Heian age fic, chapter 2
Chapter 2
The next day Hikaru got up early and left right away “to take care of some business”, as he put it. The neighborhood didn't look quite as gloomy in daylight as it had appeared previous night, and, encouraged, he walked briskly on. Maybe other things wouldn't be as bad as he had feared, either.
As he reached the Suzaku Avenue, he stopped to think. He still hadn't made his mind about where to start his search. He looked left, where the Avenue ended to the great gates of the Imperial Palace. He had entered through those gates just once during his life, and hardly as someone who really had any business in the palace area. That first, and not very successful visit, had been due to a bet with his fiends that he would be able to enter the inner palace. All things considered, he'd been quite lucky not to get far enough to get into serious trouble.
It wasn't one of his fondest memories, but despite it all he still headed toward the palace. Things were different now, he told himself. He wasn't just some simple commoner anymore; his teacher had been the emperor's teacher, too. That got to amount to something.
Even if said teacher had, somehow, been disgraced.
He bit his teeth tightly together at the thought and held his head a little higher, walked with a bit more resolution. He stepped in through the gate, and nobody gave him a second look.
As he walked into the courtyard, his steps slowed down, though, and in the end he stopped, hesitating. He knew nothing about the place - where to go now? As he stood there, wondering, he saw two men exit a building and head toward the gate. Court nobles, one of them sixth rank, based on the green of his clothes, but he couldn't remember what rank the other's colors corresponded to. As they walked by him, he bowed hastily.
“Excuse me...”
The men stopped. “Yes?”
He bowed again. “I am looking for someone, but I don't quite know where to start. I was wondering if you'd be as kind as to help me, if it's not too much of trouble.”
The men gave him polite smiles and bows and assured him they'd be delighted to be of help. “Who is it you're looking for?”
Hikaru swallowed. “Fujiwara no Sai.” The men's smiles died away, and he straightened his back. “He was the emperor's go teacher, but... I hear... something happened.”
Another of the men, the green-clad one, gave a laugh. “Something happened, indeed! You don't find him here anymore. He is supposed to have left the capital. Good riddance, truly!”
Hikaru bit his lip and forced back an angry retort. “He hasn't returned to his home yet. In fact, no one's heard of him at all.”
The man shrugged. “I don't know where he is, nor am I interested. The nerve he had, to cheat in the holy presence of the emperor!”
“Sai's not a cheater!” Hikaru snapped. “He'd never cheat in any game!”
“Oh?” The man raised his eyebrows. “You sound like you know him well.”
Hikaru remained silent for a moment. “He is my teacher,” he said then, firmly, staring the man into eye as if daring him to say anything.
Unaffected by his glare, the man laughed. “His teacher?” he said to his companion. “Isn't that something to brag about.”
The other man frowned. “Fujiwara no Sai has not been seen here since the night he left,” he said, and with that the two walked away, the green-clad man still chuckling to himself.
Hikaru stared after them, face flushed. Then he stomped away from the palace.
~
The morning had arrived to the university as well, and students once again gathered to their lessons. Kamo no Akira as well sat among his peers within the faculty of law and listened, quite absentmindedly, the rather heated discussion that had broken out about the Taika Reforms and land distribution. A pointless discussion, in his mind, as the past few hundred years had already proven that the idea of dividing the rice lands evenly among all the citizens simply was something that would never truly happen, but he didn't quite find the energy to start fighting over things that should have been self-evident.
During the lunch, he was sitting alone and munching quietly his rice, when someone sat down next to him.
“You were quiet at class,” the newcomer stated, and he frowned.
“I didn't have anything to say.”
“Really? That happens seldom. But in truth, that was a useless lesson. My father is worried about the level of education here, and he's been talking about taking me out of the university and hiring me private tutors. I must say that if things continue this way, I'd be happy about it.”
Akira said nothing. In fact, to some extent he agreed with what the other was saying, but he didn't want to confess this aloud. Fujiwara no Kousuke, despite his young age, was one of the sharpest students in the university and rather good at go, too, but somehow Akira didn't find it in himself to like this younger boy. He did appreciate the boy's playing skills, but in general found him too rude and arrogant to be pleasant company.
Right now, the boy was watching him with interest in his eyes. “Is something troubling you? You seem a little distant.”
“It's nothing,” Akira muttered. “I just slept badly.”
“Hmm.”
Somehow that single sound managed to be at the same time disbelieving, amused, and a little condescending, but he chose to ignore it. Not in the mood for polite conversation he was about to ignore his companion as well, but then he suddenly realized who he was talking with.
“Say,” he said and turned to face Fujiwara no Kousuke, “you wouldn't by any chance happen to know someone called Fujiwara no Hikaru?”
“No, I can't say I would. Hikaru. I don’t recognize that name.” Kousuke wrinkled his nose thoughtfully. “Who is he?”
“I wish I knew,” Akira muttered. “I met him yesterday. He's an excellent go player.”
“Oh?” Kousuke gave him an estimating look. “I can look into it, if you want. But we are a large clan.”
“I know, I know.” Akira finished his meal and stood up. “It doesn't matter, really. I was just curious. Did you want something?”
“I was going to ask if you'd like a game.”
“Not... today, if you don't mind. I am quite busy, unfortunately.” It was a lie, of course, but he didn't feel like playing with this boy right now. Instead he took his leave and headed to see their Chinese professor. Perhaps he could turn the lie into truth. The old man's eyesight was growing worse all the time, and he always had tasks for students if he managed to catch them.
~
The day had quickly turned just as hot as its predecessor. Once he had calmed down, Hikaru had gone to visit some other members of the Fujiwara clan, but they hadn't been of much use. They had nothing to tell he hadn't already known - that Sai had lost his position and had not been seen after he'd left the palace. Everyone assumed he had headed home, but no one seemed to be too concerned when he told them they had heard nothing of Sai. In fact, their indifferent, haughty attitude was enough to send Hikaru back to the streets, fuming once again.
