─── ✦ VIKRAM ›
Vikram's lean, tall frame shivered as he escaped the clutches of the wind, shutting the door behind him. He rubbed his numb fingers against each other. The breaths he let out created tiny puffs in the air and disappeared into nothingness. Cyclones were a regular in the city during monsoon. Icy air and flooded streets were the guests it brought along.
Slipping his cold palms deep into the pockets of his cargo jeans, he made his way to the lines of desks with computers. A few of them were occupied by people with headphones on, engaging in various online activities - scrolling through social media, gaming, and rare study-related internet hunting. Vikram was used to the internet cafe's quietness. It was a dying culture, after all.
He walked through the sea of computers, pausing at one as he caught sight of a girl playing chess online. The brunette had her headphones firmly secure on her head and rectangular glasses in place. The monitor was dim, displaying a game in progress.
Vikram's eyes darted around the screen as his legs stopped a short distance from her chair. His brown orbs glimmered with appreciation as he noted the positions of all the pieces. The girl was going to win in a matter of a few moves.
'Excellent defense,' He thought, 'which serves pretty well as an attack.'
His eyes, then, caught sight of the banner on top of the screen - 2024 Indian Server Championships Semi-finals Game Two. The corner of his mouth quirked up. His sight finally traveled to the user who had wielded great defense and won the semi-final game. He could make out the arched eyebrows, small doe-like eyes, and her olive complexion.
Before he could catch a good look at her, his brother's obnoxious, airy voice filled the quiet air, breaking the glass-like silence.
"Vikky, you're here?"
Plastering on the best smile he could muster at the moment, he masked his irritation and faced his brother. "I needed a keyboard. The spare one, preferably."
"Okay, follow me." His brother disappeared into the inventory.
Vikram adjusted his satchel and glanced in the direction of the girl once more, before letting his feet take him in the direction of his brother.
──── ᯓ ────
a/n : this scene is heavily inspired from love 020, one of the first ever c-dramas that i watched as well as my comfort dramas. the rest of the book takes a completely different track from the drama, though. thank you for reading! drop a vote, if you liked the chapter. all thoughts are welcome in the form of comments.
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The King's Gambit | ✓
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