(A.N./ Ah, the fun of random oneshots. This one, however, did not come out of nowhere. A family friend of ours beat my uncle at chess sitting backwards, and that's how I got the inspiration for the story ((yes, he IS a mad genius)). Not much to say but enjoy!)
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The icing-filled decorator, skillfully guided by Akasaka Keiichiro, delicately made a small circle at the top of the three-foot, lemon crème cake. With a small dab and flourish, the final swirl of icing was finished. Keiichiro smiled to himself and wiped the perspiration off his forehead. The satisfaction of completing a cake was truly like no other.
Keiichiro casually glanced at the clock hung in the kitchen wall, only to be taken aback in surprise.
Half past ten already! I've been working on this cake for nearly two hours! he thought. He paused momentarily and his eyebrows knitted together, Forget me, Ryou has been in his office for five hours straight! I bet the boy has fallen asleep again…
Keiichiro took off his apron, set down the decorating tool, and walked to the door to the stairs. Cautiously turning the handle, he peered in. There, on the computer desk, was Ryou-- fast asleep. Keiichiro sighed and descended down the steps. Walking over to Ryou, he gave him a light shake on his shoulder, calling,
"Ryou, wake up. Ryou…"
The boy prodigy sat up from his desk groggily. He groaned and rubbed his head,
"I didn't fall asleep again, did I?"
"You did, Ryou," Keiichiro replied, sighing lightly, "That's a sign that you need to take a long break from work. Get some rest. You'll feel much better after you get a good night's sleep." Ryou shook his head defiantly,
"No, no. Not when there's work to be done. I think I just got a lead on a new alien substance to test on." He motioned to the direction of the computer, and shot Keiichiro an imploring look. Keiichiro sighed once more and looked over the sleep-deprived Ryou. His eyes had rings under them; his blonde hair was disoriented, and he looked like he'd just been hit by a bus. Taking one last glance to the glowing computer screen, he said,
"Alright, I'll make you a bet." Ryou's face lightened slightly as he said,
"What kind of bet?"
"I challenge you to a game of chess…backwards," Keiichiro said, "You have to sit backwards in your chair and call out places to move chess pieces, while I face to the front. In fact, let's make the game a short one. If you can simply put my king in check, then you can stay in your office to work. If I put your king in check, then you have to go to bed."
Ryou sat in silence for what seemed like a few minutes. Finally, he broke his trance and smiled mischievously,
"Deal." Keiichiro smiled back,
"Glad to hear. Let me get the chess set."
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A minute or two later, Keiichiro returned with the board and pieces. Setting up two chairs on either side of the table in the room, he motioned for Ryou to sit down. Ryou got up from his chair, walked over, and sat down, all of which seemed to prove a difficult task considering his drowsiness. Keiichiro sighed for the third time within the five minutes and began setting up the pieces.
"Turn around," he instructed Ryou once he finished. Ryou obediently turned in his chair and looked to the opposite wall.
"Are my pieces the white ones?" he asked. Keiichiro smiled and nodded,
"Of course. I know your preferences." Ryou let out a long, drawn-out yawn.
"Good," he said sleepily.
I don't know if he can play in that state… Keiichiro thought to himself. Nevertheless, he said,
"You're first move, Ryou." Ryou stretched and let out another yawn, mumbling,
"Pawn to E4." Keiichiro set the pawn in the correct space. After his move, he declared,
"Pawn to G5."
"Pawn to A4," Ryou replied.
"Knight to F6," Keiichiro said. Ryou hesitated for a moment before saying,
"Bishop to D3." Keiichiro moved the piece, setting it down on the marble board with a satisfying click. He proceeded to ask,
"And may I ask what this alien substance is you're researching?" Ryou knew this game, however. Keiichiro was trying to make him forget the layout of the board. He wasn't about to give into Keiichiro's sly trick, though.
"It's some kind of large flower," he said, trying to make his tone sound as natural (and unstressed) as possible, "It may have grown to be up to two feet long."
"Fascinating. Pawn to C5," Keiichiro replied, moving his piece.
"Yes, it seemed to be a brilliant red in color. I wonder what I should name it. Knight to F3." Keiichiro moved Ryou's piece, remarking,
"Aren't the ruins of the people fascinating?"
"Yes, very much so. Much like an undiscovered utopia."
"What culture would you compare them to be like? Pawn to A6."
"Probably the Romans. Very advanced…ahead of their time. They created a rich culture and specialized in many pottery and arts. Or…so says my research. Knight to G5; pawn captured."
"Hm…" Keiichiro mused, trying to strategically plan his next move. He casually dropped back into conversation,
"Ah, what I would give to live in those times…Rook to G8." He moved his piece, awaiting Ryou's next move. The boy sat in silence for a minute or so before bluntly stating,
"…no, you wouldn't. Rook to A3."
After moving Ryou's piece, Keiichiro made up his mind to try a risky, suicidal move, going on the basis that Ryou is not conscious of where his pieces were,
"Knight to E4. Pawn captured. …and why not?" Ryou sighed,
"It seemed…rough back in those times. I don't really wish to discuss it. Knight to E4. Knight captured." Keiichiro sighed in disappointment and set his knight on his side of captured pieces, next to his lonely pawn.
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Fifteen minutes and twenty-three turns later, Keiichiro was getting a bit worried. Things weren't looking up on his side, and Ryou appeared to be waking up a little more. At least, he wasn't making many careless mistakes.
"Pawn to F5," Keiichiro stated, sending a nervous glance in Ryou's direction.
"Bishop to F5. Pawn captured," Ryou said in triumph. Keiichiro sighed and set his pawn on his quickly-filling row of pieces.
"The trick of this game," said Keiichiro, "Is not underestimating your opponent." Ryou let out a small chuckle,
"Exactly so. Move, before I forget the board." Keiichiro studied the board for a bit more before his face lit up. He stretched higher in his chair, a smile curling up his lips.
"Queen to F5. Bishop captured, and King in check. I win." Ryou gave a grunt of frustration and turned to face the board. Sure enough, Keiichiro's queen was positioned smartly ahead of his king. He groaned,
"Maybe we should play a full game instead…"
"Ah, ah, ah," Keiichiro said, shaking his finger, "You agreed to a short one. Now, off to bed you go." Ryou moaned and sat up from his chair, stretching both arms to his side and then behind his head. He tramped up the stairs much like a child that was sent to their room. From the stairs, he mumbled,
"Goodnight, Keiichiro."
"Goodnight, Ryou," Keiichiro replied. He hesitated for a moment, then added,
"Be sure to change before you go to bed. Sleeping in your clothes is bad for you, you know."
"Yeah, yeah," came a voice from up the stairs. A door opened, and Ryou spoke in a louder tone, "I swear, you can really be like my mother sometimes!"
With that, the door slammed shut.
Keiichiro only shook his head.
I'm the only mother he's got, so I'll do my best at it, little boy, he thought, Even if it means beating him at a game of chess to force him to go to bed…
"The boy really is amazing, though…" he muttered to himself, staring transfixed at the board. Ryou's moves had been like that equivalent to a regular player. He had memorized every move, and had not lost track of where Keiichiro and his pieces were. Keiichiro sighed for his fifth time.
"Chess played backwards…such a queer sort of game."
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