Chapter Text
It wasn’t even noon and Barok was already fed up with his work day. He sighed deeply as he pressed the elevator down button. The banker had used yet another loophole to avoid revealing his actual income, and they would have to wait another week to get the proof they needed for building the case. Scotland Yard had tried to be supportive but as Gregson would put it “There’s just so much we can do, sir”. He’d had to resort to ask the help of Asougi, the young exchange student intern (a promising recruit, if only he wasn’t so arrogant each time he’d get results).
He walked away from the office with long strides. He was always looking forward to his lonely walks along the Thames, so he chose an even further lunch place today. The notification popped up on his phone at the same exact time as every day, and he couldn’t repress a smile when he opened it up :
[WorldOfChess : Chuunosuke has invited you to play!]
He entered his favourite pub after accepting the request, and settled on a table with a view on the river. He typed his question before ordering food, and got an almost immediate answer :
BvZ: Shogi or chess today?
Chuu: Can you show me the move of the yesterday again??? I think I can win against it now!! ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ
BvZ: Sure. That’s “from yesterday” by the way.
Chuu: Ohh right right thanks (^▽^)
He launched the chess game with a sigh of relief, because he didn’t feel like getting his ass kicked today. He decided to go easy on his opponent. If he had wanted to win he would just pretend to use the same strategy with a hidden one backed up, and remind his opponent that he shouldn’t trust his words when he’d complain about losing. He had done it before and had received tons of angry emojis from Chuunosuke. But this time he just enjoyed watching how much he’d learned since they began their daily matches.
His food arrived and he picked at it as he kept an eye on the game. Even though he wanted to be nice, he noticed a fatal mistake his opponent made and took advantage of it. The chat window immediately popped up next to the game area.
Chuu: Nooooooo!!（ ﾟДﾟ）
BvZ: You have been careless.
Chuu: I know! But it’s not over!! (⩾﹏⩽)
Chuunosuke had the habit of never giving up even when backed in the deadliest corner and that’s why he enjoyed playing against him so much. He’d faced too many rage-quitters. Still, the issue was clear from then on and Barok won again.
BvZ: You are still throwing away pieces forward and hoping one of them hit eventually.
Chuu: I swear I took time to read the game these time.. T^T
Chuu: *this
Chuu: One more?
Barok looked at his watch. He had been lingering on for too long already. He would have to walk back faster to make it in time.
BvZ: Not today. But we’ll do shogi next time.
Chuu: Alright! *^_^*
BvZ: Good night.
Chuu: I want go in bed but I have homework to finish first TT__TT
BvZ: Do it or you’ll fail.
Chuu: I won’t!!! (ง'̀-'́)ง
Barok paid at the counter and strode back along the wharf. Before he entered the office he noticed he had forgot something important and wrote :
BvZ: Thanks for the game.
***
Ryuunosuke felt really good coming out of the classroom. He still couldn't believe he’d just aced the grammar test, probably the hardest subject of the degree. The look on professor Auchi's face when he had to admit he had improved was priceless. Surely that wasn't thanks to his half-assed preachings, so he should remember to thank his regular conversational-chess partner later.
He joined up with Susato and her friend in the refectory, where they congratulated him on his good grade.
- We should celebrate! Actually we wanted to go to the karaoke tonight, you want to join ?
- O-Oh, sure why not!
- Hmm, you don't sound that sure, said Susato as if she could read his mind. You had other plans?
Chess, came instantly into his mind. But he couldn't sacrifice his college social life to online board games with a stranger, could he?
- No, no, nothing in particular, I'm just a terrible singer, haha!
- That's why it's fun, Naruhodou-san! Rei chimed in.
- You just want to laugh at me then? he said, feeling sweat starting to drip on his forehead.
- No way! We’re all in this together! Also, just so you know, filming is forbidden!
- Alright, in that case I’ll be happy to join.
He went home and started to get ready to meet up with the girls and their friends. He couldn’t really shake off this slight sting of guilt at the idea of dropping a game of chess with someone on the other side of the world. Then again, their meet ups hadn’t been that regular at first. BvZ just had been the first to accept a conversation with a really bad english-speaker, and he’d patiently corrected all his english mistakes as well as his chess bad moves. But Ryuunosuke recalled a time where he had gone missing for a couple of weeks, just after he had confessed he was bad at chess because he had shogi reflexes. He couldn’t have been sulking, right ? Just because he’d learned he was a japanese shogi player ? Regardless, he came back and suddenly expressed an interest in learning shogi as well “to make things even” he had said.
Ryuunosuke locked the key to his flat and looked at his phone. Should he apologize in advance? Was he overthinking this? Probably. He put the device back in his pocket and left for the train station.
