Min Ho

She dragged me into a large room where many players sat at their boards. At the far end, a crowd had gathered — mostly girls, cheering loudly. She pushed through them and pulled me along. Two boys were playing, and just then one declared checkmate. The winner, of course, was her crush.

How should I describe him? His skin was fair, but his eyes were darker than the deepest pit, as if you would never escape once you are lost in them. His smile was the prettiest I had ever seen, and so were his hands — even his ears, strangely enough, seemed perfect, as though they invited you to lean close and whisper into them. There was nothing about him that wasn’t beautiful. Maybe that’s why she had fallen for him in just a few days.

Hana suddenly shouted, ‘Hey Hyunwoo, you think you’re some big shot? Can you beat him? He’ll defeat you, and if he does, you have to accept one of his demands? What do you say — do you have the guts?’

Why did she have to drag me into this misery? Her words hung in the air, reckless and loud, and all eyes turned toward me. I wished I could disappear right then, vanish before his dark eyes found mine.

“Alright, let’s start the match,” Hyunwoo said, his friends bursting into laughter. I couldn’t stand such arrogance, so I sat opposite him and the game began.

There was nothing I could truly win from this match, so wasn’t it fair that I should not lose anything either, even if I failed? ‘But before we start, shouldn’t we set the terms? If I win, you—annoying girl—have to stop bothering me.’

As soon as Hana heard this, she lost her temper. ‘And if he wins, you have to become his slave. Does that work?’ she blurted out. The room fell silent, everyone stunned. I wanted to run away, but it was too late.

“OK,” Hyunwoo replied without hesitation, certain I was an unworthy opponent.