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5 - Butterflies

[3 years ago...]

"You were like a butterfly, my love."

It's now the day. Jihyun Kim's 23rd (24th in his culture) birthday.

Though it is also her birthday. Her 23rd birthday.

"Happy birthday, V!" All his five friends, and his girlfriend, said in unison, all cheerful. His girlfriend held a beautifully baked chocolate and coffee-flavoured cake, iced with dark chocolate, topped off with many dollops of whipped cream. The candle resembled a mini wax figure of a baby cactus, alongside a tiny somehow edible camera figurine next to the melting cactus.

V, or originally Jihyun Kim, had never felt so... blissful. Tears soundlessly streamed down his pale complexion.

He seemed to have forgotten about his past... or not.

But now, an endless flow of tears rolled dramatically, yet V tried to hold them back. But he clearly couldn't.

When everyone noticed his nonstop river of emotion, his best friend, Jumin Han, came forward, embracing the turquoise-haired wreck in a gentle, warm hug. Jumin whispered almost inaudibly, "What's wrong, Jihyun?"

"It's her birthday today as well," Jumin knew instantly on who the female he was referring to — after all, the three of them are of the same age.

Jumin's eyes softened at his best friend's words, and for a split second the memories flashed in his mind. He looked down to regain his composure before back to V and his friends.

"V here would like to dedicate this birthday to someone else," Jumin says, smiling warmly at everyone, his eyes soft. V's tears came to a halt and he wiped them quickly, everyone curiously looking at the oldest men. After a minute of silence, V stepped forward, trembling but daring to speak anyway.

"This girl's birthday is also today, and she's the same age as Jumin and I," V began, and the atmosphere felt warm and icy at the same time. He scanned the bright room, and his gaze dropped to a certain glow in the corner of the room.

V blinked his eyes, his gaze not averting from a certain spot at the gift table. Something really was glowing!

It was the faintest of white, but slowly, and slowly, more colours were growing on the glow. When it was a full image, V couldn't believe it. His eyes widened. Jumin and everyone else looked at where V was staring, but she wasn't seen by anyone else. Only V, Jihyun Kim, saw her.

Eventually, he knew he had to continue. V cleared his throat, and just like that, he was in a trance. His inner soul took over.

"This girl, I had known before Rika. Although Rika is now my girlfriend, I'd like to say... she was- IS, my first love. When Jumin was away, she came over. When I was sick, she helped Jumin aid me. When I felt so outshadowed, she was the one there for me. Because she knew what it was like to be outshadowed. An outcast.

"But she knew she didn't have long. Only she knew. She never told me or Jumin, because she didn't want to hurt anyone. She felt it was her mission to make everyone happy, even if it meant carrying to burden of your secured future that you feared.

"She was a very brave, strong, lovely, happy girl. She may be gone from this world physically, but forever will she be in my heart and soul."

The ghost of the girl smiled- no, beamed proudly.

"He's grown so much. Thank you for everything, Jihyun." She whispers to herself, before she fades away from Jihyun's sight.