Checkmate, Alas

Chapter 27: Traille

I smiled proudly, both of my hands are placed on my waist.

"You're really the best chess player, Yuan!" amaze na amaze na puri ni Traille.

I shrugged and pat his head and slightly tussle his hair. "Ako pa ba!"

"Tch."

Nakanguso akong bumaling kay Nine na nakahalukipkip matapos kong matalo sa chess. Hindi niya matanggap na natalo ko siya kaya ganiyan siya.

"57 wins and 0 lost." tango-tango kong sabi.

"Makakabawi din ako." sabay irap niya.

Traille chuckled so we both looked at him. Nginitian ko siya at sininghalan naman siya ni Nine. Bahagya siyang natakot doon at natatarantang inayos ang salamin niya.

"Nine!" saway ko pero tinalikuran niya lang ako.

"Don't mind him. He's just being stupid again." sabi ko nalang kay Traille.

Tumango siya at may bakas ng takot pa rin kay Nine. Suminghap ng malakas si Nine pero hindi na nagsalita pa.

Nasa training room kami for chess player sa school. We're currently at grade three and I'm one of the chess players here in our school.

Si Nine ay nagbabalak pa lang na sumali, sasali daw siya kapag natalo niya na ako. Si Traille naman gustong-gusto niya rin pero hindi pa siya gano'n maalam sa chess.

Kaklase ko sila since grade 1, si Nine kilala ko na mula pagkabata habang si Traille naman ay no'ng grade 1 lang.

"I want to learn how to play chess too!"

Ngumiti ako kay Traille. He's a happy go lucky kid. He's always smiling and scared of Nine. He's a shy type that's why we're his only friends.

"You'll going to learn it, believe in yourself."

Traille was always with me, unlike Nine. Si Nine kasi kapag tinatawag ng mga tropa niya na kaklase namin nakakalimutan niya na kaibigan niya ako minsan.

"Let's play another match, Yuan." Nine said as he crossed his arms.

"But I need to go home." which is true. Kuya Yelix will be going to pick me up.

He snorted. Hindi ko siya pinansin at nilingon na lang si Traille. "You're also going home?"

He nodded. "Mom will pick me up."

"Let's go."

Lumabas na kami ng training room at sabay sabay na naglakad palabas ng gate. Naghiwalay lang kami nung dumating na yung mga sundo namin.

I don't know what goes wrong but when our school year was about to end, hindi na madalas sumasama sa amin si Traille. Iniiwasan niya ako kapag i-aapproach ko siya sa room. He don't have anyone who he can talk to, so why he's avoiding me? Us?

"Nine, what's with Traille? Pansin ko iniiwasan niya ako lately."

Nasa ilalim kami ng puno ngayon, kumakain ng lunch. Ngayon ko lang ulit nakasabay si Nine, usually wala akong kasama kumain. Some of my girl classmates aren't fond of me for I don't know reason.

Buti nga at sinabayan ako ni Nine kahit na inaaya din siya ng grupo niya.

"I don't know." tamad niya sagot. Sumubo siya ngayon sa baon niya.

I sighed and continue eating. Nine wasn't really fond of Traille so I can't get any useful answer from him.

Napapadalas kami ni Nine sa training room dahil nakapasok na rin siya as official chess player. Though, never niya pa akong natalo.

"I'll beat you not now but soon." that's always what he says after our match.

"Do your best then." I said with a smile on my lips.

Nakaupo ako at hinihintay siyang maibalik yung chess board sa cabinet.

"What do you think of Traille?" he suddenly asked. "I mean he used to be our friend but what do you think of him the first time you saw him?" then he glance at me.

I sighed. I spread my arms on the table and lay my head above it.

"He's nice and so quiet."

"That's all?"

"Yep."

Naramdaman ko ang pag-upo niya sa harap ko kaya naman tumingin ako sa kaniya.

"But he's not a good chess player." he stated.

My brows furrowed. "Well, yeah, he's not." I pouted. "But he'll learn. He is a fast learner. And besides, we're talking about what I think of him the first time I met him." I rolled my eyes.

Nine chuckled. "Yeah whatever."

Nabalik ako sa kasalukuyan ng buksan ni Traille ang trapdoor. Nanatili akong nakababa ang tingin doon habang siya naman ay naglakad pababa doon.

"Follow me." he coldly said so I did.

This looks like a secret passage to somewhere. I didn't know that there's a place like this.

"Where are we going?" hindi ko na napigilang  tanong.

"You'll see." I almost roll my eyes because of his answer.

"Why did you avoided me before?" I suddenly asked. He's in front of me and I'm  following him, wherever he's going.

"You seriously doesn't have any idea?" he asked with a hint of amusement.

"Yes." I answered with gritted teeth. I want to know his reason. I want to know if his reason was enough to justify this things he's doing.

"And you transferred when we are grade four." Naalala ko 'yon, hindi ko inaasahan na mag-t-transfer siya ng hindi nagpapaalam.

"You have a lot of questions." he chuckled, a chuckle without any humor on it. "I'll answer that questions of your when you beat me."

"Beat you in what?" I asked confused.

Muntik na akong bumangga sa likod niya dahil sa biglaan niyang paghinto. Sumilip ako sa unahan at nakita ko ang isang malaking pinto. It was like a door in a castle, as big as that. There's a embroidery on it that looks like a flower.

"Wha—"

The door opened and my  mouth dropped because of what I saw inside. I gulped and Tytle made his way inside.

"I bet all potterheads wants to play this." he said.

I followed him as I feel in awe of the human chess I'm seeing. I didn't know that it's possible to have this.

"Are we going to play that?"

He stopped walking to face me.

"Yes." he answered. I stared at his eyes only to see it  coldly looking at me. "And there's a price."