[Soul of Chess] What if

This is a room by the window on the second floor of an ordinary house in Tokyo.

The sky has just turned pale now, and because of the curtains, the situation in the room is hazy and difficult to see clearly, but a figure curled up on the bed can be vaguely seen.

"Well……"

With a soft hum, the person lying on the bed slowly opened his eyes.After the camera zoomed in, it turned out that this person was none other than Hikaru's senior, Tsutsui Kohiro.

Perhaps because he didn't wear glasses, Tsutsui only felt that his vision was a little blurry, and he couldn't see the position of the clock hands clearly, but according to the slightly bright sky seen through the gap in the curtains, he knew that it should be very early.

Now that you're awake, get up.After all, there are many things to do today...

Thinking of this, Tsutsui stood up.

After finishing making his own bed, Tsutsui began to take care of his appearance.

Bathing, getting hair done, changing clothes... After this series of orderly actions, Tsutsui looked like a somewhat reserved but gentle junior high school student as usual.

No, there are still some differences.

Looking at the black stand-up collar uniform that he had worn countless times in the fitting mirror, Tsutsui couldn't help feeling a little sad: Today may be the last time...

Seeing that the time was almost up, Tsutsui walked out of the room. As soon as he came out, he saw that his parents had already put on their dresses.

After breakfast, when the time on the clock showed [-]:[-], the family of three left the house on time to attend the graduation ceremony at Haze Junior High School where Tsutsui was studying.

The weather today is still very good. Feeling the faint breath of spring in the air, the family walked forward unhurriedly.

Tsutsui is very familiar with this road to school, because he has walked this road almost every day for the past three years.

The shapes of the buildings on both sides of the road, the names and colors of the shops, the types and positions of the street trees, and even the number of stone slabs laid on the sidewalk, all of them are clearly remembered by him.

And the scene of the whole family going to Haze Middle School together is so familiar, because everyone dressed up like this three years ago.It's just that he was attending the entrance ceremony at that time, but now he is going to attend the graduation ceremony...

Apart from them, you can see hurrying figures in junior high school uniforms, suits and leather shoes, or colorful hakama uniforms everywhere on the street.

That's right, this season is not only for them, it is also a time for graduation ceremonies held by universities, primary and secondary schools, and even kindergartens.

It turns out that everyone is about to face parting... Looking at those hurried figures from behind, Tsutsui sighed silently in his heart.

Before they knew it, they had come near the school.From a distance, you can see the sign with the words "Hase High School Graduation Ceremony" placed at the school gate.

After changing indoor shoes, since Tsutsui needs to gather in his own class first, parents can directly enter the graduation ceremony venue after drawing a circle on the roster of the graduation ceremony and receiving the booklet with the ceremony process up.So they need to be separated for a while.

After saying goodbye to his parents, Tsutsui walked towards his class.

As soon as I walked into the classroom, the goal was rows of clean and tidy tables and chairs.

Although the moment he saw those empty desks, Tsutsui felt a little sour in his heart.However, looking at the spotless desktop, he couldn't help but smile in relief.

With the idea of ​​what to do for the alma mater in the end before leaving school, and also to leave a gift with special meaning to the younger students, yesterday these graduates deliberately accompanied me in my three-year study life The desks and chairs were cleaned carefully.

Although the weather was still a bit chilly at this time, no one complained even the slightest bit.Everyone scrubbed earnestly with gratitude, and didn't stop until every place of the table and chairs became clean.

Seeing such a neat desk and chair, the students should cherish it very much during the process of using it, right?Then the next session, the next session, just kept going...

Today they are leaving.Do these tables and chairs that have witnessed their laughter and tears also feel a little lonely?

Looking at the Zoro, Chopper, Usopp, Luffy, Nami, and Sanji drawn from left to right on the blackboard holding their left fists high, as well as the big "Graduation" characters, Tsutsui's eyes gradually became moist up.

At nine o'clock, accompanied by warm applause, 105 graduates, including Tsutsui, wearing exquisite graduation commemorative flowers, walked into the auditorium full of students' parents under the leadership of the class teacher.

The national flag and the school flag are hung side by side in the middle of the rostrum, and there are countless soaring cranes made by the teachers of the graduating class on the branches falling from the ceiling on both sides. The blooming flowers make the whole venue look warm and solemn.

"The Graduation Ceremony of Haze Junior High School will begin now. Graduates, stand up—!"

