Checkmate

by Autumn Win-Dow

Chapter Three: Knight's Verdict


Mikan was certain that if she were to eat in her room for the whole duration of the trip, she would never eat cup ramen ever again afterwards.

As she slurped up the spicy soup from the foam cup, she heard light footsteps, and the door opened to reveal Hotaru.

"Why did it take so long?" She asked as she stood from the bed and set the cup down on the desk, "and more importantly, what's the verdict?"

Hotaru immediately walked past Mikan and slid off her black blazer, tossing the garment onto the chair.

"The rights will be set through chess."

Mikan arched her eyebrows, unsure of what she had heard.

"I'm sorry, I thought I heard you say that it would be settled by chess-"

"That's what I said." Hotaru interrupted, her stern tone absolute.

"Why? Why go through all of this sacrifice for a game?" Mikan was in utter disbelief-she had always believed her best friend was a rational thinker, and hearing first thing that she was throwing it into the betting pot through a game was beyond her understanding.

"What?" Hotaru crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow in skepticism. "You're doubting me?"

The question startled Mikan as she held her hands up in worry and panics, "No! Of course not! It's just that... Kuonji... I can't trust him."

The black haired woman huffed as she turned back to check her emails on her phone. "You'd be stupid to."

"Then why?"

"I'm not expecting him to trust me either."

Mikan nodded as she sat herself down, staring into space. A brief silence ensued before she spoke up again.

"But why chess? Was it Kuonji's idea?"

"No."

"Yours?"

"No."

"Then whose was it?"

"Hyuuga's."

"He's so dead."