Three months, that was the estimated time given to Donghyuk by the doctors.

At the age of 29, the life of Kim Donghyuk was cut short. He was recently diagnosed with a genetic illness and was hospitalized just yesterday. The doctors said that they could still try and treat him, but the possibility is slim. His life could’ve been saved had the illness was detected earlier. The doctors were astounded, despite Donghyuk’s checkup every two years, it had only appeared now.

His friends and family were devastated, but they were always met with Donghyuk’s radiant smile, telling them that perhaps his time had really come, and that he had already accepted his fate.

“I live a life filled with happiness and love from the people around me. If I were to go, it would be peaceful, content, and without regret.”

A life lived with no regrets. That’s what he always tells them.

Throughout his life, Donghyuk never wanted to know who his soulmate was. He was curious yes, but not curious enough to achieve the requirement in order to see them. Now, as he lies on his bed and gazing outside the window of his room, he begins to wonder.

They said that if you folded 1000 paper planes, you can meet your soulmate.

‘I guess it would be nice to meet my soulmate before I go.’ Donghyuk thinks to himself, watching a monarch butterfly fluttering about, gracefully landing on the windowpane. Donghyuk blinks slowly, his gaze locked on the butterfly, watching how its antenna sways slightly and twitches as if greeting him with a wave. As if the butterfly knows him.

Shaking his head, Donghyuk looks away from the window as he grabs his phone resting on the table beside him. He opens his contacts and browses until he finds the one he is looking for. Donghyuk wanted to call him but decides against it since he thinks that his friend might be busy, so he opts to send a message instead. Donghyuk blinks in surprise when he receives a reply ten seconds later.

“ y do u need lotsa paperz???????????”

“I just need it”

“r u goin to do smthng crazy…”

“Um no??? Please Hanbin-hyung? For me?”

“…fine.”

“Yay! Thank you, hyung! You’re the best! Oh and remember, origami papers okay?”

Kim Hanbin arrives two hours later carrying a stack of origami papers with him. They exchange soft greetings as Hanbin goes to the side of his bed, settling the papers down. “So, origami huh.” He says, taking a seat on a nearby chair. “What brought the sudden decision?” Hanbin asks, looking at Donghyuk lightly running his fingertips on the plastic covering the papers. The younger hums in reply, gathering his thoughts as he exhales, picking up a bundle as he shrugs.

“I just thought that since I don’t have much time left, it would be nice to know him or her before I leave.”

“Won’t that be cruel though? To your soulmate?”

“…”

“Okay what if you managed to fold a thousand paper planes before May ends, and you still have enough time to get to know each other. You’ll eventually leave very soon, isn’t that too much?”

“Experiencing it personally is one thing, hyung. But memories—good memories—they last.”

“To an extent yes, but not all the time.”

Donghyuk’s fiddling with the edges of the bundle ceases as he exhales slowly, his lips slowly forming a thin line. Briefly, he shifts his gaze up to Hanbin’s then back to the papers. “Are you really against me meeting my soulmate, hyung?” he asks in a whisper. Hearing how small his voice sounds, Hanbin visibly softens and lets out a sigh. Shaking his head, he reaches out and gently rests his palm against the younger’s back, “I’m sorry if what I said left the impression that I am against it. It’s just that…I’m worried, Donghyuk-ah.” He admits, bending down a bit in order to look into his eyes. “You two might get attached, and it will be harder on both of you if you would leave so soon. I don’t want you to rest without feeling content and peace.” He says softly as they maintained eye contact.  “I get what you mean, hyung. I’m sorry, it’s just that…I just really want to meet my soulmate and tell them of my situation. What if my soulmate is also searching for me? What if I died without telling my soulmate?” Donghyuk notices Hanbin tensing up the slightest from that. “I just want them to know about it as well, hyung. I want my soulmate to know that soon, I will leave this world, and he or she will be able to move on and find someone else. I don’t want to leave them hanging.” He puts the bundle down and gently puts his hand on top of Hanbin’s. “It’s okay, hyung. Everything will be fine. Please believe in me, okay?” He tilts his head and gives him a reassuring smile.

‘How can everything be fine when you’re going to leave us so soon?’

Hanbin exhales deeply, pursing his lips and eventually nodding at that as he holds his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Okay.” He replies in a whisper, managing a small smile.

“Do you need help with that?”

“No need, hyung. This is something I have to do by myself.”

“Alright. Just…just contact us if you need anything else yeah?”

“Promise.”

Determined to finish before his time is up and with the help a couple of tutorials, Donghyuk immediately begins to fold the next day. He spends his hours just folding, folding at least 27 paper planes everyday and wanting to finish as quickly as possible.

On the 30^th day with a total of 990 planes made, Donghyuk’s health begins to deteriorate at a frightening pace. Alarmed, the doctors try their best to pinpoint the cause, but they came up empty. They decide to carefully monitor Donghyuk and his health, regularly running tests in hopes of any signs or indications that may help them.

They continue to hope.

The watchful eye of the medical staff combined with the tests drains Donghyuk’s energy, reducing the usual 27 planes made per day to 18. There are times wherein Donghyuk forces himself to make more, but he was only met with the cries of his friends, begging him to not push himself. Donghyuk smiles in gratitude, but he shakes his head, “I want to do this, I have to. I don’t want to leave without knowing my soulmate. I can’t. I won’t.”

And so, Donghyuk continues on.

A few minutes after midnight has passed and Donghyuk finally folds the last paper plane. He heaves a sigh of relief and looks over at the carefully attached bundle of planes standing adjacent to his bed. He glances at Hanbin splayed out on the couch, sleeping with his mouth open.

‘I’ll just attach the final plane once I wake up.’

Yawning softly, Donghyuk slowly lies down and gently holds the paper plane, delicately holding it as he inspects it. With a smile, he lowers the plane right beside him and closes his eyes, drifting off to sleep with a smile.

‘Finally…I will finally know who my soulmate will be.’

He never woke up.

The loud beeping was the only thing Hanbin can hear, drowning out the cries of grief from his friends and Donghyuk’s family. His jaw tenses as he breathes heavily, his eyes stinging. “I’m sorry…” he whispers shakily, his sight slowly blurring due to the tears.

“Hanbin, it’s not your fault. You didn’t know. No one knew.”

“But I was here! With him!  And I never noticed.”

“Hanbin…”

Slowly, he makes his way over to the side of Donghyuk’s bed, holding back a sob as he gazes at the peaceful expression of his friend. “You told us that you won’t leave until you meet your soulmate.  How can you leave now? What about your soulmate? How can we break the news that you’re gone?” His voice cracks as tears begin to spill, bringing a hand to cover his own face as he looks down. Outside, the same monarch butterfly flutters past, seemingly pausing just outside the window before changing directions and fluttering upward.

He’s not coming back.

He’s gone.

The crumpled paper plane lies on the floor, forgotten.