After a brief opening speech, the graduation ceremony kicked off with the singing of the national anthem.

The first thing to do is the awarding ceremony of the graduation certificate.

I saw the homeroom teachers and teachers in formal attire holding the roster in their hands and seriously reading the names of each graduate.

The students sitting on the seats will stand up when their names are called. They line up and walk up to the rostrum one by one in order.After bowing to the principal, he stretched out his hands and respectfully took his graduation certificate from the principal.Then he stood at attention, turned around, and quietly walked back to his seat.

The students whose names were not called all sat neatly in their seats and waited quietly.

During this process, all the graduates kept a serious face and kept a tall and straight posture during the march.It was their gestures that added a bit of gravitas to the ceremony.

The entire certificate awarding ceremony lasted about an hour. After the speeches of the graduate representatives and the principal, it was time to sing the graduation song.

When the euphemistic and deep melody of the song "Admiration for Your Honor" sounded, one could clearly hear low sobs spreading from all the seats.Filled with the slight sadness of leaving their alma mater and the longing and hope for tomorrow, the graduates began their final singing:

"I look up and respect the teacher for your precious kindness

How many years have passed since I lived in this campus

Looking back, how time flies

And the parting is right in front of my eyes, I can only say goodbye

We are friendly and friendly to each other, the feelings that have accumulated over time

Even if we're going to be separated, please don't forget

It's your constant encouragement that made me famous

Let's say goodbye right in front of our eyes

Already familiar day and night hard study

Whether it's a firefly-lit summer night or a snowy winter day

I will never forget those passing years

And say goodbye right in front of your eyes

......"

At the end of the singing, many people were unable to continue due to choking, and the libretto and tune could not be fully matched.Even so, the singing voice was still flowing slowly in the hearts of everyone like the sound of nature.

Because, that is what these children sang with their most sincere feelings.

Listening to the song that contained the sadness of parting, Yiyi's nostalgia, and deep gratitude, the parents sitting in the back row couldn't help but burst into tears.

Finally, with the end of the singing, the two-hour graduation ceremony came to an end.The graduates walked up to the rostrum to bow to the teacher one by one, and then lined up and walked towards the door of the auditorium.

Walking out of the venue also means that the junior high school days of these students are over.

On the other side, Ah Guang, San Gu, and other members of the Go club have been waiting at the entrance of the auditorium.

At the school festival in January, due to the great success of the stage play "Burning the Honnoji Temple" co-starred by the Go Club and the Shogi Club, the name of the Go Club is no longer as obscure as it used to be. Many new members have been added.

Although the purpose of some of these people is not simple: some just want to see the true face of the president of the Go Club, some want to find out the unclear relationship between the Go Club and the Shogi Club, and some want to relax. Those who are lazy and earn experience easily, and so on.

Fortunately, after the baptism of time, most of the remaining members really love Go.

Although because he is an examinee, Tsutsui, the president of the Go Club, only visits the Go Club occasionally, and almost all the affairs of the Go Club are left to Mitani and Hikari.However, his very gentle personality still won him the respect and trust of the members.

Therefore, when Tsutsui was about to leave here, they spontaneously came to see him off.

Ah Guang looked around for a long time but still did not see anyone coming out of the venue. Looking at the bouquet in his hand, he couldn't help but recall the chance encounter with Tsutsui-senpai yesterday.

After school yesterday afternoon, he thought that he had left something in the Go club, so Aguang made a detour to the physics and chemistry classroom where the Go club was located.

He thought that there should be no one inside. After all, the end of the term is approaching and everyone is preparing for the exam.Unexpectedly, as soon as he opened the classroom door, he saw an extremely familiar figure.

"Tsutsui-senpai?"

Seeing that Tsutsui was standing by the sink, as if washing something, Aguang walked over curiously.

"...Shindo?" Seeing Hikaru who suddenly appeared, Tsutsui was slightly embarrassed while being surprised.

After seeing the things in the pool clearly, Ah Guang couldn't help being a little confused: "Senior Tsutsui, are you...washing chess pieces?"

Tsutsui hesitated and said, "Uh...it's the end, I always feel..."

Seeing that Tsutsui hadn't finished speaking, Aguang asked, "What do you think?"

"Well... I always feel that I should clean the chess pieces." After hesitating for a while, Tsutsui replied.

The author has something to say:

After two chapters, Tsutsui-senpai and Kaga-senpai will withdraw from the stage of this story forever.

So the home field of these two chapters is dedicated to them. :)