-------(8)---------
Some of the headlines were familiar, even from a distance of more than twelve years; subtle and not-so-subtle comparisons between Shindou and Sai, speculations that Shindou was Sai's student, and arguments that Shindou had pretended to be a poor player in his insei days. Other wilder stories, like speculations that Shindou was Sai himself, were less popular.
That was about to change, Touya realized.
"Sensei, you were possessed by a ghost?" Sakurai asked. Her hand went to her lips in a gesture that was meant to convey suppressed laughter.
"No," Shindou bit out.
"But it says here..."
Too late, Sakurai had failed to notice the embittered tone, and she shrank back when Shindou turned to her, his eyes blazing with scorn. "We're living in the twenty-first century, Sakurai. Don't tell me you still believe in ghosts."
"I..." Sakurai stuttered, and Fujitaka bit his lip.
Shindou turned and walked out of the kitchenette. Touya paused to give Sakurai an apologetic glance before he followed after Shindou.
Shindou was heading for the private tatami room where he held his lessons. Kenichi and Kenji were in there, a Go board between them, but they were not playing Go. Instead, they seemed to be talking rapidly, their heads next to each other's.
Touya could see Shindou's anger deflate at the sight of his sons. "What's going on?" Shindou asked, his voice wary.
Kenichi looked up, and his eyes narrowed. Before he knew it, Kenichi had stood up and stalked over to them. "What are you doing about these rumours?" he asked.
Shindou stuttered. "Rumours?" he asked, glancing at Touya.
"Yes!" Kenichi's shout contained pure fury. "These... stupid rumours about you... you and Sai?"
"Me and Sai?" Shindou's voice broke on the name, but his son did not seem to notice.
" 'Ghost from a Go board'?" Kenichi asked. "I've never heard of something so ridiculous in my life!"
"What?"
"Next, you'll be claiming that the Go boards in our storehouse are all haunted!" Kenichi went on. "As though it wasn't enough to hear about people comparing Sai with you..."
"How did you know about the rumours?" Shindou asked.
"We just heard about them from Kuroda-san," Kenji answered, coming to stand beside Touya, as though to use Touya as a shield from his angry brother.
Kenichi was still talking. "... and now they are saying that you were Sai..."
Touya just had time to think, Drat Kuroda, before Shindou drew himself up to his full height.
"You just shut up about Sai right now!" Shindou shouted.
Silence descended. Kenichi glared at his father, his face reddened with rage.
"Shindou," Touya said, keeping his voice soft. "Calm down. Kenichi, you too."
With some tugging from Kenji, Kenichi tore his gaze away from his father's, and looked down at the floor.
After a while, Shindou's gaze fell on him. Touya could read the frustration in his eyes as plainly as the stones on a board. With a visible effort, Shindou managed to bite back further angry words.
"Sit down," Touya said, sitting down himself. He aimed at look at both Kenji and Kenichi, who sat down next to him reluctantly. "Shindou," he reminded.
Seconds passed, but finally Shindou sat down heavily on the floor, his whole stance radiating stubbornness.
Touya decided to ignore him for the time being. "Kenichi, you shouldn't have yelled at your father because of the rumours."
Kenichi frowned. "But they are wrong!" he said, and glared at his father. "Why didn't you stop them from saying such things?" he accused.
"Do you think your father can control what other people say?" Touya asked.
"But..." Kenichi clenched his jaw, but could not find anything else to say.
"Don't pay any attention to such stories," Touya said. "They are just that, stories. Kenji, you too."
Kenichi glared at his father. "And are you going to be frightened off by the rumours?" he asked. "I heard Grandmother say that you left Japan before we were born, because of the same rumours. I warn you, I'm not going to move."
At that, Shindou raised an eyebrow, sarcastic despite himself. "I thought you didn't like Japan."
"But Kenji does."
At the sound of his name, Kenji wriggled in his seat beside Touya.
Shindou glanced at his younger son, and his gaze softened. "I know. Don't worry. I'm not going to be intimidated so easily."
"But..."
"I was young," Shindou said, his words directed to both of his sons, yet somehow, to Touya as well. "I didn't think it through the last time. But now that I've come back, I don't intend to leave." His gaze met Touya's as he continued, "I will stay here with you."
Shindou's next game was even better attended than his last one. Touya nodded and exchanged polite greetings amidst snatches of conversation that ranged from "Did you see the myosho Shindou executed in the later half?" to "Did you hear about the rumours?" One unexpected effect of the rumours about Shindou that were sweeping through Japan's Go community was that the sympathetic looks directed at him had disappeared.
He made his way to where Shindou was talking to the game officials about the game schedule for the next few months.
Shindou looked up as he approached. "Touya," he greeted. He nodded to the officials, ignored a pair of earnest-looking reporters, took Touya's arm and led him from the room.
"Congratulations," Touya said, when they were seated in a secluded corner of Shindou's favourite ramen restaurant. "Now you're the final challenger for the Kisei title."
Shindou nodded. "I'm glad one thing went smoothly for me, at least," he said. "You know, Go isn't that popular a game, even in Japan. I don't know why there are so many people interested in rumours about what happened to a middle-aged pro twenty years ago."
Touya said nothing.
Shindou shrugged. "It seems like every time I achieve some success in Japan, some crazy rumours appear."
Touya said, "The last time rumours about you and Sai spread, it was the year you had won your titles, remember? We thought at first that it was just because you were so popular, and the media were making use of you."
"Yeah. I thought it was a pretty wild rumour anyway, based on what people knew of Sai," Shindou said, his eyes distant. "I mean, the only people to ever make the connection, other than you, were your father, Waya and Ogata-san. Waya wouldn't ever spread rumours like that. And Ogata-san isn't the type, either."
"But this time, the rumours are stronger than ever," Touya said. "And the content is more... disturbing."
Shindou frowned. "You mean, it's more accurate," he said. " 'Possession by a ghost'. 'A ghost from a Go board.' For a wild story, it's very close to the truth."
Touya sat up, catching Shindou's gaze. "Shindou," he said.
His urgent tone made Shindou narrow his eyes. "What?"
Touya tried to calm his racing pulse. "What... what if it isn't a wild story invented by someone?" he asked.
------to be continued--------------