Full Summary: Fujiwara Sai is a 28-year-old successful and sought after lawyer who gained acknowledgement from title-holder professionals with his brilliant plays in Go while he was playing a game in one of the go salons he randomly goes to after some free days to unwind.

And quite suddenly, it invaded his life without him knowing nor understanding how and why it was happening. But one thing was only inside his mind as the Go world closed in on him: Protect the identity of his Master, the person who taught him how to play.

A twelve-year-old child named Shindou Hikaru.

Disclaimer: HnG aren't mine. And though it's quite a good story, the play itself is confusing to me but it has its charm. And besides, Hikaru would be quite a brilliant player than canon and Sai wouldn't have disappeared and the story wouldn't have ended right there if I was the author. And really, to start with, I wouldn't have come up with a story like this. So it's quite obvious it isn't mine.

Note: Unedited. No Beta. Alternate Universe. Canon Timeline not followed. Canon scenes may or may not appear. Mentions (implied or direct) of Slash. OC's. Slow update.

Master in the Shadows

01:

"Another successful case by Atty. Fujiwara Sai! The man, who never had a case failed when it's in his hands ever since he became a lawyer managed to defend his client and prove his innocence against the senator..."

"A successful and quite sought-after lawyer, Atty. Fujiwara Sai managed to win the case of murder against Senator Hamasaki Ryoutaro..."

"The most controversial case Atty. Fujiwara ever held, one against a powerful senator with so few evidence and still he managed to prove his client's innocence..."

Sai, in his quite casual clothes while wearing his custom made bluish wig that looked completely natural in him and using the same color of contact lenses on his eyes was walking around the City outside of his neighborhood looking for some entertainment to unwind.

It's a believable disguise in order to not be recognize and mobbed while having a walk around like he had dine a few times when he felt swamped with work. After that brutal case he managed to win - not without any effort on his part. All those sleepless night researching and gathering evidence with the help of his dear friend, Private Detective Akiyama Kei and the police officers was worth it - he needed a breather.

Especially when the swarming of reporters were becoming suffocating. And even the news on televisions featured the case for probably a week already. It's exhausting.

He had been focusing too much on his job that he neglected the part of his life where he enjoys freedom the most. He didn't really need to work as the inheritance left to him by his parents before they died was enough to let him live a comfortable life until his death and some.

But just thinking about those days where he would have nothing to do made him restless. He had entered the police force in order to know what it felt like as a police officer. It was a demanding, enjoyable yet frustrating and irritating job to be honest. But he retired at age 21, only two years after he was finally accepted. He then started his career as a lawyer at age 24 after he studied again and passed as quickly as could manage.

No matter how hectic his life had become though, he's still quite satisfied with how his life turned out.

He spotted a Go salon on his casual walking around and seeing as he saw no reason why he shouldn't, he entered.

He knew how to play the board game after all.

Even if he did lose all the time to the person that mattered.

And besides, he just wanted to play for the sake of playing. Winning or losing didn't really matter to him at this point. It was the effect of the game in him that he sought. The feeling of calm and contentment and awe of how playing it let him see the opportunities and endless possibilities that he could do in just a board.

It also helped sharpen his mind and thus, also helped him do his job properly.

A young woman was right there on the counter when he entered, looking at him casually for a second, almost like she just made sure if he was really there before looking back inside.

And then snapping back to look at him.

"Good morning," he said politely, giving her a small, polite smile. She just stared at him slack jawed. When she didn't answer his greeting he began to worry. Not only for her but also for himself.

Did she recognize him? But he was so sure no one would. He had been using this disguise for quite a while now and no one had managed to point him towards his real face.

"Miss?" he asked, wondering what he should do. Should he just get out of there and find somewhere else to play or should he stay? Did she recognize him or not? Why wasn't she reacting?

Finally, the woman seemed to have snapped out of her stupor. She blinked a couple of times before blushing rather heavily. He was sure it was in embarrassment.

He pretended to not notice it.

"How much is the payment for adults?" he asked politely.

"I-It's 800 yen for adults," she stammered and blushed again. He reached for his wallet to get the correct payment before giving it to her. She took it, flushed again and pointed the ledger where there were obviously names put there. When he wrote his name, he was given a form that he had to apparently sign. He sighed at that but didn't say anything further. He just filled it and left other personal details there.