He had spent a long while wandering around, and after getting lost more times than he cared to count he had finally found the house of a man he remembered to be Sai's friend. It was another disappointment, though - apparently the man did not want to be associated with a cheater, and not only did he have no information to offer, he also implied that he did not wish to receive any more visits from “shady characters” of common origin who called a cheater teacher, which, quite understandably, did nothing to improve Hikaru's mood.
As hours passed, Hikaru's stomach started to growl louder and louder, and finally he gave in and dug out the lunch his mother had prepared him, some fried fish and a few rice biscuits. As he sat in the shadow, attacking his snack with fervor, he thought about the only useful thing that man had said. If someone's gone missing, you should ask the police, not me.
He swallowed the rest of his rice biscuits and with heavy steps headed toward the imperial police.
As he arrived at the police headquarters, he almost collided with a man who was just leaving. “Watch where you're going!” the man snapped, and stomped to his carriage. Hikaru shot an angry glare after him, but let it pass.
“Excuse me,” he said hesitantly as he stepped into the headquarters. A young man with some papers in his hands turned to look at him.
“Yes?”
Hikaru bowed. “I'm looking for someone who has been missing for a while. I was wondering if you'd know anything about him.”
“What's the name of this missing person?”
“Fujiwara no Sai,” Hikaru said, bracing himself against the mockery he had come to expect when uttering that name. Instead the constable raised his eyebrows in surprise.
“You too? Isn't this a popular fellow.”
Hikaru stopped and stared at him. “What do you mean?”
The man nodded toward the door. “The man who just left was also asking after him.”
Hikaru stood very still a moment. Then he turned on his heels and ran out.
The man's carriage hadn't, luckily, proceeded far, and Hikaru sprinted after it. “Sir! Sir, wait!”
Running as fast as he could, he reached the carriage, and the man took a peek at him from its windows. He frowned, but still gave a sign to stop. “What do you want?”
“You... you were asking about Fuh-fujiwara no Sai, right?” Hikaru panted, and the man's frown deepened.
“What about that?”
“I'm looking for him too. My name's Fujiwara no Hikaru. He was my teacher. Is my teacher,” he corrected, mentally kicking himself. When had he come to think of Sai in past tense? He'd better be more careful and stop tempting fates like that.
“Ah... I see.” Strange expressions passed on the man's face, finally settling to friendly compassion. “I take it you have not heard of him either? I hope nothing bad has come to him since the... unfortunate events.”
Hikaru let out a relieved breath. Finally someone more sympathetic. “Nobody's heard of him, and we're growing quite worried. Did the police have anything to tell?”
The man shook his head. “Sadly, no. Or maybe that is a good thing. But I have no time for chatting now, I am expected at the palace. I would like to speak with you more, though - would you come over tonight? We could talk more comfortably at my private mansion.”
“Sure! I mean...” Hikaru bowed hastily, remembering his manners. “I'd be delighted.”
“Very well. I should be home well before sun sets. But come a little later, so you won't have to wait in the case I'm delayed. My name is Sugawara no Akitada. My mansion is on the Second Street, near the Divine Spring Garden. Jo two, Bo three, Cho thirteen. Just ask around, everyone knows it.”
Hikaru bowed again. “Thank you very much for your kind invitation.”
Only after the man had left was he beginning to wonder why the name had sounded so familiar. Then he shrugged it off - this man knew Sai, so maybe Sai had once mentioned him. Now, he should decide what to do next. He was tired after all the walking, and as he couldn't think of anyone else who might be of help, he decided it would be best to go home to rest. Of course, it was a bit of a walk, which he really didn't need, but that couldn't be helped.
Once he arrived home, he found only the women there, as Taro had left to his work as a carpenter, building a new wing to some lord's mansion. He sat down with them, but conversation felt somehow superficial and forced, and he found himself wishing he had spared himself the extra walk. Then Akane and Akari shared a glance and excused themselves, leaving him alone with his mother.
“Did you get your business finished?” Mitsuko inquired gently.
“Not yet. But I'm going to meet a man tonight who possibly can help me. Oh! That reminded me...” He looked at his mother a little sheepishly. “I should meet him at the time of the sunset, on the other side of the city. Would you see that I leave on time...?”
She shook her head and gave him a look. “Shouldn't you be able to tell time by now? But don't worry, I will. It won't be good to keep important people waiting. I take it he is important?”
“Well, yes. His name is Sugawara no Akitada. He's... well, I'm not exactly sure who he is, but he's currently at the palace.”
His mother had a troubled look in her eyes. “You associate only with such fancy folk nowadays,” she muttered. “It is so weird... I hope you don't embarrass yourself too badly.”
Hikaru flushed. “I do know how to behave, you don't have to worry, mother.”
“Mother,” she said, as if tasting the word. “How long will you go on calling me that...”
The flush deepened. “What are you talking about? That's not going to change, no matter how many times I'm adopted.”
She smiled a little sadly. “You might come to find such a common background a great burden, some day.”
Hikaru opened his mouth, and then closed it, not knowing what to say. “Do you oppose the adoption?” he finally asked carefully, and his mother's eyes widened in shock.
“Oh, heavens, no! It is such a great thing to happen to you, and I only want your best. But it has been so hard, with you away. I missed you so much...”
“Yeah, well, I missed you too...” he muttered. “But don't worry, I'm not going to forget about you. Once everything is in order, I'll arrange for a better place for you to live, for starters.”
“That would be nice. I like this house, but the neighborhood is turning ugly.” She smiled a little. “What about Akari?”
