TPN short story: The Chess Proverb

“Checkmate!”

Hearing Norman, a struggling Emma groaned.

“Wah! No way!”

Looking at the knight that had decided the outcome from an unexpected position, Emma let out her voice. Norman smiled a little and toppled the King on the board with his finger.

“Hnghh~ I felt like I could win this time! That hurt!”

Emma twisted herself and held her head.

Before the lights were turned off, Emma had brought the board to her bed to play chess with Norman and Ray.

“fufu... But Emma, I never thought you’d move the King over there.” Norman, breaking his old record of consecutive wins, gently returned the pieces he took.

Ray, who watched the match from the side, looked up from the book and deadpanned. 

“You say that and then tackle it just fine.”

Even though Norman deemed Emma’s moves as unpredictable, he finished with his lineup almost just as complete as it had been from the beginning. Emma reviewed the moves and thought.

“So... that’s why I lost?”

“Less like a reason why you lost, more like the reason why Norman’s plays are ridiculous.”

It was a game that even Ray couldn’t predict from sideways. Emma’s white seemed to dominate and attack, that’s what it looked like. But in fact, Emma’s King was completely blocked by Black Bishop and Knight.

After rearranging the pieces, Emma tugged Ray’s shirt. 

 

“Next is Ray! Let’s do it!”

“Pass.”

Emma swelled her cheeks as her best friend resumed reading. Soon she composed herself and started talking while setting up the chessboard.

“Hey, before leaving House, I want to beat Mom in chess.”

 

Once she placed the last piece, Norman scooted close.

“That’s right. After all, we haven’t won even once.”

“But Norman, if you play like this, you’d win against Mom, right?”

Norman smiled bitterly at Emma’s hopeful words.

“I wonder about that. If Mom plays seriously, I don’t think I can win just yet.”

Norman lowered his glance while fondling the Queen with his fingers.

They’d played many times against Isabella from a young age. Maybe now she wouldn’t play as relaxedly as those times, but Norman still doubted if it was her full strength. He’d at least wanted her to play seriously.

Hearing Norman’s words, Ray raised his eyes from the book again.

“Mom is a mother, and a teacher, huh.”

When Ray uttered the words, Norman laughed amusedly.

“What.” Ray darted a scary look at Norman’s direction. Norman’s laugh still floated in the air as he answered.

 

“But the one who taught me to play chess was you, Ray.”

Emma’s eyes shot up at his words.

“What? Is that so?!”

 

“So you remember quite well.”

Ray muttered while Norman smiled at him.

“I do alright. Because that’s the first day I lost in chess.”

 

Norman could recall his childhood.

 

The House in the afternoon was livelier than ever. Children played indoors because of the heavy downpour from the previous day.

“Wai-”

“I’m here~!”

Emma’s voice echoed through the hallway along with her siblings. Emma ran upstairs, lightly dodging the sibling who played as it.

 

“Emma, careful!” Norman called out worriedly while still laughing at her figure.

“Mhm! Thanks, Norman! I’m okay!”

Emma screamed and rushed to the top at the speed of wind. Norman gently smiled at her roaring voice.

Those who liked to play outdoors couldn’t burn their calories as they couldn’t play outside. Among them, the person Norman looked for wasn’t present. Reaching upstairs, Norman pushed the door of the library open.

“Huh? Not here.”

 

Norman assumed that Ray was there, but he couldn’t find him. The boy tilted his head.

“Norman, you’re searching for someone?”

One of the sisters standing in front of a bookshelf asked her younger brother who just came in.

“Yes. Didn’t Ray come here?” Since Ray wasn’t in the playroom, Norman deduced that he’d be in the library.

 

“He was here a while ago, but...he took a book and didn’t come out again.”

“I see, thanks.” Norman replied to his sister and left the library.

“Hmm....next is surely...”

 

Norman walked down the hallway and peeked inside the children’s room where Ray’s bed was in.

Inside the empty room, Ray sat on his bed and played chess by himself. Raindrops trickled down the window glasses of the dimly lit room. 

 (..........)

Sitting with one knee folded, Ray was looking at an open book and moving the pieces on the board. Perhaps his deep focus didn’t let him notice Norman opening the door.

“Ray.”

Norman was next to his bed by the time the other boy looked up hearing his name being called. Norman sat on the other side of the chessboard.

“That’s amazing.... You can play chess?”

Ray responded with a sullen face. “Somewhat.”

“Hey, teach me as well!”

“Hah?"

“Chess, I mean.” Norman pointed at a piece without paying attention to Ray’s tone.

