Epilogue
☖ Epilogue
“Has it already been a week since Ai went home to the north coast ……? Time sure flies,” Keika says along with a really, really long sigh as the two of us drink coffee after grabbing lunch at Twelve on the first floor of the association.
“She wasn’t here that long, but there’s something about her that makes it feel like she was always with us …… It’s almost like there’s a big hole in the classroom where she should be.”
“…… Yeah.”
“Are you lonely? …… I suppose I don’t have to ask.”
“……”
I silently take another swig of coffee. That warm bitterness spreads out inside my mouth.
It’s still pretty early in the afternoon, so Keika and I have the horseshoe-shaped counter all to ourselves. The always-quiet chef is cooped up in the kitchen.
A week has passed.
News of the “Ryuo Ai-Prostration Incident” spread across the Shogi world like wildfire. Everyone involved with Shogi knows. I even got a message from Ayumu in Tokyo later that day. Thanks to smartphones and the Internet, there’s no time lag between Kanto and Kansai. Information travels fast.
The Shogi chatrooms seem to know a little too much, discussing everything at length at the same time reputable sites were starting to post articles.
“What’s up with the fourth junior high school Shogi pro, youngest title holder in history and now youngest player to ever take an apprentice, Yaichi Kuzuryu-Ryuo?!”
“I heard it’s a 9-year-old girl apprentice.”
“Apparently he said, ‘Give me your daughter’ to her parents with his head on the floor—had to be a shock to the parents.”
“Then that’s why they took her home right away! I would too!”
“You guys hear that the Kansai pros call him ‘Loli King’? Haha I can’t laugh lol.”
“So he’s got a second title now …… The guy’s on a roll ……”
“There’s also evidence he rounded up a bunch of grade school girls for a practice session in his apartment.”
“For real, practicing what?”
An insider has to be involved, yeah? For me, the fact that Loli King came up makes Big Sis suspect number one.
“…… Even my father is grumbling.”
“Master too?”
“Yes. My cute little granddaughter has up and gone home without sayin’ goodbye. Woe is me, woe is me. You get the picture.”
Keika drinks the last of her coffee and puts the cup down on the saucer.
“That’s why he wants to make sure that Ai stays at the house when she comes back today, no matter what. Have the whole family tree sleeping side-by-side for the first time in a while.”
“Sounds great. Ai’ll be thrilled.”
She went back to the north coast with her parents to make all the necessary arrangements to transfer schools and prepare for the move, but today’s the day that she comes back to Osaka to put her nose to the grindstone and start training.
I knew she was coming right back, but it’s been a long week ……
“She’s taking the afternoon train by herself, right?”
“Yep. By herself.”
Ai’s parents only had this to say about me taking her as my apprentice: “There’s no point in going through with it unless you’re as stern as possible at all times. So, please don’t go easy on her.”
“Ai is coming here with the mindset that she won’t go home without claiming her first women’s title. So, as her Master, I intend to not only push her to the limit in Shogi, but to be strict with everything else too. She’ll never, ever, get special treatment!”
“One of those let your darling children travel kind of things?”
“Then again, it’s a bit dangerous for her to walk alone through the city, so I was thinking of meeting her at Osaka station. But I haven’t heard a peep from her.”
“Meet her at the station? …… Fukushima Station is just down the street from here, one stop away from Osaka.”
“Open your eyes! Think, Keika!! A girl that cute walking through Osaka City is bound to get scouted by who knows what agency?! What if she decides to take up an offer for modeling or acting and completely ignores Shogi …… I’m her Master!! It’s my job to protect her from those things?!”
“……… And? She’s coming directly to us after getting off the train?”
“That depends on how much she brought with her, I guess. She sent most of her stuff to my apartment in boxes already, so she might bring a bag but that’s about it.”
I did some asking around and set up a welcome party at Master’s house tonight. Everyone that was part of the Grade Schooler Practice Group is coming.
“By the way, Yaichi. Did you tell Ginko about the party tonight?”
“Me?! I thought you were going to tell her?!”
“I haven’t said a thing?! You made the arrangements, so that’s your job?!”
“I-I think she’d be much more receptive if you give her the invitation ……?”
“This is your apprentice’s welcome party. How will it look if you, the Master, can’t do the simple things?”
Well, I guess there’s no room to retreat now. Oh boy ……
“Then, um …… Calling her scares me …… So, I’ll send the message ……”
“Don’t bother.”