“What about her?” The blush that had already left his face was back, brighter than ever.
“Oh, come now, you know what I mean,” Mitsuko said with a laugh.
“I can't read minds,” Hikaru muttered and scrambled up. “I want to rest a little before going back. Let's talk later.”
He left his mother sitting alone and escaped out of the room, only to find himself face to face with Akari.
“What about me?” she asked innocently and giggled as his blush deepened again.
“Were you eavesdropping?” he muttered darkly as he hurried toward his own room. “Such unladylike behavior!”
“Oh, but I'm not a lady.” She followed him with light steps and wide grin. “Just a common brat - unlike you. Say, should I call you Hikaru-sama now? Or Hikaru-dono?”
“Shut up, Akari.” He stopped at his door and glowered at her. “That's nonsense.”
“I know.” She stopped smiling. “But it's true. There was a time when I took it for granted we'd be married some day, but now... it's beginning to look quite impossible. It's a shame... but that doesn't mean I wouldn't be happy for you.”
Hikaru's face was, once again, bright red. “You really are no lady,” he mumbled weakly. “How can you be so straightforward?”
She grinned again. “Because you look so cute when you blush like that. I just can't resist. Say, would you play a game with me? I’ve kept our old board.”
Hikaru gave a start. “What is it with people suggesting games out of the blue like that,” he muttered, but shrugged then. “Why not.”
“Great! I've grown better while you were gone.”
He grinned back at her. “Me too.”
The game did not last long and it ended with Akari throwing the stones into the wall in deep frustration. Hikaru laughed, chided 'Akari-no-kimi' for her behavior, and got a rain of go stones as a reply.
~
“His student?” Toshirou asked with interest.
“Yes. So the boy claimed, at least. To me, he seemed just like another rude brat... but I told him to come over, just in the case he'd be useful. If he's not, we don't have to let him in.”
“Oh, he just might be useful.” Toshirou tapped his chin with his fan. “To have someone connected to this Sai would make it so much easier to find his body.”
“Good. I want this to be over.” Akitada's voice was quite strained. “Then, we can concentrate on more important things.”
Toshirou nodded, giving him a sly look. “Yes. It would be about time. If I just can enter the court circles, we will both benefit quite greatly.”
“Yes... but...” Obviously Akitada's thoughts were still quite taken by their present dilemma. “Do we have to tell the boy about the ghost? I don't want him to start wondering why it is haunting me.”
“Hmm? Oh, I guess that won't be necessary. We can just say that we're looking for him - if he happens to be dead when we find him, too bad.”
~
Akira's prediction had indeed been correct - their Chinese professor had seen to it that he had been busy the rest of the day. He didn't mind it, though; he liked helping the old man, and this also gave him a chance to improve his Chinese. He had returned to the Chinese Faculty after the afternoon's classes and was currently reading aloud a long letter the professor's friend had sent him. The old man himself sat cross-legged on his pillow, listening quietly, eyes closed.
The letter concerned some new views on old Chinese classics, and contained many quotes. In truth, Akira didn't quite understand everything he read, and at times he had to stop to ask for the correct reading of the Chinese signs. When he reached the end, the professor didn't move, and for a moment he wondered if the old man had fallen asleep, sitting. Then, slowly, the eyes opened to a narrow slit.
“Many thanks for your trouble. It has been kind of you to give me so much of your time.”
Akira bowed slightly. “It has been my pleasure. And very instructive.”
“Yes, certainly.” Another of the man's eyes opened a little more and shot an inquiring glance at the boy. “Even though it seems that your mind is not completely on what you're doing.”
“I... I'm sorry,” Akira began with a small start, but the man waved his hand dismissively.
“No matter, no matter. But is there something troubling you?”
“Not really.” Akira paused for a moment, wondering what to say. “I was merely thinking of a game of go I played yesterday.”
The old man cackled. “Did you lose?”
Akira stiffened a little. “Yes,” he finally admitted.
The old man kept on cackling. Slowly, he gathered himself up from the floor and took the papers from Akira. As he started to arrange his things, Akira decided that it was time for him to take his leave, so he bowed his goodbye and headed out. He was just about to leave the room, when he heard the old professor's voice behind him.
“When you meet someone better than yourself, turn your thoughts to becoming his equal. When you meet someone not as good as you are, look within and examine your own self.”
He looked behind his shoulder, but the man wasn't even looking at him, so he left without a word.
As he stepped out of the courtyard of the Chinese studies, planning to head home, to his dismay he saw Fujiwara no Kousuke leaving the opposing Faculty of Mathematics. There was no chance that the younger boy wouldn't notice him, so after hesitating a moment by the gate he gave the other a nod.
“Still busy?” Kousuke asked instead of a greeting, and he frowned inwardly. The boy really should work on his manners.
“Going home,” he replied shortly, and they started walking side by side, in silence.
It's not that he were better than me, he reflected to himself, still thinking about the previous day's game, and remembering what the professor had said - a Confucian quote, the old man was quite fond of those. But equal... maybe. This in itself was quite surprising. And, perhaps, exciting? He glanced at the younger boy from the corner of his eye and realized the other was watching him intently. Now - here was someone who wasn't yet on his level, if ever would be, whether the subject was go or anything else.
Look within and examine your own self?
Perhaps there was something in this. He was careful with his manners, attempted to be modest and never arrogant, but he knew he could be just as single-minded as Kousuke to achieve his goals.
His self-reflection came to an abrupt end when he noticed a familiar figure hurrying through the university area. At the same moment the figure stopped, having spotted him, and for a while they just stood there, frozen.
Kousuke looked with interest from him to the stranger and back. “And this is...?” he said, and for a moment Akira wished him somewhere far, far away. Without answering he walked to the stranger.
