Fireflies (Taekook)
Chapter 1
I was ten years old when I met Jungkook.
I don't answer my mom, too preoccupied with the bugs dancing in front of my face. They flicker yellow and orange in the waning evening light, bodies flashing on and off as if communicating with one another. Maybe they are. Maybe they don't like words, either.
Her voice is closer now, but I stay still. One of the fireflies is hovering inches above my hand. Flicker on. Flicker off.
I think if I were careful enough, I could cup it in my palm. Would it fly away?
Soft footsteps approach, and then my mom is settling down beside me, legs bent like mine, her feet on the top stair of the deck
Mrs Kim
What're you doing, baby?
She asks, brushing my hair off my forehead.
Another firefly wanders close, and I move my hand below it. I'm safe, I try to tell it, but I can't blink like it can
Mrs Kim
Did you say hello to the new neighbors yet?
Mrs Kim
Their boy is outside
Mrs Kim
He's ten, like you. You should go say hello."
The firefly touches my palm, and I hold my breath
Mrs Kim
It is. But it's not a school night
She's quiet for a moment before adding,
Mrs Kim
You might like him
The firefly drifts to the left, and I follow it with my open palm. I could trap it between my hands, I think. But then I wouldn't see its light
Taehyung
How do you catch a firefly?
Chapter 2
She makes a soft sound before standing up and heading back into the house. It's a minute before she returns. When she does, she bumps something gently into the side of my arm. I look over, and she's holding out an empty jam jar, the lid twisted off
I'm careful to move slowly as I take it from her. The firefly hasn't danced far off. There are hundreds in the sky tonight. Maybe thousands. Countless specks of flickering color dotting the night sky. There isn't much of a breeze, but the crickets are singing loudly. I wonder if the fireflies hear them, too. Maybe that's why they're dancing.
The firefly winks golden at me as I raise the clear jar around its body. It doesn't move away. Doesn't react in any way I can tell. It seems so...easy
My mom says, handing me the lid.
I screw it on top of the jar, and then I watch. I watch the firefly flickering inside the glass, wondering what it's saying. Does it know it's been caught?
my mom says, hand ruffling my hair
Mrs Kim
Go meet the neighbor boy. His name is Jungkook. Maybe you two could be friends
I set the jar down on the deck and look over at the neighbor's house. It's not far. I counted ninety-eight steps the last time I walked between our yard and theirs. The grasses are tall and wild in the space between-no one has mowed them since my dad left-and the first spring flowers have started to poke through the soil. They're purple in the sun, but now, they're dark.
With a nod, I stand. The crickets keep me company as I walk the short way to the blue house next to ours
Ninety-seven steps today. I must be getting taller.
The new neighbors moved in this morning. I watched from the window as the trucks came and went, but it reminded me too much of my dad, so I didn't watch for long
I see him now-Jungkook-before he sees me. He's on the old tire swing that hangs from a big maple, not quite swinging, just drifting around and around and around. His hands are holding the rope at the top of the tire, his body through the center, and his head is hanging back, hair dangling toward the ground. It's longer than most boys' around here and shines bright under the moon.
He's nearly upside down when the tire stops and he spots me
chapter 3
We look at each other for a moment, both of us seemingly waiting
Jungkook
What's your name?
He asks, breaking the silence. He twists in the swing a little, rocking it back and forth as he watches me
Jungkook hangs his arms over the top of the tire.
Jungkook
Where'd you come from?
I point behind me, and he nods
Jungkook
Don't talk much, huh?
He tilts his head, hair falling messily around his face. It's brown, I think
I give him a nod and turn to leave, wondering where the fireflies disappear to when it's not dark. Are they still there, blinking uselessly in the sunlight? Can they talk to each other then?
Jungkook calls, dropping down out of the swing. He jogs over to me, having to tilt his head up when he gets close. He's shorter than me, but most kids my age are.
Jungkook
Where are you going?
He asks, not waiting for an answer before he grabs my hand and tugs. I follow him to the center of the yard. He gives me another tug as he sits down, and I glance back at my house before lowering myself to the ground beside him.
My mom would be proud. I think I'm making a friend
Jungkook
It's too quiet here
I cock my head, listening to the buzzing crickets, the slow passing of a car on the road, and some sort of bird farther off. Maybe an owl. It's not quiet to me.
I don't answer. I wouldn't even know what to say. I haven't known anywhere but Daegu
Jungkook
I didn't want to leave Seoul, but my parents made me.
Jungkook
There's, like, a hundred people here
Jungkook
Hey, what grade are you in?
Jungkook
I'm in fifth, too!
Jungkook
That's awesome. At least I'll know someone.
Jungkook
Do you like school?
Jungkook
My dad got a job at the paper mill
Jungkook
That's why we moved here
The paper mill in town is one of the biggest in the state. We learned that in school. Toured it and everything. The people who work there are the pulpers, as our townsfolk would say, as opposed to the huskers. It's either paper or corn here.
I don't think I want to do either, but there's not much choice
Jungkook
Do you wanna tell me your name?
Jungkook
You don't have to
Download NovelToon APP on App Store and Google Play
