Mira sat quietly at the far end of the college library, her eyes drifting toward the chessboard where her best friend, Luke, sat deep in thought. His attractive face was framed by a light beard that he'd grown over the past year, giving him a rugged charm she couldn't help but find irresistible. His brow furrowed as his eyes locked on the chess pieces, completely absorbed in the game. At that moment, he looked so serious, yet there was something soft in his expression that made her heart flutter.They had been friends since high school, and over the years, their bond had only grown. She remembered the first time she saw him, back when they were younger and less complicated, sitting alone at a chessboard during lunch. She had been curious, and though she didn't know much about the game back then, Luke - with that confident smile and the beard he'd only recently started growing - had patiently taught her the basics. They had spent countless afternoons together since, but somewhere along the way, Mira's feelings for him had shifted into something deeper.It wasn't a whirlwind, movie-like love, but a quiet one. The kind that settled in gradually, like the warmth of the sun on a cool day. She loved the way his eyes would light up when he made a brilliant move or the way he absentmindedly stroked his beard when he was deep in thought. That beard. Every time he ran his fingers through it, Mira's heart skipped a beat. Of course, she'd never admit that to him - at least, not directly.One day, as they sat outside after a long chess match, she teased him like she always did. "You know, Luke, I think you've been spending so much time on chess that you forgot to shave. That beard's getting out of control."Luke chuckled, looking up from the board, running his hand through it. "What? You don't like it?""Oh, it's terrible," Mira joked, though her cheeks warmed at how attractive he actually looked with it. "I don't know if you're trying to be a chess grandmaster or a lumberjack."They both laughed, but inside, Mira knew that it was that very beard, combined with his quiet focus, that made him even more charming to her. It was silly, but in moments like these, she felt closer to him - just two friends sharing a joke, even if her heart was full of feelings she couldn't quite express.But she never told him how she truly felt. How could she? Luke, now fully immersed in college life, was completely dedicated to chess, constantly preparing for tournaments and perfecting his strategies. He didn't seem to have time for anything else, and she was sure that love wasn't something on his radar.So, she kept her feelings to herself. Every day, she'd sit with him, watching him play, pretending to study or read. Her gaze would inevitably drift back to him - the way he'd lean forward, his hand hovering over the board, or how his beard framed that thoughtful expression she adored. Sometimes, their hands would brush when they reached for the same piece, and her heart would race, though Luke never seemed to notice.One rainy afternoon, as they sat by the window with the soft patter of raindrops filling the silence, Mira decided to ask him something that had been on her mind for months. "Do you ever feel like? there's more to life than chess?"Luke paused, his hand still over the bishop, and glanced at her. For a moment, she thought she saw something shift in his eyes, something that made her think he might understand what she was really asking. But then, he smiled that familiar smile and ran a hand through his beard, sending her heart into another flurry of unspoken emotions."I mean, maybe," he said. "But chess is my life, you know? There's always another game, another strategy to figure out. It's what I've been working toward for as long as I can remember."Mira smiled back, though inside, she felt the sting of unspoken words. She realized then that chess had Luke's heart in ways she never could. And maybe, at this stage in their lives, that was just how things had to be - for now. She didn't need him to love her back, not in the way she loved him. She was content to sit by his side, quietly cheering him on as he chased his dreams. So, she stayed, watching him make his moves, even as her own heart remained quietly in checkmate.