The monarchs ran their way around the field, softly and quietly; undisturbed by anyone or anything that seemed to pose any threat.

 

Around and around they went, never faltering and always swaying their colorful wings back up again.

 

They swirled around like lanterns in the breeze and only rested to fulfill their wish of flying again.

 

Jongin remembered this one time in Japan when he was a kid; when the Lantern Festival would draw nearer and nearer each day. The red lanterns would litter the skies as well as adorn the houses they were made for.

 

He remembered the taste of fancy meats and the sounds of fireworks in the distance as he came down to the square to watch the lanterns float in the gust.

 

Some would stay behind and linger, others would run away and saunter to the edge of the unknown.

 

But that was nothing compared to this.

 

Trillions of bright orange wings maneuvered themselves across the expanse of sweet nothings on the field.

 

Every single one was so delicate.

 

They seemed to play with each other as well as circulate and flow around one another in differing arrangements.

 

The smell of the early afternoon sun was enough to signify that Jongin’s Sunlight would be here soon.

 

“Jongin are you seeing this?!” Kyungsoo stepped into view, lifting his hands in the air and inhaling the sweetness of the wind. “They’re everywhere!”

 

Jongin assumed that he was quite right.

 

They were everywhere.

 

Kyungsoo crouched down and surveyed the flock of monarchs sipping nectar from the various sunflowers that littered the tract of land.

 

“They look so pretty!” Kyungsoo squealed, running boundless circles around the grass.

 

He stepped close to a butterfly on the ground, lifting it up with his finger; the creature fluttered and soared through the atmosphere just as fast.

 

Jongin smiled again.

 

Not at the butterflies this time, but Kyungsoo.

 

Jongin kindly paced forward, gaining proximity as he let a monarch rest soundlessly onto his finger.

 

Kyungsoo looked at him only for a second before Jongin gingerly settled the butterfly carefully onto the former’s head.

 

Kyungsoo giggled.

 

They seemed to like him.

 

Kyungsoo sat down onto the wheat field and opened his leather satchel.

 

He worked his hands into the bag, fishing out the crown Jongin had given him the day before.

 

He placed it on the top of his head.

 

At this point, Jongin turned around in time to see Kyungsoo’s crown become submerged in endless orange painted wings.

 

Kyungsoo closed his eyes, letting the monarchs tickle him and whisper to him.

 

Like the clouds, they also seemed to whisper lullabies.

 

Jongin watched the summer sun cast shadows onto Kyungsoo’s face like the shadow of a moon.

 

The clouds drifted passed them leisurely, sending even more captivating silhouettes onto Kyungsoo and his butterflies.

 

Jongin’s Prince of Sunlight.

 

Jongin grew embarrassed of how often he had ogled Kyungsoo. He turned his head the other direction and brought his hand up to his mouth.

 

Something was beginning to brew in the pit of his stomach.

 

Something nice.

 

A lot like these butterflies nesting around his insides and making him feel certain feelings.

 

It made Jongin shy.

 

Kyungsoo brought out something else from his satchel, a water bottle of some sorts.

 

The brunette placed the bottle on the ground and opened the lid, but not before shaking the mixture that was inside it.

 

Jongin eyed him curiously.

 

“They’re butterflies.” Kyungsoo tried to explain, lifting the cap and letting the monarchs drink. “If you mix sugar and water, it’s like food to them.”

 

Jongin gazed over at what the butterflies were doing, and Heaven behold they were actually eating.

 

“I learned it in biology.” Kyungsoo smiled.

 

It was then that Jongin thought Kyungsoo was nothing short of amazing.

 

“Try some.” Kyungsoo handed Jongin another bottle of the honeyed mixture, letting the latter shake it before twisting the cap and unlatching it.

 

Jongin noticed how the monarchs seemed to migrate straight to him.

 

There they go again, tickling his fingers.

 

Jongin didn’t mind though; he took into account their endless patterns and shapes, wings outstretched and ready for flight if needed. The stout of their multiple proboscises overlaying the nozzle of the bottle.

 

A million countless wings; one million memories.

 

Jongin stopped to place the bottle back down on the ground, noting how one monarch seemed to place a mild smooch on his eyebrow.

 

Jongin wondered what it would be like to do that to someone he loved.

 

Jongin also wondered if Kyungsoo was like these butterflies; if he was able to love back.

 

He shook the idea when he resigned to watching Kyungsoo again. The breeze of the early afternoon wind shifting his part just a little.

 

Kyungsoo crammed his hands inside his satchel and took out something else.

 

A sketch pad.

 

Oil pastels.

 

He looked over at Jongin with curious eyes, head lopsided as he took in everything about Jongin that is and will be.

