Chapter 1: The first butterfly 

4th August 2015

“Patient has shown a huge amount of affection toward a male subject, he can’t remember anything about him except that his name start with an H. It seems to him that his life has never truly begun until he met this unknown male subject. Apparently he keeps appearing in his dream, without a face calling out his name over and over again.”

 Doctor Kim’s patient journal – Lee Donghae’s record no.7

***

15th April 1990

The taxi stopped at a huge house that must be hundred of years olds. Donghae thought to himself. The pointy cone rooftops, with long hallways and loads of glass windows, grey wall reminded him of the Victorian times. If one really paid attention there were also spider webs covering the glass windows. Open endless field around the mansion, the owner of this building must had been a duke or some sort. Even though Donghae never thought there would be a day that his internship was to be in England, not in his own hometown. Lucky him, Donghae thought ironically. After paying the cab driver, Donghae knocked on the door as he stood there patiently until a woman opened the door. Arkley was definitely a place that he would never go to or even heard of if it weren’t because of his extra credit as requirement for his course in university. No offence to England, Donghae thought.

She looked about 40. Donghae wasn’t sure, despite the fact that her brown hair had few spec of white in them but her eyes were full of life. She smiled as he gave her a slight bow as he gave her his name. She nodded and took him to the reception place. The receptionist looked up at him with a bored look on his face.

“How can I help you?” Donghae could almost hear a yawn in that question, but he just shrugged.

“I’m the volunteer from SNU, here for 3 months.” Pulling out all the necessary files and gave them to the receptionist, he learned the name was Jordan from the tiny nametag on the man sweater.

While Jordan looked at his file and look at the computer screen checking his file, Donghae got a closer look at the receptionist, he had brown hair, brown eyes, a piercing on his left eye brow and on his right mouth corner, he wore a light blue t-shirt along with a red sweater with a polka dot bowtie. He seemed to be quite tall and fit, and judging by his accent, Donghae was quite sure that the guy was Italian, or half Italian at least.

            “Right, Mr. Lee…” He gave Donghae back his files, face still remain bored. It made Donghae wondered whether or not Jordan really liked to work in this kind of place. The male knew he wouldn’t he liked it either, after all this was a mental asylum.

            “Please, just call me Donghae” It was always a bit annoying when people call him by his last name.

            “Mrs. McCall will show you the way around here, you will be in charge of room 7, here is the key and please keep the name tag on all the time”

            “Thank you” Donghae nodded and before Mrs. McCall could take him to his designated room, the front door burst open, and walked in a young man.

“Rude” was the first thing that came into his mind at the way the newcomer banged the door opened like that. But Donghae didn’t say anything instead he observed a little closer. The male was wearing black t-shirt with a batman symbol on it, a red flannel shirt outside no button along with dark blue pants and a pair of brown vans along with a black beanie on his head. What caught his attention was how his hair shimmered a pastel purple color when he dashed toward the reception and his hair passed a few spot that was shining in the sunlight, other wise his hair remained a platinum white color. Donghae continued to be silent as the other male slammed his bag on the desk and created a huge bang and flashed his grin at Jordan. Donghae didn’t know why but there something about him that captivated his mind. He couldn’t take his eyes off this awfully cheerful male.  

Donghae saw how Jordan’s expression suddenly changed, almost as if he had never been bored. It was as though, the reception male love to work here, as if this place to him was the best place on earth. Jordan laughed and rose up from his sit, bend over the table and give the Batman male a long hug before letting him go, coughing out a laugh:

            “You’re late”

            “No, I’m right on time. You’re just early.” The platinum blond male laughed and stuck out his tongue, Donghae noticed that he had quite a smooth and soft voice. Immediately Donghae found him self at eased just by listening to his voice though he couldn’t quite make out where the male came from. His accent was a mixed of several accents, hard to identify. Although he was sure he from somewhere in Asia. China? Korea? Or even Japan?  

