The Weight of Tomorrow
“I have something to tell you. ‘Do it again.’”
It was Eline’s voice, trembling. It was the first time I’d heard her sound so shaken, and that expression on her face—
“…”
Without even waiting for my consent, she began to set up the pieces again, all while casting furtive glances in my direction.
“...Why?”
“It’s nothing.”
She’s cute. Is she getting worked up over this? Is she embarrassed because she lost so helplessly? I didn’t know what was going on, but one thing was certain: her reaction right now was… incredibly entertaining.
‘I sound like such a creep thinking that.’
Between what she showed me in the cafeteria and these little moments she let slip, my heart was being shaken to its core.
“Hurry and set it up.”
When Eline urged me on in a voice that had barely regained its composure, I complied without a word.
The next game. Eline managed the opening just fine, but once we hit the mid-game, where the real tactical warfare began, she started to self-destruct. Because of the nature of chess, where every move is slow, you often only realize your mistakes after you’ve already made them.
It was common to miss a blunder entirely, only to notice it belatedly when it was the opponent’s turn. That was exactly why being bad at chess could be so demoralizing. I had been the same way at first.
“Ugh…”
“Ah…”
“…”
Now, every time she made a mistake, she let out a faint sound, appearing to reproach herself.
Click.
Click.
“…”
“Checkmate.”
In the end, the second game concluded with my victory, just as expected.
“…Again?”
She simply nodded vigorously at my question.
Third game.
Fourth game.
Fifth game.
I discovered something interesting. Or rather, perhaps I should call it astonishing. Since chess is a game of intellect, once you grasp the basic intuition, your skill can improve exponentially. Even though it was only the fifth game, I could see Eline’s skill rising at a startling rate.
‘Genius really is different.’
She was no longer self-destructing in the mid-game; she was building her own strategies and applying them. A few of her moves were so excellent that I couldn’t help but let out a gasp of admiration.
Considering that chess became a refined pastime for mages because the underlying principles were similar to magic, it made sense that Eline would pick it up this quickly.
“Checkmate.”
I had won the fifth game as well, but this time, it had been a fierce battle. Eline didn’t display her emotions as intensely as she had at the start. Instead, she began to analyze the board, her eyes sweeping over it as if she were gliding across a calm sea, reassembling her strategy piece by piece.
When the preparatory bell rang, she stood up.
“Lutes.”
“Yeah?”
“Do it again tomorrow.”
Her competitive spirit made me smile.
“Sure. But when?”
“During lunch.”
“Like today?”
Eline answered firmly.
“Yes.”
“Aren’t you busy?”
“I can manage this much.”
Well, if that was the case, I had no objections. I had plenty of time.
“Alright. I guess this evening is out, then?”
She hesitated for a moment, then gave a weak nod. Was she disappointed?
“Okay then, I’ll wait for you tomorrow.”
We packed up and stood. With the bell about to ring, we walked out of the library alongside the students flowing out like an ebbing tide.
“Lutes.”
“Why?”
“I’ll win tomorrow.”
Her blue eyes were sparkling. Seeing that, I couldn’t help but laugh.
“I’ll look forward to it.”
“…”
Eline’s pupils flickered, widening ever so slightly. It was so fleeting that it returned to normal in an instant, but she was looking right at me. As if she were seeing something fascinating.
“Eline?”
She slowly took a step closer.
“That expression just now.”
“Huh?”
She stopped in front of me, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly.
“It looks good on you.”
...
Is it her hobby to get this close and startle people’s hearts?
“…Really?”
“Yes.”
The distance was so close that my heart started racing again.
“See you tomorrow.”
She gave a short, blunt farewell and turned on her heel to walk away. I could only move once her back had completely disappeared from sight, my heart finally beginning to settle.
A week passed.
A fixed schedule had been added for the two of us: playing chess in the library every lunch hour. Contrary to my initial expectation that we wouldn’t see much of each other due to her busy schedule, she came to find me every single day.
News of Eline playing chess had spread, and while students showed interest, they only watched her from a distance.
‘Are they afraid to approach her?’ That was understandable.
“Your turn.”
“Ah, right.”
As I looked down, a war was raging on the chessboard. Only a week had passed, but Eline’s skill was growing on a completely different level.
“Checkmate.”
Of course, I won this time too, but I predicted that in a few weeks—no, in just a few more days—she would surpass me.
“…What a shame.”
She said it briefly and began to review the game. “Lutes, why didn’t you attack here?”
“If I went in wrong, I’d be at a disadvantage.”
“Why?”
I started picking up the fallen pieces. “If I moved here and you took my bishop with your queen…”
As I explained it step by step, her eyes rolled as if she were processing the information. “…Yeah, that’s definitely true.”
Eline nodded. As the review was in full swing, Eline, who had been listening calmly, looked up at me.
“Lutes.”
“Yeah?”
She stared at me, and as our eyes met, I felt self-conscious and looked away.
“Why?”
“You’re good at chess.”
“Thanks. It’s just because I play a lot.”
