Story follows a brave police officer who seeks revenge against his daughter's death and finds confidante in a young chess master who lost his legs in a car accident.
Brought together by grief, their friendship blooms stronger when a nameless chess p...
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"Checkmate!"
Yoongi blinks, the child's cheery voice pulling him out of his thoughts. "Huh?"
"Mr Min... checkmate!" the child says with the same enthusiasm. Yoongi looks down at the chessboard, catching up with the situation. Oh? When did he lose so many pieces?
"I'm leaving in three minutes. Want to lose one more time?"
Yoongi scoffs. "You'll beat me in three minutes?"
"No. In two." The child immediately replies. "The third minute is to laugh at you." Before the kid starts giggling.
Taehyung who was watching this whole exchange from some distance laughs warmly, "You kid, Go on... run now! Your mom must be waiting."
The child pokes a tongue out at Yoongi before running out and Taehyung approaches the table. His wheelchair is like an automatic car, with controls to move around. Yoongi was quite fascinated by it.
" This is where everyone gets it wrong, Mr Min. Students come to learn how to win. But first," Taehyung grunts when he leans over the table and starts putting the pieces back in their place. "They must learn how to learn. Watch!"
Yoongi sighs. Maybe this was a bad idea. The more he spends time around kids, the more he is reminded of Ari. He got too emotional after Jiwon refused to open the door for him last night. He had gone to seek her forgiveness after he had left Taehyung's house.
He couldn't sleep because Taehyung's words kept ringing in his head and this is where it lead him now.
"Let's take this move back," Taehyung says and picks up the black rook to place it back when Yoongi stops him by holding onto his wrist. Taehyung looks up confused, "That's a wrong move. Take it back."
"I can't. You can't either." Yoongi simply says, letting go of the younger's wrist. "Can't take back the move. Once it's done, it's done."
Taehyung chuckles, keeping the rook in its starting position. "There lies the difference between life and chess."
Yoongi looks up.
"There are no second chances in life. In chess, however, there are."
Yoongi wonders how is a 27-year-old man so wise? What is Taehyung's story?
"Come on. Your move." Taehyung says.
♙
He's so strong... and I'm so weak.
Lord, show me the way. How do I slay that evil King? He's so mighty, and I... Okay, stop, stop, stop. Mr. Pawn, that's too timid! "How do I slay the evil king?" Son, you're seeking revenge, not buying candy! "How do I slay the evil king?" Try it again. With all your heart. How do I slay the evil king? Like that. Once again.
♟
"Checkmate," Yoongi says, with a cocky grin on his face. The child looks up at him, amused. Yoongi folds his hands in front of him, acting indifferent to the scrutinising look of the child.
"I am not playing again!" the little one announces, running off inside the house in annoyance.
Yoongi scoffs looking over at Taehyung who has a big smile on his face. "You did good, Mr Min but you see this rook...he's a beast."
Yoongi watches Taehyung go four moves back. Taehyung never fails to surprise him...how did he remember those many moves?
"For now, quiet in his corner. But if the pawn in front of him dies... this rook goes on a rampage."
They continue playing onwards and Yoongi manages to beat Taehyung, "Checkmate!" Yoongi is surprised to even hear his own cheery voice.
The younger laughs, and then says, "It must've felt good to kill the king."
Yoongi's smile falters because of the sudden drop in the other's tone, "Is that how it was?"
"What?"
"How did it feel after killing them?" Taehyung tilts his head, "The who had killed your child."
Yoongi doesn't say anything, feeling unsettled.
"Must've felt good. That's how I'll feel when I kill that bastard too."
"Who?"
"Yoo Insu."
Yoongi raises an eyebrow, "The Health and Welfare Minister?"
"The messenger of peace," Taehyung says bitterly, it takes Yoongi by surprise because he never sounds like that. "Yoo Insu."
"I don't follow, Mr Kim."
"Nina would go to teach his daughter chess," Taehyung says. "One day, Mr Yoo's secretary called..."Mr Kim, your sister has been in an accident." Mr Yoo said Nina lost her balance...and tripped on the stairs."
Yoongi takes a deep breath before saying, "Maybe he was speaking the truth."
"That day, only I...saw Yoo's eyes. It was no accident." Taehyung says, closing his own.
Yoongi's heart takes a leap when the younger opens his eyes again, anger and frustration visible in the fierceness of his gaze.
