"Stan…," Nora whispered, hesitation in her bright green eyes.

"Shhhh…," Nora's lover shushed her, his own eyes darting from left to right. Even in the cover of night, they could never be too careful. As the only child of the man who ran Siliconkix, the biggest tech company in Europe, Nora, 20 years old, was engaged to a billionaire's son. This arranged marriage was taking place tomorrow. In the corner of Nora's bedroom, she leaned her head against Stan's shoulder. As the sound of footsteps disappeared, the two visibly relaxed, and Nora snuggled even closer to Stan as he slipped a hand around her waist. The open window blew a chilly reminder of the coming day into Nora's mind, the billowing curtains as white as a wedding dress.

"Tomorrow's the day," Nora muttered. Stan looked up in shock.

"Tomorrow?!" He whispered with urgency. Nora nodded, making sure to avoid Stan's eyes. Her gaze touched upon his dull black, feathery hair, looking almost gray in the moonlight. Stan felt something break apart in his chest. His heart? He didn't know. Nora peered into his now sparkling eyes.

"Don't be sad," she sighed, "I hate it when you're sad."

Stan smacked himself on the head. "I should've gotten flowers for you or something. Stupid. Stupid." A comfortable, yet somehow tense silence filled up the room. "I feel like I'm having a nightmare," Stan said.

Tears shone in Nora's eyes. She was hurting Stan. She leaned up and pressed her lips to his gently, and then pulled away. "I wish it was you."

"I wish it was me, too," Stan replied. After a pause, he said, "I remember when we met, and you told me that my shoelace was untied when we were on the subway. I guess it all began from something so minuscule, huh?"

Nora laughed and nodded. "I still remember what you were wearing that day… a T-shirt with a purple butterfly on it that said something about taking care of nature in our city."

"And then after that, I ran after you because I never got your name, but you kept running away from me."

Nora smiled. "I remember the time you brought me to get my nails painted and my ears pierced. And then you bought me a cheap plastic ring and told me you were going to marry me when we grow up. And then I realized that you completed me. You filled the hole in my heart."

Stan laughed bitterly, "Marry you, huh. You bring me as much happiness as pain, you know." A tear traced a silvery path on Nora's cheek. "So many regrets…sometimes I wish I could just die instead."

"Don't say-" before Nora could finish her sentence, a purple butterfly landed on the open windowsill. Its violet wings flapped in the moonlight and the insect landed on Nora's shoulder.

"I guess we're going to be back at the first day again," breathed Stan. "I guess this is goodbye."

Long eyelashes and shining lips peeked out from behind a snowy white veil. She tucked an errant strand of sandy brown hair behind her ear, bracing herself. As her father led her down the isle, the sound of piano music filled her ears. What was it? Yiruma? It didn't matter what the song was. It was just an echoing tune of dissonance in her ears.

In the street outside of the church, Stan stood under the glow of a dirty lamppost. The evening sky was reflected in his deep blue eyes, his feathery hair soaked from standing in the rain. Just standing there, listening to the piano, knowing in that very moment, his Nora was being given away to another man who had more money and less history than Stan.

"Excuse me, sir," a man approached Stan, "are you lost?"

Stan scoffed. Lost? He had been living here his entire life. But… "Yes, I am lost."

"I'll help you, so where do you want to go?"

"I don't know…"

In the distance, he caught sight of a purple butterfly landing on the church windowsill.