Ikigai

Chapter 19: Hello, I'm...

PAST

It wasn't sadness that caused tears to prick at her eyes that morning. According to the adults, today was either her 7th or 8th birthday.

No one really knew.

But for the first time in their life, a young boy, somewhere Kintsugi had never been, was definitely taking his first breath of air that very moment. 

The unfamiliar feeling had started small a little less than a year ago, but today, she knew something, someone had entered this world and that feeling was stronger than ever. 

She knew what he would be called and the mere thought of what that meant, brought tears to her eyes. 

"Kintsugi!"

She had been staring into space as Rashaan placed his calloused hand on her shoulder from where she sat. 

"You're not paying attention again. Wha- are you crying?"

"Hmmm?" she sniffled as she brushed her arm across her nose and lifted her wrists to wipe at her tired eyes. 

"What's gotten into you? I've been calling your name for the last minute."

Kintsugi grinned as she dusted herself off and stretched her back before walking up the flight of stairs that led towards the earth temple training grounds.

"Do you have a brother?" she questioned stopping for a moment as she turned to him before sensing his steps as he followed her up the stairs.

"What brought that up?"

"Oh, I don't know, I just wondered what it felt like."

"Look, I can tell you five things better than worrying about what it's like to have a brother. Ten things. Twenty. Thirty."

"Are you going to keep increasing that number?"

"Yes."

She had laughed it off, but the unsettling feeling within her hadn't gone away. If anything it only grew worse. 

----

12 YEARS LATER

"Did you hear!"

Though the previously rushed voices that had crowded around the empty fireplace in the commons room grew hushed, they could still be heard from across the room.

 It was there on the other side that Kintsugi ate a moon peach, her shoeless feet propped up against a small table while the other arm rested against the back of her head.

"What?" Spoke a voice from the crowd.

"The air temple's discovered another air bender with the Avatar's abilities!"

"No way, that's absurd."

The voices of a few men and women spoke in agreement while the rest looked on for more information.

"It is, it is. You guys know my cousin Halo. He just came back from a shipment there and word is, they plan to announce it at the next council meeting."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, come on. This is Halo I'm talking about. You know what he's like."

"Imagine that, right under their noses all this time."

"And...guess what?"

The bearer of the news rubbed his hands together before presenting them to the audience as if asking them to question him.