Butterfly [j.jk]

삼십삼

벗꽃

it was colorful moments like these that ushered in great joy and warmed beating hearts. smiles akin to the beaming sun and giggles to last a lifetime. seconds turn into minutes, minutes turning into hours. you don't realize the value of each moment until you reminisce those golden days.

"what are you trying to draw there?" the boy asks, looking down at nari who sat crisscross by the grass, eyes glued to her sketchbook.

she giggles, "i call it the jeon butterfly." she says without sparing a glance and he scoffs in disbelief. "what?" he asks.

"in truth it's a tiger swallowtail. it symbolizes vulnerability, but also inner beauty. just like someone i know very well." she chuckles and the boy rolls his eyes but laughs. he takes a seat next to her, sitting crisscross like her. "did you get to sketch a lot of butterflies today?" he asks, watching her hands dance across the paper as her pencil glides swiftly. she takes a second to look away from her notebook and meets with the boy's hazelnut gaze. she nods with a soft smile. "thank you for keeping your promise." she spoke. and upon hearing those words the boy purses his lips, trying hard to hide a smile as a sense of pride sinks in.

"also, thank you— for today." she bashfully utters, fingers fiddling the charm of her bracelet. the boy's ego only grows bigger, "you're saying that like today's over." the boy spoke in a nonchalant manner and she's left in puzzlement.

"we still have one more stop." there's a subtle grin lifting in the corners of his lips as he spoke only fueling nari's curiosity. "where?" she asks, yet he ignores her question and packs up their stuff. "jeongguk-ah, where are we going?" still seeing the boy with a playful grin, she asks once more but this time in a more demanding tone.

the girl asks a few more times and he quickly runs off to the car without an answer. "jeon! come back here!" nari shouts as a surge of annoyance rushes in. she bolts after him.

it was just like their first encounter. only this time it was jeongguk dashing away.

the two finally get on the road and the girl is still left clueless to their next destination. once again her gaze meets with the same rolling hills that kissed the sky. "can you please tell me where we're going?" she asks with a gleam of curiosity and desperation in her eyes. the boy keeps focus on the wheel, "you really have a knack for ruining surprises do you." he says, making her pout. however it didn't stop her from asking.

nari was a very curious girl. once curiosity strikes her, she could never push it to the back of her head, questions constantly filling her mind. "why don't you get a bit of shut-eye until we're there? it's gonna be quite the distance." the boy suggests, but she ignores it.

it seems jeongguk's chances of having a peaceful ride to their next stop was down the drain as nari's endless asking rings his ears. it was one question after the other but he couldn't help but giggle at her antics.

the spring wind came rushing through the open windows, endlessly flowing just like her questions. it was the only thing keeping the boy sane from her endless curiosity. a cool breeze that greeted their skin with a warm embrace, sending waves of serenity. in the midst of the calm spring breeze, all of a sudden he realizes— it was quiet. there was no other sound, just the wind and the songs of spring.

he slowly glances to his left and sees nari peacefully sitting still, eyes fluttered shut. she was asleep.

the boy cocks a laugh. even her curiosity drained her energy. the boy leaves her in silence and he continues to steer the wheel off to their mystery destination as she was left to drift into dreamland. now it was just him and spring.

-

a soft tap on the shoulder was the last thing she felt before she stirs up from her tiny nap. she finds herself with a blanket draped over her and a faint voice calling her name. "nari-ah, wake up." she hears a few times and her eyes flutter open.

upon opening her eyes her gaze meets with a familiar doe-eyed boy. "nari-ah, we're here." he said. the boy takes off the blanket and helps her out of the vehicle. she sees jeongguk with a beaming smile from ear to ear, a face of pure excitement.

lids still heavy, she rubs her eyes. it takes her a second to register where she was standing. she then sees puffs of powder pink in the trees and her eyes widen, "where are we?" she asks.

"shinsan park." the boy utters, "under the cherry blossom trees."

18
cherry blossom
- symbolic flower of spring
- a time of renewal, and the fleeting nature of life