[shina]
by onkoona
The HGRS
'The Heian Go Re-enactment Society.
Society for the re-enactment of the practice of go playing at the imperial court in the Heian period, presided over by the Emperor.
Weekend event: September 2-4, 2005
All participants must be dressed in garb appropriate to their station at court in the capital of Heian-kyo.
All participants must be of a high level of skill at playing go. The fact that you are a pro does not mean you are acceptable. To asses your level, please contact Ogata Seiji (koifish@netgo.co.jp).
If you have questions about what to wear, contact Touya Akiko (akiko@touyago.co.jp).'
Nase put the flyer down.
"Isumi-san, this sounds very posh; are you sure they want me there? I'm not even a pro yet!"
Isumi Shinichiro put down his chopsticks and his bowl and took a look at his long time friend. Nase Asumi had shared many long years with him as an insei. He had seen her grow into a young woman before his eyes. Isumi had been a go-pro for three years now. And while Nase was had still tried every year to pass the exam, she hadn't made it yet, and in the meantime she worked as a cashier at a go club down town, after she became too old to be an insei. As a consequence they really moved in different worlds, and had a long standing 'date' of dinner once every two weeks, with or without Waya, Fuku or Shindou.
Isumi really liked her; she truly understood and shared his interests in go, but at the same time she wasn't as fanatic about as all his other go friends. She could talk about other stuff with as much relish as well
He wasn't quite ready to ask her. No, not just yet. But he knew he would before she was 21 and her parents would make good on their threat of marrying her off to her distant cousin. So it would have to be soon, as she was nearly 20 now. He had just hoped he'd be able to ask her as a full-fledged pro, but the result of last month's pro exam put a damper on that one. She was getting better every year, but twenty wins and eight losses was just not good enough to pass.
This was why he had given her the flyer; he had been to a session of the HGRS, and the go that was played there was phenomenal. And so were the people that took part. When he had been there, Touya Akira 4-dan, Touya (former) Meijin, Ogata Gosei, Ashiwara 5-dan, Shirakawa 9-dan and two Chinese players Zhao Shi and Master Li (which Isumi had met and played in China) had all been dressed up to the nines, the Japanese players in court outfits (with warrior class outfits for the Touyas) and the Chinese in traditional Chinese outfits for a visiting dignitary and his son (a relationship that Zhao Shi and Master Li did not in fact share, but only put on for the re-enactment)
As a setting the Touyas spacious traditional Japanese
house was ideal; they had a big room, covered in tatami mats, where sliding doors opened on a beautiful garden. On one side the was a screen set aside for the Emperor. And of all the players there, this mysterious Emperor was without a doubt one of the strongest players in Japan. If it wasn't for the fact that the former Meijin had been sitting on this side of the screen, Isumi would have sworn it had been him playing from behind it.
The Meijin and the Emperor had indeed had several matches over the weekend, and they were truly of a strength
But as wonderful as the event had been put together, Isumi wanted Nase to attend it, so she could play some really good opponents
"I think you'll do fine there," he said, picking up his bowl again.
"But I'm not a pro, and even if I were, if Ogata-san would test me... I'm really not at that level," Nase said, unsure.
"Shindou told me you'd be accepted, no problem, no need to test." The boy had indeed said that, adding he'd love to see more women there, and that the test rule was only to keep busybodies and idiots out.
"And what would I wear? I don't even own a kimono!" Nase whinged, looking embarrassed both at not knowing what to wear and then probably not having enough money to hire or buy the required costume.
"Also not a problem," Isumi said between slurping his ramen soup. "Akiko-san has loads you can borrow."
"And what about what the event costs? I mean, a whole weekend!" Nase asked, that being a sensible question. Luckily Isumi had a very clear answer for that one too.
"It's free, for those that make the cut."
"Hikaruuuu," the boy's pet ghost whined as Hikaru fidgeted with his own replica kariginu and tall eboshi hat.
