A CUP OF WATER
“………… What a relief ……!”
I think the media people misunderstood what I just muttered.
“Claiming your first title is a big weight off your shoulders, isn’t it?!”
“The first comment after the end of the longest match in Women’s Legend League history, what a relief! It’s perfect!”
“Ah, no ………… Um ……”
Shakando-sensei and God-sensei are walking hand in hand on the bridge outside the window. The words came out before I realized it ……
Nobody but me is looking outside the window, though. No one else seems to have noticed that Shakando-sensei left the arena either ……
Everybody in here is waiting for what I’ll say next.
The world changed. But I’m still exactly the same.
“Please save your questions for the press conference!”
Someone from the association steps inside to shoo everyone away and I’m finally free from the questions and cameras.
Tsubasa, the match recorder, and I are the only ones left in the arena.
That’s when I realize my throat is bone dry. My first thought is to look for my water pitcher and cup next to the board, but they’re both empty. I remember there being so much there before, so I can’t believe I drank every single drop already.
But I’m still thirsty. From head to toe ……
“Ai …… A-Are you okay? Can I bring you …… anything?”
“…… Thanks for offering, Tsubasa! I’m fine now.”
I answer my friend with a big smile. I’m lying, but …… I had a thought.
–––I can’t let anyone see me look weak anymore.
Putting on the armor called a title that Shakando-sensei wore all this time means I’ll have to live like this from now on. No one specifically told me that. I figured it out myself while playing Shogi. So I keep smiling and make a request.
“Can I stay here a little longer by myself?”
“S-Sure ………… I-I’ll see myself out …………”
With that, Tsubasa collects her things and stands up to leave.
Just before going out the door, she bows her head really low and tells me, “Please excuse me ………… Hinatsuru-Women’s Legend.”
The air temperature in the room drops all at once now that everyone else is gone.
It’s comfy, like a cool breeze ……
“Wheeeeeeew––––––…………”
Now that I’ve had a deep breath, I have to do one final thing. A title holder’s work.
I reach under the board to get the piece box, take my beautiful victory formation apart and put all the pieces neatly into the box.
Once I put the box into a decorative bag and pull the drawstring tight, I place it right in the middle of the board and–––
“…… Thank you very much.”
Show my gratitude and take another deep breath.
I used everything I had in that match. Now that my hollow body has some fresh air in it, I climb to my feet.
Unfortunately, I’m not a balloon and still feel heavy.
“Haaaah …… Haaaah …… Haaah ……………… Aghhh?!”
My hakama trousers are a mess, and also long enough that I trip over the hem and tumble to the floor.
I must look like a little ball rolling down the hallway.
–––I have to stand up, now ……!!
No one can see me like this! I have to look and act like a strong title holder!
–––I have to always act like nothing fazes me, like Shakando-sensei ……!!
But my muscles just won’t listen.
In my head, I know exactly what I have to do …… but my feeble legs won’t do what I say.
“Nghh …… Khh ………… Ahhh ………!!”
I just claimed a title, but here I am crawling on the floor. It’s so funny and pitiful to think about I could cry.
“What’s ………… that?”
I look up and see ……… a sofa further down the hallway.
More accurately–––the side table next to it.
My eyes immediately locked onto what’s on top of that table …… And my heart overflows.
One cup of water.
I knew right away. Who left it there and who was here.
“M- ………… Mast-er …………?”
Next thing I know, I’m up on my feet and holding the cup in my hands.
“Master ………… Master …………!!”
When he fell in the hallway just like I did, I gave him a cup of water just like this.
Then he said this to me.
“I’ll do whatever you want if I win the title.”
That’s the message that Master is sending me with this water.
That he’ll always, always …… be watching over me. That he’ll forgive me for my selfishness.
And him not being here is his way of encouraging me to press forward because he’ll always be there to protect me.
It’s the best possible reward I could’ve imagined for winning the title.
“Thank you so much ………… Master …………!!”
Tears come pouring out.
Enough of them roll down my cheek to make the cup overflow. I just keep crying in the corner of the dim hallway with a glass cup in my hands.
The fight isn’t over.
Actually, this is when the fight I chose for myself really begins. I’m finally on the starting line.
There’s no going back now that I have a title.
Even sitting down, my knees tremble.
“……… But I have to.”
I whisper to myself and squeeze the cup even harder.
Water left in the bottom ripples around.
That’s because my hands are shaking.
Shakando-sensei in her golden age …… I try telling myself that I could’ve beaten her, the Assassin, but I still can’t stop shaking.
“I …… I need to get even stronger. The path will open for me if I’m strong enough.”
I repeat, over and over: Get stronger. Get stronger, Ai Hinatsuru. Now isn’t the time to be trembling!
I gulp down rest of the water and get back on my feet.
This dim hallway keeps going on forever.
A path has opened for me because I have a title.
Being naïve or letting my guard down for even a moment will surely end in disaster. It’s the harshest battleground on the planet Earth.
–––But, just for right now ………… I can open up a little, right?
I press the empty cup against my lips and quietly whisper.
To make sure that this feeling …… doesn’t get washed away with all the tears.
“I love you ………… Master ……”
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