Accepting

"...So, can you tell me what's going on?"

It's currently lunchtime for students. Most of the students were eating at the cafeteria, but others just stayed in their classrooms. Me? I'm currently on the rooftop, where no one was in the vicinity. Well, not exactly. There is someone in front of me. Though, I guess they aren't a human. She was a spirit. White dress, long white hair, and blue eyes. The queen spirit, Megumi.

"Well, uhmm... It happened like this..." Her nervousness showed when I asked her about our current situation, which is why can we communicate telepathically. I asked her telepathically to not make too much noise.

"You see... That night, when you beat me, I realized that you were destined to be my partner." 

I remembered everything that happened that night. I took her in, we played chess, and I beat her. I didn't mean for that to happen. Maybe it's because that night was the first time I played chess in a month.

"But when you refused my offer, I was a bit disappointed."

Disappointed? Well, I guess that's what everyone thinks of me at this time. My classmates all said I was the best before I lost. Then, they all started to stay away from me and do what they had to do just to worsen my situation.

"But then, I realized that I couldn't just let it go. So uhmm.... Let's just say I did something to you while you were sleeping, and now, here we are." She finished.

So she just couldn't get the fact that I didn't want to play ever again. I thought that telling him my story would make her back off, but I was wrong. I didn't even realize what she did that night to me.
"What did you do to me while I was asleep?" I asked her, telepathically, what she did to me in my sleep. 

"U-uhmm...well..." She stuttered and her white cheeks turned red as a tomato. Is she embarrassed? It's like she doesn't want me to know what she did. 

"Th-that's not important!" She shouted in her mind, sounding embarrassed. It was much worse than hearing someone shout with their mouth. 

"A-anyway, that's that... Naoto-san," she wanted to change the topic as fast as possible. I was still curious but decided to let it go. She continued,

"I want you to play chess again." Those words immediately brought back memories. Me? Playing chess again? The thing that I swore never to do again. Will I break that promise? Those questions rambled inside of my mind, but it seemed that she could never read them. Maybe this thing works differently than normal telepathy.

"Please. I know what you've been through is tough, but I promise you that with my help, you can become a better master. No, you'll be the champion." 

A champion? I couldn't even reach the finals and now she's saying that I can win the championship? She must've had huge confidence in her abilities to be able to say that, considering that a human had beaten her.

"I'll ask you again. Naoto Shinji-san, will you be my partner?"

I should say no. I already made my decision not to get involved in anything chess related. I know that doing so wouldn't change my current life, but I thought that it was better than being the prideful person that I was before. But...

What is this feeling? I couldn't describe what it was. Sadness? Disappointment? No, it was the opposite of those. This feeling was nothing I'd felt before. It was excitement. 

I couldn't find out why. I had never felt such a thrill just from something. Even if I was winning, I didn't feel any excitement. All I felt was pride. But now, I was experiencing something I'd never had. Why though? Did I want to play chess again? Was it because of her? Or was it both of those things? Those two combined and made me feel an emotion I've never felt. I could hear my heart pounding. The heavy decision of saying yes or no truly felt like it was choosing between life or death. But, from the feelings I've felt now, and with her standing in front of me, I thought that there was nothing I could do to stop it...

"Alright. I accept." The words came out of my mouth instead of my mind. Accepting my feelings was hard, but it proved that I didn't want want to stop playing. Leaving it for so long just made it harder for me to go back. But if I was with her, maybe it would change. Maybe I'll be able to have fun.

"R-really?!!" 

"Yes. I've decided."

"Th-thank you so much!" She grabbed my hands and thanked me. She was able to touch me even though she was a spirit. Was this one of the effects of being a partner of one? I might've looked weird having my hands in front of me if there was someone with me. Thankfully, there wasn't anyone.

"I look forward to working with you, Naoto-san." 

"Yeah, please take care of me." 

I gently smiled. I hadn't smiled like this before, so I guess it was also because of her. Talking with her was so relaxing, so much so that I forgot I had something to do.

"Oh, right. We need to meet with him."

"Ah, yes..."

I remembered what he said when I was saved from the wrath of Shiro. I promised to meet him, well not really. I just thought I'd meet and thank him for saving me. We got off the rooftop and went down the stairs, where we were supposed to meet. 
At my classroom level, our eyes met. He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed. He looked frustrated, impatiently waiting for someone.

"Sorry for being late." I apologized as I made my way down.

"Took you long enough." His voice mirrored his stance, upset at me for not being punctual.

"Sorry about that. I had something to do."

"Nevermind." He stood up and walked without waiting for me.

"Let's go. Follow me." 

"Okay." 

I followed him as we made our way. I didn't know where we were going but it seemed quite far from the class.

"Hey, Naoto-san, what do you think he wants from you?" She asked telepathically. I answered the same way.

"No idea." That was a lie. I had one idea. It was to order me. I thought about the things he could do to me as we made our way through the hallway. He stopped at the room at the farthest of the floor. No other rooms were near it. I've never been on this side of the floor. It looked sketchy. He opened the door.

"Get in." I did as he said. The room wasn't really big. It was like the size of my bedroom. What is this place?

" Uhmm...so..." I tried as hard as I can to ask but I couldn't due to my nerves.

"You're Naoto, Shinji, right?"

"Y-yes." That didn't surprise me that he knew my name. Everybody in the school did. What did surprise me though was his next statement.

"I'm a huge fan!"

.......

"EH???!!!!"

To be continued...