Disclaimer: I don't own anything. All rights to respective owners.

Warning: Alright so I dabbled in some risqué Minako in this chapter so fair warning on some dialogue and words that happen but honestly, I think you'll be fine. But if you really want, go and look up the terms at your own risk.

A/N: The mystery continues! Aren't you all enjoying the mystery? You know the suspense that's eating you up inside because of me dragging this on? But of course, nothing can come easy to our dear Usagi in my stories so of course there will be more suspense I'm afraid. I like depth and digging into the angsty feelings so sue me for emotion!

P.S. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO'S REVIEWED! Is it sadistic that I find joy that you all are dying to know who our mystery player is?

Key:

"This is Usagi's texts"

"Mystery man's texts"

Chapter Four

Desperately trying to keep up with her professor's rapid notes, Usagi saw her phone screen light up and felt the desk space vibrate along with it.

"I'm just curious and please don't take offense but how does one so *quote* blonde and dumb know how to play chess, if you don't mind me asking?"

The "dumb blonde" grinned, her cheeks being dusted with pink. She slid the phone closer to her and quickly punched in her reply.

"One of my friends is like a World Champion in the game so I picked up a few things from her. What about you Chess boy?"

Proud of her response, Usagi returned to her note taking. But even with her best tries at ignoring the vibration and notifications, she still returned to her smartphone, eager to see his witty response.

"I just like the game blondie. I used to compete in it too, just like your friend."

"Oh so you were a nerd?"

"Enjoying a classic game of the wits and strategy now classifies you as a nerd? Did I miss the notice or something?"

"Apparently you did."

"Welllll you're the one who's talking to this chess nerd so."

She bit on her lip to suck in the laugh that threatened to come out. For the past two nights, her phone has been abuzz with texts, from her mystery chess player. And for each text, she would respond readily. Highlights for her these days was texting, talking to her chess charming.

"So this is you?"

"Well unless you've been cheating on me with another chess game at another coffee shop, yea it is."

"Oh I would never cheat on you Chess boy!"

"Good to know Blondie."

Their conversations were the best part of her day now. After the regular quips and flashes of wit in the beginning with their introductions, they both unknowingly started to engage in a game of 20 questions, or rather 100 questions.

There was standard questions that brought the most logic to ask.

"Weird question but I need to know. Why did you move a piece when I moved a piece?"

"Why did you move a piece in the first place?"

"I was having a rough day, or really life, and I thought moving a chess piece would be symbolic or something."

"Interesting, interesting, you're a symbolic person. I moved a piece just for the heck of it, actually I thought maybe you moved a piece because you wanted someone to play you."

Eventually the conversation turned into a strictly question-response one, witty banter back and forth, questions were asked that made her sides split from laughs.

"Be honest, how many times have you rushed into that coffee shop with your pajamas on?"

"I don't even think mathematicians have invented a number high enough."

"I figured."

"Here are the tough questions chess boy: briefs or boxers?"

"Here's a tough question for you blondie: tampons or pads?"

"Oh my god XD."

"Why do you call me blondie?"

"Well I've obviously seen you before at the shop, and your hair was up in that bun-style thing that you do. My first nickname for you was actually something else. So I figured going for blondie was a more safe road to go down."

"What was the other one, the first one?!"

"I rather not."

"Come on!"

"Fine! It was…."

"COME ON!"

"...Odango Atama. Because the buns looked like little Odangos…."

"Awww that's actually cute!"

"Now that I've told my biggest secret ever, why do you call me chess boy?"

"Well you're playing chess with me and I just figured you were a guy. You are….right?"

"Mystery my dear Odango, mystery…."

Most think that they would run out of topics to discuss but Usagi wanted to know everything about her mystery player, even all the small things that others would have no care for, but she did.

"Ever got a speeding ticket?"

"Nope I have a clean record."

"Ideal breakfast?"

