Chapter 478

Natsume Ruri looked up and looked at the clock face again.

The hands moved slowly, making her feel anxious.

She just wanted class to end quickly so she could watch the live broadcast of her brother's match.

She had checked the information in advance and knew that a formal shogi match often lasts for more than one to two hours.

The duration of a class in a Japanese middle school is fifty minutes.

According to this calculation, the break time after class would be just in time to catch the mid-game of her brother's match.

Thinking of this, she calmed down a little.

After a while.

The bell announcing the end of class finally rang crisply.

The teacher left the classroom with the lesson plan.

The originally quiet classroom was instantly flooded with noise.

Kaga Reisa, who is always shy and introverted, also quietly moved to Natsume Ruri's side at this moment.

She lowered her head, her voice as thin as a mosquito:

"Ruri-chan... is Natsume-brother's match right now?"

Natsume Ruri smiled and nodded vigorously:

"Hmm!"

"I'm just about to watch the live broadcast; Reisa-chan, come and watch together."

Saying that, she took her phone out of her schoolbag and skillfully clicked on the official live broadcast page of the New Sharp Shogi Tournament.

Kaga Reisa also leaned in curiously, and the two looked at the screen side by side.

Natsume Ruri is very popular in the class.

Sweet appearance, cheerful personality, and grades that are always at the top.

Naturally, she has many friends.

Several nearby girls heard the conversation and gathered around one after another.

"Ruri-chan, is your brother participating in a match? So amazing!"

"What match? Shogi? It sounds very profound."

"Speaking of which, I know Ruri has a brother, but I've never seen a photo... can you let us see?"

On the edge of the crowd.

Even a boy squeezed in—the popular figure in the class, the school hunk, Izumi Hideaki.

He laughed and naturally leaned to Natsume Ruri's side:

"Let me observe too."

Because of his approach, another girl not far away—Ando Chizuru, her eyes dimmed.

She is not only Natsume Ruri's friend but has also secretly admired Izumi Hideaki.

It was only because she knew Izumi Hideaki liked Ruri that she hid her feelings deep down.

Seeing him take the initiative to approach Ruri at this moment, her heart was filled with mixed feelings.

And at this time.

Natsume Ruri swiped through the live broadcast screen, switching between various match shots, but could never find her brother's figure.

She was stunned and muttered:

"Eh... where is brother?"

Kaga Reisa also opened her eyes wide and whispered in agreement:

"Natsume-brother... why isn't he in the picture?"

Surrounding classmates guessed:

"Several tables have already ended; could Ruri's brother have finished early?"

"It's possible, after all, it's been so long."

Natsume Ruri's heart suddenly sank.

Brother... could it be that he has already finished?

Perhaps... he really was defeated.

She knew very well that although her brother won against her last night, he ultimately lacked systematic training and tournament experience.

Compared to those who have been immersed in the way of chess for years, he was at a disadvantage from the start.

Her father's chess strength is not considered top-tier among amateurs, even if she and her brother are better than their father, facing real powerhouses, I'm afraid that...

Thinking that her brother might have already been defeated, Natsume Ruri's mood couldn't help but drop.

That was a match he rarely took the initiative to participate in.

Yesterday, he was still full of confidence and promised her he would win.

If he returns home after a quick defeat today...

How depressed her brother's mood must be.

She secretly decided: when accompanying her brother to go shopping for new clothes tonight, she must say more happy things and comfort him well.

At this moment.

Because of Natsume Ruri's worried expression, her friends around her also spontaneously took out their phones to help check.

Kaga Reisa, Ando Chizuru, and even Izumi Hideaki all lowered their heads and operated their phones.

Soon.

Ando Chizuru called out softly first, pointing to her phone screen:

"Ruri-chan, found it! Natsume-brother's match information... he really finished a long time ago!"

Natsume Ruri's heart tightened, and she hurriedly asked:

"What's the result? Did he win... or lose?"

Ando Chizuru quickly flipped through the text report, her eyes suddenly lit up, and her voice raised a bit:

"He won!"

Natsume Ruri stood up from her seat instantly, a surprised brilliance blooming in her eyes:

"He really won? That's great!"

The heart that was hanging finally landed, and she even started to plan to add two big chicken legs to her brother's meal tonight as a celebration.

Kaga Reisa also breathed a sigh of relief, and a genuine smile appeared on her shy face:

"That's great... that's really great."

At this time.

Ando Chizuru continued to flip down, suddenly covered her little mouth, her cheeks slightly red, and her voice carried incredulity:

"Wait... Ruri-chan, your brother... he also broke the record for the fastest victory in this tournament!"

Natsume Ruri was stunned and hurriedly leaned in:

"Let me see!"

Ando Chizuru placed her phone flat on the desk for everyone to see.

On the screen, not only was there a news flash, but also a live photo of Natsume Chikage being interviewed.

Natsume Ruri looked at her brother's calm and quiet face in the photo, as well as the words "Defeated 3rd-level promotion society contestant Tanabe Yuto" marked on the side, and was stunned for a moment.

3rd-level promotion society...

That is an opponent that even her father and Aunt Miyuki are hard to match, right?

Kaga Reisa stared at Natsume Chikage's clear side profile in the picture, her eyes full of longing, and whispered:

"Natsume-brother... is really amazing."

Surrounding classmates also saw the content, and exclamations came one after another.

"Broke the record? Too strong!"

"The point is... Ruri-chan, your brother is also too handsome!"

"Oh my god, this appearance can directly debut!"

"Ruri! Introduce him! Please!"

"I want to know him too!"

Izumi Hideaki on the side looked at Natsume Chikage's clear photo on the screen and subconsciously compared himself.

Just a few seconds.