New School Term
I knew this would happen, but...
2nd Year, Class B
because of the class changes in the 2nd year, Mr. Hayashida was no longer my teacher.
Um, lunch...
Hurry!
They'll sell out of the double minced meat sandwich!
Whatever! I'm getting the fried chicken potato salad sandwich!
The ball is your friend! I'm prepared to shock the world!
Hey, is it true he's a year older?
Then he's repeating the year? Why?
I heard he plays shogi or something. I'm not sure.
What? Isn't shogi a game for old men?
Shogi? Game? At home? An otaku?
Is that why he's repeating? Because he ditched so much school?
Huh. Is that right?
I-I'm getting out of here.
When the class changed, my classmates immediately formed groups.
Within those groups that have already formed,
how am I supposed to join them when I'm a loser with no courage or skills to do so?
Hey, mind if I sit with you?
Like that?
No, no. More normal, less eager.
Hey, would it be okay if I ate with you?
Just like that, smoothly...
I mean, if I could do that,
I wouldn't be eating lunch by myself for 11 years!
Nope. It's impossible. I'll definitely stumble on the words.
Well, this is what I imagined.
I just have to bear it alone quietly.
2 Years
Two more years.
730 Days
17,520 hours
Just two more years of being alone.
1,051,200 Minutes
63,072,000 Seconds
More importantly, the rank-deciding competition starts in June, and I need to focus
on my upcoming matches in the Newcomers' battle.
Shogi Hall
The rank-deciding competition.
There are 34 players in my Rank C-1.
From among them, ten matches are arranged by lottery.
Only the top two players are then promoted to B-2.
Nikaidou's name wasn't listed on the schedule of matches.
What is the meaning of this, Kiriyama?!
Don't ask me!
Are you in Sendagaya now? I'm on my way! Wait for me!
So now we'll just have to clash in the Newcomers' battle.
It's too bad that you're in A block while I'm in B block,
but we'll just have to keep winning so we can meet in the finals!
Wait a second! Did you just say the finals?!
Give me a break!
There are limits in making snap decisions, too!
I'm just speaking the truth! Don't falter, Kiriyama!
Our legend...
...is only beginning.
L-L-Legend?
And why is it "ours"?!
Jiggle Jiggle
Y-Yep. Looking forward to it.
Yeah. I'll have to do my best.
Because that's all I can do for both
the Newcomers' battle and the rank-deciding competition.
I'll do my best. One move at a time again, from the start.
One move at a time...
Hey, Kiriyama!
Hold it right there!
Kiriyama, you bastard...
Wha... Mr. Hayashida? What are you doing?
You shouldn't just abandon the students you were with.
I don't give a crap!
What else am I supposed to do when I see a student make that face?
I have to run after him!
Dammit!
A-A face like "that?" A-A face like what?
Tousle Tousle
A face like this! Like this!
- So, um... - What, what?
Is it okay for you to have lunch with me, even though you're not my teacher this year?
It's fine.
I just saw the gloomy look on the face of my former introverted student
who barely passed the attendance requirement due to "certain circumstances."
When I told them that, they said, "Mr. Hayashida, hurry up and go to him!"
Why would you casually make me sound like a loser while you get to play the hero?
It's because I want to be invited to the students' Christmas party this year.
I'm desperate, too.
But still,
why did you come back here, Kiriyama?
It's the new school term of a new year.
This is your chance.
If you don't make an effort now, when would you?
But you are making an effort, right?
That's why I can't tell you to "do your best" any more than this.
So I had an idea.
Let's make a shogi club.
Sh-Shogi club?
Wait...
And I'll be the faculty adviser.
Then it wouldn't be strange for me to look after you.
After all, I'd be your adviser.
You can easily say that, but...
With five members and a faculty adviser, you can make a club.
Yeah... but still...
We just need to find four more members.
Find... Find how?
Anyway, let's look.
But I don't think we can find them so easily...
Just remembered something
Stare
I think you were about to say "but"?
No, nothing!
Hey, Kiriyama.
Why did you want to take another shot at being a high school student?
Was it to eat lunch alone on the stairs like this?
Of course not, right, Kiriyama?
Right.
"Will this make it seem like I'm not running away?"
"What if I'm only pretending not to run away?"
The truth is, it's always...
It's always weighed heavily on my mind.
And I'd realized it, too.
At this rate, things would only become more painful for me.
It hit me at that time.
If only I could blend in so well like that...
just how... how very...
...how very happy could I be?
Mr. Hayashida. Can I ask you to be the club's faculty adviser?
