Sh*t Happens - A Mitsuha & Taki Story

4 - i c e c r e a m

"All I ever wanted was to reach out and touch another human being not just with my hands but with my heart."
- Tahereh Mafi, Shatter Me

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➳ Taki's POV

I don't have a clue on why I'm at this chess club.

I'm kidding, I do know why. It's Sunday, it's the last day of school break and there's nothing else to do in this town. Absolutely nothing. Nada. In the holidays, people would leave this place for literally anywhere else because right here just might be the most boring place ever built on Earth that people actually live in.

If you find that hard to believe, our most populated place is a chess club. A CHESS CLUB. MOST POPULATED. TAKE THAT IN.

Something catches my attention when I go in the clubroom and look around mindlessly. She's here. That girl from the convenience store who saved my ass. It's so easy to spot her when she has such an edgy-looking dude sitting across from her. (He doesn't look like the type of person who is good at chess, but like I had any right to judge).

I kind of hope that she won't see me at all today, but I also kind of hope she will. Ever since she talked to me that day, I felt like our story isn't over yet. It's a strange feeling that I dislike.

As she is playing chess, she has a look I know well from our primary school days. Smug, wicked confidence. I shake my head, lost for a moment in awe as I watch her move.

Pawn. Knight. Queen. Her eyes dart from position to position and her hands fly out without the slightest hesitation each time her turn comes up. The other dude's brow just furrows deeper as he fought a losing battle.

I had no idea she even played chess, but again, I never really knew anything about her. No one really did, at least in primary school. She was so quiet.

It dawns on me that this entire time, I've just been standing on a spot. I suddenly feel ridiculous and awkward as I stand where I was meanwhile others were actually playing chess as they should be.

I sigh and go up the front. A lady walks past me and scowls at me furtively. I ignore her. There aren't a lot of people who are free and looking for opponents, and those people who are, are clearly avoiding me.

Did I smell bad or something?

Then of course, Mitsuha of all people comes walking in my very direction at this very moment.

The opponent she played with was following close by as she points me out, "Oh hey. I remember you from yesterday."

"You're done. Already." I mutter under my breath, still unsure if I want to talk to her.

"Already? Well yeah, I kinda won. How long have you been here?"

"Not long." I reply honestly.

"'Kinda' won? You totally wrecked me and you 'kinda' won?" The other dude complains.

"I don't usually like telling people that I won at something. I don't like feeding my ego." She simply responded but the corners of her lips tugs up.

He rolls his eyes. "Well, of course you don't." He smiles, and goddamn...those dimples? God really has favourites, huh.

Then he turns to me. "Who's this guy wearing boat shoes?"

"What's wrong with boat shoes?" I retort.

"That's not even the worst of it. Your hair looks awful buddy. No offence. Well, yes offence. But I'm doing you a favour by telling you your hair looks like a briar patch. If you're a friend of Mitsuha's I would totally help you get a good haircut or something-"