[bright] time

The red sports car is gone.

"That's right. I didn't hear that he would come today. Have you heard?"

"...." Taya shook his head, "...Why did you come?"

God, it's too much for me to react so slowly now.

"It's not surprising. It's always the old monster, the old monster, and it's quite frequent."

The parking place is the front yard of Mr. Kuwahara's house covered with pebbles.

"Here we come! Mrs. Peony!"

"That's not it!? Say 'excuse me'!"

Ah, woke up.Teacher Xiaoliang, who loves to reason, appeared.

"They're all so familiar."

"Shinto!"

I walked up without waiting for the person inside to reply that they dragged their shoes.

This time, I went in from the main entrance, but when I went to the library, I always went in directly from the courtyard.But this kind of behavior should be like a thief to this kid, right?

A person who walks in without telling the owner.

Walking through an unbelievably long corridor, and passing through an unknown number of rooms, I finally heard the voice of someone talking.

...

"Are you going to avoid me with the same reason again? 』

"Then when are you going to graduate from kids clamoring for candy?"Seiji-kun. 』

"I never asked you for such a thing. 』

"Just don't remember?It was so young when we first met.Is it up to my waist? 』

"It's breasts. 』

Uh..., although it's a conversation that doesn't sound good...

"Oh, you can't be rude to your elders, haven't you been admonished many times? 』

"Hmph, are you using the elder card at this time? 』

"No matter how many years have passed, Seiji-kun will always be the same as the first time I met him. I will never forget the tearful face that I lost to my father in chess. 』

Standing in front of the door unable to move, Taya and I looked at each other, it was really... a very bad conversation.

But I want to keep listening.

That Mr. Ogata, who is known as the most bloodless and tearless in Japan, actually has such a bloody and tearful youth history?

『If you wish, I can show you the old monster crying right now. 』

『Ah~ You really are a child who says such things. Seiji-kun who never snatched Honinbo from his father? 』

"Why don't you say that the old monster fled with its tail between its legs? 』

『Seiji-kun, can you stop calling father an old monster? 』

"If you change Seiji's title of "kun" first." 』

"...Changing the title can't change the mood of seeing children.Seiji-kun, be obedient, stop playing, find a suitable person to marry and have children, and you will naturally understand my feelings when the time comes. 』

"Back to the original topic again.The same excuses.Then I will give you the same answer.I hate kids.Don't take me for a stud. 』

Slap──! !

The sliding door was thrown away with a strong momentum like a ghost.

""!?""

"It's... it's kind of dirty in here."

I immediately turned around and pretended to wipe the paper door... although the paper door cannot be wiped.

"Mr. Ogata, good morning. How are you lately?"

Then Ryo Toya was Ryo Toya, who was already sitting in the corridor to say hello to Mr. Ogata.

Hey...won't you invite me?

But I said, it's noon now, it's getting late, and besides, didn't you just meet Ogata-sensei when you went back to open the seminar under Tayamon yesterday?

It seems that this guy is really panicked.

"Hmph, I saw ugly scars."

Leaving this sentence behind, the person involved took out a cigarette from his pocket, took a cigarette and left without hesitation.I really want to tell him that fireworks are strictly prohibited in cultural and historic sites, but unfortunately I don't have the courage now.

It's over, I really don't know when Oji-san, the most annoying person in Nihon Kiin, will come back with revenge...,

Uneasy.

Entering the living room, Mrs. Peony seems to have been placing flowers on the table with her back to the door from just now, which is really a big contrast with the furious Mr. Ogata.

I remember that Mrs. Peony is the ikebana teacher of Duguliu. She has solo exhibitions, lectures, public performances... It seems that she has also been on shows, and she is very famous.

I don't know ikebana, but when I attended the pre-departure meeting of the Honinbo Conference with my wife last time, I felt that she was a very capable woman, and she arranged everything in a few moments.

He usually looks gentle and even weak, but he is actually very assertive and has a strong will.

"Are you Shinto-kun and Taya-kun here? Welcome, I didn't hear the voice of greeting and let you come in by yourself. I'm sorry." Putting down the flowers at hand and turning around with a smile, the movement of maintaining a straight seat on the ground is right. We bowed and said hello.