Sure will.
And Kiriyama, of course, you know...
You'll coach me too, right?
Yes. Of course.
Yes! There it is! I get a professional's coaching for free!
I want to get beyond the wall in "Ama, 4th dan!"
There's this jerk I want to beat on Net Shogi 24!
Mr. Hayashida, a minute ago, I was moved by your kindness...
Faculty Room
Ahhh...
N-Nobody. Nobody wants to join.
What? Is shogi really so minor?
Everyone's like, "Shogi? Sorry, I'm not really interested." What's up with that?
When I love it so much...
Sorry.
There's nothing for you to apologize about.
I kind of feel responsible...
That's it!
After School Bunsen Burner's Club Currently Active
Noguchi!
Waft
*3rd- Year
It stinks in here again!
Mr. Hayashida, long time no see.
Wh-What are you guys doing this time?
Packed
Sticky
As you can see, we're harvesting natto.
*3rd- Year
Okay, but why "harvest" natto at school?
What we do is wrap steamed soybeans in a straw of rice and let it sit for a day
at about 40 degrees, which allows the bacillus subtilis in the straw to spread to the soybeans,
and through this proliferation, fermentation occurs.
Y-Yeah. I didn't actually ask "how" you're doing it.
Wow, this really is natto!
Sticky
Got offered some
Hey, you're eating it already?
Once in a while, you don't hold back.
Anyway, where'd you get the straw of rice from?
*3rd-Year
Excellent question.
"Is Self-sufficiency Possible at a High School?" by Eisaku Noguchi
I did it for my thesis here.
I harvested it while growing rice on the school roof last year.
Wait a second!
What's that thesis? Who are you presenting it to? I mean, what's it for?
And you can't practice self-sufficiency at school!
I don't even know where to begin.
No, wait!
I almost forgot my original purpose.
That's right!
Noguchi, do you know how to play shogi?
Shogi...
My grandfather taught me to play it when I was young, but that's all.
But indeed, that is a deep game, isn't it?
Yes!
So listen, we're trying to put together a shogi club,
but we're having a hard time getting the five members.
But now we've finally got someone!
We're in the same boat.
The continued existence of my After School Burners Club is in peril.
At this rate, the club may be disbanded at the club budget meeting in May.
What? But you had a lot of members. What happened?
The upperclassmen all graduated.
Hold on. Those members were all older than you?
Two Years Ago
Is this the Science Club?
*1st-Year
- Senpai? - No, Club President!
*Upperclassmen
*1st-Year
*Upperclassmen
Yeay Wow
Yes, they were marvelous mentors.
From the day I joined the club, even though I was a first-year, they called me "Senpai."
Bam!
I wanted to keep the club going and pass on the wonder of science to younger students,
but with only four members left, it's all over.
If I could only complete this thesis...
Even if you did finish, I don't know if it would pass on the joy of science.
Wait a second.
That's it!
Why don't you guys combine to form one club?
One member
Four members
Total = 5 People
Yes!
That makes sense!
All right! Then without further ado, how about we play a game?
I've kind of been holding back, but from now on, I can play a lot of matches with Kiriyama!
After all, I'm the faculty adviser.
Um, Noguchi. I feel like I should apologize.
For imposing on you every time...
I'm actually kind of excited about this.
After my grandfather passed away, I wasn't able to find anyone to play with.
I'm still just a novice,
but will you teach me too, Kiriyama?
Yes, of course.
Of course.
After School Bunsen Burner's Club Currently Active
And so, the After School Burners Club
became the After School Shogi Science Club. Or for short, the Sho-sci Club.
After School Shogi Science Club Currently Active
A club. A club, huh?
And a shogi club at that.
See? Like I said.
On the way home,
In my experience, I've found that "it's easier to do something than worry about it."
Or that's about 80% right.
...he said it with a grin.
New School Term
Fighter
The seat next to me is always empty.
I have to sit next to Kiriyama?
No way! Forget that!
Excuse me, Teacher? Teacher, Teacher!
Can I change seats?
Knock it off, Kaneda. Don't be stubborn.
Oh come on, please?
Kaneda, just hurry up and sit down.
There are other open seats. Teacher, it's fine, right?
Fine, do what you want!
Yeah!
Okay, fourth grade, group five is leaving!
Hey, hurry up and sit down!
At a time like this, I always think...
If you don't want to sit by me, that's fine.
I'm lucky the seat next to you was open.
But could you be a little quieter about it and not make a scene?
He's always so loud.
