Chess Game - Sicilian Defense

The silence in the classroom was deafening as students craned their necks to see the exam results posted on the bulletin board. Ian's heart hammered against his ribs as he approached, knowing what he would find but still feeling the weight of anticipation. There it was, written in Pak Iwan's handwriting:

1. Arrayan Dirandra - 100 2. Aulya Putri - 98

For the first time in months, Ian had beaten Aulya.

"Holy shit," whispered Dika from behind him. "Ian finally beat the Ice Queen."

Ian felt a mixture of pride and dread wash over him. For three months, he'd been consistently placing second, always just behind Aulya. Now, staring at that perfect 100, he realized he might have pushed too hard, too fast. The number seemed to glow accusingly on the board, drawing stares and whispers from his classmates.

"Congratulations."

Ian turned to find Aulya standing beside him, her expression unreadable. There was no bitterness in her voice, but he could see the competitive fire burning in her eyes.

"Thanks," he said carefully. "You did amazing too. 98 is incredible."

"It's not 100." She studied his face with that analytical gaze he'd grown accustomed to during their study sessions. "I have to admit, I'm impressed. And curious. That jump from your usual scores to... this... it's quite remarkable."

Before Ian could respond, a cold voice cut through the classroom chatter.

"Arrayan Dirandra. My office. Now."

Pak Iwan stood in the doorway, his expression carved from stone. The classroom fell silent as every student turned to watch. Ian felt their eyes on him as he gathered his books, each step toward the door feeling like a march to execution.

Aulya caught his arm as he passed. "Whatever this is about, you earned that score," she whispered. "Don't let him make you think otherwise."

Ian nodded, grateful for her support but knowing it wouldn't matter. As he followed his uncle down the hallway, he could already feel the trap closing around him.

Pak Iwan's office was a shrine to academic achievement and military precision. Certificates and awards covered the walls, each one perfectly aligned. The desk was spotless except for a single folder, Ian's exam paper.

"Sit." Iwan didn't look up from the paper as he spoke. "Explain to me how a consistently second-place student suddenly achieves perfection."

Ian settled into the chair across from the desk, forcing himself to remain calm. "I studied hard. I've been working with Aulya, and—"

"Aulya." Iwan's voice dripped with disdain. "Of course you'd hide behind the school's star student. Tell me, nephew, what exactly did these 'study sessions' involve?"

"We studied the material. That's all." Ian kept his voice level, even as anger began to simmer in his chest. "We went through the textbook, worked practice problems, helped each other understand concepts we found difficult."

Iwan finally looked up, his eyes narrowing. "You expect me to believe that a few extra study sessions transformed you from consistently second place to absolute perfection? Yes, you've improved these past months, but this?" He tapped the paper. "This is impossible. Perfect scores don't just happen."

"Maybe you don't know me as well as you think you do."

The words hung in the air between them, and Ian immediately regretted his tone. Iwan's face darkened, his hands clenching into fists on the desk.

"Don't you dare lecture me about knowing you. I've watched you these past months, seen your steady improvement, your competition with Aulya. But this leap from second place to perfection? This isn't natural progression, this is cheating."

Ian bit back his first response, then his second. In his previous life, he would have exploded here, screaming about unfairness and family grudges. But now, with the perspective of his adult years, he could see the deeper currents. This wasn't just about an exam score. This was about decades of family resentment, about Iwan's need to prove that Ian was destined to fail.

"I understand why you'd be skeptical," Ian said finally. "Going from second to first with a perfect score does seem like a big jump. But I've been working harder than ever, and sometimes everything just clicks."

"Change." Iwan laughed bitterly. "You want to talk about change? Let me tell you what changed. You got desperate. You realized you couldn't coast anymore, so you found a way to cheat. Maybe you convinced sweet little Aulya to help you. Maybe you stole the answer key from my desk. But you did not earn this score through honest work."

"I did earn it." The calm was starting to crack in Ian's voice. "Every point on that exam came from hours of study, from understanding the material, from—"

"From manipulating that girl." Iwan leaned forward, his voice turning venomous. "That's what this is really about, isn't it? You couldn't succeed on your own, so you used her. You made her think she was helping a friend, when really you were just using her knowledge to cheat."

Something snapped inside Ian. The suggestion that he had used Aulya, that he had betrayed her trust, ignited a fury he hadn't felt since his adult years. In his previous life, he might have been hurt by the accusation against himself. But now, the attack on Aulya in either of his lives to truly believe in him was unforgivable.