"We should apologize for breaking in without consent."

"You don't need to be too polite. Didn't Taya-kun come here to play chess when you were young? Just be as casual as Shinto-kun. Oh?"

"Yes." This guy always looks like this in front of the elders. I used to be unbalanced all the time.

"Let's just say it?" He bumped Taya's shoulder with a feeling of winning.

"But Shinto-kun may be too casual, right? When you come, you lock it in the library and don't come to chat with me."

"Haha...haha..., I'm sorry. I'll pay attention next time." Ah... It turns out that Mrs. Peony has complaints, and she has never heard of them after coming here for so long.Sure enough, it is very similar to the teacher, and it feels like he sees everything in his eyes.

"Hehe~ Just kidding. Go is more important than anything else to Shinto-kun, right? There's a reason why you have to be diligent."

"Ah..., um, haha..."

I have been looking for an opportunity to cut into the topic of "what happened to that just now", but Mrs. Peony changed the topic so much, it is not the case to bring up that matter....

Mrs. Peony... have you heard anything from Kuwahara-sensei? …

"However, all professional shogi players are like this, and Shinto-kun is not the only exception."

This sentence popped up again suddenly, and he waved to me with a smile. This is a unique hint of Mrs. Peony.Across the big table, I obediently lowered my head and offered the top of my head so that she could touch it.

It's weird, but this is Madam's habit of loving younger generations.But I heard that Madam only touches the heads of people she thinks are smart, so it should be more appropriate to say honor.

"Taya-kun, too? There is only Go, and you must never lose to anyone. This kind of determination has not changed a bit since I was a child, and I feel admiration!"

Smiling and beckoning to Taya.

ㄟ! ?Taya is also a victim──isn't that right, is he also one of the baptized ones?

In this way, Taya let someone touch the top of his head very rarely.

Walking in the corridor leading to the backyard, I couldn't help but ask Taya,

"You don't object to letting Mrs. Peony touch your head? But I'm also very shameless. She gives people the feeling that she is absolutely unwinnable."

Taya pressed her lower lip, thinking seriously,

"...I don't seem to be the same. It's only natural that...it doesn't matter if she treats her like a child."

"ㄟ!?" I... heard something? ?

Even in front of Aunt Akiko, this kid rarely shows his childish side. The childish Taya Ryo who has always been proud of me is my exclusive face... I never expected to meet an opponent at this time,

"For...why?"

"Stupid. What are you doing with such a surprised face? I don't know, I just think Mrs. Peony is different."

"what!?"

"I just feel that Mrs. Peony is different"...

"I just feel that Mrs. Peony is different"...

This kid... Could it be Oedipus Complex? ?

My God..., this is more difficult than the Electra complex, I don't want to change my gender!

***

When I came to the backyard, I saw Hetani, Ikaku, and Nase all sitting on the corridor drinking tea and enjoying the cool air.

"Oh! Shinto Toya! It's finally here! I've been waiting for a long time!"

"It's almost time to bring out the chessboard!"

"Sorry for the long wait."

"Why are you being so polite to this group of people? Taya. Why don't you guys come first and get a ride first! You also give me tea and snacks! How leisurely!"

"Work together!"

"Why don't you say that you can't match if you can't figure it out?"

"Oh, my lord Mingjian!" He Gu jumped down from the corridor, pointed at the bamboo and ropes all over the floor and asked me, "Supporter Shinto, what are these used for?"

"Nonsense, isn't it just for the water table?"

Jumping down the corridor, I took a look at the bamboo, hatchet and rope on the grass. I really didn't expect to start from scratch. It seems that today I may have to watch the moonlight and eat the water surface.

But having said that, these bamboos have all been pruned, and all the branches and leaves have been removed.

"It's up to you to say? The question is how to set it up? The three of us have seen a water table with a chair and a table as a corner frame. This is the first time I have seen it imported from Zhushan. Taya?"

"When I was young, I saw the real thing at Mr. Suzuki's house, but I didn't build it."

"Oh, this is about the same as us. So it's up to you, Shinto!!"

"..., rely on me?" Putting down the hatchet in his hand,

"Have I ever said anything like 'I'll do it' or 'I've done it'?"

