“Now tell me what’s going on between you and that woman."

Seunghyun and I were in my apartment. He looked unhappy for what had happened at the florist shop.

“Promise me you will keep this secret.”

“When did I not keep my promise? I never spil your secret."

“Yes you did. To my parents.”

He looked surprised.

“I wasn't mad though because it was just about time for them to know the truth. Me myself are impressed with how careless they are about me .I felt like I was born from a stone,” I chuckled bitterly.

“I’m sorry Jiyong. I just want them to know how you feel right now. But how did you know that I told them?”

“They will visit me this fall. It means next week. They never cared about me. Moreover they had separated and suddenly they want to visit me together? What else can be the reason?” I smirked.

I was disappointed with my Mom and Dad since they decided to end up their marriage. My mom took me with her. I was still fifteen years old that time when my mom married a rich man who had two children younger than me with him. Being with a new family was a nightmare. My step father didn’t care about me. He never beat me but I preferred to be beaten up by him then to be ignored. He made me feel like I didn’t exist. Money was never be a problem to me and that’s why I spent them so much to ease the pain which caused by people so called family. When I grew up, I was a man with a fine job so I wasn’t a leech who asked for my Dad or Mom’s money whenever I wanted to. I played around with girls, drinks, party and everything that could make forget about my life. But it was until I met her, my butterfly who changed my life.

***

Seunghyun heaved a sigh as I finished my story about me and Dara. He was speechless. “Jiyong-ahh. You are a total bastard," she snorted.

“I know. Even when I try to be a good guy I still end up being a jerk.”

“She felt in love with you Jiyong. And she still does.”

“I knew it but I try to deny it. Because it gives me so much pain when it comes to…..just forget about it. I need some sleep now. I’m so tired.”

That night I couldn’t sleep. Many things appeared in my head. I didn’t know if what I had done was right or wrong. The doctor said my life would be no longer than three months so it meant that this month I could die any time and before it happened I wanted to see my Dara and to make sure that she was doing okay. I was wondering who was the lucky guy who had slid that ring on her finger.

I got off from bed and walked towards the kitchen when suddenly my vision blurred. I passed out.

The next day, I fluttered my eyes open as I saw my Mom, Dad and Seunghyun’s worried look. The room was not my room. I felt very weak. A doctor rushed into the room and quickly examined me.

“Damn,” I cursed under my breath so weakly that only me could hear it. I knew my time was about to come but I didn’t expect it would be that soon. Deep down in my heart I wished I could see my Dara and tell her how much I love her.

That one fine evening, after two days in the hospital, I saw my Mom and Dad came into my room. My Mom’s eyes were swollen. I guessed she cried all night long.

“Jiyong. Your Umma and Appa want to apologize for what we had done to you. We never cared about you. Why God don’t punish us both and give us your illness instead..” my Mom and Dad cried at the edge of my bed. I weakly reached their hands and brought them on my chest as I smiled and whispered weakly. “I love you Umma, Appa. Please don’t cry ”

***

When the night had come, I didn’t let my eyes close. I was afraid I couldn’t open them anymore. My Mom was falling asleep while holding my hand while my dad was sleeping on a couch at the corner of the room. I smiled, I just realized how much I missed them. When I was a child, my Mom would take care of me and when I was sick , my dad would go panic while entering the room examining my body. I was still ten years old that time when I fell off while climbing a tree near our house. I used to be a naughty kid but my mom never hit me. At weekends we would go for a picnic , only three of us. I didn’t know why suddenly they hated each other. But now I just wanted to remember moments when we were just a small happy family.

A single tear escaped from my eyes but I wiped it immediately. I turned my head to the right at the window glass and I remember how I spent my two months here watching Dara through glass wall at the coffee shop. Then, a moment when I took her to a beach flashed on my mind.

“Jiyong. Am I really beautiful like butterflies?” Dara asked me when we sat on the beach.

“Yes you are. I’ve told you before.”

“I miss staring at those pretty butterflies. Last time was before the accident.”

Dara told me that she had an accident when she was twelve years old and it made her blind. Her grand mother then taught her how to fold paper craft and formed a butterfly. She told me the story while holding back her tears and I knew it was very hard for her to retell such a story that she wanted to bury forever in a corner of her brain.

"I don't care if I must spend my whole life in a darkness. As long as I have you. You won't leave me right? Promise?"

A dull ache came to my heart. My Dara, I couldn’t fulfill my promise to her. I had to leave her.

“Doctor..!! Please help my Jiyong.. please..” I could hear my Mom’s pleading but my body couldn’t move a bit. Dara, Mom, Dad, Seunghyun…. I’m sorry I couldn’t stay any longer. My Dara, my butterfly, please never forget about me and our memories. I love you.

*Seunghy