"Don't you dare." Ian's voice was low, dangerous. "Don't you dare suggest that Aulya did anything wrong. She's the most honest person in this school, and if you think she would help someone cheat, then you don't deserve to teach here."

Iwan's eyes widened slightly at the vehemence in Ian's voice, but then his expression hardened further. "There it is. The real Arrayan Dirandra. Angry, defensive, making threats. You've just proven my point."

"I haven't proven anything except that I won't let you drag an innocent person into your vendetta against me."

"Vendetta?" Iwan stood up slowly, his tall frame casting a shadow across the desk. "This isn't a vendetta, nephew. This is justice. This is making sure that cheaters don't prosper, that honest students like Aulya aren't overshadowed by frauds."

"I didn't cheat."

"Prove it."

The challenge hung between them like a gauntlet thrown down. Ian stared at his uncle, seeing not just a teacher but a man consumed by bitterness, by the need to be right about Ian's character.

"How exactly am I supposed to prove a negative?" Ian asked. "How do I prove I didn't do something I didn't do?"

"That's your problem to solve." Iwan sat back down, his expression coldly satisfied. "Because I'm going to investigate every aspect of how you prepared for this exam. I'm going to question Aulya about these study sessions. I'm going to examine every piece of evidence until I find the proof I need."

Ian felt his stomach drop. "You're going to interrogate Aulya? She has nothing to do with this."

"She has everything to do with this. She's either your accomplice or your victim. Either way, she's involved." Iwan picked up Ian's exam paper, studying it with the intensity of a detective examining evidence. "I will prove it, Ian. I will show everyone, your classmates, your teachers, your mother, what you truly are. A cheat and a fraud who couldn't accept his own mediocrity."

The threat wasn't just about the exam anymore. Ian could see the full scope of his uncle's intention. This was about destroying not just his academic standing but his entire second chance. Everything he'd worked for, every improvement he'd made, would be tainted by the accusation of cheating.

"You're wrong," Ian said quietly. "About all of it."

"We'll see." Iwan's smile was sharp and cold. "You're dismissed. But don't think this is over. It's just beginning."

Ian stood up on shaking legs, his mind racing. As he reached for the door handle, Iwan's voice stopped him.

"Oh, and Ian? I'd be very careful about involving Aulya in any more of your schemes. It would be a shame if a promising student's reputation were damaged by association with the wrong sort of person."

The threat was crystal clear. Ian nodded stiffly and left the office, his uncle's words echoing in his mind.

The hallway felt endless as Ian walked toward the exit, his footsteps echoing off the walls. Students had already gone home, leaving the school eerily quiet. His perfect exam score felt like a weight in his backpack, no longer a triumph but a target painted on his back.

He replayed the confrontation in his mind, analyzing every word, every inflection. Iwan wasn't just suspicious, he was determined. The man wouldn't stop until he found something, anything, to support his accusation. And if he couldn't find real evidence, Ian had no doubt he would manufacture it.

The worst part was Aulya. She would be dragged into this mess, questioned about their study sessions, forced to defend not just Ian but herself. The friendship they'd built, the trust they'd developed, would be scrutinized and dissected. Even if she emerged unscathed, the experience would change her view of their relationship.

Ian pushed through the school's front doors into the late afternoon sunlight. The world outside seemed obliviously normal, students heading home, parents picking up younger children, the everyday rhythm of life continuing while his own world crumbled.

He had to warn Aulya. That much was clear. She deserved to know what was coming, deserved the chance to prepare herself for Iwan's investigation. But how could he explain without revealing too much? How could he protect her without exposing the full truth about his situation?

Lost in thought, Ian almost missed the familiar car parked across the street from Aulya's house. His blood turned to ice as he recognized the dark blue sedan, Pak Iwan's car.

Ian ducked behind a bus stop, his heart pounding. Through the car's rear window, he could see his uncle's silhouette, motionless, watching. Waiting.

The investigation had already begun.

Ian pulled out his phone, his fingers trembling as he scrolled to Aulya's number. Whatever happened next, she needed to know. The war between him and his uncle was about to engulf the one person who had believed in his ability to change.

As he started to type a warning message, Ian realized the full scope of what he was facing. This wasn't just about proving his innocence, it was about protecting the friendship that had become the foundation of his new life. And he would do whatever it took to keep Aulya safe from the storm that was coming.