"After Ryuen's week-long absence, he didn't seem to give you any more trouble. What did you do to him?"
The game had just begun when Sakayanagi Arisu asked, sounding curious.
For her, chatting while playing chess was no problem.
"You mean little Sho? I beat him up, and he's been a lot more obedient since."
Chihaya Rei answered Sakayanagi Arisu while making his own move.
After the battle in the gymnasium, Ryuen Kakeru hadn't dared to have anyone follow him again.
Hearing Chihaya Rei call Ryuen Kakeru that, Sakayanagi Arisu wore a strange expression. Kamuro Masumi did too.
"That's quite an affectionate nickname."
Sakayanagi Arisu smiled delightedly and teased him, "I said you could call me Arisu, too."
"Are you and little Sho the same?"
Chihaya Rei's hand paused. He put on an expression of distaste, mimicking Kamuro Masumi.
"Heh."
Sakayanagi Arisu laughed nonchalantly.
After all, she knew Chihaya Rei was only teasing Ryuen Kakeru on purpose.
Surely Chihaya Rei didn't think more highly of Ryuen Kakeru than he did of her?
As they chatted, distracted, neither of them stopped moving their pieces, and their strategies grew increasingly intricate.
But in chess, as long as neither player made an obvious mistake in the opening, it wasn't possible to determine right away who had the advantage.
So for now, the game was evenly matched.
But Sakayanagi Arisu realized that Chihaya Rei wasn't merely a little skilled.
His moves seemed casual, but each one was an excellent response.
Sakayanagi Arisu gradually began to take the game seriously.
But once she did, she started to feel that something was very, very wrong.
Several times, she moved her pieces, thinking she was about to checkmate Chihaya Rei's king.
Yet Chihaya Rei always found an unexpected move and saved his king.
So close.
So close