Changing Peach Hearts (Akashi X OC)

Chapter 27 - Towards the Winter Cup Finals

Defeat.

It was utter defeat.

Or at least that was so for the dark-haired boy whose eyes stared at the red head as if seeing a God.

The red head sat silently in his seat where the opposing player's hands trembled in anxiety and confusion. That player was one of the champions in the previous tournament, yet he had been defeated in less than twenty minutes.

Yes, yet again Akashi had achieved absolute victory.

Chiharu sat on a chair next to Akashi, nervously glancing around. Crowds of people had come to see the match after word spread that the champion had been beaten in fifteen minutes. A normal Shogi game lasted at least two hours, but to be defeated in fifteen minutes; it was a miracle.

The peach head's own game was going well. Chiharu knew that the opposing player would be defeated in another five minutes. This was evident by his nervous glances towards Chiharu and the extended amount of time he took to move his Shogi piece.

As she waited for him to play his piece, she gazed to the final table where Usami sat.

Usami actually looked bored, very bored.

She propped one elbow onto the table where she leaned her head against her arm. The opposer looked like a cornered hamster against the green-haired menace. Whenever he would glance up at Usami, she would glare at him with her intimidating golden eyes, causing him to blink back down to the Shogi board, never daring to look up again.

Chiharu scanned Usami's Shogi board, feeling impressed with her tactics.

Although Chiharu had won her first match against Usami, she had lost the second but won the third. They were an even match in Shogi; winning and losing in turns. From then on Chiharu kept a close eye on the different movements Usami used in her games. She found hints of them in her current opposer's game, except at a much higher level. Usami would win, Chiharu was sure of that.

Chiharu then turned to the redhead, to find his eyes on her.

He smiled distantly, causing Chiharu's eyes to dart back at her own Shogi board where the opponent had finally moved his piece. Instantly she moved her own bishop before glancing up at Akashi. His eyes were still on her, except they moved slowly to Usami who had raised both arms, yawning.

She had won.

Her opponents hands were clasped tight in shame as he looked down, unwilling to face anyone. Anybody who played a Shogi game against an opponent who treated them like an object would feel this humiliated. Chiharu knew that she would lecture Usami after this. She needed to know her manners.

Now it was only Chiharu's turn to win and as soon as the opponent disappointedly moved his own piece, Chiharu moved her rook.

Finally it was checkmate.

Chiharu had won.

As soon as the game had ended, the crowd around them began to chatter about the genius trio. All three had finished their games in half an hour.

No one could believe that.

Akashi took the first step, slowly standing up, his head high. Usami followed him with a smirk. Chiharu looked at the both of them and knew that they were waiting for her to move. She too stood and faced her opponents who shamefully stood up as well.

They shook hands.

"Good Game."

...

"WOAH! I can't believe you guys won the exhibition match against last year's winners of the Shogi Tournament! Everyone at school's talking about it!" cried Kisara, jumping up and down in front of Chiharu's seat.