"Hikaru, I really don't think this is a good idea," Fujiwara no Sai, former tutor to the Emperor during the Heian period, said.
Hikaru stopped trying to rearrange his clothing to sit more comfortably (an impossibility, Hikaru surmised) and inched closer to his best friend who sat in seiza on the tatami mat, as was the noble's custom.
He gripped the Heian ghost's chin gently and laid a kiss tenderly on the pinkish-purple lips. The look on the spirit's face was priceless as usual, almost like he still didn't believe touching and kissing him was actually possible. Hikaru touched their lips together again, as if to say it _is_ possible, see? He let their lips part again and looked deeply into the half-lidded near-purple eyes of his long time companion. The glassy gaze met his when he said,
"I do hope you're not saying it was a bad thing when I asked the Shaman in Indonesia to bring you back to me?" His lips touched the lush mouth again. Sai gasped and breathed, "No..."
"I hope you're not saying that spell he cast upon me, so now I can touch you, was a bad idea?" Again he kissed his friend and watched Sai's cheeks slowly light up with a pink flush. Hikaru was really starting to enjoy himself and let his hand drift from Sai’s chin towards his neck and from there to under his hitoe.
"No..." the ancient go player admitted, when his mouth became available again, his eyes almost closed now, with only a sliver of an amethyst iris showing, his breathing having become quite shallow.
"Nor do I hope you're saying that the spell he cast on you, so you can be heard by all when you want to be, was a mistake?"
The kiss lasted longer this time, as Sai wrapped his white sleeved arms around his lover and proceeded to pull Hikaru over, to lie on top of the former tutor to the Emperor.
For a while there was no talking at all, but only the satisfying touch of mouth on mouth and hands on silks and, after some shuffling of materials, hands on skin.
As they lay on the tatami-covered floor, Hikaru's hat had rolled away and his garb was now quite crooked, Sai hugged him close and said,
"No, all those things are wonderful, and I'm happy to be back, but..." he trailed off.
Hikaru turned around in the embrace to look at his best friend and lover. Hikaru couldn't imagine what could be wrong; when Sai had been called back, he had gained the ability to be heard by all, and with that he now had the almost unfettered ability to play go with anyone within hearing distance. And Hikaru had regained Sai; what more could either of them want?
"But?" The tiny tendril of doubt that always stayed in the back of the young go-pro's mind, was tweaked and ready to douse Hikaru's happiness forever.
"But I still feel really funny posing as the Emperor," the Heian noble sighed, pouting. "The Emperor was a holy figure in my time and for me, a lowly noble, to pretend to be Him feels sacrilegious to me!"
As Hikaru untangled himself from the limbs and fabrics of his friend and sat up, he exhaled in relief.
"Oh, that again," the young man sighed almost inaudibly, "Well, it is the only way you can play the great opponents without my help, you know that."
"Uhm, yes I do, but still it doesn't feel right," Sai mused.
"Well, they still can't see you, and the Emperor was the only man who hid behind a screen, or do you want to play a woman instead?" Hikaru asked, sounding only semi serious.
"Uh, no, I do not," Sai sounded mildly insulted.
"And anyway, as I understand it, it was really only the Emperor who was behind that screen all the time; women would come out on occasion."
"Yes, that's true," the ghost admitted, raising his sleeve covered hand to cover his mouth. "That was how it was in my time."
"Well then," the young pro stated as if that ended the discussion.
"But it's still not right." Sai's words did effectively end the discussion, as a bell rang to signal the first costumed arrival at the Touya residence. Sai quickly helped fix Hikaru's outfit and handed him his hat. Sai's outfit never needed fixing; even when the clothes would come off him completely during their private time, the moment that time was over, he'd be miraculously dressed again. Maybe that was a perk of being a ghost; a perk or a curse, neither of them was very sure..
Hikaru was decent again just before Touya Akira, in full Samurai-at-court regalia, popped his head around the screen to give them their last curtain-call.
"Everything ready?" he asked.