“!!”
“I heard everything.”
“B …… Big Sisss ……”
Big Sis walks into the suddenly quiet restaurant and orders without even glancing at the menu. “Dynamite, C set.” Ordering the manliest item on the menu, she takes a seat next to me.
Keika panics and starts spouting excuses.
“G-Ginko. No one was leaving you out, okay? There was just a little confusion about who was supposed to tell who because the organizer is even more useless than I thought——.”
“Isn’t that going a little too far, Keika?! Useless?! A little much don’t you think?!”
“Well, I’ve got cooking to do! See you later!”
She leaves some money on the counter and makes a quick exit.
Now it’s just me and Big Sis in the restaurant.
“……”
“……”
“……”
“…… Um, Big Sis? A-about the party tonight——.”
“Sauce.”
“Huh?”
“It’s almost out so get more.”
Big Sis didn’t say another word after that.
Just to translate for people unfamiliar with how she communicates, that’s her way of saying, “I’m going.” Big Sis likes to use a lot of sauce, so buy another bottle because she’ll use it.
Ever since she was four years old …… ever since our first game of Shogi, she’s never said what she means. That’s just how Ginko is.
Now that Big Sis is officially coming tonight, I left Twelve feeling so light and free that I could swear I had wings. Picking up the bill didn’t bother me one bit.
“By the way, never would have guessed that’s what Dynamite was …… Never in a million years. Even a pro Shogi player wouldn’t see that coming ……”
Basking in the joy that comes from solving a mystery that plagued me for years, my smartphone buzzes.
“I’m here.”
That’s all the message said.
I pick up the pace a bit. She didn’t exactly say where here is though.
But I had an idea.
A part of me knew where Ai would want our reunion to be even before her message came. So I made sure the door was always unlocked.
I walk through Naniwa toward the station.
Cross the crosswalk.
Go into the shopping district and pass in front of a small supermarket.
Then, the instant I open my apartment’s front door——I hear the same words I heard that day, “Welcome home! Master!!”
“…… Thanks.”
I give Ai, backpack still strapped to her shoulders, one heck of a smile. Tomorrow’s as good a day as any to start being strict.
“I’m Ai Hinatsuru, a fourth grader!” said the girl who has grown a little bit since we first met, just like that day but with even more energy and an even happier grin on her face.
“As promised, I’m here to be your apprentice!!”
For the Afterword “About Mr. K”
Back when I was in high school, I had a classmate named K who always had a smile on his face and was extremely good at Shogi. The two of us got to know each other because his assigned seat was in front of mine.
Knowing only how the pieces moved, I said, “Hey K, I hear you’re good at Shogi? Wanna play me?”
Got out my handmade Shogi board (complete with magnets—the kind that you use during art class in elementary school—with Pawn, King and the like written on them in magic marker) and challenged him to a match.
I had my ass handed to me on a silver platter.
After that, I remember K playing with only Pawns and his King, but I think I lost even with a ten-piece handicap. Honestly, it didn’t feel like we were playing the same game.
I was pretty athletic at the time, always placing in the prefectural tournaments as a member of the track team: an athletic nerd if you will. Our high school had a tradition of honoring anyone who placed in a prefectural tournament with a ceremony in front of the whole school. Sure, it was an honor to be recognized like that, but it was also kind of embarrassing. One day, K and I were part of a group up on stage together. They were going down the list, one person placed third in the prefecture, another one got the top prize in a musical competition, but this is how K was recognized: “K has become the Ryuo!”
The gymnasium erupted.
Thinking back on it now, the reason I made the main character of this book the Ryuo could have a lot to do with knowing a real Ryuo, K, back in high school.
The Ryuo title that he won was the “High School Ryuo,” as in not the professional, but an amateur title only for high school students. Basically, he won a nationwide high school Shogi tournament. But since there’s only one of those in the country, it was big news for our little school out in the countryside.
I had a chance to have dinner with a fellow alumnus who graduated before me a little while back. He was kind enough to read my work and had this to say: “That’s right, the Ryuo was in your year. I still remember when they announced that title, wow ……
So, I wasn’t the only one who was greatly impacted by the presence of a Ryuo.
But K always had that infectious smile. While he didn’t change much after winning the title, I never considered challenging him to a match again.
Like many classmates, the two of us lost contact after graduation. However, I came across his name many times once I chose to write about Shogi and started doing research.
I found out that he led to the distinguished Ritsumeikan University to two national titles while studying there.
