They all have hidden attributes!

From that cold morning onward, the two were fully prepared for war.

Tachimi Yuki hired the president of the Shogi Association to teach her and Takahashi Makoto to play shogi. As long as she paid for it, she could invite either the [Meijin] or the [Ryuo].

With a foundation in chess, as long as you memorize the rules of shogi, it won't be difficult to beat Uesugi Maya, since she has no foundation at all.

Makoto Takahashi not only plays Go with Yuki Tatsumi, but also keeps track of what's going on with Maya Uesugi.

Although Maya Uesugi has two friends, Reiko Kashima and Hina Nekoya, she still prefers to be alone and rely on herself for everything.

Even though she had the contact information, she didn't contact Ms. Jingu. Instead, she memorized the rules and patterns, read the latest research in shogi magazines, and sought out Makoto Takahashi to play against each other.

When Makoto Takahashi played shogi with them, he didn't hold back like he did when he played chess with Yuki Tatsumi. He went all out and crushed the two of them in the shortest possible time.

He had hoped that the two women would realize their poor shogi skills after their crushing defeat and that they were very likely to lose to each other, and that they would admit defeat to each other. However, they were instead more motivated to fight.

In addition, the friction between Uesugi Maya and Tatsumi Yuki in their daily lives intensifies day by day.

Aside from differing tastes, the two experienced various minor conflicts every day after moving in together.

Hair in the bathroom drain, items not put back in their place after use, the TV always playing but no one watching... In another sense, Makoto Takahashi's life after moving is very lively every day.

Friday arrived quickly.

Having stayed overnight in Roppongi, Makoto Takahashi asked Supervisor Chihaya for sick leave and spent the entire afternoon in the student council president's office playing rope with the young lady.

Tachimi Yuki found it fascinating to soil Uesugi Maya's chair and desk.

Fortunately, the two moved to the lounge before the school bell rang; otherwise, if Uesugi Maya had seen such an indecent scene, she would have been killed.

"Xing, how were you last night?"

After a long, focused kiss, Makoto Takahashi held the delicate body in his arms tightly and asked softly.

The atmosphere quieted down, the last rays of the setting sun disappeared, and the desolate night sky outside the window appeared even more gloomy amidst the bleak sound of the cold wind.

"She melted all the chocolate I had under the coffee table and poured it into my black tea."

Li Jianxing nestled lazily against his chest, her pure and lovely features revealing a hint of satisfied weariness, her tear-streaked eyes adding a touch of allure.

"I threw away the old tea set. Don't come back tonight; I'm going to give it a good thrashing."

“Okay, it just so happens that Hanaori invited me to the arcade tonight.” Makoto Takahashi pondered for a moment, then stroked her blonde hair and agreed.

Despite their deteriorating relationship, Uesugi Maya and Tatsumi Yuki would try to stay out of his sight whenever possible.

Is it considered thoughtful?

In any case, the fact that the two of them don't need to get involved for the time being indicates that the situation is still within their expectations and hasn't gotten out of control.

"You rest first, I'll go check on the next room."

Makoto Takahashi sat up in bed, tucked Yuki Tatsumi in with the blanket, and then bent down to pick up the clothes hanging on the chair: "Will Ryoko come over later?"

"Mmm," Tachimi Yuki uttered a sweet, nasal sound.

After getting dressed and leaving the lounge, Makoto Takahashi pushed open the door to the student council president's office next door, where Maya Uesugi was reading a book on shogi endgames.

Hearing the door open, she raised her delicate face, shot a blatant look of disgust at him, and sternly rebuked him: "Terrible, the worst."

Ignoring the insults and condemnations, Takahashi Makoto walked over and leaned against the desk, asking, "Do you really think you can defeat Sachi like this? No way."

Shogi has complex rules and is extremely unfriendly to beginners.

Moreover, the two had very little time to prepare, and by all accounts, Tachibana Yuki, who had a background in chess, had a better chance of winning.

"So?" Maya Uesugi asked casually.

"How about consulting a professional? Maybe you can learn some tricks, like [deceptive steps]."

Upon hearing Takahashi Makoto's words, Uesugi Maya carefully observed his expression.

What's going on?

Makoto Takahashi, oblivious to the problem with his earlier statement, casually continued, "Shogi is something that one person can't become better at on their own, right? That's what the magazines say."

"If you want me to win, get rid of me immediately."

Maya Uesugi closed the book in her hand, a charming smile blooming on her lips: "Then I've already won, it's fine if you move away."

"I hope you have the self-awareness to avoid making things difficult for yourself."

Makoto Takahashi curled his lip and turned his face away to look at the dazzling honors in the display case, all of which were proof of the young lady's victory.

Talent is a terrifying thing.

Makoto Takahashi, who possesses countless talents, knows this all too well. After obtaining the [Aesthetic Incarnation], he can easily conquer all hearts with any art form.

The system panel displays a value indicating that Uesugi Maya has no chess skills whatsoever.

"Say something useful; I'm not interested in your attempts to persuade me to surrender."

Judging that Takahashi Makoto was an envoy sent by the enemy, Uesugi Maya's face turned cold: "Or you can come and play chess with me, and then directly take my place in the battle."

"There's no rule about asking someone else to take your place, is there?"

"If it's you, then there's no problem."

If only Takahashi Makoto represents the other party, the other party will immediately admit defeat and move out cleanly and efficiently that same day.

"To be honest, Aya, I think it would be better for me to avoid meeting you guys for the next few days."