“Can it be placed back?”

“.........if it’s you, Norman, you can remember just from the books.”

 

Norman pushed aside the book Ray offered.

“That’s not it.”

He shook his head and raised his index finger while wearing an indescribable smile. 

“And it’s chess. A partner is needed, right?”

(............)

Giving up, Ray folded the page of the book from which he remembered the strategies, and returned the pieces to their original positions.

 

“Erm..... So the initial arrangement is like this?”

“Yeah. Put the White Queen on the white square.”

Clank. Clank. The sound of the wooden pieces hitting the board echoed inside the children’s room.

 

“Hmm....got it. How do they move?”

“I’ll move each of them and teach you.”

After listing the basics, Ray started moving his pieces. Norman’s gaze turned serious, bright eyes fixed on the board.

“Basically, pawns advance one square at a time. They can’t go back. Only at the start, they can move two squares. They only move diagonally when they take the enemy’s piece. Rook can advance any number of squares back and forth, and left and right.

Ray simply continued explaining.

“...Like that. The side that takes the King wins, you probably know that already.”

“Mhm.” Norman replied, touching his chin and keenly looking at the board.

“It’s interesting.”

“We still haven’t started, though.”

Ray looked at his brother of the same age, wondering what the born genius could see on a chessboard before the game even began.

“Well then, you go first.”

Following Ray’s suggestion, Norman moved the first piece. The pawn in front of the Queen was moved two steps forward.

(.......)

Placing his cheek on his knee, Ray too moved a pawn near the center, two steps forward.

The pieces were moved in turns. Norman could remember all moves from Ray’s earlier explanations and asked occasionally while playing.

“Can I do this?”

“Yeah. But in the case of King and Rook….”

Each time, Ray answered plainly. With the board between, Norman glanced at Ray’s face hidden behind his hair. 

Ray was a mysterious brother.

They grew up together as long as Norman could remember, yet, there were times Norman didn't understand what Ray was thinking. 

He never saw him laughing aloud when he had fun, nor he ever quarreled or cried. Norman himself wasn’t as cheerful and blunt as Emma was, but Ray had always been noticeably different.

(I wonder why Ray’s so calm, when we’re both the same age.)

Norman confirmed the advancement of Knight from Ray’s side.

What was the pattern of his thoughts? What sort of checkmate was he planning? Norman thought by himself.

(I wonder what Ray’s thinking.)

Whenever he noticed, Ray was away from usual plays and reading books by himself. Norman had assumed that the boy liked being alone, but it seemed as if Ray drew a line between himself and other siblings.

Although Emma would usually pull him into the plays without a second thought, there were times Norman had thought about it.

Why did Ray look so lonely at times?

“Ah.”

As he was lost in his thoughts, Norman’s attention was slightly off the ongoing game. The boy looked at the board and made a small sound. He glanced at Ray while placing a piece and said in a clear voice.

“I can’t win this one, right?”

(......!)

Ray was surprised at Norman’s words. Norman reviewed the positions to confirm. 

“Mhm. No matter what pattern I try, there’s no way I can win.”

It seemed the game was far from being decided. But certainly, with this 15th move, Ray’s black pieces established control over the center. Ray also knew that he’d have the upper hand if the game continued like this. Still, a voice leaked from his mouth. 

“How many moves ahead can you think of….?”

Norman had a complete grasp on how the pieces should be moved and what their natures were as if it wasn’t his first time. While Ray made his moves, Norman imagined the lineups that he was aiming for. 

But in chess, there are things called  'the established tactics'. If you move the pieces to a convenient position at an early stage, no matter how your opponent tries to attack, they won't succeed. It’s one of the things that was in the book Ray was reading. Ray was amazed that Norman could play so far without knowing that.

“Ray, I’m right-isn’t it?”

Norman tilted his head and asked confirmation from Ray who was sitting across the bed.

“Yeah.”

Ray replied, not knowing what else to say. To be honest, Ray couldn’t visualize all the patterns Norman was simulating. 

“Hm.” Norman put his hand on his chin and stayed quiet.

“Well….your first time.”

“Yeah. Chess is great!”

Norman’s voice overlapped Ray’s in an unusually loud tone. Ray broke the beat at his gleaming face.

“Hah?”

Norman happily returned the piece to Ray who snapped at him. “Hmm. I see it now. I expected it to be a simpler game, but it’s surprisingly complex.”

At the time Norman was about to tell him to play against him again after all those lonely playing sessions, the door of the room opened wide.

“Ah, the two of you were here!”

