31_days | [May 21] [Hikaru no Go] Stones In Narrow Spaces 21/?

Title: Stones in Narrow Spaces 21/?
Day/Theme: May 21 - Your road to freedom that you build with flesh and bone
Series: Hikaru no Go
Character/Pairing: none
Rating: General

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For a moment Touya thought Shindou was going to rush over to his goban and start murmuring to it. Luckily for his sanity, Shindou only looked in that direction as though to reassure himself that it was indeed his goban, and took the next few steps towards Tsutsui Kimihiro.

"Tsutsui-san!" He sat down next to the other man without asking and his expression turned eager, as though expecting an instant report on all that had happened.

One day, Touya thought, Shindou would learn that not everything that happened could be encapsulated into a single kifu. He sat down beside Shindou after a bow towards Tsutsui. "Good afternoon, Tsutsui-san. How are you feeling?" he asked as he kicked Shindou in the heel. He nodded toward Iijima, who was standing a short distance away.

There were shadows under his eyes, but Tsutsui nodded politely at them. "I'm fine, thank you for asking."

"That's a relief." Touya knew that he would not forget the image of Tsutsui, trapped in his own mind and muttering to the goban, anytime soon.

Tsutsui nodded, and looked down at himself. "I still don't remember all of what I was doing," he said, raising his arms to chest level and studying them. "I'm glad that my arms are obeying me again, though."

"...yeah, that's great," Shindou said slowly, as though finally remembering his manners.

The silence in the room grew awkward as they searched for a way to broach the obvious topic. Then Tsutsui coughed. "A-about the goban-" he started.

"I know you didn't steal my goban!" Shindou burst out.

"Shindou!" Touya said, appalled.

"Well, he didn't!" Shindou said, as though Touya had been the one making the accusation instead.

Touya resisted the urge to kick his boyfriend again, this time in a more vulnerable spot. "We know that," he said. "That's why we're here, to find out how your goban fell into Tsutsui's hands." He turned to Tsutsui. "I'm sorry, Shindou is-"

"I'm used to him, don't worry," Tsutsui said, even managing to smile at them. "Shindou, I didn't even realise it was your goban at first. I was simply examining a number of gobans for my client. You know of the Spring Go Exhibition, right?

"Yeah. It's an amateur Go tournament open to children that starts on May 5, and this year's special exhibit is gobans. The gobans are open to bids, by the way," Shindou added. "The Heian goban from Ito-san was supposed to be part of the exhibit, but it has been stolen too."

"Yes, the Heian goban was to be the highlight of the exhibit. Strictly speaking, the Heian goban no longer belongs to Ito-san, though. My client already paid for it, but he allowed it to be displayed."

Touya glanced at Iijima, who was still standing at the far end of the room, but was now pretending to be immersed in a newspaper. They had not known that of the Heian goban. "But Ito-san's the one who claims that he's the owner."

"My client prefers not to reveal his name."

"Even though it might interfere with police- oh, never mind," Shindou said with a shrug. "I've come across some paranoid clients too."

Iijima's eyebrow seemed to be twitching. Touya wondered if this was the first time he was learning about this.

Shindou nodded. "But h-how did my goban get into that group? It's not an antique."

"I think it was switched with the Heian goban."

Both Shindou and Touya stared at him in astonishment. "But-"

"Shindou, your goban was stolen on the 7th," Iijima said from where he was, the newspaper now folded in a mess and tucked under his arm. "The Heian goban was taken the very next day."

"The thief worked fast, I know," Shindou said, frowning. "One normal goban today, and a genuine, valuable antique the next day."

"And Father's goban a week before that," Touya said.

"Yeah." Shindou's frown grew deeper.

"Do you think the thief abandoned Shindou's goban when he realised it was not an antique?" Touya asked.

Tsutsui met his eyes as he nodded. "I think so. But I can't understand why he would put in the container reserved for the Heian goban."

"Would be easier just to throw Shindou's goban somewhere," Iijima said from where he was, his eyes steady on all three of them.

Shindou flinched at the suggestion.

"Whatever the reason," Tsutsui continued quickly, "I came across it, and I brought it home..."

Iijima said, "The Heian goban was not reported until the next day, by another member of the staff." He eyed Tsutsui. "I'm sorry, but I find it hard to understand why you did not report the missing Heian goban."

Tsutsui looked almost annoyed with him. "I've explained that when you were questioning me yesterday."

"It sounds unbelievable."

Shindou had been looking from Tsutsui and Iijima like a spectator following a tennis ball. "What's unbelievable?" he asked.

"It's the truth," Tsutsui said to him. "I didn't realise--I wasn't in control of my own flesh and bone. And I didn't break free for a long time."

" 'Break free'?" Touya said.

Tsutsui turned towards Shindou and Touya. "I'll show you." He stood up and went to the goban.

Shindou took the excuse to move towards it as well, a hand on Touya's wrist to pull him along. They stood together as Tsutsui removed a stone from a go-ke--white--and placed it firmly on the surface with a clear 'pachi' sound.

Touya could feel Shindou give a start and watched as Shindou's lips shaped the word 'Sai'.

(TBC)