""""What!?""""Ah, is it necessary to react so violently?

"Then you are so arrogant!? Do you still look like a teacher picking up a hatchet?"

"I'm curious to take a closer look!?"

"You're still nodding while looking at the bamboo!?"

"I marvel at how beautifully these bamboos are cut!?"

Kazuya and Nase, you say something to each other, as if you want to scold me.

"Hey! Oh my god... I really lost to you! So what do we do today?"

"Lo Liba instigated it, so what if you haven't done it before? Let's talk about it first! Maybe it's not that difficult!"

In this way, we who have no experience deal with these bamboos by relying on our impressions.

First cut the thick bamboo, remove the program and smooth it, and the slide table will appear; then cut the thin bamboo into several sections, tie three into a bundle, make two groups, and fix it as much as possible to fit the slide table look.

Finally, Liushuitai No. [-] took shape.

"How is it? This is Water Terrace No. [-]." I asked.

"It seems to be quite good, doesn't it?"

"Let the water flow and see? See if it will collapse."

"I boil water!"

Like Gu Fei, he ran towards the faucet, connected the water pipe and threw the other end over.

"Then I'll get the hose!"

"I'm going to get fine noodles from Mrs. Peony!" Yi Jiao dragged on his slippers and planned to run to the kitchen.

"Not yet! Don't be in such a hurry! I will pick up a longer one later!"

"Yes, yes! I still want to be number two and number three!"

"Hahaha, that's right! Then boil the water quickly! Kazuya!"

"oh!"

"Yes, yes!"

"ㄟ!? Then I won't be able to see it?"

"Why are you so stupid, Yoshitaka! Let the water flow first, come and see if it's okay!"

"Ah, that's right!"

Unlike the three of them, Taya just smiled and looked at the flowing water platform that everyone worked together, feeling that he seemed very happy.

This guy doesn't really have a chance to have fun.

Rather than saying that he doesn't want to play, doesn't know how to play, or has no one to play with him, it's better to say that he doesn't know why he wants to play, and he doesn't understand the fun other than "Go".So every time, when I see Taya finds it interesting because of things other than Go, I can't help but feel happy.

"Is it fun?" I asked knowingly, but I just wanted to hear it from Taya.

Turning to look at me, raised the corners of his mouth and smiled, touched the table that had been set up

"Well, it's fun. Starting from scratch, I thought it would be difficult, but I didn't expect it to be quite fast. It's the result of everyone's cooperation, right?"

"Ah, cooperation is powerful."

"And it's really like what I saw at Suzuki-san's house before, and I suddenly thought we were amazing. Now, Shinto, let's take a picture after everything is set up?"

"Of course!" Pulling Taya's hand away from the water table, "But don't touch the table, there are still some thorns on the edge, won't it be troublesome if you pierce your fingertips and can't hold the chess piece?"

"Oh, I see." She put her hands behind her back and bent her eyes to watch the transparent water flow on the bamboo tracks.

"Heh~, the water flowing and twinkling in the heart of the white bamboo under the sunlight is so beautiful!"

"Ah, yes. Hey! How about a few more groups? The sun is going to set soon!"

Oh, Kazuya is doing his best to make Nase happy!give him a helping hand,

"I agree!!"

"Oh!! Let's do it!"

After two o'clock in the afternoon, the three water platforms were finally completed and connected. We deliberately set them up with a little step difference. Nase said that this would give the feeling of a waterfall.And her suggestion is right, the water flowing in the air adds a lot of refreshing feeling visually.

"I'm very touched when it's finished, but after all, everyone brought yukatas to change, but now they smell like sweat..."

"Mrs. Peony said that she can lend us a shower."

"ㄟ!? Really?"

"what."

"You can take a shower and eat running water noodles in cultural relics? Am I dreaming?" Yijiao, who has always liked historical relics, looked very excited.

"Hehe~ Girls are the priority at this time, I'll go wash first! I don't know what kind of bathroom it is!" Picking up the handbag on the corridor, he jumped to find Mrs. Peony.

"Tomorrow is beautiful! Don't wash for too long in other people's homes!"

"Boom, I have this kind of common sense!"

