140 – Happy midday dream (3)
Hyeonwoo walked aimlessly away from his colleagues.
His colleagues looked at him with his eyes wide open, as if they had many things they wanted to ask him, and the information dealer kept trying to stop him by saying something, but he took off his in-ear earphones and took heavy steps.
-See you again next time, right?
To her question, he answered that he could see.
Even if she doesn’t remember, he will have to keep that promise.
Because we will definitely have to face each other, apologize, and talk.
“…Maybe I should have asked the intelligence dealer to tell me the location.”
So, without even knowing where she was, he continued to move in front of her –
Flapping.
“…Hmm?”
A butterfly flutters its wings gracefully in front of you.
In winter, a beautiful purple butterfly that should never have existed appeared in front of her, and she watched it dance before her eyes as if it was trying to say something –
“……”
I soon smiled and started walking towards the direction where the butterfly was fluttering.
“…Where is it?”
Meanwhile-
“Where on earth are you…?”
Jihyun escaped from her friend’s side and continued running.
Yena, who was next to her, shouted to say something, and her cell phone started ringing continuously in her arms – but she turned off her cell phone and desperately kept walking.
-You can see it.
When she asked if she could see him again next time, he answered by nodding.
Of course, like Yena and the others who felt uncomfortable, I have to check whether Hyunwoo’s memories are intact or not, but even so, I made a promise.
Because we had to face each other, get angry, and have a conversation and laugh at the end.
“Where on earth are they…!”
She wandered aimlessly around her academy without even knowing where he was, but-
Flapping.
“Huh?”
For some reason, a butterfly landed on her head.
The strange pale purple butterfly, which should never have existed in winter, took flight again, met her eyes as if to scold her, and –
“Sorry. “I can’t find where it is.”
When Jihyun responded with a bitter smile, the butterfly began to fly in front of her as if she knew it would happen, and she began to run forward following the butterfly.
The boy follows the butterfly forward.
The girl also follows the butterfly forward.
The two followed the flying butterfly across the academy, and only when the butterfly landed on the fountain decorated like a tree did they look forward –
“…Ah.”
“…Uh.”
We met inside the academy in front of a beautifully decorated fountain.
Unlike the noisy surroundings, there is an awkward silence between them.
A girl with long, light sky-blue hair with a bluish tinge and blue eyes that seem to freeze anyone who looks at them. However, Hyunwoo also stiffened from the warmth he felt from that gaze.
A boy with short golden hair and gray eyes that look like they have lenses in them. However, Ji-hyeon also stiffened when she saw the boy who for some reason reminded her of black hair and beautiful eyes that looked like sapphires.
A garden built around a fountain. Among the countless people walking around there, they remained silent and looked at each other.
How have you been so far? Have you had any difficulties while working as a hero? Are the other kids doing well? It’s okay to be angry at yourself – why don’t you just say what’s on your mind?
“…Hello.”
There was a lot to say, but in the end, all that came out of his mouth was a simple greeting.
Can you recognize yourself, or even if you do – do you remember the promise from the dream?
In order to find out, the only thing he could do was to give a difficult greeting.
“…Yes, hello.”
How have you been doing? Have you been injured while working as a villain? Are you curious about other people’s news? If it was that hard for you, you’d rather hug yourself and cry, pouring out everything you’ve suffered and venting your anger – why did you suffer alone and eventually become a villain? Did it work?
There was a lot to say, but in the end, all that came out of her mouth was a simple answer.
I wanted to get angry and argue. At the end, I wanted to hug my childhood friend, who must have been going through such a difficult time, and ask if he was okay.
When I actually met him, my mouth couldn’t drop, so I wondered if he, who was looking at me with such a bitter gaze, would lie again and pretend not to know and leave.
Because all I could do was smile shyly and return the greeting with difficulty.
“…Hero Snow Woman. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, that’s right. “Are you here to see the festival?”
However, they moved closer and closer.
