"Oh, man! As expected, after a week full of tension, taking a walk in such a beautiful city is definitely the best thing to do!"
It was the day after the closing ceremony was over, and Bagas still remembered their complaint a few days ago about them not having had any chance to explore the city, so now he granted them all to stroll around on such a beautiful day.
Of course, that didn't mean he would let them go aimlessly. Most of them were not that proficient in the English language, let alone the German that people here often use. If they got lost, it would be a big trouble for the group, and honestly, that was the last thing a vacation group would want to happen.
So, the boy made a list of places they could visit beforehand, and the group just complied obediently, not having the courage to make a fuss about it.
"Listen, guys, I don't care whether you have lived in this place for a thousand years or this is your ancestor's birthplace, but you will not leave the group alone! Remember, we are not in our own country, so mind your manners and don't try anything stupid!"
He said the last part while glaring at the youngsters, believing that they were the most volatile group among them all.
Fortunately, he really picked a nice place to be.
The first thing they did in the morning was to go to the place called Parc Zoologique Bienne. Just as the name hinted, it was basically a normal zoo, but for the city boys and girls like them, watching so many animals gathered in one place like this was definitely a wonder of its own.
"Look! The owl is so cute! It hoots at me!"
"Hey, can we buy some food for the deer?"
"Snake! I want to see the biggest snake here! I don't care about anything else!"
They spent the entire morning hanging out with the cute animals in the zoo, and once it was noon, the group went to Lake Biel, a body of water a few kilometers southwest of the city.
It was a nice place, where so many groups and families decided to enjoy their summer. Some people are just strolling around while letting their dogs take a walk, while others are just sitting there and enjoying the sunny weather outside. Of course, most of the people here were like their group, spreading a quite large mat before taking out the food from their bags, going for a small picnic near the lake.
This was definitely the highlight of the day. In Jakarta, it was hard to find a place so close to nature that they could use as a picnic spot. Here, the lake was clean, the air was clear, and the scene was mesmerizing. Everything that they expected from a picnic spot was there, and they didn't have any room to complain.
They all enjoyed every single moment of it, with none of them talking about the tournament yesterday or any of the stuff chess-related. This was their chance to unwind, and no matter how much they loved the sport, they also needed a day when they didn't have to think about it.
After their lovely lunch, the sun started to go down, and while it was still above the horizon, it was clear that the weather also started to cool down here. That was when Bagas guided them to their last destination, the Altstadt Biel.
This was the old town area, where the old buildings were protected and preserved by the state for a long time. This was also the place where the 'European vibes' that any Asians people would expect when they were here. It also helped that they were in some sort of local festival here, making the atmosphere quite lively.
From the festive nightlife where chatters and music mixed together, this was definitely the best way to end the day. Not only that, but the open market here also provided so many souvenirs for them to bring back home. The price was way too high, but hey, they've got money now!
In the end, after spending the whole day exploring this beautiful city, they finally started their journey back home. Right now, they were still in the middle of the last train of the day to go to Zurich, and later, their plane would board at around 3 in the morning.
As the train moved slowly, most of them who had already burned their energy today also fell asleep one by one, leaving some who were light sleepers like Anna, Sheva, and Dita Karenza to stay awake here.
Not wanting the atmosphere to be awkward, they finally started a conversation here.
"So… What are you guys planning after this?" Dita Karenza asked. It was clear that the question was aimed at Sheva, especially since Anna herself also looked at him curiously.
"Me personally?" Sheva pondered in a whisper, not wanting to wake up anyone else here. "Probably some games in rapid and blitz formats. Other than that, I will try my best to prepare for the World Cup. You also have to do that, Sister Dita. You sacrificed so much of a rating in this tournament just to prepare for that event, right?" He asked the oldest person in the group.
"Yeah, but don't worry. I cannot say that I am ready, but at least, my preparation is already up to 70 percent." Dita Karenza nodded confidently. "I cannot say how far I would go, but I put my eyes on the third round of the tournament."
Sheva nodded silently, knowing that this was the most realistic target here. Even if it was a low bar considering the tournament consisted of eight rounds, Dita Karenza herself was just a low-rated opponent in this competition, so this target was at least achievable.
"I am so envious here…" Anna looked at them with eyes full of envy. "If only I could go with you as well…"
For that, Sheva just rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. He would also love it if Anna could go together with him, but this was not some random tournament where they could just register themselves and play. The qualification was quite tight, and only the best and probably the luckiest ones could go and fight there.
However, Dita Karenza suddenly pondered about something here. After hesitating for a moment, she finally couldn't help but ask, "What if you can go play in this tournament as well?"
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