Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 15 - Chapter 5.6

  THE LONGEST DAY FOR TWO

The day after the Women’s Legend League, once called the Women’s A Division, wrapped up.

The final matches of the Professional A Division are taking place in the very same building.

The day dubbed the longest day in the Shogi world has become a yearly event in its own right, with everyone from players, staff and even TV personalities with a taste for Shogi dropping by the Katsura no Ma. The second-floor classroom is closed to the public in the evening to host commentary late into the night. There’s so much to do.

Of course, I’m working at the big board. I’m a popular Women’s Player, after all!

“Hello out there~☆ This is the girl who lost out on challenging for a title by instant death in the Women’s Legend League yesterday, Tamayon Rokuroba~☆”

“I-I’m the one who got it, Ai Hinatsuru! I’m sorry!”

“And I’m one of the ones who got kicked out of that League, Rin Koiji! Everybody drops, drops, drops—like flies!!”

“K-Koiji-sensei? Only two players will be eliminated from the A Division ……”

“Shut your yap! They should all have to know what it feels like!!”

Rinrin’s lost it.

This fun (?) analysis goes on and on. Around the time I forcibly escort the elementary school girl into a taxi bound for her family’s inn (she insisted on staying until the end, but I insisted even harder that she tell her parents she’s in the title match in person), results start to come in and we see who’s getting the axe.

Two ex-title holders in the Meijin’s generation end up being dropped down to the B-1 Division.

There they are, members of the golden generation up on stage and bowing to the fans even though their faces make it seem like they think the world is coming to an end. Demoted players don’t always come up to talk with the commentators, but these did.

The fans are crying along with them soon enough.

I take a second to burn this moment when the torch is officially handed down to the next generation into my memory, but the only thing I can think about is the one match that hasn’t finished yet.

It’s––––––the one that decides the Meijin Challenger.

Jin Natagiri 8-dan versus Mitsuru Oishi 9-dan. A battle for the top of their own generation.

That match glows so brightly because they’re friends, so close in age and yet they have completely opposite views on Shogi and on life in general.

The late-game is epic with their very lives colliding in one final clash. Every move sparks gasps and sighs from the audience.

It ends at 2:18 in the morning.

That’s when I do something a Professional Women’s League Player simply isn’t supposed to do.

Cry …… right in the middle of doing commentary.

Try as I might, words just won’t come out. Tears keep flowing …… and I can’t say a word.

“Tamayon. Like, I got this.”

“Sorry ……”

I hand Rinrin the microphone and rush up to the arena.

It takes a lot of bobbing and weaving to make it through all the reporters and staff jam-packed into the room, but I make it just in time to see Jin-Jin being interviewed.

His congratulatory interview …… for becoming the Meijin Challenger.

“This will be your first Meijin Title Match. Can you tell us what is going through your mind right now?”

“…… Getting this chance to play against the Meijin again so soon after failing to win the Monarch Title …… I’m truly grateful.”

Too tired to manage a smile, he keeps trying to get words out.

“How do you anticipate the seven-match series will unfold?

“I’m sure the rumor mills are already saying I’m bound to lose. I can hardly blame them for that either. Because, well, I still don’t understand how I lost that last match ……”

“Does that mean you haven’t finished analyzing the match?”

“Sure does.” Jin nods at the surprised reporters and continues, “I don’t know. So I’m going to keep challenging him until I do. I’ll keep challenging him until he’s so bored of my face that he forks over a title to get me off his case. No matter how many times it takes …… See?”

I wait for Jin-Jin in the back stairwell that only players and staff use. Once I spot him coming down, I casually strike up a conversation.

“Hey.”

I smile and wave with my back still leaning against the wall.

“Meijin Challenger, huh? Now that’s special.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Oh, and by the way.”

My voice comes out very quick and I stare at the floor. I can’t take silence right now.

There’s something I really want to say, but something else slips out of my mouth. A question that I never considered in the first place.

“Jin-Jin. Did you take Ai in to help me ……? Or am I just being too self-centered?”

“I brought her in for my benefit alone.”

Jin-Jin’s answer couldn’t have been more clear-cut.

“…… But I was planning to share some of the benefits with you.”

“How thoughtful.”

I got some valuable experience because of it. I’m grateful, truly.

But that answer shook my confidence. Should I say it, or should I not ……?

I hesitate for just a second and–––.

“I never understood the people who took apprentices. Never.”

He leans against the wall next to me and starts talking.

“The same goes for people who start families. All that does is just drain your time and energy, for goodness sake.”

“……”

“But a little something changed all that.”

“Do you mean …… Ai?” I ask while my confidence evaporates. Yeah, I shouldn’t say it, should I ……?

Jin-Jin is staring off into space as his story takes a sudden turn.

“You see, back when I was still an up-and-comer, I had the opportunity to teach a little girl how to play Shogi. Teaching a kid who doesn’t even know how to use the pieces was nothing but a waste of time, or so I thought when I tried to turn it down. The association, however, wouldn’t take no for an answer and forced me to sign on …… Then I met her.”

“……! Was that ……?”

“It was so queer to me. I had less time to spend on my own Shogi …… But, for whatever reason, thinking of ways to teach that girl how to play made Shogi fun. I started winning league matches in bunches. I knew I’d improved because I could feel it.”

I’m so glad this building is an antique.

With the stairwell so dark, Jin-Jin won’t notice the tears building in my eyes or how my face and even my ears have turned completely red ……

“I wanted to feel that sensation one more time …… and to get it across. It’s something I can’t teach myself, after all.”

To whom? I sure don’t need to ask.

He didn’t just answer the question I had. Jin-Jin gave me so much more.

So–––.

“Natagiri-sensei.”

I step away from the wall and turn to face Jin-Jin.

Then, I put on my war face and say.

“I love you.”

Just like he did back then, Jin-Jin looked deeply into my eyes.

“Tamayo …… You don’t have any older or younger brothers, right?”

“No. You know that.”

“Well, that looks like I’ll have to make do with just the one.”

“Yep. You’ll have to make do with me.”

Quickly wiping the fresh tears off my cheeks with my fingers, I softly pounded my fists against Jin-Jin’s chest.

Nothing’s changed. Not right away, at least.

Even so, it’s still a baby step forward. I’ll keep challenging. I’ll keep challenging him until he gets bored and says, “Fine, fine,” and accepts me. I already have his research room, so taking his is just one step away, right?

“Brought home a crazy girl, didn’t you? Well, too bad! Because I’m never letting go!”

This man taught me Shogi.

Which means that, to me, Shogi without Jin Natagiri is unimaginable.

Ai Hinatsuru helped me recognize that pure, earnest desire.

I thought claiming a title was the be-all, end-all goal at the end of the path.

That everything would get easier after that.

Once would be enough. Taking that view from the top would make the rest of my life completely different. Now was my best chance …… With Ginko Sora gone and Ai Hinatsuru and Ai Yashajin not yet grown into their own, this was my last chance.

But I thought wrong.

–––I want to play Shogi! For the rest of my life! With Jin-Jin!!

So long as this man keeps challenging, I’ll keep challenging, too. I’ll keep running to the end of time!

That is the path to happiness that I have chosen to take.

“Once the Meijin Title Match is done–––.”

“Once it’s done, what?”

“I think I might stop by Numazu to say hello to your family for the first time in a good long while.”

“?! D-Does that–––”

Is he going to ask permission to marry me?!

My heart’s racing like I got blindsided by a checkmate. Jin-Jin grins as if he can see the butterflies in my stomach. Then, the Meijin Challenger says this.

“After all, your father is so my type.♡”

“?! Hey! Don’t wreck my family!!”