song: 좋아합니다 (I Like You) by Day6
(iconic, makes me want to scream out the chorus in my broken English at the top of my lungs) (not proofread bc I'm tired lol)
[Months Later]
Im Changkyun
"Something is burning; whether that is the gown or every single shred of patience I have, we'll never know."
"Could you be quiet for literally 0.3 seconds before I yeet you with this iron so hard you'll want to grow your emo fringe again to hide the mark that will be left behind." My sister hissed, in such a way that I couldn't do much apart from stare back absolutely gobsmacked. She replied with a sweet smile, continuing to carefully iron the dark blue silk of my graduation gown.
It stunned me that the day was here already; I remember so distinctly walking into my accommodation and living off noodles for a big majority of my first year, trying to get a place with Jooheon and surviving roughly 3 months by ourselves until we called it quits and moved back home. Those years sped by, as we were just an hour away from graduating university.
"Did you feel this nervous when you graduated?"
"I was terrified, I didn't have a medical school to go into yet so I was wondering what the hell I was going to do if I didn't get into one," she chuckled. "but here we are, I made it through, met someone I love, and even had a child. You can do whatever the hell you want," Jaeun smiled at me through the mirror. "speaking of, is he coming today?"
"He should be? I think he just landed so he might get to the campus when we're taking photos." I reached for my phone, typing a message to Kihyun, who'd just came back from a photography gig in Italy. He told me that whilst he developed his photos during a slow time in the shop, some photography big name saw his work and begged for his portfolio and for his presence at a fashion show in Milan.
Time zones affected how often he replied to me (and how much he'd say, because he was either just waking up or going to bed), but the last time he spoke, he promised he'd make it to the ceremony.
ki 💛: just went past border control, now waiting for my luggage
ki 💛: I swear as soon as I'm get home I'm gonna pee real quick and then drive there, I should make it on time
welcome back ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
and drive safe you ugly
ki 💛: ugh thank you 😪✊🏼 wyd
[you sent a photo!]
sitting here like the snack I am waiting for my sister to finish with my gown so I can put it on
I think Jooheon and Co. just got here actually
ki 💛: now I'm bald !
ki 💛: let me give you all my love !
SHDJDJDK STOP I MISS YOU Y U NEED TO PEE
ki 💛: hUh
ki 💛: OH,, I'm sorry I'll be fast
[you sent a photo!]
"What's taking you so long?" I heard Jooheon coming up from the other side of the door, which he didn't hesitate to open. "My Mom is armed with her fansite-style camera and I'm pretty sure it's a freaking gun in disguise and your dumb ass is sat here lazing around as if we don't have to graduate in exactly 57 minutes."
"Damn, okay," I stood up, laughing. "let me put on my gown and we can go, okay?"
"I'd suggest a t-shirt instead of that turtleneck, it's hot outside, Kyun."
I shook my head. "I didn't exactly expect it to be -12°C either-"
"Uh!" He exclaimed. "This sass! Is this what happens when you go two weeks without di-"
"Okay! That's my queue to vacate the premises!" Jaeun stood up. "I'll be downstairs."
Thank God I was midway fighting with the gown, otherwise the two of them would have noticed how fast I blushed and never let me live it down. I pulled the thing over my head, smoothing it down and fixed my hair once again, before taking a final look at myself in the mirror.
"This is insane."
"That we fell into a capitalist trap of needing overpriced education in order to survive?" Jooheon said. "You're most correct, Kyun."
"I-yes," I laughed. "that and the fact we're about to freaking graduate. Isn't it slightly weird for you too?"
"A little, I guess. But not much will change, realistically, we're just officially old," he smiled, and I couldn't help but mirror him. "come on, we've made it through plenty, graduating should be a piece of cake."
"I hope so, I'm kinda hungry."
He then shook his head in mock disappointment, offended that I was reminded of food during his "half-serious speech" but not even he could avoid smiling.
We decided to finally go downstairs, Minhyuk being discreetly interrogated by my parents - we got there at the right time, when his face lost all colour as they asked how he met Jooheon.
"Should we go?" I announced loudly, shifting all the attention away from the poor boy.
"Talk about taking your time, but yes, let's finally go." Mom clapped her hands together, everybody else following behind her to the car. Minhyuk sighed.
"Didn't quite want my best friend's parents to call the police after they found out you hit me with a car." Jooheon smiled.
"Oh come on it, it was a tap at most." I shook my head at him, which set him off on a rant lasting all the way to the campus - even in separate cars (he made sure to message me). Whilst he did so, Kihyun kept me updated on where he was, and I was almost convinced that the entire universe was trying to keep us apart today.
