Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 5 - Chapter 1.4

  UNDER THE MOONLIGHT

“So this is …… the beach at night.”

Day 1 of the match over and done with, I went back to my room after the dinner party but couldn’t turn my mind off. So, I decided to go for a walk on the beach by myself.

It’s past 10 o’clock at night.

The Meijin closed off Day 1 of the first Ryuo Title Match with a sealing move on the 50th turn.

“…… I’m in control of the board. I also have more waiting time left ……”

When matches are split into two days, it gets shut down at 6 o’clock. So, whichever player’s turn it is at the end of Day 1 writes their move down on a piece of paper and seals it in an envelope. The observer will open it and read the move to start Day Two.

That’s called a sealing move.

There’s a lot of discussion about whether the player who makes it or receives it has the advantage.

For me personally, I think the one who makes it has an edge.

“…… The player who makes it knows what move is coming next, so they have a whole night to think and plan ……”

The Meijin made the sealing move, but I got him to use a good amount of waiting time to claim it, so that works for me.

“I’ve got thirty more minutes than he does …… As long as I can maintain the lead, that time will be a huge asset in the late game ……,” I tell myself in a quiet whisper as I walk along the dark, sandy beach.

I would love to talk with somebody about how the match is shaping up, but it’s still going on. Since I’m not allowed to talk with anyone about Shogi, I’m talking to myself like this to keep my head on straight, alone.

“…… There’s no doubt his sealing move will be taking the Pawn I advanced to   2 Four. That’s for sure. I’ll choose to take it with the Rook. The problem is what the Meijin will do from there ……”

A sequence pops into my head and I follow it.

“   6 Five Pawn,   2 Three Bishop,   Take with Gold,   take with Rook, promote,   6 Six Pawn   3 Three Dragon …… If the   6 Seven Pawn promotes here, then   takes it with the Gold, into   6 Seven Bishop,   Gold retreats to 6 Eight,    4 Seven Bishop, promotes …… Maybe?”

But, I throw that sequence out right away.

“…… Yeah, there’s no way that’ll happen.”

If things played out just like that, I’d send my Bishop directly into enemy territory and sacrifice it to get a Promoted Rook, also called a Dragon and the strongest piece in Shogi. But I’d also be capturing the Meijin’s Gold and Knight and taking control of the sequence as well.

The Bishop is a big piece, but getting both the Gold and Knight for it makes it well worth the trade.

“If it’s for two, take the Pawn as well. …… as the saying goes. Yeesh, I’ve got to stop dreaming up sequences that go my way …… That’ll come back to bite me.” 

I’ll have a commanding lead if it does go that way, but reality isn’t so nice.

“…… I mean, I’ve got an anaguma defense already in place, so it’s hard to see things going south.”

My defense can’t get any better than it already is. Even if taking those two pieces is greedy, as long as I can get that Dragon, the most powerful piece in Shogi, then I should be able to fight on equal footing.

“If it goes that far ……”

–––I might win.

Of course, I’m not going to say that out loud. Even just to myself.

But, I really–––.

“…… Huh?”

Hearing something different in the waves pulls my focus away from my mental Shogi board and toward the real ocean.

I look up–––and make eye contact with an angel.

The angel, wearing a swimsuit, gently sparkles in the crisp moonlight.

An unbelievable sight …… But, I’m sure it’s an angel.

I mean, there’s no way any human being could be this …… stunningly …… beautiful …… 

“…… Yaichi?”

“Huh? Big …… Sis? Is that you ……?”

The angel turns out to be Big Sis.

She comes out of the water, silver hair dripping wet as she walks barefoot across the sand in my direction. All the water droplets in her silver hair sparkle like stars in the moonlight.

How could she be this beautiful ……? I ask myself, watching her. She then wraps her arms around herself, like she’s trying to hide her chest and says in a sharp voice, “…… Perv.”

“W-w-well, you’re in a swimsuit! Where am I supposed to look?!”

I make a counterargument and turn away to hide my burning red face.

“B-But …… What are you doing swimming at night?”

“I’d get sunburned during the day.”

“Ahh …… You would, wouldn’t you.”

Big Sis has been pale since she was born and extremely sensitive to sunlight.

Now that she’s grown up a bit, she can go outside during the day for a while. But even still, she needs that parasol …… Big Sis used to collapse after only a few minutes out in the sun back when she was little.

