Title: Moonlight Go
Series: Hikaru no Go
Author: Luce Red
Disclaimer: Characters are property of Hotta and Obata, Shueisha, Jump and their affiliated parts.
Spoilers: All
Notes/pairings: General, gratuitous Japanese, overuse of ellipsis. Written for the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival.

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They say the full moon brings madness.

Certainly the visitors to the park would have thought so, were they less preoccupied with the usual pursuits of the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival. Small children delighted in the opportunity to carry lighted lanterns, while teenagers set off fireworks. Adults poured out fragrant tea and cut mooncakes into wedges. Older folks talked of current affairs. Still others tried solving riddles, or admired the full moon and remarked on the improved state of the air quality in the city these days.

Two men were playing Go.

The pavilion, one of dozens scattered in the park, was lit by large red, yellow and green lanterns. The decorations added to the mood of festivity, but the two men ensconced within did not seem to be aware of the sounds and colours around them.

"Hikaru! There you are!" A middle-aged woman approached the pavilion.

One of the players raised his head. He looked to be about eighteen years old or so; from a distance, the only striking feature about him was the yellow-blond fringe that hung over his eyes. "'kaasan?" he said.

"I was wondering where you were," she said, before she caught sight of his opponent. "Huang-san!" she greeted, stumbling over the unfamiliar sounds only slightly.

"Mrs. Shindou," the middle-aged man said in greeting. He was about forty years old, but looked older. His tie, dark silver with white stripes, was slightly loosened. "Good evening," he added in heavily accented English.

"Ah! Good evening!" She replied in the same language, looking just slightly embarrassed. She bowed a little. "Would you like something to drink?" she asked in equally laboured English.

"No need, thank you." He looked pointedly back at the Go board.

"I... Please continue playing," she said. "Hikaru," she added in Japanese, "Don't play for too long, Huang-san is a busy man." At her son's nod of assent, she smiled, and left the pavilion. Shindou Hikaru turned back to the Go board, ready to continue the game.

"You know, until today, I'd never have expected to play Go with a Japanese player," his opponent suddenly said.

Shindou did a double-take. "You... you speak Japanese, Huang-san?" he exclaimed.

A brief irritated look passed Huang's face. "Yes, I do. And I don't understand why I have to speak Japanese in my own country. You are the visitor here; you should speak Chinese."

"Er..." Shindou looked embarrassed. "I tried,” he said, “Isumi and Touya both tried to teach me. But I kept forgetting..."

"You Japanese are so arrogant, thinking that you're on top of the world and anyone who needs to deal with you must speak Japanese,” Huang retorted, glaring at him.

"Eh heh..." Shindou tried to laugh it off. "I never paid much attention when I was in school. The only subjects I did well in were sports and history." He paused, and looked at his opponent. "Huang-san. I understand that there are matters of contention between our countries, especially about the past. But this is Go. I'm sorry to sound selfish, but that is all I care about."

"You..." Huang looked outraged, and ground out, "You Japanese are all alike, so ignorant about your own history, and so wilful about it..." He shook his head. "Never mind. You're just a kid, so I won't pick a quarrel with you. At least your father is a good man. Not many Chinese like to work under a Japanese boss, you know. But he’s different."

"He’ll be pleased to hear you say that," Shindou said gravely.

"Huh." Huang contemplated the Go board. "I’ve heard from your father that you’re a particular fan of Honinbou Shuusaku’s Go. What’s the matter, our Chinese Go players not good enough for you? Go comes from China, after all."

Shindou raised his eyebrows, recalling the fish-eyed stare of an irrascible old man who was also a Shuusaku fan. "Now, Huang-san, you’re trying to provoke me, aren’t you?" he asked. "It won’t work, here."

He placed a black stone on the Go board, effectively countering the man’s attempt to take over his group of stones. "I am a student of Shuusaku’s Go, that is true, but there is much to learn from all players," he said.

His opponent made a "che!" at his hand. "Never thought you would be this diplomatic," he said, slapping down a stone elsewhere.

Shindou replied almost immediately, and Huang’s eyes widened. "That takes care of that," he said, shaking his head lightly. "It is different playing with a pro," he considered, frowning. "By the way, if you’re interested in Shuusaku Honinbou," he went on, changing the subject entirely, "I came across a counterfeit Go board bearing Shuusaku’s names in an antiques shop the other day."

Shindou’s eyes narrowed. "Yes. I just saw another one that was about to be sold at the Tokyo Amateur Go Festival sometime back.  I asked the organizers to stop the sale immediately."

"Oh?  How did you know that it was a fake?  Most of them are quite well-made, bearing the correct signature of Shuusaku, as well as impressions of his seal."

"I've seen Shuusaku's handwriting before.  The Shuusaku Museum has a few of the Go boards he used when he was alive."

Huang nodded thoughtfully.  "It's still a difficult task to authenticate an antique based only on the signature," he said.  "There are a few old Go boards like that, floating about in Japan and China.  Some are genuine antiques, some are not, but it makes it confusing to sort the real ones from the fake ones."

Shindou's eyes flashed.  "I'm not going to let any dishonest merchant make money by misusing Shuusaku's name!" he declared.

Huang chuckled.  "Truly a fan of Shuusaku!" he remarked.  After studying the Go board for a longer pause, he inclined his head.  "I resign.  I don't think I can think of any more hands to counter yours."

His opponent shook his head.  "Oh, but if you played a hane here," Shindou pointed, his face eager with enthusiasm, "and connected here, and here, and kill my group of stones here... er.  Oh.  Thank you for your guidance."

"Go fanatic," Huang remarked, collecting his stones to replace them in the go-ke.  "It is a pleasure to play Go on such a beautiful night, Shindou-san," he said.  "Thank you for the game."

"Yes, it is," Shindou said, his eyes growing intent as he glanced around the park, as if noticing the playing children for the first time.

"You know, some Chinese believe that in the fifteenth night of the eighth month, the full moon is especially beautiful.  It is something to be admired with your loved ones."

Shindou looked up at the full moon, so large in the sky that it seemed especially close to earth, and nodded. "You're right, Huang-san."  He replaced the cover of his go-ke, and stood up.  "I believe my parents are expecting me.  Please excuse me," he bowed lightly, retrieving the Japanese-styled fan from the table before him, before he walked down from the pavilion.

Huang lighted a cigarette slowly, watching as the young pro joined his family.

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