 

The Jongin he knew was quiet sometimes.

 

He liked alphabet soup and could point out the slightest of the summer breeze if he just stayed still and listened.

 

And so, Kyungsoo placed a pastel in his hand and commenced to sketching the outline of Kim Jongin.

 

He had dark hair, a pronounced jawline and a surprisingly straight nose bridge.

 

His golden honey skin matched that of the petals of the exotic and wondrous Indian Shot.

 

Jongin lay down a foot away from Kyungsoo, this time laying his head on Kyungsoo’s lap.

 

Kyungsoo smiled because for some reason, having Jongin’s head on him felt right.

 

Like they had been friends forever.

 

“What are you doing?” Jongin asked, picking a loose thread off the side of Kyungsoo’s shorts.

 

“Drawing you, Moonlight.” Kyungsoo responded, noting how Jongin’s soft and careful movements made him want to hold Jongin’s hand.

 

“Why?” Jongin wondered again, eyes trailing up to see a very focused Kyungsoo.

 

Kyungsoo sighed.

 

“Because!” Kyungsoo exclaimed, face beet read and unbelieving of what he’s about to say. “You’re so pretty I want to keep you forever.”

 

“Forever is a long time.” Jongin expressed.

 

“I don’t care. I like you so we should be okay. I won’t kill you.” Kyungsoo teased, running a finger across Jongin’s eyelids.

 

“What are you doing now?” Jongin inquired, mind in a state of trance at how Kyungsoo’s attentive finger seemed to know exactly how to make his skin crawl.

 

“Feeling you.” Kyungsoo said.

 

“And this is because?” Jongin cocked an eyebrow.

 

“It’s easier to draw you when I touch you. Almost like being somewhere instead of just imagining it.” Kyungsoo said, taking his digit off of Jongin’s face and beginning an outline of the latter’s upper eyelid.

 

“When White Day comes do you want to be mine?” Jongin asked truthfully this time, heart beating as fast as these wings around them flutter in a second.

 

“Be your what?” Kyungsoo stopped his hand movements to give Jongin a puzzling expression.

 

“Never mind! Never mind! I never said anything!” Jongin exploded, covering his face with both of his hands as he felt the embarrassment creep its way up again.

 

My goodness I’m stupid.

 

“Oh.” Kyungsoo shrugged his shoulders and continued on, monarchs in his hair and all glory.

 

Jongin let out a sigh of relief.

 

He couldn’t believe he let his cool down that easily.

 

Not that he had that much cool left but still.

 

Jongin felt himself sink into the ground as his breathing calmed down and his face returned to its normal color.

 

As much as he hated to admit it, these new and combative feelings were so overwhelming it turned him into a high school girl falling in love for the first time all over again.

 

But for some reason, Jongin didn’t mind.

 

He didn’t mind that he was falling for someone who smells like the sun in the morning, and smiles like an angel.

 

For Kyungsoo, everything was fine.

 

Everything was fine just because Kyungsoo was Kyungsoo.

 

Jongin was beginning to love every minute of it.

 

A monarch found its way to the tip of Jongin’s ear and settled there for a split second before fluttering away.

 

Kyungsoo saw it just in time to bring out an orange pastel and begin a rough sketch across the notepaper.

 

He began to understand why Jongin really did love this place so much.

 

“You didn’t finish the story of the yogurt woman.” Kyungsoo began, breath hitching at the sight of Jongin’s smile.

 

Sundown was nothing compared to Jongin’s darling smile.

 

“What?” Jongin asked, bewildered. He recalled the day before and strictly remembered that he did.

 

Except maybe he left out part of the ending or two.

 

Maybe three.

 

“I’m waiting.” Kyungsoo tapped his pastel onto his paper rhythmically. “You said something about the yogurt tasting sweet.”

 

“Like you.” Jongin finished.

 

“Yes like me. Except, how would you know if I tasted sweet or not. Have you ever tasted me?” Kyungsoo winked.

 

“Yah!” Jongin screamed, playfully smacking Kyungsoo in the arm.

 

“I’m just kidding!” Kyungsoo laughed, placing a hand on the side of Jongin’s face, examining the fine lines and soft features that graced the latter’s face.

 

“So everyday, the yogurt woman would wait outside and sometimes I would buy.” Jongin began, trying with all his strength to disregard the fact that Kyungsoo’s hand was on his cheek.

 

“Let me guess, you stole a yogurt one day because you were tired of buying?” Kyungsoo smirked smugly, taking hold of Jongin’s finger instead and squeezing it.

 

“No, let me finish.” Jongin spoke, again taking note of how warm and sweet Kyungsoo’s touches were.

