CHAPTER 94: RAYNAUD(II)

-Step! Step!

Each step slower than before, Ciana silently gulped, moving closer to her apartment. The place that was once the safest for her in these times of hardship now felt like a devil’s den where her soul would be devoured by a predator whose motives were unknown to her.

Even though this person had only helped her in these times of hardship, she knew more than well enough that there were fewer kind people, and even fewer who would do something to the degree that this person had done for her.

After taking a total of 20 minutes, as Ciana collected her thoughts, organized herself and prepared a brave front, she reached in front of her apartment. She pondered the person inside once again before she slowly opened the door.

-Creak!

Just like Aunty said, there was someone inside the apartment. Ciana gulped as she could barely hear her heartbeat beating loudly. She had to rub her chest slightly to calm it down a little.

Wondering who could be inside, she then slowly entered the apartment, her eyes frantically searching for the person who paid both her fees as well as her rent.

Huh?!!

The first thing that surprised her was that the room somehow felt brighter than before. It smelled refreshing, calmer than before. Then, looking at the neatly arranged clothes by the laundry, and the shining clean desks and floor, she observed that this apartment of hers was at least a dozen times cleaner than how she had left it this morning. It was way more orderly than before.

Is it really my apartment? She questioned as she looked around, at the childhood photos of what her family once was. The bright days that would never return to her life again. Ciana scanned the photos, looking at the chess competition she had won and the time she had won the painting competition.

Sure is mine. She thought her mind was a bit calmer than before.

Other than what she already owned, she also found a few more artificial flowers and plants here and there, beautifying the already neat home even more. Though it seemed simple, somehow the charm of the apartment increased much more than before.

This made Ciana feel much better about it. At least that person didn’t have any bad intentions. If not, why would he go to these lengths to clean her home, even buy these artificial plants and flowers? Though the cautions still remained, the fear and anxiety vanished, replaced with pure curiosity in her eyes.

Is that him??

As she entered the living room, her eyes landed on a boy reading a book with deep interest on his face. Ciana observed every feature of this boy as if her life depended on it. The black hair that reached a bit below his ears, and the dark grey-black eyes focused on the book, slowly moving, reading each sentence with a keen interest.

Then, without turning his head, he said,

"You are late."

Ciana was confused. Late for what?

"I brought a few snacks. Can you make tea for both of us? I got a bit hungry after all the cleaning," he turned to Ciana, his eyes looking at her with a slight pleading look. Ciana wanted to ask at least a dozen questions to him, but before she could even say anything,

"I am not going to answer anything on an empty stomach."

"..."

Ciana looked at that guy for a few seconds. He seemed stubborn.

But he doesn’t seem to have any ill intentions. She concluded before she sighed as she nodded and then began moving to the kitchen area. This guy had paid all his fees and rent without asking anything, the least she can do right now is to make tea for him.

Wait? Is it like we are a married couple? She thought for a brief moment before the boy added in a serious tone,

"No. We aren’t."

He seemed to be reading her thoughts or something.

With a slight pout, she then made tea and prepared the snacks, which the boy had brought and placed on the table before sitting opposite him. At this point, the boy had placed a chessboard on the table. He was setting up the pieces as he picked up one of the biscuits and crunched on it.

"You play it, right? Come, let’s have a match as we talk," he added as he finished the biscuit as well as setting the board before looking at Ciana and asking,

"Black or White?"

Ciana observed the boy in front of her. The mysterious guy seemed extremely simple, yet there was literally nothing she knew about him. She couldn’t even figure out his intentions or even if he was a good person or a bad one. Thinking deeply about her first question, she asked,

"What do you want from me?"

The boy smiled before choosing the white and then making the first move.

White: Pawn to E4

His eyes seemed to be thinking of something before he spoke," about that. It’s not that complicated. Though it’s a little confusing. Where do I even begin? Hmmm..."

Ciana nodded as she looked at the boy, pausing as he looked at her before turning to look at the chessboard in between them. Understanding that he wanted her to make a move, she made the first move.

Black: Pawn to E5

White: Nf3

Moving his knight, he then mumbled," doesn’t seem like those blue fingers are giving you much problem."

Though returning to the topic, he continued," there was a time when I tried to commit suicide. At that time, I had a friend... well, an acquaintance at best. He saved my life. Not only that, he went beyond that, changing it completely to the point that all the things that were going wrong in my life were easily set on the right path. It was like magic. Like time itself returned to the point where everything was fine."

Black: Nc6

White: D4

Black: Exd4

"But, you see. He then vanished, gone from my life. I do not know where he is or what he is doing right now. I am trying to search for him as much as I possibly can," the boy spoke in a regretful tone, making Ciana understand him a bit.

White: Ng6

Black: h6

White: Nfx7

Black: Kfx7

"You don’t have any hints of where he is? Like a family address or something? An old phone number?" Ciana asked as she looked at the boy.

"Well. Not much of a hint, but when he was helping me, he also talked about a few other people he was going to help. Some people he must save at all costs, no matter what. I still clearly remember the night he took the name of those people," The boy paused for a brief second before adding,

"Evan Castro. Charles Richard. Sarah Rose. Damian White. And... Ciana Grace."

White: Bc4+

"Check," he added.

Ciana’s eyes flickered for a moment. She somewhat understood what that boy was trying to do. But there were still many questions she had.

"You think I am that Ciana Grace?" She asked curiously.

The boy pondered for a few seconds before answering," Honestly? I don’t know. There is a chance that you could be. There is a high chance that you have nothing to do with the Ciana Grace that I am searching for."

Black: Ke8

White: Qh5+

Ciana looked at the boy, his eyes slightly sad but still strong-willed. Though as she heard the story, even she felt like this was all hopeless.

"Check. Well, even I know that it is a near-impossible dream at this point. But you know, what he did for me isn’t something that I can brush off that easily," he said as a matter of factly. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying this somewhat impossible task.

Black: Ke7

White: Qf7+

"Check," without a pause, added once again, making Ciana slightly curse under her breath. The game was mostly over. She was trapped before she could even develop her pieces.

Black: Kd6

White: Bf4+

"Check. So, I thought of many solutions of what I should do in order to reach back to my friend. One of which was something akin to helping out all those who have those names and then ask for their favour in return."

"Favour?"

Black: Ne5

"It’s about doing a bunch of small things for me. You don’t have to worry too much about it. You can even gain something in return as well. Check," he said as he moved his pieces.

White: Qd5+

"What if I refuse?" She asked, her eyes focused on the boy.

Black: Ke7

"It’s your choice in the end. But you will lose the chance to land a 10k$ job. The chance to become someone important and take your own future in your hands, perhaps someone even more important than your mother’s new husband or someone wealthier than your father’s new wife. Well, you can choose that or refuse and try to live life with the same mediocrity as you usually do," he said with a slight smile before moving the last piece.

White: Qxe5#

"Checkmate."