Rax's gaze settled on the girl standing in front of him.
Up close, she was… distracting.
Not loud.
Not desperate.
Just quietly beautiful—the kind that didn't try to impress and somehow did anyway.
That only made his smile turn nastier.
He looked her up and down slowly.
"And you are?" he asked, amused.
Elena met his eyes without hesitation.
"I'm their sister."
Rax glanced past her—at Leo and Ivan.
Then he laughed.
A loud, careless laugh, like the situation was a joke written just for him.
He turned slightly, gesturing with his chin.
"Did you guys see this?" he said mockingly.
"They brought their sister with them."
The boys behind him snickered.
"What, couldn't handle yesterday on your own?" someone laughed.
"Needed backup?"
Another voice added cruelly,
"Looks like they came back for another round."
Someone else chuckled.
"Guess yesterday's lesson wasn't enough."
The laughter echoed, sharp and humiliating.
Leo's shoulders stiffened.
Ivan's gaze dropped to the floor, jaw clenched so hard it hurt.
Rax looked back at Elena, still smiling—but his eyes were cold now.
"So what is this?" he asked lazily.
"You here to cry for them? Or to beg?"
Elena shrugged lightly, as if the whole situation barely mattered.
"None of that," she said casually.
"I'm not here for anything else."
She looked at Rax, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"I just came here to play a game," she continued,
"With you."
Her eyes narrowed slightly—amused, not angry.
"I heard you lost to my brothers yesterday," she said mockingly.
"And instead of accepting it, you decided to take your revenge by beating them up."
She tilted her head, voice dripping with sarcasm.
"So I thought…"
"Why should they have all the fun?"
She took a slow step forward.
"The fun they had yesterday," she said smoothly,
"When they beat you at the game."
Her smile widened just a little.
"I came to enjoy the same thing," she finished calmly,
"By beating you myself."
The café fell silent.
And for the first time—
Rax's confidence cracked.
Rax's face darkened like someone had just unplugged his ego.
"So you came here to enjoy beating me?" he snapped.
He turned sharply toward Leo and Ivan, a crooked, ugly smile spreading across his face.
"Looks like yesterday's reward wasn't enough for you," he sneered.
"So today you came back—this time bringing your sister along?"
Leo and Ivan said nothing.
They stood there quietly, heads lowered, looking like two students waiting for their final results—and already knowing they'd failed.
Elena watched them for a second.
Then she turned back to Rax, her expression painfully unimpressed.
"Why are you acting like this is a street performance?" she asked calmly.
"It's just a game. Not a war declaration."
She paused, eyes narrowing slightly—like a thought had just clicked into place.
"…Oh."
She leaned forward a little.
"Wait. Are you saying no because you're scared?"
Rax froze.
"Scared that just like yesterday—when my brothers beat you—"
"I might beat you too?"
She smiled politely.
"Or worse."
There was a full second of silence.
Then Rax burst out laughing, loud and forced.
"Afraid of you?" he scoffed.
"No. No. Absolutely not."
He turned toward his friends, laughing dramatically.
"Did you hear that?"
"She says she'll beat me even worse!"
A few of them laughed—mostly because they felt like they were supposed to.
Rax turned back, his smile stiff, his eyes cold.
"I didn't want to take this any further," he said slowly.
"My mood was actually very good today."
He pointed at her.
"But you ruined it."
He leaned closer.
"Whatever happens to you now—"
"Only blame yourself."
Elena blinked.
Once.
Then she asked, completely serious,
"Can I ask you something?"
Rax frowned.
"…What?"
"Has anyone ever told you," she said calmly,
"that you talk like an angry auntie at a family function?"
The café went quiet.
Elena continued, unfazed.
"Very loud. Very dramatic. Zero effect."
She tilted her head.
"Maybe stay quiet for a bit?"
"The person listening usually ends up with a headache."
Behind her—
Leo and Ivan broke.
They immediately lowered their heads, staring intensely at the floor like it had suddenly become fascinating. Their shoulders shook violently.
They were laughing.
Rax's friends heard it too.
One of them let out a snort before quickly covering his mouth. Another pretended to cough. Everyone suddenly found the ceiling very interesting.
