Onyx Papilio - Ch.1
Title: Onyx Papilio
Pairing: HyunMin (SHINee/JonghyunxTaemin)
Summary: What happens when his dreams become a reality?
Rating: PG15+
*AU. Supernatural. Romance.
The room was a foggy gray in color with a single black chair placed in the center.
“Where am I?” My voice echoes and bounces off the walls.
Suddenly white mist blurs my vision, blinding me. Closing my eyes from the abruptness, I reopen them to see myself standing on top of water; it rippling with every movement I make.
A distant sound of wind chimes resounds around me. I face forward to see a black butterfly fluttering before me. It had a mysterious green light surrounding it, with intricate silver designs on its wings. Something about it immediately drew me to it, like a magnet. I felt like it was calling for me.
Without any hesitation I stretch my arm out in front me; fingers splayed to reach the lone butterfly. My chest thrums as an unknown excitement buzzes throughout my body as my hand gets closer to the exquisite papilio.
But just as I think the onyx beauty has landed on my finger, like cold water being splashed on my face, my feet slip and I fall through nothingness…
Eyes snap open to stare up at a white ceiling as the morning sunlight seeps through the curtains. Chest rising with each heavy breath, the body vibrates with unknown epinephrine. Letting out a long breath, a shaky hand runs a through the tangled bed hair.
“That dream again…”
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“Why aren’t you enjoying yourself?”
Breathless and thrumming with energy, Kibum plops down next to his sulking friend. The loud beats of the bass amplifies through the speakers of the club as the swirling lights dazzle everyone on the dance floor.
“Too tired…” came the grumbled reply. Images of a gray room and a black butterfly flash before dark chestnut eyes. Shuddering, pale white hands pull the burgundy beanie down on top of a curl of brown. Eyes screwed shut, the shaking boy groans.
“What’s wrong Taemin?” Kibum asks, coming down from his adrenaline rush; the purple in his hair seeming a rich red in the club lights. They cause his eyes to look darker than they already are.
Just then, two more bodies scurry themselves into the small booth. “You’re missing out on the fun!” Jinki exhales, reaching for a glass of water.
“Isn’t every day we're allowed in a dance club…” Minho says, winking. He then notices the concerned look in Kibum’s eyes and Taemin’s huddled form. “What’s wrong?”
Kibum shrugs and rubs a soothing circle on Taemin’s small back. “He says he’s tired… over exhaustion maybe?”
“Well,” Jinki starts, looking at his watch, “it’s getting late, might as well call it a night. Besides, we do have school tomorrow.” He rolls his eyes as Minho scowls. “Come on.” He says, “Let’s take Taemin home, he’s obviously not in the right condition to dance.”
Reluctantly, Taemin gets up and takes tired steps out of the club. He sighs and takes a whiff of fresh air as soon as they’re outside.
“What happened? You weren’t this tired at school.” Minho says, slinging an arm around Taemin’s frail shoulders. He frowns as he notices how thin his friend is. ‘Was he always this frail?’
Taemin yawns and rubs his eyes, scratching at his beanie. “I don’t know… I’m just really tired.”
Jinki ruffles his hair and grins, “Maybe you’re trying too hard in school. Get some rest once in a while, it won’t kill you.”
“Easy for you to say, you get the high grades.” Kibum says, stretching his arms above his head. “Is anyone else hungry?”
The two except Taemin agree, the younger male shakes his head and walks on ahead. “I’m fine with going home by myself. You guys go and get something to eat.” He adds in a small smile, which seemed to have an opposite effect.
“You look like a walking corpse,” Minho says, raising an eyebrow.
Kibum nods, “We’re not stupid Taemin.”
“And my parents will kill me if they find out I sent you home by yourself, looking like that.” Jinki adds. His parents and Taemin’s went a long way back.
Taemin sighs and shakes his head. “I said I’m fine. It’s only a bus ride away from here, so go and get some food.” Before they could say anything, he turns and runs full speed down the street and around the corner.
‘Maybe running wasn’t a good idea…’ When he thinks he's a fair distance away he comes to a halt and catches his breath. With Minho’s athletic abilities he needed the distance if he didn't want to get caught. Suddenly, his vision spins and he finds himself on all fours on the cement ground. Blinking furiously, he closes his eyes and calms his breathing.
‘This is ridiculous.’ He growls, hating how weak he's feeling. Slowly opening his eyes, he gasps and silently yelps.
Right before his eyes was a glowing black butterfly. It was gracefully fluttering around his left wrist, a trail of green light following its movements. Too shocked for words, Taemin silently gapes at object that appears in his dreams…or his nightmares. He couldn’t tell which one it was yet.
For the past year he’s had the same dream; the gray room, the watery pond, and the eerily beautiful black butterfly. The dream also always ends the same way; as soon as he thinks he feels the butterfly lands on his fingers, he falls through a black hole. Every night, he wakes up in a cold sweat, heart thrumming against his ribs, and his body buzzing with unknown energy. He’s lost sleep over it many times, and every time he dreams of it, it always leaves him with the same thought afterwards; what is the meaning behind the butterfly?
He doesn’t know for how long he sat there on his knees, palms leaning on the rough cement, and staring at the eerily beautiful butterfly. But a sudden voice whips him of his trance.
“Are you okay?”
It was melodious, deep and rough, but also sweetly enticing. It was a very charming voice.
Taemin somehow breaks his eyes off the intricate butterfly to see a man, no, a boy close to his age staring down at him with unreadable dark eyes. He was dressed in comfortable black from head to toe, with the exception of his light brown hair. Feeling himself flush with embarrassment, Taemin shakes his head.
“I’m fine, just slipped.” He stutters, clearing his throat. A warm hand is stretched towards him in a gentle, mannerly fashion. Taemin looks at the hand… and stares shockingly at the black butterfly fluttering elegantly in the palm of the stranger’s hand. Dumbstruck, he didn’t know whether he was afraid or fascinated.
“Excuse me? Are you okay?” the stranger calls, waving the hand in front of Taemin’s face. With the blink of an eye, the butterfly disappeared, and Taemin finds himself staring at dark, concerned, eyes of the handsome stranger.
Finding it eerie and feeling uncertain, Taemin starts with a surprise and quickly gets to his feet; somewhat unbalanced. “Everything’s fine. It’s okay. Thanks for your concern.” Taemin rushes, rubbing his sweating hands on his jeans as he moves past the stranger and down the road. ‘Don’t look back. Don’t look back. Don’t look back.’ He chants; mouth dry and head throbbing.
But betraying his own thoughts, his curiosity gets the better of him and he takes a quick peek behind his shoulder. There, a few meters back, was the stranger, hand still outstretched in front of him and staring dumbly in his direction. But that’s not what concerned Taemin, no, what concerned him when he turned around was the thing floating by the stranger’s shoulder.
‘I’m going crazy.’ Taemin thinks, screwing his eyes shut and breaking out into a sprint. His heart aches painfully in his chest as images of the glowing black butterfly hovering beside that man’s head paints in his mind.
Sighing with irritation, a pale hand runs through the soft brown locks. “What’s with that kid?” He mutters, scratching his neck. He stares at the disappearing form in the distance and then to his open palm. He frowns.
“He looked at me with such fear…” He mumbles, somehow a growing concern for the frail boy attaching to his conscious. Sighing, he shrugs and turns around, continuing his own way. But as he wants to forget about the incident, something kept bothering him in the back of his mind.
“What the hell…” He exhales noisily, rubbing his temples. Shaking his head, he rids himself of the encounter and marches on.
_ _ _ _ _
(fin.- Chapter 1)