindou wriggled his fingers and winked while Sai enthused in the background. Not really sure why, he took it.
And that had been it. His love for the game had been shaped by those two, but especially Shindou, with his strange hair and stranger fashion sense. Sai jumped for joy on the sidelines that first day, and then trained him hard for weeks afterwards because it was obvious that he wasn't physically ready for it. Shindou had gone with him, though, on the long runs to build up his endurance, and after a time he'd joined the rest of the team on theirs.
Akira's head collided abruptly with the ground. "What -?"
"TOUYA!" Shindou's voice boomed in his ear, his weight leaning forward to 'help' with the stretch. The scent of the grass was significantly less pleasant up close and personal, but as quickly as he had attacked, Shindou released him and offered him a hand up. "Come on! Quick lap around the field before kick-off, all right?"
Touya studied the hand before him, and the green eyes above him before he smiling accepted.