“I have something for you,” Chae rin told Jiyong over their version of a study group late December afternoon.

His eyes widened in delight, “A gift for me? What is it?”

“I was supposed to give this to you last Christmas but you were away,” she handed her a box intricately wrapped with a handmade paper. 

Jiyong opened the gift and saw a hand painted box (one she did herself) of a butterfly swathed in colors of spring perched on a little boy’s hand. He did not open the box because his eyes were glued to the painting, “You caught her for me.” 

“Actually, you’re catching her for yourself, not with a net but with your very own hands. Whether it’s a long lost dream, Jiyong, or a very important love the moment you find her don’t ever let her slip from your fingers.”

After the night she gave him the box, Chae rin saw less of Jiyong. She did not want to think that Jiyong was avoiding her so she said to herself he’s probably busy, finals are coming and his father might have some business related things for him to do. Reality says a different story though.

Jiyong did not want to admit this, nor would he ever, but his fondness for Chae rin has grown deeper than he would allow. When she handed him that “love box”, as she called it, some unknown instinct in him went on alert telling him it’s time to pull away. So he distanced himself from her, for a time. He went out on dates to prove that she is not the reason, or whatever is this growing feeling he had for her, that he has not gotten himself a girlfriend these past few months. So he dated a Liza, Nami, Sarah, Ayuma, Jennifer, until he ended with a certain Maiyuri. His fratboys rejoiced with him for having found such a trophy girlfriend, but a tiny part of his heart longs for someone else, someone who goes to arts department, who dresses up like some European chic, who paints, who banters with him and makes him scared because a convincingly real-looking fake snake is about to bite her.

Jiyong disappeared from Chae rin’s life the last months of winter. He was sure come spring time, he has a better grip of himself and can explain things to her. However when spring came, Chae rin completely vanished from his life. 

“What do you mean you don’t know? You live here don’t you?” Jiyong asked one of the servants left in Chae rin’s house the acerbic tone of his voice did not escape the ears of his cousin standing behind him. 

“I am not privy to their plans, Sir. All I know is that Miss Chae rin left to continue her studies abroad. I am sorry I could not give you any more information. You may want to call her though, you still got her number?”

Daesung touched him on the shoulder and gently led him out of the house, “Come, Ji, better call her instead or send her an e-mail.”

“I have also tried calling her number, it’s already disconnected. I don’t have her e-mail address,” 

“How is it that you don’t have any other contact information of her?” Daesung asked, surprised that for a friend, a very close friend he profess to be important to him, Jiyong would be left with only a disconnected number as a means of contact. 

Jiyong sighed, “Because I thought she would just be here, forever.” 

That same night, another news knocked Jiyong out of balance; his father suffered a cardiac arrest early afternoon while in a meeting with Japanese clients. Although his father was immediately brought to the hospital, his father did not survive the attack because his heart was just too weak to be revived. 

Jiyong’s young life was turned upside down – the realization that he can lose two of the most important people in his life just like that is simply too much for his still young heart to bear.