The Bodyguard ♡ Blackpink

Chapter 55

Family Line - Conan Gray
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One butterfly. Two butterflies. Three... Four.

Away they fly, the dark silhouettes of the butterflies on the grey canvas. They fly until their image is cut off by the black frame and then you can't see them anymore, but they're out there. Freedom awaits what lies outside the canvas where imagination runs wild. The walls of the canvas cannot be taken apart, but if only you could stretch them further to see where the butterflies have gone.

Your eyes are set on one in particular. Its wings are raised and it faces the direction where the others have flown. This butterfly hasn't lifted itself off the ground yet, but it has been preparing and will take flight any moment now.

There's a peaceful calm in the air as you step back from the wall with the painting of butterflies and turn around to look at your new apartment.

Your new apartment.

You look around. It's not a pretty sight yet; cardboard boxes lying about, furniture that still needs to be built, and heaps of your luggage in one corner, but you couldn't possibly be happier. The place is clean and spacious. There's fresh white paint on the walls, constant running water and electricity, and the view outside overlooks the Han River where, right now, the sunset paints orange on the water and in the sky. Your apartment is a luxury in one of the many skyscrapers of the city, Seoul.

It's not as though you could have afforded the place on your own. Bureaucrats and those of the upper-class bourgeoisie live around here, and just nearby are the high-profile celebrities with their billion-won (million-dollar) homes. Actors, idols and such. You can't live too far from your client. Both this neighbourhood and apartment are too rich for your blood, but it came with the new job. Temporary or not, you worked diligently and honestly to get here and you'll take full advantage while you can.

It's been three months since the night you were watching the half-shaped moon and changed your mind. Since then, you only looked forward. A constant drive was on your head to do better and think of the future. After the call came that you were selected for the program, you didn't even bother to celebrate. You immediately opened your laptop and set about a schedule devoted to studying the Korean language and culture. Preoccupying yourself with one thing to the next, the time flew by faster than you realized and it wasn't until now that you took a moment to pause and think about where you are.

You're finally at the place that you said would never become a reality. A dream that you doubted again and again. If there was ever a moment to be proud of your 24-year-old self, it's right now because you brought yourself here. What excites you more, however, is that this is only the beginning of your journey as an adult who's finally on their own. More happiness and difficulty will come your way, but you've learned to embrace these things because they are what makes life so interesting and worth living.

And speaking of a difficulty, one comes walking in right now.

His familiar heavy tread is what you hear first. Your gaze moves to the left until they notice your father walking in from the hallway with another medium-sized cardboard box. He catches your eyes, and for a moment, the two of you stare at each other until you're interrupted by the presence of another behind him. Mom makes herself known. She settles her phone and wallet on the kitchen countertop. As she does this, you glance at your father again but he's averted his eyes and is keeping them low.