Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 2 - Chapter 3.4

  STONE DOOR TO HEAVEN

“Oh, Yaichi. So, you came after all.”

Master’s talk was over, but I still couldn’t figure out what to do about Ai. I’d been pacing at the bottom of the stairs for a few minutes when Keika’s voice came down.

She waves me up the stairs, so I head up as quietly as possible.

“We took a bath, and I dried her hair once everything was ready for school tomorrow. I just checked on her and she’s all tucked into her futon. Felt like old times.”

Keika used to do the same kind of thing for Big Sis and me all the time.

…… But damn it—Ai getting to take a bath with Keika …

I’m so jealous …… I got to go in with Keika just once, way back when I was in early elementary school … She was in high school at the time, but her body was well on its way to becoming the picture of divinity it is now … Wait! This isn’t the time to be thinking about that! What the hell am I doing?!

“What’s wrong, Yaichi? You look a bit restless.”

“Huh?! I-I, um … Can’t really say …”

“To Ai?”

No, to you, Keika.

…… But I don’t blame myself. Keika’s skin is still glowing pink from the bath, and the shirt she’s got on is thin enough to catch some glimpses of the holy hills. Whatever soap she used smells absolutely amazing and, though I may be the Ryuo, that doesn’t change the fact that I’m a teenager with hormones …

“I turned off the lights, but Ai might still be awake. Would you like to talk?”

“…… No. Now’s not the right time.”

The events of the day are catching up with me, I use the last of my energy to take a seat on the stairs.

Keika sits down behind me and gently strokes my head.

Her warmth, it’s like all the tension and fatigue built up in my muscles is melting away, I can feel it …

Back when I was living here, Keika would sit next to me on the stairs and comfort me just like this when I cried after losing to Big Sis.

I’m a lot bigger now than I was then, so she can’t sit next to me anymore, but this feels just as it did back then.

It’s like, as long as Keika is there to comfort me, I feel like I could recover from anything, no matter how bad it is ……

“… Did Ai say anything?”

“Master is a liar! She’s pretty hung up on that point.”

“I see ……”

“So, you’re taking on a new apprentice?”

“I agreed to take on a new student on the condition that she wouldn’t become my apprentice. She’ll be the chairman’s apprentice, probably. I was hired to get her ready for the Practice League entrance test, nothing more.”

“What’s she like?”

“An elementary school girl, Ai’s age.”

“… It might be a good idea not to mention that to Ginko. Especially since she’s in the middle of title matches ……”

“Oh yeah, how’s that going?”

“I think it just ended.”

“Just ended? Really? Ryou really hung in there.”

Both of us knew who won without saying another word. Big Sis did: no ifs, ands or buts about it.

“Hung in … It might be better to say Ginko didn’t give her a chance to surrender …”

“?”

Keika didn’t say another word but pulled out a smartphone instead. She hands it to me and I look at the screen.

It’s the record for the match. Judging from the first moves–––.

“Ryou used anaguma ……?!”

The words fell from my mouth in surprise.

Anaguma kakoi is a playing style where the player moves their King to the very corner of the board and builds a rock-solid defense around it. Ryou Tsuyomizaka is known for ignoring defense altogether and attacking head on (her nickname is the Aggressive Archangel for a reason). So this is the last strategy I’d expect the Women’s King to use. Actually it’s much more fitting for her friend and rival Yamashiro Ouka—Machi Kugui (aptly nicknamed Machi the Tormentor), who is really good at it.

The two of them go against each other in league matches and quite a bit for practice, so Ryou is always the one trying to break through an anaguma.

Since it’s not impossible for her to use it herself, this was probably Ryou’s ace in the hole that she was keeping warm for a special occasion.

And she pulled it out to use on Big Sis–––however …

“The formation was just fine, but Ginko completely ignored it and instead took all of Miss Tsukiyomizaka’s offensive pieces one by one.”

