[Zhonghaun]
by arccie
Change of Fortune
He knew his mother enjoyed visiting her family on the rare occasion that his father’s schedule gave her the opportunity. It was just unfortunate that she felt the need to include him in the visits.
Akira didn’t fit in with his younger cousins as he had no desire to run and scream outside, nor his older cousins who gathered to quietly talk about girls or the latest results of sports competitions (as none of them even considered Go a sport). He couldn’t even try to fit in with the adults who laughed at his seriousness and were quick to herd him off to spend more time with his cousins.
At least he’d managed to convince his uncle Kenji to let him explore the family’s storage area this time. Hopefully he’d manage to unearth an old family goban and he could occupy himself by replaying old games.
Covering his nose carefully with his sleeve he pulled the dusty coversheet off a tall pile in the centre of the room, squinting doubtfully at furniture and boxes outlined by the resulting cloud of dust motes. Poking unenthusiastically through the closest box, a pattern of black and white wedged between two of the boxes stacked on top of a desk. His heart began to pound at the thought that he may have discovered an open pair of go-ke and his wish for a goban not a fruitless dream after all. However, peering more closely he was dismayed to see it was only an old soccer ball largely discoloured by rust coloured stains. Disappointment winged swiftly through him and in frustration yanked the nearest of the boxes to him, allowing the ball to roll off the table as he swiftly searched through the box.
It took him a moment to realise the sound of rustling cloth was not a product of his search, but in fact came from somewhere behind him. Thinking it might be one of his cousins attempting to scare him again in one of their games he turned quickly, mouth falling open in shock when he was not met by the expected sight of his cousins. Instead, a young man dressed in rumpled sports clothes stared morosely at him from across the room.
Wondering how a stranger had managed to infiltrate the storage area of his Uncle’s house, he didn’t let the bubble of fear beginning press against his throat stop him from harshly asking, “Who are you?”
‘You can see me?’ The stranger grinned with clear delight.
Akira glared sharply. “Of course I can see you. Now tell me who you are and how you got into my Uncle’s house?”
The young man ignored Akira throwing his hands into the air and staring at the ceiling. ‘Thank you God for this opportunity. I will join the living world once more.’
Hearing the strange words, Akira wasn’t given time to question before the man moved quickly towards him, hand latching onto his shoulder despite Akira’s attempts to avoid the outstretched limb.
The moment it made contact with him the world begun to grey along the edges, the sides of the storage area disappearing from his sight until all he could see, seemingly shining through the growing dimness, was the stupid soccer ball. The only thing he could hear, over the rush of blood in his ears, was the strange man calling out his thanks over and over again.
Even as he was dragged down into unconsciousness, all he could think was that the entire thing was very wrong.
And that somehow this incident was going to change his life considerably.
*----------------------*-----------------------*-----------------------*---------------------------*
Change of Fortune
He knew his mother enjoyed visiting her family on the rare occasion that his father’s schedule gave her the opportunity. It was just unfortunate that she felt the need to include him in the visits.
Akira didn’t fit in with his younger cousins as he had no desire to run and scream outside, nor his older cousins who gathered to quietly talk about girls or the latest results of sports competitions (as none of them even considered Go a sport). He couldn’t even try to fit in with the adults who laughed at his seriousness and were quick to herd him off to spend more time with his cousins.
At least he’d managed to convince his uncle Kenji to let him explore the family’s storage area this time. Hopefully he’d manage to unearth an old family goban and he could occupy himself by replaying old games.
Covering his nose carefully with his sleeve he pulled the dusty coversheet off a tall pile in the centre of the room, squinting doubtfully at furniture and boxes outlined by the resulting cloud of dust motes. Poking unenthusiastically through the closest box, a pattern of black and white wedged between two of the boxes stacked on top of a desk. His heart began to pound at the thought that he may have discovered an open pair of go-ke and his wish for a goban not a fruitless dream after all. However, peering more closely he was dismayed to see it was only an old soccer ball largely discoloured by rust coloured stains. Disappointment winged swiftly through him and in frustration yanked the nearest of the boxes to him, allowing the ball to roll off the table as he swiftly searched through the box.
It took him a moment to realise the sound of rustling cloth was not a product of his search, but in fact came from somewhere behind him. Thinking it might be one of his cousins attempting to scare him again in one of their games he turned quickly, mouth falling open in shock when he was not met by the expected sight of his cousins. Instead, a young man dressed in rumpled sports clothes stared morosely at him from across the room.
Wondering how a stranger had managed to infiltrate the storage area of his Uncle’s house, he didn’t let the bubble of fear beginning press against his throat stop him from harshly asking, “Who are you?”
‘You can see me?’ The stranger grinned with clear delight.
Akira glared sharply. “Of course I can see you. Now tell me who you are and how you got into my Uncle’s house?”
The young man ignored Akira throwing his hands into the air and staring at the ceiling. ‘Thank you God for this opportunity. I will join the living world once more.’
Hearing the strange words, Akira wasn’t given time to question before the man moved quickly towards him, hand latching onto his shoulder despite Akira’s attempts to avoid the outstretched limb.
The moment it made contact with him the world begun to grey along the edges, the sides of the storage area disappearing from his sight until all he could see, seemingly shining through the growing dimness, was the stupid soccer ball. The only thing he could hear, over the rush of blood in his ears, was the strange man calling out his thanks over and over again.
Even as he was dragged down into unconsciousness, all he could think was that the entire thing was very wrong.
And that somehow this incident was going to change his life considerably.
*----------------------*-----------------------*-----------------------*---------------------------*