The answers of "Yup" and "We are ready, Akira-kun" sounded in quick succession.
It still amazed the Touya heir that SAI from NetGo had turned out always to have been a ghost, one that he could now hear and talk to, and play go with in person. It was the fact that not only he could hear the go genius, but others could too, which had forced him to except the unlikely fact of the ghost's existence. It must be weird to have only a voice and be totally invisible except to Shindou. And as Akira had understood it, the ghost’s voice was a new addition; before the spectre could only interact with the boy Shindou. Once Fujiwara's story had been explained, so many things made sense all of a sudden that Akira felt an odd burden lift, and he could look at his rival with new eyes. He had vowed then and there that while he would want to chase Fujiwara, he would do it together with his own true rival, Shindou.
He knew in his heart of hearts Fujiwara no Sai was his father's rival really, as did Shindou, and they were both grateful they got the opportunity to play the ghost as well.
It turned out Sai had a ferocious appetite for playing and unlike his human friends, he did not need sleep, so whenever Akira was up early (and Akira was up very early sometimes, unlike his father or Shindou) he had no rival for playing time with the ghost.
It had been many a early morning he had spend sitting on the Shindou family's tiny porch before sunrise, playing against a disembodied voice on a dew-wet foldable goban. It had been marvelous.
Soon after, Akira's father persuaded Shindou to come and stay at the Touya residence, bringing the ghost with him, as Fujiwara could not wander far from his host. Shindou had readily agreed; it would make life so much easier for him, for while the Touyas and a few very carefully vetted others knew of Fujiwara's existence, Shindou's parents did not, and Shindou, quite understandably, did not want to scare them by letting them know a ghost was dwelling in their house and had been there for years.
Akira looked in his parents’ bedroom, that for the occasion had been turned into a dressing room, and found all the men of the company dressed and ready, while his mother put the finishing touches to the white and red make-up of the first female to attend the gathering.
The youngest member of the Touya-clan had seen this girl before; she had been an insei for many years, and he remembered having played her at his pro exam. While he knew she was there for two reasons only; she was a friend of Shindou's and she was a girl (a fact that had made his mother ecstatically happy), he fervently hope she'd be behaving better than that other friend of Shindou's had. The boisterous kid with the impossibly spiky hair named Waya (if Akira remembered correctly) had come at the second weekend, and after playing the Emperor (and losing) had rushed over to the dividing screen, screaming "SAI!" and had toppled it, revealing an (of course) empty space.
Much discussion had taken place after this incident, on whether or not to have anymore HGRS weekends, but finally it became clear that it really was the only way Fujiwara could play the great opponents, so the reenactments continued
Akira made eye contact with his mother, who let him know she was as good as ready, and her son moved to the big bronze prayer bell (a gift from one of his dad's go clients). He struck the metal with the wooden striker once and moved back towards the game room.
He opened the sliding doors wider, having noted that the former insei's robes were rather voluptuous; privately he pitied her having to move in that get-up.
He even pitied Shindou, Ogata and Isumi for the ridiculously tall hat their costume style demanded. Of course he and his father had hats too, but they were a lot more sensible, in his opinion anyway
Shindou was already sitting to the side of the screen, as he was to be the personal attendant to the Emperor. A small bronze bell on a wooden handle and a wooden striker lay by his side. Father's nicest goban had been set out in front on the screen; some others were set to the side. As Akira was in charge of everything but the personal needs of the Emperor, he stepped to the side as the lofty lady and gentlemen entered and each sat seiza in the places they had been assigned.
Hikaru bowed. Akira quickly sat down by the doors after closing them, trying to hide his amusement of watching his rival pay homage to true Japanese protocol; he bowed deeply with everybody else to show their respect for the 'Emperor'. The young 4-dan kept his bow going, knowing what was to happen next.
