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Khun moved the bishop to the right, “That’s not going to work out, Hwaryun.”
“Are you doubting my abilities as a Guide?” Hwaryun glanced up at him, moving her rook.
“I’m not doubting them,” Khun rolled his eyes, moving his pawn, “I’m just saying that attacking the enemy head on isn’t the smartest of ideas. We should stick to the shadows and quietly take them out before they notice anything.”
Hwaryun huffed, “I’ve already considered that Path. They’d figure out who it is within the first three kills. Checkmate.”
The bluenette groaned at yet another loss, Hwaryun just smiling knowingly at him. He returned her grin with an empty glare before he sighed.
“We’re not getting anywhere with this, are we?” Khun ran a hand down his face, looking at the Guide in exasperation. Hwaryun’s face remained impassive as ever, not letting a single of her secrets slip. Khun’s been with her for years, and he still can’t read her thoughts.
“No, we are not,” Hwaryun nodded serenely, “Too many of our opinions clash.”
“So what do you propose?” Khun rested his face on his hand lazily, waiting patiently for the redhead’s answer. Hwaryun hummed, her lone eye staring at him evenly. The ruby thing glancing from his face, to the chess board in front of them.
“A deal.”
Khun blinked, “A deal?”
“We’ll play chess like we have been, but there’s more to it. Whoever wins five games in a row first wins and gets to finalize the plan, the loser only allowed to make a few minor changes, nothing drastic.”
Khun smirked, “Oh? Well this is an interesting deal. Alright, I accept.”
Hwaryun extended a hand, yet another knowing smile on her lips, “A deal it is.”
I know how this Path ends.
Khun clasped her hand with his own, ignoring the warmth that seeped into his fingers from the contact.
“May the better strategist win.”
<~~o~~>
Khun sighs, frowning at his fourth defeat in a row, “You really are too good at this. Isn’t using your ‘Guide abilities’ cheating?”
“Hm,” Hwaryun gave a noncommittal shrug, only aggravating Khun more. His head collapsed on to his hand, sapphire eyes scanning the Guide’s face in thought.
“I wonder what’ll shake you…” Khun hummed, “My dear.”
…
“...No? Nothing?”
…
No reaction. Hwaryun continued resetting the board as if nothing had happened. There wasn’t even a pause in her movements. Khun sighed, “You’re as emotional as a rock.”
A red eye glanced up at him before looking back at the board, “Thank you, I pride myself on it.”
Khun reset his side of the board as well, “That’s probably your only negative trait.”
Hwaryun lifted a delicate eyebrow at that, “My only negative trait? That’s rare, coming from you. Normally you would be criticising my every move.”
“Well, your charm does tend to negate the bad,” Khun grinned at her playfully, “So it’s not too surprising.”
Still no reaction, Hwaryun simply sighed, shaking her head.
“Empty flattery will get you nowhere.”
Khun hummed, “Is that so? And how do you know it doesn’t have meaning behind it?”
Hwaryun moved her pawn forward, “You’ve already done this for the past four games. If anything, it’ll just distract you from what you should actually be focusing on. Do you admit defeat? You do know that if I win this match, you’ll have to follow my plan.”
Khun shrugged, moving his pawn as well, “That’s an if, not a when , so I still have a chance of breaking your streak and turning the tables.”
Careful blue eyes observed the Guide’s movements, frowning when Hwaryun made a move that she hadn’t done before. Khun heaved a sigh, rubbing his face in frustration.
Damn her, she’s unpredictable. It’s difficult to read her movements since she varies them so much.
Hwaryun smiled slightly as she watched Khun’s eyes flitting about the board. Lazily resting her chin on her hand, she observed the Light Bearer’s moves, already knowing how this bet is going to end. She’s not a Guide for nothing, after all.
<~~o~~>
They continued their game in companionable silence, though there was a tense undertone in the atmosphere. A good way through the match, with Hwaryun clearly winning, Khun interrupted the quiet.
“Hey Hwaryun,” a red eye looked up at him, and a hand wound its way through her fingers on top of the table, the intertwined hands settling right next to the board. “Nothing, just wanted to do this.”
A slender hand halted for a split second midair, too fast to be seen with the normal eye, and Hwaryun’s face betrayed nothing as she continued with the game. It wasn’t anything that went unnoticed by the Light Bearer, however, who smirked internally upon seeing the pause.
“Is this alright, though?” Khun glanced up at her, moving his knight. It was an innocent question, had it not been for the sneaking playfulness lurking in those sapphires and the slight upturn of one side of his mouth. After making her own move, Hwaryun frowned ever so slightly. She certainly hadn’t expected Khun’s advance, though it wasn’t an unwelcome surprise.
Hwaryun sighed, squeezing the hand she held slightly, “Do as you wish, my King.”
‘ Khun would make a pretty good ruler. ’ Hwaryun idly thought, focusing once more on the board.
The Light Bearer’s mouth twitched, eyes widening by the slightest bit at the sudden comeback.
‘My King’ huh. Now that’s new.
Khun scanned the board again, his expression instantly souring. He really was going to lose this game, hm? And then lose the bet. What a blow to his pride. Hwaryun was already so far ahead in the lead, only a few moves and it’ll be a checkmate, so he wouldn’t have enough time to flip the tables.
Oh well, might as well make the most out of his losing moments.
<~~o~~>
“So.”
“So?”
Hwaryun looked at him unimpressed, she gestured to the board, “I’m exactly one move away from beating you, and the bet. Do you forfeit?”
“Who do you take me for?” Khun scoffed, his lips upturned into a grin, “Of course not.”
“If you say so, sweetheart,” Hwaryun sighed for possibly the hundredth time they were playing chess, the Light Bearer effectively surprised once more at the pet name, before he laughed internally. Khun casually moved his pawn, knowing that the move was completely unnecessary. It was such a dumb move, especially for someone like him, that Hwaryun gave him another look that screamed ‘are you serious’. Khun merely shrugged and leaned back.
“I’d feel bad for beating quite possibly the best person to be by my side in this hellish war-”
“What’d I say about empty flattery? Aguero,” Hwaryun rolled her eye, a glint of amusement hidden in it.
“So, I let you win this one,” Khun’s grin instantly turned into a devilish smirk as he lifted the hand he was holding this entire time to his lips, “my love.”
“Checkmate,” Hwaryun deadpanned, her hair covering half of her face. But Khun’s smile grew wider as he saw red tinge her ears, and he rested his head on his fist.
He might have lost the game.
But he won the battle.
Checkmate.