𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℝ𝕖𝕕 ℝ𝕠𝕤𝕖 {ʀᴀʏxᴍ!ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ}

2:Hidden beneath the surface

Y/N

This game of hide and seek, tree climbing, tag...

I saw Emma running pass me. 'She didn't see me, so that means it's unlikely for Norman to spot me right?'

We've been playing all of those games in the same forest since we were little.

"What do you want to do once you get to the outside?" A young girl named Emma asked.

The gate, cold metal bars blocking us, barricading us from whatever may be behind it.

"No clue, you?"

It's pretty much deserted and it was locked.

"I wanna ride a giraffe!" Emma exclaimed. "Pff... Good luck with that." Ray snickered.

A little h/c boy stared at the gate in front of him.

"What are they hiding us from?"

"Found you."

I yelped, feeling my heart jump as I saw Norman peeking into the trunk.

"He caught me..." I sulked as I laid near Ray. "Hmph, I'll definitely be the last one standing next time!" I mumbled, before realising that someone was missing.

'Who's the last one standing again...?'

An Orange-haired girl ran through the forest with a white-haired male running after her.

'Emma!'

"He caught me again!!!" Emma whined as she plopped on the grass.

Ray looked at the clock in his hand. "You managed to avoid capture for 10 minutes, that's a new record."

"How is Norman so good at this?!" I pouted. "Norman has never outrun me in a foot race yet I can't even win a game of tag!" Emma sighed.

"What does Norman have that you don't?" Ray asked.

Emma and I sat up. "Composure... plans ahead-"

"It's tactics."

"Tactics...?"

"Yeah, you may be physically better than him but he always uses his head so beating him isn't that straightforward. Furthermore, tag is a game that allows tactical approach to shine the brightest." Ray continued.

"How will the target move? How will it attack me? You need to analyse and observe the situation. See through and predict the enemies' plan and use all of it to form a better plan. Think of it as chess, where you use your body to maximise all the movements on the board."

I stared at him, mind blank. 'No wonder I don't get perfect scores...'

"Are we still talking about tag?" Emma questioned, chuckling awkwardly.

"The kind of game he's playing is chess at the very least...and you'd probably be wise enough to remember that."

"Isn't that what makes tag fun?" Norman chuckled. "See that's why he's good at it." Ray pointed out.

"I dare say Ray has a more strategic mind that me." Norman praised.

"See through the enemies eye huh..." I whispered, turning to lay on my back, staring up at the rustling leaves on the branches.

"Those 4 are really something else." Marnya said. "4 geniuses in their caliber, I heard it's the first in the long history of our house."

"That must make mama so happy. They're her pride and joy!" Nat replied. "They're crazy smart and agile at the same time. It's insane!"