The matches rolled on one after another.
Laughter mixed with focused silence. Cheers here and there. And the occasional groan of a missed shot that was so close.
Not everyone came in to win.
In fact, most of them already knew they wouldn't make it to the semi-finals. They weren't blind. The difference in skill was clear as day.
But that didn't mean they couldn't enjoy it.
For many, this wasn't about the prize. This was practice - polished, structured, and more intense than any casual game they'd ever played.
Because unlike their usual spars with other customers , this was a real tournament.
Real pressure. Real eyes watching.
Real opponents who wanted to win just as much, if not more.
And the logic was simple.
If the store held another one in the future - and everyone knew it would - this was the warm-up.
A chance to test their nerves.
To feel what it was like to stand at the table with expectations weighing on their back.
