In a situation where countless people wanted to tear him apart and devour him.
The young Yukiya calmly held a chef's knife and faced them one by one.
He ultimately secured his maximum benefit.
He paid the price by giving up the shop, but he registered the custody of the name under 'Yuki-no-shita'.
He left Chiba with everything he could take.
Yuri, looking back, admitted that if she were that young, she wouldn't have been able to do such a thing.
Yet, Yukiya, a mere middle schooler, displayed a level of tact, courage, and decisiveness that even Yuri's peers rarely possessed.
After learning all this.
Yuri began to reassess her daughter Eriri and Yukiya's relationship.
If she were younger.
She would have held onto this man, using every trick to keep him by her side.
She wouldn't let him slip away.
But Eriri is not Yuri, after all.
When it comes to choosing a son-in-law, ability is secondary; it's more important that he makes Eriri happy.
Upon closer observation.
Yuri realized she had worried too much.
Yukiya treated Eriri exceptionally well.
So much so that Yuri suspected he was after her family's fortune.
It was already bordering on 'adoration'.
He poured his entire heart into Eriri.
Sometimes Eriri's tsundere attitude even got to Yuri.
Yet Yukiya remained incredibly patient in dealing with it.
After observing for a while.
Yuri's outlook shifted slightly.
In short, she planned to push their heads together.
Damn it, get married already!
After the two broke up, it was the first time Yuri felt a tinge of resentment towards Eriri.
How could you let a man like that go!?
And she even acted all tsundere and broke up with him!
Yuri was about to have a stroke.
Therefore, in theory, Yuri should maintain an absolutely neutral stance on Eriri's feelings.
Eriri's own heart should be her guide.
But theory is just theory.
In reality, Yuri was already hopelessly biased towards Yukiya.
If times were different, she would have gone all out to get him to become her son-in-law.
Moreover, even considering Eriri's feelings.
Yukiya is someone Yuri should support.
To reiterate.
Eriri's representative flower is the lily.
Its flower language is: pure love, dignity, and kindred spirits.
Once Eriri, a girl of pure love, sets her heart on someone, she will never change!
The next morning, at the Yukiya household.
"Please use these."
Kashiwagi cheerfully handed over a pair of disposable slippers.
Hee hee.jpg.
Yukiya slightly facepalmed behind her.
He hadn't thought this through.
Not hee hee.jpg.
Kugane stood at the entrance, her eyes fixed on Yukiya behind Kashiwagi.
Just like last time.
After removing her small leather shoes, she stepped directly onto the wooden floor, barefoot.
As her cute sailor uniform skirt swayed.
Her small feet, encased in black stockings, stepped onto Yukiya's.
"Uh, Gin, your foot..."
Yukiya weakly reminded her.
Kugane slightly increased the pressure.
Her cute toes pressed firmly onto Yukiya's instep.
"What do you have to complain about?"
"No, I'm honored to be stepped on by senpai!"
Yukiya decisively put himself in a vulnerable position.
Provoking this silver-haired girl now would absolutely make her go ballistic.
"Humph!" Kugane snorted and lifted her foot.
Today was the day of the official match.
A match that determined whether Yukiya could advance to the 6th dan.
And his opponent was the infamous Yamano Yajiri, an 8th dan player.
Kugane was obviously worried, so she had once again rushed to Tokyo from Chiba.
"Then senpai, we'll head out."
Yukiya, fully dressed, waved at Kashiwagi.
"Okay, good luck with the official match."
Kashiwagi replied with a smile.
Unusually, she didn't engage in a verbal duel with Kugane today.
Even after they left, Kashiwagi's gaze lingered on Kugane for a moment.
To find out about Yukiya's past.
Asking Kugane was definitely the best option.
After all, the two had been companions since Yukiya's childhood, bonded by their shared love of shogi.
While it was a senior and junior relationship.
To Kashiwagi, they seemed more like family.
Even if Yukiya temporarily left the shogi world.
Kugane would absolutely stay by his side.
However, getting Kugane to willingly spill information...
Would likely require some effort.
The location of this official match was Ishikawa Prefecture.
It was quite a distance from Tokyo.
However, luckily, the Cherry Blossom Nation's Shinkansen network was extensive, and the country itself was not large.
They just needed to wake up early to make it in time.
Yukiya didn't even miss his morning run.
On the train.
Kugane and Yukiya sat together.
The girl hesitated to speak several times.
Yukiya noticed it, but he waited for Kugane to open up.
Suddenly, Yukiya felt a cool, soft touch on his hand.
Just as he was about to look down, he heard Kugane's urgent voice:
"Don't look down!"
Immediately, Yukiya understood what that touch was.
You have to give it to Kugane.
Not only was her aura icy, even her little hand was cold.
Yukiya flipped his hand over, grabbing the tiny hand that was just lightly brushing against his.
Honestly, in this sweltering summer, Kugane's cold hand was incredibly comfortable.
"Uh..." Kugane let out a small surprised sound.
Kugane's hand struggled for a moment.
Yukiya applied a little pressure, and her hand immediately became obedient, held in his grasp, no longer resisting.
Kugane's hand was quite small, just like its owner.
Holding it, he felt nothing but tenderness, and her skin was smooth, like it would drip with water.
Yukiya couldn't resist, and he toyed with it slightly.
His foot was immediately stepped on.
Yukiya could only behave himself.
After all, you have to take things one step at a time.
For Gin, this tsundere, taking the initiative to hold hands was a significant step forward.