"Ah! Ren-kun…" the soft-voiced warning came from Shujin Academy's Student Council President. She was spectating a third match between Ren Kurusu, her boyfriend, against Hifumi Sogo, a Shogi Prodigy that she got acquainted with during one of their date.
Ren and Hifumi have scheduled a Shogi training session that Monday, and Makoto asked if she could come along and watch them play. Knowing that his girlfriend and Hifumi were already good friend (they discussed a book on old strategist's biography for TWO HOURS at their first meeting and had hit it off really well ever since), he saw no reason to refuse her request. He texted Hifumi to let her know that Makoto would be joining, and if she wouldn't mind a guest for today. Hifumi answered his text almost immediately with an approval. Ren was relieved. She usually doesn't allow other people to observe her while she is playing shogi, let alone having a spectator in their training session, but it seemed like she didn't mind making an exception for Makoto. Perhaps because she enjoyed having a conversation with her, and she made a promise to teach her about the way of shogi one day.
They met later that night at Kanda Church; it was as empty and silent as every other Monday. After greeting each other, Ren and Hifumi began their training session, with Makoto as the only crowd. He handed over his bag along with Morgana, who was yawning heavily inside, to Makoto and started the match. The first and second match went by rather quickly, with Hifumi having no problem surrounding Ren's King Piece at all. Ren tried his best, but his bad habit of going too offensive in the mid stage of the game made him easy prey for Hifumi's signature moves, 'Golden Rising Dragon' and 'Swooping Grand Eagle', for the wins.
He felt a little down, being badly defeated twice in front of his girlfriend, but Makoto's quiet cheering (to not wake the now sleeping Morgana in her clutch) from behind him kept him going for the third game. When Ren was about to make his third move, Makoto, who was being silent during the previous two games, let out a little warning, which garnered both players' attention.
"What is it, Makoto?" Ren asked the source of the soft-spoken warning.
"Uhm…that Pawn, were you going to advance it?" she replied, uncertainty in her voice.
He looked at the direction Makoto was pointing, right to a pawn he was touching on the board. Indeed, he was going to move the pawn forward.
"Is there something wrong with the pawn Ren-kun was going to use, Makoto-san?" Hifumi asked her, with curiosity.
"I was just thinking…that moving the Left Edge Pawn at the moment isn't such a good idea,"
Hearing Makoto's reasoning, Ren took another look at the board. As if realizing something, he made a little nod, and took his hand off the pawn.
"I-if I'm interrupting your game, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"
Makoto, who was worried she had interrupted the flow of the match, started apologizing to both players. Her apology was cut short when Hifumi's asked her another question.
"Interesting… If I recalled correctly, when we first met, you told me you've never played Shogi before, Makoto-san. Is that right?"
"Indeed, I have never played a game of Shogi," Makoto answered.
"But ever since our first meeting and seeing how you and Ren-kun are so enthusiastic about Shogi, I couldn't help but looking for information on the game. And after researching it, I believe knowledge on this game can be applied in many aspects of real life, and that's why I started reading more books and watched videos of Shogi, because I am very interested in it," She answered the question with half the truth. The other half is because she didn't want to look clueless when Hifumi is going to teach her about the game, so she needed to come prepared.
Hifumi nodded in approval at her answer and turned her attention to her opponent.
"Well then, Ren-kun. What would your next move be?"
Ren took a quick glimpse at Makoto, let out a little smile, and looked back to Hifumi, with a request in mind.
"Do you mind if I use Makoto's advices in this game, Master?"
"Eh!? Ren-kun? Wait just a sec-"
Makoto tried to voice her objection, as she doesn't feel confident playing against a professional player, but Hifumi's response cut that complaint short.
"I don't mind, of course," she immediately answered. "I have the advantage in experience and knowledge, so I can assure you, a 2-on-1 battle wouldn't be a problem in the slightest,"
Reverting to her emperor-like style, she continued her speech.
"However, Ren-kun and Makoto-san, be prepared! I shall not be lenient, nor shall I give you any openings, for we shall be opponents on this battlefield, and any opponent of the Togo Empire will be crushed to dust!"
"Well," Ren turned to Makoto while shrugging his shoulder, "Seems like she's all fired up now. There's no chance on Earth I'd defeat her, unless somebody were to lend a helping hand …" He looked at her expectantly, with a gaze that won't say no for an answer.
