Aviary

“Teacher Tyun will be at the front to dance, okay? Fighting little ones!”

The parade started with the district’s current politicians. I was busy preparing with the kids as well. My mom was here as well and I got acknowledge as her son which means the villagers know who really I am now. Not that it really matters though.

But what’s really between me and my mom?

Anyway, the program happened as how it should be. The kids performed while I was guiding them. Beomgyu hyung was busy as well keeping things at peace and organized together with the village’s chairperson.

“Whoa, I’m knocked out,” I breathe out and briefly close my eyes. I look at the stage nearby and the people really like the band that’s performing.

Later, they will open the aviary and let hundreds of butterflies out after taking care of them and reproducing them. Tourists will also flock in here because of it.

“Ah, excuse me?”

I turn around and see a tall man wearing a denim jacket, white inner shirt, and denim jeans. “Yes?”

“I’m sorry for inconvenience but do you know Choi Beomgyu?” he asks.

Beomgyu hyung? Who’s this?

“Why, sir?” I ask politely.

“I’m his friend… He invited me to celebrate the festival,” he smiles at me. “Where can I find him?”

“May I know who you are?”

“I’m… Choi Soobin,” he introduced.

Choi Soobin? Beomgyu hyung’s ex? Ah, so he’s Choi Soobin? I look at him from head to toe and nods at myself. Well, he’s not bad. But I didn’t know he’s hyung’s style.

“Well…” I paused when I saw hyung walking towards our direction. “He’s behind you,” I said.

That Choi Soobin turns around and I witnessed how hyung smiles from ear to ear which I usually see when he’s teaching the kids. What the? Why does he smiles so much? Tsk.

“Wow! It’s been a while, punk!” Choi Soobin reacted as soon as Beomgyu hyung’s already close.

“You missed me now, huh?” Hyung teases him— hopefully, that’s it.

“Of course! I really missed you, Beomgyu. Can you give hyung a hug?”

I quickly frown at it. Hey! Is that even okay to do that with your ex? Whoa! I can’t believe them. I rolled my eyes and just turn my back. It’s so annoying.

“Yuck,” I heard hyung reacted and they both laugh. “Hey! Taehyun!” he shouted my name so I pause and look back at them.

They both move closer to me, “Soobin this is Kang Taehyun and Taehyun this is Soobin, a close friend,” hyung introduced us.

I lower my head for second and smiles, “Nice to meet you, I’m Kang Taehyun. I also teach at the children’s home,” I introduced.

“Taehyun?” he repeated. “Why does it sound familiar?” he though and look at Beomgyu hyung. “Did we have a classmate before named Kang Taehyun?”

He can’t remember it well too.

Hyung shakes his head, “None,” and he smiles.

“Oh,” Soobin nods and smiles at me. “I’m sorry. I’m Choi Soobin, I work at police department. Just call me hyung,” he introduced as well and he offered his hand that I gladly accept.

“Dr. Kai prepared a lunch for us, let’s eat together,” Beomgyu hyung said. “Ah, how about you Taehyun? Are you going to eat with your mom?” he asks.

“You’ll be at the clinic, right? I’ll be right there,” I said and then left them with a smile.

I look for my mom and saw her talking to some politicians. She excused herself as soon as she sees me and I gave her my smiles. “Mom, I’ll be having a lunch with the other staffs, will it be okay?”

“Of course baby, I’ll be with the congressman as well,” she replied and gently pinch my cheek. “Eat a lot, okay? I talked to Mrs. So and we’re so proud of what you’ve done earlier. The kids love you so much,” she added.

“Thank you, mom… And thank you for letting me explore in here too,” I said and then hug her. “Mom… I think I remembered something,” I almost whispered since my mouth is close at her ears.

“Oh really!? Tell mom about it,” she reacted excitedly.

“Kim… Woo… Hyun…”

I felt her froze for a moment and because I’m hugging her, I felt how fast her heart beat. I slowly let go of her and I smile, “But it wasn’t that clear. That’s why maybe it’s just some random name, right?” I chuckles.

