The Shining Go
Chapter Two: Comings and Goings
Touya Akira was silent ever since the Shindou kid left, Ichikawa-san observed quietly. Of all the things that could have happened, a divorce was the unlikeliest to do so. Kitajima-san, on the other hand, was gloating loudly.
"Ha! That kid deserved it. With a spoiled-brat like that, I would understand why any parent would be to get divorced. Talk about karma! Did you see his face Akira-sensei? He got what he deserved..."
"Kitajima-san!" Ichikawa exclaimed. "I understand you don't like Shindou-kun but please do not bad-mouth him! He's a good kid if you look past his faults. He's going through a tough time!"
"Feh, he's just trying to get sympathy. Shindou is nothing but a loud-mouthed brat with minimal talent for Go. Look at him! Two years of being a pro and still a 2-dan? He'll be lucky to..."
"That's enough!" Touya cried, standing abruptly. Kitajima closed his mouth as the other customers looked on nervously. Touya cleaned up his stones and walked towards the exit. Ichikawa-san handed him his bag. The boy took it without saying a word and left. Moments later, Ichikawa growled, "It's your goddamn fault! If YOU hadn't said all those things about Shindou then Akira-kun wouldn't have gotten angry and left!"
"Oh yeah? That brat shouldn't have been anywhere near Akira-sensei in the first place? That kid's the reason why he delayed becoming a pro. And the Shindous must have been nuts in the first place for having a kid. Good thing they're getting divorced. Bad parents shouldn't have children in the first place."
The other patrons back away. It was the first time that they heard gentle Ichikawa-san growl at anyone. Ichikawa's smile turned into a predatory grin. "Oh yeah? What about YOUR son Kitajima-san? In and out of prison ten times over the last two years isn't it? And when did you and your wife divorce? Ten years ago wasn't it? Ho, ho ho...!"
"Ichikawa-san!"
"Shindou..."
"Please, not now, Touya."
Touya sat down beside him. When he had rushed out of the Go Salon, he was surprised to find his rival sitting on a bench in the bus stop. Since it wasn't rush hour, there were no people milling around, waiting for buses. He took the opportunity to hear out the smaller boy's story. So far, He didn't have much luck. Shindou was staring dejectedly at the sidewalk for half an hour already, ignoring his questions.
"How long have we known each other?"
Shindou was surprised at the unexpected question. "Dunno. about four years?"
Touya grinned. "Exactly four years, two months, twenty days, three hours, fifty minutes, 20 seconds, 21, 22, 23, 24..."
"You made that up didn't you." This time the bleached-banged boy was showing a slight smile.
"Yup. But it has been four years and two months. I'm not obsessive enough about our rivalry to count to the last second."
"Could have fooled me. I thought you were serious for a second there. Creeped me out."
"That was my intention." The two boys smiled at each other. They sat like that in companionable silence for a few moments, observing the people walking about: two schoolgirls giggling over a secret joke, a salaryman hailing a taxi, an old man peddling cheap jewelry. "Do you want to talk about it now?" Touya asked hesitantly.
"I guess so..." Shindou trailed off. When he began again, his voice quavered slightly. "He was having an affair."
"What?"
"With another woman, a colleague at the company he works in."
"Oh God, I'm so sorry..."
"Don't be." Shindou sighed. "This wasn't exactly surprising though. I had suspected it for years. It had started around the time I was in fifth grade. Dad started meeting with that woman in love motels, then he and that woman asked to go in business trips together. He lied to mom, saying he would be away for a week when the truth was the trip would be only three days long... then he'd spend the rest of the time with her..."
Touya sighed. He couldn't understand Shindou's feelings. His family life had always been stable. His mother was supportive of his and his father's careers at Go. They had very few fights and had surprised each other by being romantic at random times. He was surprised though at being an only child given the intensity of his parents' relationship. Shindou's on the other hand was...
"Are you angry?" He found himself asking.
Shindou looked like he was on the verge of tears but he shook his head. "No. Just a bit surprised it would always end this way. Do you know? I have a little sister already... she's five and she wants to see me... That's why dad wanted us to know. So that his daughter will have a stable family at last."
"And your mother?" Touya asked.
"I don't know." was the answer. "She might want to go back to Osaka where her family is and she wants me to come with her. But I'm old enough to get a place of my own. I have a job and commitments here in Tokyo. I could stay with my dad for a while though, get to know Youko-chan, that's her name by the way. Or with gramps. Osaka isn't too far away you know. Just a couple train rides on the Shinkansen..."
Touya, for some reason, had the urge to comfort the smaller boy. "And what do you want, Shindou?"
Shindou was crying freely now. "I don't know anymore. I just don't know..."
And with that Touya Akira wrapped his arms around his rival's smaller frame and let him have a good cry.
Ichikawa-san was pleasantly surprised to see Touya bring in Shindou an hour later. One look at the boys' faces made her fetch a clean, wet rag. She let Shindou wipe away the remains of his tears. Kitajima was unusually silent, Touya noted. Maybe he had decided to get a life beside taunting Shindou. Or Ichikawa-san let gave him her patented 'Look of Death' (TM). Either way, he was glad the old customer was silent, for the other boy's sake.
Once they were seated at their customary table, Touya made a decison.
"You could stay with us." he said.
The Go Salon was silent before, now after his proposal, you could hear a pin drop and the crickets chirping outside.
"What?"
Touya gathered up his courage. "It would be okay with Father. He and Mother are always out of the country with his commitments with the Korean and Beijing leagues as well." He gave a small smile. "We could also ask Yashiro to stay over, after all, the next Hokuto Cup is coming soon."
Shindou, was almost in a state of shock. "Bu-but, I'll be imposing on your hospitality and then..."
"No buts." Touya glared.
"Yes sir!" Shindou gave a mock salute and smiled weakly. "Anou..."
"Yes?"
"Can Waya and Isumi stay over as well? Sometimes?"
Outside, the passers-by were wondering what could have happened to make the usually noisy Salon go silent a second time. They just shrugged their shoulders and went about their business.
to be continued...