"Then I'll go after tomorrow's beauty, and then who?" This boy who protects his girlfriend thoroughly, even us are on guard.

"Brother Yijiao, please first?"

"Ah... then I'll be polite."

"After Izuku washes Taya, you can go, I don't need it."

"You kid really can't change the habit of a dirty ghost! Why don't you use it?"

"Why bother? I don't change my yukata."

"ㄟ? Why don't you change it!?"

"Haha, how could I have such a thing?"

Taya stared at me with round eyes and asked me, "Then what do you say you need a bathrobe to eat running water noodles?"

"..." Who told me that I want to see you wearing a yukata and eating running water noodles.This kind of selfish and public proposal is of course the ultimate secret that cannot be made public.

"Anyway, I don't have one."

"Really, if you tell me earlier, I will borrow it from you, so you are the only one who is different."

How considerate, actually helped me think so much,

"It's okay, how hot is it to wear something that doesn't absorb sweat and doesn't breathe in the hot weather?"

"""..."""

"""Then don't ask us to wear it!!"""

how is thisJoint siege?Forget about Hegu, Yijiao, I thought back then when I told Eriko how gentle you were, please give me back my drool.

The most hateful thing is Taya, I just said this to alleviate your guilt (although I really feel so) I will return the touch just now!

***

After taking a bath, when I went into the room to inform Mrs. Peony that the running water was ready to start, I mentioned to her that I was spurned by everyone because I didn't have a bathrobe. Living room etc, there are good things for me.

Are you going to give me Kuwahara-sensei's yukata?

Just thinking about it, sure enough, Madam walked in with a neatly pleated dark green bathrobe.

"Old...teacher's?"

"Father's is better?"

"No...no, I don't have that kind of guts."

chuckled,

Mrs. Peony spread out her bathrobe with a nostalgic expression and put it on the spotless table,

"This yukata, I made it for Masahiro before, although he hasn't worn it even once."

"..."

Masayuki Fujiwara, the husband of Mrs. Peony, passed away 20 years ago. It is said that he was also a chess player during his lifetime. He died in a car accident when he entered the Honinbo competition for the first time at the age of [-].That car accident claimed the lives of two people in total, one was the Fujiwara chess player, and the other was the baby in Mrs. Peony's stomach.

"Do you mind? Clothes of the dead?"

"...I look like this, but surprisingly, I get along quite well with "this kind of thing". I don't really care about what happened to someone in the past, and what happened to the owner. But it's really okay. Is it an important memory for Madam?"

"Silly boy, clothes are meant to be worn, and I've always wanted someone to show me them. Thank you, Shinto-kun."

Putting on my yukata, Madam helped me fasten my belt and said,

"Since you regularly reported to Kuwahara's house, I often have some empathy. I can't help but wonder, if the child is at this age, will he become like Fuji-kun? Something."

"If you're like me, you'll have to worry all the time and worry all day long. Mrs. Peony's child should have more regular facial features and is very smart. Maybe he can play chess well too? ㄟ? Why does it feel a bit like Taya?"

"Hehe~Actually, after being discharged from the hospital, Akiko often brought little Toya to visit me in order to comfort me,

He is really an incredible child, but what he says seems to have healing power,

"If the eyes keep raining, the baby's boat will have too much water to scoop up, and it will be too late to set sail. 』

very cute, right?I don't know where I heard it from, hehe~. "

"..."

It is true that he has healing power, but that Taya Ryo whose mind is as rigid as a piece of iron would say such a thing....I really want to see what he looked like when he was a child....

"Well, that's all right!"

"Ah, thanks. Looks all right?"

Thumbs up, "It's so handsome!"

"Hey~, it's a good thing the clothes Mrs. Peony sewed were not spoiled."

Lifting his sleeves, covering half of his face with a smile, he beckoned to me, and the hint of touching his head came again...

***

After changing my clothes and taking the fine noodles and bonito soy sauce to Taya and the others, I came to Kuwahara-sensei's door.

"Teacher, the running water surface is ready."

"Hehehe, come in."

When I opened the sliding door, the sliding door facing the carp pond was open, and the wind chime hanging on the beam of the door rang when I thought of it.Sitting at the table, the teacher is writing calligraphy with a pen.

