Hospitals.
Some lives start here. Some lives end here.
I don't feel anything bad about this place.
It's just a normal building to me.
I don't hate being here, but I don't like it either.
Honestly, I don't like anywhere except my home.
"The people in line are a huge crowd," my cousin grumbles.
Other than looking tired, he doesn't complain about following me around.
I know he really doesn't want to be here. He hates hospitals.
To ease his boredom, I try to change the topic.
"Wait—I want my name to rhyme with my blood."
Yeah, that's a thing. You need to know your blood type to apply for your ID.
Your blood type becomes your first name.
I continue, "Copper Mingala or Iron Mingala doesn't sound right. I want something like Diamond Mingala. 'Diamin' for short. Hehe."
Yama's gaze fixes on me. His brows furrow as he says, "You know it's impossible for someone to have Diamond blood, right? Don't get your hopes up. I just don't want you to be depressed when you find out your type.
You're still you—no matter what it is."
"Easy for you to say, Mr. Iron Yama," I complain.
Yep, my cousin has Iron blood.
My aunt loves to yap about her son's great potential—how he could become a noble knight if he really tried.
But she always misses one tiny detail: if he tried.
The atmosphere lightens up a bit—but my joy doesn't last long.
"...Is that him? How?" I whisper to myself.
"Who?" Yama asks. I think he heard me.
"No one. Just… an old classmate from middle school. I heard he was abroad."
I'm pretty sure I said that in a normal tone—yet Yama's response proves otherwise.
"So, how does it feel to reunite with your little crush? You should go say hi."
"I did not have a crush on him!" I almost shout.
Maybe I look like a blushing teenage girl who just hit puberty, but I'm telling the truth—I did not have a crush on him.
"But you remember him, right? Miss. 'Ignoring People'?"
He's right about that.
In my defense, I don't ignore people. I just don't possess the ability to waste time on boring things.
"It's just… because he's smart, that's all."
I know I said I didn't have a crush on him. It was just admiration.
He wasn't the top 1% in class, or some math genius, or someone who knew everything.
He was… unique.
His thinking patterns were just so strategic. Like a puzzle.
A call snaps me out of my daydream.
"NO579!"
"HERE!" I shout, nodding at Yama.
I can feel the anxiety fading. It is what it is.
I'm ready to accept whatever comes.
Until I hear Yama's lovely words of encouragement—
"You got this, little coal mine."
God, I wish he'd disappear.
I glare at him and walk into the testing room.
"Please take off your glasses," the nurse says.
Whatever you say, beauty…
Wait—why would I need to take off my glasses for a blood test?
Before I can say anything, a needle pierces my upper cheek.
What the hell??
Why are they taking my blood from my freaking face!?
"Please wait," the nurse says—and just leaves.
So here I am.
Sitting. Rubbing my face.
Waiting like a confused little hatchling bird.