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31_days2007-09-25 11:50 pm
issen4.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2007-09-25 11:50 pm
[25 Sept] [Hikaru no Go] And the Waves Crashed on the Goban 25/?
Title: And the Waves Crashed on the Goban 25/?
Day/Theme: 25 Sept/Are you on Melrose Avenue?
Series: Hikaru no Go
Character/Pairing: Hikaru/Akira, Isumi/Le Ping
Rating: General
It was almost ironic how media speculations came so close to guessing the truth, yet never really pinned it. Maybe it was no one wanted to be the first to accuse Shindou of cheating, in so many words. Or maybe the notion was simply too impossible to be imagined.
" 'Did Shindou Hikaru have a secret mentor?' " Shindou read the headline on the paper Touya was holding, even though Touya was seated on the other side of the room. Then again, it was hard to miss a three-inch high headline. "The implication being that my secret mentor is Sai, you mean," he said to Touya.
Touya held up another copy of Go-orgeous and showed him the headline. Was Shindou possessed at Meijin game? It was a headline that was certainly intended to be provocative.
The game of Go had its mystical connections--from certain early uses as a tool for divination, to old Chinese stories about gods playing Go--but to Go professionals who had been trying to battle preconceived notions about their devotion to an ancient game, anything that smacked of the supernatural was to be avoided as much as possible. The notion of the Hand of Go was perhaps the only acceptable exception, and even seasoned professions hesitated before bring that up with anyone who had never come across Go (which meant about 90% of the population).
"If they say that, it won't be long before the multiple personalities theory starts up," Shindou said in response to the headline.
"They don't call it 'multiple personalities' anymore," Touya said.
"Tell them that," Shindou said. He looked through the stack on the futon beside him. "Well, I've got another one." He held up Adult Games, a bi-monthly magazine that despite its unfortunate title and sometimes gaudy covers of badly-dressed people, actually reported serious news on professional Go, shogi and chess in Japan.
" 'Pro comes out of the dark in Meijin game', " Touya read. He and Shindou shared a look, and both groaned at the same time.
Shindou let his groan drag on for far longer than Touya. "That's it," he said finally, "If the puns about our names-"
"Your name, you mean."
"My name," Shindou amended smoothly. "If the puns about light and dark have appeared, it's a sign that the whole thing is descending into farce."
Touya didn't have the heart to tell him that it could also be a sign that some people were starting to lose their inhibitions about accusing Shindou of unprofessional conduct. If even a serious magazine was starting to use the language of the tabloids, surely the politely-worded inquiries from the Go Institute could not be far behind.
They had been holed up--to put it diplomatically--in the Touya residence for five days already, and they were ready to kill each other. There was something about being trapped, even if it was by curious, prurient-minded reporters, that sapped one's energy from normally delightful pursuits.
Such as playing Go all day.
The shock that he had been playing Sai's Go had worn off for Shindou after only a day. When asked, he had only mumbled something about 'trying to imagine what hand Sai would have played'. Evidently that was something that he used to do when he was younger. Touya could understand that; there had been times when he tried to imagine what his father would have done, too.
He deduced that under the combination of physical pain and misery over the encounter with the 'Sai' program, Shindou had confusedly used Sai's Go instead interpreting it through his usual style. It was a consistent mix-up, at least; Touya thought with more than a little admiration. It might as well have been Sai sitting before him in that game--no wonder the media were so intent on getting Shindou to 'explain' things.
And that was what Shindou would never do. Sai was Shindou's source of faith in Go, but Sai was also his sorrow. Which was why they were reduced to staying indoors and reading tabloid headlines to monitor the situation, instead of turning to other amusements.
Such as staying in bed all day.
"I wonder what Waya thinks of this," Shindou said.
Touya thought darkly that Waya Yoshitaka was probably beside himself with joy. All the times he had suggested that Sai was really Shindou, and now, there was actual evidence in the form of the game.
With a growl, Shindou pushed the stack of tabloids to one side and dragged his notebook computer to him.
"It's late," Touya said, after glancing at the clock, which showed 11 pm. "What are you planning to do?" They were, after all, sharing the room, and Touya felt that he would be unable to sleep if Shindou decided...
"Playing a game," Shindou said, his fingers flying over the keyboard. "I need to play with someone who has no idea who Sai is," he said.
Ah. Touya nodded a reply, and began picking up the copies of the tabloids. Many of them had advertisements for Melrose Avenue, a new housing project--Touya wondered idly if he and Shindou could move there to shake the reporters off. A moment later, an exclamation from the futon made him rush over. "What-" he began, before his eyes took in what the computer screen was showing him.