But once the bus pulled out, I felt a little relieved.
After all, it was much, much easier this way than to sit next to someone who hates me.
Okay. We're going to have lunch now.
Go to the bathroom, finish everything up, and be back at the bus by 1:30.
Okay!
All right, then you're on your own. Dismissed!
Shoot.
What am I supposed to do here?
The field is huge!
There's no escape zone at all.
Eating my lunch all alone in a wide open field like this...
I'll stand out so much that I'll die.
And worse, if Teacher finds me...
Hey, Kiriyama.
Why are you eating alone?
That's no good.
Today's Topic: Why do you exclude Kiriyama?
I'll inevitably become the focus of next week's homeroom assignment!
Think about this seriously, everyone!
What the heck is that?
That would be the worst.
Squeak Squeak
It's tough enough just having everyone hate me.
To be put on display on top of that wouldn't solve anything.
It would only bring attention to the fact that I'm despised.
I want to avoid that no matter what!
It's a little far, but I'll go over there.
It'll be okay. This'll work.
Quietly, and don't jog over.
If I just walk over slowly, like normal, I won't stand out.
Normally, normally...
I did it! I made it!
It's cold! And damp.
I know! It'll be fine if I put down my clear file folder.
There's a lot of ants!
Please don't crawl on my lunch!
I've got it.
Yeah. There you go.
Come to think of it, how do ants carry away candy?
I guess they lick it, melting tiny pieces at a time to carry off?
With their little mouths...
#234 Checkmate within 117 Moves
I made a copy of this from Dad's book.
Checkmate in 117 moves...
You solved it? The 85 moves one?
That's incredible, Rei!
I couldn't solve that one until I was in middle school.
My adoptive father is a shogi player.
He turned professional at 19.
I wonder if Dad will be happy
if I solve this problem, too.
Gather around! Run!
It's 1:30 already?!
Yikes! I haven't cleaned up!
Um, uh, have I forgotten anything? Um...
H-Huh?
The candy! It's that small already?
Amazing!
I had no idea.
Despite being so little, ants melted candy at an incredible speed.
Hey, Kiriyama!
You're late! Where were you?
Sorry!
Um, the bathroom was crowded...
We'll be leaving. Is there anyone whose seat neighbor hasn't come back yet?
No!
Huh? Kiriyama, where's your seat neighbor?
It's okay. There was no one here from the start.
Oh yeah.
Then we're all here, huh? Let's go!
Okay!
"There was no one here from the start."
The moment I answered him, I felt a lump in my throat.
Teacher, will the seat next to me be empty for the rest of my life?
All right. Next, seat 5. The match with Sugawara.
To me, that was a magic ticket.
Good luck.
As long as I had that ticket,
somebody would always,
automatically,
sit across from me.
I encountered many different kinds of people.
Crap! Who is this little brat?
You're too good! Sheesh!
Dammit, I'll walk with you to the station, since it's already dark.
Here, drink this. Do you like coco? Dammit!
Th-Thank you.
Some were kind.
And of course...
Well, you're pretty weak.
Even though I heard Kouda took you in as his disciple.
...some didn't like me.
But as long as I kept fighting, somebody would always sit before me.
"This is a ticket."
As long as I have this ticket, I belong somewhere.
This ticket was my lifeline.
I didn't have to arrive anywhere.
I could just keep on riding.
That was fine with me.
If I got off this train, I would have nowhere to go.
This ticket alone would take me to tomorrow.
I had to hold on to this ticket like my life depended on it.
I have to protect it...
...at all costs.
Kiriyama. Kiriyama.
Hey, Kiriyama.
Kiriyama!
What are you spacing out for?
Sit your butt down!
He moved, and it was amazing!
The 5-c-Pawn+ being sacrificed was a great move!
With same, Gold and 7-g-Rook, what's next? Kiriyama, what do you think?
How much time is left?
Shogi Dragon Fujimoto has eight minutes. Brother has less than three minutes.
Regarding the 7-g-Rook, crush it. Take the initiative by moving 6-d-Gold.
6-d-Gold? Not the 7-c-Pawn?
If you did that, it'd be tough with the 6-b-Bishop.
It's not like I've changed.
And then,
the people around me haven't changed either.
It's just that while desperately playing and playing,
every single day until it seemed like my head would spin,
One day, I realized
that other people were traveling with me
towards the same place, where the light was shining.
And today too,
someone is sitting across from me.
Another new story will begin.
Our journey towards the shining light will continue.
Fighter
Thank you for watching “March Comes in Like a Lion”.