A Challenge

****
Walking up the stairs, I couldn't help but feel nervous. We were on our way to the student council. I've never met any of them in my time in this school, but I feel that they are gonna be some intelligent but strict people. I tried my best to hide my nervousness so that Kinoshita wouldn't notice.


A couple of minutes later, we arrived at the student council room. The room had a huge sign atop which read "Student Council Office," so it wasn't hard to miss. Kinoshita brought his hand up in an attempt to knock but stopped midway. Seems like I wasn't the only one nervous. He closed his eyes and breathe in. He was mustering all of his courage in those few seconds. He opened his eyes and knocked on the door. Someone responded from the other side.


"Come in." The voice was that of a woman's but it wasn't gentle. It was the voice of a leader, tough and demanding respect.


Kinoshita slowly opened the door. Inside the room were 2 people, a boy, and a girl.


"Oh, if it isn't Kinoshita-kun." The girl with long silky black hair spoke in the same tone we heard before. Seems like she already knew him, like they have some history.


"Good afternoon, Hasegawa-san." Kinoshita greeted the girl sitting behind a desk. Emiko Hasegawa, the student council president. She looks so elegant, like the perfect student model for everybody to follow. I've never met her before but being in the same room as her is anxious.


"So, what business do you have with the student council?" 


"Well..."


"Let me guess, you want me to not abolish the chess club. Am I right?" She hit right on the money. 


"Yes..."


"As I've said before, your club hasn't gotten any members, which means there hasn't been any activity. If there isn't any, we'll have no choice but to abolish it." Kinoshita has tried to persuade them numerous times before, but the answer never changed.


"Then, will you let us organize an event to promote our club at the coming festival?" Kinoshita took the words out of my mouth. If we want this club to live, we need to make it more known and attract more members. We need to show them that chess is a fun game to play.


"That's not possible." The boy standing beside the president spoke. He was Daisuke Sato, the Secretary of the student council. 


"Your club is already on the verge of death. Letting you do that will be a waste of time." He sounded like the strict one, instead of the president. His statement irritated Kinoshita's feelings. Talking down on the club he created was too far.


"Calm down, Sato-kun." Hasegawa stops Sato from instigating a fight between the two.


"I'm sorry Kinoshita-kun, but I can't allow that for the same reason." Although she stopped Sato, she agreed with his opinion. Kinoshita looked defeated as he lowered his head. He has completely given up. He wanted to do something, but he couldn't think of anything. I was in the same boat. But then, Megumi pitched an idea.


"Naoto-san, why don't you challenge them to a game of chess?"


"What?" Megumi's bold claim will surprise anybody if they were to hear it. Challenge them to a game of chess? What will that do?


"If you beat them at a game of chess, then you could persuade them to help you." 


She was right. If I could beat them, maybe they'll let us promote our club at the festival. It was a daring idea, but it was the only choice for us. If I want to save this club, then I have to do it. She fades before I was to say what I had in mind.


"May I suggest something?" I haven't said anything until now, so they all turned to me.


"Oh, Naoto-kun, right? What do you propose?" The fact that she knew my name didn't surprise me, as I think everyone in the school knows my name.


"How about we play a game of chess?"


"Hmm? What do you mean?" 


"It's exactly what it sounds like. We play a game of chess. If I win, you'll let us promote our club at the school festival."


"And if you lose?"


"Then... We'll abolish the chess club?" If I want them to accept, I have to make the stakes high, otherwise, they might not accept it. This was the only thing they could get if they were to win. I had no choice but to do so.


"Naoto-san!" Kinoshita sounded appalled by my sudden statement. That was acceptable, as I was sacrificing the life of the club for a game of chess. But this was the only thing to do.


"Are you crazy? There's no way we would accept." Sato intervened. I expected that that would've been his reaction, given what I've seen.


"Think about it. There's nothing to lose for you guys. But for us, we're sacrificing the fate of our club just to promote it." 


"Hmm... That's true." Hasegawa thought about what I said. They were already about to abolish the club, so this would've just been a faster approach to doing so.


"Alright. I accept your offer."


"Hasegawa-san!" Sato revolted at her acceptance of my challenge.


"It's okay, Sato-kun. I know what you're going to say. I accept the challenge, Naoto-kun."


"Thank you so much, President. Shall we shake hands? I offered my hands and she shook them, putting the agreement into action.


"When shall we have our match?"


"Is tomorrow okay?


"Sure." 


It was settled. The game to decide whether our club lives is to be played tomorrow. It was now up to me whether Kinoshita's dreams will live or die. 


"Then, we will take our leave." I let go of her hands and went out of the room. Kinoshita followed suit after bowing and apologizing for the inconvenience.


"Naoto-san!" Kinoshita rushed to my side.


"Are you sure about this?" 


"It's okay, Kinoshita. I know what I'm getting myself into. Sorry for bringing the club into this. It was the only way I could think of." I tried my best to apologize for bringing the club in the middle of this whole ordeal, but that was the least of what I could've done.


"It's okay, Naoto-san. I believe in you." His faithfulness brings me nervousness. If I lose, it'll again be my fault that the club gets abolished. But it also fills me with confidence, knowing that someone believes in me. 


"Thanks, Kinoshita."


"I hope you can help me, Megumi," I spoke in my mind and she materialize beside me.


"Leave it to me, Naoto-san. I'll make sure you don't lose." We went back to class while thinking about the match tomorrow...


****
In the student council room were the president, Hasegawa, and the secretary, Sato. The 2 members of the chess club had just left the room.


"Are you sure about this, Hasegawa-san? You do know that he has quite the reputation when it comes to chess." 


Sato asks Hasegawa about her decision. Accepting a challenge from Shinji Naoto is something only crazy people or pros do, but she accepted it, knowing that the school had nothing to lose. On the contrary, if he loses, his club will all but be over. It was a bold but desperate plan to protect the club. He knew what he got himself into and she did too.


"Don't worry, Sato-kun. I know full well what I'm getting myself into." Hasegawa was the student council president so naturally, she was intelligent. Because of this, she will prove quite a challenge to average players. But to Naoto, her skills were still unknown.


"Besides, I'm quite interested in him..." Her curiosity about Naoto was strange for any student. Most like to stay away from the egoistic guy but her curiosity as to why couldn't hide. She wanted to find out what had driven him to be that person in the first place. Maybe if they had a game together, she can finally figure it out. 


And that game will come the following day...