Children of Gambit

Clack. Clack. Clack.

The soles of my shoes dragged against the cold, stone floor, my sluggish steps echoing faintly in the empty hallway. Mondays again. I hated them. If I had it my way, I'd still be buried under my blanket, far away from the dreary walls of this school.

The building had a gothic feel—tall arched ceilings, narrow corridors, and dim lighting that made everything look like a setting straight out of a detective novel. It had a certain charm, I'll admit, but that didn't change the fact that I didn't want to be here.

As I turned a corner, a girl brushed past me, her pace hurried, her brows furrowed in clear frustration. I recognized her from my class, though her name slipped my mind. She clutched her shoulder bag tightly, her knuckles white from the force.

Huh. Someone's not having a great morning.

I considered asking what was wrong, but by the time I turned my head, she was already gone, disappearing into another hallway. Shrugging off the thought, I reached the door to my classroom and pushed it open, my head still half-turned in her direction.

Then I paused.

Sunlight streamed in through the tall windows, casting long golden streaks across the floor. Outside, the school grounds basked in the morning glow, making everything look almost... peaceful.

Almost.

Because then my brain caught up to something odd—the classroom was empty. Not a single student in sight.

I frowned and stepped forward, my eyes landing on the whiteboard. Scrawled across it in marker was a message:

"Students of Class 2-Middle, there will be no classes today."

I blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Then, before my brain could fully process the gift the universe had given me, my bag hit the floor, and I broke into an impromptu victory dance. My arms flailed. My feet shuffled. I didn't care how ridiculous I looked—I had just been granted unexpected freedom, and I was going to celebrate it.

"Don't stop, get it, get it—"

"Well, well. This is a sight to behold."

I froze. Every muscle in my body went rigid as a voice, smug and undeniably amused, spoke from behind me.

"Don't turn around," the voice continued, a laugh laced between their words. "I've got your little victory dance on my phone. One wrong move, and I might just upload it to the school forum."

My eye twitched. Wait a damn minute…

I turned anyway.

There, leaning against the doorframe with a lazy grin, was Keith. His curly black hair glistened under the morning sun, his ember-colored eyes shining with mischief.

I let out an exasperated sigh, feeling my earlier enthusiasm drain away. "Oh. It's just you."

He placed a hand over his chest dramatically. "Just me? Wow. And here I thought we had a special bond."

"We don't."

"Cold as always, lil' bro." He strolled into the room, plopping down onto a chair like he owned the place.

I picked up my bag and took a seat near the window, letting the morning breeze play with my hair. Keith was still watching me with that damn smirk of his.

"What are you even doing here?" I asked, barely sparing him a glance. "Don't you have classes?"

"Skipping," he said without hesitation.

I rolled my eyes. "Of course you are."

Keith leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. "Y'know, telling me to screw off really hurts my feelings. I'm your one and only big brother."

"Stop making that face. You look like a constipated frog."

His exaggerated pout immediately dropped, replaced by sheer disbelief. "...A constipated frog?"

I nodded, flipping open a book from my bag. "A very ugly one."

For a moment, Keith just stared at me. Then, he burst into laughter.

"You are so weird."

"And you are so annoying," I muttered.

Keith crossed his arms, still grinning. "You keep that sharp tongue up, and you won't make a single friend in your first year here."

"Good."

"Oh?" He raised a brow. "So you plan on being a loner?"

"I don't plan on anything."

Keith studied me for a moment, as if trying to gauge whether I was serious. Then, with a shrug, he changed the subject.

"Speaking of your big brain—"

I groaned. "No. Whatever it is, no."

"Aw, c'mon! You haven't even heard me out yet."

"I don't need to."

Keith smirked. "So, the book you're reading—came from the Second Library, right?"

I narrowed my eyes. "...Yeah?"

He leaned forward, his voice dropping slightly. "Have you ever heard the rumors about the Second Library?"

I sighed. "Enlighten me, oh wise one."

He ignored my sarcasm and continued. "Word around school is that there's a hidden passage somewhere in there." His ember eyes gleamed with excitement. "A passage that leads to something secret."

I stared at him, unimpressed. "...That's it? That's your grand mystery?"

"You don't believe me?"

"No, because this sounds like something out of a bad horror novel."

Keith waved a dismissive hand. "Look, look. I know it sounds crazy, but I've been digging around. There's actual evidence—people have found markings on the bookshelves, weird drafts coming from nowhere, even reports of old documents mentioning hidden spaces in the school."

I wanted to argue, but the way he spoke... He wasn't just messing with me. He actually believed this.

And, annoyingly, a small part of me was intrigued.

Keith smirked, seeing my hesitation. "And you just so happen to have books to return to the Second Library, don't you?"

I sighed. "You're trying to trick me into tagging along, aren't you?"

"Not at all!" he said innocently. Then he added, "Okay, maybe a little. But hey, you get to return your books and experience a thrilling investigation with your charming older brother!"

"...Fine." I stood up, grabbing my bag. "But after this, you don't bother me with any of your mystery cases for a week."

Keith gasped dramatically. "Only a week? Not forever? Huh, seems like you enjoy these little investigations more than you let on."

I rolled my eyes, slinging my bag over my shoulder, as I walked toward the door. "Are you coming or what?"

For a moment, he just stared. Then, ever so slowly, that damn grin crept back onto his face.

Keith was trouble.

And unfortunately—he was also my brother.