"Probably a bagel, scoop of scrambled eggs, piece of ham, and a coffee."

"What kind of coffee do you get?"

"Nice try but that'll be too easy. I do like coffee though."

"Darn! Well are you afraid of heights? Do you sing in the car? Do you sing in the shower? Christmas stressful? Favorite holiday? Are you double-jointed? Can you curl your tongue?!"

"No, depends on the song, depends on the song, no, the first day of school, no, and yes."

"You can curl your tongue?! That's so cool! And the first day of school?!"

"You asked Odango/Blondie."

"My new nickname?"

"I just grew to adore both and thought best to combine them."

"I like it ;)"

Usagi was on cloud 9, never minding the bloodshot eyes and her countless yawns throughout the day, due to her late nights and early mornings. It was always worth it to know what he said and it was always heart wrenching when she couldn't answer, the fear of him thinking that she wasn't interested hanging over her.

She craved for all the little things about him; his likes, dislikes, personality, humor, his questions to her, his routine. Everything because it meant that she was that much closer to figuring out who he was. However she continued to walk the thin line between discreet and outright asking for his identity.

She knew him, she knew this-

"TSUKINO!"

Her blood and face froze over, the blonde's present mind coming back full circle. She was in class, with her phone clearly displayed in her hand, out in the open in plain view.

Craning her head up to see the red, wrinkled face of one, Professor Shiro, Usagi smiled weakly.

"I can explain this?"

No one liked talking to their school counselor. It was a bit awkward and very boring on all counts. But Usagi, sweet and cheery Usagi, loathed talking to hers.

Here she was, twenty-four and expected to talk about her feelings to a woman who (she wouldn't say hated but there was a certain disdain she had against her) she didn't necessarily feel comfortable with. For god sakes, why did she still need a counselor in grad school of all places.

"So Tsukino-san," the said counselor stated, Usagi's university file held up in front of her face, "Professor Shiro has written up an extensive report on all your…..incidents."

Usagi shrugged. "Well I wouldn't call them incidents really…."

"Anyway," the pale woman cut in, "I can see that you and him don't really have the most uhhh positive teacher-student relationship."

"Listen Ms.-"

"Tsukino," she dropped the folder onto her shiny wooden desk, her ghastly face coming into full view which was anything but pleasant for Usagi, "We're friends in this office. So just call me by my first name, why so formal?"

The blonde looked up to meet the redhead's piercing gaze that was probably meant to be friendly but instead made her shift in the chair. "Well to be fair Ms. Kessho we aren't the best of-"

"No, no, no," she sharply jabbed in, one of her long, acrylic black nails tapping against the metal name plate that sat right in front of Usagi.

The grad student sighed, closing her eyes in defeat. "Fine. To be fair...Beryl, I don't really think you and I are really that close. I only come to you when I register for classes or maybe if I need information on certain requirements."

"See," the school counselor pointed at nothing, "That's the problem. Maybe we should go out for coffee or lunch and get to know each other."

Usagi froze and felt bile rise in her throat. "I don't think that's really a good idea."

"Phish posh," Beryl flicked her hand back and forth, baring a toothy smile at her student, "I would love to get to know you better Tsukino-san."

Fear rocked her body and the grad student could only imagine what the woman wanted to know about her. "Maybe we should just focus on my file and problem with Professor Shiro," the blonde quickly redirected. "Shall we?"

The redhead looked down again at the file before her. "Very well. I can have a talk with Professor Shiro and convince him to reconsider you, after all he's the only one who teaches that particular class."

Usagi exhaled in relief. "Thank you Ms.-I mean Beryl."

"No problem Tsukino-san," a long skinny hand landed on hers in the act of comfort but it really just made her skin crawl, "Friends help friends."

"Righhhhhttt," the grad student slowly slid her hand out underneath of Beryl's pale one, all the while plastering a fake smile on her face, hoping that it masked her discomfort. "Now that we're done here…."

