Moonlight
Don't touch me.
But don't move away from me.
Kyouko was like a glass that had cracks in it.
No matter how much water you poured into it, it would never be filled.
She has a family, is blessed with good looks,
and possesses the power to control the people around her.
And yet, like an animal that is always starving,
loneliness ate into her heart.
And the ones who put those cracks into her glass were none other than...
my adoptive father...
and me.
I'm leaving home.
I'm in love with him.
That guy is no good.
He has a wife.
She's been in the hospital forever.
He's been alone all this time.
Dad won't forgive you...
And what?
I don't forgive him either.
I haven't forgotten.
He branded his own daughter a failure when she was just a 2nd-year middle school student.
He said, "There are other things in life than shogi," when he didn't even mean it.
But it's true.
Shogi isn't everything.
Don't lie to me!
When shogi is the only thing you and Dad think about.
I've had enough already.
Both of you look at me like I'm a loser.
You tiptoe around me.
It's infuriating.
How long do I have to...
feel this pathetic?
I'll leave.
No matter where I go, no one will worry about me.
But it's different with you, Sis.
You're important to Dad...
even if you think otherwise.
In all things, the path should have a teacher or a guide.
10:00 am.
The match is starting.
The finals of the tournament to determine the challenger for the Lion King title.
The first game of three.
Right now, in a special match room,
those two are quietly facing each other.
I wonder what kind of fight it'll be.
When I was playing against Mr. Shimada,
I was seized by a strange sensation.
I felt like I stepped into a sea of trees.
Like I became enmeshed in something overpowering...
Like something was silently tightening around me...
What kind of game will he play against Gotou?
Faculty Room
Mr. Hayashida, I have my absence notices for March.
Kiriyama.
Look at this. It's incredible.
Two hours in and this is where they're at.
This is...
Just by looking at the moves played so far,
it felt like I could hear the dull sound of heavy bones colliding with each other.
I wondered how those two "solemn" guys would play against each other.
But it looks like a slugfest.
Man, that's crazy.
Why don't you go?
Where?
The Shogi Hall.
Yes, but...
It isn't a Title Match, so this blog updates irregularly.
Wouldn't it be a better learning experience if you watched it directly?
But I've got so many absences...
Ow!
It's fine, just go!
Attendance Records
H-He has enough, right?
Thump-Thump-Thump
1-2-3... Um...
Just barely, right?
Maybe I'm not qualified to be a teacher?
Shogi Hall
- Hey, Kiriyama. - Kiriyama.
- He made a move. - The left 4-c-Gold?
No way. I've never seen Mr. Shimada like this before.
Is he throwing away his Bishop here?
I've never seen Brother play like this before either.
It felt like their presence had passed from the special match room,
through the dark hallway, and seeped into this room.
What is it?
How? What's different?
Why does each move pull me in?
Is it the amount of time they've spent?
The depth of their accumulated experience?
The weight of their sacrifices?
Or is it all of that?
That's right. This is...
a battle between two people...
who have faith in themselves.
The match ended at 9 pm.
After 153 moves, Shimada 8th-Dan conceded defeat.
The first of three games for the Lion King Finals Tournament
ended with victory for Gotou 9th-Dan.
Rei.
This place hasn't changed.
Such a dreary building.
I used to hate it. This dark street, too.
And the gloomy shrine.
Sis...
Hey.
Well, well. My two stalkers together.
Kyouko, what are you doing here?
Because...
And you were so excited to play a match with me.
What do you think? Shimada was really strong, right?
Don't underestimate a Rank A.
Hey. Are you really leaving?
I didn't want to move away.
Hey, wait!
Are you running away... from me?
But I couldn't be with her anymore.
I was in a hurry to become an adult.
I thought if I couldn't stand on my own two feet,
there was no way I could protect...
those who were dear to me.
I lost.
When I tried to take the initiative with the one-turn loss bishop exchange,
that bastard fought back right away. And he was cheerful about it!
That old man really is tough.
And he's scary! That face...
But on top of being strong, he's not very mature.
Still...
I swear I won't lose next time.
Right!
Of course, Brother!
Moonlight
Lump of Ego
Mikazuki-Dou
I see...
Blush!
I wouldn't have been able to visit either.
Full of vigor in front of you girls, but he sunk before getting to the main event?
Well, you know!
For a boy, that's...
Seems to be recalling different happenings from his youth
Twitch Twitch
Fidget Fidget
If it were me, I'd slit my belly.
Well, I'd shave off one eyebrow and seclude myself in the mountains.
Is it really something that shameful?
He doesn't have to worry about it.
He said he would do his best and I'm sure he did, knowing Rei.
Even if it didn't work out, no one would laugh at him.
You're right.
Shame has value, too.
Because "failing" means he "challenged" something.
That's hell of a lot better than a life of doing nothing, and laughing at other people.
The thing is, the kid's still young and too damn serious.
He must really have wanted to beat that player.
That was the first time I ever saw Rei show such fighting spirit.
