The Morning Everything Changed
The morning of the Reaping always smelled like smoke.
Bang Chan had learned that years ago.
No matter how hard the people of District 12 tried to make the day feel ordinary, the coal dust seemed heavier, the streets quieter, and the sky darker.
It was as if even the sun understood what was about to happen.
Chan stood outside the small house he shared with his family, staring toward the distant fences surrounding the district.
He was eighteen.
Old enough to understand exactly what the Reaping meant.
Old enough to know that people didn’t always come home.
“Chan?”
He turned.
Y/N stood behind him.
She was wearing the simple dress she had been required to wear for the Reaping. Her fingers were nervously intertwined in front of her.
She looked terrified.
Chan forced himself to smile.
“You okay?”
Y/N shook her head.
“No.”
He almost laughed.
“At least you’re honest.”
“So are you.”
Chan’s smile disappeared.
Y/N knew him too well.
She always had.
She stepped closer.
“You’re scared.”
“Of course I’m scared.”
“You don’t look scared.”
“That’s because I’m really good at pretending.”
She looked at him sadly.
“Don’t pretend with me.”
Those words hit harder than they should have.
Chan looked away.
Behind them, footsteps sounded.
Lee Know appeared first, followed by Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N.
They had come together.
They always did.
The eight of them had grown up together, surviving District 12 one day at a time.
Lee Know shoved his hands into his pockets.
“Time to go.”
Nobody moved.
Finally, Chan nodded.
“Yeah.”
Y/N swallowed.
“Let’s go.”
The square was packed.
Thousands of children stood in neat rows.
Families watched from behind barricades.
A giant screen displayed the Capitol’s symbol.
Above them, cameras moved slowly through the crowd.
Chan hated the cameras.
He hated the Capitol.
But most of all, he hated the silence.
It was the kind of silence that only existed when everyone was afraid.
The escort stepped onto the stage.
For this year’s Games, the Capitol had sent Jennie Kim, a glamorous celebrity whose smile never seemed to reach her eyes.
“Happy Hunger Games!”
The crowd remained silent.
Jennie looked uncomfortable for half a second.
Then the smile returned.
“And may the odds be ever in your favor.”
Chan’s stomach twisted.
He knew what came next.
The name.
The tribute.
The sacrifice.
Jennie approached the first glass ball.
“Let’s begin with the girls.”
She reached inside.
Chan held his breath.
Y/N’s hand suddenly grabbed his.
He squeezed it.
Jennie unfolded the paper.
Her eyes moved across the name.
Then she smiled.
“Y/N.”
Everything stopped.
Chan couldn’t breathe.
Y/N released his hand.
“No.”
Chan stared at her.
“Y/N...”
She walked forward.
Her face was pale.
The crowd seemed impossibly far away.
Then Jennie turned toward the second bowl.
“And now, the boys.”
Chan already knew.
Somehow, he knew.
Jennie’s hand entered the bowl.
She pulled out one slip.
And opened it.
Her smile vanished.
“Changbin.”
The world went silent.
Felix covered his mouth.
Han whispered his name.
Changbin took a step forward.
“Chan...”
But Chan barely heard them.
His eyes remained fixed on Y/N.
She was standing on the stage.
Looking directly at him.
Tears were already running down her face.
Chan took one final breath.
Then he stepped forward.
“I volunteer.”
The entire square erupted.
Y/N stared at him in horror.
“Chan, no!”
He kept walking.
Every step felt like walking toward his own grave.
But he didn’t stop.
Because if there was one thing Chan knew
he would rather die protecting Y/N than watch her die alone.