“Good evening to you,” he said. “What business do you have here?”
The other gave him an embarrassed grin. “Eh, I'm just taking the shortcut, if you don't mind. I'm going to meet someone.”
Kousuke cleared his throat quietly, and Akira bit back a sigh. “This is Fujiwara no Hikaru,” he said. “Fujiwara no Kousuke.”
The two bowed at each other. He could see the interest gleam in Kousuke's eyes and wished he had never said anything about the stranger's go skills.
“Nice to meet you,” Kousuke was saying. “Say, which branch of our clan do you represent?”
Akira shot him a glare. Always so discreet.
“Northern,” Hikaru muttered, looking a little ill at ease, and Kousuke raised his eyebrows.
“I don't remember seeing you in the capital before,” he stated.
“I've been away a while,” the other admitted, and a part of Kousuke's interest seemed to die away.
“Where?” he still asked.
“Kawachi province. But, I'm sorry, I need to be going now... I have a meeting.” Hikaru gave them a quick bow and hurried away before Akira had time to say anything.
“Strange fellow,” Kousuke muttered. “Is he really such a great player? He seems somewhat countrified to me, even if he claims to be from the home provinces.” He sniffed. “I do hope I will be spared any visits to the provinces. It can't be good for your character. Say, are you sure you don't have time for a game?”
Akira wasn't really listening to him. “No, no, thank you...” He looked after Hikaru who had almost left the university area, and made up his mind. “See you tomorrow.” And he rushed away, leaving tight-lipped Kousuke staring after him.
“Do you this time know where you're going to, or do you need a guide?” he asked as he reached Hikaru.
The other gave him a surprised look. “Don't you have... anything to do?”
He shook his head. “Not really.”
“Well, I'm going to...” Hikaru took a breath and recited, “Jo two, Bo three, Cho thirteen. But if you have time to be playing my guide, I don't mind. I've never been any good with these addresses.”
“It's rather simple, really. You know how the city is divided into different Cho by the streets? Four lines of Cho running east to west form a Jo, and four lines of Cho running north to south form a Bo, and the Cho which share the same Jo and Bo...”
“Gah!” Hikaru covered his ears. “It just makes my head ache. Besides, knowing the address won't help if you don't know where you are, so could you please just guide me there without a lecture?”
Akira fell silent. “How can you play such great go, if you can't understand even something this basic?” he finally asked, genuinely confused.
“Go is different,” Hikaru replied with a grin, and Akira just shook his head.
“Talking about go, there is one good player whose mansion is in this direction. Very close to where you're going to, if not...” Akira frowned. “You're not going to meet Sugawara no Akitada, are you?”
“Sure I am! Hey, you mean he plays go too? So that's why he knows Sai.”
Akira blinked, processing this. “He certainly plays go,” he said slowly. “He is the emperor's go teacher, you know.”
“Oh? Well, that's - what!?” Hikaru stopped on his heels and stared at him in utter shock. “He is the emperor's go teacher? You mean he... he's the one that... but...”
Akira faced his shock with growing confusion. “He's the one...?”
Hikaru shook his head as if trying to clear it. “No, nothing. But I... then I... really have to meet him. Let's go on.”
“You mentioned Sai,” Akira said as they walked on. “Did you mean Fujiwara no Sai? Do you know him?”
Hikaru said nothing. As Akira watched his face, stern and withdrawn, he decided to drop the matter for now. “I'd like to play with you again some day,” he said instead. “If you would?”
“Yeah, sure.” Hikaru sounded a little distant. “That would be fun.”
“So... when would be a good time? Are you free tomorrow?”
Hikaru blinked. “Tomorrow? I... don't really know what I'll be doing tomorrow. Maybe.”
Akira let out a confused and a little annoyed breath. “Well, you can find me at the university. I'm usually either at the faculty of law or the Chinese studies. Come by if you have time. We're here.”
“Huh?” It took Hikaru a moment to understand the sudden announcement. “Here?”
Akira pointed. “That is Sugawara no Akitada's mansion.”
“I... see.” The mansion was large, and a rather impressive sight. The white stone wall around it was spotless, and the gate leading inside was beautifully ornamented. Hikaru drew a deep breath. “Well, thanks. I guess I should be going then.”
He didn't move, though. Akira looked at him a moment, gave then a little bow in goodbye. “You'll find me at the university,” he still reminded the other boy. “Good luck with whatever you're doing.”
Hikaru gave a start. “Oh, thanks...” He finally got himself on the move and walked in through the gate.
Notes:
It took me a while to figure out the addresses, even though it wasn't that complicated. ^^;; I just hope I got it right and didn't plant Akitada's mansion in the middle of the university or something.
That old Chinese professor... he was supposed to be just some random guy, but I'm kinda beginning to think he is in fact Kuwabara. And Kousuke... that's Ochi, of course, in the case you've forgotten his given name. Very minor character in this story, but he'll pop up at least once in the future chapters.
The university isn't quite what we think when hearing that word. I'm not sure if there were some age limits (I'll check what the Book says later, but I don't have it at hand right now), but you could enter it as a child, and stay there... well, very long. Sons of the higher ranks could enter it automatically... but I really need to check the details before saying anything else.
Akari-no-kimi: no kimi is a historical honorific. It was used both for lords and ladies, especially during the Heian period.
Countrified: People of the capital didn't really think much of the provincials. Inakabitaru (countrified) was the worst pejorative back then. And we're still talking about provincial aristocrats here. I know adoption was common those days, but did a commoner ever get adopted to a noble family... I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised if the answer is no. Hikaru's mother is quite correct... “You might come to find such a common background a great burden, some day.”
I've a feeling not much happened in this chapter... In the next the story should properly start moving on.