"The Sakura bloom outside. May their petals fall upon the water the way the go stones will be places in formations today." Fujiwara's voice was clear and strong, and Akira let out a breath; he was always a little worried that the ghost might suddenly not be there anymore. It was a fear he never talked to anybody about, most especially not to the ghost or his host, because they had told him that Fujiwara had indeed once disappeared. So he kept those thoughts to himself, and celebrated in his own mind only, every time he heard the ghost speak
Shindou rang the small bell, and everybody sat up straight again.
Next were the formal introductions; Father first, then Master Li, Shinoda-sensei, Ogata-san, Ashiwara-san, Isumi-san and Nase-san. Akira himself and Shindou were not introduced, but he knew they would get to play go too, even if under the real Heian period protocol they would not have been allowed. The unwritten rule at the HGRS was that everybody had an equal chance of playing
Shindou rang the bell again.
"I see we have a lovely young lady here today," came from the behind the screen. "Lady Nase, would you be so kind as to play the first game against me?"
Poor Nase coloured so much it even showed through her white make-up. But the coaching Akira's mother had done with her held, and she bowed so deep her nose almost touched the mat, saying, "I would be most honoured, Your Majesty."
And so the games started.
"Oh, that was so much fun!" Nase twirled once around her axis, letting her hand reach for the sky, before coming alongside him and plastering her side against his and insinuating her arm through his. As they walked side by side, Isumi noticed her very short skirt being lifted up by the already warm spring breeze.
Yes, it had been fun and educational too; Isumi was sure Nase had grown significantly over the weekend. He was eternally gratefully to the 'Emperor', whoever he was, for taking the time not only to play her five times but also to discuss in detail each of the games she had played against the other players. Isumi had sat in on as many of the discussions as he could; the style of teaching and the expertise of the 'Emperor' was astounding.
Idly he mused who the 'Emperor' could be. Waya was convinced he was SAI and Isumi tended to agree that the chance of that was good. But Waya would not be given another chance to find out anytime soon, as he was persona non grata after his little stunt some months ago. No, Isumi was very willing to let the secret alone, and just come to the weekends and evenings organised by the HGRS, learn as much as he could, and take his future wife with him.
The HGRS
'The Heian Go Re-enactment Society.
Society for the re-enactment of the practice of go playing at the imperial court in the Heian period, presided over by the Emperor.
Weekend event: September 2-4, 2005
All participants must be dressed in garb appropriate to their station at court in the capital of Heian-kyo.
All participants must be of a high level of skill at playing go. The fact that you are a pro does not mean you are acceptable. To asses your level, please contact Ogata Seiji (koifish@netgo.co.jp).
If you have questions about what to wear, contact Touya Akiko (akiko@touyago.co.jp).'
Nase put the flyer down.
"Isumi-san, this sounds very posh; are you sure they want me there? I'm not even a pro yet!"
Isumi Shinichiro put down his chopsticks and his bowl and took a look at his long time friend. Nase Asumi had shared many long years with him as an insei. He had seen her grow into a young woman before his eyes. Isumi had been a go-pro for three years now. And while Nase was had still tried every year to pass the exam, she hadn't made it yet, and in the meantime she worked as a cashier at a go club down town, after she became too old to be an insei. As a consequence they really moved in different worlds, and had a long standing 'date' of dinner once every two weeks, with or without Waya, Fuku or Shindou.
Isumi really liked her; she truly understood and shared his interests in go, but at the same time she wasn't as fanatic about as all his other go friends. She could talk about other stuff with as much relish as well
He wasn't quite ready to ask her. No, not just yet. But he knew he would before she was 21 and her parents would make good on their threat of marrying her off to her distant cousin. So it would have to be soon, as she was nearly 20 now. He had just hoped he'd be able to ask her as a full-fledged pro, but the result of last month's pro exam put a damper on that one. She was getting better every year, but twenty wins and eight losses was just not good enough to pass.
