Butterfly [j.jk]

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the sun blossoms upon the horizon bidding a farewell to the moon, illuminating the expanse of the night sky as if it were igniting a flame that melted the stars.

the two walk along the carpet of leaves, leading to the garden. both matched a bright red nose from the winter cold. with slow strides they walked in comforting silence, hands warmly in their pockets.

"what's your favorite butterfly?" the boy asks, and oddly, a frown turns upon her lips. "don't mention butterflies, that'll make me sad." a somber expression adds to her growing frown. jeongguk is brought to puzzlement, how could the girl who loved butterflies more than anything in the world get sad about butterflies? he thought.

"i was so excited to go out to see the butterflies today, but i remembered it's winter." she sighs, "all of them are probably still in a cocoon, and seeing one in the winter is really, really, really, rare." she sulks with doe eyes that glazed upon the sunrise, almost as if she were on the verge of tears.

"it's okay," the boy utters, with an awkward pat on her back as a form of comfort. he turned stiff under the cold, seeming troubled of what to do in this sort of situation. "they're resting, so that the next time they see you, they'll be full of energy."

the girls halts in her tracks, evidently downcast at the thought she wouldn't see any of her butterfly friends anytime soon. the boy gazes upon her melancholy eyes that gleamed in despair. he sighs, "is there anything i can do to cheer you up?" he asks, concerned to see the girl as cheerful as the sun lose its light.

"make a butterfly appear." she says with stern, along with a serious gaze upon the boy.

at first he had thought she was joking, but seeing her serious demeanor, a crumpled expression with crossed arms, he had realize this was no joke. with his mouth ajar, he couldn't believe it. he had the intent to turn her frown upside down but he's no david copperfield to suddenly do the impossible and pull a stream of butterflies out of his coat. she continues to look at him with expecting eyes, "look nari-ah, it's not like i can just abracadabra a butterfly to show up out of nowhere that's just—"

his words come to a halt once he sees the girl's lips carve into a bright smile and eyes sparkle in awe. at the same time, he feels what seemed like a feather softly perch on the top of his head. he freezes in place at the feeling. it was no feather, as all of a sudden he felt it move.

"a milbert's tortoiseshell!" she squeals, her mouth left hanging agape in shock. "it's the first time i've seen one!"

"take a photo, quick!" the boy exclaims, handing her the camera in his grasp, careful not to scare away nari's newfound friend on his hair.

"smile!" she giggles, making him crack a laugh as well. he throws in a cheeky peace sign and she snaps a photo. seeming in shock of the sound of the camera's shutter, the pair of orange wings bid a farewell to the two and flew away.

"i was just joking, i didn't know one would actually appear." nari stays wide-eyed, still in shock. "i guess butterflies like you a lot!" her words made him laugh, her ability to shift moods in a snap the second her sight falls on those pair of wings was amusing. the grim clouds that shrouded her eyes dissipated, now gleaming in awe.

and it was all fun and games 'til guk's giggles soon came to a halt when he feels something snake around his arm. "maybe i'll just stick to you for the rest of winter. so that i can see all the butterflies i want!" she exclaims, with smiling eyes that match with her beaming grin. she pulls himself closer, looking up at his towering figure with a sparkling gaze. and upon glancing at her frivolous manner, that's when the boy notices the arm linked onto his own.

a pair of arms that snuggly held onto his like a vine wrapped around a tree. his arm which she didn't hesitate to pull closer as they continued to walk along the path of leaves.

and the boy froze by her touch. this unexpected moment of intimacy that had left him wide-eyed while the girl seemed to have no problem at all, giggling even.

he didn't know what to feel. he felt tense, taut to the bones. for a moment he didn't know how to react. yet another feeling, unfamiliar, seemed to grow. he found his heart racing and face reddening, this time not from cold. however, though he had frozen at the touch, the sight of her arms linked into his, along with twinkling honey eyes, and a flower-like smile, a foreign feeling of warmth sinks into his chest.

although they walked with entangled arms alongside the winter air, he felt summer;

as his heart melted like the sweltering summer sun.