“R-right… Maybe,” she chuckles hesitantly. “I’ll get going now, okay? I’ll see you at weekends, baby. Take care.”

I nod and she slowly walks away. “Mom!” I called her again and she pauses. “What will you do… if I finally regain all my memories?” I asked in serious voice.

“I’ll be… g-glad, Taehyun,” I heard her reply without looking at me and she started walking away.

Kim Woo Hyun has the answers… I need to find him sooner.

“Oh! Ahjussi!” I called someone who’s about to open the clinic as well.

I saw how he frustratedly close his eyes and open it again to see me. “I’m not ahjussi,” he corrected me while glaring and he open the door.

“Why are you here, ahjussi?” I asked again and followed him. “Are you sick?”

“No! I’m not!” he suddenly flared. “I’m not sick! I am not ahjussi!” he continued shouting and the door of Dr. Kai’s office opened. “That guy is even older than me,” he pointed Dr. Kai.

“M-me? Why?” Dr. Kai confusedly asks while pointing finger at himself.

“It’s not like he’s 100 years old,” I muttered and this ahjussi just scoffs at me.

“Taehyun,” Doc Kai calls me and went closer to us. “This is Choi Yeonjun, he’s a colleague,” he introduced. “Yeonjun, this Kang Taehyun.”

“I know,” the Yeonjun answered and I frown.

“How did you know me?” I ask.

“Because I’m already old, happy?” he replied in sarcasm.

“Oh? You’re here,” Beomgyu hyung’s voice on the office door. “So you’re Doc Kai’s friend? Let’s have lunch!”

Inside Doc Kai’s office there’s him, Beomgyu hyung, Soobin hyung, this old man Yeonjun, and me. There are five inside the room and we’re having lunch. But what really grab my attention is how Dr. Kai smiles while looking at us.

Is he that happy? He looks like a dad.

“But Soobin, right? Choi Soobin?” Yeonjun hyung asks.

“Ah yes, why?” Soobin hyung politely asks and chew his food.

“Have we met before?” Yeonjun hyung asks.

“I d-don’t think so?” Soobin hyung replied while thinking. “This is the first time, I’m sorry,” he smiles and Yeonjun hyung just nods and continue eating.

“But Taehyun,” Soobin mentioned my name that made me pause from eating and meet his eyes. “I don’t remember seeing you before but your name sounds familiar… I think I heard it before. I just don’t know where…”

It’s the same as grandma.

“Maybe it’s just because my name is common,” I replied and chuckles.

“Ah!” he suddenly reacted and we look at him. “You Kang Taehyun, I remember now.”

He… remembers?

I glance at Beomgyu hyung and he’s also staring at me. Yeonjun hyung is staring at Dr. Kai and Kai is staring at Soobin who’s waiting for what he’s going to say.

“W-what do you remember?” Beomgyu hyung asks.

“The Yongsa-du intersection incident, it was you, right?” he stated and I nods. “Yeah, it was really you. It was a hot topic,” he stated.

“How did you know about it, hyung?” Beomgyu hyung asks. “We were still seniors that time,” he added.

“One of my uncle handled that case and they were talking about it—”

“How did it happen?” I interfered. “How did my accident went?” I added and I noticed Doc Kai focused his sight on me.

“It was a car crash,” Soobin hyung answered. “An SUV and your car, it because of the heavy rain,” he added and continued eating.

I sighs lowly and just continued eating as well with them. Then they started talking about random staffs in line with their jobs. Choi Soobin hyung is a detective, though he’s still a junior, he does his job excellently. Choi Yeonjun hyung on the other hand has no permanent work and just stroll around and collecting things. I don’t exactly know what he collects.

“They are finally opening it!” I exclaimed and even clasped my hands as I look at the garden that’s in front of me.

“I didn’t know you like butterflies,” Beomgyu hyung stated.

“Me too,” I replied.

