801
“Eighth floor, right?”
“…………”
Big Sis silently nods.
We’ve arrived in front of her riverside apartment building that’s only a five-minute walk from the association. It’s brand new so it looks great, but it doesn’t look like anyone lives here. Kind of like how Big Sis is right now.
The rain is still coming down. The two of us walked here under one umbrella with me practically holding Big Sis up the whole way.
Using the spare key she gave me, I pass through the autolocking front door and take the elevator to the eighth floor.
Big Sis’s room–––801.
There’s no nameplate under the number. But I’m almost certain this is it.
“I’m going to open the door.”
“……”
I unlock it without waiting for her to answer.
This is my second time in her apartment. The two of us had one practice session here, but the timing never worked out since then.
Turning the lights on, the room is …… as empty as it was last time.
She doesn’t even have a table or chairs. This room is for Shogi research and Shogi research only.
“…… Hm?”
There’s something hanging on the wall that wasn’t there before.
“A poster? Or is that a calendar?”
It’s neither.
The thing is actually a sheet of cloth absolutely covered from corner to corner with hand-written messages from her classmates.
“To Miss Ginko Sora, on the path to becoming the first female Shogi pro!”
You will make it to the pros!
New 4-dan promotion.
Pride of the class.
I’ve always been your fan!
Break through☆ the 3-dan division!
Don’t you go losing!
Undefeated!
Be legendary!
All the girls are behind you, Ginko.
Go for it!
Do your best!
Go get ‘em!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Now I’m sure of it.
“Let’s go, Big Sis. You can’t be here now.”
“………… Where could we go?” Big Sis asks, still sopping wet and sitting on the floor in a heap. Small and fragile, she’s so cute that, if the situation were different, I’d be tempted to do something else right here and now.
I dry her hair with a towel that I brought from my apartment and try to sound as excited as I can.
“Didn’t I tell you? A place where you’ll die for sure, Japan’s number one spot for suicide. If you’re going to go out, it might as well be at the best spot for it.”
“…… But, where? Where is that?”
“That’s something to look forward to when we get there.”
“………”
“Now, we’re short on time. Hurry up and take a shower.”
“Huh ……?”
Big Sis looks up at me with a blank stare and I say, “You don’t want to be in Osaka, right? We won’t get there today, but we’ll get as far as we can and find a hotel for the night. So please, look presentable.”
“…… I’m fine like this. I’m dying anyway.”
“Um, Big Sis? Are you serious about this or not?”
I make an overly dramatic sigh and add.
“That can’t happen if you get arrested along the way.”
“…………”
That seemed to hit home because Big Sis doesn’t say another word and begrudgingly throws the towel to the floor as she gets to her feet.
Then, without warning, she starts taking off her clothes. Hey, hey, heeeeeey!!
“D-Don’t do that out here!”
“…… Hmph.”
Sounding triumphant, Big Sis leaves her clothes behind like a pile of shed skin and disappears into the bathroom with a sweet scent in her wake.
Whoa …… She seriously took everything off ……
…… There’s something kinda hot about wet bras and panties ……
I know we’re siblings, but this kind of thing is a bit much …… I really wish she’d have a little more modesty. It’s not like back when we could take a bath together ……
Wrapping her clothes in the discarded towel, I put the whole bundle in the corner of the room for now.
Okay …… I’d better talk to Keika while I have the chance.
I didn’t make Big Sis take a shower so that I could see her naked or get a whiff of her wet clothes. Not at all.
“Promise me, Yaichi.”
Not too long ago, Keika came to me at Master’s place with a request.
“If Ginko ever comes to you for help, promise me you will prioritize her. Promise me you’ll only focus on her.”
I’d never seen Keika plead like that before.
That’s why I promised her that, if the time came, I definitely would.
Though, I’ve got to say, it’s amazing how well Keika understands Big Sis.
She must have felt something was off about Big Sis even though she was riding a winning streak in the 3-dan division.
…… I’d better have her contact Big Sis’s parents, too. I don’t have their phone number and I doubt that Big Sis would want to talk to them herself right now ……
A player with fans all around the country like Naniwa’s Snow White going missing would be a huge scandal.
Oh, and I need to get Keika to look after Ai.
She’s in the middle of a pajama party with the Grade Schooler Practice Group at the Kiyotaki house right now. I can tell her to keep Ai right where she is.
There’s no telling when I’ll be back from this trip …… but there is a time limit.
The next 3-dan division matches are in two weeks, and I have my own league matches to worry about ……
Plus, it’s almost time for the Crown League Challenger Match.
I refuse to forfeit that match because I’m out of town. It might be possible to get the association to change the dates somewhat, but that would require me to explain the reason … so that’s not going to happen.
I feel horrible about pushing all this on Keika.
But …… Who else can I turn to?
Yeah, Keika’s the only one I can ask. I know I can trust her.
My mind set, I reach for my smartphone. Then.
Before I open it, the phone vibrates.
……?! An unknown caller …… Now of all times?
Nerves hit me so hard that I nearly drop my phone.
I could ignore it. Actually, it would be better to ignore it to keep Big Sis’s condition completely under wraps.
But my fingertips are telling me to answer it. That if I don’t, things will only get worse.
In the end, I put my faith in my pro Shogi player fingers and hit the answer button.
“…………… Hello?”
The person who called me is none other than––––––.
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