Well, I suppose he bit off more than he could chew.
I bet he's eating just sweet bread and ramen.
What should we do at a time like this?
You just gotta leave him be.
The only way to make up for a blunder at work is at work.
Until the kid can think, "I made good," all he can do is his best.
Well, eventually, when he becomes an adult, he'll realize it, like it or not.
That out of all the people who've put themselves out there,
every single one has been humiliated at some point.
Shogi Hall
You know, Shimada, recently,
you look older than me.
Where are you looking?
It must be tough maintaining that muscular chest.
Have you secretly been hitting the gym?
Narcissists have it rough.
All right, then.
Shall we go?
That was cool!
What was that mature presence?
I wonder what they were talking about!
Brother is so cool!
Rank A, huh? If you become Rank A, do you naturally exude that?
Strange. I can't smell the slightest bit of it from myself. That presence...
Right now I'm B-1, but if I move up to Rank A, will I suddenly smell like that?
I bet you will! I bet it'll be like an aura!
Well, let's go!
Their match is going to start!
I don't think you guys ever will have "it."
Not as long as you spy on people from behind bushes.
At the end of World War I, as you can see, the strong recovery of productivity...
10:00... The match is starting.
Three matches to determine the challenger for the Lion King.
Gotou 9th-Dan won the first match.
This is Mr. Shimada's last chance.
In the previous match, they did the unexpected and engaged in a slugfest,
but what kind of battle will it be this time?
I want to watch it. I want to watch it so badly.
But...
Okay! I finished calculating your days of attendance.
Bam
Attendance Records
And I've come to the conclusion that you can't catch a cold or even get appendicitis.
You've got two scheduled days off for rank-deciding matches,
so we can't do anything about that.
But if you happen to advance in any of the tournaments, you'll be in real danger.
Also, in case something happens, aim to get above average scores on the year-end tests.
As for which parts to study for the test...
if I said, "Ask a friend!" the exams would be over and you'd still be looking for a friend.
So instead, I asked all of the teachers on your behalf.
Here. Don't lose it.
It'll be tough if you have to repeat a year.
Your classmates might call you "old man"!
You're right. I know.
This is a big help.
But... what is this feeling?
Shogi Hall
Meanwhile...
in the special match room...
Boom
A slugfest. Another one.
They're locked together even more.
In fact, they're using even more brute force than last time.
Bam!
For some reason, everyone is sitting straight...
Bang!
Slap!
Bam!
And so, eight hours later...
On top of that...
both of them are entering their kings into the fray!
Please stop! That's immature!
Who thinks, "Since it's come to this, I'll win if I play the king?"
That was thunder!
It's no time to be laughing at glowing pieces!
And three more hours later...
Stagger Stagger
I won, kiddo.
Yes! Brother, that was awesome.
W-With just one game?
Youngsters afraid of the magnitude of what's been lost
What's wrong, kiddo?
Oh, nothing. Just that Kiriyama hasn't replied to my text.
I see. Maybe I went a little too far knocking his lights out that time.
Shogi Hall
Tell me, kiddo. Why are you so interested in having Kiriyama get better?
Kiriyama...
Kiriyama is the one...
who broke my head in half, then pulled me from the mud.
I spent a lot of time in the hospital ever since I was little.
Getting better at the board was my sole emotional support.
While watching my peers having fun and playing outside
from the corner of my eye,
I would keep myself immersed in shogi.
46th Children's Shogi Tournament
And yet, the stronger I got, the more I wrote off my weaker opponents
as cowards who didn't even bother making an effort.
It was so frustrating and annoying and irritating.
Then, after being reduced to a lump of ego...
Um... Here.
Water.
I met Kiriyama...
he split my head in half...
and saved me.
There is someone stronger than me.
There is someone who worked harder than me.
I'm not alone... is what I realized.
I see. Yeah.
I understand that. Kind of.
Yeah.
Wait a second! Hey!
Hey! I said, hey!
What the hell? Gotou, you moron!
I'm done with you!
Hey... Gotou, you...
Wait, he's married...
Who's that beautiful... and... young...
What was that? An argument?
What is this sense of defeat?
No, that was nothing!
Swing
Dammit! I swear I'll win the next one, too.
Come on, kiddo. Let's get back and plan a strategy for the final match.
Yay! There it is! That's the Brother I know!
Meanwhile, over to Kiriyama...
Mr. Hayashida found a grave miscalculation.
Filling in the gaps with many reports.
I'm sorry... You were actually already two days short.
That's okay, Mr. Hayashida.
Really, it's like...
Lump of Ego
I'm the one who's sorry.
Next Episode Preview
Episode 16
Okay, what shall we do for this year's Girls' Festival at our house?
Well, should we start?
Oh, no! I forgot the main reason!
If he never comes to visit, I'll stop caring about him!
Inari-san, let's hurry and eat it!
"March Comes in Like a Lion". Hey, Gotou, you better watch it, too.
I know, already! You better not miss it either.