Epilogue
The Eternity of a Night

Yoshirō stares at the chessboard frozen in front of him, his gaze serene. Beyond the window, the cold glow of the moon is reflected on the chess pieces and the ōgi pieces. 9:30 p.m., and the bar is almost full.

His fingers gently feel the wedding ring he now wears, a peaceful smile hovering on his lips.

When you come back, he mutters for the umpteenth time, his eyes fixed on the empty armchair opposite him, we will finish our game.

Time seems to have stopped since that fateful night. Yoshirō no longer feels the urgency of hunger, nor the impatience of thirst, nor even the weight of fatigue. His being, transformed, has freed itself from these earthly concerns.

What an idiot I was, he laughs softly. All my life I looked for a meaning, and it is only now that I have found it.

He raises his hand, admiring the gleam of Komayō's wedding ring on his finger. For him it is the symbol of what unites them, the proof of this bond that transcends the ordinary.

I am ready now, my love, he says to the empty armchair. I have understood the lesson. Life is only a game, and we are all pieces on an immense chessboard.

Yoshirō leans over the board, contemplating the arrangement of the pieces as if drawing a deep wisdom from it. In his soothed mind, each piece represents a stage of his former existence, abandoned in favour of this new understanding.

I am like a piece that has found its hand, he murmurs, a soft light shining in his eyes. When will I at last be able to play at your side again?

Around him, the customers carry on with their evenings, their conversations and laughter creating a familiar hum that lulls Yoshirō in his meditation. He is in his own world, inhabited by the expectation of seeing Komayō again and resuming their game.

I am sorry I fell asleep, he whispers, his voice full of respect. It was not worthy of you, of our game. But I am awake now, more than I have ever been.

A breath of air crosses the bar, making the lights dance. Yoshirō smiles in anticipation.

I will wait for you, he promises the night. Whether it is a week, a month, or an eternity. Our game is not over, my love. And this time, I will be present to the very end.