EP.39 Final Farewell - This is Park Jimin's Butterfly Yeoju

When I suddenly opened my eyes, the first thing that caught my eye was the ceiling, as white as the snow field at that time.

박지민

ah ...

하인

Oh, you're awake!!

비서

Please contact the chairman immediately! Are you alright, Young Master?

박지민

Aaugh...!!

Jimin, clutching his head from the headache that suddenly struck him, lay still, catching his breath. His exhaled breath was caught in his windpipe, making it difficult to breathe.

박지민

...take this off me

Jimin ordered while tapping the respirator with his weak fingers, but everyone surrounding Jimin just shook their heads.

비서

No, sir. You must rest.

박지민

Ugh, it's so frustrating...

Since no one responded to his orders, he had no choice but to use his own hands. Jimin raised his own hand and tried to remove the respirator...

박지민

Aww..!!!

A tremendous pain shot through his back. Jimin swallowed his entire breath and buried his face in the bed.

It was a pain I had never experienced before.

박지민

Oh my... gasp...

As I buried my face in the white blanket, the memory of the white snow field that was so vivid before my eyes naturally flashed through my mind.

It was a really cold night. I felt like I couldn't go any further.

My toes were frozen solid, and my vision was blurry from the breath that came out with every breath I took.

That night, why did I climb such a cold snowy road? I had taken off my neat school uniform and warm scarf...

박지민

Haa... haa...

I climbed and climbed that rugged mountain path without fear, relying on that faintly familiar voice.

That night, the only reason I climbed that rugged mountain path was because there was someone I wanted to protect with my life.

I wanted to chase after the person who fearlessly gave up his life for me and protect him until the end.

박지민

.. butterfly, butterfly..!!

Why am I breathing so well?

Jimin abruptly sat up in bed. The image of the butterfly in his memory flashed before him, and his eyes instantly turned red.

Tears welled up in the corners of my eyes and flowed down my cheeks in multiple streams.

박지민

Butterfly? Where is the butterfly??

박지민

Let's go quickly... Where is the hospital room? Come here and wake me up.

박지민

Let's go check if Butterfly is okay, okay?

Jimin, standing barefoot on the floor, looked at the servants and maids lined up on either side of him. They stood their ground, not moving a single step.

박지민

...What are you all doing? Are you deaf? Come here and lead the way. Let's go see the butterflies.

A trembling voice urged them on, but they just blinked and looked at Jimin.

박지민

Hurry up!!!

When Jimin's scream rang sharply in the quiet hospital room,

Squeak -

The door to the white hospital room opened quietly.

박지민

Huh?? The butterfly is here?

Jimin, walking with the Ringer's wheel, forgot the pain that seemed to tear through his entire body. He hugged his side, tightly wrapped in bandages, and finally arrived at the door...

회장

It really is a variety of things.

Jimin's father stood there, looking down at him with a stern expression.

Oh, why not a butterfly? Are you feeling unwell?

Then I should go and take care of it right away. I should disinfect it, apply some medicine, pat it, and give it a hug.

I need to feed him, hold his hand, and ask him if he's cold...

Jimin walked past his father and out into the hallway, seemingly possessed by something.

Jimin was walking down the hallway with tears streaming down his face.

Butterfly... Butterfly...

I protected you. I did it only for you.

박지민

Aaak!!!

At that moment, someone grabbed Jimin by the back of his head and dragged him back. Jimin, who was dragged back to the hospital room by those rough hands, fell to the floor as if he had been thrown.

회장

What on earth is missing!!

Slap -

박지민

Aah..!!

A painful cry echoed through the hospital room. A large hand slammed down on Jimin's cheek, leaving him no time to move. Jimin's chin trembled as he held back tears. Jimin looked up at his father.

A gaze filled with anger pierced through Jimin.

회장

What are you complaining about that makes you act so shallow? Huh?

The cheek that had been hit felt a chill. Tears flowed down my face, an incalculable amount.

I'm sick, I'm sad, and I miss you.

Tears welled up in his eyes again as a mixture of complex emotions filled his eyes. As Jimin retched at the blood seeping from the inside of his cheek, his father bent down and held Jimin's cheeks.

Bloodshot eyes looked down at Jimin with contempt. He must have clutched his cheek too tightly, as thicker blood flowed out from the burst spot.

Jimin kept whining and clinging to his father.

회장

I think I gave it all. If it was for you, this father would have done it all.

박지민

Dad... Dad...

회장

Give me people to take care of me, give me food and clothing. Even though I gave them someone to protect me so that I wouldn't get into any trouble..!!

박지민

Dad...

회장

Why on earth did you do something like that on all fours and come back like this!!!

The chairman's scream was close to a scream. He didn't even notice that Jimin's cheeks were turning bright red.

박지민

Ah, ahh.. dad..

Only then did the chairman, who was worried about Jimin, pull Jimin's cheek to meet his eyes, but Jimin's eyes were looking past the chairman and into the hallway.

With the hope that a butterfly might pass by. Or, that I might even find a similar silhouette.

He rolled his eyes diligently. Jimin's eyes, moving busily, were so earnest.

박지민

Where is the butterfly?

회장

... what ?

박지민

Please tell me.. my butterfly.

Dad. Dad. Please tell me. Where is my butterfly? I promised to protect it, but I'm so scared that I might not have kept that promise.

회장

under ...

The chairman simply chuckled. Ha, haha. What started out as a sigh turned into a demented burst of laughter.

Even after ending up like this, he was shot in the mountains and was in a coma for several days before waking up and all he said was...

회장

.. Aha. Are you looking for that guy?

박지민

Yes? Yes..

회장

Is that the guy who put you in such a desperate situation?

박지민

No.. No.. The butterfly didn't put me in danger.

회장

So who put you in danger?

박지민

I did. I brought this all on myself.

Dad, Father. He did nothing wrong.

I went there on my own. I set out because I wanted to protect you. I was the one who put myself in danger.

회장

..isn't that the one who made it like this?

박지민

Yes.. Yes.. No.. Butterfly did nothing wrong..

So please tell me quickly. Where is he? Where can I go to meet my butterfly?

회장

If that's the case, then it's really a shame.

박지민

.. yes ?

Jimin's eyes trembled slightly as he met his father's smiling face with a faint smile. It was a reaction of fear.

I'm afraid I'll never see my butterfly again.

회장

Well... I hope the journey was smooth...

박지민

.....

Tears welled up in my eyes. Then, as my vision blurred, I glared fiercely at my father's silhouette, which was fading away.

회장

If he had frozen to death in the cold, it would have been a somewhat more comfortable ending...

박지민

ah ...

회장

If you were to die from the cold and were to be seen by a beast...

박지민

No.. no..

회장

By now, it must no longer be human in form.

Okay, my son. Which way of thinking would be more comfortable for you? Let's choose.

박지민

Ugh, ahhh... hauk... ahh...

Jimin, writhing in pain, was no longer able to speak human language. The chairman quietly looked down at Jimin, who was lying on the floor, gasping for breath.