Whelve : The Art Of Burying | Mingyu

chapter 9

Playlist

—Heart to Heart by Mac DeMarco
—Good Looking by Suki Waterhouse
—when the party's over by Billie Eilish
—Listen before I go by Billie Eilish

31.03.24

"Attention, we are currently accepting blood donations from anyone interested," the nurse announced over the hospital speaker system.

"Guess I'll have to go," Mingyu said to Dino.

"No, sit," Aera told him firmly, and Mingyu paused, reconsidering.

"I can ask the nurse to take your blood from here," Aera suggested to Mingyu. "Dino's meeting time is going to be over for the day anyway."

Mingyu glanced at Dino, who seemed quieter than usual. He tried not to dwell on it too much, but it was bothering him. Dino hadn't completely shut down; he still engaged in nonsensical chatter and got annoyed by Mingyu's nagging, but it just wasn't the same.

Maybe he had been tired, is what Mingyu thought, "Are you exploiting your powers, Doctor Lee?" Mingyu teased with a grin.

Aera rolled her eyes before responding with a playful smirk. "A little favouritism never hurt anyone."

"Corruption is only bad when it's not for you."

Aera waved off his comment, "It's not even that big of a deal, shut up and enjoy your time with Dino"

As Aera left to arrange for Mingyu's blood donation, Dino remained seated by the window, his gaze fixed on something outside, his mind seemingly elsewhere. Mingyu noticed the half-empty jar of cookies on Dino's bed. "You didn't finish them?" he asked, trying to draw Dino's attention away from whatever was troubling him.

"You are so weird, If I had eaten them, you'd be lecturing me about my health," remarked Dino.

"You seem off, that's why I'm concerned," Mingyu observed.

Dino shrugged, still fixated on the window. "Feel free to eat them if you want."

"No, they're yours," Mingyu insisted.

Aera entered with a nurse who carried a blood collection kit. "Sir, are you feeling well?" she asked, her tone professional.

Mingyu nodded. "Yes, perfectly fine."

"Please lie down," the nurse instructed.

"Would the sofa be suitable?" Mingyu inquired, complying with her request.

The nurse nodded, and Mingyu positioned himself on the sofa, rolling up his sleeve. "Sir what's your type?" she inquired.

"Lee Aera," Mingyu replied.

"Huh?" The nurse and Aera both reacted in surprise, while Dino was ...dino.

"Sir, your blood type?" the nurse reiterated.

"Oh, that," Mingyu said casually, "B positive."

The nurse couldn't help but chuckle at Mingyu's reaction, as she glanced at Aera.

Dino couldn't believe what he heard. "I thought this lame-ass pick-up was out of trend a decade ago?" he said, glancing at Aera, who was blushing as she bit her lip. "Guess it still works," he mumbled to himself.

As the realization dawned on Dino, he couldn't help but think, "Oh, fuck." How could he have missed such a big clue? Mingyu liked Aera, and probably vice versa, The lingering glances, the visible tension between them, even the occasional flare-up of anger—it all clicked into place. Mingyu's sudden disinterest in other girls, and his unwavering dedication over the years—all pointed to one thing: his brother had been harbouring feelings for Lee Aera all this time and he had no clue because of the big fool he was.