Makoto sighed, she shook her head a few times, cast a glare at Ren, and inevitably put Ren's bag with Morgana in it on an empty spot beside Ren as gently as possible, as she herself leaned her head beside Ren to take a better look at the board, officially joining the match. Ren beamed a grin before turning his attention back to the board and the match before him.
"Alright then, what's our next move, Makoto?"
"Give me a moment,"
She took a better look at the field's situation, their pawns and Hifumi's pawns, the positioning, the possible movements, analyzing every possibility she knows of, and started strategizing. After a little while, she conveyed the best possible movement he could make at that stage, and the risks and benefits that comes with each choice. Ren listened intently, while never taking his gaze off the board, all the while simulating each option in his mind. When Makoto finished her explanation, it took him no longer than a few seconds to advance his Sixth File Pawn.
Hifumi was intrigued by the choice. Not only because it was a move that Ren never uses in their previous matches, but also because it was a strong move that she would've taken if she was in his position. Feeling that this match might be fun, she made her own move, a defensive move, expecting Ren would quickly respond with his habitual aggressive moves. But Ren seemed intent to wait on Makoto to finish analyzing the board before even considering moving his pawn. This managed to surprise Hifumi, because in their previous matches, whenever Hifumi purposely took a defensive option with a little opening, Ren always took the bait, not knowing a trap is waiting several moves ahead. This Ren was different, and she couldn't help but wonder if Makoto's presence beside him managed to calm his nerves and helped him take a better approach on his next moves.
As Makoto finished her analysis and explained it in detail to Ren, Hifumi can't help to also admire the scenarios and options which she gave to him. For someone who never touched a pawn, she knows very much about the ins and outs of the game. Even if she took her time to read and gain knowledge from many sources, it's a different story trying to put said knowledge into practice in a real match. And Makoto is doing just that, translating every scenario in her mind into words with near perfect accuracy for Ren to execute. Without realizing, a small smile formed on her face as she is watching Ren taking his move, another defensive move that might lead to protecting his King and the completion of a castle. She didn't expect a makeshift partnership between someone who never played a match of Shogi and her beginner pupil can give Hifumi such trouble.
It was as if she's facing an empire, with a brilliant strategist that can read the situations on the battlefield accurately, laying plans in perfect accuracy, while taking into account every possibility the opponent will take, and a dependable leader that can make decision in a split-second with no hesitation, but still taking careful consideration in every move he makes, every step taken with future conditions and probabilities in mind.
She can't help but to get a bit more serious in this match, lest she'd be swept off her feet.
After quite a lot of back and forth, and several advanced moves from Hifumi, the pair had finally conceded. Hifumi's maneuvers were simply too much for them.
"That was a good match, Ren-kun, Makoto-san. I thank you," Hifumi bowed to the pair who was bowing after her.
"Phew!" Ren sighed a tone of defeat "You're as merciless as always, Master. And here I thought tonight would be the night I finally took the edge on you,"
"I'm sorry, Ren-kun. If only I had realized her intention sooner before she made her moves, we could've took different route…" Makoto started apologizing to Ren, regretting a certain phase in the game where she misread the intention of a move that Hifumi took, and eventually changed the flow of the game to her advantage.
"Don't be, Makoto. I was the one who took the decisions. If I had been a bit more experienced, I would've taken the alternative move you have told me,"
"But I emphasized on that option, when you could've taken different move if I hadn't so keenly pushing that option…"
"Don't be too hard on yourself. After all, I wouldn't even dream on getting this far against Hifumi-san without your help. So don't be sorry, because I should be thanking you,"
"But still…"
"Indeed, Makoto-san," Hifumi, who have reverted back to her quiet style of speaking, joined the conversation "You should be proud of yourself. For someone who hadn't played a game of Shogi before, you helped Ren-kun's game to reach a new height. I was honestly surprised that two beginners could gave me, a professional player, this much trouble,"
Ren nodded his approval, which in turn made Makoto smiled a little.
"You, too, Ren-kun," Hifumi spoke to Ren next "Makoto-san might have the theories, but you were able to put her knowledge into action in mere seconds. Your decision-making ability is excellent, if I may say so,"
Now it's Ren's turn to sheepishly smile. It's only natural, Hifumi doesn't give praises generously, after all.
"I am curious, though," Hifumi asked with a perplexed look replacing her polite smile earlier.
"You two works good as a team. Almost too good, actually,"
Ren gulped, he had a slight notion of where this conversation is going.