Rax stared at Elena, pure rage flashing across his face.
"You—"
"…!"
His brain clearly hadn't loaded the next line yet.
Elena clapped her hands softly.
"Alright. Enough chatting."
She turned toward the gaming area.
"I don't have the stamina to listen to your voice all day."
She motioned to Leo and Ivan.
"Come on."
Without waiting for a response, she walked inside.
Leo and Ivan followed her, still shaking with suppressed laughter.
Rax watched their backs, jaw tight, ego bruised beyond repair.
Then he scoffed, turned sharply, and stormed inside too—
His friends scrambling to follow.
And just like that…
Elena walked further inside the café and stopped in front of an empty computer.
She casually pulled the chair back, rested one hand on the desk, and looked over her shoulder.
"So," she said lightly,
"which game should I beat you in?"
Her tone was calm.
Too calm.
As Rax and his friends entered behind her, the atmosphere shifted. A few nearby players slowed their games, sensing drama.
Rax dropped into the chair opposite her with exaggerated confidence, spinning it slightly before sitting properly.
He smirked.
"Wow," he said mockingly.
"So confident already?"
"Wow," he said mockingly.
"So confident already?"
Elena didn't even bother giving him a proper look.
She clicked the mouse once. The screen lit up, casting a pale glow across her calm face. Her voice was casual, like she was commenting on the temperature.
"Not really," she said.
"I just like saving time."
Rax scoffed and leaned back in his chair, letting it creak loudly—as if the sound itself could prove his confidence.
"Save time?" he repeated.
"You should worry about saving face."
Only then did Elena turn toward him.
She rested her elbow on the desk, chin lightly supported by her hand, studying him with mild interest—like a puzzle that wasn't very challenging.
"Relax," she replied calmly.
"If you lose, I'll make sure everyone remembers it was quick."
A couple of nearby players snorted before quickly pretending to focus on their screens.
Rax's smile tightened. The corners of his mouth stiffened, irritation flickering briefly in his eyes.
Behind him, his friends dragged their chairs closer, forming a neat row—like a jury already convinced they were about to witness a guilty verdict.
Off to the side, Leo crossed his arms, jaw tight.
She's actually doing this, he thought.
She's not bluffing.
Ivan kept his eyes glued to the monitor, forcing himself to breathe evenly.
If she wins… he's going to lose it, he realized.
And if she doesn't—no. She will.
Rax cracked his knuckles one by one, slow and dramatic, the sound sharper than necessary.
"Pick the game," he said.
"I don't want you crying later that it wasn't your type."
Elena scrolled through the game list—slowly. Deliberately. Each click felt intentional, almost calculated.
"Hmm…" she murmured, eyes scanning the titles.
"This one you lost yesterday," she said casually.
Rax's jaw twitched.
Scroll.
"And this one too."
The muscle in his cheek tightened further.
Another scroll.
She stopped.
"Oh," she said softly.
"This one seems perfect."
Rax leaned forward, elbows now resting on his knees, amusement fully replaced by challenge.
"You sure?" he asked, voice sharper than before.
"That's not a beginner's game."
Elena clicked SELECT without hesitation.
"I know," she replied evenly.
"That's why it'll hurt more."
For a brief second, Rax's hand clenched into a fist.
The screen dimmed.
The loading animation appeared, spinning lazily as if mocking his impatience. Around them, the café's noise seemed to fade—conversations lowering, keyboards pausing, curiosity pulling attention toward the screen.
A soft countdown echoed through the speakers.
Rax adjusted his headphones roughly, jaw tight, teeth grinding just enough to show his irritation. His fingers flexed over the controls, movements sharp, aggressive.
"Don't worry," he muttered.
"I'll go easy on you."
Liar, Leo thought immediately.
Ivan swallowed.
He's already angry.
Elena placed her fingers on the keyboard, posture relaxed but precise, eyes sharp and completely focused—like this was familiar territory.
"Please don't," she said lightly.
"I'd hate to win against anything less than your best."
Rax's eyes flicked toward her, heat flashing in them.
The countdown reached zero.
The screen flashed.
The match began.
And in that exact moment—
Leo felt his pulse spike.
Ivan held his breath.
While Rax leaned forward, anger humming under his skin—