"I'm sorry. Is it necessary to laugh a few times before saying 'come in'?" I really don't know what the old man is thinking.

"That's the old man's signboard, how can there be atmosphere if you don't laugh a few times?" Putting down the writing brush, pushing off the reading glasses and looking at me, "The peony is for the kid?"

"Uh... Mrs. Peony said she would give it to me, but I still think it's better to borrow it."

"It doesn't matter, just take it back." Take out the special seal and press it on the rice paper just finished,

"Don't worry, Changxing has passed through the Santu River safely for many years, and he won't come back to attach himself to the boy."

That's not what I'm worried about...

I took off my glasses and put them on the table, with my arms crossed,

"Kid Shindo, the car parked in the front yard is not bad. It seems that the people from the Toyota Group are quite generous, hehehe."

The car is a Toyota Cup winner and just arrived to me last week after fine-tuning.The car model is the RAV[-], which has been aggressively advertised recently, with the slogan "adults, young boys".Although there is no need to pay half a dime, I remember that the price is similar to that of an ordinary RV. Of course, the three words "big money" are not attached to it.

I can hear that Kuwahara-sensei is showing off his hard work, which means that I am no longer innocent, and I am taking a step into the realm of "adults".

"'Three War Dragons, Seven War Worms', I know." This is not a video game for clearing the level. It is the "title" given to me by the teacher in front of the reporter after the end of Honinbo last year. I lost the game. I fell to the bottom, and this old monster kicked me mercilessly again, then I fell straight to hell all the way.

"Hey, you're smarter, Shinto boy!" snorted, his wrinkled forehead twitched violently, picked up the newly completed work and shook it in front of my eyes,

"Boy, tell me what word is that?"

"…,"ghost"."

"It seems that this word can be included in your poor Chinese character dictionary, hehehe. Listen up! Shinto boy! I am a ghost!"

"…Clam?"

"It's the ghost of Seven Victories!"

"...." Ah, here we are, today we still can't escape the fate of listening to his old man's preaching. Since the failure of the Honinbo challenge last year, every time he comes, he is read every time, and the opening is different every time.

Sigh~ I really hate the number "seven".

Kuwahara-sensei is known as "the ghost of seven wins and losses".

The reason is that when faced with a seven-game matchup, whether it was intentional or a coincidence, the teacher had a record of losing three games in a row and then winning four in a row.It is his old man's unique skill to forcibly take out the title that the other party has almost taken into his mouth.

This is how the title of "ghost" comes from.

"The first two victories in the three rounds are the winners, and the key to the victory of the seventh round begins in the fourth round. The childish thinking of "as long as you keep winning" is put aside by the old man. What is needed in the seventh round His mental strength can not only rely on physical strength to force his way through.

Koreans bet on Go in international competitions, and all domestic wars are set as three rounds. After eating kimchi for two years, you have acquired their habit and rooted? "

"I really don't know who the one who asked me to use barbarians to control barbarians in the past...but now it's called a bad habit." It's really just what the old man said.I really mind it, you actually say I'm a bug...The old master was really hard to please.

"Boy Shinto, I didn't say a single word 'bad'. Thanks to you, the books of "Complete Works of Xiu Ce" are sold across the sea, and the royalties are soft. You don't want to continue this "habit", old man It’s annoying, I have to save more for future hospitalization, surgery, funeral expenses and so on.”

"Yes~, I will try my best to make the teacher earn more~."

This old man who always jokes about his life span really has no taboos at all.

"Boy, if you don't want to be called "worm", you don't need to participate in the three major title competitions, so as not to embarrass you." He leaned his elbows on the armrest of the Japanese room chair, squinted his eyes, and smiled slyly.

"But you want Honinbo, right? Kid Shinto,...hehe~"

"..." Tsk, being played around again, "Yes! I want it, I really want it!"

"Hee-, then show it to the old man before he dies. If the old man dies with regret, he will go to his dream and recite the mantra to the boy every day."

Here it comes again..., this so-called "old monster who can never die" (by Mr. Ogata) at Nippon Kiin.

