I.N.U

Butterfly

It was late, and JK sat down somewhere he don't even know. The night air was chilly and he cursed himself for not grabbing the thickest jacket he had.

Ignoring the numbing coldness that striking both his hands, he outstrecthed his legs. He had been walking around for few hours and apparently, he's tired and exhausted.

Scanning around, he realised that he was actually at the poor side of neighbourhood.

Loud rattling and scraping sound caught his attention. Immeadetly he got back on his foot and looked around. Scared that someone might attack him from nowhere.

But a small frame of an old lady greeted him. She was carrying two plastic bags that were twice the size of her. And her thin tattered jacket broke JK's heart. JK felt sorry for her. He's in dilemma either to help her or not. It's not safe to help strangers here.

His humane side won though. "Hey, let me help you." He said as grabbing the two bags from the old lady's calloused palms. She was suprised and momentarily stunned by JK's sudden appearence.

Soon she's smiling the sweetest and kindest smile JK had ever saw. It reminded him to his own deceased grandmother. "Thank you, young man. My house is just around the corner."

Since she was the elderly, JK let her to walk a head of him. The two bags he was carrying were very heavy. Even he was gasping silently as they neared a small house or much like a hut, in JK's opinion.

"Come in, son. Please put those bags by the door. I'll go and sell it tomorrow."

JK did as he was instructed. "Would you stay for a canned coffee son?"

Her pleading eyes really got into JK's heart. He gave a light nod. Sitting cross-legged inside the living room, JK's mind wander back towards all events that happened today. Subconsciously, he let out a loud sigh.

"Facing some big problems son?" The old lady came back and she handed JK a can of warm coffee. "Ah... yes, I guess?"

JK's insecure tone quirked her interest. "You sounded unsure. It must be really big then. Love problem perhaps?"

The young man stared at her in bewilderment, "H-how did you know?"

She chuckled lightly and took a seat across JK. A bottle of soju in her grasped. "Well, old people are once young too," she teased and JK was flustered.

"S-sorry. I didn't mean it that way. Just I think my 'love' problem may not be the same as yours."

"Why then?" she frowned lightly and sipped from her bottle. "My love problem is different from others. Like the total opposite?"

She laughed, "Ah, I got it! You're a gay?" JK looked away in embarrassment. This made the old lady cracked up louder. "What are you embarrassed about, son? It's love afterall. No one can stop it. If you love him, then say it-"

"But he don't loves me back because he apparently have someone else already and they both look good together and I almost broke them apart because of my jealousy and now I know both of them resent on me because of my stupid actions!"

He cut her in one sentence. Heaving a sigh afterwards. The old lady sat still for a moment, trying to comprehend what JK had rap to her.

Frowning she have a sipped, "Too bad then. Just leave him."

"W-what? But how can I? I mean, I love him!"

"What's the point of loving someone that you know won't love or even look at you as his lover, son?"

Her voice got softer, "What's the point staying around someone who obviously had a person he cherished by his side already? Are you ready to witness their love? Their affection towards each other?

You think you can handle the fact, that you'll have to supress and pretend 24/7 around them?"

JK was mute by now. Why he didn't thought about all these before hand? Why did he still ran after V although the fact was clear that he won't make it. Why?

Why am I too blind?

Seeing JK's pained expression, the old lady gave him a light pat on the head. JK stared at her.

"If you love someone so much, then let hin go. Ever heard of this saying?"

He meekly nod. "I know it's hard. But you'll get over with it eventually. Just you can't resent on them. I mean, the guy you love and his partner. You need to be free like the butterfly."

"Why the butterfly?"

She smiled and went towards the back. JK was dumbfounded. She came back later and handed him a necklace with a butterfly charm. Its wings were decorated with shiny little crystals.

"Butterfly never know how beautiful they are, apparently. That's why they could live in care free. Nothing to bother in mind. No worries about how people think about their wings or how unpretty their wings are, because they don't know.

So, that's why you need to let go all of it and live as free as you could. Because, you don't know who might care for you along these days. You're so blinded by him, that you shut everyone else from your life. Keep this,"

She placed the necklace on JK's right palm. "And live your life, freely just like the butterfly!"

Tears pricked around JK's eyes. Why he had been so dumb and blind. All the old lady's words stabbed right through his heart. Maybe his mental was already in a vulnerable states. That's why everything she said hit him.

He stared at the necklace and the old lady. "Thank you, I'll try to be free just like the butterfy."

With that said, he took his leave and made his journey back home. Right this moment, he got new hope in his mind. He want to be free like the butterfly. Yes, free!