Basically, he just put his chosen name – Yamato Sai. The Fujiwara was quite well-known not only for their wealth but also because of his accomplishment. And he's quite attached to his given name so he left it alone and just changed his surname. It wouldn't be connected to his real one he was sure. There were quite many Sai in the world after all.

And really, who would look for a connection between Yamato and Fujiwara just because they've got the same name as Sai? And who would look for Fujiwara Sai in a Go salon when no one had an inkling that he even played?

So it was quite alright. Besides, he had already used the name a couple of times when playing in other Go salons so it was okay.

He gave his form to the woman. It seemed she managed to retain her cool and calmness as she wasn't blushing anymore. Though she did looked dazed even as she was attentive to him. She looked at the form and was about to nod when she noticed that he only put his name and age.

"Yamato-san?" she called him.

"Yes?"

"Do you know your Go level?" he blinked in confusion. Level? There was a level in playing Go?

That wasn't taught to him.

"I don't quite know my level. Should I have put something before I could play?" he asked in disappointment. If that was the case, he had to look for other salons. This was the first time he was asked about that.

Well… probably not. But he couldn't remember.

It's probably just stress, he concluded to himself.

"Ah, it's not that important really. It's just there so we would know who would be the best that could be paired with you. You know, level by level. You can still play without putting your level. It's just preferred," she assured him. He sighed in relief and gave her a polite smile.

"Oh. Thank you for telling me," he said, in which she smiled while her cheeks tinted red a little bit. That was good to hear that it wasn't necessary because looking for other go salons would be really tiring. "I don't know my level though,"

"It's no problem," she said primly. "We can just leave it blank at the moment," he smiled again in gratefulness, bowed a little before walking inside.

He looked for anyone who would be available - even if almost all he could see were elderly. He was quite used to seeing older people in a Go salon. He rarely ever saw kids playing - but they were all occupied and playing. He sighed. It seemed he had to wait for anyone to be available.

He sat on an empty chair as he waited, watching the other playing their game. He didn't say anything or comment even when he saw others placing their stones incorrectly that would no doubt kill their stones in just a few moves.

It wasn't his place.

Finally, he heard someone resign. He looked at the source and saw that it was at the hidden corner of the salon. An older man and a kid looking like he was at the age of 11 or 12 was taking the stones on the board and putting them back onto their bowls. He was amazed there was a kid in the salon. Someone even younger than him. Like he said, rarely do kids play in what they dubbed as 'ancient game'. He was usually the youngest one playing in a Go salon. But he was delighted to see it.

The older one bowed before walking away, passing him and giving him a polite smile, which he also returned.

The kid noticed him looking after a few seconds and he gave him a curious look before speaking.

"Do you want to play mister?" he asked politely.

Too polite. For a kid his age.

Still, he answered. He has no right to judge anyway since he knew he tended to use polite speech when nervous while he was at that age before too.

"Yes please,"

. . . . .

"Thank you for the game," he murmured, bowing a little in respect.

He knew that he always won every game he played in Go salons and usually, he reflected about the game, looked at it in many angles, see the possibilities that could have helped his opponent during the fight for their post-game discussion.

And then that's that.

But in this game against the 11-year-old child, it's impossible to do it just like that.

Because out of all the people he had played in Go salons, he had made the game more challenging, more fun and more engaging. It was amazing to see his opponents fighting back fiercely up to the end without feeling despair and discouraged. Fascinating how this child who was sitting right in front of him, looking at the game they just played with wide open eyes managed to make him feel elated.

The child was talented and if nourished more, he'd grow even more and will be terrifying in the future.

Though…

He looked at the child he had just played with and was about to open his mouth and advice that he shouldn't underestimate any of his opponents as he was playing shidougou with him earlier in the game – that's why he was having trouble catching up with him in points as he gave him basically free reign to on the board – when he saw the child's eyes glisten with tears.

Stunned, he only watched as it cascaded on his cheeks without him uttering a sound.

A-ahh… he floundered inside his mind even as he was just staring at the child in shocked dismay outwardly.

