Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 14 - Chapter 2.4

  ANNOUNCEMENT

I opened the front door to find Ginko and Yaichi standing there with enough nervous energy to power the whole neighborhood.

“Welcome home!”

“Th-Thanks …… for having us …… Keika ……”

Since we’re all basically family, dad taught them to treat our house as their own rather than act like guests.

The Shogi bond we share is thicker than blood.

But …… They can’t just plop down in a chair and put their feet up like normal this time, now can they?

“What’s the matter? Come right in like always,” I tease as they finally start taking off their shoes … awkwardly.

Yaichi glances up and down the hallways before he asks me, “U-Umm ………… Keika? Is Master ……?”

“Oh, yes …… He said he was out of cigarettes and went out to buy a pack a few minutes ago. He won’t be gone long, though. I told him you two were coming several times already.”

Dad has been on edge since he woke up this morning.

Barely saying a word, he paced through the house so much I’m surprised he didn’t leave a trail of footprints on the floor. Just when I thought he’d stopped to smoke a cigarette, he’d put it out and keep walking …… He can tell something is up.

“I have an announcement to make.”

Ginko asked me to give him that message a few days ago.

It goes without saying that she’s talking about her promotion to 4-dan. Of course she called him immediately once the 3-dan division was over and the whole country knows she’s a professional now, but there’s this little thing called formality that needs to be maintained.

Good fences make good neighbors. Shogi begins and ends with manners. Its values are deeply rooted in Japanese culture.

The Master-apprentice relationship is a central pillar of the Shogi world, so manners are very important.

So Ginko coming here to tell him in person is nothing special.

The problem …… is that Yaichi, who is right in the middle of a title match, is here with her.

Even my dad with his thick skull could pick up on what that means.

Coming to tell their Master every little thing, how cute is that?! I wonder who broke the ice first? Yaichi, it had to be Yaichi. Ginko isn’t the type to let her emotions come out. She typically lets them leak without saying anything instead (ha-ha).

“………………” (Fidget fidget)

The pair make their way to the tatami room and sit on their ankles in the lower seat but are anything but calm.

Maybe I should give them time to work on their plan?

“Wait a minute, would you please? I’ll go get some tea ready and grab some snacks from the kitchen. Dad should be back in a few minutes.”

“O-Okay!! Th-Thank you ……”

He-he-he. Puppy love.

It reminds me of when the two of them first came to live here …… That was over 12 years ago, but the two still come into the tatami room together when they have something to tell Master.

And whenever they have a huge announcement to make, it’s usually something ridiculous. They know they’re in for a scolding, kind of like kids that got sent to the principal’s office.

“…… I’ll be keeping an eye on them with more tea at the ready just in case they need my help. Dad can drone on for hours,” I whispered quietly to myself as I put water on to boil.

What if Master objects to them dating?

“If that happens …… That’ll be Keika’s cue to step in and get him to see reason!”

Just as I decide to play the hero …

Strange sounds start coming from the tatami room–––.

“Mnhh ………… D-Don’t, Yaichi ……♡ Stop …… ♡”

“Nooope. I’ve got matches and you’re going to so many events that we never get to see each other. I’ve got to take advantage of every chance I get!”

“Hey ……! Ya- …… Not so hard ………… You’ll leave a mark ……♡”

“Hah. So you won’t forget me …… Yeah? There’s no telling when I’ll get to see you again.”

“Stupid ……! What if Master sees ……?!”

………… They wouldn’t?

Huh? Seriously, I left them alone for what, thirty seconds? The kitchen is literally …… one room over?

And I told them that Master would be back any minute.

Are they creatures that die without playing kissy-face every waking moment they’re alone ……?

“Don’t …… Keika will …… Nhh ………… come ……!”

“No problem. I know exactly what her footsteps sound like, so she’ll never find out.”

“B-But ………… Nhh …… ♡ ………… She could still …… peek in here ……”

“Then we should just show her. That’s what we’re here to say anyway, right?”

…… Did Yaichi just say they’re here to show me?

“Didn’t he say I was his type not too long ago? So what? I was the perfect woman but now I’m old news because he has a girlfriend ……?”

I’ve got half a mind to empty this boiling kettle over his sloppy attempt to dye his hair brown when I hear Ginko say in a dainty voice, “I’m serious! Don’t, stupid Yaichi ……”

She’s resisting sloppy brown’s advances and explaining why at the same time.

“Put yourself in Keika’s position …… She doesn’t have a boyfriend …… She barely ever wins her Shogi matches …… She’d be miserable ……”

What? I just won a match, I’ll have you know.

And it’s not that I can’t get a boyfriend, I just haven’t tried. On purpose.

“Keika will find a great guy, trust me. She’ll be fine.”

“…… No, she won’t ……”

“Why not?”

“……………… Because I already have the best one …… ♡”

Snap!

“Is that the door? Dad’s home! Oh Daaaaaaad!! Yaichi and Ginko got here right after you left! Don’t keep them waiting any longer!! DAAAAAAD!! Hurry up and get to the tatami room!!”

“!!!! ?!?!?!?!”

They fell over each other, trying to sit up straight and pull themselves together in a panic. I heard every glorious moment of it.

Dad didn’t get home for about 15 minutes after that. Wasn’t it nice of me to give the lovebirds plenty of planning time? ♡