“You should have told me so we could have visited the garden before they release the butterflies,” he added that made me look at him. “They won’t allow the people to enter the garden now and we’re just going to watch from the outside.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, so it won’t scare the insect—”

“No,” I cut him off and he looks at me. “If I told you before, you’re really going to bring me here?”

“Of course,” he smiles and looks at what’s in front again. “You aren’t bad, Taehyun… It was just my anger beats me the first time I saw you,” he said. “I’m sorry…”

I smile, “No need to feel sorry…  You and your ex-lover didn’t end well and everything was sudden so it was understandable,” I stated and move closer to him that our skin almost touched. “Thank you, hyung…” I whispered.

The next moment, we witnessed hundreds of butterfly at the sky. I smile from ear to ear after seeing different colors of its wings flapping in the air.

I heard hyung asks me, "Why do you like seeing butterflies?"

"Just... They are beautiful."

I paused after realizing how similar that conversation is. I look at hyung and he’s still looking at the butterflies that are dancing on the wind and some are already traveling on its own.

“They are indeed beautiful, right? They are free as well,” he chuckles and smiles at me. “But do you know that they can’t see their own wings? That’s why they can’t see how beautiful they are and so are you Taehyun…”

Why?

He continues and he completely face me, “Even if you can’t remember you past, even if you don’t know who you really were, even if you can’t remember that everything flashed right in front of your eyes… you are still beautiful. There’s still this beautiful future for you, and that’s what you’re going to see soon.”

Was my heart beat this fast before? No. This is the first time. Why? It’s just Beomgyu hyung giving me some words of wisdom. Was his smile always that beautiful and endearing?

I shifted my eyes away from him because its softness is making me melt. His stare that holds thousands of galaxies is too much for me to handle. He’s making me feel the rush I never knew it existed.

After the releasing of the butterflies, the concert event continued but hyung and I started walking by the shore and away from people. “Hyung,” I called him.

“Hmm?”

“Look at this,” I said and presented the two butterfly keychains that’s on my hand. “I bought this at night market, I just like it,” I reasoned and gave him the other one. “The ahjumma that sells it said that it brings prosperity.”

“Really? And you’re giving it to me?” he reacted and I nod then hand him the other one. “It’s pretty,” he commented. “Thank you.”

“You’re always welcome!”

“But how about your memories?” he asks. “Are they coming back?”

“Some… little,” I just answered. “There’s still a lot to regain,” I chuckles.

“You said you regain some of it when I’m with you… why? Does it really help?” he asks again.

“Nope,” I laugh. “I just said it so I can be close to you,” I lied and laugh again.

“You really!” he reacted while glaring.

“I’m sorry hyung,” I apologizes and paused from walking then look at the sun that’s about to set.

“Tell me what I can help you, Taehyun,” he offered.

Help me sort out what I’m feeling right now, hyung. Help me confirm if we really met before or it’s just me. Help me know you more because it feels like I’ll also know myself as well. Help me find me.

“Nothing,” I smile. “Your presence is enough… and I just want you to move on from your past.”

“Actually… I already accepted it. That guy, Taehyun, really taught me what love is… I begged love for Soobin hyung though he didn’t know it, why? It’s because I’m a product of a broken family,” he speaks.

“I didn’t have the chance to know who my dad is and my mom left me at my grandma. I hate how the world abandoned me that time. I lost my youth too because I need to take care of my grandma at an early age. Then I wished at the Deity to give me someone who can love me the most,” he continued.

“Did he give you one? Choi Soobin hyung?”

“He gave me Taehyun… so I can love Soobin.”

I frown at what he answered and that made me stare at him. “What do you mean by that?”

“I begged love for Soobin hyung without knowing it was Taehyun who Deity gave me,” he smiles bitterly. “I realized it long enough. I was this stubborn kid longing for love and suddenly fell out of love.”

“Hyung, if you’re going to wish again… What will it be?” I asked him and he looks at me so intently.

“I wish that I just let things as it should be and didn’t change anything… If it stayed as like that, then maybe we could have met in different and less painful way.”

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