That’s why she got so good at Shogi.

It’s the only game that you can play indoors …… that can never be perfected no matter how much you play. She discovered it and got hooked. Then again, saying that all Ginko Sora had was Shogi might be more accurate.

It’s pretty jarring how thin her arms and legs look in the moonlight.

Just as I was following the moonbeams with my eyes, Big Sis says, “What are you doing out so late, Yaichi?”

“What? Oh, I, uh ……”

“Peeping?”

“No!!”

I can’t talk about Shogi, remember?! Give me a second to come up with something else!

Sand crunching beneath her feet, Big Sis walks over to one of the hotel’s outdoor showers and rinses off before grabbing a towel hanging from a nearby tree branch. She then wipes off her white skin and dries her hair.

Watching all this beneath the light blue moon is like seeing a fairy tale come to life …… 

Big Sis looks at me as I’m getting caught up in the moment and says, “Doesn’t matter. I was just getting bored of swimming and was thinking about going for a walk around the city. Come with me.”

“At this time of night?”

“Because it’s night. It’s too hot in the afternoon and we’d stick out.”

Well, I wanted to go for a walk …… and wanted someone to talk to as well. I’m fine with going into the city but …… 

“You’re not seriously going to walk around wearing that?”

“As if. I’ve got something to wear over it.”

“You do? Did you bring some clothes out here?”

“Yes. I just had something brought.”

“Come again?”

“Your jacket.”

“Mine?!”

So, you’re saying you want me to take off my jacket?! I’m in a title match, what if I catch a cold?!

Big Sis spins to the right and grabs hold of my hood before I can get away.

“Come on. I’ll wear it for you so off with the jacket.”

“But …… I just bought it and I’m only wearing a T-shirt under here. It’s a bit chilly–––.”

“Off.”

“Okay.”

The hierarchy system I’ve had shoved down my throat since I was a kid won’t let me refuse. I’ll probably be jerked around by this silver-haired devil disguised as a beautiful angel for the rest of my life …… 

I reluctantly remove the jacket that I liked so much when I bought it. I protest with my face to let her know how much I hate what’s happening once I get it all the way off. That’s when a low kick comes flying in.

“I’m putting it on now. Turn the other way.”

She’s just putting it on, so I don’t see what the big deal is. Then again, she is acting a bit embarrassed.

I do what she says, dragging the leg that took the brunt of that kick behind me.

“…… Yeesh. If only you were just one thousandth as nice as you are cute ……” 

Thinking she’d get angry at me for no reason if I stay too close, I start drifting toward the city and get back to thinking about Shogi.

The second match is in Osaka. I’ll have the home arena advantage.

–––Tomorrow, if I can win …… Then winning two in a row could actually happen ……!! A winning streak against the Meijin ……!!

I admire the city’s sparkling lights as my train of thought picks up speed–––.

“……………………………………… Don’t go without me …………”

“What?”

Big Sis quietly says something behind me and pulls on my shirt.

“I wouldn’t go without you. I’m waiting right here.”

“…… Perv.”

“What, why?!”

No reason at all ……!

Now wearing my jacket, Big Sis holds out with her arms at me to show how much the sleeves dangle.

“Like a tent.”

“What’d you expect ……? Sure, I’m not all that tall, but any men’s jacket would be too big for you. Plus, I’m two years older, remember? You understand that, right? You forgot, didn’t you?”

B-But, I got to say …… Wearing a big jacket like that, yeah …… 

I know she’s got a swimsuit on but …… It looks like she’s wearing nothing underneath. …… 

“Perv.”

“H-h-h-how?! It’s not like that’s the hot outfit or anything!! Besides, you’re like a sister to me so it’s not like I want you that way!”

“I hate this jacket because you look at me like a piece of meat.”

“Then give it back.”

“No.”

The spoiled princess can say whatever she wants. I don’t get it at all …… 

She must just be in the mood to mess with me.

For the first time since we arrived in Hawaii, Big Sis smiles so big it’s like her lips jump right out at me.

“Come on. Let’s go.”

With that, she takes my hand and starts walking.

Honolulu’s a big tourist city, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that there are quite a few people out even at this time of night.

Many shops are still open, and they’ve got tons of customers.

