The Forgotten Song

Eight friends sat together in a circle in the forest near the adoption centre. It was their usual meeting spot.

They had known each other since they were two. Every chance they got, they would go to the forest. They would sing and dance and tell stories. Chatter and laughter filled the air. They were also very fond of animals and birds.

Everyone longed for a family and a place they could call home; however, they were afraid of being separated. After years of staying together, their bond had grown stronger.

Years later, one by one, they began getting adopted and had to part ways. Among them was a girl named Butterfly. She was named after her love for butterflies and spring. She was introverted and couldn't imagine herself living away from her friends.

But she had to leave — she had to wave goodbye. She cried on the way to her new house, far away from the adoption centre.

As the days went by, she deeply missed the kind caretakers and her lovely friends.

Years later, she had grown into an adult. Deeply carrying those memories, she decided to visit the caretakers at the centre. When she arrived, everything looked the same yet very different.

She went to the forest, her first "home". From a distance, she could hear a familiar song. She followed the sound and reached the spot where the group used to meet up. She really hoped it would be her friends. Instead, she saw a group of eight kids, singing, dancing, and running around — and among them she saw a child just like herself, with a butterfly on her hand.

She then walked away quietly, smiling through her tears.