Perhaps espers weren't that much of a secret, but even the slightest risk was something Hakuto didn't want Ginko to bear.
He alone was enough—there was no need to drag others into this. That was the confidence of someone with supercomputing abilities.
"Hakuto... What does dying feel like?"
"Hmm... in a strict sense, I haven't really experienced death myself... but I imagine it's definitely not a pleasant feeling."
Death itself was just the tip of the iceberg; what was truly terrifying were the chain reactions it triggered afterward.
Hakuto still believed—if he had no one to rely on, no attachments, no one behind him, then his life would be utterly worthless.
But now... his life no longer belonged to just himself.
"Ginko, actually, in another timeline... you once said something to me."
"What was it?"
"You said you wanted your surname to be Shiratori..."
That single line from Hakuto hit the mark directly. Even Ginko herself hadn't expected him to bring that up!
"Suddenly... saying this kind of thing..." Ginko's face flushed pink as she turned her head away.
In truth, she had already guessed the reason Hakuto was confessing everything to her today—it was for this.
And this was exactly what Ginko had always hoped for. Yet, when the moment actually came, she found herself at a loss.
A little like the story of the man who feared the dragon he claimed to admire...
"Hey, Ginko, you like me, don't you?" Hakuto gently took Ginko's hand and placed it on his cheek, smiling softly.
Feeling the warmth of his face, Ginko nodded. The scenes from her dreams were beginning to overlap with this very moment.
Only... this setting didn't feel right.
Suddenly, a shadow passed over Ginko's eyes. She pulled her hand back, looked at Hakuto, and sighed, speaking coldly.
"That Tomori Nao... Hakuto, what do you think of her?"
Since he was being honest today, Hakuto didn't hide the nature of his relationship with Nao.
And Ginko, who had been quietly listening from the side, immediately sensed something was off.
She knew what kind of person Hakuto was—excellent people stood out no matter where they were, so it wasn't surprising others would be drawn to him.
But what she wanted was an explanation.
Hearing Ginko's question, Hakuto sighed helplessly and shook his head. There was no avoiding it after all.
But then, he hadn't intended to avoid it anyway.
"The president... Just like you, is someone important to me."
"So, you've chosen me? And given up on her?"
Hakuto shook his head.
"What do you mean by that?" Ginko frowned. "If you didn't choose me, then why... why are you telling me all this...?"
Her voice trembled slightly, on the verge of tears, though she forced herself to hold back and calm down.
In her mind, if Hakuto hadn't given up on Nao, then the one he had given up on must be someone else. And that someone... could only be her.
"Hakuto... does over a decade of feelings mean less than just a few months together?" Ginko's voice was shaking.
She wanted an answer—an answer—from Hakuto.
He hesitated, unsure how to put his feelings into words.
But to Ginko, his hesitation looked like something else entirely...
"I never thought... that someone could actually take you away from me..."
A bitter smile appeared on her face, her reddened eyes reflecting the scene of their first meeting.
Back then, Ginko was four. Hakuto was six.
"Ginko... no one can take me from your side. No one in the world could ever do that."
"Then what do those words just now mean? What do they mean?!"
"Forgive me... for being unable to choose... Forgive me..."
"How am I supposed to forgive that?" Ginko's eyes dimmed.
"Are you asking me to share the one I love with another woman?"
"My love for you won't change. It won't be taken by anyone..."
"Ginko... I don't have a family. It was you who stayed by me year after year. I can't lose you... I just can't..."
Hakuto embraced Ginko, hoping to calm her down this way.
"Is it really not enough... if it's just me?" Ginko whispered, her voice carrying even a trace of pleading.
It was hard to imagine that the strongest female player in the shogi world was now in such a vulnerable state.
"If I could... I'd want it to be just the two of us too..."
"You've been with me for all these years. But the president... hasn't she done the same?"
"During those months... danger was around me at every moment. I could've died any time..."
"It was the president who stayed by my side. She knew she might die too, but she was never afraid..."
As she listened to his words, Ginko smiled—but somehow, that smile slowly turned into tears.
Love has never been something measured by time...
"Why... Why didn't you tell me? I could've stayed with you too. I'm not afraid of dying either..."
Ginko clung tightly to Hakuto's arm, as though trying to vent everything she'd kept inside.
She wasn't afraid of death.
She only wanted to be with Hakuto—that had never changed.
But now, Ginko found she had no reason to ask Hakuto to give up on Nao. No reason...
Being forced to share the one she loved... It hurts.
It really hurt.
But Ginko had no choice. She couldn't leave Hakuto.
She couldn't.
She didn't know how long she cried in his arms. And Hakuto didn't disturb her—he just stayed quietly by her side.
Love was full of both joy and pain.
And this... was the best solution Hakuto could come up with.
Who knew how much time had passed before Ginko finally stopped moving in his arms.
"Ginko? Ginko?"
He called out gently, but she didn't respond.
Looking down, he saw that Ginko had somehow fallen asleep in his arms, faint tear marks still visible on her face.
"Sleep. Everything will be better tomorrow." Hakuto laid her on the bed, tucked her in gently, and quietly left the room.
"What a torment this is..." he muttered softly.
Still, despite all the twists and turns... perhaps the ending wasn't so bad? Maybe it could be called a success, at least.
____
What was the saying again? "Childhood friends always lose to someone who appears suddenly". Well, some of them win, but most lose.
___
Read 20 Advanced Chapters on p@ tr eon (.) com/HalflingFics
Also, please point out my mistakes in the comment, thank you!
Don't forget to leave a review too~
Check out the other translations too
___