Today 9:38am
ki 💛: ok I'm now getting in the car ! Had to get a taxi because Hyungwon took my car
okay, pls hurry, they're sending us to our seats now :(
Today 9:49am
ki💛: traffic is so insane I can't believe this
ki💛: I'll make it, I promise
they might not let you in after 10
ki💛: baby
ki💛: I'll make it
He didn't say anything else apart from that, and I hoped that it was because traffic cleared up. I looked down at my hands, rubbing them down on my gown to get rid of the sweat, but it was pointless because it returned within seconds.
"You okay?" Jooheon whispered a few moments before the graduation ceremony began, and whilst I was looking out to the empty chair beside my Dad and Minhyuk.
"He still isn't here." I replied.
"He knows this is important for you, I don't know what he'll do but-"
Jooheon was cut off by the abrupt sound of the auditorium doors swinging open, followed by heavy breathing, hushed apologies and Kihyun's shoes tapping against the wooden floor until he collapsed into his seat - much to everybody's amusement.
"I should be a witch." Jooheon mused and I shushed him, unable to hide the smile on my face, which remained there until the end of the ceremony, where the two of us were again forced to undergo a mini photo shoot, this time diploma in hand.
I looked aside, catching a stray camera away from the three currently pointed at us. "Hey!" I yelled. "This is a private party!"
"I guess my invitation got lost in the mail," Kihyun replied. "Italy is, after all, very far away."
I immediately detached from Jooheon, making a beeline for his arms, to the point I knocked him over. The two of us landed on the grass with a thud and a pained groan from Kihyun. "I'm pretty sure my lens just impaled my stomach-" I interrupted his whinging with a stream of hugs and kisses across his face until he screamed in mock irritation. "Kyun, I cant breathe."
"Back in the day we didn't have air," I replied. "I missed you."
"And I missed you too, of course, but we should probably get up because I don't know how the rest of your year is gonna cope with you tackling down a man during your graduation," he laughed, hauling the two of us up before kissing me. "I'm so proud of you."
"I bet you 20000 won he's gonna cry." I heard Jaeun say to Doyoung, immediately squashing down any seriousness in the moment. Kihyun smiled; that smile where tiny dimples formed at the top of his cheeks and I felt my heart about to rip through my chest. Good God, I love you.
"Come on," I grinned back. "we should probably get going."
***
Contrary to everybody's belief, we didn't stick around for as long was we expected to, opting to just go to a restaurant for lunch. There, Kihyun spoke of Italy and we got to know a bit more about Minhyuk too.
Currently, we all hung around a park - the same park where I first saw Kihyun.
Everybody had dispersed throughout the park, apart from the two of us, Minhyuk, and Jooheon, who I was actually walking with right now.
It became sunnier as the day went by, the sky now void of any clouds, which was enough to attract half of Seoul to the park
"So, my dearest," he said. "what now?"
"If I told you what, I would be lying to you," I chuckled, "I don't know, I'm just gonna try to teach, you know? I feel like it's the best thing I can do right now."
"I could see you and your little army of savage little Year 1's. Personally, I don't fully know what I'll be up to, but I might take some time off," he shrugged. "travel a bit, who knows."
"Minhyuk too?"
"I'll be getting it in every continent." He winked and I shoved him playfully. As we laughed, I felt Kihyun fall into step next to me.
"Oh-" Jooheon said. "I'll leave you guys to it, message me later? We have a couple rounds of FIFA to play still and some things to catch up on."
"Of course," I nodded, and he dashed off towards Minhyuk, who jumped onto his back. Once they were out of sight, I looked at Kihyun, interlacing our fingers. "hello."
"Hi," he grinned. "enjoying your day?"
"I mean, it's all about realisation and stuff but, it hasn't been terrible. I'm just glad you're here- what's wrong?"
He stopped walking, pulling me over to him until I could see the pretty. "I'll always be here for you, regardless. And yes, we can't live until 3005 like I promised, but I want to spend all the years I have left right by your side."
"Make me cry in this park and I'll actually fight you Yoo Kihyun."
He giggled. "Check your hands."
I pulled them both up to the speed of light. "What about- oh."
It was hard to miss, really - the silver ring with tiny diamond encrusted onto it, slipped onto my ring finger. "You.."
"I don't know exactly what that means, or how to word it, but I hope it speaks for itself," He said quietly. "I love you."
"I love you too." I croaked out before dropping into his arms, and crying for the rest of the day.
Maybe at that moment, I realised it; was I really that lucky to have met someone who filled a void I never dreamed of getting rid of, who opened my eyes to everything I was shielding myself from, and made me feel alive, and not just surviving?
If I was correct about those things, then perhaps - just perhaps - Kihyun and I would make it to 3005. For sure.
THE END
SNDJDJJDBDBD YALL WHAT A TRIP ITS BEEN
The epilogue is coming, I'll leave my sappy thank yous to then but regardless, thank you so much for taking the time to read this book - this was my return to wattpad after a long time of doubting myself and each read, comment and vote just made my day. Thank you so so much.
also feel free to ask any questions you may have about the ending/surrounding characters and how they turn out but the epilogue should tie up loose ends!