Disciple Bizarre!
Ch. 41 - Kampung Hantu 5

(POV Kihara Lullin (Tsuruga Saori)

53 Years ago (1970)

Me and Shiori are a pair of familiar brothers. He always followed me wherever I went, always imitating what I was doing, until unconscious, we both had been fond of the same things.

At first, I was happy, I thought that Shiori would also be like me, until one day, I was astounded by the fact that Shiori turned out to be different from me.

I am just an ordinary country girl, whereas Shiori is a special person.

"Well, amazing Shiori-chan, you managed to defeat Takada-kun!"

"Yes, you're still in 5th grade."

"Come into Shogiku's club, Shiori-chan!"

"No, he's going to my club!"

"What are you talking about? Shiori will be my student!"

The adults are arguing over my sister. How not, at the age of 10 years, he has defeated Takada-san who is one of the strong young Shogi players in our village.

"So, what college do you want to join Shiori-chan?"

Plainly and without hesitation, Shiori replied. "I'm joining a club that has its Onee-chan!"

Two grown men looked disappointed, another clenched their hands and shouted in excitement.

"Yosha! Thank goodness Saori-chan is in my club!"

I just smiled stiffly looking at Shiori who waved her hand at me. I couldn't smile sincerely, because I lost the tournament.

"Onee-chan, that Shogi is so much fun, huh!"

"Hahaha, yes, you are stronger than me now."

"It's all because Onee-chan taught me everything!"

"Yes." Yeah."

"Onee-chan needs to put in more effort! Don't lose to me!"

"Yes, yes."

Since then, I've been training twice as hard as before. I read Shogi's books in the library, played against friends at the school shogi club, and faced the players in college.

My percentage of success is pretty good, I am better than many shogi players my age.

I thought I had already stepped forward and was able to get close to Shiori, but after seeing her compete against the vice-chairman and successfully compensate for it, right then and there, I had already given up on this field of play.

"Well!!! Finally won too! Oh, my God, you're so good, Shiori-chan! In this case, you can already become a pro player when you enter SMP later!" The vice chairman looked so proud to see it.

Shiori was not at all happy to be praised like that. Flattered like anything, for him to lose still loses.

"Let's play again! This time I'll be more serious!"

"Eh, that's enough for today, Shiori. It's already night. You have to go to school tomorrow."

"Hee once again, once again!"

The vice-chairman looked at me. "Saori, take your sister home."

"D-yes."

Along the way home, Shiori cried. Although his posture was higher than mine, but Shiori was still a young Elementary School child. He's still so whiny.

"Why cry? Usually not even though they lose."

"I tried so hard! I'm sure I'll win! But because of one mistake, I lost! I'm really stupid!" Shiori wiped her tears.

"Here you go, your opponent is the vice-chairman, it's only natural that you lose."

Shiori nodded.

Compared to Shiori, I am nothing. Shiori is prettier than me, taller, smarter, and more social. He is still in 5th grade.

I thought Shogi would be the only field where I could be superior to him, but just a few months after he understood the game, Shiori shot far ahead of me.

I really lost to Shiori. There's nothing I'm better than him.

I should have been happy, because after all, she was my sister, I should have been proud of my own family's achievements, but somehow my little heart couldn't accept.

***

"I'll stop playing Shogi" I said.

"Eh??? Why???" Shiori.

"I'm tired of it. I want to try something new."

"Then I stop too!" reply Shiori.

"Huh? What are you saying? You're very good at this game, keep it going, Shiori!"

"No way!!! If Onee-chan stops, I stop too!!!"

I left him, and went into the room.

For the first time, we had a fight at that time. We don't talk to each other. I don't go to Shogi anymore, neither do Shiori.

I thought this was a way out so that I wouldn't feel inferior to my sister anymore, but it turned out that Shogi's demon wouldn't leave my life.

"Saori-chan, please, rejoin the Shogi club! Shiori won't play if you're not there! That girl has an incredible talent. She could make history as the greatest female shogi player in Japan!" The college president spoke directly to me after school.

I'm not happy being forced to do so. I knew it was going to happen, but I was still upset.

"But I'm not interested in Shogi anymore."

"Please Saori-chan! It's for our village! If Shiori succeeds in becoming a professional, she will be the pride of our beloved village! Our village will have a famous Shogi player! Please, don't let Shiori-chan throw away her special talent!"

In the end, I accepted his request. I came back to college to play Shogi. Although I was lazy, I kept playing. I often lose, but I don't feel upset anymore.

The genius Shiori has now managed to defeat the vice chairman, only the chairman who he has not defeated, the only professional shogi player in college.

This is all right, as long as Shiori is happy, for the people in the village to be happy, I don't mind doing something this boring.

"Onee-chan lost again, huh? Onee-chan is serious about playing!" shiori.

"Sister has tried, really, but Brother's opponent is too good. You have to train harder."

"You want to train with me, brother?"

"Ehh, no need, later if Brother is good, Brother will train with you. Okay?"

Shiori smiled.

"All right."

***

I'm getting used to this kind of life. Become a companion Shiori who is good at playing Shogi. I started to get serious again, knowing that my achievements would never be able to match them.

I began to be able to accept that Shiori was a talented and genius, far surpassing myself who was an ordinary person.

But that one incident changed everything.

"Saori, is Shiori-chan going to school here later?" yamada asked, a roommate and a male student who I liked in class.

"Yes, why is it?"

"If so, I'll refuse the courting call from the girl from the next class. I'll wait for Shiori-chan."

"E-uh...."

I think he's liked me all along. I think he's attracted to me because he's always been close to me. Yamada is the reason I still feel at home in school despite not having a single friend in class.

Now, Shiori will steal it from me.

I can't stand this condition anymore. Living with Shiori tormented me. Why does it always have to be him?

I'm sick of the thought of his little sister Shiori. I'm tired of thinking that I might not be his brother. It's sick of hearing both my parents boast of Shiori while we're at the dinner table.

I can still hold back.

But now it can't be anymore.

Yamada, who is my only source of happiness, will also leave me.

I didn't come home after school. I went under the bridge, and sat there contemplating. It was raining heavily, my mind was floating everywhere.

Just then, there appeared a man in a Junior High uniform who looked the same age as me.

As if he knew my heart, he immediately said without making small talk.

"Do you want to leave this world?"

I'm nodding.

"Then, come with me. I'll take you to a place where there's no suffering."

The man extended his hand.

"Wait, where are you taking me?"

"The other side of the world."

"Huh-huh?"

"There you will be more accepted and loved. You can live the life you want. Wanna come?"

Although it sounded absurd, somehow I didn't suspect the man. Her smile was so sincere that I felt no threat from her.

"You're not gonna kill me, are you?"

"No, you'll live quietly there. Forever without suffering."

Life here means nothing. There is only sadness that will await me in the future.

I took a helping hand, and spent 50 years on the other side of the world.