But Yukima Azuma didn't mind in the slightesthe simply waved her over.
As soon as Hinatsuru Ai came closer
Yukima Azuma introduced her to the three girls one by one.
At the same time, he explained that for the upcoming trip to Osaka, they would all be traveling together.
Hinatsuru Ai already knew Sadatou Ayano.
Plus, they were all part of the same research club.
And they all had shogi in common.
It didn't take long before they started chatting excitedly.
Watching the little girls laugh and play together, Yukima Azuma smiled softly.
This was good.
His disciple wouldn't have to be lonely.
...
"How are we getting to Osaka? By train?"
Kugui Machi walked up beside Yukima Azuma and asked softly.
Yukima Azuma shook his head. "We'll take a car. It's more convenient."
Hearing that, Kugui Machi let out a small oh.
After all, she was a well-bred young lady from Tokyo.
And she was part of the small inner circle of the shogi world.
She had some idea about Hinatsuru Ai's situation.
The cherished daughter of the Hinatsuru family.
Having a private car for travel wasn't out of the ordinary.
But more than the private car, Kugui Machi was curious about something else.
"Yukima-kun, are you really a student at Toyogasaki?"
"Umu, I'm a first-year at Toyogasaki. Why?"
"Nothing, I was just a little surprised. Toyogasaki's entrance scores are among the highest in the country."
"I have a bit of a knack for memory, so memorizing things isn't too hard. It's kind of like shogi."
Yukima Azuma replied casually.
But Kugui Machi couldn't help but be tongue-tied.
This is what he called "a bit of a knack"?
Just in shogi alone, Yukima Azuma had already reached near the peak.
Putting aside his age, just the fact that he held the Ryuuou title
a title that countless players in the shogi world could only dream of
Even if he retired right this moment,
his name would still be engraved in the history of shogi.
"Kind of like shogi," huh Then wouldn't that mean he was also a once-in-a-generation genius in academics?
Who knows, after graduating high school, he might even get a direct offer from Tokyo University.
Even without any backing, he could freely choose his own path forward.
And someone who was capable of taking Hinatsuru Ai as a disciple
how could he really have no backing at all?
Kugui Machi pondered. Maybe ten years from now
If not for this encounter today, she might not even have the qualifications to talk to this guy.
"What are you thinking about?" Yukima Azuma noticed her expression was a little strange and asked curiously.
Kugui Machi chuckled and shook her head. "Just that you're really amazing."
Hearing that, Yukima Azuma snapped his fingers.
"Right? I think I'm amazing too."
( _)
That one line shattered the sense of distance Kugui Machi had just started to feel
in an instant.
Who the heck praised themselves like that?
Even if it was true, it was still weird, right?
She couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle softly.
Just then, the three from the other roomSora Ginko and the others
also stepped out after hearing the noise outside.
When they saw a small group of little girls, they all froze for a moment.
Yukima Azuma quickly explained the situation.
Sora Ginko didn't have any particular reaction.
She had interacted with Kugui Machi before.
After all, in the shogi world, there were only so many female players at the very top.
As for the little girls
Sora Ginko simply acted as if they didn't exist.
But the little girls were staring intently at Sora Ginko.
"Excuse me, are you Sora-sama!?"
"Wow! It's really Snow White!"
"Please shake my hand!"
"Me too! I want to shake hands too!"
Surrounded by the excited little girls, Sora Ginko was momentarily flustered.
Yukima Azuma, watching from the side, chuckled softly.
Senpai being all flustered O'kawaii koto.
()
Meanwhile, Kiyotaki Keika watched the scene in deep thought.
Most of her peers had already gotten married by now.
Some even had kids in their arms.
Every now and then, while scrolling through Twitter, she'd see her middle school or high school classmates posting pictures of their children.
And here she was, still dedicating herself to the life of a female shogi player.
Forget having kidsmarriage
She hadn't even dated before.
Ah this suddenly makes me feel old.
As if the pain of talent wasn't enough, now she had another jab to the heart!
(ЇЇ)
"Keika-nee, are you feeling unwell?"
"Azuma-kun, you wouldn't understand."
Yukima Azuma blinked in confusion.
( ®® ) ?
