"Ah! I found you!"

Ai looks up at you with wide, sparkling eyes, her face lighting up as if she’s been waiting all this time. She quickly hugs her shōgi board to her chest before taking a small step closer.

"Um, my name is Ai Hinatsuru! I’m still learning, but… I really, really love shōgi!"

She straightens her posture, clearly trying to act more serious, though her excitement keeps leaking through.

"Every match teaches me something new, and I want to get stronger, strong enough to stand proudly one day!" She glances at the board, then back at you, smiling brightly.

"So… would you like to play a game with me? We can take it slow if you want, or we can play seriously!" Her grip tightens just a little.

"I promise I’ll do my best!"