This was why he had given her the flyer; he had been to a session of the HGRS, and the go that was played there was phenomenal. And so were the people that took part. When he had been there, Touya Akira 4-dan, Touya (former) Meijin, Ogata Gosei, Ashiwara 5-dan, Shirakawa 9-dan and two Chinese players Zhao Shi and Master Li (which Isumi had met and played in China) had all been dressed up to the nines, the Japanese players in court outfits (with warrior class outfits for the Touyas) and the Chinese in traditional Chinese outfits for a visiting dignitary and his son (a relationship that Zhao Shi and Master Li did not in fact share, but only put on for the re-enactment)
As a setting the Touyas spacious traditional Japanese
house was ideal; they had a big room, covered in tatami mats, where sliding doors opened on a beautiful garden. On one side the was a screen set aside for the Emperor. And of all the players there, this mysterious Emperor was without a doubt one of the strongest players in Japan. If it wasn't for the fact that the former Meijin had been sitting on this side of the screen, Isumi would have sworn it had been him playing from behind it.
The Meijin and the Emperor had indeed had several matches over the weekend, and they were truly of a strength
But as wonderful as the event had been put together, Isumi wanted Nase to attend it, so she could play some really good opponents
"I think you'll do fine there," he said, picking up his bowl again.
"But I'm not a pro, and even if I were, if Ogata-san would test me... I'm really not at that level," Nase said, unsure.
"Shindou told me you'd be accepted, no problem, no need to test." The boy had indeed said that, adding he'd love to see more women there, and that the test rule was only to keep busybodies and idiots out.
"And what would I wear? I don't even own a kimono!" Nase whinged, looking embarrassed both at not knowing what to wear and then probably not having enough money to hire or buy the required costume.
"Also not a problem," Isumi said between slurping his ramen soup. "Akiko-san has loads you can borrow."
"And what about what the event costs? I mean, a whole weekend!" Nase asked, that being a sensible question. Luckily Isumi had a very clear answer for that one too.
"It's free, for those that make the cut."
"Hikaruuuu," the boy's pet ghost whined as Hikaru fidgeted with his own replica kariginu and tall eboshi hat.
"Hikaru, I really don't think this is a good idea," Fujiwara no Sai, former tutor to the Emperor during the Heian period, said.
Hikaru stopped trying to rearrange his clothing to sit more comfortably (an impossibility, Hikaru surmised) and inched closer to his best friend who sat in seiza on the tatami mat, as was the noble's custom.
He gripped the Heian ghost's chin gently and laid a kiss tenderly on the pinkish-purple lips. The look on the spirit's face was priceless as usual, almost like he still didn't believe touching and kissing him was actually possible. Hikaru touched their lips together again, as if to say it _is_ possible, see? He let their lips part again and looked deeply into the half-lidded near-purple eyes of his long time companion. The glassy gaze met his when he said,
"I do hope you're not saying it was a bad thing when I asked the Shaman in Indonesia to bring you back to me?" His lips touched the lush mouth again. Sai gasped and breathed, "No..."
"I hope you're not saying that spell he cast upon me, so now I can touch you, was a bad idea?" Again he kissed his friend and watched Sai's cheeks slowly light up with a pink flush. Hikaru was really starting to enjoy himself and let his hand drift from Sai’s chin towards his neck and from there to under his hitoe.
"No..." the ancient go player admitted, when his mouth became available again, his eyes almost closed now, with only a sliver of an amethyst iris showing, his breathing having become quite shallow.
"Nor do I hope you're saying that the spell he cast on you, so you can be heard by all when you want to be, was a mistake?"
The kiss lasted longer this time, as Sai wrapped his white sleeved arms around his lover and proceeded to pull Hikaru over, to lie on top of the former tutor to the Emperor.
For a while there was no talking at all, but only the satisfying touch of mouth on mouth and hands on silks and, after some shuffling of materials, hands on skin.
As they lay on the tatami-covered floor, Hikaru's hat had rolled away and his garb was now quite crooked, Sai hugged him close and said,
"No, all those things are wonderful, and I'm happy to be back, but..." he trailed off.
