Nnenna blinked at the board, taking in the complete destruction of her side. "Wow… You really don't hold back, do you?" she said softly, looking up at him.
Two more games followed after the first. Nnenna played with quiet determination, but Four's intensity didn't waver.
In the second game, his moves were calculated, his strategy flawless. He crushed her in fewer moves than before, his aggressive skill making it impossible for her to gain any control on the board.
By the third game, she noticed his movements had softened slightly. His play remained precise, but his earlier aggression seemed to ebb. Nnenna finally managed to seize an opening, carefully advancing her queen and rook in tandem to corner his king.
"Checkmate," she whispered, her voice hesitant, unsure how he would react.
Four leaned back slightly, staring at the board with an inscrutable expression. For a moment, Nnenna thought he might lash out, but instead, he simply nodded.
They continued playing in silence. Though she only managed one win, it was clear the games were serving their purpose. Four's sharp demeanor gradually eased, his posture less rigid, and the air around him less oppressive.
When they finally stopped, his shoulders were relaxed, his breathing steady. He sat back and looked at her for the first time since she'd entered the room, his eyes no longer filled with that smoldering anger but still as cold as usual
"Don't you have somewhere else to be?" he said quietly, his tone even, the words almost swallowed by the stillness of the room.
Nnenna met his frosty expression with a small, knowing smile, sensing she had made progress despite his words.
"What's got you all worked up?" she asked, still smiling, her voice soft and warm, as if she could coax an answer out of his silence.
Silence.
Four stood up and walked to the other side of the room, deliberately turning his back to her. His shoulders were tense, and his movements sharp, a clear sign that whatever was bothering him wasn't going away anytime soon.
But Nnenna wasn't the type to give up so easily. Ignoring his icy demeanor, she continued speaking. "You know, in physical therapy, you're supposed to move your arms and legs often, right? Exercise them to keep your muscles active. What did the director call it again? Is it muscle cramp, or…"
She trailed off, pretending to search her memory, giving him a chance to join the conversation. When he didn't respond, she chuckled lightly to herself and added, "Or maybe it was 'keep yourself from turning into a stiff board.' Either way, you should take it seriously."
Four glanced at her over his shoulder, his face unreadable. Though he didn't say a word, the tiniest flicker of amusement crossed his eyes before he turned back toward the wall.
"Muscle atrophy," the man corrected her, his voice clipped and emotionless.
"Oh yeah, muscle atobi, that's it," she replied confidently, completely butchering the word.
Four's steps faltered briefly as he repeated her mispronunciation in his head. 'Muscle atobi?' A flicker of disbelief crossed his face. For a moment, he debated whether she was genuinely clueless or just trying to annoy him.
Her next question, however, nearly broke his composure.
"So… is that why you were punching the wall? To stop the muscle atobi?" she asked with wide eyed curiosity.
He stopped and turned slightly, staring at her as if her stupidity were contagious. Punching a wall to cure muscle atrophy? He almost laughed at the absurdity but quickly caught himself.
Without a word, Four turned away, deliberately increasing the distance between them as though her ignorance might physically affect him.
Nnenna raised an eyebrow, watching his retreat. "What? That's not it? Then why are you punching the wall? Is this some special therapy technique? Or are you just mad at it?"
Four said nothing, his cold silence acting as both his shield and his response.
"You're impossible," she muttered with a small shake of her head. "But don't worry, I'll figure you out someday, Four. Even if it takes forever."
He didn't react. Whatever flicker of amusement he had felt earlier was buried under layers of icy indifference.
"If it's not that, then what is it?" she asked again, trying to probe further, her persistence unwavering.
Silence.
Four's expression remained impassive, offering no answers.
"Fine," she said with a huff, crossing her arms. "If you don't want to talk, let it be. But just try to move your arms and legs more, that's physical therapy, isn't it? And if it's something else that's bothering you, maybe try not to dwell on it. Some thoughts can be…"
Her voice trailed off mid sentence, the unfinished thought hanging in the air.
Four glanced at her, curiosity flickering in his otherwise cold gaze.