He also won two of the biggest titles in amateur Shogi to become one of the most decorated amateurs to play the game.
From there I found out that he also played some public matches against computer programs that were becoming stronger and stronger.
What I did know about the Shogi world in high school came from a popular manga at the time.
I remember offhandedly asking K this question one day, “Why don’t you join the Sub League?”
K just looked at me with his usual smile, but there was something different about it that time.
“Because I didn’t start early enough.”
That was his answer.
He seemed so eloquently resigned to his fate that I couldn’t bring myself to say, “Why not give it a shot now?”
That was my first glimpse into the unforgiving world of pro Shogi.
That’s what I remember about K——the Twelfth High School Ryuo, Yukio Kato.
…… That was my attempt at an essay style afterword. What did you think?
Thank you for reading my new series: Ryuo no Oshigoto—The Ryuo’s Work is Never Done! This is Shirow Shiratori.
This is the fourth series I have written. I started with Gakuen Rabukome—Schoolyard Romantic Comedy ⇒ Hansen Fantaji—Sailing Fantasy ⇒ Nougyou Koukou Rabukome—Agricultural High School Romantic Comedy before this series, which I was originally going to call Naniwa Shogi Monogatari—Naniwa Shogi Story, but the topic was going to be Shogi nonetheless.
Why did I choose Shogi?
It all boils down to the fact that I wanted to write a story filled with intensity and passion.
Wanting to follow the lives of young people who are fighting for their very futures, the Shogi world provided me with inspiration.
I’m a bit worried about whether readers will pick up on my intention or not …… But I know that I’ve done everything in my power to convey it. Nothing would make me happier than to receive your opinions and impressions.
Now to give thanks where thanks is due.
I received many fantastic illustrations of characters bubbling over with personality from my illustrator, Shirabii-sensei. Not only did he adjust to all of my particular opinions, but he painstakingly incorporated details from my writing into his artwork, as well as providing several fantastic ideas of his own, including Ginko’s hairband. Shirabii-sensei, I’m so glad to have you with me!
Members of Saiyuki, a unit of young pro Shogi players in the Kansai area, were in charge of supervising this book. I asked for their assistance knowing full well that all of them were busy with matches and promotion activities, but they agreed.
…… I still can’t believe my luck, really ……
The reason I decided to set this story in Kansai is because I was inspired by a series of articles written in the magazine Shogi World called “Kansai Headquarters’ Player Rooms 24” that centered around the daily lives of professional Shogi players. In other words, the very people I modeled the characters after became my supervisors. I didn’t know whether to be embarrassed or overjoyed ……!
The amazing members of Saiyuki chose how the match records would play out as well as catching my own mistakes and providing extremely helpful suggestions that shaped the setting and characters. As one Shogi fan, there are no words to express how grateful I am to Yugo Takeuchi-sensei for all of his highly energetic and supportive comments along the way!
But of course, as this is a work of fiction, there are a few places I took a few liberties with reality. Your understanding is greatly appreciated.
I received permission from the Japan Shogi Association as well as individual players when including the names of actual titleholders in this book.
I would like to say thank you once again to Mynavi for providing their cooperation as well.
My editors, Mr. Ohara and the Shogi-loving Mr. Kitamura, did far more than their jobs required to make this book a reality. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that no other light novel on the shelves today had more hours of editing poured into it. I really can’t thank the two of you enough. I look forward to working with you in the future.
Several professional Shogi players and Shogi journalists helped to promote my work via Twitter.
My jaw nearly hit the floor when I found out that Shogi legend Mr. Hifumi Kato read this book! “WHOA!” I couldn’t help but scream.
Speaking of surprises, I just happened to bump into author and professional Shogi player Hirotaka Nozuki and got his autograph at an FC Gifu soccer match. I thought I’d struck it rich already, but he uploaded a picture of the two of us as well. Nozuki-sensei’s Consadole Sapporo won against my FC Gifu that day but …… I’m so glad I came out to support them!
To all the readers who have supported all of my previous works; to all of my fellow FC Gifu fans; to all the residents of Minokamo City, where I spend more time than my hometown, and to everyone who just started reading the series: I feel your support. Thank you, thank you so very much.
I’m devoted to living up to my supporters’ expectations and then exceed them by leaps and bounds. Looking forward to the next installment!
Another Ai will appear in the next volume, and battles far more intense than Book 1 are about to unfold. Please look forward to it!