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31_days2008-05-14 11:56 pm
issen4.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2008-05-14 11:56 pm
[May 14] [Hikaru no Go] Stones in Narrow Spaces 14/?
Title: Stones in Narrow Spaces 14/?
Day/Theme: May 14 - A head case, but his record was clean
Series: Hikaru no Go
Character/Pairing: none
Rating: General
-------------
Iijima jumped when the automatic doors to the Go Institute slid open and spent the next few seconds admonishing himself for his reaction. He was overreacting. After all, he had once spent half of his teenage afternoons in this place; there was no need to get jittery. He squared his shoulders and entered.
The interior was very different from the one in his memory, however. They must have renovated or redecorated since: the aquarium that he remembered so well was nowhere to be seen, and hadn't the walls been white?...
"Iijima-san!"
He jumped again, feeling his heart thud in his chest, but this time it was because he recognised the voice.
Nase came forward. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I give you a shock?" she asked.
"It's all right," Iijima said. "Good afternoon, Nase-san." Feeling awkward, he turned his attention to the surroundings again, and found himself looking at a framed newspaper article that featured the woman beside him.
"Thanks for agreeing to meet me here," Nase said. "I can't go out, I have a game later--hey, they actually framed that?"
It was a story on the most recent Japan Cup, with Nase bowing to a suit-clad, bespectacled man. The caption read, 'Nase 8-dan receiving the Japan Cup from Aikawa Shoji, representing the sponsors.' A quick glance at the story content told Iijima that the Aikawa company was the goban sponsor for the competition. "Congratulations, Nase-san." The Go Institute was so alien to him now, especially now that it contained Nase, once his insei friend and now one of the top Go players in Japan.
Nase laughed. "Thanks. That was more than six months ago, you know." She sobered almost immediately, however. "I got your message this morning," she said, "and I had to see you. I wanted you to explain it to me. Is it true? Is Ochi the thief?"
Iijima looked around wildly, nervous about being overheard. He had only agreed to meet Nase to explain the matter because the case affected her, and even then it was supposed to be a private meeting. "Can we talk somewhere else?"
"Of course," Nase understood immediately. "This way." Instead of the lift lobby, she was leading him to the stairs and led him to the third floor and into a small Go classroom. "We can talk here. Don't worry, all the other players and insei are on the sixth floor, watching Shindou play with Ogata-sensei."
Shindou was another of those players whose career made Iijima certain that he had made the right choice years ago. Shindou's Go was brilliant. Iijima knew in his heart that he would never be able to play at Shindou's level, and he had chosen to quit rather than persist in futility. And for Shindou to be playing with Ogata--that was beyond his imagination. He was better off being a detective.
"Oh, do sit down," Nase said as she sat down on the tatami.
Awkwardly, Iijima obeyed, then spent the next few seconds staring at his hands, wondering what to say or do.
"I don't really know Ochi all that well," Nase said, "except for the time we were all insei together. Remember?"
Iijima certainly could. He could still remember the way Ochi looked at that time, with that bowl-shaped haircut, large spectacles that threatened to overwhelm his face, and wool vests over neatly ironed trousers. He remembered Ochi's habitual, haughty expression and the habit he had of using an index finger to push his sliding spectacles upwards. It was a far cry from the man they had taken away the night before.
"But I can't believe that he was the thief. I mean, you know Ochi, Iijima-san!" Nase sat up, indignation making her cheeks flush. "I know he's was pretty weird in the past, but he's harmless. All he wants to do is be better at Go. You can't arrest him for that."
"I remember when he used to lock himself in the bathroom-"
"He wasn't doing anything wrong," Nase said. "He was just replaying his game in privacy!" She noticed Iijima's reaction. "Sorry. I really want to get my goban back, but honestly, I don't see how the theft has to do with Ochi."
Iijima considered for a second before he said, "You know that Ochi's grandfather died six months ago-"
The ready sympathy in Nase's eyes made him understand why she was defending Ochi so vehemently. "You know what happened," Iijima continued.
"Only what the newspapers report."
"The fire not only killed his grandfather, but destroyed the house. Including Ochi's goban," Iijima added.
Nase's hand went to her mouth in shock. "He's such a private person that I didn't realise-" she stopped herself. "I guess no one thought to ask him about that, not with his grandfather- Wait. That still doesn't make him the thief."
"He didn't get himself a new goban."
Nase frowned. "What?" To a Go pro, not having a goban to practise and study on was like telling a competitive swimmer to train without a pool.
"And the reason he came to our attention because he was seen meeting one of our suspects." Aikawa Shoji, whose family made gobans. "A goban was later delivered to his home. I decided to have a look." Iijima had used the fact that they knew each other to invite himself to Ochi's home.