“Ouch ……”

We call that Burning the Anaguma. She was the one that was tormented.

“That’s one way anaguma users tend to lose, but to have it happen during the title match …… Yeah.”

“All that preparation and pulling out her trump card, but not being allowed to give up when all was lost like that ……”

Reading further and further into the match record, Ryou’s pieces start dropping like flies and Big Sis’s piece stand fills up and starts to overflow. The anaguma defense was left untouched, sad and alone.

Then came the time to surrender.

There’s a comment next to the record that says that once Big Sis took Ryou’s last offensive piece, she said, “My piece stand is full, so I’ll put it on the tatami mat.”

Ryou surrendered as soon as she saw that happen.

Misery. That one word says it all.

Someone uploaded a picture of the scene just after she threw in the towel on the match blog. It showed Ryou sitting next to the board in a full kimono, with her head clutched between her knees. Pure sorrow. Her spirit is broken. Hopefully it doesn’t carry over into the third match …

“But …… this is cruel. Like, inhumanely cruel ……”

“It’s almost like something outside the match got under her skin and she needed to vent. She doesn’t go this far unless something other than Shogi was on her mind. That’s the thing about Ginko: her emotions come out on the board when she plays.”

“Just not on her face, right?”

“Wasn’t she like this when she played against Ai?”

“Oh yeah … She went right for the spirit then too …”

Keika then spoke as if trying to find the right words. “Yaichi … You didn’t do anything to irritate Ginko, did you?”

“Do you think I have a death wish?! Seriously, Big Sis turns into a grumpy bear just coming out of hibernation before matches. I’m too scared to get close.”

“That’s what I thought …”

“And I’m doing what I can to help her out in my own way. I’m staying out of her hair by not contacting her during title matches so she can focus. Even if I do need to say something, I keep it as short as possible, you know? Aren’t I the best little brother apprentice in the world? It wouldn’t hurt you to compliment me more, Keika.”

“Yes, yes, the best, the best.”

“That’s all?!”

Keika tilts her head to the side, mumbling, “Now why doesn’t it cross your mind that that’s when she could use some company?” with a slightly confused look on her face. Why? Because bears coming out of hibernation devour everything in their path, yes? That’s why it’s best to give space, yes? What other option is there?

“If that’s the case, I’ve only got one other idea.”

“And that is?”

“Yaichi, you’ve been secretly seeing Miss Tsukiyomizaka, haven’t you? I wonder if Ginko is having a hard time dealing with that.”

“Secretly ……? All that happened was I talked with her and Machi in the association’s Player’s Room. That’s it.”

“Now I see. Miss Kugui too … That’s why Ginko is twice as angry! Miss Kugui is at the match to provide commentary.”

“???”

Why would Big Sis be angry at Ryou and Machi ……? Could it be because they made her wear that bunny outfit for the Women’s League Fan Club event?!

But, I’m sure she wore her sailor style school uniform on that day. She wore it because it was determined that the fans wanted to see her in the uniform rather than a bunny costume.

“Don’t make Snow White wear such a thing!” 

“She can wear a bunny suit anytime, but her days in the school uniform are running out.” 

“Then again, mature ladies in school girl outfits are more ……” 

These are just some of the things the fans had to say. Got to give the fans what they want, after all!

“Well, all the dots connect if you think about it that way …… but I think that Ginko was sending a message to the two of them by tormenting Miss Tsukiyomizaka as she used Miss Kugui’s favorite strategy right in front of her, saying ‘I’ll teach you what happens when you try to take what’s important to me.’ It does sound like something she’d do …”

What’s important to Big Sis?

Oh, her titles. It’s true that she’ll get a considerable advantage if she plants the seeds of doubt in her challengers’ heads by breaking their spirits. Thoroughly dismantling one opponent will put everyone on notice. That’ll send a message for sure.

“But for this kind of off-the-board tactic to be the only way she can express herself …… That poor girl ……!”

Keika mumbles something strange and wipes the corner of her eye.