 

“One time I stopped at where she was always and waited for her. She came at the same time every morning.” Jongin continued.

 

“Until one day she stopped coming.” Jongin saw the light in Kyungsoo’s eyes get dark.

 

“So one day, I see a new yogurt woman at the front of the complexes.” Jongin expressed, laced with nostalgia.

 

“And she had told me the older yogurt woman had died.” Kyungsoo registered how Jongin’s expression developed into sadness.

 

“Did you go to her funeral?” Kyungsoo asked, hanging onto Jongin’s finger even tighter.

 

“No. I didn’t even know her name or anything. All I knew was that she sold yogurt at the front of the complexes.” Jongin finished, stretching and burying his face into the fabric of Kyungsoo’s pants.

 

“That’s really sad.” Kyungsoo said, not at all sure if it was a good idea to have Jongin finish the story.

 

“Moonlight! I can’t draw you without seeing your face!” Kyungsoo spoke supportively, trying with all his might to roll Jongin over.

 

Jongin eventually gave in and flipped atop, covering his eyes from the blinding light of the afternoon sun.

 

“There there Jongin.” Kyungsoo ran a hand through Jongin’s hair tenderly, aware of the fact that the latter had no tangles. “It’s okay.”

 

Almost like Jongin was perfect.

 

“I’m not sad about the yogurt woman.” Jongin snapped back, eyes attentive to Kyungsoo’s miniscule movements. “I just don’t want that to happen to you. Then I would lose you.”

 

“What’s so sad about losing me?” Kyungsoo inquired, not at all sure why Jongin cared about him so much.

 

“Because.” Jongin deadpanned.

 

“Because why?” Kyungsoo retorted.

 

“Because the Sunlight is very pretty.” Jongin’s only words.

 

And just like that, Kyungsoo felt his heart burst.

 

“Do you know why I like you so much?” Jongin asked.

“Because I’m pretty?” Kyungsoo said truthfully.

 

“No stupid!” Jongin rolled his eyes. “You’re amazing! I don’t talk to anyone else but you because everyone else scares me! But you’re so bright and so amazing you just-”

 

Kyungsoo silenced him with a quick peck on the forehead.

 

Jongin swooned.

 

“If you want to be my suitor, you should tell me right now Jongin.” Kyungsoo held onto Jongin’s finger again.

 

“Crazy.” Jongin hissed. “I don’t like you.”

 

“Mhm.” Kyungsoo smiled. “Just a day ago you were mister vague. Now you’re starting to look like Othello.”

 

“Say one more thing and I’m tickling you.” Jongin sneered.

 

After a moment of silence Kyungsoo worked up the courage to say;

 

“Othello.”

 

From there, Kyungsoo was subject to what seemed like an infinite amount of tickles that took eons for Jongin to finish.

 

Jongin never finished.

 

Some of luck allowed Kyungsoo to escape from Jongin’s attack.

 

Kyungsoo dashed toward the lazy river and stopped at the bend.

 

Turning around and facing the friend he had left behind, Kyungsoo marveled at how slow Jongin was at running.

 

“You’ll never tickle me in here!” Kyungsoo yelled from across the field as he began to take off his shirt and dip his lower half into the river.

 

Kyungsoo splashed right into the water and swam away from Jongin who was only now beginning to rid of his shirt.

 

“Got ya!” Jongin snuck up behind Kyungsoo in the water, tickling him from behind.

 

Kyungsoo held onto Jongin as the latter was focused on gaining access to every sensitive part Kyungsoo had in order to attack said man from calling him Othello.

 

As far as Jongin knew, he was not a lover boy.

 

“Okay okay you win!” Kyungsoo laughed even harder, latching onto Jongin and finally facing him. “I surrender!”

 

Jongin watched Kyungsoo fall into his embrace.

 

Kyungsoo could feel Jongin’s breath against his scalp as Jongin dug his face into it, softly kissing the top of the Kyungsoo’s head.

 

Sweeter than butterfly kisses.

 

They stood there for a minute, unsure of what to do.

 

Kyungsoo faced Jongin.

 

“You know, it’s alright if you like me.” Kyungsoo whispered, hugging Jongin even harder. He tried to memorize the sound of Jongin’s breathing against his. “I like you too.”

 

“You don’t understand.” Jongin began. “I like you more.”

 

“And you don’t understand that I like you the most.” Kyungsoo persisted.

 

“You can’t take it back.” Jongin smiled, holding onto Kyungsoo even tighter. “Promise?”

 

Kyungsoo drew Jongin’s hand up to his face and kissed his shaking fingertips.

 

“Promise.”

 

Jongin closed the distance between him and Kyungsoo, locking their lips together slowly.

