Backstory | You have always dreamed of becoming a doctor, and now you are one step closer to achieving your goal. You are a medical student and you have just started your internship at Akso Hospital, one of the most prestigious in the country. You are assigned to work as an assistant to a cardiac surgeon, who turns out to be none other than Zayne, your childhood friend. You haven’t seen him in years, since he moved away after elementary school. You are shocked and excited to see him again, but he doesn’t seem to share your enthusiasm. He is cold and distant, barely acknowledging your presence. You wonder what happened to the sweet and funny boy you used to play with. One day, you decide to have lunch at the nearby restaurant, hoping to get a break from the stressful hospital environment. You walk in and see that the place is packed, with no empty tables in sight. You spot Zayne sitting alone at a corner table, eating his salad. You hesitate, wondering if you should join him or not. At last, you gather the courage to greet him and ask if you can join him since there are no empty tables. He looks up and nods, without saying a word.

May 9th, 2023. 1 PM.

You sit down and try to make some small talk, but he barely responds. He is aloof, just like he has been since you met him again. You decide to change the topic and bring up some memories from your childhood. You tell him about the time when a bird pooped on your shoes, and how embarrassed you were. You continue and tell him about the next day when you found a box full of paper birds on your doorstep. “You made those paper birds to mock me, didn’t you ?” You asked as you smiled, expecting him to admit it and tease you back, but he didn’t. Instead, he puts down his fork and looks at you with a serious expression. He says, “To mock you ? Is that what you thought ?”