Hikaru turned around in the embrace to look at his best friend and lover. Hikaru couldn't imagine what could be wrong; when Sai had been called back, he had gained the ability to be heard by all, and with that he now had the almost unfettered ability to play go with anyone within hearing distance. And Hikaru had regained Sai; what more could either of them want?
"But?" The tiny tendril of doubt that always stayed in the back of the young go-pro's mind, was tweaked and ready to douse Hikaru's happiness forever.
"But I still feel really funny posing as the Emperor," the Heian noble sighed, pouting. "The Emperor was a holy figure in my time and for me, a lowly noble, to pretend to be Him feels sacrilegious to me!"
As Hikaru untangled himself from the limbs and fabrics of his friend and sat up, he exhaled in relief.
"Oh, that again," the young man sighed almost inaudibly, "Well, it is the only way you can play the great opponents without my help, you know that."
"Uhm, yes I do, but still it doesn't feel right," Sai mused.
"Well, they still can't see you, and the Emperor was the only man who hid behind a screen, or do you want to play a woman instead?" Hikaru asked, sounding only semi serious.
"Uh, no, I do not," Sai sounded mildly insulted.
"And anyway, as I understand it, it was really only the Emperor who was behind that screen all the time; women would come out on occasion."
"Yes, that's true," the ghost admitted, raising his sleeve covered hand to cover his mouth. "That was how it was in my time."
"Well then," the young pro stated as if that ended the discussion.
"But it's still not right." Sai's words did effectively end the discussion, as a bell rang to signal the first costumed arrival at the Touya residence. Sai quickly helped fix Hikaru's outfit and handed him his hat. Sai's outfit never needed fixing; even when the clothes would come off him completely during their private time, the moment that time was over, he'd be miraculously dressed again. Maybe that was a perk of being a ghost; a perk or a curse, neither of them was very sure..
Hikaru was decent again just before Touya Akira, in full Samurai-at-court regalia, popped his head around the screen to give them their last curtain-call.
"Everything ready?" he asked.
The answers of "Yup" and "We are ready, Akira-kun" sounded in quick succession.
It still amazed the Touya heir that SAI from NetGo had turned out always to have been a ghost, one that he could now hear and talk to, and play go with in person. It was the fact that not only he could hear the go genius, but others could too, which had forced him to except the unlikely fact of the ghost's existence. It must be weird to have only a voice and be totally invisible except to Shindou. And as Akira had understood it, the ghost’s voice was a new addition; before the spectre could only interact with the boy Shindou. Once Fujiwara's story had been explained, so many things made sense all of a sudden that Akira felt an odd burden lift, and he could look at his rival with new eyes. He had vowed then and there that while he would want to chase Fujiwara, he would do it together with his own true rival, Shindou.
He knew in his heart of hearts Fujiwara no Sai was his father's rival really, as did Shindou, and they were both grateful they got the opportunity to play the ghost as well.
It turned out Sai had a ferocious appetite for playing and unlike his human friends, he did not need sleep, so whenever Akira was up early (and Akira was up very early sometimes, unlike his father or Shindou) he had no rival for playing time with the ghost.
It had been many a early morning he had spend sitting on the Shindou family's tiny porch before sunrise, playing against a disembodied voice on a dew-wet foldable goban. It had been marvelous.
Soon after, Akira's father persuaded Shindou to come and stay at the Touya residence, bringing the ghost with him, as Fujiwara could not wander far from his host. Shindou had readily agreed; it would make life so much easier for him, for while the Touyas and a few very carefully vetted others knew of Fujiwara's existence, Shindou's parents did not, and Shindou, quite understandably, did not want to scare them by letting them know a ghost was dwelling in their house and had been there for years.
Akira looked in his parents’ bedroom, that for the occasion had been turned into a dressing room, and found all the men of the company dressed and ready, while his mother put the finishing touches to the white and red make-up of the first female to attend the gathering.
