"Well done Gaela! You make me so proud winning that marksmanship tournament in Finland, you're a star!" Akamai exclaimed as she walked into the cafeteria, arms wrapped around Gaela in a fatherly-son way. "Gaela! You got me so worried, I thought you went missing or something after disappearing like that." Maria spluttered out as she dropped her sandwich and rushed over to the two girls.
"I'm sorry. The tournament is very sudden." Gaela stated. "We're glad to have you back," Lait chuckled, "Marii freaked out; afraid she might did something weird to distance yourself from her!" "T-That's not true Lai!" Maria whined, "I'm just.... worried she might've got something to do with the recent case I got."
"Recent case? Are you sure it wasn't the case assigned to you a month ago?" A male voice said in an almost mocking manner. Gaela's already straight face scrunched into distaste as Gary Akise showed up with Alfred and David with him. "No, I got a new case. I guess it just prove how useful of a detective I am to have around.... Mister ultimate detective." Maria sassed. The two enquiry agents glared at each other with menacing auras radiated off of them before both of them started to bicker again.
"f*CK YOU MARIA."
"tHEN F*CK ME LIKE A REAL MAN WITH THAT LITTLE MICROSCOPIC THING ASSHOLE."
"NO."
"Oh..? You're not into a beautiful goddess such as myself? hA. SO YOU'RE REALLY INTO DEAD BODIES EH?! CASE CLOSED EVERYONE, WOOOOO!!!!"
"sHUDDUP MISS FAILED QUINTESSENTIAL DETECTIVE."
"*le gasp* You take that back sir."
Gaela watched in amusement as the two squabbled while others just watched awkwardly. "A-Aiya come on, let's stop fighting." Alfred butted in, "¡lo sé! Maria, Gary; you two should work together just like how Gary and Shi-Ri work together. The world is full of serial killers and groups of murderers that haven't been caught yet. TRAXX, The Angel's Executioner, One-Eyed Reaper, Rí an Ghealach, there's plenty out there waiting to be thrown behind bars."
Gary and Maria both shared a mortified look. "nO WAY!" The two chorused. "There's no way I'm working with that egotistical weirdo! Don't compare the ever so lovable Sherry with Maria ever again Alfred!" Gary sighed in frustration, "I know you and Sherry are childhood friends and all but please don't compare the winsome Quintessential Coroner with Maria." "AND THERES ABSOLUTELY NO FREAKEN WAY I'M PAIRING UP WITH THAT ASSHOLE!" Maria fumed.
"I agree with Alfred though," Gaela managed to say, "you two'll be unstoppable if you work together." Saying those words wants to make Gaela want to gag but she didn't; just barely. "I agree! That One Eyed Reaper should be behind bars soon." Akamai grinned, blocking her eyepatch before cracking a small smirk, "how cool would it be if someone think of me as that infamous One Eyed Reaper?!" "Stop kidding around prez, you'd be thrown behind bars." David said with a smirk. Gaela rolled her eyes. It's true though; Akamai is the One Eyed Reaper.
"Anyways I got some time to kill so does anyone want a chess match with me?" David asked innocently. No one raised their hands nor answered, all know the outcome of the match. "Hey Lait does Yinyu want a chess match with me? Shall I video call him now?" He asked. Lait shook her head quickly with a nervous look. "Er, well, uhm, you see David..! Studying in Iceland is pretty hard for my brother so he's currently focusing on learning Icelandic....? Haha...ha? Yin doesn't have time to play chess with you now because..... yeah!AlsoifhelosesIneedtobuyyoulunchandyouknowhowstingyIamwithmoney." Lait said quickly.
"Fair enough. Tell Yinyu I said hi and he need to work hard to beat me in chess. Ah Gaela, want a match with me?" David asked. Gaela internally smiled, this'll be a perfect bonding moment. "It'll be rude for me to say no." She replied. David smacked Gaela on the back playfully with a smirk, "that's the spirit! Let's make a bet shall we? If I win you'll have to go on a date with me."
A date? Isn't that a bonding time outdoors between friends? Looks like Gaela just hit a jackpot. Everyone widened their eyes in utter shock as Akamai choked on air. "T-This is the first time David asked for such a thing....." Gary trailed off, "it's normally treat him to lunch." "oH HELL nO. BACK OFF DAVID. GAELA'S BRIAN'S FUTURE WIFE!" Akamai shrieked, "I'VE BEEN PAIRING THEM TOGETHER SINCE FOREVER." "If I win?" Gaela asked, ignoring what Akamai said. The talented chessman just confidently grinned. "I don't think it's likely for you to win but if you win... Well then...! I guess I'll do anything you ask or answer any question."
Gaela internally whooped in joy; this is a win win situation. If she loose she get to keep an eye out for David and if she win she get to keep an eye on him too. But it'll be great for her to win.... In the middle of Gaela's ponders, David already pulled out a chessboard and it's pieces out of his school bag and began setting it up. "Wait, is it okay for me to listen to music while playing? I've been doing that a lot with shogi back in Japan. I also like to tap its rhythm for extra concentration." Gaela said innocently while pulling out her phone and headphones. "Also I'd like to be the black pieces."
