Chapter 296

Around 10:30 at night.

It was already close to Natsume Ruri's usual bedtime.

Natsume Chikage stood in front of the room's light switch, his fingertips lightly touching the cold plastic panel, and asked in a low voice:

"Ruri, did you remember to brush your teeth before going to bed?"

Natsume Ruri rubbed her sleepy eyes and mumbled in a daze.

"I brushed..."

"Alright, Brother is turning off the lights."

"Mm..."

Click.

With a soft sound, the light suddenly faded.

The cramped three-mat room was instantly swallowed by silent darkness, with only the faint, hazy halo of distant streetlights filtering in from outside the window.

Natsume Ruri fumbled into the quilt, burying half of her small face into the pillow.

The rhythmic breathing soon became long and steady.

Natsume Chikage also returned to his bed and, as usual, lit up his phone screen in the darkness.

The ghostly white light illuminated his face.

Before he started typing, the LINE notifications popping up on the lock screen attracted his attention—from Furukawa Masahiro, Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui, Yukimura Suzune, Xiyuanji Qilai, and Yue Dao Lin.

He first clicked on the message sent by Furukawa Masahiro around nine o'clock.

【Furukawa Masahiro: Natsume-kun, when are you free to come and guide my family's Caixu in shogi?】

【Natsume Chikage: I have to work at the coffee shop after school tomorrow and the day after... How about Thursday?】

After the message was sent, the status always showed "unread".

Natsume Chikage waited for a moment and then stopped expecting a reply—at this time, the other party was likely already asleep.

His finger slid, and he turned to click on the message sent by Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui at 10:30, which was just now.

【Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui: (,,???)? ゛hello, good evening, Natsume-kun.】

【Natsume Chikage: Good evening, is there something wrong?】

Almost the moment the message was sent successfully, the reply popped up.

【Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui: ヾ(? °? °?)?? I watched your shogi match, congratulations on winning the second round again. Please do your best for the third round match, I will definitely cheer for you again!】

【Natsume Chikage: Thank you.】

【Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui: By the way... I heard you said before that because Senior Yasui returned the 'chessboard', you were going to treat him and Senior Araki to dinner, is it today?】

【Natsume Chikage: Mm, but how did you know?】

【Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui: (#^. ^#) Actually, Ms. Xiyuanji and the others were also in the classroom and heard your conversation, and she told me.】

【Natsume Chikage: Oh, oh.】

【Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui:... Are you only eating with Senior Yasui and Senior Araki today, will you invite others... like other shogi enthusiasts or something?】

【Natsume Chikage: Come to think of it, I did invite Senior Yue Dao.】

【Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui: Σ(⊙▽⊙"... Could it be that Senior Yue Dao is also obsessed with shogi, so she is with you?】

【Natsume Chikage: That's not it, just met on the road, she said the girl she was with had something to leave, and she was left alone. Senior Araki happened to know her, so she pulled us to have dinner together.】

【Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui: (〃'▽'〃) So that's how it is, mm-hmm, I understand everything.】

【Natsume Chikage: Understand what?】

【Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui: /(//o/ω/o//)/ Ahem, no... nothing. Natsume-kun, you don't have anything else to do tomorrow, and you're coming back to school, right?】

【Natsume Chikage: Mm.】

【Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui: (? 3【▓▓】 Okay. But it's too late now, if we have anything, let's talk tomorrow. Good night.】

【Natsume Chikage: (? 3【▓▓】 Good night.】

After replying to Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui, his fingertips continued to slide down, and he clicked on the message sent by Yukimura Suzune around nine o'clock.

【Yukimura Suzune: Congratulations on winning today's match.】

【Natsume Chikage: Thank you.】

After the message was sent, it was like a stone sinking into the sea.

The status remained "sent" for a long time and was not read.

In this quiet late night, she was probably already asleep.

Natsume Chikage stopped waiting and turned to open Xiyuanji Qilai's chat window.

【Xiyuanji Qilai: (*^▽^*) Natsume-kun, good evening.】

【Natsume Chikage: Good evening, is there something wrong?】

After the message was sent, he waited for a few seconds before receiving a reply.

【Xiyuanji Qilai: Congratulations on winning the match.】