Emma jumped into the room through the open door, perhaps done playing tag. She rushed to the side of the two while still breathing heavily.

“Whoa, amazing! Ray, Norman-both of you can play chess? I wanna play too!” Emma’s face lit up seeing the board on the bed. Norman answered her. 

“Ray just taught me to play.”

“Not really, I just taught you how to move the pieces.”

It really was just that. While learning what’s taught to him, Norman derived both the ways to carry on the game and the playing strategies simply using his brain.

“Now, Ray, teach me as well!” Emma climbed onto the bed from the other side and sat next to the chess board in the position of a referee. As if she just had a great idea, she looked at Ray and Norman’s faces with a smile.

“Then, all three of us can play together!”

Emma grinned and pointed at the pieces.

“Erm….now then, I’ll move the pieces in front of me from this side, Norman will move the pieces from that side, and Ray will move pieces from that side, okay?”

“Don’t just invent a game on your own!”

Humored, Norman laughed and Ray sighed in disbelief.

“Huh? Then tell me how to play it!”

“I want to play again, too!”

Looking at the bright faces of the two, Ray found himself caught up in a complex emotion. The words Emma said earlier without any intention echoed in his mind.

[Then, all three of us can play together!]

Like a group of three friends.

(Even though I’m different, yet….)

Ray lowered his face.

“If you read the books, you’d remember.” 

Muttering silently, Ray shoved a chess guideline book at Emma.

Emma quickly raised herself and got off the bed.

“Eeh? Ray, you teach me~!”

Emma called the boy who exited the room, turning his back on them. 

“Ugh, Ray…. I can’t understand everything from the book!”

(.........)

Norman picked up the chess book that was thrown aside the moment Emma raised her arms, then he stared at the door where Ray exited from.

“Ray…..”

“Hey, Norman, I wanna play chess too, please teach me~!”

Norman replied to her cries.

“Okay. Let’s learn together?”

“Urm, this is King, and this is Queen, and that is…..”

Norman explained while lining up the pieces. Outside the room, Ray listened to the two voices for a moment before promptly leaving the place.

-

On the next day, again, it began to rain at the playtime, and the children played indoors. 

“Ah! I really can’t win, huh?”

“Yeah, this strategy doesn’t work against Mom, either!”

The siblings who played two on one against mom screamed after being checkmated. Isabella raised the King with her usual gentle smile.

“Fufu...but you two have improved.”

Right beside the chess showdown, Ray indulged himself with a book on his lap. 

The chessboard that he glanced at certainly had a number of useful white pieces left on his sibling’s side. However, it seemed that those couldn’t be used for attack. Isabella’s piece easily found a gap for piercing through and towards the King.

“By the way, do you know where you made mistakes?”

Being asked, the brothers frowned. 

“Huh?”

“Where? The first move?”

Isabella looked away from the two who were unable to give an answer. Suddenly, she called Ray who was near her side.

“Ray, do you know?”

Being asked without warning, Ray jolted. Isabella waited for a reply with an unconcerned smile.

(............)

Ray had no choice but to close the book and turn at Isabella’s smile. He approached the board where the game was decided, thought for a moment and then moved his finger.

“Queen, the one checkmated, could be stopped here.”

Ray returned the pieces, and his older siblings admired him.

“Ah! I see!”

“You’re right, Ray, right on point! See, if we did this….”

Isabella followed Ray's suggestion and returned the placements of other pieces, and then moved the white pieces this time.

“See, maybe you could checkmate right here?”

“That’s right!”

The two older kids pouted at the missed opportunity. 

Completing his task, Ray was about to resume reading. But his siblings pulled him back.

"Ray, your turn!" 

“Hu-?!”

Ray, who attempted to return to read, fell in front of the chess board at the force that pulled him.

“Ray~ ! Take revenge on our behalf!”

Ray shrugged and shook his brother’s arm off his shoulder.

“ugh, you got it though! Just do it right the next time.”

Ray left them and approached his spot only to find Isabella in front of him.

Isabella placed her hand on her chin and smiled. “Maybe this would be the first time playing against Ray.”

Harping happily, the woman set up the board.

“Here, try to pick one.” Isabella extended her clasped hands that held different colored pieces in a way that they couldn’t be seen. Who plays first is determined by the color of the piece.

Ray chose Isabella’s right hand.

“White. So it starts from Ray.”

Isabella reached for the black side which was arranged already.

 

 

“That’s right, it’s your first time. So I’ll give myself a handicap…” With a gentle voice, Isabella removed all pawns from her side.

“Tch-”

Even removing her bishops, she turned at Ray.