Makoto Takahashi walked up to the display case and stared at the chess tournament trophies: "I'm going to Kyoto this weekend, I'll stay for a few more days and come back after you've decided on a winner."

"Kyoto..."

Uesugi Maya rested her slender, pale fingers on her chin, pondered for a moment, then looked up at him: "I'll go with you. I have a house in Kyoto that I can take you in."

She does own a house in Kyoto, which was given to her by Ritsuko.

Originally, Tachimi Yuki's intention was for Uesugi Maya to leave Tokyo and get as far away from her boyfriend as possible; she never expected that she would use it in this way.

"Alright, after we finish dealing with Miss Jingu's matter tomorrow night, we'll head to Kyoto."

Makoto Takahashi turned to face Maya Uesugi and extended an invitation:

"I have an appointment with Miss Jingu tonight, would you like to come along and ask her for some advice? I'm also going to the arcade with Hanori later, how about spending the night back in Toshima Ward after so long?"

Although he was unaware of Tachimi Yuki's malicious intentions, he could find a way to help Uesugi Maya escape this predicament.

The current situation is clear: Makoto Takahashi only has one path to take.

—Tonight, I escaped Tachimi Yuki's punishment with Uesugi Maya. Starting tomorrow, I'll try to cancel the bet before the day we agreed to settle the score.

It is too difficult to resolve their conflict once and for all; even the gods could not do it.

However, Makoto Takahashi could intervene forcefully to avoid losing anyone and prevent an unwanted situation from occurring.

"can."

Uesugi Maya stood up, walked to the coat rack, tied her scarf, and put on a thick woolen coat, wrapping herself up tightly.

After turning off the lights, Makoto Takahashi and she walked out of the student council president's office together. Reiko Kashima stood in the corridor in front of the lounge, waiting for Yuki Tachimi to get dressed.

Makoto Takahashi greeted Reiko Kashima and casually asked, "Is the construction on the coffee shop's rooftop finished?"

"Yes, the inspection was completed this afternoon."

After answering in a calm tone, Kashima Reiko nodded to Uesugi Maya with a blank expression, completely unaffected by the recent atmosphere between the two.

That's truly enviable.

Chapter 204 The Gap in Talent (Seeking Double Monthly Tickets)

"Wow, brother, I see the Qing Shui Gate!"

On the way to the Jingu family's tofu shop, Hanakawa Kaori, who was sitting in the passenger seat, turned around, pointed at the Aomizu Gate under the night sky, and exclaimed in surprise.

Makoto Takahashi originally planned to meet with Mieko Jingu before going to see Hanakawa Kaori, but she insisted on coming along and also dragged Haruna Nekoya along.

The originally spacious carriage felt somewhat cramped because of Uesugi Maya and Nekoya Hina sandwiched in the middle, and their arms could feel different body temperatures through their clothes.

"Is this still Tokyo?" Hina Nekoya craned her neck and peered out through the car window.

"In the North District, on the other side of the Aomizu Gate is Kawaguchi City in Kawasaki Prefecture."

Uesugi Maya seemed somewhat impatient, her icy voice chillingly sharp: "Why did you have to come to a place like this?"

"Miss Jingu's family runs a tofu shop, so she needs to go to bed early and get up early. This is the only time we can meet."

As Makoto Takahashi spoke, the car turned into a dense residential area and went deeper along an inconspicuous street. The shops on both sides were all old buildings, and everything seemed to be shrouded in a thin layer of gray mist.

About 5 minutes later, the vehicle stopped below the blurry sign for [Jingu Tofu Shop].

"We've arrived, let's get off," he said.

After getting out of the car, the four of them walked into the tofu shop. The shop was old but clean and tidy, and an old lady wearing reading glasses was reading a newspaper.

After Makoto Takahashi explained his purpose, she shouted towards the narrow staircase at the back, "Mieko, your friend has come?"

"coming."

After a steady footstep, Mieko Jingu appeared on the dimly lit staircase and said politely, "Please come up if you don't mind. I've prepared some hot tea."

Takahashi Makoto led the three of them up to the second floor, where Hanakawa Kaori and Nekoya Hina looked around with curiosity.

Compared to the first floor, the second floor is much more spacious and brightly lit. Although the house is old, the kitchen on the right side of the stairwell looks like it has just been renovated, with the sink, stove, range hood, and kitchen cabinets all shining brightly.

The dining table, along with chairs, was placed in the kitchen and was kept spotless.

"Please have some tea." Mieko Jingu served hot tea, then went to a warehouse-like room to the left of the stairwell and brought out a chessboard and chess pieces.

Makoto Takahashi's reason for visiting was that Maya Uesugi wanted to learn about shogi.

After exchanging polite social pleasantries, the group sat around the dining table, and Uesugi Maya and Jingu Mieko began to place their respective Go pieces.

Seeing Hanakawa Kaori's strange expression, she covered her mouth and explained with a smile, "After I started earning money, I spent almost all of my monthly savings on the kitchen. The range hood is brand new."

"Why not just move them?" Hanakawa Kaori asked curiously.

“My grandmother is my only remaining relative. I need to stay and take care of her. She is very sentimental. Everyone who still lives on this street is a stubborn person who refuses to leave their ancestral home.”

Jingu Mieko's tone was very gentle, and there was no hint of disdain in her voice.

Makoto Takahashi looked away from the shogi (Japanese chess) piece sticker on the refrigerator door and instead focused his gaze on the newly set shogi board, asking casually:

"Does Miss Jingu value the kitchen because her family owns a tofu shop?"