-------(12)---------

To the best of his recollection, Touya Akira had seen Noguchi Asako only three times in his life: the first when Shindou introduced her at a formal dinner, the second at the funeral of Shindou's grandfather, and the third at the wedding.

Nonetheless, he recognized her immediately when a tall, smartly-dressed woman strode into the living room with all the haste that Shindou himself could muster, and coming to a stop in front of both of them, her fists clenched.

"Where are my sons, Shindou Hikaru?" she asked.

Shindou, who had flinched at the sight of his ex-wife, stood up. "Still missing," he said. "The police are doing everything…"

"Don't give me that!" she said, her voice rising.

Shindou paled even further.

Touya could see, underneath the carefully applied makeup, her eyes were shadowed with sleeplessness.

She was grabbing the front of Shindou's shirt now. "I let them stay with you because you said you would take good care of them, Hikaru! How could you let this happen?" she demanded.

"I… I…" Shindou pushed her away, and sat down again, running his hands through his hair. "Did you think I wanted this to happen?" he shouted.

She deflated at that; her shoulders slumping, she sat down beside him. Touya couldn't help noticing that he had placed an arm around her, and was squeezing her shoulders.

"How did it happen?" Noguchi asked, visibly leaning against Shindou, all the anger drained from her.

"They were supposed to walk back from school together," Shindou said, his voice dulled by hours of unspoken worry. "Mari--she's our housekeeper here--she expected them back by three. When they didn't turn up by three-thirty, she called them, but Kenichi's phone was disconnected. Kenji's too.

"She went looking, and called me when she couldn't find them. I was angry at first," Shindou glanced at Touya.

They had been at a game when Mari's call came, and Touya remembered Shindou's annoyed huff at his housekeeper. But he had gone back at once. They searched the route between Shindou's house and the school, and all the places in between, and Touya could remember Shindou's increasing desperation as the hours passed. "We called the police three hours later," he said.

"Hikaru…" Noguchi placed a hand on her ex-husband's arm. "What's going to happen?" she asked. "It's been two days. If they've been kidnapped, shouldn't there be a ransom demand already?"

Shindou shook his head. "Nothing yet," he said. "I've been driving out at night and in the mornings, searching on my own, but I can't…" he swallowed, and glanced at Touya once more. "Touya. He's been helping me. You remember Touya, don't you, Asako?"

Finally, Touya met Noguchi's eyes for the first time that evening. "Noguchi-san," he said.

"Touya-san," she said.

There had been a time when Touya believed that the future in Japan for Shindou Hikaru would be as bright as his name--professionally and personally. He had been dating Fujisaki for two years when the first rumours of Sai re-surfaced, but despite previous disharmony about Shindou's single-minded devotion to Go, Touya never expected that relationship to crumble so quickly.

In the year Shindou won his three titles, he broke up with Fujisaki, met Noguchi, buried his grandfather, and made plans to leave Japan, seemingly for good. Touya had soldiered on, winning his titles and triumphs alone, but since Shindou returned, Touya had been trying to reconcile this new version of Shindou, who seemed so familiar and yet so different.

He stopped at the doorway, memorizing every detail about Shindou with habitual concentration. Shindou looked tired, yes, but it was a look that Touya was used to seeing. What made it different this time--what made it difficult for Touya to leave--was the misery on his rival's face. He once believed that only Go--and Sai--could put that expression on Shindou, but he was utterly wrong. Touya suddenly felt as though he no longer knew this Shindou.

"Are you going out again later?" he asked.

Shindou nodded. "I have to keep looking," he said.

"What about Noguchi-san?"

"She'll be here. Just as well, she needs the rest, after traveling across half the world like that." He hesitated, then said, "It's all right, Touya. Go back first. You need your rest too. Don't you have a game with that Kimura Sachiko tomorrow?"

Touya had already cancelled the game, but he nodded. "Take care of yourself, Shindou," he said. "I'll come by tomorrow… if it's all right?" he turned the last part into a question, suddenly terrified that his presence would be unnecessary now that Noguchi was back.

Shindou smiled tiredly. "Of course it's all right," he said.

Inside, he relaxed. "Let me know immediately if there's any news," he said.

Shindou nodded, and Touya turned to walk away, knowing that Shindou was leaning against the doorway, watching him leave.

Nonetheless, it was with a sense of disconnection when he saw that it was Noguchi at the door the next morning. She was dressed in a plain cotton dress, and she looked at home in the midst of the tatami floors and sliding doors. "Noguchi-san," he said.

"Touya-san," she greeted, and looked behind him.

"The police dispersed them," he explained, referring to the reporters and the curiosity seekers. "Is it true, that there's news?"

Noguchi seemed to bite back a comment, only stepping back. "You better come in first," she said. "I'll let Hikaru tell you."

Morning in the Shindou household seemed particularly cold, despite the sunlight flooding through the windows. Perhaps it was the lack of two noisy boys squabbling over breakfast and the sound of Shindou trying to keep peace. Touya followed Noguchi to the inner hall, the one where Shindou usually played Go.

Touya stopped short, standing in the doorway. There were four Go boards spread out in the room, all of different ages and styles. "Those are…" he blurted out.

Shindou, who was sitting between them, looked up at the sound of his voice. "Touya," he said.

"What's the meaning of this?" Touya asked, entering the room. "I thought there was news…"

"The police brought these back," Shindou said. "They found it in an antique shop in Yokohama."

"Your stolen Go boards," Touya said, realizing what Shindou was referring to. "You've got them back!"

Noguchi made a bitter-sounding noise. "I'd rather have my children back," she said.

Touya swallowed in shock. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

With effort, Noguchi shook her head. "I know. It's all right, Touya-san. I'll go and get you a drink," she said, and left.

Touya stepped forward, and sat down beside Shindou, who was staring at the Go board in front of him with unseeing eyes. "I'm sorry, Shindou," he said.

Shindou looked up, and finally met his eyes. "Don't apologize," he said. "I know you didn't mean it in that way." He gave a weak smile. "Tell you something that's going to shock you," he said, clearly in an attempt at levity. "Sai's board isn't here."

-------to be continued---------