“Here, how about now?”

Isabella’s remaining pieces were King, Queen, a pair of Knights and Rooks each.

(Damn, she’s looking down on me….)

Ray cursed inwardly. Without showing a change in his expression, he touched the corner of his lips.

“Thanks, Mom.”

As Ray picked up his white pawn, the game began.

In spite of the overwhelming handicap, it was still difficult to dominate Isabella. It was natural, Ray had just learned how to play a match.

“Fufu. I’ll take your Rook here, right?”

“Tch….”

The more she moved her pieces, Ray’s chance of winning was slipping away. The boy looked at the battle onboard in desperate eyes. 

How would Isabella attack with the number of pieces and where she could be checkmated in a blink of an eye, if she made a small mistake? Ray tried to envision as much as he could. Thinking of the number of pieces alone, Ray had an overwhelming advantage.

“Hmm, so it goes here next.”

But, the opponent is none other than Isabella. With a smile spread across her face, she moved her piece, even closer to her win.

 

Ray was careful to turn the result in his favor and moved the pieces. He was playing defensively, that was all he could do at that moment.

(At least, don’t let her checkmate….)

“Now, your turn, Ray.”

Ray was afraid to move the next piece.

“Shoot-”

Ray’s Bishop, which guarded the King, was targeted by Isabella’s Queen.

If this Bishop escaped, he’d eventually be checkmated by the Queen. The Bishop could no longer be used as an attacking piece.

 

He couldn’t find any piece with which he could attack Isabella’s Queen. Ray, trying to maintain his composure, bit his lips involuntarily.

(Damn…)

Even after all these, would he still be unable to beat Isabella?

Just losing this piece surely wouldn’t decide the winner immediately. But Ray’s situation was akin to letting Isabella take those that he definitely wouldn’t want to let her take as hostages.

His heart was overflown by regret and frustration that he would usually try to ignore.

It’s just chess. What would matter if he's easily checked by her? To begin with, there’s no way he could beat Mom. He tried to convince himself inwardly, but Ray’s emotion was shaken by the harsh reality.

“Damn it…”

Ray lowered his head and subconsciously voiced aloud.

“How about here?”

From his side, an arm stretched out and moved his Queen.

“Here, why don’t you move this piece?”

The Queen that was moved could pierce the defense of black side. Isabella had to withdraw her Queen to shield her King. Ray blinked and turned his head, and saw someone looking at the chessboard from his side.

“Norman…”

Withdrawing his finger from the chess piece, Norman looked up at Isabella who was facing them.

“Hey, Mom, could you play with me as well?”

Isabella raised her brows at Norman’s question, then smiled relaxedly.

“Sure, I don’t mind if you two discuss with each other.”

She hovered her hand over the board generously. Thanking her, Norman finally looked at Ray who sat next to him.

“Is it okay, Ray?”

He asked with his usual smile. Ray nodded after noticing him.

“I...guess.”

Norman sat next to him and glanced at the board again. Isabella observed the situation.

The white haired boy moved a piece.

Gradually, Ray’s lineup which was cornered was starting to revive itself.

“H~m”

After Norman made a few more moves, Emma rushed in.

“Ah! Norman, Ray, there you were!” She looked at them and screamed. Seemingly, she was looking for them.

“Oh! You’re playing chess!” Emma looked at the board cheerfully.

“Amazing~! You two are winning!”

“Dummy. Mom had only a few pieces from the get go.”

Emma tilted her head to Ray’s words. “So, you two are losing?”

Isabella smiled at Emma. “I wonder.”

Then the woman pointed at the board. “Emma, if any suggestion comes to your mind, you can share with them.”

 

“Got it! Ray, Norman, leave it to me!”

Emma rolled up her sleeves proudly. Ray frowned.

“No way. You’ll surely mess it up.”

“I won't!” Emma replied confidently, and looked at each piece on the board. Norman smiled as he watched the situation.

It usually wouldn’t take her long, but that time, Isabella couldn’t easily checkmate.

When the situation tensed up, Emma was the first one to speak.

“Urm, you see, this piece…”

“Knight.”

While Ray retorted, Emma moved the Knight. 

"Look, what if I do this?" 

There wasn't any mistake in that move, but it was unusual and outlandish. Ray or Norman, even Isabella might have not thought about this move. With this move, Isabella's Queen was cornered. 

"Ah…" 

"Amazing, Emma! Good job!" 

Norman's face brightened up. After taking a closer look, Isabella complimented her as well. "So you could remember well." 