"Your coordination were almost flawless. It's almost as if you two have been used to working together since forever. Which would be impossible, since you two have only known each other for several months now, based on what you told me, Ren-kun,"
Makoto started to sweat a little, she was starting to know what Ren was seemed to be worried about
"In which the other logical explanation would be in the short time you two have met, you have worked together on many occasions, in some kind of activity that requires precise decision-making, where a split-second decision could decide between life and death,"
Ren tried to explain that he and Makoto had been playing very hard co-op video games together, but Hifumi was not having any of that. His stuttering while giving his answers wasn't helping his case.
"Would you tell me the truth? What kind of activities were you two partaking together? I would like to look more into this activity myself," Hifumi brushed Ren's words and threw another demanding question his way.
Ren and Makoto started to panic inside, while struggling to keep their cool outside. They desperately tried to convince her to accept Ren's explanation as the truth, but Hifumi still wouldn't accept it.
"If you are reluctant to tell me, then is this activity perhaps…an illegal one?"
With her words, their calm demeanor started to fell apart. It would be only a matter of time before Hifumi reaches the conclusion by herself, that they are part of the Phantom Thieves.
"W-what nonsense! Hifumi-san, I am one crime away from the juvie and Makoto here is an honor student, why would we risk ourselves in doing illegal activities?"
Makoto nodded furiously at Ren's explanation, but Hifumi seemed to not even listening at their words.
"Tell me, Ren-kun, Makoto-san,"
They both started sweating bullets. It seemed Hifumi have reached a conclusion, and now their secret as Phantom Thieves member is in danger of being exposed.
"Is this activity of yours… Are you two involved in-"
Suddenly, a flash of black and fur jumped out of Makoto's bag. Mona seemed to be wide awake, and he darted off as soon as he got out of his bed, as if he was possessed by something.
"Ah! Mona! Wait!" Makoto gasped, "He might get lost! We have to hurry and get him, Ren-kun!"
As if on cue, Ren apologized to a surprised Hifumi who had her question cut short by the cat's surprising behavior, and as the cat went further from their sight, she nodded and wished them luck in catching Mona. Ren and Makoto then quickly barged off the church after a short farewell.
Outside, Mona was slowing down as Ren and Makoto catched up to him. They kept a jogging pace as they strode to the train station.
"Thanks for the assist there, Mona," Ren let out a little laugh and spoke to the cat that looked a bit annoyed.
"Honestly, you two! I don't know what would have happened if I wasn't there! She might have exposed our leader and our strategist in one fell swoop!" Mona complained loudly to the both of them, making sure that he's being heard.
Makoto giggled at the cat's angry reaction, and thanked him, too.
"Hey! Don't laugh! Don't you know what's at stakes here? It's thanks to my quick thinking and decision-making back there that we managed to walk away scot-free!"
"We understand, Mona. As a reward, let's get you some sushi on the way back home, okay?" Ren tried to bargain with the hissing cat.
"Wh-? S-S-Sushi!? Ren, don't you think you can just bribe me and get away with-"
"With extra fatty tuna thrown in," Makoto pushed the stake a little higher, which seemed to have an instant effect on Mona, shown by his glittering eyes.
"Fatty Tuna!?"
Makoto's extra proposition managed to calm down the black cat's protest and made his mood to grow better.
"W-well, I guess I can forget about what happened at the church. Everybody makes mistake, after all," Mona sheepishly started to stop berating them and instead began to sing a different tune.
"And you two deserves some praise, too. Making a pro shogi player gets a little serious on a field you're not an expert at is a feat in itself,"
"Come on, Mona, she hasn't even begun to get serious back there,"
"Agreed, Ren-kun. We have a lot to learn if we want to take her down one day,"
"Well, at the very least, you both must've learned something from that match, right? I'm expecting you both to put them into practice in the metaverse, Joker, Queen,"
"That's a copy," they both answered in unison
"Then we need to do this more often, don't you think, Ren-kun? I'm sure the more match practice we get in, the more strategies we can implement in the metaverse,"
"Of course, I'd arrange our next match with her, hopefully we'll be more prepared the next time we meet her,"
"But remember! Always take me with you the next time you play with her again. I'll be there to make sure you two doesn't slip up!"
They agreed to the cat's proposition and took the next train home (after getting Mona his fatty tune, of course).
Hello There! This was actually an old fic made for Makoto Week that I didn't manage to complete, so I'm thankful I could finish it for Shumako Week. I didn't know the first thing about shogi and still am, so I just took bits from wiki and mashed some stuff in. Apologize in advance for any typo or mistakes, and thanks for reading this fic!