Butterfly [j.jk]

이십

장미

earlier that day..
아까

"jeongguk-ah?" to the boy's surprise, a voice called his name. his mind wanders in his thoughts, who could it be? he thinks to himself, knowing he was a nobody here.

his gaze meets with a man who shared a warm smile, as if he knew of the boy, "it is you!" the man exclaims, "jeon jungkook right?"

he was still puzzled, however with each step the man took towards him, the clearer his identity was. "i'm choe minwoo, we went to high school together.

he adorned a clean look, a simple polo and slacks, a big contrast to guk's oversized shirt and slippers. his once raven hair was now hazelnut, and he was much taller than he remembered.

he's changed a lot, the boy thought, no wonder he could barely recognize him.

"out of all the places, i can't believe we'd see each other here. what a coincidence!" his old friend said, pulling him into an unexpected bro hug. the boy scratches his head, letting out an awkward laugh.

minwoo carries the conversation, "what brings you here?" he asks, he was still a chatterbox. "i'm here with my wife on vacation. are you on a vacation too?"

his words caught him off guard, jeongguk lets out a bitter chuckle, "something like that." he replies, tinged with a bittersweet feeling in his chest.

and with that the two were left in cold silence. jeongguk stood still, eyes glued to the ground. dead air seemed to have engulfed them, and this was something chatterbox minwoo didn't like.

"how's jangmi?" he spoke, in hopes to revive the conversation.

jangmi,

a name jeongguk thought he would never hear again. 

the boy grew tense as he heard the forsaken name slip out his mouth. still as ice, he couldn't move. it was like his body forgot how to work a muscle.

"what about— jangmi?"

even her name was hard for him to say. it was a name that brought pain to his fragile heart. and when her name fluttered out of his own mouth, it was as if he accidentally hit replay. every smile, every glance, every kiss— every memory seemed to have flooded in his mind like a big wave.

"oh, i just figured the two of you kept contact—" the charming boy spoke, only to be cut off. "no." he sternly replies.

"aw man, i really thought the two of you would end up together. our whole batch probably thought so too. remember that time in lunch when—"

"we haven't seen each other since college." the same blank expression remains on his face.

"really?" minwoo raises a brow, a surprised expression on his face that brings puzzlement to the boy. "you haven't seen her? i've seen her a few times since i got here though."

and with that, his heart drops. there were no words he could fathom at that moment. "what do you mean?" he asks, heart racing out of his chest, breaths shallow, and fists clenched.

"oh, did you not know?" he replies. the suspense was putting him on edge and it was driving him crazy. what was it that he didn't know?

"jangmi is getting married, here in jeju."

12
jangmi
- rose