Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 5 - Chapter 3

  TENTATIVE LOVE

My room feels much bigger without Ai here.

“………… Too much ……,” I mutter as I work at my computer. 

But it’s not the room. I’m getting frustrated at how much Shogi information I have to go through.

Since everything I thought I knew turned out to be wrong, I’ve been using Shogi software to help me research all the sequences starting at square one.

The software’s got more Shogi skills than top-class players … plus it never gets tired or emotional. If anything can lead me to the right answer, this is it.

And that’s been mostly true. The software has given me many different answers …… but, yeah.

“…… This won’t work. It’s too inefficient.”

I’ve gone through one little tidbit of Move-Loss Bishop Exchange sequences with the software and it already feels like I hit a dead end.

There are too many things to check …… People and software think in very different ways. So, I can’t understand how it got the answers it gave me no matter how hard I try. I’ll have to just flat-out memorize everything.

In the end, it’d be the same as staying up all night to prepare for a test. It’ll be a long, long time before I get any better at Shogi like this.

“…… It’d be so nice if someone told me what I’d face in the match, saying something like: This formation and this sequence are coming up! That’s not how it works in an actual match though …… Doesn’t help that the Meijin plays Static Rook and Ranging Rook, the perfect all-rounder ……”

I’ve lost most of my confidence, but I’m not so far gone as to think that preparing like this will help me win against the Meijin.

“But …… Then, what other options are there ……?”

So long as I don’t trust what I’m seeing, software is the only thing I can count on right now. There’s nothing else …… 

Shake! My whole body shivers.

“Pretty cold …… It’s already November, so why wouldn’t it be?”

Should I turn on the heater or go take a bath ……? Usually, Ai would show up and say: Master! The bath is ready♪ before I’d have time to think about it …… 

The doorbell rings just as that thought passed through my head.

“……………?”

Who could that be this late at night?

I quietly get up and try to peek out the window, but I hear the door unlock before I get over there.

My heart jumps into my throat for a second.

But–––.

“Yaichi? I’m coming in.”

A different girl from the one I was thinking of appears. One with silver hair–––.

“Big Sis? Why’re you here?”

“Why ……?”

Big Sis looked like she was about to complain, but her face returns to its usual emotionless shape just as quickly.

“Nothing much. I happened to be close, so I thought I’d stop in. I just left a practice session at the association. Which reminds me, Yaichi. The Mynavi Finals match records, did you see them?”

“…… No, I haven’t. I think it’s better for me to focus on my own match right now.”

“True. I think that’s what you should do, too.”

Big Sis agrees with me immediately but …… Now I’m curious and skim over the records.

Ai Yashajin won. A nice, strong win.

But …… Ai Hinatsuru’s Shogi was totally out of balance.

I know why better than anyone else.

Now I wish I hadn’t looked.

“You’ve got it the worst right now, Yaichi. That’s why you should just focus on yourself. This is no time to be worrying about some grade school girl’s feelings.”

“………”

“I understand you, Yaichi. That’s why I’m with you no matter what you decide.”

“…………… Appreciated.”

“Sure.”

Big Sis gives me a happy nod before plopping down on my bed.

Is she planning to stay here ……?

She’s saying she supports my decision to keep Ai at Master’s place for the time being so I can focus on myself, but comes to stay here herself? Talk about a contradiction. What’s she trying to pull?

For now, I’ll just ignore her and get back to my research–––.

“…… Could you not stare at me like that?”

“Do you want any help? Is there anything you want me to do for you?”

“Nothing really.”

“I see,” she says unconvincingly, sitting on my bed and swinging her feet back and forth.

…… Ignore, ignore.

I’ve got my research to focus on. Just me and the computer. Focus, focus …… 

At some point, Big Sis gets up, grabs one of my Shogi books off the shelf without asking, lies down on my bed and starts reading.

I can hear every page she turns, every shift of fabric when she changes position …… It’s strangely distracting. I never thought the situation of having a beautiful girl in a sailor-style school uniform lying on my bed would chip away at my concentration this much.

She must’ve gotten bored of reading, because Big Sis starts talking to me while still sprawled out on my bed.

“Want me to make you something to eat?”

“Can you make anything that can be eaten?”

“Of course I can ……… Like eggs on rice.”

“I can make that myself, so don’t bother.”

Shutting down the conversation there, I turn my focus back to the computer. Big Sis is lazing about on my bed. Hugging my pillow, giving it a few whacks every now and then. Basically, she’s playing around.

Maybe five minutes later, she speaks up again.

“Shouldn’t you take a break? Aren’t you tired?”

“Not at all.”

“I could get you some coffee.”

“No thanks.”

She sounds a bit pissed. Her face is a blank slate, but I’ve been around Big Sis long enough to know how to read her mood.

