Juliette waited in the hallway of her apartment, slapping her foot, anxiously.

She was a fairly tall girl, with large, light green eyes hidden behind a thin pair of round glasses and brown hair styled in a bun on the top of her head.

She wore a pretty apple-green summer dress and a small geometrically designed shoulder bag.

“Ambre! We're going to be late... exclaimed Juliette.

— We only need twenty-six minutes to get from here to the hall, so we still have seven minutes left before we have to leave, said Ambre from another room.

— I know but I want to arrive early to have time to breathe before my first game!

— It won't help you to win this tournament since I'm also participating...

— Don't brag too much, this time I'll beat you! So hurry up! Hurry up!

— I'm coming...” replied Ambre, without enthusiasm.

Juliette waited a few more minutes before rushing into the living room, furious.

“What the hell are you doing! she shouted as she discovered a half-dressed Ambre sleeping on the couch.

— Mmm...” replied the sleepy one.

Ambre looked one head shorter than her friend, her blond hair pulling on the white slightly curly and falling all over her back and face.

“Hurry up and get dressed, we're going to be late with your nonsense! exclaimed Juliette, grabbing her arm and forcing her to get up.

— Why do you want us to go there so badly, I'm going to win this tournament anyway... Ambre mumbled, starting to get dressed anyway. Wouldn't you prefer that we stay here and cuddle together?

— First of all, we'll never do that. Secondly, I'm sure I'll beat you this time. Now, hurry up, damn it!

— Yes... Yes...”

A few minutes later, Ambre was ready, dressed in a purple hoodie sweatshirt and shredded jeans, and the two girls were able to leave.

“You know you've never been able to beat me so far? asked Ambre, as they both walked briskly towards the hall where the tournament was taking place.

— I have passed the fifth dan milestone! replied Juliette, proud of her.

— Which means that the difference in level between us is only four, which gives you a little more than ten percent chance of winning against me, Ambre replied.

— That's more than enough!

— If you say so... Ambre sighed. If I win the tournament, would I get a reward?

— Depends, what do you offer me if I win?

— A meeting with me?

— No way.

— I see... Would you prefer a kiss?

— No!

— Oh... realized Ambre. Do you want the entire me?

— I... Of course not! Stop talking nonsense! Juliette stammered as she blushed.

— Say what you want, I know I'm right.

— I repeat, I don't!

— Anyway, it doesn't matter because I'm going to win...

— So, what do you want as a reward?

— Your body?

— No way, Juliette replied, categorically.

— A kiss?

— Same thing.

— A date, then?

— That's doable... Juliette sighed.

— Awesome!” exclaimed Ambre, ecstatic.

                                                              ***

They finally arrived in the hall where the game of go tournament was being played with a minute's advance.

“You see we're on time... says Ambre, satisfied that she was right again.

— I'm going to register us... sighed Juliette.

— I follow you... Ambre whispered as she saw how many human beings were in the room.

— You really have to overcome your fear of other people...” sighed Juliette, grabbing her hand anyway to make her feel better.

They snick in as best they could to the desk and registered.

They then went to sit in a corner waiting for the first round to be drawn and the tournament to begin.

“You know there's little chance of us sitting next to each other during the first rounds, there are more than a hundred participants here... Juliette began, slightly worried.

— When I play, the rest of the world disappears, it will be okay... Ambre replied, whose hand was still shaking.

— It would be better for you where I would win our bet... Juliette added with a slight smile.

— No chance, Ambre replied, now fully pumped up.

— The round is drawn! announced one of the tournament organizers.

— Let's go...” Juliette whispered.

The organizers enunciated the names of the players and their tables one by one until all were seated in front of each other.

The tournament was played in single elimination and each round was randomly drawn according to an algorithm called “massacre” in which the strongest half would play against the weakest half.

Participants were only allowed one chance, one defeat and that was it for them.

In fact, the first rounds were quite simple for Juliette and Ambre who were in the upper average of this tournament.

Tough things started to get tough for Juliette in the third round, her level placed her, from the start of the tournament, in the lower part of the top thirty.

His opponent in the third round got black and after an opening hoshi, komoku, decided to invade the two corners that Juliette had taken, in the manner of artificial intelligence.

Since this new way of playing appeared, she had always had trouble countering it.

However, his opponent had not yet mastered this style of play and made small mistakes on small mistakes until he was too far behind to be able to win the game.

”So, did you win? asked Juliette after her game.

— Of course, Ambre replied.

— Don't be too sure of yourself, from now on, there's a good chance we'll be against each other...

— It won't make much difference to me...

— We'll see about that... Come on, they're announcing the next round.”

They approached the announcer just in time to hear him start:

“At the table, number one, Ambre L'Hiver, ninth dan, will be White against Juliette Beauprès, 5 in, who will be Black.”

He then went on to the other fifteen matches, but the two girls were already no longer listening to him and went to sit down at their table.

“Here we go... Juliette whispered as she grabbed the bowl of black stones.

— Have you ever thought of a place for our meeting? Ambre asked, grabbing her bowl of stones.

— You haven't won yet... sighs Juliette.

— if you want... Ambre replied.

— Have a good game! said Juliette, placing her first stone on the goban before pressing the pendulum.

— Have a good game” replied Ambre, also placing her first stone and pressing the timer.

They both had two hours to play their moves and, when they were out of time, they had five minutes to play ten moves and, if they couldn't do it, they lost by time.

Juliette decided to build a huge territory to invite her friend to invade and slaughter her once she did.

However, not everything went as she had planned and Ambre skillfully dodged all her attacks resulting in a very tight game that went all the way to scoring.

Juliette lost by half a point.

“Thank you for the game... sighs Juliette.

— Thank you for the game, Ambre replied.

— Crap! exclaimed Juliette. I'm sure you deliberately won by half a point!

— Of course, but I didn't think you'd realize it, Ambre replied, swinging from left to right, delighted to have won their little bet.

— Of course I noticed it... I'm not as stupid as you think I am...

— I never said you were stupid, you're just not as smart as me, Ambre responded. So where are we going to go on a date?

— I guess I don't have a choice... Well, you'll see, Juliette answered. But anyway, it was only if you won the tournament...

— No problem” she replied, confident.

Of course, as she had predicted, Ambre won the tournament without any further difficulty.

And so they went home, one of them holding the trophy.

“I should have asked for more as a reward... says Ambre, lasciviously lying on the couch, in the same position as when she arrived

— If you had asked for more, you wouldn't have had anything, so be happy to have gotten a date from me, already, Juliette replied. Besides, this is the last time you'll ever beat me!

— That's not true, but if you say so...”

                                                              *****

Thank you for reading the first chapter of "White Lilies are in Bloom"!

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