Butterfly Effect

Chapter 1

Trickles of sweat formed in my forehead the moment I entered the bus. I was going to the countryside to visit my grandmother. During the ride, I was listening to this song entitled "Butterfly" by BTS, while reminiscing my magical experience in my grandmother's house, especially her butterfly garden. I don't know why but ever since I was a toddler, I feel magical whenever I set foot in the butterfly garden. One time when I was 8,there was a butterfly that came to land on my finger. That particular butterfly was one in a million... Its wings,they sparklers like ice when hit by sunlight during winter mornings. I was brought back to Earth when the bus abruptly stopped. When I looked out the window, I discovered that we already arrived.

The scent of spring welcomed me to the countryside.

It took me only 5 minutes to walk from the station to the house of my grandmother. When I arrived, my grandmother greeted me with her ever loving embrace. "Jungkook,my grandson, I missed you! How are you? Welcome!" My grandma welcomed. "Grandma,I missed too. I'm doing great," I responded. She opened the door wider for me to come inside.

I entered the house and nothing much changed. "Grandma, it is still the same like 6 years ago," I said. I know it has been a long time when I last been here but I can still remember what it looks like, like it was just yesterday. My grandmother just smiled at me while I was looking at my baby pictures hanged on the walls. I was to occupied reminiscing my past that I didn't realize that my grandmother was calling me to eat dinner with her. "Leandro, leave your things there and come here. Dinner's ready," Grandma Ysmiela said. I went to the dining and when I reached the door frame, I smelled a very familiar scent, my favorite food, Menudo. "Come here sweetheart, I know this is your favorite," my grandmother said with a smile. "You know me very well, Grandma," I said returning her smile. We chatted and chatted while eating until one particular question got me tongue-tied. "Grandson, do you have a girlfriend already?" she straight-forwardly asked. I almost choked on my food but fortunately my grandma gave me water just in time.

"Uhmmm... G-grandma I-I'm s-still y-young," I reasoned out nervously. "Grandson, I'm not forcing you to get married or anything," she chuckled, "I'm just saying that you must have a girlfriend by now," she continued. "But why grandma?" I asked. "You are not getting any younger day by day," she answered, "time's running out sweetie, maybe one day you'll realize that everything's too late, that the girl you met will somehow fade, along with the memories you spent with her," she finished. "Wait grandma, what?" I questioned her. She just slightly chuckled. "You'll understand it sooner or later darling," she uttered with a loving smile plastered on her face. We finished dinner and I helped grandma do the dishes and clean the table. "Grandma, can go get some fresh air outside?" I asked permission. "Of course Leandro. Just comeback before it's too dark," she permitted. I smiled and gave her two thumbs up.

I traipsed to the butterfly garden. When I reached the gate, I saw a girl... I walked towards which I quickly regretted because I startled her, she maybe thought that I was a ghost or something. So I decided to break the tensed atmosphere. "Miss, what are you doing here this late?" I questioned her, making my voice as smooth as possible. She didn't respond nor reacted to my question, but she still looks terrified though. "Hey miss? You still there?" I asked again. "Uhmm... Yeah, bye," she answered while walking away. "Wait, what's your name? What are you doing here? How did you get here?" I bombard her with more questions. When I looked at the direction she went, she was gone, like she disappeared into thin air.

"Leandro? Who are you talking to darling?" I was startled when I heard my grandmother question me from behind. "Grandma, when did you get here?" I asked still in the state of shock. "I was in the kitchen when I heard you talking to someone," my grandmother explained, "now, who were you talking to?" "Uhmmm... grandma," how would I tell her that I just saw a peculiar girl inside her flower garden, inside her property, this late at night? "You saw her? Didn't you?" my grandmother muttered. "Pardon?" I asked, bewildered. "You saw her," she said more clearly this time but it is now not answerable by a 'yes' or a 'no'. "Who is 'her' exactly grandma?" I asked, growing more and more confused every minute. "I think it is better to talk it inside, darling, let's go," my grandma instructed and I obliged. I took a last look at the butterfly garden and smiled to myself.