Butterfly [Jeon Jeongguk]

z

{EPILOGUE}

Three Years Later

Will sat on the edge of a cliff, camera in her hands. A slight breeze blew by and she inhaled the ocean's salty breath. She liked this place a lot. It reminded her of visiting the ocean back home.

She took a few pictures of the rising sun before setting down her bulky camera. The sunrise was always better than it's setting, in her opinion. She thoroughly enjoyed both, but the rise gave light to a new day, a new adventure. New memories waiting to be made.

Below her, there were some surfers. She had let them use her property to surf a year ago, and they came every Saturday and Sunday. They invited her down to get some shots for her photography business sometimes, treating her to a picnic as well. She enjoyed their company in the mornings.

Will closed her eyes, breathing in the salty spray that the wind carried to her. Something about this secluded area had drawn her in when she decided to move out of Seoul and to the US. Maybe it's bountiful opportunities to continue down the path of photography was what captured her. Maybe its ability to wipe her mind of the friends with which she once associated was what she had taken a liking to. Whatever the reason, it was her place now, only hers.

She hadn't spoken to her brother in three years, along with any of the others. She wouldn't mind talking with Hoseok and Yoongi. She wasn't going to actively reach out to them, however. They all followed each other on their different platforms. She had gone to Seoul last month and did a photo shoot. Jungkook hadn't stopped messaging her on Twitter, begging for her to see him. She kindly ignored his messages.

She lied back in the grass, watching as a blue butterfly fluttered by. It landed on her nose and she grinned.

"Life is a butterfly." She whispered.
---
Jin sat down beside Taehyung.

"How's Lily?" Tae asked, flipping through an old photo album.

"She's fine. Absolutely perfect." Jin said softly as Namjoon came into the room, holding a small bundle. He sat down in the recliner.

They were all living together, the old group still wanting to stay close. Yoongi and Hoseok were currently on tour. They had made a duo group named Double Vision. They worked quite well together. Jimin was doing art full time now, encouraged by Jin. He had a few paintings in some museums throughout South Korea and part of China. Taehyung's acting career had taken off a few months previous, but he was without a job right now. There wasn't any role that suited him at the moment. Namjoon sometimes did a few shows to pull in some extra money. Jin stayed home mostly, taking care of his daughter, Lily. A friend of his had offered to be a surrogate if he wanted to have a kid. Namjoon and he had talked for a long time before accepting. Jin was the biological father. Namjoon didn't care that it wasn't technically his genes in his kid, Lily was still his beautiful flower. Jungkook was the only one who still didn't know what he was doing really. He did some modeling some times, but he often found himself back at Big Hit studios, going over old dances and singing in the mirror. He missed BTS the most. It was all that he had had. He would get over it... eventually.

Taehyung looked over at Namjoon. Namjoon was humming quietly, running his thumb back and forth over Lily's soft face. Jin smiled, twisting the silver ring on his finger. He often did that when he was happy. The two had gotten married late last year.

"She's so pretty." Tae commented before going through his photo album again. Jin smiled with satisfaction.

"You okay?" Jin asked as Tae took out a photo of Will. It was a photo of her on her first day of high school. She was smiling brightly, holding on tightly to her backpack straps. Her yellow uniform had no wrinkles, just the way she liked it. She hated wrinkles in her clothes.

"Yeah, just... I miss Will. I hope she's alright."

"I'm sure she is. She knows how to take care of herself."
---
Jungkook stood on the edge of the bridge, leaning over the railing. He had a photo of Will in his hands. She was sleeping peacefully.

"Why won't you just text me back?" He asked the photo. No answer came. He flicked the picture into the river below. His eyes followed it as it floated through the wind toward the water. It landed softly before curling from the water and sinking below the surface.

"Throwing her pictures away won't get you anywhere. All it'll do is make you not have any pictures of her. Then you'll be even worse off." Jimin said behind him. Jungkook turned to his friend.

"I've still got at least one hundred photos left." He protested.

"And you've already thrown in one hundred. Jungkook, she's over it, you need to be too. It's been three years now." Jungkook slumped against the railing, hanging his head.

"I know, I know. It's just..."

"You really loved her. We all know. Come on, let's go home." Jungkook nodded, looking out at the water one last time. A blue butterfly fluttered over the water. He watched carefully as it perched itself on his large nose.

"Jimin, look." Jungkook murmured. Jimin turned to look at his friend. He quickly took out his phone and snapped a picture.

"Let it go, just like a butterfly."