By chance, we found an empty bench in front of us and gradually got closer to each other – although it was awkward, we began to steadily continue the conversation.
“It looks like you came alone.”
“I have company, but unfortunately I got lost.”
“Wow, that’s a big deal.”
As if we were seeing each other for the first time. Without knowing that the other person knows their identity.
But ironically, since they know each other’s identities, they exchange affectionate glances.
Just as the butterflies sitting at the fountain flew towards each other and finally landed on the star decorated at the top of the fountain, the two gradually became closer.
The two stopped at the same time, as if they had made a promise, at a distance where they could touch each other if they stretched out their hands.
Hero and Villain. Those who broke their promise to be together and ran away, and those who were disappointed when their promise to be together was broken.
Because various realistic situations became shackles holding them back.
The boy hesitated, the girl hesitated too, but-
But- before that, they were childhood friends, and they cherished each other the most.
They looked into each other’s eyes and broke the shackles with their own hands.
The boy suddenly remembered his promise and smiled quietly.
The girl gathered her thoughts and took a breath, saying that this should not happen.
“That-“
“Over there-“
At the same time, the two finally opened their mouths as if they had decided on something.
“…Speak first.”
“…Is that so?”
She knew she had done something wrong, so she made up an excuse in her mind that she would follow her will, and her boy gave her the lead.
The girl puffed out her cheeks in a pout at her pushy behavior, but when she saw the boy’s guilty expression, she smiled and nodded.
“They say I’m a student at the academy here, so I know the way around well.”
“Is that so?”
The girl spoke to her boy with her smiling face.
“So, if it’s okay with you, would you like me to help you find your companions?”
“…Really?
The boy answered the girl with a surprised expression.
“Yes, in addition to finding your companions, I will also guide you. “We prepared hard and there is a lot to see.”
“You’re busy, so you’re not helping me, right? “Wouldn’t that be rude?”
The festival that your friends and yourself worked hard to prepare. Let’s enjoy this festival that you should have been at together now.
The girl stretched out her hand to the boy with her offer.
“Excuse me. Coincidentally, I also had some free time and it was perfect for me to travel alone.”
“…Then, may I ask you a favor?”
Those she abandoned and the festival she prepared. He asked if it would be okay if we enjoyed this festival together, which he should have been there for, but he kicked away the opportunity and can no longer return.
The boy accepted her offer and asked, holding her hand.
“Of course. Please take care of me.”
“It’s an honor. Please take care of me too.”
The girl agrees, and the boy expresses his gratitude.
She held her two hands, which she could never hold together, and smiled awkwardly at each other.
“Then shall we go?”
“…Yes.”
But, with a somewhat satisfied look. To enjoy a moment that may be nothing more than a midday dream.
-What are we going to do when the festival opens?
-Hmm. What should I do? But I heard it’s a national rule that if you’re a first-year student in the hero department, you’re in charge of the parade during the festival?
Memories of the past. Those days that I had already forgotten and dismissed.
-Then Jihyun and Hyunwoo were in charge of Highlight at that time? With Ji-hyeon as the princess and Hyun-woo as the prince, we build a tall tower in the middle of the parade and place them on top of it.
-Ah, Jihyun has a fear of heights?
I thought about the already broken promise that I thought I couldn’t keep.
-It’s okay if I’m with you.
-Well, is that so? Then, shall we do it together during the winter festival?
-There is no softness?
-Yes, of course. Where should I go when I leave you behind?
Both heroes and villains. Forgetting all the complicated circumstances, I just somehow managed to fix and weave together the promise that had already been broken.
So they moved forward,
As soon as they left, the butterflies sitting on the decoration flew up into the sky.
We put strength on our hands that were facing each other, and the distance became so close that our shoulders touched,
The butterflies intertwined with each other and began to fly high into the sky as if dancing.
One day in the middle of winter. In a midday festival with snow falling.
They left the garden to enjoy the first, and perhaps last, festival.