“…… Looks like that sanuki udon chain restaurant is the most popular one around ……”

“…… That’s kinda disappointing ……”

Watching all those white folks line up outside a Marukame Noodle Shop out of the corner of my eye, I start exploring the Hawaiian city at night with Big Sis and no real destination in mind. Walking around a foreign city at night alone would be scary, but for some reason, it’s kind of exciting with her.

We meander down one of the big streets until Big Sis stops in front of an ice cream shop.

“I want some.”

“This late? You’ll get fat.”

“It’s lunchtime in Japan.”

I don’t see how that’s relevant. But she says it anyway and then takes my wallet out of my jacket pocket and uses my money to buy ice cream like that’s naturally how it’s supposed to work.

We find a bench close by and take a seat. Big Sis looks extremely satisfied with that first bite. She gave me a little bit too …… Just a bit.

“Pretty good ice cream, don’t you think, Yaichi?”

“Pretty sweet, but yeah.”

Almost everything I’ve eaten since getting here has been sweet, but I think that ice cream might’ve just out-sweeted everything else.

I get up and go throw the cup away in the trash can.

Big Sis is still sitting on the bench when I get back. She holds her hand up toward me.

“…… Nm.”

“Ah …… Okay.”

I take that hand and help her to her feet like a princess getting out of her throne.

She loosens her grip as we start walking …… And, without really thinking, our fingers start interlocking.

Sort of like when you decide on a Shogi formation, you search for the right position in combination without saying a word …… and it falls into place.

In the deepest formation possible.

“…………”

Something in my gut tells me we shouldn’t be doing this, and my heart starts racing. The problem might be I’m still in the middle of the match. The Meijin’s sealing move is still in the envelope and here I am walking around the city at night, holding hands with a girl.

But …… This is Hawaii! I tell myself as an excuse and I remain hand-in-hand with a girl beautiful enough to turn heads everywhere we go in this foreign city.

It sounds like something out of some guy’s daydream, but it’s really happening. A soft zing goes through my chest every time I catch a glimpse of Big Sis’s profile.

We must’ve held hands thousands of times since I was a little kid …… 

I set out into this vast world on my Shogi adventure with a tight grip on her hand, and that adventure is still going.

It didn’t matter how dark the cave or how vicious the beast, I could take on anything as long as Big Sis was with me. Nothing scared us when we were together, and I truly believed we could go anywhere.

But, when was it?

When did we let go and start going off on our own ……?

In the end, we got back to the hotel about an hour later.

It’s almost midnight. I’ve got a big match to continue tomorrow, so I need to lie down and give my mind and body a break even if I can’t sleep.

I walk Big Sis back to her room and ask before she opens the door, “Please give me my jacket back.”

“No.”

“Say what ……?”

We’re back in the hotel, so what’s the problem ……? Having just bought that jacket, it really hurts to have it taken away so soon. Does she like wearing men’s clothes that much?

“Oh yeah, Big Sis. Who’re you rooming with?”

“No one. I offered to share a room because I’m in the Sub League, but I think I got special treatment because of my titles. Why do you ask?”

“Huh? No reason …… Ai said she’s sharing with Keika, so I was just wondering who would be staying with you.”

“……… Even now, at a time like this, you think about some grade school girl.”

“What? A time like this?”

“Idiot, idiot. Loli King.”

“I’m not like that?! How many times do I have to tell you?!”

“Where’s the proof?”

“Come again?”

“…… If you want me to believe you, prove it.”

With that, she presses her back up against the door and looks right at me–––.

Then leans her head back a bit and closes her eyes.

“……!!”

T-This is ……!

At first, I was sure she was teasing me. This is her go to pose whenever she wants to have a bit of fun at my expense, which is quite a bit.

But I figured out right away that something was different this time.

Even in this dark hallway in the hotel, I could see the nape of her neck turning red …… Her eyelashes quivering.

That’s how I could tell Big Sis was serious.

Because, I mean–––that’s exactly what happens to her when she is about make a decisive move in a match …… 

“S-Stop teasing me! I’ve got a match tomorrow! I need sleep?!”

In the end, I refused to take Big Sis’s bait and avoided her move completely.

I turned away, pretending to be shy and a bit angry before leaving as fast as my legs could carry me.

I thought I heard a voice behind me as I was moving through the hall.

“…… Such an idiot.”

My heart was beating so hard when I got back to my room I wasn’t sleepy at all.

Is that because I feel like I’m going to win tomorrow? Is there another reason? I thought about it until I fell asleep, but still didn’t have an answer.