It was true. While the other guys were studying, I was glued to this board, so I should at least be good at this, right? But Eline seemed to think otherwise; she shook her head slightly.
“It’s not just because you play a lot.”
She picked up a pawn and toyed with it carefully. “Then are you saying I have talent?” I said jokingly.
“Yes.” She answered immediately.
...
Huh? “Really?”
I was momentarily flustered by her unexpectedly serious answer. Talent—it was something I’d never heard before, and to hear it from Eline of all people... I felt my shoulders puff up with pride. “Thank you.”
Leaving her praise behind, I started clearing the pieces. I felt her gaze on me again. When I looked up, meeting a gaze different from before, I saw her lips and eyes trembling slightly.
Right, I knew now. It was the expression of someone who wanted to say something.
“What’s wrong?”
No sooner had I asked carefully than the preparatory bell began to ring, indifferent as ever. Students started to leave as soon as they heard it, and Eline withdrew her gaze and stood up.
It was the first time. The first time I’d seen Eline hesitate when she wanted to say something. To be precise, it was the first time she’d held back her words like that, which made me all the more curious.
She cleared the board and stood up smoothly, as if nothing had happened.
“Eline.”
I called out to her cautiously as we walked out together.
“Was there something you wanted to say?”
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s not ‘nothing.’ Please, tell me comfortably. Even if it’s an uncomfortable topic, it’s fine.”
In truth, Eline still made me nervous. I’d grown a bit more accustomed to her, but two years of history couldn’t just vanish in a few days. I didn’t want to see her troubled.
“We’re a couple, after all.”
A couple. That was what she had told me on the first day. “...” Finally, I saw her eyes soften at my words.
Maybe I’d given the right answer this time.
“…Yeah.”
Eline stopped for a moment and nodded.
“Lutes.”
“Yeah?”
She looked up at me.
“I have something to tell you tomorrow.”
Something to tell me. What could it be? Her expression was still blunt, but there was a sense of resolve in it that gave off a completely different atmosphere.
“You’ll listen, right?”
“…Of course.”
I nodded, feeling tense. Seeming satisfied with my answer, she turned away carefully and walked outside, and just like that, another lunch hour ended.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow, huh...
What on earth could she be planning to say?
Walking home after class, I fell into deep thought, feeling the cool spring breeze. Something to say—and tomorrow, at that. What could it be?
I looked back on the past week. There hadn’t been anything particularly noteworthy.
We had continued to play chess, and on the weekend, we’d taken another walk through the North Empty Lot. The awkwardness had faded, and I’d started to treat Eline more naturally.
What could she possibly want to talk about?
‘Maybe…’
My steps faltered. It was a bit of a stretch, but there was one thought I couldn’t quite erase. A thought I kept having, even though I knew Eline wasn’t that kind of person. The reason Eline was dating me.
Could it be for a specific purpose?
...
Even if it wasn’t some malicious intent, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was some reason she was dating me. Even now, it sometimes didn’t feel real that I was talking to her.
If she wasn’t dating me because she genuinely wanted me as her partner, but for some specific goal... I told myself that would at least make sense.
And maybe she was planning to talk about that tomorrow.
‘…’
I looked up at the sky. The sun had set, and stars were shining brightly in the darkening violet sky.
Eline.
Even if I told myself to stop thinking about it, human instinct is cruel. The more I told myself not to think, the more it kept coming back. ...It was night, so perhaps it was just my emotions running wild.
Either way, we’d be talking tomorrow, so there was no point in me spiraling on my own. Regardless of her intentions, she had accepted the confession I’d made as a penalty, and whatever decision she made now was entirely up to her.
“It’s cold, so cold.”
Even though spring had arrived, I shivered in the chilly evening breeze and quickened my pace.
“…Excuse me!”
I wish I could have just kept going, but unfortunately, I heard someone’s voice. I turned my head at the unexpected call to find two students standing there.
One was a girl with short, light green hair; the other was a boy with neatly cut black hair. They looked somewhat familiar, though I didn’t know their names. They seemed to be third-years, my classmates.
Most of all, my eyes were drawn to the small emblem they were wearing.
‘Alpha Class.’
Both of them. Why were they calling me? The girl walked toward me slowly and offered a greeting.
“Lutes... right?”
“Yes, that’s me. Who are you?”
The girl turned to look at the boy behind her, and he nodded silently. The boy seemed uncomfortable, frowning, and wouldn’t meet my eyes.
“M-my name is Rui.”
The girl who identified herself as Rui hesitated before speaking. “I... I came to see you because I have a favor to ask.”
She jumped straight into a request.
“…Of me?”
An Alpha Class student?
“Yes, I don’t think anyone but you can help...”
I was flustered. Being asked for a favor by an Alpha Class student I’d never spoken to before—what kind of urgent matter could it be that they’d come looking for me this late on the way home?
“What kind of...?”
At my words, Rui carefully looked up, clenched her fists, and said:
“I want to talk to Eline... could you arrange a meeting for me?”
...
What is she talking about?