Quickly the school counselor stood up with faux hurt on her face. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Usagi blinked and looked around the chair to see if she did drop something and forgot. "I don't think so-"

"You forgot your hug!"

Without warning, the blonde was crushed into a big bear hug in which she got a face full of blade straight hair that was so vividly red that you could have sworn the woman had bathed in blood. The smell of strawberries assaulted her senses, and even with her love of fruit, Usagi still found herself gagging at the intense scent.

Arms still at her sides, Usagi could only thank the gods when Beryl finally pulled back, pushing her to arm's length and smile still sketched on her thin face. "See? Did that feel better?"

'If I say yes will I be able to go?' "Yeaaa, I feel so much better."

The redhead smiled, her chalk white skin stretching even more to accommodate the smile. "Good. I'll walk you out Tsukino-san."

Singing hallelujah in her mind, Usagi genuinely grinned as the door to the office opened and she saw the light at the end of the tunnel, or hallway really.

"You know Tsukino-san," Beryl pointed out, arm slung around the student's shoulders, "I bet you that in another life, you and I were the best of friends."

Usagi didn't have enough strength in her body to not let a blonde eyebrow rise in disbelief. "Yeaaaa, we probably were."

The woman's vibrant green eyes flashed along with her white teeth, Usagi feeling like a small mouse under a cat's gaze. "Don't worry Tsukino, I'll get you back in Shiro's class in no time."

"Thanks….Beryl," she responded reluctantly before dancing out of the woman's embrace. "I'll see you." '-hopefully never again.'

In quick strides, the blonde strode down the hallway out of the counseling offices. Somehow she highly doubted that her and Beryl were anything a kin to friends in any type of lifetime.

"When are the other girls coming over," Usagi shouted at the door while she wringed out the last of the droplets from her long hair. "It's been forever since we've gotten together for a silly sleepover!"

After a few seconds, a voice responded. "Yea! Mako texted me a little bit ago!"

"Oh okay!" Drying off a few chunks of hair, she flung the fluffy towel onto the hamper, moving to pull her clean strands into a big bun on the top of her head. Examining her fresh appearance in the mirror, the blonde wondered just how exactly some people were able to look so amazing and sexy after showering while she looked like a drowned rat in pink pajamas.

Shrugging, she reached into her purse to fish out her phone, hoping for another response from chess boy (that was now his name in her contacts). Not feeling the cool surface of the screen brush against her fingertips, Usagi fully grabbed her purse and shifted through it.

How was it possible?! She had sent a response back before taking the shower. And no one else-

Blue turned to stormy blue and pale skin dusted violent red.

"MINAKO!"

Within the next moment, the bathroom door flew open while the red-ribboned blonde scrambled to get off the bed before her friend could strangle her. "Usagi! Wait, wait, wait-"

"GIVE ME THE PHONE MINAKO!"

Minako saw her life flash in front of her when Usagi vaulted onto the bed and tackled her down, crazed eyes and foaming at the mouth. Both blonde friends struggled against each other, pulling at limbs and loose strands of light hair.

Finally, Usagi was on top and was able to pin down Minako's hands to the bed.

"MINAKO WHERE IS IT! TELL ME!"

The blonde grunted and strained to free herself from her friend's sudden, incredible strength. "I have no idea what you're talking about Usa! I don't know where your phone is I swear!"

Abruptly, Usagi looked down to see and hear Minako's right breast vibrate and ding from underneath her lace nightgown. The fashion designer sighed and scrunched her eyes closed. "I know I should have turned off the sound….."

Fumbling for a few awkward seconds with her friend's breast, Usagi pulled the sparkling phone out from the bra cup while leaping off the bed and Minako. "If you said anything to him-"

Sitting up to fruitlessly push her short gown up, Minako breathed out. "It was just innocent questions! Relax!"

Usagi tapped on her messages icon and quickly brought her first text conversation to see what exactly Minako had deemed innocent questions. She swiped up to see the responses and became mortified.