Next chapter
Previous chapter
The next day Hikaru got up early and left right away “to take care of some business”, as he put it. The neighborhood didn't look quite as gloomy in daylight as it had appeared previous night, and, encouraged, he walked briskly on. Maybe other things wouldn't be as bad as he had feared, either.
As he reached the Suzaku Avenue, he stopped to think. He still hadn't made his mind about where to start his search. He looked left, where the Avenue ended to the great gates of the Imperial Palace. He had entered through those gates just once during his life, and hardly as someone who really had any business in the palace area. That first, and not very successful visit, had been due to a bet with his fiends that he would be able to enter the inner palace. All things considered, he'd been quite lucky not to get far enough to get into serious trouble.
It wasn't one of his fondest memories, but despite it all he still headed toward the palace. Things were different now, he told himself. He wasn't just some simple commoner anymore; his teacher had been the emperor's teacher, too. That got to amount to something.
Even if said teacher had, somehow, been disgraced.
He bit his teeth tightly together at the thought and held his head a little higher, walked with a bit more resolution. He stepped in through the gate, and nobody gave him a second look.
As he walked into the courtyard, his steps slowed down, though, and in the end he stopped, hesitating. He knew nothing about the place - where to go now? As he stood there, wondering, he saw two men exit a building and head toward the gate. Court nobles, one of them sixth rank, based on the green of his clothes, but he couldn't remember what rank the other's colors corresponded to. As they walked by him, he bowed hastily.
“Excuse me...”
The men stopped. “Yes?”
He bowed again. “I am looking for someone, but I don't quite know where to start. I was wondering if you'd be as kind as to help me, if it's not too much of trouble.”
The men gave him polite smiles and bows and assured him they'd be delighted to be of help. “Who is it you're looking for?”
Hikaru swallowed. “Fujiwara no Sai.” The men's smiles died away, and he straightened his back. “He was the emperor's go teacher, but... I hear... something happened.”
Another of the men, the green-clad one, gave a laugh. “Something happened, indeed! You don't find him here anymore. He is supposed to have left the capital. Good riddance, truly!”
Hikaru bit his lip and forced back an angry retort. “He hasn't returned to his home yet. In fact, no one's heard of him at all.”
The man shrugged. “I don't know where he is, nor am I interested. The nerve he had, to cheat in the holy presence of the emperor!”
“Sai's not a cheater!” Hikaru snapped. “He'd never cheat in any game!”
“Oh?” The man raised his eyebrows. “You sound like you know him well.”
Hikaru remained silent for a moment. “He is my teacher,” he said then, firmly, staring the man into eye as if daring him to say anything.
Unaffected by his glare, the man laughed. “His teacher?” he said to his companion. “Isn't that something to brag about.”
The other man frowned. “Fujiwara no Sai has not been seen here since the night he left,” he said, and with that the two walked away, the green-clad man still chuckling to himself.
Hikaru stared after them, face flushed. Then he stomped away from the palace.
~
The morning had arrived to the university as well, and students once again gathered to their lessons. Kamo no Akira as well sat among his peers within the faculty of law and listened, quite absentmindedly, the rather heated discussion that had broken out about the Taika Reforms and land distribution. A pointless discussion, in his mind, as the past few hundred years had already proven that the idea of dividing the rice lands evenly among all the citizens simply was something that would never truly happen, but he didn't quite find the energy to start fighting over things that should have been self-evident.
During the lunch, he was sitting alone and munching quietly his rice, when someone sat down next to him.
“You were quiet at class,” the newcomer stated, and he frowned.
“I didn't have anything to say.”
“Really? That happens seldom. But in truth, that was a useless lesson. My father is worried about the level of education here, and he's been talking about taking me out of the university and hiring me private tutors. I must say that if things continue this way, I'd be happy about it.”
Akira said nothing. In fact, to some extent he agreed with what the other was saying, but he didn't want to confess this aloud. Fujiwara no Kousuke, despite his young age, was one of the sharpest students in the university and rather good at go, too, but somehow Akira didn't find it in himself to like this younger boy. He did appreciate the boy's playing skills, but in general found him too rude and arrogant to be pleasant company.
Right now, the boy was watching him with interest in his eyes. “Is something troubling you? You seem a little distant.”
“It's nothing,” Akira muttered. “I just slept badly.”
“Hmm.”
Somehow that single sound managed to be at the same time disbelieving, amused, and a little condescending, but he chose to ignore it. Not in the mood for polite conversation he was about to ignore his companion as well, but then he suddenly realized who he was talking with.
“Say,” he said and turned to face Fujiwara no Kousuke, “you wouldn't by any chance happen to know someone called Fujiwara no Hikaru?”
“No, I can't say I would. Hikaru. I don’t recognize that name.” Kousuke wrinkled his nose thoughtfully. “Who is he?”
“I wish I knew,” Akira muttered. “I met him yesterday. He's an excellent go player.”
“Oh?” Kousuke gave him an estimating look. “I can look into it, if you want. But we are a large clan.”
“I know, I know.” Akira finished his meal and stood up. “It doesn't matter, really. I was just curious. Did you want something?”
“I was going to ask if you'd like a game.”
“Not... today, if you don't mind. I am quite busy, unfortunately.” It was a lie, of course, but he didn't feel like playing with this boy right now. Instead he took his leave and headed to see their Chinese professor. Perhaps he could turn the lie into truth. The old man's eyesight was growing worse all the time, and he always had tasks for students if he managed to catch them.
~
The day had quickly turned just as hot as its predecessor. Once he had calmed down, Hikaru had gone to visit some other members of the Fujiwara clan, but they hadn't been of much use. They had nothing to tell he hadn't already known - that Sai had lost his position and had not been seen after he'd left the palace. Everyone assumed he had headed home, but no one seemed to be too concerned when he told them they had heard nothing of Sai. In fact, their indifferent, haughty attitude was enough to send Hikaru back to the streets, fuming once again.