What do you mean, I wouldn't understand?
...
After having breakfast at Hinatsuru Ryokan
the group got into the Hinatsuru family's car and set off for Osaka.
Upon arrival
they checked their luggage into the hotel and then went out together to visit the famous attractions nearby.
Osaka was a city with a strong shogi atmosphere.
There were historical landmarks tied to shogi, ancient shogi halls where legendary matches had been played.
Modern dojos were also far more numerous than in other cities.
Yukima Azuma led a group of young girls and teenagers, enjoying the day to the fullest.
It wasn't until sunset
that they finally returned to the hotel.
As soon as he stepped into his room, before he even had the chance to take off his coat
a knock sounded at his door.
He opened it.
The person standing there was his Tsundere-senpai.
"Ginko-senpai, is something wrong?" Yukima Azuma blinked.
For Sora Ginko to come find him out of the blue, there had to be a reason.
Besides, she had barely spoken all day.
Yukima Azuma had assumed she was just uncomfortable around strangers.
But now, it seemed that wasn't the case.
"Play a match." Sora Ginko said, pulling out a seven-inch shogi board from behind her.
From childhood to now, the number of times Yukima Azuma and Sora Ginko had played against each other was too many to count.
Over the years, the exact number had become impossible to verify.
It could only be said that, out of the first seven levels of Yukima Azuma's shogi skills
six and a half of them were built up thanks to Sora Ginko.
However, ever since Yukima Azuma returned to competitive play
Sora Ginko had played against him far less frequently.
It wasn't that Yukima Azuma didn't want to; it was that Sora Ginko didn't want to.
Yukima Azuma suspected that his small senpai had already realized the gap in their skills.
Until she could close that gap, she probably didn't want to face him again.
But today, something was different.
"Senpai, are you worried about this tournament?"
Of course, Yukima Azuma knew why she was here.
His senpai was full of pride.
As the reigning Queen, her expectation for the upcoming tournament was undoubtedly to take the championship.
Saying she felt no pressure would be a lie.
Sora Ginko was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly.
She had nothing to hide in front of Yukima Azuma.
She didn't want to lose the Queen title.
If she lost in a women's tournament, it would only prove that the gap between her and him was growing wider.
Yukima Azuma said nothing more.
He reached out and pulled Sora Ginko straight into his room.
And casually shut the door behind her.
— — — — — — — — — — —
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Chapter 218: Ginko, Stay Here Tonight!
Chapter 218: Ginko, Stay Here Tonight!
Being pulled into the room by Yukima Azuma.
Sora Ginko was a little startled.
( ®®) !!
But she quickly calmed down.
They had grown up together since childhood.
A scene like thisjust the two of them, one man and one woman, alone in a roomhad happened countless times.
If anything were really going to happen, it would have happened long ago.
This idiot is basically just a block of wood.
But... recently, he seems to have gained a little awareness.
Placing the shogi board on the tatami, Sora Ginko sat down on one side.
However, Yukima Azuma didn't sit across from her.
Instead, he sat right next to her.
Sora Ginko looked at Yukima Azuma in confusion.
"Not going to play shogi with me?"
"We've played no less than ten thousand matches since we were kids, missing one won't matter." Yukima Azuma shook his head.
Hearing that, Sora Ginko pouted.
( )
Of course, she understood this, but she just wanted to find a little sense of security.
This time, obtaining the Queen title wouldn't be easy.
Not to mention the other strong players.
Even those around herSainokami Ika wasn't an opponent to be taken lightly.
And then there was Hinatsuru Ai.
Normally, Sora Ginko had always crushed Hinatsuru Ai.
But that girl had immense talent, and Sora Ginko couldn't help but worry.
Now, she had come to play shogi with Yukima Azuma, only to be refused.
Sora Ginko felt a little annoyed, even suspecting that Yukima Azuma was favoring his disciple.
Seeing the adorable pout on his sister-senpai's face,
Yukima Azuma couldn't resist and reached out to poke Sora Ginko's cheek.
()/(*'' )
Sora Ginko immediately glared at Yukima Azuma with a terrifying look.
( _ )
When they were younger, this trick had worked very well on Yukima Azuma.
