For goldenepicness.

(It's a purple emperor butterfly if you wanted to know.)

butterfly effect

noun

(with reference to chaos theory) the phenomenon whereby a minute localized change in a complex system can have large effects elsewhere.

- - -

Myungsoo's sharp eyes bore into the definition on the page.

If a butterfly lands on a flower in rural China (not that the city pollution will keep it alive long), can it change the weather in Seoul?

If a man unintentionally steps on an insect, can an entire language change?

If Myungsoo kisses Sungyeol today, can an epidemic in Europe fix itself overnight?

The possibilities are endless. So many little things could lead to so much more.

He loses himself in his own thoughts when the lunch bell rings. While everybody else rushes out of the classroom, Myungsoo takes his time sliding his books into his bag and neatly tucking his papers away. Bent corners irk him to no end. If a page corner in a book Myungsoo has is bent, can a thousand dogs in America turn on their owners?

"Myungsoo! Lunch, let's go. I didn't bring anything and the cafeteria taquitos sell out fast." Woohyun sweeps the rest of Myungsoo's belongings into his bag carelessly, zipping it up and shoving it back to him. "Sort it later." He leader the way out of the classroom, an annoyed Myungsoo shuffling behind.

 -

"The butterfly effect? Isn't that like, if I kill a roach in my bathroom, tigers go extinct?" Woohyun seems to be thoroughly enjoying his taquitos.

"Really?! Then what are you supposed to do with roaches?" Dongwoo looks alarmed at the thought of indirectly harming tigers.

"It was an example, Dongwoo."

"Oh. Carry on."

Woohyun rolls his eyes. "Anyway, what about it?"

Myungsoo shrugs. "I dunno. I guess it's just interesting, the fact that something you do today to have impact forever."

"Well, sure. But you can't actually believe that crap can you?"

He shrugs again and they drop the topic.

 -

Myungsoo sighs and checks his phone again.

Sungyeol is late. They walk home together almost every day, but recently Sungyeol has been meeting him at their usual spot later and later. Maybe he has a girlfriend? Or a boyfriend? Myungsoo groans and shakes his head viciously to get rid of the thought. It's not his concern whether or not Sungyeol's dating somebody.

When he realizes that he must look weird standing alone and shaking his head, he stops and blushes. He's been waiting for 40 minutes. Looks like he'll be walking home alone. Again.

 -

"Hi, Myungsoo?"

Myungsoo presses speakerphone and sets his cell down beside him. "Hi."

"Sorry I was late today. I hope you didn't wait too long, I was busy with something."

"Busy with what? Some girl, probably." Wait. He just said that aloud. Sungyeol just heard that.

There's a pause on the line and Myungsoo is about to apologize and beg for forgiveness, but Sungyeol speaks again.

"What? Did somebody tell you that?"

"So it's true?" What's wrong with him today? He's bringing it upon himself now.

"No, and I don't know who told you that but they're lying."

Sungyeol sounds mad, but gee, how is he such an angel? He didn't even consider the fact that it could've been Myungsoo's suspicion alone.

"I think I should start walking alone. Exams are coming up and I need all the time I can to study." Myungsoo can't seem to stop, so he decides to let his mouth run now and regret it later.

"Oh, then..." Sungyeol laughs half-heartedly. "Yeah, I should've told you I'd be late. Sorry for making you wait, you don't need to anymore."

"Alright."

"Alright."

"See you at school."

"Bye."

Myungsoo waits for the other to hang up and sits there listening to the beeping, immediately regretting that conversation.

If Myungsoo stops waiting for Sungyeol, will the geese in Canada migrate early?

 -

He doesn't know why he's waiting outside the school, but he is. It's already been settled that he should go home and not waste his time waiting, yet here he is, doing the exact opposite.

Maybe Myungsoo is scared that if he loses the fifteen minutes he's guaranteed with Sungyeol every day, the other will forget about him. Like a butterfly that will fly away the moment you release it, and never return to you.

"Myungsoo?"

He looks up to see Sungyeol and his heart flutters.

"I told you not to wait for me."

"But I wanted to."

"Then let's go."

"Sungyeol."

He stops. "Yeah?"

"You never told me why you've been coming late."

"I've been working on an art project. It's, uh, metal clay and coloured glass. I've never made anything like this before but I want it to be perfect because it's for someone special." He turns away, blushing.

"Oh,"

"Yeah. I'm almost done, so I should start coming out sooner again."

"It must be for someone really special if you're putting in this much time. For your mom?"

Sungyeol shakes his head. "No, someone from school."

 "Tell me how they react."

"Will do."

They continue their walk chatting about whatever comes to mind, keeping up the conversation with ease after so long. Myungsoo stops when they reach Sungyeol's house to bid him goodbye.

"Should I wait for you tomorrow?"

Sungyeol pauses for a moment. "The day after."

"Alright. See ya later." He waves and keeps walking.

"See ya."

 -

Myungsoo goes through the next day almost automatically. Tutorials in the morning, language arts, chemistry, lunch, history, calculus, final bell, walk home with Sungyeol. Walk home with Sungyeol? No, not today. Play basketball with Woohyun instead.

"You never come play with us. What's up?" Woohyun sinks a three-pointer.

"Need a distraction." Myungsoo grabs the ball and dribbles lazily to the other end of the court. He turns and shoots it all the way across, sinking it without even grazing the rim.

"You should've joined the team this year. Coach was ready to beg on his knees."

"Yeah, I really should've. Too bad, I guess." He catches the ball again, walking past the hoop on the other end and onto the grass. "If I make it, treat me to ice cream."

