I started to sweat a little...
At this point, Misaki Saki's emotions were like a roller coaster, growing increasingly tense as time went on, while the pressure on her poor, fragile little shoulders seemed to multiply.
Why, why was she about to be defeated within just ten minutes?
And her opponent was just a primary school student??
It's over, a lifetime of glory about to be destroyed, to be utterly defeated by an elementary schooler in Go Chess!!
It's, it's... the ultimate humiliation!!!
"Misaki sister, it's your turn! Have you figured out where you want to go?"
After sweeping her gaze back and forth in the hallway several times and not finding any sign of her mother, she placed her attention half-heartedly on the Go board.
"Misaki sister, you need to hurry up, I'm getting sleepy...."
"I know, I know! Little Rika, you can't rush me, this is called thinking!! Through this small chessboard, you can see one's attitude towards life!!"
Misaki Saki coughed twice, clutching the white piece in her hand and puffing out her little chest, all serious as she... rambled on.
"No matter if it's on this board or any other circumstance you come across in the future, you need to think seriously like me!! Little Rika!!"
Hearing her sister's stern words, Rika Onodera nodded earnestly, feeling sorry for the impatience she had shown just a moment ago.
"Sorry, Misaki sister, you take your time to think then, I'm not in a hurry...."
Her voice was soft and sweet, very comforting to hear...
But Misaki sister plays Go so slowly! It's boring... I'm starting to feel sleepy....
"Yes, that's how it should be!"
Misaki Saki nodded, looking like an enlightened master, if you could ignore the dismal situation on the Go board, that is....
"Alright, then I'll start thinking again!!"
She said, then bowed her head again to think, her fair little hand gripping the chess piece tightly, retracting it each time she was about to place it on the board.
Rika Onodera, too, focused all her attention on the board, seriously considering her next few moves.
Right!! I can't take it easy just because Misaki sister is not that good!! I have to think hard and give it my all!
Suddenly, a cool voice reached her ears. Chiba Shimizu, unnoticed earlier, stood behind the two kids, pointing to a corner of the board.
Spectators shouldn't speak, but the girl had been standing there a long time, and according to standard rules, Misaki Saki would have already been penalized for running out of time.
In the casual entertainment of her own home, naturally, these strict rules did not apply.
Misaki Saki promptly decided and placed the white piece on the board, "I was just about to move here!!"
The piece landed with a clear sound, buying some time to struggle in the dire situation.
To the little she-devil with the golden hair, it seemed as though a triumphant battle had been fought! Waving her little fists, she appeared determined to win.
Seeing Misaki sister finally make a move, Rika Onodera let out a long sigh of relief.
Any slower and I would have fallen asleep! ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novęlfire.net
Chiba Shimizu stood behind them, looked at the board once more, noticed there wasn't much of a way out, and frowned slightly in thought.
How would she break through if it were her playing?
The young lady was born into a disadvantage in the game; wouldn't it be boring if she simply brought an advantage from the start?
Yet, even while pondering the game, those delicate eyes couldn't help but wander towards Rika Onodera as she lay there, concentrating hard.
The situation with the black stones almost looked like a siege. She knew about Misaki Saki's level, having played Go with her at the villa before.
Although not very skilled, for an amateur she was decent; yet today she was pushed to this extent by Sister Reiko's daughter who was still in primary school.
Where exactly was the limit of talent?
"Little Rika, surrender and lose by half, do you want to give up?!"
Already resigned to her inevitable defeat, Misaki Saki seemed to hope for a way out by expecting Little Rika to concede.
But to her surprise, Rika Onodera didn't catch Misaki Saki's hint, shaking her head obediently, "No thank you, Misaki sister, I think I can still play."
After speaking, she quickly placed her stone in the central position.
At that moment, Misaki Saki lay there again, starting to ponder with grunts.
Chiba Shimizu shook her head, pulling her gaze back, as all that remained was a last-ditch struggle.
Just as she was preparing to check if the bathroom was still occupied, she reached the hallway and saw the wooden door in the corner slowly open.
A thick mist of steam billowed directly from the bathroom.
Haruka Yuzan walked out from inside, a bath towel wrapped around his lower body, concealing it and revealing a perfectly muscled upper body like a young Greek god emerged from the past, exuding an aura of abstinence.
"Hmm? Chiba, are you going to take a bath?"
Haruka Yuzan, towel-drying his half-dry hair, asked with a smile.
"You, why aren't you wearing clothes after your bath?"
Upon seeing Haruka Yuzan's exposed muscles, Chiba Shimizu's face turned red as she looked away.
At that moment, another figure emerged from the bathroom, not daring to glance at the girl and made a beeline for the other end of the hallway.