Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 6 - Chapter 4

  AI, THE POPULAR ONE

“Ai! Sign this for me!”

Elementary school students tracked down Ai Hinatsuru in the Class 4-2 classroom during recess in hopes of getting her autograph.

“Sure,” she smiled, taking sheets of colored paper and notebooks from her classmates and started writing all sorts of difficult characters on them with the same calligraphy set she uses in class.

Good wife, wise mother. 

Monogamy. 

Young bride.

First apprentice comes first.

…… All with penmanship that made her Master’s writing look like chicken scratch.

Lastly, she withdrew what looked to be a good-sized large rock out of her Mr. Cat pouch.

“What’s that?! A hanko?!”

The elementary students were fascinated by their first glimpse at a personalized stamp that adults used for verification purposes.

Mio stood at Ai’s side with an authoritarian look in her eyes as if she were the girl’s manager.

“I know what that is! It’s called a rakkan!”

“Rakkan?”

“A what?! Come on, tell me?!”

“Weeell …… Players have to use it whenever they give an autograph,” Ai politely explained so that her friends with no Shogi knowledge could understand.

“Players have to sign lots of things, like fans and stuff like that. This stamp proves it’s not a fake. That’s what it’s for ……”

“So then, this is your own original stamp, Ai?”

“Oh woooow! Did you make it yourself?! Or did someone give it to you?!” Mio interjected.

“It was a present from Kujuryu-sensei, wasn’t it? Wasn’t it, Ai?”

“Y-Yep♡ He said that now I’m in the Women’s League, I’d better look the part …… And Master gave it to me♡”

Cheeks turning a brilliant pink, Ai nodded.

Upon hearing that, a swift murmur worked its way through the students–––.

“Um, hey …… Ai ……”

“I heard them say it on TV but …… You’re living with a man who’s not in your family …… aren’t you?”

“Yep! I’m a live-in apprentice, so Master has been looking after me since I moved to Osaka.”

“Squee–––♡♡♡”

Which meant that Ai …… was indeed living with the young man!

This was why the students had come!! Their approach may have been asking for autographs, but they actually wanted to ask Ai about her relationship with her Master themselves!!

“Are you two …… really …… e-engaged?”

Ai immediately shook her head left and right the moment the word engaged came up.

“En-Engaged ……?! No, no not yet!”

“Does that yet mean you’re planning to someday?!”

“They said it on TV! He promised to marry you when you’re old enough, right?!”

“Have you kissed yet?!”

“M-Marry? No, there’s no promise like that! The whole thing was just to celebrate me joining the Women’s League, and my mother went a little overboard …… Of course, I haven’t kissed him yet! …… We haven’t, but ……”

“But?!”

“Umm ……,” Ai mumbled as she swayed back and forth, debating. “This, um, is a secret …… okay?” 

“Yes, yes!!”

“You have to promise not to tell anyone! Never tell …… okay?”

“Nobody’ll say a word, so come on, out with it!”

“I promise!”

Mio had left Ai’s side to join the circle of students surrounding the girl.

“Remember how the Fourth Ryuo Title Match was at my parents’ inn? There was a short break after the Repetition Draw …… In Master’s room …… He slept with his head in my lap ……”

“H-He did?!”

Squee! Squee! Squee! The students were beside themselves with excitement. The secret was now echoing off the classroom walls as they screamed the news for all to hear.

However, Ai didn’t seem all that perturbed.

“Remember the seventh match? The one where he defended his title. I got sleepy during the after-party …… Master took me all the way back to my room. On the way ……”

“On the way?!”

“He …… held me in his arms …… like a princess …… ♡”

“Squee––––––!!”

“Also, Master talked with someone when he was holding me …… He said that he won because of his apprentice ……”

“So then, he said he won all thanks to you?”

The swarm of students agreed with Mio’s interpretation.

“Whoa! You’re like the goddess of victory, Ai!”

“And isn’t living together basically the same as being married?!”

Now that she had an eager audience, Ai wasn’t going to stop recounting their lovey-dovey moments.

“T-This happened a little while ago, but after I made breakfast for him …… he said he wanted to eat it every day …… ♡”

“Pro-po-sal!! He was proposing to you!! You said yes, right, Ai?!”

“Uwhee?! He was asking me to marry him?!”

Ai sat there, stunned.

“Th-that couldn’t be …… I always cook for him, so I’d never know if he asked like that ……… And he says that kind of thing to other girls all the time …… Like Keika’s the best cook in the world … he always wants to eat Asuka’s food … and even though he says Sora-sensei’s food tastes horrible, he always eats every bite …… Master darabuchi ……! Cheater ……!!”

“A-Ai? Relax, relax ……”

Realizing her question had crossed into dark territory, Mio desperately tried to smooth the girl.

That’s when another one of the students spoke up.

“I get that you’re living with him and he holds you but …… Ai, can you really call him your lover?”

“True. Master and apprentice are pretty much just teacher and student, right?”

“Do you have proof? I’d sure like to see some.”

This is what mom was talking about! Ai snapped to attention.

“P-Proof that we’re together …… What would that be?”

“A kiss, don’t you think?”

The other students nodded along with Mio’s words.

Ai’s face turned red so quickly, it practically caught fire.

“Kiss ……… Kiss Master ……………… Haaaaa~♡”

“Well? Think you can do it?”

“………… If it’s …… on the cheek like Charlette, then ……”

“Oh, no, no. It’s got to be on the lips, how else are you supposed to know how he feels?”

“Uhwawa ……!! I-I can’t do that!”

“Really? Wouldn’t he do it if you asked him to?”

“Well, maybe, but! I-It’s …… too embarrassing to ask ……!”

“Okay, so how do you want it to happen?”

Mio had had enough beating around the bush and cut right to the heart of the matter.

Fidgeting, Ai responded.

“It’d be perfect if …… Master, leaned in and …… kissed me ……”

“Huuuh? But, that’ll never happen because that Sensei couldn’t pick up on a hint if it hit him in the face.”

“Siiiigh …… That’s the problem ……”

Should a book entitled Kuzuryu-sensei’s Thick Skull ever be published, it would be sure to win the Shogi Pen Club’s Literary Award. Guaranteed.

“Haa …… All right then. I’ll help you out.”

The class’s voice of wisdom, Mihane, arrived on the scene.

Back when Kuzuryu-sensei was paying more attention to Ai Yashajin, it was Mihane who fanned Ai Hinatsuru’s anxiety into fear with a few words (making her cry as well).

Although their relationship has had its rocky moments, Mihane’s naturally caring personality and Ai’s calm, quiet demeanor has led to mutual respect between the two as classmates.

Since this was her area of expertise, Mihane couldn’t resist the chance to flaunt her knowledge.

“Well, my boy is in college … and my private tutor.”

“Whooooa~! A college student, that’s older than Kujuryu-sensei! Like, a man man!”

“M-Mihane …… You’re amazing ……!”

Mio and Ai gazed at their classmate with the utmost respect and admiration.

“It’s no big deal. Men, they’re all just kids. A few flirty techniques and I had him wrapped around my finger.”

In reality, Mihane’s tutor treated her just like a child, a far cry from the boyfriend she said she was in the one-sided relationship with. …… Be that as it may, the girl’s pride prevented her from admitting the truth, which led to her spinning this tall tale.

Ai, however, held onto every word she said as if clinging for dear life.

“Please, tell me, Mihane! Teach me how you did it! What do I need to do?!”

“This magazine taught me everything. It’s all here in black and white.”

With that, Mihane took a single magazine from her bag.