"Ehehehe…" Being praised, Emma smiled happily.

“But I’m not going to let you win easily!”

Isabella declared, and moved her piece. 

Norman was waiting for the moment Isabella’s piece came to the square.

“Mhm, I don’t think we can win…”  Norman said while holding the rook and placing it down slowly.

“....So I wanted to do this.”

Looking at the placement of the pieces on the board, Isabella raised her brows.

“Oh my.”

Ray also held his breath.

“It’s a stalemate.” He uttered, looking at the completed layout on the board.

“Huh? What? Ste-”

Emma wondered what happened, and blinked at Ray and Isabella.

“Stalemate is a draw. No more pieces can be moved without violating the rules.”

“He~h? So that’s what it’s called.”

Came the comment from the person who'd decided it. 

“I thought that if we do this, Mom can’t win in any way. At least her winning could be prevented.”

“So it’s a draw? Next time, I wanna win!” Emma said cheerfully.

Pulling a tie in a match against Isabella was more than enough. Isabella looked at Emma and Ray, and Norman who placed the last piece, and laughed a little.

“You three did great!”

At that time, the noise of crying Anna and Nat floated in.

“The toy broke~~!”

“It won't work!”

“Oh dear, what happened? I’m coming right away.”

Isabella left to help the younger children. Norman glanced at Ray’s face as the latter was looking at the chessboard.

“Hey Ray, if we play this game, chess...with three people, don’t you think we’re going to get stronger?”

“..........”

Ray gently lifted a chess piece.

He thought that playing chess with Isabella would be a lone victory and defeat.

There was no companion to fight with. He couldn’t call the two his companions. But at least, even if he tricked them, or lied to them, he wanted to save them. Emma and Norman, just two of them.

(But…)

Behind his hair, Ray's lips curved into a smile. “Maybe.”

Maybe if it’s three of them, they could win a real battle that’d come someday.

-

Clank. The pieces hit the chessboard.

 

“Do you remember that time?”

Norman could visualize their childhood memories.

“Yup, I do.” Emma looked happy. Placing her smiling face on top of her knees, she sat on the bed.

“Amazing, so we could tie a match against Mom!”

“While she had a huge handicap, that is.”

That time they managed to tie a match against Isabella, the number of pieces was a handicap for sure; but she was also lenient. Because she was evaluating their abilities.

It’s different now.

Suddenly, Norman opened his mouth.

“Hey, do you know a saying about chess?”

“Saying?” Emma twisted her head and listened to him. 

“Mhm.” Responding to her, Norman chanted the words like a song.

[Play the opening like a book

middle game like a magician

and endgame like a machine.]

“That’s the saying about winning chess.”

Norman moved all the pieces on the board by himself.

“What’s required at the beginning of chess is wisdom.”

The best move that can be derived from the accumulated, vast amounts of present information. One has to proceed with the strategy that the predecessors devised in the past, which are the 'established tactics' 

“But from mid-game on, that isn't enough.” While speaking, Norman kept playing alternatively for both sides. 

“When the game is in the middle stage and all the pieces mix together, what's needed is a flash of inspiration. A novel idea that no one could predict.”

That time, Emma’s move paved a new way forward. An idea that would seem to go against common sense and surprise the opponent. 

“Playing like that and then, at the final stage, what you’d need is…”

Norman advanced his final piece and checked.

“....A machine-like, perfect brain.”

Not missing any chance. Making each move like a machine with no emotions.

Stabbing the king by fully using all the measurements taken in the first and the second phase of the game.

"You won't win in chess if you only have one or lack one." Norman said and laughed looking at Emma and Ray.

“Nice words, right?”

“Yeah, they are.”

Ray looked at the pieces that Norman placed. The words Norman said that time reappeared in his mind: “If we play with three people, don't you think we can get stronger?”

How much did those words encourage him that day?

Looking at Ray’s profile, Norman squinted his eyes confusedly.

At that time, the door of the room opened. Isabella was by the door.

“You three, it’ll soon be the time to turn off the lights.”

Isabella entered the room and reminded the people gathered on the bed.

“Hey, Mom.”

Emma leaned forward and looked up to Isabella with a challenging smile.

“I wanna play chess with you.”

Isabella looked at the three faces turned at her and smiled softly.

“You leave me no choice. But just once.”

Isabella sat on the bed, fixed her clothes and arranged the pieces on board. Of course, all 16 pieces this time. 

With black and white pieces lined up in rows, Isabella turned her face.

“Well then, gather up! You three.”

Emma glanced at Ray and Norman, and initiated the first move.

----