“Anyway, Yaichi. Could you stop meeting those two girls behind her back? Ginko will never calm down at this rate.”

“Say what? Why does me talking to Ryou and Machi bother her that much? I don’t get it. We’re basically coworkers, so of course we’ll bump into each other.”

“…… Haaaaaaaa~ ……” Keika lets out a long, extremely deep sigh before poking me in the cheek.

“Try to understand this. Things are going to get really bad if you don’t turn over a new leaf real soon. This whole problem with Ai started because you’re so loose with other girls. To be blunt, your lack of standards brought this on.”

“W-What does that have to do with this–––?”

“Quite …… a …… bit,” she says, twisting her finger deeper into my cheek. 

You are the one I love the most, Keika, it’s always been you …… Please! Understand how I feel!!

“Let me put it this way, Yaichi. How would you feel if I went out for tea with a man you didn’t know?”

“I’d punch a few teeth out to start with!”

“That’s what this is about.”

Ah, now I get it.

Even I can understand after having it put that way.

Ai must idolize me like the picture-perfect big brother. Someone like what Keika is to me.

No matter what the truth is, I realize that me simply teaching another girl Shogi behind her back was enough to hurt Ai’s feelings.

Not logically, but how she feels in her heart.

Since it’s not logical, it can’t be understood. Wow, feelings are complicated ……

“It’s just like Shogi.”

“Yep, like Shogi.”

I know it’s a puzzle that can never truly be solved. But, that doesn’t stop me from trying. Feelings and Shogi are a lot alike …… Then again, we compare everything to Shogi. It’s because that’s all we know.

“Hehehe,” Keika gently laughs and places her hands on my shoulders to help her stand.

“You want to spend the night?”

“Nah. I’ll go home.”

I stand up too.

Then, I stop in front of the sliding door to the room where Ai is sleeping.

“Ai.”

I say through the door.

“You might not believe me right now. But …… you’re what’s important to me.”

I put what I was feeling in my heart into words.

There was no answer. Ai might be listening. Then again, she might already be asleep.

But, I put my heart out there.

I left Master’s house believing that somehow she understood.

On the way home.

Make sure you call her today. Not a message over social media or a text to her phone, but an actual phone call! Even if Ginko doesn’t pick up the phone, leave a message. Do not forget, promise?! Promise me?!

Since Keika was so insistent, I take out my phone and start dialing Big Sis’s number once I left the station.

“…… I really don’t think she’ll pick up but, okay.”

The match itself ended a few hours ago, but the competitors have to stay in the arena to interact with fans and talk with reporters, so they’re pretty busy. There’s also an after-party.

“Knowing her when she’s like this, there won’t be a review session but … Oh?!”

Surprisingly, my call went through practically the second I touched the call button.

It’s almost like she already had the phone in her hand. Maybe she was reading something?

“What?”

“Big Sis? I just heard you won the match.”

“So?”

“I, um …… wanted to be the first to say congratulations.”

Keika flat out demanded that I say it like this, so I did.

“……!!”

I heard something like a gulp on the other end. Then–––.

“…… Th …… Thanks ……”

Her response was barely louder than a mouse. Sounds like she’s actually happy.

“Oh, and Big Sis. There’s something I wanted to ask you ……”

While I’ve got her on the phone, I explained that one of the kids I’m teaching played like someone I’ve seen before but I can’t quite place it and ask for her opinion.

“It’s a defensive style, but rather than keeping the King under lock and key, they strike a good balance between a thin defense and a strong attack. Do you know any pros who do that with a Bishop Exchange?”

“Yes.”

“You do?!”

“But I’m not telling.”

“Huh?”

“……Yaichi, you jerk.”

Click. She hung up on me.

Just when I thought she was in a good mood, she gets angry at the drop of a hat. I can’t figure it out.

“… Just like Shogi,” I quietly whisper under my breath, looking up at the sky as I approach my apartment.