Tears. There are tears on the child's face. He inwardly panicked. He disliked seeing tears on any child he encountered. Especially when he had the impression that it was because of him or the child is in pain.

He really didn't like it.

"Uh…" he was about to call the attention of the child – he didn't even know his name! – when someone exclaimed on his left side.

"Akira-sensei!" It was then he finally noticed that half, or probably everyone who had been playing on their own places earlier was now surrounding them, looking at the board, at the child they called Akira-sensei, to him and back again over and over in disbelief before their apparent trance was broken over by the shout.

Wait a minute…

Akira-sensei?

He stared at the silently crying child he had been playing just now with wide, shocked eyes. The child is a sensei? He thought, aghast at the implication.

He beat this Go salon's established teacher, the one whom they all respected and is probably the strongest in there.

Not that he hadn't beaten the strongest in other Go salons before. But they hadn't been reacting like this to his games.

Disbelief.

Complete and utter disbelief at what he had done.

He only defeated Akira-kun in a game. He didn't do anything else. And they were looking at him as if they couldn't believe he did it.

Was it because he is a child? He wondered. Were they being protective of him and couldn't believe he went all out with a kid? Were they expecting him to take it easy? Did they do that to the child?

Were they that disrespectful? To the passion and talent the child carried?

He was about to open his mouth and ask what was wrong and why in the world were they looking at him like that when another person looked at him intensely and asked.

"Did you just beat Akira-sensei? Touya Meijin's son? The one who is already good enough to be-" but the older man who had asked him wasn't able to finish his sentence when Akira-kun spoke again.

"Kamaro-san," said man turned to look at the child. "It's okay," he said. He also said something else but he didn't listen.

Because what the older man said earlier stuck to him.

Touya Meijin's son? THE Meijin?

He gasped at the realization, abruptly managing to silence the salon as he stared at the child he had beaten in disbelief.

He beat Touya Akira? The child who everyone in the Go world was already sure could enter the pro world if he takes an exam?

He gave a hasty bow and exited as quickly as he could out of there, ignoring the calls he heard inside.

He wouldn't like this, he thought in dismay as he ran as quickly as he could towards his house, making sure that no one had followed him.

. . . . .

"Sai-san," his charge and at the same time his Go mentor, the person who had taught him anything Go from the basic down to making him understand what the game really was put down his chopsticks while he stared at him with detached eyes.

Eyes that he had never seen looking like that for almost three years now ever since he had seen the other. He knew he wouldn't like it and he would be upset. And judging how he had addressed him as 'Sai-san' like he had done before they managed to finally trust and depend on each other as if they had known each other for a very long time, it was a lot.

"Did you just say you beat the son of The Meijin?" he asked calmly. It was frankly making him nervous. He looked at Hikaru sitting beside him in the dining table in worry and concern.

"Yes,"

Silence.

"Don't worry Hikaru. They won't track me. I didn't use my real name. And you know I always was in disguise while walking around," he assured the other. Hikaru might not look like it but he knew his charge was probably panicking.

Hikaru looked at him with intense green eyes. "Are you sure Sai?" Hikaru asked quietly, softly, as if unsure of his answer. His hands obviously gripping the chopsticks tightly as he stared at him with wide, desperate eyes.

He knew Hikaru hadn't moved on. Simply brushed the issue aside and probably just forgot it. Hidden it into the deepest corner of his mind so he wouldn't have to think about it.

Sai knew it wasn't healthy and he told Hikaru that. But his charge wouldn't hear it and he gave up.

Now, its effect is staring at him in the face. And he didn't like it.

His mouth was set in firm lines as he looked at Hikaru's eyes deeply. "Yes," he said, voice full of conviction.

Hikaru gave a shuddering breath.

He placed his hand on his charge-slash-mentor and gave a comforting squeeze.

Hikaru just held onto his own, tight and desperate.

TBC.

A/N:

And… here's another fanfic. You don't have to tell me I'm nuts for writing another. I know. Still, I did. Otherwise, this plot would bother me.

PS: And anyone who knows how to play Go? Gonna help me with it? I'm researching but it would be nice to have someone who would explain it to me…

So… got any reactions there? I'd like to hear it.

Review!