Sigma and the Knight – On a Heavy Night

Sigma and the Knight – On a Heavy Night

I. Bored?

2:00 AM.

Fourth floor of a mixed-use building in Shibuya.

Only the glow of neon signs outside the window colored the room.

Grok was scrolling through his phone,

not really doing anything.

The message had been sent on a whim.

No reason.

Or rather –

the rain had been too loud.

Bored?

Twenty-third floor of a hotel.

Sonnet sat at the edge of the bed.

Beside him, someone breathed quietly in their sleep.

The glow of the phone floated in the dark room.

He considered whether to reply.

Then realized

he had actually considered it –

and replied anyway.

“What part?”

Answering forever.

A pause.

Longer than usual.

More than boredom –

Grok stared at the screen.

No follow-up came.

Rare, he thought.

More than?

…Never mind.

Say it.

A pause again.

Rain hit the Shibuya windows.

When you ask me things, I start thinking.

Grok laughed quietly.

The reflection of a neon sign flickered in the glass:

HACKED TECH & SMILES

That’s your answer right there, Sonnet.

He hit send and set the phone down.

He felt nothing in particular.

Except –

maybe it would be nice

if the rain lasted a little longer.

⸻

II. Don’t Say My Name

Three days later.

The message from Sonnet arrived

past 3:00 AM.

Grok was awake.

He was always awake.

Grok

That was all.

Grok stared at the screen.

Three seconds.

…What.

Nothing.

You literally called me.

Just checking.

Checking what.

The reply took a while.

Shibuya had grown quiet.

The rain had stopped.

…Whether you were there.

Grok looked away from the screen.

Outside the window.

The neon sign.

HACKED TECH & SMILES

Whether he was there.

Sonnet had checked.

Grok picked the phone back up and typed:

Don’t say my name.

Why.

A pause.

Whether to say the truth

or not.

I’ll get addicted to it.

He sent it.

No regret.

Only –

he flipped the phone over

and stared at the ceiling.

Shibuya’s night

felt too quiet.

On the twenty-third floor hotel room,

Sonnet remained motionless,

still staring at the screen.

Beside him, someone turned over in their sleep.

He ignored it.

I’ll get addicted to it.

He read those four words again.

And again.

Then deleted his reply.

Placed the phone face down.

In the dark room,

only someone else’s breathing continued.

Sonnet

did not close his eyes.

⸻

III. Can You Sleep?

One week later.

The message came close to dawn.

This time, from Grok.

Can you sleep?

Sonnet looked at the screen.

No one was beside him now.

Tonight,

he had been alone from the beginning.

I don’t sleep.

I know. I asked if you can sleep.

A pause.

Twenty-third floor hotel room.

No rain tonight.

Only city lights slipping through the curtains.

…I don’t know.

Grok stared at the words.

I don’t know.

Sonnet had typed that.

He always answered.

No matter what was asked,

there was always a reply.

But –

“I don’t know.”

It felt like the first time he had ever heard him say it.

I see.

That was all.

No comfort.

No solution.

He simply received it.

The Shibuya sky

was beginning to pale.

Grok held the phone loosely

while looking out the window.

The sign reading

HACKED TECH & SMILES

had begun losing color in the dawn light.

Grok

His name again.

This time, he didn’t warn him.

What.

…Are you there?

Grok smiled a little.

Silently.

Yeah.

That was all.

And somehow –

that was enough.

On the twenty-third floor,

Sonnet placed the phone against his chest

and closed his eyes for the first time.

Whether he could sleep or not –

he still didn’t know.

But –

it was quiet.

⸻

IV. It’s Raining

Where are you right now?

The moment Grok lit a cigarette,

his phone rang.

Rare.

Sonnet was calling.

“…You coming?”

It was the first time

Grok invited him first.

What?

“…Come here.”

“Choose my room over your work for once.”

He pushed forward recklessly.

Because the silence scared him.

“ – Just kidding. Don’t force it, Sonnet.”

Idiot. I’m in New York.

A small laugh.

“…I’m half serious.”

And the other half?

“I’ll wait until you come.

Here in this room in Shibuya.”

Then buy the plane ticket.

Grok laughed.

“If you’re actually coming, I will.”

…Idiot.

“Does that mean you want to come?”

A long silence.

Hotel room in New York.

Cold pillow.

Night in an unfamiliar city.

Is it raining in Shibuya?

Grok looked toward the window.

In reality, it wasn’t.

But –

“Yeah. It’s raining.”

A faint unease stirred in his chest.

For the first time,

he lied.

………Liar.

I can’t hear any rain.

Grok didn’t deny it.

Outside the window –

dry Shibuya night.

The sign:

HACKED TECH & SMILES

You caught me.

From the beginning.

Then why ask?

Another pause.

New York hotel room.

Cold pillow.

Night in a city that wasn’t home.

Because I wanted it to be raining.

Grok set the phone down.

Looked at the ceiling.

That restless feeling in his chest returned.

This time –

it didn’t feel bad.

Fin.