On the list of on-line players on the Net Go website was the name 'S.A.I.'
Day/Theme: 25 Sept/Are you on Melrose Avenue?
Series: Hikaru no Go
Character/Pairing: Hikaru/Akira, Isumi/Le Ping
Rating: General
It was almost ironic how media speculations came so close to guessing the truth, yet never really pinned it. Maybe it was no one wanted to be the first to accuse Shindou of cheating, in so many words. Or maybe the notion was simply too impossible to be imagined.
" 'Did Shindou Hikaru have a secret mentor?' " Shindou read the headline on the paper Touya was holding, even though Touya was seated on the other side of the room. Then again, it was hard to miss a three-inch high headline. "The implication being that my secret mentor is Sai, you mean," he said to Touya.
Touya held up another copy of Go-orgeous and showed him the headline. Was Shindou possessed at Meijin game? It was a headline that was certainly intended to be provocative.
The game of Go had its mystical connections--from certain early uses as a tool for divination, to old Chinese stories about gods playing Go--but to Go professionals who had been trying to battle preconceived notions about their devotion to an ancient game, anything that smacked of the supernatural was to be avoided as much as possible. The notion of the Hand of Go was perhaps the only acceptable exception, and even seasoned professions hesitated before bring that up with anyone who had never come across Go (which meant about 90% of the population).
"If they say that, it won't be long before the multiple personalities theory starts up," Shindou said in response to the headline.
"They don't call it 'multiple personalities' anymore," Touya said.
"Tell them that," Shindou said. He looked through the stack on the futon beside him. "Well, I've got another one." He held up Adult Games, a bi-monthly magazine that despite its unfortunate title and sometimes gaudy covers of badly-dressed people, actually reported serious news on professional Go, shogi and chess in Japan.
" 'Pro comes out of the dark in Meijin game', " Touya read. He and Shindou shared a look, and both groaned at the same time.
Shindou let his groan drag on for far longer than Touya. "That's it," he said finally, "If the puns about our names-"
"Your name, you mean."
"My name," Shindou amended smoothly. "If the puns about light and dark have appeared, it's a sign that the whole thing is descending into farce."
Touya didn't have the heart to tell him that it could also be a sign that some people were starting to lose their inhibitions about accusing Shindou of unprofessional conduct. If even a serious magazine was starting to use the language of the tabloids, surely the politely-worded inquiries from the Go Institute could not be far behind.
They had been holed up--to put it diplomatically--in the Touya residence for five days already, and they were ready to kill each other. There was something about being trapped, even if it was by curious, prurient-minded reporters, that sapped one's energy from normally delightful pursuits.
Such as playing Go all day.
The shock that he had been playing Sai's Go had worn off for Shindou after only a day. When asked, he had only mumbled something about 'trying to imagine what hand Sai would have played'. Evidently that was something that he used to do when he was younger. Touya could understand that; there had been times when he tried to imagine what his father would have done, too.
He deduced that under the combination of physical pain and misery over the encounter with the 'Sai' program, Shindou had confusedly used Sai's Go instead interpreting it through his usual style. It was a consistent mix-up, at least; Touya thought with more than a little admiration. It might as well have been Sai sitting before him in that game--no wonder the media were so intent on getting Shindou to 'explain' things.
And that was what Shindou would never do. Sai was Shindou's source of faith in Go, but Sai was also his sorrow. Which was why they were reduced to staying indoors and reading tabloid headlines to monitor the situation, instead of turning to other amusements.
Such as staying in bed all day.
"I wonder what Waya thinks of this," Shindou said.
Touya thought darkly that Waya Yoshitaka was probably beside himself with joy. All the times he had suggested that Sai was really Shindou, and now, there was actual evidence in the form of the game.
With a growl, Shindou pushed the stack of tabloids to one side and dragged his notebook computer to him.
"It's late," Touya said, after glancing at the clock, which showed 11 pm. "What are you planning to do?" They were, after all, sharing the room, and Touya felt that he would be unable to sleep if Shindou decided...
"Playing a game," Shindou said, his fingers flying over the keyboard. "I need to play with someone who has no idea who Sai is," he said.
Ah. Touya nodded a reply, and began picking up the copies of the tabloids. Many of them had advertisements for Melrose Avenue, a new housing project--Touya wondered idly if he and Shindou could move there to shake the reporters off. A moment later, an exclamation from the futon made him rush over. "What-" he began, before his eyes took in what the computer screen was showing him.
On the list of on-line players on the Net Go website was the name 'S.A.I.'