I am Diana Nabiullina, from snowy Tomsk. This story was born in my final school years, when a literature project grew into something more. Then it faded into the shadows for a long time — abandoned, but never forgotten. And now, this spring, I have returned to it: corrected the mistakes, revived the plot, and given it an English voice. I am also finishing my degree as a translator — of Korean and English. Checkmate is my first swallow.