He had spent a long while wandering around, and after getting lost more times than he cared to count he had finally found the house of a man he remembered to be Sai's friend. It was another disappointment, though - apparently the man did not want to be associated with a cheater, and not only did he have no information to offer, he also implied that he did not wish to receive any more visits from “shady characters” of common origin who called a cheater teacher, which, quite understandably, did nothing to improve Hikaru's mood.
As hours passed, Hikaru's stomach started to growl louder and louder, and finally he gave in and dug out the lunch his mother had prepared him, some fried fish and a few rice biscuits. As he sat in the shadow, attacking his snack with fervor, he thought about the only useful thing that man had said. If someone's gone missing, you should ask the police, not me.
He swallowed the rest of his rice biscuits and with heavy steps headed toward the imperial police.
As he arrived at the police headquarters, he almost collided with a man who was just leaving. “Watch where you're going!” the man snapped, and stomped to his carriage. Hikaru shot an angry glare after him, but let it pass.
“Excuse me,” he said hesitantly as he stepped into the headquarters. A young man with some papers in his hands turned to look at him.
“Yes?”
Hikaru bowed. “I'm looking for someone who has been missing for a while. I was wondering if you'd know anything about him.”
“What's the name of this missing person?”
“Fujiwara no Sai,” Hikaru said, bracing himself against the mockery he had come to expect when uttering that name. Instead the constable raised his eyebrows in surprise.
“You too? Isn't this a popular fellow.”
Hikaru stopped and stared at him. “What do you mean?”
The man nodded toward the door. “The man who just left was also asking after him.”
Hikaru stood very still a moment. Then he turned on his heels and ran out.
The man's carriage hadn't, luckily, proceeded far, and Hikaru sprinted after it. “Sir! Sir, wait!”
Running as fast as he could, he reached the carriage, and the man took a peek at him from its windows. He frowned, but still gave a sign to stop. “What do you want?”
“You... you were asking about Fuh-fujiwara no Sai, right?” Hikaru panted, and the man's frown deepened.
“What about that?”
“I'm looking for him too. My name's Fujiwara no Hikaru. He was my teacher. Is my teacher,” he corrected, mentally kicking himself. When had he come to think of Sai in past tense? He'd better be more careful and stop tempting fates like that.
“Ah... I see.” Strange expressions passed on the man's face, finally settling to friendly compassion. “I take it you have not heard of him either? I hope nothing bad has come to him since the... unfortunate events.”
Hikaru let out a relieved breath. Finally someone more sympathetic. “Nobody's heard of him, and we're growing quite worried. Did the police have anything to tell?”
The man shook his head. “Sadly, no. Or maybe that is a good thing. But I have no time for chatting now, I am expected at the palace. I would like to speak with you more, though - would you come over tonight? We could talk more comfortably at my private mansion.”
“Sure! I mean...” Hikaru bowed hastily, remembering his manners. “I'd be delighted.”
“Very well. I should be home well before sun sets. But come a little later, so you won't have to wait in the case I'm delayed. My name is Sugawara no Akitada. My mansion is on the Second Street, near the Divine Spring Garden. Jo two, Bo three, Cho thirteen. Just ask around, everyone knows it.”
Hikaru bowed again. “Thank you very much for your kind invitation.”
Only after the man had left was he beginning to wonder why the name had sounded so familiar. Then he shrugged it off - this man knew Sai, so maybe Sai had once mentioned him. Now, he should decide what to do next. He was tired after all the walking, and as he couldn't think of anyone else who might be of help, he decided it would be best to go home to rest. Of course, it was a bit of a walk, which he really didn't need, but that couldn't be helped.
Once he arrived home, he found only the women there, as Taro had left to his work as a carpenter, building a new wing to some lord's mansion. He sat down with them, but conversation felt somehow superficial and forced, and he found himself wishing he had spared himself the extra walk. Then Akane and Akari shared a glance and excused themselves, leaving him alone with his mother.
“Did you get your business finished?” Mitsuko inquired gently.
“Not yet. But I'm going to meet a man tonight who possibly can help me. Oh! That reminded me...” He looked at his mother a little sheepishly. “I should meet him at the time of the sunset, on the other side of the city. Would you see that I leave on time...?”
She shook her head and gave him a look. “Shouldn't you be able to tell time by now? But don't worry, I will. It won't be good to keep important people waiting. I take it he is important?”
“Well, yes. His name is Sugawara no Akitada. He's... well, I'm not exactly sure who he is, but he's currently at the palace.”
His mother had a troubled look in her eyes. “You associate only with such fancy folk nowadays,” she muttered. “It is so weird... I hope you don't embarrass yourself too badly.”
Hikaru flushed. “I do know how to behave, you don't have to worry, mother.”
“Mother,” she said, as if tasting the word. “How long will you go on calling me that...”
The flush deepened. “What are you talking about? That's not going to change, no matter how many times I'm adopted.”
She smiled a little sadly. “You might come to find such a common background a great burden, some day.”
Hikaru opened his mouth, and then closed it, not knowing what to say. “Do you oppose the adoption?” he finally asked carefully, and his mother's eyes widened in shock.
“Oh, heavens, no! It is such a great thing to happen to you, and I only want your best. But it has been so hard, with you away. I missed you so much...”
“Yeah, well, I missed you too...” he muttered. “But don't worry, I'm not going to forget about you. Once everything is in order, I'll arrange for a better place for you to live, for starters.”
“That would be nice. I like this house, but the neighborhood is turning ugly.” She smiled a little. “What about Akari?”