The youngest member of the Touya-clan had seen this girl before; she had been an insei for many years, and he remembered having played her at his pro exam. While he knew she was there for two reasons only; she was a friend of Shindou's and she was a girl (a fact that had made his mother ecstatically happy), he fervently hope she'd be behaving better than that other friend of Shindou's had. The boisterous kid with the impossibly spiky hair named Waya (if Akira remembered correctly) had come at the second weekend, and after playing the Emperor (and losing) had rushed over to the dividing screen, screaming "SAI!" and had toppled it, revealing an (of course) empty space.
Much discussion had taken place after this incident, on whether or not to have anymore HGRS weekends, but finally it became clear that it really was the only way Fujiwara could play the great opponents, so the reenactments continued
Akira made eye contact with his mother, who let him know she was as good as ready, and her son moved to the big bronze prayer bell (a gift from one of his dad's go clients). He struck the metal with the wooden striker once and moved back towards the game room.
He opened the sliding doors wider, having noted that the former insei's robes were rather voluptuous; privately he pitied her having to move in that get-up.
He even pitied Shindou, Ogata and Isumi for the ridiculously tall hat their costume style demanded. Of course he and his father had hats too, but they were a lot more sensible, in his opinion anyway
Shindou was already sitting to the side of the screen, as he was to be the personal attendant to the Emperor. A small bronze bell on a wooden handle and a wooden striker lay by his side. Father's nicest goban had been set out in front on the screen; some others were set to the side. As Akira was in charge of everything but the personal needs of the Emperor, he stepped to the side as the lofty lady and gentlemen entered and each sat seiza in the places they had been assigned.
Hikaru bowed. Akira quickly sat down by the doors after closing them, trying to hide his amusement of watching his rival pay homage to true Japanese protocol; he bowed deeply with everybody else to show their respect for the 'Emperor'. The young 4-dan kept his bow going, knowing what was to happen next.
"The Sakura bloom outside. May their petals fall upon the water the way the go stones will be places in formations today." Fujiwara's voice was clear and strong, and Akira let out a breath; he was always a little worried that the ghost might suddenly not be there anymore. It was a fear he never talked to anybody about, most especially not to the ghost or his host, because they had told him that Fujiwara had indeed once disappeared. So he kept those thoughts to himself, and celebrated in his own mind only, every time he heard the ghost speak
Shindou rang the small bell, and everybody sat up straight again.
Next were the formal introductions; Father first, then Master Li, Shinoda-sensei, Ogata-san, Ashiwara-san, Isumi-san and Nase-san. Akira himself and Shindou were not introduced, but he knew they would get to play go too, even if under the real Heian period protocol they would not have been allowed. The unwritten rule at the HGRS was that everybody had an equal chance of playing
Shindou rang the bell again.
"I see we have a lovely young lady here today," came from the behind the screen. "Lady Nase, would you be so kind as to play the first game against me?"
Poor Nase coloured so much it even showed through her white make-up. But the coaching Akira's mother had done with her held, and she bowed so deep her nose almost touched the mat, saying, "I would be most honoured, Your Majesty."
And so the games started.
"Oh, that was so much fun!" Nase twirled once around her axis, letting her hand reach for the sky, before coming alongside him and plastering her side against his and insinuating her arm through his. As they walked side by side, Isumi noticed her very short skirt being lifted up by the already warm spring breeze.
Yes, it had been fun and educational too; Isumi was sure Nase had grown significantly over the weekend. He was eternally gratefully to the 'Emperor', whoever he was, for taking the time not only to play her five times but also to discuss in detail each of the games she had played against the other players. Isumi had sat in on as many of the discussions as he could; the style of teaching and the expertise of the 'Emperor' was astounding.
Idly he mused who the 'Emperor' could be. Waya was convinced he was SAI and Isumi tended to agree that the chance of that was good. But Waya would not be given another chance to find out anytime soon, as he was persona non grata after his little stunt some months ago. No, Isumi was very willing to let the secret alone, and just come to the weekends and evenings organised by the HGRS, learn as much as he could, and take his future wife with him.