Butterfly [j.jk]

삼십오

방문객

"a... swan! no— a duck!" the boy shouts, a puzzled look paired with his doe eyes.

nari silently shakes her head at the boy, pointing eagerly at the towel in her hands.

"oh!" he pauses, "a— butterfly!" the boy exclaims and nari nods her head with excitement. "nice!" the girl jumps to jeongguk, giving him a high five with a beaming grin. "your turn." she says, handing him the towel as he walked to the side opposite.

"hey!" someone chimes from the distance, "if you play one more round your towel charades i'm taking you out of the café." seokjin spoke from behind the counters, a face of annoyance telling the two off as if they were kids. "i called you here 'cus i thought you could help out." the older nags.

the pair giggle and run back to their places, the towel bunny in the younger's hands distorted and taken back to the tables for wiping, as towels are supposed to be used.

"how am i gonna leave you two kids here." one hand on his hips and the other by his forehead, the older sighs.

"we'll be fine. you can trust us." the girl shouts with a mop in her hands. "can i really?" he asks, more so like a question to himself.

"don't worry, hyung. we'll take care of your store like a baby." the boy said, pushing the other out the door even though he kept talking.

seokjin kept nagging as he was drawn closer and closer out the door. as much as he tried to resist, he was no match to the younger's tensile strength.

he spares the two one more look through the glass doors, "please, keep the store in one piece." he pleads with hands clasped together, worrisome brows knitted together. the pair nod in unison with angelic smiles. "bye, hyung. take care!" the boy shouts as the older walks away with reluctant steps.

the two rosebuds watch him stroll away and disappear into spring.

and they were met with warm silence. songs of spring muffled from the brick walls. without seokjin's presence and his chatterbox persona the cafe was more quiet. and with the sun still fresh in the sky, there was no one else.

now it was just them. jeongguk and nari.

"now what?" the boy shrugs. eventually, silence turns into boredom. it was a monday afternoon after all, not so much of a busy day for café camellia.

the two did whatever they could to keep them occupied in the store dreary as dust. nari is by the counter, fixing cups that had already been arranged. and jeongguk wiping the tables that had already been wiped.

a thought strikes the boy's mind, "you want to go to the garden for a bit?" rising up from where he sat, he asks with doe eyes.

"i wish," she sighs, "but then no one's gonna be at the store."

like a sprouting leaf their boredom flourishes and is evident on their blank faces. chin resting on palms watching the butterflies out the tall windows. pairs of wings dancing to a sweet song called spring.

a soft bell rings in what sounds like an accompaniment to the birds' melodious chirps. but it was the chime of the entrance signalling a new customer. the two jump from their seats.

"welcome!" she utters from behind the counter. a honey voice and a honey smile.

"is jeongguk here?"