Arisu's POV:
C h e c k
and
M a t e
The black and white of the board and life, follow the same principle...we play countless games of chess every day with fate. Some we win, most we don't. Some accept the loss, others fight it.
I Arisu Sakayanagi, never accept a loss...I may be what most consider a bad player, at least in sportsmanship. But, in the game of life, there are no rules....only checkmates.
"Hey loli, how does it feel to win, not just to Class A...but against Katsuragi?"
I gripped the cane tighter signifying my dislike of the name she used to call me. Masumi Kamuro is what one would call a bishop. She was an important piece, even if she tried to poison the concoction I created...her reward for that will be served in due time.
With this win in the recent exam, our position as Class A has been sealed. But I still lost to one person...Kiyotaka Ayanokouji. It was a subtle defeat....not one affecting our classes in the slightest. Joining hands with Hiyori who manipulated both Ryueen and Katsuragi into the deal they had managed to reach the desired outcome., provided it be a win.....yet a loss to him.
'Fufu, so you want me to stay in the class competition for a while?'
'You heard me Sakayanagi-san, and in return, I will keep Ryueen away from any confrontation with your class'
'Hiyori, while that sounds quite enticing...I presume you realised I am better than Ryueen and can crush him. Hence why even put forward such a meaningless proposal'
'While I know that's true and it's exactly why I want to keep you from stepping in and competing.....Given that Katsuragi-san is still the leader of your class. I can predict that it will take some time to remove him.....and get the title for yourself. Keeping Ryueen at bay is a plus.'
'So you are simply keeping a knight away while I checkmate the king.....I see. Very well...but...you will return this, with another favour, free of cost'
'May I know, what that favour is?'
'Non participation in 1 Class event.'
'Alright I agree'
'Fufu, pleasure doing this with you.'
She could be a potential Rook...but for now, she is a threatening piece. Who knew?... That a library encounter would be that eventful.
Tapping my cane and ushering Kamuro to guide me back to my room, I walked behind her. I have been quite slow with my 3 legs. Some walked behind me out of fear or respect. Others walked in front of me, ignorant or unbothered by me. Kamuro was one of the latter.
Yet, I yearn for a one...to walk beside me. Whether that will be a reality or not.....only time will tell.
"Fufu, Thank you Kamuro. Do you want to come inside for tea?"
"No thanks. You are simply going to trap me and make me follow another order. Since school is over, I am not your pawn for a while. So please, let me be" She huffed and went away.
While she was right, I was going to make her follow a few orders to make me the leader....yet in a corner of my prideful heart...I just wanted to talk to her.
But I know quite well, how life will checkmate me from things I hold dear.....getting close to someone is just a poisoned move. Will, I will ever be able to take that risk...and win? More importantly, Do I even want to win?
Thinking such useless thoughts I let down my cane next to my bed as I brought out my chessboard, playing yet again. I wrote down the number in my worn-out notebook titled,
'Black/White'
I opened the final page of that book and wrote down a number
'5, 001'
I always chose white as my pieces unless forced otherwise in an alone setting, as it would go against the illusion of purity I created for myself. After an hour of checks and attacks, I stopped in an hour with a draw between 2 sides. This has been the case for the last 5 years until Ayanokouji defeated me....he wasn't a computer like I was. He didn't just play best moves but went beyond that. He used deliberate errors to force my attack, trapping me in his charade.
Faking weakness...interesting.
Thinking such myriad of thoughts I wrote down a tally in the win section of my book
'4,999'
My phone buzzed an alarm that signalled it was the time to be locked in what I would call a leash. I have to monitor my heart rate every day carefully and map it out with the average readings to find even the smallest change as early as possible. If I am unable to catch a problem early on, it may lead to potential complications, bringing death to give a checkmate to my life.
This congenital heart disease I suffer, what medically doctors call Tetralogy of Fallot, alters the heart structure causing less oxygen to be sent out of the heart.
As the name suggests, it has 4 different conditions affecting my heart at once and just like me...it's quite rare. Another thing which fascinates me about this disease is that...if narrowing of the pulmonic valve and the ventricular septal defect have a perfect balance, then I may have never suffered this until adulthood. 2 of my 4 conditions would have cancelled each other out...how cruel and interesting.
Chess was one of the few games I ever felt I could play with complete elimination of luck, which has always been quite difficult to beat...
I washed my face and while reaching for my phone, I accidentally called my father but cancelled the call immediately. Everyone in this school is away from their parents, hence I have to maintain that rule too.
Though, I did talk to him once...as a father..the day I met Ayanokouji. He left my father in tears and fear. Someone of his stature and power breaking down to a high school boy, would be shocking to most...but not me.
I felt at that very moment....he was not just any high school boy but one with great strength. His parents must have been the reason for his strength.....after all...true geniuses are just genetics at play.
Kiyotaka's Ayanokouji is a true genius
I am going to defeat him
I will prove to him, my true strength
The strength of
Arisu Sakayanagi
Author's Note-----
Dear Readers,
This is not a backstory SS, but more like a daily life kinda thing. I wanted to clarify a few things about her, so I wrote this.
1. Her disease (this was the closest diagnosis I could find..as most congenital ones are curable or deadly at birth.)
2. Her perception of Ayanokouji, since she doesn't know about White Room
3. Her love for chess
4. The reason why Katsuragi played along with Class C
5. How Hiyori knows about Arisu's capabilities....and vice versa.
6. Her Ideology
Have a great day!
Thank You