Chapter 21 - Chess round

4.6K 170 7
                                    

The last few days have been quite relaxing. Either I spent time at the pool with Izumi, listened to my records or played cards against Kuina. I have collected some days visas and has not been playing since the spade 5. It's a strange feeling that I can't describe. I've often caught up with the thought of missing the games. Not the senseless death of people forced to take part in these games. But they challenge me and I feel like I can better assess situations and people. As if I could reach my new peak by the pressure.

"What do you think?"

I look up at Kuina and notice that she has already laid her card. I think for a moment to tell her the truth, but I decide against it.

"Whether there are other card games here. Don't get me wrong, I almost always enjoy defeating you. But playing this game for three days is slowly getting boring"

"Almost always defeat, what?" she says amusedly, looking confidently into her cards. She seems to have a good hand and the fact that she has her straw only loose in her mouth underlines my guess. We take turns dropping our cards when someone sits down with us.

"Isn't the game slowly getting boring?"

Chishiya. With a significant look I look at Kuina, who just sighs and shrugs her shoulders.

"What was the meeting like?" Kuina asks him as she focuses on her remaining cards.

"Nothing special. Some new members and the usual speech of the hatmaker"

I feel chishiya looking at both of us closely and try to get an overview of the current game situation quickly.

"If I had to endure this talk again, I would go mad," Kuina says, and we both laugh easily, because I can understand it well. I put down my last playing card and win, which seems a little surprising to her.

"How did you ...?"

"You have to work on your poker face," I say, grinning triumphantly. She looks at Chishiya, who nods for confirmation.

"Are we playing?" he turns to Kuina and she sighs tiredly.

"No, I can't cope with another defeat in chess now"

"Chess?" I ask curiously.

"Yes Chishiya tries to teach me, but he can't do miracles," she laughs at herself and looks at me asking, "Try to learn it from someone like him."

"Honestly, I'm quite passable in chess," I just say, shrugging my shoulders. They both look at me in surprise and I just turn my eyes. "More prejudices about cheerleaders you want to get rid of?"

Both still seem surprised but they just shake their heads with a laugh. Kuina gets up from the armchair and walks to a closet nearby. She brings out a chessboard and the figures, comes back to us and puts them between me and Chishiya.

"I just have to see that," she laughs, and I begin to set up my figures: on the two outermost sides the towers, then the jumper, the runners, and in the middle the lady and the king. The man opposite me does the same thing, but I can feel his scrutiny of my characters. We start playing and I try to take my time so as not to overlook anything and to embarrass myself. Chishiya turns his attention to the board and appears in game mode. I can see from his eyes how he goes through all sorts of moves mentally in a few seconds.

 "Just don't tell me you were one of the girls who learned while their friends went to party," says Kuina, who closely follows the game. By her vocal position I can see that she apparently never got far against Chishiya before she was set chess matt.

"You make jokes. I was first in the clubs and i left the last one," I laugh and work my next move, "I'm just learning fast".

"Do you have any other hidden abilities?"

Alice in BorderlandWhere stories live. Discover now