Gaela isn't the best at strategic board games but she know someone who is; Adrienne. "Of course, be my guest." David answered, flipping the board so he's white. 'Well then, prepare to loose David,' Gaela thought as she put on her headphones, opened her phone and tapped on Adrienne's phone number. After a few rings, the redhead picked up. "....Gaela it's not usual for you to call me. Do you need anything?"
*tap* *tap* *tap* *tap* *tap*
Gaela discreetly tapped onto the table in a rhythmic manner while others're setting up the board. A sigh can be heard through Gaela's headphones. "Fine. Just morse code me his coordinates. I don't had a chessboard in front of me so don't expect me to beat him." "Let's start the game!" Lait cheered, "ahhh I need to record snippets of this game and send it to Yin!" David moved first.
B3
"Oh? B3? Interesting." Adrienne commented, "Gaela, NC6." Gaela followed Adrienne's instructions as normally as possible and moved the piece. David's eyes narrowed the slightest in interest before moving a pawn. E5, Bb2, D6.
The group of friends watched as David and Gaela started to take pieces out of the board after a few more moves. David smirked, a smirk that Gary had never seen before; almost strained but at the same time genuine. "You're a decent player." David commented, taking out a bishop with a pawn. "I'm glad I live up to your expectations," Gaela replied, taking out a knight with her queen.
Time seems to have ceased as Gaela obeyed Adrienne's orders in which piece to move and David clicked his tongue in irritation for the first time. "Damn, a Desperado?! I never expect someone like you to pull that move." "Well, it is said that you can learn a lot about a person through a game of chess." Gaela replied.
Before the game can go any further, the bell rang, signalling the end of the lunch break. Both Gaela and David flinched as they both looked over at the taken out pieces. It looks like a pretty close game. "Let's count the points." Gary suggested, "David captured Gaela's bishops, rooks, a knight and five pawns...... 24 points. Gaela got the rooks, a bishop, a knight and five pawns.... 21 points. David won this round...! It's a really close game!"
"Tch, I lost? Dammit, I never thought there's a timer... I should just forget about putting David in the Zugzwang and go for the Smothered Mate straight away. If only I can move three more time......... But that is no excuse. Sorry Gaela." Adrienne muttered through Gaela's headphones. "It's fine Adrienne, thank you." Gaela whispered, "you have my pride. I shall end this call now."
Gaela ended the call without anyone noticing. Everyone's congratulating David on winning such a close game but there's something about David that doesn't seem normal. He isn't his carefree self. He just ignored the praise he got and continued staring at the chessboard before widening his eyes as if he found a Discovery attack. He found the Smothered Mate that he can't escape from. After all he's in Zugzwang.
"It's a good game," Gaela said, "I'll help tidying the pieces and you can all go to class." People all nodded and left, leaving David and Gaela alone. Akamai discreetly left a piece of paper underneath Gaela's phone and Gaela nodded. A note explaining why Gaela's late to history class. A hall pass basically. The pair tidied the chessboard in silence before David spoke up. "This game ended because of a school bell. I really want us to play Action Chess next time.... You don't have to of course. You really did put me in a tough spot there; if it wasn't for the bell, I could've lost."
"Well, you do have more points so technically you're winning." Gaela replied, putting the black pieces back into the leather case, "also we never really agreed on which chess game we're playing; Action, Blitz, Bughouse, there's plenty that are really thrilling and fun. I'm sure of it."
"We could've drawn if you just take out a bishop or a knight though," David pointed out, "also I'm not that fond of Bughouse. Alfred'll be too hesitant to move anything, Gary will do some super weird and unordinary strategy that I'll forget, Akamai is a bit too reckless when playing. Maria is a decent player however she's very competitive so she might mess up or forget to think a strategy straight and I never know what Lait is thinking when she moved a piece that I see no benefits gained from moving... Thank god Lait isn't here to hear it out of my mouth but I think Yinyu is better at chess than her."
Gaela chuckled, recalling Adrienne screaming at Folisha for moving the queen to a really bad spot and Rin took it out with a smug look. Brian and Threatening just watched the chaos unfold as Gaela just casually moved a random pawn with a bored look. "I can relate. My comra— I mean, my friends are an unusual bunch so when we play Bughouse, double chess or any multiple player games, it's a complete mess."
The pair finished packing the chessboard and David slip it into his bag. "Well then, see you after class I guess. And I hate to admit it because it doesn't feel like a victory but I won this game so maybe we can go to the funfair sometime together." Gaela internally smiled, this is going well. "Of course. And maybe next time I'll win. You probably know this already but I'm in room 707 with Maria and Lait. Just drop by and tell me any details okay?" "Of course. And I'm in room 808; a shared dorm with Christopher Lecky and Lepus Ravel." Gaela smiled. She got David's dorm number, she can now keep an eye on him at all times.
The two exchanged goodbyes and left for their classes. Gaela is late to history but the teacher paid no mind to it; the hall pass did the trick. Gaela almost wondered if this is what a typical school life is like. Everything seems so peaceful and almost comforting in a way. There's no need to plot assassinations. You don't have to kill anyone nor torture them. There's something about this school life that sparks a tiny ember of warmth in Gaela's heart. Of course she paid no mind to it.