"The teacher is too loose with me, isn't he? He actually gave me a buffer time of ten or twenty years."

"Hee hee, is it loose? Ten or 20 years later, what I'm waiting to see is how proud the kid has broken the Eternal Honinbo's conditions four times in a row, so the kid still feels relaxed?"

"..., the pressure... is really great. 20 years..." To put it simply, the teacher has only been seven years.

"Hee hee hee hee~ Good job! I am waiting to relive the weeping face of Ogata boy again!"

"..."

You used me as a prop for revenge again,

Ogata-sensei loves to trouble me so much, Kuwahara-sensei is definitely half responsible.

"Have you finished teaching, teacher? How about going to the courtyard to eat running water noodles? Mrs. Peony told me to call you."

"Let's say it first, this year's Honinbo will not disappoint me, Shinto boy?"

"I try my best."

"Hee - move here, kid."

After patting the favorite chair, the teacher smiled and stood up and walked out of the room.

Move the chair and follow behind the teacher,

"But the teacher was really good at that time. The head will rust with age, and the teacher can still win Honinbo at the age of eighty. It is regarded as a strange story in the history of Go."

"'Back then'? Kid Shinto. Is it okay to be sarcastic now?"

"... Sensei clearly knows that I don't mean that."

"Tsk-"

"Peony! Bring me my chopsticks, it's time to follow up with Fuji boy. I won't lose if you beat chopsticks. Hehehehe!"

"..." It's not what I said, why are you so fussy.

"Ah, Father, are you here?" Mrs. Peony, who was talking to Taya, heard the teacher's voice, and turned her head. "Do you have the special chopsticks for the fine-faced duel? Peony will get them."

There is such a thing? ?It sounds like a bit powerful.

"Hi teacher, I'm sorry to bother you today." Taya stood up and bowed to the teacher, her black straight hair caressing her fair cheeks.

"Hey, tell Ogata kid to learn the etiquette of little Taya! Little Taya hasn't come for a long time? I'll play chess with the old man later."

"Yes, I will accompany you." When he mentioned playing chess, he laughed, Taya, the kid.Hey, don't laugh so much in public.

Seeing the teacher coming, Wada, Ikaku, and Naase, who were fighting for the bowls made of bamboo buckets and chopsticks to go down the water, also stopped.

"Hello, teacher! Thank you for the invitation, teacher."

"Hee-, don't be too polite, I'm not hard-headed! Have fun."

I put the teacher's chair in the corridor, and when I saw Taya's long-lost yukata outfit, the delusional device was activated...

Sigh~, why does my Taya look so good in a yukata?

The white neck, the front of the clavicle exposed at the junction of the collar, the slender waist tightly wrapped under the white belt, and even the toes on the clogs are so cute...,

I have to find a way to make him come to my house dressed like this, and then at night..., hehehe////

Slap──!

"It hurts, what's the matter!?" Touching the back of his head that was suddenly attacked, he turned his head and saw that the teacher had already sat on the chair I had arranged for him.

It dragged my ears hard.

"Kid Shindo, give me some restraint, your bad radio waves have seriously affected the pacemaker in my heart."

"!?" There are... there are monsters! !When did this old man know? ? ?

"What..., I don't understand. You... Youkai dialect?" Playing stupid, I can only pretend to be stupid... Now that I admit that something will happen, I will definitely be killed by Taya!

"Oh? Did you forget that the boy's ears and head are not good? Then the old man can speak louder and clearer?"

"Forgive me!! I was wrong!! Teacher!! Don't do it!!" Putting his palms together on his forehead, he was as devout as if he was worshiping a great Buddha.

"Hee hee hee hee~" Monsters are really scary...

In the water face-to-face confrontation with the teacher, the result was a fiasco for me.It's not that you don't dare to win, it's that you can't win.

The legendary special chopsticks are made of iron, and the word "special" in these special chopsticks refers not to the teacher's special use, but to the opponent's special use, that is, me.

It's slippery, and it can't hold half a noodle at all.I really don't change my treacherous nature...

Just when I was dying of hunger, that boy Taya reluctantly fed me a few... Is there anyone so stingy?

The impression of the running water surface is full of fun, but it is a pity that it does not fill the stomach at all...