Donghae was still floating in his own thought, trying to figure out where exactly did the accent come from until he heard the young man coughed slightly and looked at him:

            “And who are you, handsome?”

            “Lee Donghae, I’m a volunteer from SNU university” Donghae coughed a little bit, he could feel his cheek blushed a little before reaching out his hand for a shake.

            “Hyukjae, Lee Hyukjae.” Donghae gasped, so the young man was indeed came from an Asian background and nonetheless it was also Korean. It made Donghae felt more relax, never thought he would meet some one from Korea this fast.

Hyukjae took his hand and shook it while flashing a goofy grin at him. Donghae swore his heart didn’t skip a beat when he saw the smile. The brunette stumbled as he tried to hear when Hyukjae said as his heart was starting to over drive everything else around him:

            “I’m sorry, what did you just say?” Donghae asked again. Hyukjae just raised an eyebrow at him before repeating what he just asked Donghae.

            “Room, what room are you in charge of?”

            “7. I’m in charge of room 7” He showed Hyukjae his name card, while the male just nodded and grinned again. Why was he grinning so much? And damn that grin was hell contagious; Donghae could feel the corner of his lips curved up.

            “I’m 8. Right next to ya, so come on I’ll take you there, so Melissa don’t have to worry about ya.”

Donghae saw the lady there smiled at Hyukjae’s silliness before walking away in the opposite direction. If Melissa stayed back, he would have cause her more troubles. He followed Hyukjae down the hallways; on the wall along the hallways were painting of various different things. Like fruits, animals, people, and even superheroes somehow Donghae didn't even seem surprised seeing Batman and Superman hanging on the wall next to Napoleon. Donghae walked next to Hyukjae while he just humming a song and skipping. Not just any song, the batman theme song. Seriously, how old was this kid.

            “Um, what exactly is this hospital?”

            “Dude, didn’t you read about this hospital before you come here?” Hyukjae stopped. He looked at Donghae, eyeing him with a mocking stare.

Donghae felt slightly uncomfortable in that glaze. He faked coughed before pushing out an answer.

            “No, I was in a bit of a hurry” Donghae answered, truthfully.

            “Well, I hope you ready, because otherwise, you are in a wrong business buddy”

            “What?”

            “This hospital is for those who couldn’t live much longer like with disease and all sort of stuff and couldn’t afford the hospital or private care.”

Donghae nodded. Even though he still wasn’t quite sure what Hyukjae mean but a free hospital and health care that was already amazing. Donghae looked at Hyukjae, there were still questions he wanted to ask but he had already reached his room. Hyukjae opened the door and let him in. In his room were kids. Donghae eyes wide opened, he wasn’t good with kids. In fact he was horrible with kids, he remembered him trying to babysit the next-door neighbour kids and after roughly 15 minutes they had already crying for their parent. There were at least 10 of them, from 5 to about 12 years of age. Some were on the beds reading, other playing on the floor, some were watching the TV, some black and white TV shows and some were sleeping. If Donghae didn’t know any better, he would say this look like a giant sleep over or at least a classroom. It did not resemble a hospital room, not even a little bit.  

He saw Hyukjae clapped his hand and got their attention. They quickly stopped what they were doing before and shift all their attention toward the both of them.  All the kids turned around and gave him skeptical look. Seeing that Hyukjae coughed and gestured his hand at him:

            “Okay, guys. This is Donghae. He’s going to be your supervisor. Be nice to him okay? Cut the guy some slack, it’s only his first day and he look all that scary and broody but I think just like those rough outside, softie inside kay? Beside I’m sure you guys would love his fishy face” Hyukjae winked at them and Donghae could hear the all disappointment whines, it seemed like his work was going to be harder than he thought.

            “Hyukie, you’re not going to be our supervisor?” One of the girls spoke up but Hyukjae just stuck his tongue out smiled at them brightly.

            “Because you guys caused me too much trouble that why I’m dumping everything on this big guy here” Hyukjae patted Donghae’s chest lightly and to be honest Donghae felt kind of nice when Hyukjae hand touch