Nase was shaking her head. "Maybe he bought a new goban after all-"
Iijima said, "We found yours instead."
(TBC)
Day/Theme: May 14 - A head case, but his record was clean
Series: Hikaru no Go
Character/Pairing: none
Rating: General
-------------
Iijima jumped when the automatic doors to the Go Institute slid open and spent the next few seconds admonishing himself for his reaction. He was overreacting. After all, he had once spent half of his teenage afternoons in this place; there was no need to get jittery. He squared his shoulders and entered.
The interior was very different from the one in his memory, however. They must have renovated or redecorated since: the aquarium that he remembered so well was nowhere to be seen, and hadn't the walls been white?...
"Iijima-san!"
He jumped again, feeling his heart thud in his chest, but this time it was because he recognised the voice.
Nase came forward. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I give you a shock?" she asked.
"It's all right," Iijima said. "Good afternoon, Nase-san." Feeling awkward, he turned his attention to the surroundings again, and found himself looking at a framed newspaper article that featured the woman beside him.
"Thanks for agreeing to meet me here," Nase said. "I can't go out, I have a game later--hey, they actually framed that?"
It was a story on the most recent Japan Cup, with Nase bowing to a suit-clad, bespectacled man. The caption read, 'Nase 8-dan receiving the Japan Cup from Aikawa Shoji, representing the sponsors.' A quick glance at the story content told Iijima that the Aikawa company was the goban sponsor for the competition. "Congratulations, Nase-san." The Go Institute was so alien to him now, especially now that it contained Nase, once his insei friend and now one of the top Go players in Japan.
Nase laughed. "Thanks. That was more than six months ago, you know." She sobered almost immediately, however. "I got your message this morning," she said, "and I had to see you. I wanted you to explain it to me. Is it true? Is Ochi the thief?"
Iijima looked around wildly, nervous about being overheard. He had only agreed to meet Nase to explain the matter because the case affected her, and even then it was supposed to be a private meeting. "Can we talk somewhere else?"
"Of course," Nase understood immediately. "This way." Instead of the lift lobby, she was leading him to the stairs and led him to the third floor and into a small Go classroom. "We can talk here. Don't worry, all the other players and insei are on the sixth floor, watching Shindou play with Ogata-sensei."
Shindou was another of those players whose career made Iijima certain that he had made the right choice years ago. Shindou's Go was brilliant. Iijima knew in his heart that he would never be able to play at Shindou's level, and he had chosen to quit rather than persist in futility. And for Shindou to be playing with Ogata--that was beyond his imagination. He was better off being a detective.
"Oh, do sit down," Nase said as she sat down on the tatami.
Awkwardly, Iijima obeyed, then spent the next few seconds staring at his hands, wondering what to say or do.
"I don't really know Ochi all that well," Nase said, "except for the time we were all insei together. Remember?"
Iijima certainly could. He could still remember the way Ochi looked at that time, with that bowl-shaped haircut, large spectacles that threatened to overwhelm his face, and wool vests over neatly ironed trousers. He remembered Ochi's habitual, haughty expression and the habit he had of using an index finger to push his sliding spectacles upwards. It was a far cry from the man they had taken away the night before.
"But I can't believe that he was the thief. I mean, you know Ochi, Iijima-san!" Nase sat up, indignation making her cheeks flush. "I know he's was pretty weird in the past, but he's harmless. All he wants to do is be better at Go. You can't arrest him for that."
"I remember when he used to lock himself in the bathroom-"
"He wasn't doing anything wrong," Nase said. "He was just replaying his game in privacy!" She noticed Iijima's reaction. "Sorry. I really want to get my goban back, but honestly, I don't see how the theft has to do with Ochi."
Iijima considered for a second before he said, "You know that Ochi's grandfather died six months ago-"
The ready sympathy in Nase's eyes made him understand why she was defending Ochi so vehemently. "You know what happened," Iijima continued.
"Only what the newspapers report."
"The fire not only killed his grandfather, but destroyed the house. Including Ochi's goban," Iijima added.
Nase's hand went to her mouth in shock. "He's such a private person that I didn't realise-" she stopped herself. "I guess no one thought to ask him about that, not with his grandfather- Wait. That still doesn't make him the thief."
"He didn't get himself a new goban."
Nase frowned. "What?" To a Go pro, not having a goban to practise and study on was like telling a competitive swimmer to train without a pool.
"And the reason he came to our attention because he was seen meeting one of our suspects." Aikawa Shoji, whose family made gobans. "A goban was later delivered to his home. I decided to have a look." Iijima had used the fact that they knew each other to invite himself to Ochi's home.
Nase was shaking her head. "Maybe he bought a new goban after all-"
Iijima said, "We found yours instead."
(TBC)