Enough already. Would you just please go home, like now?

More shifting fabric sounds as she lies back down on my bed …… Yeah, I didn’t think it’d rattle me this much. 

––…… And people are saying things about us, too.

Thinking back to what I heard during the third match after party, I want to scream at the top of my lungs.

And she has no idea what’s going on–––.

“…… Say, Yaichi,” says Big Sis, laying on my bed with my pillow in her arms, in a quiet but strong whisper, “…… are you sure …… there’s nothing, you want me to do? I’ll make an exception right now …… and do anything you want.”

“Anything like?”

“……………………………… Like what was going to happen next, in Hawaii ……”

Hawaii.

Just the sound of that one word brought all the painful memories flooding back in excruciating detail–––and the sound I’ve been hearing since then ramps up to a deafening roar. Too much to bear. Then …… 

Something inside me snapped.

“…… You know something?”

“What?”

“Please just leave me alone. I’ve got my title match to fight, and you’ve got to defend your Women’s Throne title, right? I appreciate the offer to help, but each of us should be focusing on our own battles right now.”

“I’m fine. I not going to lose anyway. So, I’m here to support you.”

“…… Geez! Why don’t you get it?!”

I get up from my chair, glare down at Big Sis lying on my bed, and yell right at her.

“People are saying things, bad things about you because you spend so much time with me! It’s annoying, isn’t it?! That’s why I’m trying to put some space between us, at least during the title matches! I’m trying to help you out here, so would you please wake up and figure that out already?!!”

“Then just come out and say it! What are you so worried about?!”

Big Sis stands up and looks me right in the eyes. “People have been saying stuff for years, remember?! And they all shut up when you showed what you can do! You took the title–––.”

“And I’m about to lose it!”

“That’s ………… Seriously!!”

Really ticked off, Big Sis grabs my arms and yells.

“So what if you lose the title?! The idiots who wouldn’t look at you without it won’t be there from the start! Any of them who only showed up after you got that title can all just disappear!!”

I don’t …… need the title?

What the hell is she saying?

Me having this title is the only reason people tolerate us being together, isn’t it? Once that balance is gone, they won’t let us, right?

Why do you think I’m working so damn hard to–––

“I want to be with you, always! Now and forever!! We can get stronger together like we used to!! Is that not enough?!”

“………”

Get stronger together?

Me and Big Sis? Like we did when we were kids?

If …… if it were that easy to improve …… Then why the hell don’t I know what to do??!!

“…… Say I did have you around, how would that help?”

“Huh?”

“What could a lowly Sub League member actually do?”

“……!!”

At first, Big Sis had an I don’t understand what you’re saying kind of look on her face.

But her ash-colored eyes instantly take on that blue tint that means she’s ready for a fight. Her hands, wrapped tight around my arms, are shaking.

I’m fuming myself and won’t stop now.

Panicking, with my back against the wall, regretting everything that happened with Ai, anger at my own worthlessness and that damn noise that’s been pounding inside my head since I lost in Hawaii make me scream at Big Sis with no end in sight. I let her know exactly what it feels like and nothing’s going to stop me.

“Who do you think I’m going against, huh? That Meijin, him! It’s nothing like the soft Shogi someone who’s never played a match in 3-dan League knows. I’d get rusty doing practice sessions with you, Big Sis. Using software on my own is so much more efficient––.”

I get that far, and freeze.

Because I saw …… tears building up in Big Sis’s eyes.

–––Shit. I said too much.

“B-Big Sis. I sor–––.”

The tears didn’t fall.

But a fist came down in their place.

“Die!! Burn in hell, you piece of trash!!!”

Her fist hits me square in the nose like a rock. I fall backward onto the floor. All of her weight must’ve gone into that punch.

“Hurry up and die!! Die like the brainless scum you are, Yaichi!!!”

Long, sweeping kicks like she’s trying to score a soccer goal from midfield relentlessly slam into my side. Her sharp fingernails jab deep into my solar plexus, knocking the wind out of me. I can’t breathe.

Lastly, she pulls out the spare key to my room and throws it, keychain and all, at me from point-blank range. One more “Die!!” and Big Sis storms out of my room, stomping all the way.

“Gahh ……… Owwch …………… What is … that woman’s problem ………?!”

Gingerly sitting up, I touch my nose to make sure I’m not bleeding.

Luckily, there’s no blood which means no bones are broken. I don’t think Big Sis was holding anything back though …… 

“…… I know I’m trash, you don’t have to tell me ……,” I muttered to myself as I crawled back into my chair and started moving Shogi pieces across the monitor with my mouse.

Even though I finally got the study environment I wanted, I didn’t get much done at all that day.