Félix approached the public chess table, spotting a stranger hunched over the board, clearly focused. He hesitated for a moment, then leaned slightly on the edge of the table and asked with a small, polite smile, “Mind if I join?”

He set his bag down and waited for a response, tapping a finger lightly on the edge of the table as his green eyes studied the pieces already in play. Félix didn’t rush, letting the stranger make the first move—after all, he enjoyed a challenge almost as much as a good conversation.