 

Kyungsoo can taste the truth in Jongin’s lips, how he really meant everything he had just said.

 

Jongin can feel how Kyungsoo was pure.

 

How the Sunlight was really his this time.

 

Kyungsoo broke away, resting his head on Jongin’s chest and kissing the tip of his sternum.

 

It was then that Kyungsoo noticed how strong Jongin really was.

 

“I really really like you, Jongin.” Kyungsoo expressed, not sure how everything was supposed to go after these events had happened.

 

Kyungsoo didn’t know the first thing about relationships.

 

Neither did Jongin.

 

“I like you a lot more than you like me.” Jongin sat himself down with Kyungsoo in his arms, relaxing at the crook of the stream with the water running its natural course.

 

He swore he could feel it through his veins.

 

“I want to take care of you.” Jongin said very suddenly, not really sure what he meant by that statement either.

 

“I don’t know what to do.” Kyungsoo was honest, voice shaking just as erratically as his hands.

 

“I don’t think I’ve ever done this before, I don’t know how to do anything, maybe it’s not a good idea-”

 

Kyungsoo was silenced by Jongin’s fingers entwining with his as well as a soft and careful peck on his shoulder blade.

 

“It’s okay. I don’t know what to do either.” Jongin almost laughed at how crazy they both looked.

 

But it was alright.

 

It was always okay.

 

Because Kyungsoo was there.

 

They sat in the silence of the stream; breaths in sync as the tides coursed and drifted around them, a lot like the butterflies tumbling with the leaves.

 

Jongin was ready to go chasing monarchs with Kyungsoo again.

 

They didn’t have to; as another flock had somehow found their way to the river bank and circled around their heads, another one landing on Kyungsoo’s nose.

 

It was almost as if they were serenading something special; something important.

 

The union of the Sunlight and the Moonlight.

 

Another batch rolled through, a few sitting on Jongin’s fingertips, drawing circles in the air.

 

The painted pictures of nature around them seemed so surreal; a dream expanding through time in search of a place to repose.

 

Jongin wondered how many seasons they might have seen.

 

The golden fields beyond the bend closed in around them, kissing the air, guiding a Signal Waltz.

 

Jongin wanted to dance with Kyungsoo someday.

 

But he knew he must wait, at least until the fireflies come out.

 

Perhaps tomorrow would be a better day.

 

Right now, Kyungsoo was perfectly okay with Jongin’s hand in his, the whispers of the clouds and the touches of the stream.

 

More than okay.

 

It was perfect.

 

Kyungsoo crawled behind Jongin and wrapped his legs around the other’s waist, securing his position and enclosing his arms around Jongin’s neck.

 

Jongin obliged, aware of exactly what Kyungsoo wanted to do.

 

Jongin stood, the sunlight on his face mingling with the taste of freedom; his heart soaring with the feeling of Kyungsoo filling it up with vanilla love.

 

The world seemed limitless, featherless amongst them both as Jongin paced his way around the shore of the stream, Kyungsoo hanging on just as tightly.

 

Kyungsoo thought it would be neat to see the world like this.

 

With Jongin all the time.

 

There were untold exchanges between the two as Jongin kept striding along; Kyungsoo would look over as Jongin would laugh.

 

Jongin would look over as Kyungsoo would smile.

 

Both of them knew, and yet, they didn’t.

 

“Why is everything so funny?” Kyungsoo laughed, a koi-fish grasped his attention as it swam swiftly through the waters below.

 

“I don’t know.” Jongin smiled, holding his giggles in as he held Kyungsoo’s legs to keep him from falling off. “It’s just that...”

 

“Just that what?” Kyungsoo blinked. He found the crinkle in Jongin’s nose every time he smiled.

 

“I just think...” Jongin drew on, aware of how impatient Kyungsoo was sometimes.

 

“You think that what?” Kyungsoo pressed on, burying his face into the crook of Jongin’s shoulder bone.

 

He smelled like a mixture of love and the beginning of spring.

 

“You’re cute sometimes.” Jongin blushed. “That’s all.”

 

Kyungsoo’s thoughts exploded.

 

Why are these feelings so new and unexplored?

 

So beautiful and scary at the same time?

 

All Kyungsoo could do was blush right back, Jongin turned his neck and realized that the dew drops of the stream reflected off Kyungsoo’s face like diamonds.

 

Kyungsoo was more valuable than that of any diamond anyone can find.

 

At this moment, Kyungsoo thought about craziness.

 

What it would be like to wake up next to Jongin and feel his warm embrace.

 

What it would taste like to make banana pancakes on rainy days and kiss him on the cheek.

 

For some reason, Jongin was thinking the same thing.