“What about her?” The blush that had already left his face was back, brighter than ever.
“Oh, come now, you know what I mean,” Mitsuko said with a laugh.
“I can't read minds,” Hikaru muttered and scrambled up. “I want to rest a little before going back. Let's talk later.”
He left his mother sitting alone and escaped out of the room, only to find himself face to face with Akari.
“What about me?” she asked innocently and giggled as his blush deepened again.
“Were you eavesdropping?” he muttered darkly as he hurried toward his own room. “Such unladylike behavior!”
“Oh, but I'm not a lady.” She followed him with light steps and wide grin. “Just a common brat - unlike you. Say, should I call you Hikaru-sama now? Or Hikaru-dono?”
“Shut up, Akari.” He stopped at his door and glowered at her. “That's nonsense.”
“I know.” She stopped smiling. “But it's true. There was a time when I took it for granted we'd be married some day, but now... it's beginning to look quite impossible. It's a shame... but that doesn't mean I wouldn't be happy for you.”
Hikaru's face was, once again, bright red. “You really are no lady,” he mumbled weakly. “How can you be so straightforward?”
She grinned again. “Because you look so cute when you blush like that. I just can't resist. Say, would you play a game with me? I’ve kept our old board.”
Hikaru gave a start. “What is it with people suggesting games out of the blue like that,” he muttered, but shrugged then. “Why not.”
“Great! I've grown better while you were gone.”
He grinned back at her. “Me too.”
The game did not last long and it ended with Akari throwing the stones into the wall in deep frustration. Hikaru laughed, chided 'Akari-no-kimi' for her behavior, and got a rain of go stones as a reply.
~
“His student?” Toshirou asked with interest.
“Yes. So the boy claimed, at least. To me, he seemed just like another rude brat... but I told him to come over, just in the case he'd be useful. If he's not, we don't have to let him in.”
“Oh, he just might be useful.” Toshirou tapped his chin with his fan. “To have someone connected to this Sai would make it so much easier to find his body.”
“Good. I want this to be over.” Akitada's voice was quite strained. “Then, we can concentrate on more important things.”
Toshirou nodded, giving him a sly look. “Yes. It would be about time. If I just can enter the court circles, we will both benefit quite greatly.”
“Yes... but...” Obviously Akitada's thoughts were still quite taken by their present dilemma. “Do we have to tell the boy about the ghost? I don't want him to start wondering why it is haunting me.”
“Hmm? Oh, I guess that won't be necessary. We can just say that we're looking for him - if he happens to be dead when we find him, too bad.”
~
Akira's prediction had indeed been correct - their Chinese professor had seen to it that he had been busy the rest of the day. He didn't mind it, though; he liked helping the old man, and this also gave him a chance to improve his Chinese. He had returned to the Chinese Faculty after the afternoon's classes and was currently reading aloud a long letter the professor's friend had sent him. The old man himself sat cross-legged on his pillow, listening quietly, eyes closed.
The letter concerned some new views on old Chinese classics, and contained many quotes. In truth, Akira didn't quite understand everything he read, and at times he had to stop to ask for the correct reading of the Chinese signs. When he reached the end, the professor didn't move, and for a moment he wondered if the old man had fallen asleep, sitting. Then, slowly, the eyes opened to a narrow slit.
“Many thanks for your trouble. It has been kind of you to give me so much of your time.”
Akira bowed slightly. “It has been my pleasure. And very instructive.”
“Yes, certainly.” Another of the man's eyes opened a little more and shot an inquiring glance at the boy. “Even though it seems that your mind is not completely on what you're doing.”
“I... I'm sorry,” Akira began with a small start, but the man waved his hand dismissively.
“No matter, no matter. But is there something troubling you?”
“Not really.” Akira paused for a moment, wondering what to say. “I was merely thinking of a game of go I played yesterday.”
The old man cackled. “Did you lose?”
Akira stiffened a little. “Yes,” he finally admitted.
The old man kept on cackling. Slowly, he gathered himself up from the floor and took the papers from Akira. As he started to arrange his things, Akira decided that it was time for him to take his leave, so he bowed his goodbye and headed out. He was just about to leave the room, when he heard the old professor's voice behind him.
“When you meet someone better than yourself, turn your thoughts to becoming his equal. When you meet someone not as good as you are, look within and examine your own self.”
He looked behind his shoulder, but the man wasn't even looking at him, so he left without a word.
As he stepped out of the courtyard of the Chinese studies, planning to head home, to his dismay he saw Fujiwara no Kousuke leaving the opposing Faculty of Mathematics. There was no chance that the younger boy wouldn't notice him, so after hesitating a moment by the gate he gave the other a nod.
“Still busy?” Kousuke asked instead of a greeting, and he frowned inwardly. The boy really should work on his manners.
“Going home,” he replied shortly, and they started walking side by side, in silence.
It's not that he were better than me, he reflected to himself, still thinking about the previous day's game, and remembering what the professor had said - a Confucian quote, the old man was quite fond of those. But equal... maybe. This in itself was quite surprising. And, perhaps, exciting? He glanced at the younger boy from the corner of his eye and realized the other was watching him intently. Now - here was someone who wasn't yet on his level, if ever would be, whether the subject was go or anything else.
Look within and examine your own self?
Perhaps there was something in this. He was careful with his manners, attempted to be modest and never arrogant, but he knew he could be just as single-minded as Kousuke to achieve his goals.
His self-reflection came to an abrupt end when he noticed a familiar figure hurrying through the university area. At the same moment the figure stopped, having spotted him, and for a while they just stood there, frozen.
Kousuke looked with interest from him to the stranger and back. “And this is...?” he said, and for a moment Akira wished him somewhere far, far away. Without answering he walked to the stranger.
