"It's simple, you're showing improvement. It's natural to anticipate that you might show more improvement in the future," Ray told me as he moves his Bishop to another block. "Check," he announced.

I frowned while looking at the chessboard. I guess it was a hopeless game after all. I moved my rook to block his attack but I suddenly felt a pain in my head. "Ouch! Why did you hit me?" I said with teary eyes. 

"You should raise your awareness while playing chess," He nagged me. He pointed his finger to the pawn beside the King. I pouted when I got what he wanted to say. "You could've moved this piece to block my attack. You sacrificed your rook for nothing."

"It's because I'm not smart as Ray, okay?" I said while rubbing my head. I was about to place my rook back in its position but I received another hit from Ray. I glared my eyes at him. "You're enjoying this aren't you?" 

"Yes," He replied. "It's a touch-move, why are you changing your move?" He asked.

This little piece of---!!!

"Hmmph," I frowned, "Fine, then why do you think mama choose Norman?" I asked.

"Probably his age," He said. He moved his bishop to attack the pawn that I moved a while ago, I frowned when he announced "Checkmate," right in my face. "Let's play again," he suggested and I nodded my head.

"Age?" I asked.

"I noticed that if a child turned 12, whether your scores are high or not, you'll be shipped out no matter what. Norman is already 11, since mom saw your improvement, it's understandable that she'll choose someone who was already on the expiration date," He said while arranging the chessboard. 

My eyes locked in his face before saying this one fact. "Aren't you also 11?" I asked. "Your birthday is in January and Norman is in March, you are basically older than him," I said with a serious tone. "If we will compare your intellectual ability, both of you are equal. Wouldn't it be more logical to ship you out first?" I said with a blunt tone.

Pardon me little boy, but I will show you some suspicion.

Ray dropped the chess pieces in his hands. There was a shock on his face when I said that, but he remained silent and he didn't say anything. He rose from his seat and bend down his body to look for the fallen pieces.

"Ray is really mysterious," I said as I tapped the table. My tone almost sounded like I am interrogating him.  "Ray must be hiding something from me-- AHH!" I almost jumped away from my seat when the table move up, turns out that Ray bump his head on the table. "Are you okay Ray?" I asked.

The other chess pieces on the table scattered to the floor because of this. 

Careless brat!

I moved the chair a little and bend my body on the side to peek at Ray under the table. When I saw his frowning face while holding his head, a childish laugh escaped from my lips. "It's your karma for hitting me twice bleh!"

"Tsk, childish," He said.

"But I am a child!" I retorted.

"Yeah, right," Then he rolled his eyes.

My eyes went to the door when I heard the door creaked. I suddenly saw Norman entered the room with Emma beside him. 

When my eyes met Emma's eyes she immediately went in my direction. "Conny? What are you doing here?" Emma asked. Her eyes went under the table and saw Ray who was rubbing his head. "What are you doing under the table?"

I laughed childishly before explaining what happened to Ray. "Ray bumps his head hahaha," I said while pointing at him. Ray closed his eyes due to embarrassment before glaring at me.

He looks like a cat under the table.

Emma also laughed when she heard my explanation.

"We were playing chess," he said. He picked up the chess pieces that were scattered on the floor. After he finished what is he doing, he immediately sat on his chair and arrange the pieces on the board.

"Do wanna play?" I asked them.

Emma nodded her head. "Of course! Let's play Conn--"

However, she was suddenly interrupted by Norman. "Let's play Conny," Emma's eyes went to Norman but the boy only let out a gentle smile. "I want to play with Conny," He said.

I placed my hands on my cheeks while glancing at his face. I let out a cheerful smile. "Okay! Let's play first, Norman."

"The White King is missing," Ray suddenly burst out, there was a frown on his face while looking at the floor. His bored eyes glanced at me before turning it on Norman and Emma. 

"I'll look for it," Emma replied. She was about to bend out her body but Norman stopped her.

"I'll just get the other chessboard," He replied calmly.

"No need," I said. Norman glanced at me. My hand reached for the white king who was placed on the top of my lap. "Hehe, This piece fell when Ray bumped his head," I placed the King on the board.

"You should've told me earlier," Ray uttered with a frown.

"Sorry, I only noticed it now," I explained to him while gesturing my right hand. "But can you get out of that chair?" I said politely to him. "Norman and I will be going to play."

"That's right, get away from my Conny!" Emma suddenly shouted while glaring at Ray.