***
Barok had accepted a very persisting invitation to lunch with his colleagues, just because Sholmes had dropped by the law firm for an “exceptional and dazzling consultation” on their current case, and he was hating every moment of it. He had prepared to politely decline the daily chess game invitation, but to his surprise, it never came. Herlock’s unbearable conversation distracted him enough to not dwell on it too much.
A few hours later, he felt his phone vibrate next to his computer’s keyboard. The familiar invitation notification popped up. With a quick mental calculation, he realized it was past midnight in Tokyo. He opened the game app and typed in the chatroom :
BvZ: What are you doing up so late?
He saw the “is typing” icon flash then disappear a couple of times, and patiently waited for the response.
Chuu: I(m sorrry bVz (-_-- )(im went to drink wit fridns but i didn&t want to misss the egam with you
Barok rubbed the edge of his nose and shook his head.
BvZ: You don’t owe me anything you can go out and do whatever else you want. It’s fine.
Chuu: is it really?? because i was sad whan you dindt want to play anymore so i didnnt want you to fell the same way (._.)
Barok froze for a second. He was definetely not proud of his childish overreaction back then. He had hoped to be over it by now, but the simple mention of “shogi” had brought back painful memories of when his brother, a chess prodigy and champion, had been caught cheating against the shogi player who’d come to challenge him from Japan. Klint had then been harrassed and defamed relentlessly by journalists, (who went as far as targeting his wife and daughter as well), and had, understandably, never picked up a chess piece again.
Barok had felt almost guilty when he got the urge to play again. Despite this painful event it was also tied to happy memories of them playing together. So when shogi was mentioned, it’s like he got caught red-handed doing something wrong, and he considered giving up chess altogether. But after a week or two, he realized it wasn’t fair to his online friend, and came back with an apology. Since then they hadn’t missed a day of match until now.
He wasn’t good with words outside of the courtroom, but he tried regardless to type an acceptable answer :
BvZ: This is different, I don’t want to prevent you from having fun.
Chuu: but games with you are fun ttoo! ヽ(´▽`)/
Barok couldn’t help but chuckle out loud.
BvZ: Then we can play a game of shogi, if you are drunk then maybe I have a chance to win.
Chuu: Ohhh alrgiht!(•̀ᴗ•́)و ̑̑
As it turned out, he still played very well inebriated.
- Ohh what’s this that I see ? A smile on our Reaper’s face ?
It wasn’t often that Barok was caught offguard, but Sholmes had been sneakier than a fox. In a single movement he turned towards him and shoved his phone in his pocket. He snarled at him, feeling a heat on his face that wasn’t rage :
- What do you want ?
- Nothing but uncover the truth, as great detectives are prone to do! So naturally I do wonder what - or who - is making you so happy?
- I am not particularly happy, he answered in his usual deadpan tone.
- Nonsense! Your movements have betrayed your secret! I can see your eyes point towards...
Sholmes pointed at his desk in a dramatic way, Barok froze for a moment :
- ...This magazine! It is open at the page of upcoming theatrical shows and concerts! I just need to follow your gaze to see you are interested in the next performance of famous girl’s band ATB49!
At the same time Barok put his hand to his forehead, his phone buzzed with a notification - probably Chuunosuke awaiting his next move. Sherlock used that to continue his tiresome monologue :
- Hah! And this notification is clearly the e-mail confirmation of your ticket purchase! Elementary!
- Astounding, commented Barok. Can you leave me to it then and be amazing elsewhere ?
Since life is not that easy, it took another fifteen minutes of mindless chatter to get rid of him, before he could go back to the chatroom.
5:12PM - BvZ: Apologies for the delay. My coworker was bothering me.
He usually wouldn’t have explained himself, but his heart was still racing from earlier. He didn’t know why he had been so ashamed to be caught by Herlock. It’s not like he was doing anything reprehensible - idling on his phone from time to time was tolerated at the workplace. Nor that his conversations were revealing any big secret. But still, it felt...private.
5:28PM - BvZ: Chuunosuke? Are you still around ?
5:30PM - Chuu: Pd,fsm
Chuu: SORRY IF ELL ASlseep on my phone!!!! °A°
Chuu: Are you in troubel at work???
BvZ: No, all is fine. But maybe it’s a bit late for you to play?
BvZ: You should get some rest.
Chuu: Aww youre right maybe i should ;_;
Chuu: wait
Chuu: or
Chuu: Areyou saying that because i was winning ? ( ͡ʘ ͜ʖ ͡ʘ)
Barok inhaled deeply and gathered his strength before typing:
BvZ: Maybe?
BvZ: :)