Sunghoon quietly entered the auditorium where the first and final practice of the graduation program was happening. He watched the practice ceremony from the farthest seat on the upper row.
He felt ashamed and disappointed all at once. He just got back from the faculty and he had discovered that his Dad has offered money only so he can graduate on time.
Sunghoon told his parents last night and they seemed calm about it, but he didn't know it would come to this point. Sunghoon felt utterly ashamed, but thankfully, the decision is still up to him. He declined, of course.
Sunghoon doesn't want to use the privilege of money to receive a diploma that he isn't deserving for. He wanted to work for it, like how his other friends (and basically everybody) did.
He watched silently as Jake's name got called on the stage to give his speech as the most outstanding student.
"...Yeah, and thank you," Jake ended the speech just like that before bowing at everyone. He even waved at the crowd before pointing at-
Wait...
Sunghoon looked from beside him. There stood Heeseung who was waving back at Jake on the stage. The older boy then put his hand back inside his pockets before sitting beside him.
"What are you doing up here?" Sunghoon asked.
Heeseung shrugged, "This dry-run only makes the graduation un-exciting to me."
"You'd be lost in the line," Sunghoon said.
Heeseung scanned the crowd before pointing at a specific vacant seat, "That's my place."
Sunghoon felt his phone vibrating. He takes the device from his pocket, staring at the contact of his Dad displayed on the screen. He turned to Heeseung who was also looking at the screen of his phone.
The older boy finally notices Sunghoon's look so he turns away, silently.
Sunghoon answered the call, placing the phone a little away from his ear in case his Dad would shout at him for declining the offer to graduate on time.
"Sunghoon..."
"I heard from the faculty you cancelled the opportunity I gave you to graduate on time..."
"What were you thinking? Aren't you ashamed of being left behind by your friends?"
Sunghoon inhaled deeply. The voice of his Dad was too loud and Heeseung probably heard it. The older boy was now staring back at him and Sunghoon didn't really know what to do.
"But I'm glad that you didn't take the offer. My pride can't take the shame of my son being dependent to money..."
"You chose hard work over power and that's very mature of you. Come home tonight, your Mom is preparing something for you."
Sunghoon saw how Heeseung smiled in relief, just as Sunghoon did.
"Yeah," Sunghoon said, looking away. "I'll be home tonight."
The call then ended after that, leaving the atmosphere between the two boys awkward.
+++
Riki questions his life decisions upon ending in a convenience store with Sunoo deciding which flavor of ice cream they should buy, yet again. As much as Riki wanted to pick the tub of chocolate ice cream, he couldn't bear the disappointment registering in Sunoo's face.
So, Riki grudgingly picks the mint flavored tub.
Now, there he was staring at the mint-green color of the desert being scooped up from the container. The spoonful came directly to Riki's mouth and he had no choice but to accept it and pretend like he didn't want to vomit everything.
"Only a few people like this flavor," Sunoo said.
I don't like it, either.
"What about you?" Sunoo asked, staring hopefully at him.
"Uh," Riki looks away. "I'm on the neutral side...I eat it whenever I'm-" forced to.
"So you liked it?"
No. "You can say," Riki flatly smiled.
Sunoo replied to him by flashing a bright smile, one that never failed to make Riki smile as well. He'd do everything to see those smiles, even if it means forcing himself to like mint flavored foods that usually disgust him. Only for Sunoo.
"But, Riki," Sunoo suddenly sounded serious. "The main reason I asked to meet outside was because I have to talk to you about something..."
Riki stared at Sunoo, waiting for his next words.
"Jay asked me to convince you into going home."
Riki looked down at the tub of ice cream, unconsciously scooping some on his own.
He already predicted that when he saw them talking outside the laboratory room. Jay thinks he can use Sunoo to make him go home.
"If you ask me, I might," Riki said. "But you have to do me a favor as well."
"You want me to go home too, right?"
Riki nodded.
"Why?" Sunoo asked, "The only thing you know about me was the story you heard from Jungwon."
Riki opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it. He promised. He sighed deeply, eating the dessert on his spoon.
"You don't know anything about my family situation, too," Riki said.
"But your half-brother knows," Sunoo argued. "I believe Jay will never tell you to do something that will only bring you misery, no?"
Riki bites on the inside of his cheeks. Sunoo was right. Jay was always standing on his side.
"Still," Riki pouts. "I'm only doing it if you promise you'd go back home too."
"I promise," Sunoo said, not even thinking twice.
Riki quickly looked back up and saw Sunoo's serious and dedicated expression.
He promised Sunoo's sister that he'll convince him into going home, but Riki didn't know how to do that. This was an opportunity to grab, but Riki had to gamble meeting his Dad too in exchange.
"L-let me think about it, first," Riki stutters.
Just as then, Sunoo grabbed his hand as he smiled at Riki.
"Let's fix ourselves first individually before fixing us."
tengyu_