Chapter Text
- Flights and ‘high stakes’ games
Long haul flights are a pain in the ass, Yoshitaka muses. Granted, for this special occasion the Go Institute actually went and got them first class seats, because the highly anticipated “new wave” did wonders to regain Japan’s bruised pride and after the almost painful lull, the game of Go seems to have regained much of its lost popularity, complete with the fattening of pockets that it brings.
Which is how for this year’s International Amateur Go Tournament, sponsored by the Institute but held in a beautiful venue in the sunny San Diego –to help promote Go and get more worldwide attention– the pros scheduled to attend have actually been deemed worthy of being well taken care of.
Despite the comfort of a classy flight, though, Waya is still incredibly bored –there’s only so many movies that you can watch in one go from the tiny backseat screens before your eyes hurt, and there’s only so many naps you can take before you feel pins and needles in your legs– and kind of grumpy.
He looks around to see how are his traveling companions faring. Yashiro is sleeping soundly, excitement over his very first long flight having died down and given way to extreme sleepiness, it would seem; Isumi is very much sleeping as well, complete with earbuds that are probably playing soothing, classical music –Waya’s face briefly takes an affectionate look. ‘Dork.’ He thinks somewhat fondly while looking over to his friend, before moving to observe the rest. Ochi, way over to the other end of the compartment, is engrossed in some kind of book –possibly studying or examining Tsumego, which brings him to the other two members of this little entourage.
Touya Akira and Shindou Hikaru, shining stars of the new wave in the flesh.
They’re playing Go, obviously –and it’s quite the furious battle, if the mutters and grumbles thrown around occasionally are anything to go by. Luckily for everyone’s ears, the two rivals managed to actually grow up at some point so they don’t throw childish tantrums at each other …with the occasional exception, Yoshitaka remembers quite clearly an instance, give or take two years ago, where a game discussion between the two not-quite-boys-anymore nearly turned into a fistfight, and was only saved by Shindou levelling Touya with this kind of look, before he actually took a step back and decided that maybe a compromise was in order.
It still baffles the redhead that Shindou acted like the mature one, for once, the whole episode was very strange –especially Touya’s reaction to the look, but the only thing anyone around him cared about was that violence had been adverted.
As of right now, they seem to be well into yose on the magnetic travel set that they produced the very second the seatbelt sign turned off. Curiosity winning over, Yoshitaka takes a peek.
It’s a very close thing, and they’re basically just closing the fights by now.
Shindou places a hand at 8-1 and raises his eyes towards Touya. “Give it up.” He advises, almost in a sing-song tone “You know you have to…”
“Shut up and let’s finish this.” Is all the other has to say, moving to close a ko at 15-6.
Shindou just smirks at his rival and goes to 5-12 to finalize his territory, and Touya pointedly refuses to return the look as he captures the final stone of the game at 10-4.
While Touya’s black controls the upper right corner and the entire lower left, Shindou aggressively conquered the center and the final tally sees white ahead by 1.5 moku.
Touya’s lips part in a sound that is halfway between a sigh and a huff. “Fine.” He mumbles, clearing his voice and stating it more clearly –wouldn’t want his rival to think he’s too chicken to admit defeat. “Fine, just get it over with.”
There’s a silence poignant enough that Waya has to ask: “What now?”
Shindou is positively beaming. “Now I get to claim my prize.” He says, looking at his rival with what could be described as pure glee while said rival stares back defiantly but with the barest hint of a smile himself. Then Shindou’s hand shoots up to grab a full fistful Touya’s hair and for a moment Waya wonders if this is the moment questionable tabloids will be proven right.
He holds his breath.
“I swear to God, Shindou, if you take pictures of me like this I’m going to make you eat the stones.”
“Tsk, tsk! So little faith in my sportsmanship.” Touya’s annoyance returns full force as Shindou’s fingers card through his hair a couple of times before the other pro starts making silly braids with it.
‘Ah.’ The redhead unconsciously exhales.
The stakes, Shindou explains minutes later, were that if he won he’d get to play with Touya’s usually impeccably straight hair and make it look as stupid as he can for the rest of the flight; whereas upon loss Touya would have had the right to hold Shindou’s precious fan hostage for the same duration.
Yoshitaka still thinks it’s a bit weird that Touya fell asleep while Shindou played with his hair –in a display of blind trust quite contrasting with Touya’s questioning of Shindou’s honour moments before; and the look Shindou gives him upon noticing it still doesn’t quite add up to what he knows of their rivalry.
It’s too fond, almost tender, for someone as hot headed as Shindou, and especially so to direct to someone as temperamental as Touya is known to be around his rival.
‘…nah.’ then again, maybe that’s the point. They’ve all been around each other all the way through adolescence and out of the under-18 category, and Shindou and Touya have been at each other’s metaphorical throat long enough to become as close as he himself is with Isumi, if not more. Plus, the sleeping prodigy does look almost endearing, fast asleep and curled up in his seat –deceptively so, considering Waya thinks Touya is straight up scary and shouldn’t be allowed to look cute– and it’s not like he himself doesn’t feel like smiling at least a tiny bit at the image.
This is going to be a fun week.