Kiss and Make Up
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Every Go player emits a different intensity when playing; this is pretty common. The most extreme, practically legendary, transformation is arguably the one exhibited by Touya Akira, the polite, accommodating young man in any kind of matter but Go territory.
Watching him play against his rival, it seems that Shindou Hikaru is just as much a scary presence. The difference is, Shindou is just as cheeky in the real world as he is on the board. The similarity is, the deviation in the level of maturity between Shindou's games and Shindou's manners is just as large as the sudden increase in Touya's murderous intent when a goban is in sight.
Touya might be more understanding of the personality discrepancy if he would just reflect on this comparison, when their grade-school fight got especially bad that day, and Shindou pointedly blew on his thumb towards Touya as he walked out. Ichikawa filled him in later that the gesture generally meant 'I'm not befriending you anymore' among elementary school girls; apparently Shindou and Fujisaki Akari have had quite a history.
Whatever hostile gesture Shindou may summon that Touya never remembers from his doubtfully-existent childhood, he is sure Shindou will forget it soon enough, so he isn't at all concerned.
Except that the mostly aged customers in the Go salon have rather bad eyesight -- and most likely, just as bad childhood memory -- and they all think that Shindou was blowing him a kiss.
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Author's Note:
Frankly I don't quite know if the thumb-blowing gesture means the same in Japan... it is as I remember from my own childhood. Indulge me. :D In any case, correction/comments will be highly appreciated. :)