Back then, Yukima Azuma didn't understand Sora Ginko's feelings and was afraid she'd actually get mad at him.
He would obediently apologize.
But now, Yukima Azuma wasn't scared at all.
He even extended another finger and pinched her cheek.
()( )
Seeing that her threatening glare had no effect, Sora Ginko felt a little helpless.
She couldn't actually beat up Yukima Azuma just because he pinched her cheek.
And then, just one sentence from Yukima Azuma truly made Sora Ginko furious.
"Ginko-senpai has put on some weight."
What girl could tolerate being told she's gained weight?
Sora Ginko gritted her teeth, nearly biting Yukima Azuma's finger.
( ) !!!
"When you were little, Ginko-senpai was too skinny. It's a good thing you've grown up healthy now."
Yukima Azuma said, his tone carrying a hint of nostalgia.
Hearing that, Sora Ginko immediately deflated.
When she was little, due to a severe heart condition, she had been extremely thin and small.
She had even been hospitalized for a long time.
Back then, Yukima Azuma visited her every single day.
The hospital food was bland and tasteless.
Every day, she had to mix in a lot of sauce just to eat it.
After finding out about this, Yukima Azuma brought her a little bit of tasty but relatively healthy snacks every day.
It was during that time that Sora Ginko gradually fell for Yukima Azuma.
Otherwise, even if they had grown up under the same master,
Sora Ginko wouldn't have been infatuated with Yukima Azuma from the start.
Her fingers lightly touched the crown bracelet on her wrist.
Sora Ginko unconsciously smiled with happiness.
( )
After smiling, she realized that the worries in her heart had significantly lessened.
Looking at Yukima Azuma, she wondered if he had been doing all this to help her relieve psychological pressure.
Thinking about it, Sora Ginko suddenly felt a little jealous.
He's really good at this.
She wasn't always by Yukima Azuma's side.
It was rare for her to have the chance to talk with him like this.
"Do you usually comfort your disciple like this too?" Ginko glared at Yukima Azuma.
Yukima Azuma shook his head. "Ai is always full of energy."
"Oh, that's true. That little girl went straight to your house to become your disciple at such a young age."
"Ginko-senpai has no right to talk about others. You were even more domineering!"
Hearing that, Yukima Azuma almost couldn't hold back his laughter.
At the very least, Hinatsuru Ai had already entered elementary school when she sought out a master.
But Sora Ginko
The achievements of this little senpai were truly astonishing.
At two years old, Sora Ginko had already memorized all the rules of shogi.
At four years old, she lost a teaching match against Kiyotaki Kousuke.
And so, that four-year-old girl went online to look up Kiyotaki Kousuke's home address.
She bought a train ticket on her own and traveled to her master's house to seek revenge.
She even left behind a legendary talebecause she couldn't reach the ticket machine, the station staff had to place a small platform in front of it just so she could buy her ticket.
Even more domineering than Hinatsuru Ai.
No wonder, despite being so young, Yukima Azuma had already taken a master.
And yet, Sora Ginko, who was even younger than him, had somehow entered the school before him and become his senpai.
Being teased by Yukima Azuma,
Sora Ginko felt a little embarrassed and unconsciously fiddled with the hem of her skirt.
(>/////<)
The younger Sora Ginko had been extremely proud.
Losing a match to her master left her seventy percent unwilling and eighty percent frustrated.
She spent all day thinking about how to take revenge.
Later, when her parents found out, that was when the matter of taking a master was decided.
But looking back
Being able to become a disciple had truly been a stroke of luck.
Otherwise, she never would have met Yukima Azuma.
After a brief moment of awkwardness,
Sora Ginko took a deep breath.
All the tension had disappeared.
She lifted her head to look at Yukima Azuma.
"Will I win?"
It was a strange question because, unless there was a massive gap in skill, the outcome of a match was always uncertain, full of countless variables.
But at this moment, Sora Ginko asked not for an actual answer
She simply wanted Yukima Azuma's affirmation.
"Of course you'll win. Sora Ginko is the most incredible genius I've ever met."
Yukima Azuma responded without hesitation.
"What about that little brat?"
"It'll take Ai a few more years to catch up to you."
"Are you just trying to make me happy?"