"YOU ASKED HIM WHAT HIS BODY COUNT WAS AND WHAT HIS FAVORITE POSITION IS IN SEX?!"

The golden blonde sat perfectly content on the edge of the bed, fluffing her tousled hair, not minding one bit at what her friend had just said. "I mean, yea I did. What you were asking was just silly little questions. I needed real answers to serious questions."

Giving up on reasoning with her, Usagi turned back to the phone, relieved to see that he hadn't seen it just yet but there was nothing she could do to stop him from seeing them, they were already sent out.

Hopeless and desperate to repair the damage in anyway, the blonde grad student quickly typed out the truth and prayed that he would actually believe her.

"I'm so sorry! My friend had my phone and texted you those questions from before! You do not have to answer them!'

Pressing send, hearing the little whirl as it went, Usagi tossed the phone onto her vanity nearby. "Minako, what the hell were you thinking asking those questions?!"

"They're important questions! Hello? Have you heard of man whores and gonorrhea Usa?"

"Okay fine, fine! But asking that over text when I'm just getting to know him! And what's with the sex positions?!"

"You can learn a lot from a person's favorite position," she stated matter-of-factly. "Missionary means they play on the safe side and are traditional, probably first lost it to a long-term boyfriend/girlfriend in the past, aren't really that much of an exciting lover-"

"Hey I like missionary!"

Minako paused and smiled. "My point exactly."

Usagi glared at her, ice shooting out. "Whatever. You have no right to go through my texts, whatever reasoning you have. Come on Mina, I want to get to know this guy for real, find out who he is and who he is as a person!"

"Hey what's going on here?" Both blondes turned to see the remaining three guests come into the bedroom, pillows and overnight bags in hand.

"Oh nothing!" Before Usagi could cut off Minako, her phone delivered a text which she promptly looked at with anxiety and while biting her nails.

"Ohhh, that explains it. Got it."

She smiled and breathed in relief at his response but she spoke too soon as two more text messages came in, appearing under the first one.

"But just for your friend's reference it's three."

"And 'All Hail the Queen'."

Her blonde eyebrow upturned dramatically at the second response, confused to what exactly he meant with the phase.

While the others quickly made camp on the floor, Usagi pulled at Minako's arm, pulling her to the side. "Minako," she whispered. "What does 'All Hail the Queen' mean?"

At the unknown phase, the blonde's indigo hues blew up to basketballs, latching onto Usagi's hand and swinging the phone to her view. A smile creeped up onto her face and she had very sparkly eyes. "Oh Usa, oh Usa, oh Usa….you've got a good one."

"But what does it mean?!"

Minako softly rubbed her friend's tense shoulder, the same sly smile on her lips. "In due time my poor innocent angel, in due time."

She walked away, leaving Usagi to stare at her phone screen, more confused than ever.

After some questionable research on the internet, Usagi did eventually find out what 'All Hail the Queen' was, and regretted right after some certain places started to tingle with excitement.

"I told you that you got a good one didn't I," Minako questioned over the rim of her hot coffee.

"Shut up," the flustered blonde snapped, the permanent blush tattooed on her face for all eternity. "Let's just focus on our new target."

"Right," Minako confirmed, gazing at the near complete list on the table while twisting the dazzling engagement ring around her finger.

Yuko scurried over to them with a tray that was weighed down with their deli sandwiches and side dishes. "Look to my left," he whispered gently as he carefully positioned each plate in front of their respective owners.

Minako narrowed her eyes. "We don't see anything."

"That's because I said to my left, not your left idiots," he hissed. "To the register."

It was there that Usagi's eyes did land on a rather hard person to miss. The tall, lean figure was dressed to kill in a tailored navy blue suit, parted and slicked black hair, clean shaven face which showed off his hard jawline, tanned skin that made him stand out even more, and with the briefcase hanging off his fingertips as well as the smartphone firmly planted in his other hand, Usagi swore you couldn't paint a more perfect portrait of a businessman. Or really, a perfect picture of beauty.

