Kim Jongwoon lives in the countryside, and he loves it. He loves running outside and feeling the cool grass underneath his bare feet. He loves dipping his entire body into the little creek that runs past the little dirt road. He loves exploring the small forest beside the cornfields with his new puppy.

But more so, he loves the nighttime. When the sun sets, all the cicadas buzz to life, harmonizing with the frogs and crickets. Once night falls, all the stars come out, and the moon shines a bright path back home. During the deepest night, fireflies appear and guide lost travelers to warmth.

Kim Jongwoon is enchanted by the magic of the night. Oh, he could just live in it, and doesn't he wish so?

Wishful thinking, he says. Mindless dreaming, his parents retort. Go do your chores.

And so he does, feeding the chickens, weeding the garden, so on and so on.

Life continues to be boring, a cycle between school and chores. Jongwoon can't watch the sun set anymore, can't see the sky turn gold and rose and amber, and his life is pointless.

One day, he comes home from school to find their neighbors pulling out of their driveway in a big moving van. Not that it matters; he didn't really know them anyway. His mother tells him that their new neighbors will be moving in next week and that they have a kid about his age.

He won't admit it, but he's just a bit excited. What if this kid is just like him? They could become friends. At the very least, he hopes that the new kid won't laugh at him for... whatever reason.

The week passes infinitely slowly, but the day still comes. Friday afternoon, Jongwoon comes home from school and finds a new car sitting in the neighboring driveway. He rushes into the kitchen, only to find strangers sitting in his living room.

"Oh, this is my son," his mother introduces. "Jongwoon, come meet your new friend."

A tall, awkward kid is pushed out of the crowd. "Um, hi," he says quietly, pushing up his glasses. "I'm Han Geng."

"Jongwoon," Jongwoon says. They fall into an uncomfortable silence. Then, Jongwoon looks outside and sees the sun. He gasps and grabs Han Geng, dragging him away.

"The sunset!" he exclaims hurriedly. "I haven't seen it in so long!"

Han Geng doesn't complain, only runs ahead. "I haven't seen it in longer because I've been living in the city!"

Han Geng and Jongwoon become great friends, inseparable at school or at home.

They laugh over the silliest jokes, sit in silence when the other needs it, and most of all, they enjoy the magic of the countryside.

They grow older like this, the cool wind and waving trees nurturing them, and ins whirl of time, they are in their last year of high school.

"I can't believe we'll be gone after the summer," Han Geng sighs, leaning against the rough bark of a pine tree. Jongwoon faces him, sitting on a low branch of his favorite oak.

"Don't say that," he reprimands sharply. "I'm staying here."

Han Geng closes his eyes, letting his head drop back. "I know," he says quietly. "You chose to give up on a chance to become one of the best scholars in the country, instead staying here to help the children who don't have enough money to read. I'm just much more selfish than you."

"No, you're not," Jongwoon responds softly, lowering his gaze. "You could become great, so live my dream along with yours."

Han Geng does not respond, but raindrops fall to the forest floor, even though there is no rain.

---

They spend the summer together, inseparable as always. Jongwoon takes as many pictures as he can, not wanting to forget his best friend. He stuffs all of them into Han Geng's suitcase, packing an entire section full of himself.

"Just let me be selfish this once," he begs, tears shining in his eyes.

On the last day of summer, Jongwoon throws his arms around Han Geng's neck and kisses him.

"Don't forget about me," he pleads, tears streaking trails down his cheeks. "I'll always be here if you decide to come back."

Han Geng cries, but he leaves nonetheless, looking back towards his home and best friend.

---

Jongwoon spends his nights alone now. He remembers how, when they were little, Han Geng used to catch fireflies in a jar.

He remembers how many different shades of yellow there were. He remembers small noses pressed against cool glass, counting the blinking lights.

He remembers trying to raise some until Christmas, just to see the resemblance between fireflies and Christmas lights, and he remembers failing.

He remembers Christmas mornings with Han Geng, trading gifts and laughing in the snow. He remembers never caring about how much his mother got angry, because as long as he's with his best friend, that's okay.

He remembers falling into a puddle of mud the morning before the first day of school. He remembers going to school with dried mud on his pants, and he remembers Han Geng laughing at him for it, but giving him his jacket to cover it up.

He remembers always having to borrow pencils from Han Geng, always having to copy homework, always breathing in the crisp autumn air as they walk to the bus stop. He remembers how bright the blue sky was, how wispy the few clouds were, and how chilly it became.

He remembers how the wind blew past, waking all the plants and animals. He remembers how the creek unfroze, and how he dared Han Geng to jump in. He did, and then fell sick for a week. He remembers feeling so bad that he ended up jumping in as well, except he didn't get sick for some reason.

He remembers how his life was always full of his best friend, and he doesn't know how he will survive without him.

But he does. The days pass slowly, but life goes on. The autumn comes and goes, the winter falls and thaws, the spring awakens and melts into summer, over and over again.

Jongwoon catches a few fireflies, just to remind himself of the old times.

"Remember how we wanted to release them on Christmas Eve?" he laughs to himself, tears slipping out of his eyes. "We were young and naive, and damn, do I want to go back."

The summer passes; Jongwoon lets the fireflies go. Autumn comes again, and the wind rises, blowing Jongwoon's hair off his forehead. Then, so soon, silver winter arrives.

Jongwoon sits in his little house on Christmas Eve, wrapped in a thick sweater, holding a cup of hot coffee, gazing sightlessly out the window, lost in memories.

"I remember how you used to crunch through the snow to my house," he murmurs, almost seeing it again. "You would be holding something, and then you would bang on my door, yelling at me to open up. I would let you in and watch the fireplace warmth back into your body. You would turn to me, then, and hold out the package. 'For tomorrow,' you'd say, and I would give you yours. And the next year, we would reverse the roles, so on and so on..."

A sudden banging on the door startles Jongwoon out of his memories. "Coming!" he shouts, hurriedly setting down his cup. He leaps to the door and jerks it open.

Han Geng's cheeks are red with cold, but he smiles, holding out a package. "For tomorrow," he says. "Or today, if you want."

Jongwoon cannot speak, standing frozen as he stares at his best friend.

"It's been years," he finally croaks out. "Years, and you finally come back."

"I'll always have someone to welcome me home, do I not?" Han Geng asks gently. He opens the package in his arms, reaching over to dim the lights so that only the soft colors of Christmas lights illuminate the room.

"A night of fireflies and Christmas lights," he says, opening the jar so that twinkling yellow fills the room. "Finally."

Jongwoon finally breaks out of his daze, throwing his arms around Han Geng, who kisses him.

"I'm back for good now," he tells him softly. "Forever."

"Good," Jongwoon manages through his tears. "Stay with me."

And he does, through fireflies, Christmas lights, and the rest of eternity.