Title: Chessworks
Author: Luce Red
Series: Hikaru no Go
Disclamer: Characters are the creation of Hotta and Obata
Type: General
Summary: Hikaru comes across chess.
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Touya watched in curiosity as Shindou unpacked the box he was carrying. It was large, but not large enough for a normal-sized Go board. "Is that a chessboard?" he asked as he finally recognized the object as it emerged.
"Yeah. Did you know that Mr. Johnson plays chess as well?" Shindou said, referring to his opponent in the American Go Competition. "He lent me this set when he heard that I've never played." He shook out a smaller package. "It comes with an instruction booklet, and the pieces..." His face lit with childish glee. "Hey, it's a little horse! With a little man on it. Look, Touya!" He waved the piece at Touya.
"That's a knight, Shindou," Touya said. "I'm surprised you don't know that, even if you've never played chess."
"And there's a bearded old man!" Shindou exclaimed, ignoring him. "And a woman with a funny hat! At least," he frowned. "I think it's a woman."
"That's the queen. And the old man is the king," Touya said. Amused, he went and sat down opposite Shindou, starting to explain. "See, you have one set in black, and one in white, and you arrange them like this." He laid the pieces out, explaining the rules briefly as he did so, watching the clumsy way Shindou imitated him and remembering a twelve-year-old boy who couldn't even hold Go stones properly.
Finally, the pieces were arrayed, and Touya had to admit that it was a handsome set, beautifully made. Shindou, he noticed, was still marvelling at the rook and the bishop, and had turned both his knights sideways so that they were facing each other.
Hiding a snort of laughter, he asked, "Do you want to try playing a game?"
Shindou blinked. "You know how to play chess, Touya?"
"Yes, I do. Aishiwara-san taught me once," Touya said. "How about it?"
Shindou frowned. "Erm, okay."
"I'll start, then," Touya said, pushing a pawn forward.
Shindou remained motionless, his eyes studying the pieces. He made no move. Touya frowned. He was sure he had explained the rules well enough, and anyway, Shindou would certainly demand explanations if he were unclear about anything.
"Shindou? Is anything wrong?" he asked.
"Erm..." Shindou said.
It was then that Touya noticed the tell-tale twitch of Shindou's fingers, usually so familiar around a Go-ke, scrabbling on air. He concealed a smile. "This is not Go. The pieces can be moved, Shindou."
"I... I knew that!" But he was blushing.
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