"Okay, deets baka," Minako hissed back as she too took the opportunity of his distraction to give the guy a good once over, very much appreciating his savvy features.

"Businessman, obviously," Yuko pointed out, placing the last dish on the table, "A regular that gets just a black to-go, will come in once and a while to sit and work through papers or something. Doesn't socialize too much but tips really well. I don't know, he might be you guy because I remember back way when that he used to play a few games on that chessboard with some of the elderlies before. He's on the list, I think one of the last ones actually."

Both blondes nodded their heads, digesting the information. A few dots connected in Usagi's head, such as the similarity of playing chess for fun and plus the man's overall demeanor gave off as cocky, which could definitely match with her chess boy's sassy moments.

He looked like the perfect candidate and had the most qualifications out of anybody so far.

"He's looking pretty good on everything," Usagi whispered in their grouping, "Maybe I'll plan out my approach for tomorrow, since he's got more cred at being my guy."

"Good plan," Yuko and Minako echoed in unison, at which both threw glares at each other before Yuko walked off to the counter again.

The pig-tailed blonde observed the man with intense interest, watching as he ordered and paid Wasu, studying his movements.

"What's his name," she asked with squinting eyes.

Minako looked to the list on the table, running a painted finger down to the bottom. "His name is….Mamoru."

"Mamoru," Usagi repeated, the name rolling off her tongue. 'Mamoru.'

"Ever had to poop/pee in the woods before?"

"Once, me and my family were camping and well, you know."

"Oh, well that's excused I guess."

Laying down on her bed, feet flailing in the air, Usagi giggled at the response. The endless questions continued on and each question always had a flare of humor to them, on both sides.

"Do you believe in ghosts and supernatural?"

"Yes, I've had some encounters actually."

"Really! Tell me about one?!"

"No, no, no, no Odango. It's my turn to ask my questions."

"Okay fine fine. Shoot."

"Have you ever been in love?"

Her fingers stilled over the grey keyboard. Flashes and images of past lovers appeared but all she got was aches and not flutters but when she looked to the bubble texts, her heart leapt. Never have they went in so deep with their questions.

"Yes. I have."

She thought for a moment and typed again.

"Have you?"

It took a few moments of no breathing until finally a ding sounded, and Usagi exhaled.

"Yes, I was once."

Questions swirled in her mind, and she bit her lip in thought. Who had he fallen in love with? Why did he say it like it was a sad event?

Remembering his rules from before, Usagi happily texted back a message. She was oh so comfortable with him that she knew their limits and his humor. But his question had definitely left a tension in the air.

"I guess we're both just a pair of hopeless romantics then?"

He smiled, big and wide at the response. His heart leaped into his throat as an image of her flashed in his mind, one where she was smiling and her sapphire eyes dazzling.

She was so beautiful, so funny, so bright and-and amazing….

Running a hand through his midnight hair, the man sighed in frustration, knowing better too let his mind wander to dangerous places like hope.

His fingers tapped the screen, continuing the conversation he had with her even though he longed for it to end. Every witty response she sent back would make his heart soar but then fall at the reality she didn't even know who was exactly texting her.

It was just a fantasy and something that could never be.

She could never know.

Ohhhhhhhh…..you guys hate me right? But hey we got our mystery chess boy's point of view….for a few sentences at least? But who is this mysterious Mamoru (XD) could he be our culprit so to speak?! Tell me in the reviews your thoughts! And catch the next update to dive more deeper into the mystery! We'll find out more in the next chapter of "Checkmate"!

P.S. Don't ask me what 'All Hail the Queen' is. My friend told me about it and wellllll it would be weird to exactly explain it. So if you're super interested, look it up online and click to the Cosmo link XD XD