“Good evening to you,” he said. “What business do you have here?”
The other gave him an embarrassed grin. “Eh, I'm just taking the shortcut, if you don't mind. I'm going to meet someone.”
Kousuke cleared his throat quietly, and Akira bit back a sigh. “This is Fujiwara no Hikaru,” he said. “Fujiwara no Kousuke.”
The two bowed at each other. He could see the interest gleam in Kousuke's eyes and wished he had never said anything about the stranger's go skills.
“Nice to meet you,” Kousuke was saying. “Say, which branch of our clan do you represent?”
Akira shot him a glare. Always so discreet.
“Northern,” Hikaru muttered, looking a little ill at ease, and Kousuke raised his eyebrows.
“I don't remember seeing you in the capital before,” he stated.
“I've been away a while,” the other admitted, and a part of Kousuke's interest seemed to die away.
“Where?” he still asked.
“Kawachi province. But, I'm sorry, I need to be going now... I have a meeting.” Hikaru gave them a quick bow and hurried away before Akira had time to say anything.
“Strange fellow,” Kousuke muttered. “Is he really such a great player? He seems somewhat countrified to me, even if he claims to be from the home provinces.” He sniffed. “I do hope I will be spared any visits to the provinces. It can't be good for your character. Say, are you sure you don't have time for a game?”
Akira wasn't really listening to him. “No, no, thank you...” He looked after Hikaru who had almost left the university area, and made up his mind. “See you tomorrow.” And he rushed away, leaving tight-lipped Kousuke staring after him.
“Do you this time know where you're going to, or do you need a guide?” he asked as he reached Hikaru.
The other gave him a surprised look. “Don't you have... anything to do?”
He shook his head. “Not really.”
“Well, I'm going to...” Hikaru took a breath and recited, “Jo two, Bo three, Cho thirteen. But if you have time to be playing my guide, I don't mind. I've never been any good with these addresses.”
“It's rather simple, really. You know how the city is divided into different Cho by the streets? Four lines of Cho running east to west form a Jo, and four lines of Cho running north to south form a Bo, and the Cho which share the same Jo and Bo...”
“Gah!” Hikaru covered his ears. “It just makes my head ache. Besides, knowing the address won't help if you don't know where you are, so could you please just guide me there without a lecture?”
Akira fell silent. “How can you play such great go, if you can't understand even something this basic?” he finally asked, genuinely confused.
“Go is different,” Hikaru replied with a grin, and Akira just shook his head.
“Talking about go, there is one good player whose mansion is in this direction. Very close to where you're going to, if not...” Akira frowned. “You're not going to meet Sugawara no Akitada, are you?”
“Sure I am! Hey, you mean he plays go too? So that's why he knows Sai.”
Akira blinked, processing this. “He certainly plays go,” he said slowly. “He is the emperor's go teacher, you know.”
“Oh? Well, that's - what!?” Hikaru stopped on his heels and stared at him in utter shock. “He is the emperor's go teacher? You mean he... he's the one that... but...”
Akira faced his shock with growing confusion. “He's the one...?”
Hikaru shook his head as if trying to clear it. “No, nothing. But I... then I... really have to meet him. Let's go on.”
“You mentioned Sai,” Akira said as they walked on. “Did you mean Fujiwara no Sai? Do you know him?”
Hikaru said nothing. As Akira watched his face, stern and withdrawn, he decided to drop the matter for now. “I'd like to play with you again some day,” he said instead. “If you would?”
“Yeah, sure.” Hikaru sounded a little distant. “That would be fun.”
“So... when would be a good time? Are you free tomorrow?”
Hikaru blinked. “Tomorrow? I... don't really know what I'll be doing tomorrow. Maybe.”
Akira let out a confused and a little annoyed breath. “Well, you can find me at the university. I'm usually either at the faculty of law or the Chinese studies. Come by if you have time. We're here.”
“Huh?” It took Hikaru a moment to understand the sudden announcement. “Here?”
Akira pointed. “That is Sugawara no Akitada's mansion.”
“I... see.” The mansion was large, and a rather impressive sight. The white stone wall around it was spotless, and the gate leading inside was beautifully ornamented. Hikaru drew a deep breath. “Well, thanks. I guess I should be going then.”
He didn't move, though. Akira looked at him a moment, gave then a little bow in goodbye. “You'll find me at the university,” he still reminded the other boy. “Good luck with whatever you're doing.”
Hikaru gave a start. “Oh, thanks...” He finally got himself on the move and walked in through the gate.
Notes:
It took me a while to figure out the addresses, even though it wasn't that complicated. ^^;; I just hope I got it right and didn't plant Akitada's mansion in the middle of the university or something.
That old Chinese professor... he was supposed to be just some random guy, but I'm kinda beginning to think he is in fact Kuwabara. And Kousuke... that's Ochi, of course, in the case you've forgotten his given name. Very minor character in this story, but he'll pop up at least once in the future chapters.
The university isn't quite what we think when hearing that word. I'm not sure if there were some age limits (I'll check what the Book says later, but I don't have it at hand right now), but you could enter it as a child, and stay there... well, very long. Sons of the higher ranks could enter it automatically... but I really need to check the details before saying anything else.
Akari-no-kimi: no kimi is a historical honorific. It was used both for lords and ladies, especially during the Heian period.
Countrified: People of the capital didn't really think much of the provincials. Inakabitaru (countrified) was the worst pejorative back then. And we're still talking about provincial aristocrats here. I know adoption was common those days, but did a commoner ever get adopted to a noble family... I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised if the answer is no. Hikaru's mother is quite correct... “You might come to find such a common background a great burden, some day.”
I've a feeling not much happened in this chapter... In the next the story should properly start moving on.
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