Snapshot of Life

Donghae sighed contently as he crouched low to the ground, his camera still in front of him, his eyes focused on the purple butterfly on the screen. With a steady finger, he clicked the capture button just in time before the butterfly flew away. He stood, examining his work. "Perfect. Absolutely perfect," he mused with a silly grin. He clicked a few buttons next to the screen, moving the picture to a coinciding file before he continued down the sidewalk towards his favorite coffee shop. He knew he should hurry, but the weather was ideal and the sun cast the perfect lighting against the tall buildings surrounding him. 

Nonchalantly, he snapped a few random shots of people milling about on the street. He loved days like this. There were so many potential memories to capture and scenes to freeze in time so no one will forget. He smiled. This was the kind of thing he lived for. No rules or regulations. Just pure art everywhere. He sighed, letting the camera fall to bang gently against his chest and ran his fingers through his shaggy hair. The reason he'd been stalling, taking his sweet time to the coffee shop, loomed over him. He knew a certain someone was waiting for him, an offer poised on his lips that he was more than happy to refuse. 

He knew he should be grateful and flattered that his friend thought so highly of his work to want him to come back to the force. But he hated that job. He didn't want his work to be constrained by any rules or expectations. He wanted to be free to take pictures of what he wanted. And though he knew his friend would retort and say that he could still do both, they both knew that that wasn't possible. He was the best, not that he boasted that or anything, and he would be in high demand. He'd never have free time. It's why he had quit in the first place.