Ray only rolled his eyes before rising from his seat. He went to a wall next to that chair as he crossed his arms. Norman went to that seat facing the black pieces in front of him. "Let's start," He said. "The first move is yours," 

I leaned my face to the table and intertwined my fingers. My eyes went to the chessboard before glancing back at him.

Let's play chess in my way, shall we?

I suddenly remembered my life as Y/N. I have a little brother who was a chess lover, there was a time where he forced me to play every day until night, but I'm always defeated because I'm not really good at it.

But one day, he taught me a new way to play chess. Although I'm not good at playing chess nor my mind is not good at memorizing, this way of playing chess always excites me.

I immediately focused on the chessboard. "Knight to c3," I uttered, but I did not move any of my chess pieces. I glanced at him, I am waiting for him to recognize what I intended to state.

Ray glanced at me with a suspicious eye, but he didn't say anything.

Norman was confused at first but when he realized something, he smiled at me as he uttered this word. "d5." 

He understand what I intended to do. 

I nodded my head as I focused my mind on the game. "d4," I replied.

"Knight to f6," he said.

"Bishop to f4!" 

"a6"

"e3"

"Bishop to f5," Norman replied. I stopped for a while noticing what he was planning to do. I closed my eyes while imagining the whole game.

"Bishop to d3,"

"Bishop takes bishop d3"

"c2 takes bishop d3"

"e6"

"Knight to f3!"

"WAIT! WAIT! WAIT!" We suddenly stopped exchanging our attacks when Emma interrupted us. Emma pointed her fingers at me and to Norman, "What are you two saying? I thought you're both playing chess?" 

I quickly averted my eyes as I rose from my seat. 

"They're playing mind chess and you interrupted them," Ray suddenly spouted. His eyes were looking at me in amusement. "It's also chess but the difference is you will only use your mind and words to express your moves. It's a good game to practice your memorization."

I cleared my throat when Emma suddenly glanced at me. "I'm not really good at memorization that's why I wanted to practice it..."

"Let's continue the game," Norman replied. There was something in his eyes and I couldn't tell what is it.

I took a deep sigh as I pouted while looking at the chessboard. "I already lost my focus, I don't think I'll be able to play unless we started again," I explained to them. "My memory is not good, that's why if I lose my focus..." I paused trying to hint at them.

I'm telling the truth though, I can only play mind chess if I focused on the game, but once I lost that focus I won't be able to continue playing unless we started again.

However, it's not that important. The only reason why I did this is to give Norman a hint.

"Let's try it next time! Don't worry I will practice my memory again," I replied with a cheerful tone. My eyes dropped to the floor as I played with my palm. "But I don't really know if I can match up with Norman tho... Ray told me that I'm sucked up with chess."

"Nooo! Ray is lying! I think Conny is good at chess. If you can play that mind chess then you'll be better if you practice!" Emma shouted, she glanced at Norman who was observing me. "Right, Norman?"

"Of course," Norman replied. "I would like to play more games with you before I get adopted."

"Uhuh!" I shouted.

Now that I already give Norman a hint about me. Let's arrange a meeting with him.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Our eyes went to the door when we saw Phil ringing the bell in his hands. "Time to eat! It's time to eat!" He said while ringing his bell. When Phil saw me and Emma he let out a smile and then he went away.

"OKKKAAY," I shouted as I took the bunny on the table and run to Phil. "Bye-bye, I'm hungry!" I shouted at the trio and left them.  I giggled while running away from them.

When I saw Mom standing at the Dining Room's entrance. I immediately run to her while opening my arms. "Moooooommmm," I shouted. She glanced at me for a while and she also opened her arms.

"Oh my little Bunny," she said with a warm smile. She quickly carried me in her arms and kissed me on my cheeks. I blushed a little when she did that. She's warm..."How was your day, Conny?" she asked in a soft tone.

I gave her a bright smile as I glanced at her face. "I played Chess with Norman and Ray!" I happily uttered, but I pouted my lips after telling her that. "But they defeated me so easily," I said in a shy tone.

Mom went silent for a moment. She is glancing at me. "Really?" She asked, I suddenly noticed a flashed unknown expression in her eyes. 

However, I immediately attacked her with my hugs and kissed her on her cheeks. "Yes, but it doesn't matter! Mom still loves me right?" I asked her.

She smiled at me before uttering the next words. "Of course, I love you, Conny," she said, but something about her is bugging me.

Mom... did Ray finally told you something about me?

••••

I'm not really good at chess so I referenced their game in a chess tournament video. The reference to their chess game in on this link.