"If you make it I'll give you money to take Sungyeol for ice cream. Just don't go somewhere expensive."

"So you think I'll make it?"

Woohyun scoffs. "Just shoot already."

Myungsoo laughs and positions himself, releasing the ball in a high arc. It bounces off the back of the rim as it goes in. He strides over to Woohyun. "I'm thinking of going to that place there they do mix-ins. You know which one, right? Where you can add candy and stuff."

"Cocky bastard." 

Myungsoo grins again. "How about if you beat me one-on-one we call it even and go for McDonald's."

"Deal."

Myungsoo ends up winning 17-9 after a full hour of playing, so Woohyun hands him fifteen dollars and tells him to have fun.

-

"Hello?" The tall male's voice crackles over the line. Myungsoo knew he shouldn't have called from his basement, but he didn't really want to talk to his mom while she was making his brother do chores.

"Hey, Sungyeol? Let's go out tomorrow. Ice cream on me."

There's a pause and Sungyeol's voice is all broken up and laggy so he decides he should go upstairs.

"Sorry, just gimme a second." He takes the steps two at a time and sends an apologetic smile to his mother as he passes, pointing at his phone. Once he's in the safety of his room he speaks again. "Bad connection. What were you saying?"

"Ice cream sounds good. I'll meet you by the gates after school?"

"Yeah." He tries to hide his huge grin from seeping through his words.

"Alright," Sungyeol sounds like he's smiling too and Myungsoo gets giddier.

"See you then."

"Yup."

-

"How's the art project going?" They're walking side by side and Myungsoo's trying not to smile too much everytime their hands brush, but every now and then Sungyeol will catch his grin and give a confused little smile back. Myungsoo just finds it so endearing that he has to tear his gaze away before he does something he'd regret.

"I finished it yesterday."

"When are you planning on giving it to the person?"

"Hmm, soon. Very soon. I'm nervous about how they'll react."

Myungsoo looks at him and can't see how anybody could ever find anything wrong with Sungyeol, so he crushes his jealousy and says exactly what he thinks. "I'm one hundred percent confident that they'll be thrilled to receive what you've made. If not, then they're not worth your time."

He looks shocked, but before Myungsoo can awkwardly laugh off what he just said Sungyeol looks overjoyed and he stops right there on the middle of the sidewalk to hug his friend. "You're really the best, Myung. You know that right?"

Myungsoo hums in reply and hugs Sungyeol closer so the other can't see him blushing.

-

They sit down at a little graffiti-ed picnic table by a playground to enjoy their ice cream. Sungyeol scoops a spoonful maple-walnut-chocolate chunk from the paper cup and holds it to Myungsoo's lips. "It's really good. Try some."

Myungsoo's cheeks heat up and he accepts it, smiling warmly at Sungyeol and offering the other some of his in exchange. For a second it feels like they're a couple, feeding each other as if it comes naturally. He blushes harder and looks away.

"Thanks for today. The ice cream was great. Next time we go out, it's my treat."

"Yeah, next time."

Sungyeol idles in front of his house. "Want to come inside?"

"Does your mom mind?"

"She loves you, just come in."

Myungsoo shrugs and follows Sungyeol inside. He greets Mrs. Lee politely, declining her offer of cookies (even though she makes the best cookies in the world) and making small talk with her before Sungyeol excuses them and rushes Myungsoo upstairs to his bedroom.

"You're right; she loves me." he smirks.

"A little too much. I'm jealous."

"Yeah, she loves me more than she loves you!" Myungsoo cackles as he's attacked with an array stuffed animals and pillows.

"That's not what I meant," Sungyeol laughs."

"What?" he freezes.

"What?"

"Oh," Myungsoo shrugs and throws a toy snake at Sungyeol's head. He picks up as many of the rest as he can, awkwardly shuffling over to the bed and tossing them on, deciding to ignore the dozen that fell down again and sit on the survivors instead.

"Hey," Sungyeol sits on the floor with his backpack and starts pulling things out. "I have something cool in here, let me find it." He tosses a textbook at Myungsoo, laughing when the other smacks it to the ground. "Ah, here. Close your eyes."

"Is it alive?"

"Well, not really."

"Not really?"

Sungyeol considers the idea for a moment. "I guess it could be alive if somebody really treasured it."

"It's not an egg?"

"No, it's not an egg. Just close your eyes and hold out your hand."

Myungsoo sighs but relents, waiting for something slimy to settle in his hand. Instead, he's met with something that feels like strands of fairy dust pooling in his palm, finishing with something more solid like a pebble.

"What is it?"

"Guess."

He frowns and uses his fingertips to gently brush over it. "Did you drop a pile of dead bugs into my hand, because if you did I'm throwing them all over your bed."

"You're hopeless," Sungyeol punches his leg. "Open your eyes."

Myungsoo blinks down at what's in his hand. He looks back and forth from Sungyeol to the necklace, shock written across his face.

"Do you like it?"

He stares at his friend. His best friend of seven years, his best friend whom he's also head over heels for. Looking at the boy in front of him, Myungsoo find himself so overwhelmed with ecstasy that he leans forward and kisses him right then and there.

"I love it."

Sungyeol stares up at him and let's out a melodious laugh, pulling him in for another kiss.

-

If Myungsoo treasures the necklace enough, will their love last an eternity?

- - - - -

If you got the A Sound of Thunder reference, kudos to you. If you didn't, it was the bit about a man stepping on an insect near the beginning. Read it sometime - it's by Ray Bradbury.