My eyes follow Ayumu’s first move from my seat at the boardside table.
“2 Two Pawn ……”
I jot down notes in my notebook.
Ayumu is indicating a Static Rook strategy. He still holds the pieces the same way as when he was a child.
I didn’t have a chance to play against him in the Elementary Meijin Tournament, but I’ve admired that beautiful grip of his for a long time, even mimicking it myself.
―――Though mimicking him was an attempt to garner Yaichi’s attention.
The two players in front of me have a special connection.
The same generation, childhood friends, compatriots, rivals.
I put those words to paper, and each one hits the mark. At the same time though, they feel slightly askew. I wouldn’t write anything approaching boy’s love territory, of course, and that wouldn’t be accurate either.
I would join these two and O-Ryou at overnight practice sessions at the Kiyotaki household (aiming for nights when Ginko wasn’t there) or at the Kannabe residence, playing until I literally dozed off at the board …… I can’t recall the number of times I would awaken to find them still playing against each other.
Their own private time? Are we intruding? I remember them discussing the answer to Shogi, the final solution. Ayumu would go on about outer space and the big bang. Yaichi would chide him with ‘How much time’s left?’”
I keep my pen moving, recording whatever thoughts come to me while we wait for the next move.
I know I have a bit of time before Yaichi makes his move.
He has a first move routine that resembles a morning routine, after all.
First, he pours a glass of water into his cup and takes a drink. His Master taught him to do that so he wouldn’t make a rash decision on this first move. Even now, Yaichi faithfully obeys. Then comes a deep breath.
“………… Haaaaaah――― ……”
Closes his eyes for a moment―――clenches the lower lip, and picks up a piece.
I’ve watched him do this for years. But something feels a bit different about it today.
The reason, it turns out, is which piece he takes.
“The King?!”
Yaichi’s fingers pick up his King.
In all the time I’ve known him, I’ve never once seen Yaichi choose to move his King first.
“…… This is it, huh ……?”
“…… I guess it works on defense, too ……?”
The players around me whisper back and forth as Yaichi moves his King straight forward.
I record it in my notes, saying each pen stroke under my breath to make absolutely sure no mistakes are made.
“Fiiive …… Twooo …… K-i-n-g.”
“………… 100 years …………,” the match recorder, Noboryou 3-dan mumbles next to me.
All the cameras going off made it difficult to catch anything else, but I’m positive she also said the word real as well.
The 3-dan division wrapped up last week, but her winning percentage dropped so low that she is in danger of being demoted. The Sub League director, Hatomachi-sensei, was elated to hear that Noboryou 3-dan had registered to work a second match in the Crown Title series. “All of you should take a page out of Ms. Noboryou’s book and redouble your efforts! You’ll never become a professional unless you improve!” or so he said.
I, on the other hand, don’t find this to be a motivational story at all.
The Shogi Noboryou 3-dan played at their regular meetings couldn’t be truly defined as Shogi anymore.
She worked as the match recorder for Ika Sainokami and Ai Yashajin’s match as well.
Her admiration for Ginko Sora led her to work her matches whenever possible, but when she was present for Ginko’s professional debut and saw her so thoroughly defeated by Ika …… she started pursuing Yaichi and Ai instead.
―――How obvious.
As someone who spent her time on the heels of Yaichi Kuzuryu, Noboryou 3-dan’s thought process is clear as day.
If I were to put the hungry stare that she has trained on one of the players right now into words, it would be this:
“Women are always drawn to the strongest.”
After nearly an hour staying in the arena, I make my exit when the morning snack arrives and join other staff members and players in the waiting room.
Ayumu seemed to be anticipating the opening King move and had a response already prepared. Playing it instantaneously, Yaichi seemed to take that as a challenge and responded in kind. The two have traded blows so quickly that I never had a chance to take my leave.
―――A League membership and multiple titles, but these two are still the same kids from back then.
Reminiscing lifts my mood as I open the waiting room door.
“Huh?”
Bewildered, I freeze in the door frame.
The sight that greeted me was so different from what I was expecting that I couldn’t help it.
Of course, I knew that O-Ryou and Shakando-sensei were present. But the air in here is so tense, it’s as if the match were drawing to a climactic finish at this very moment.
Professional players flocking here is no surprise, but members of the Women’s League, Sub League and even some strong amateur players are lined up at the tables. What’s more, every single one of them is looking down at an analysis board as if a loved one were on their deathbed.
“What ……?”
For a moment, I thought I might have misread the date. So I open my calendar and see that yes, it’s a weekday in the summer. I suppose that explains why students aren’t in class, but ……
“Why so many ……? It’s the morning of the first day.”
“Quite the sight, isn’t it? For this many pros to be on hand for the first day of a two-day match, why, it’s like seeing pigs fly while riding a unicorn. Wouldn’t you agree?”
The man who challenged the Meijin this season looks up from an analysis board to address me.
“Natagiri-sensei ……”
This is the first time Ayumu’s research partner has come to the venue during this series. It’s almost as if he knew it would last seven matches from the very beginning.
“Apparently, the waiting room during my match against the Meijin was almost empty. Probably because they all assumed there was no point since I was going to lose anyway!”
“I think jealousy had more to do with it.”