JUNG HOSEOK'S POV
"I'M SORRY THAT MY DAD NEVER TAUGHT ME HOW TO TIE A TIE BUT IT'S NOT MY FAULT!" Jin yells to Namjoon, shaking his shoulders furiously. "PLEASE JUST HELP ME!"
"What makes you think I know how?! I was gonna ask you!" Namjoon exclaims helplessly, rapidly buttoning up his dress shirt.
"Alright, I'm coming you dumbasses." I sigh with a chuckle as I walk over to their side of the room. After I finish tucking in my shirt I help them both tie their ties. They look much classier after I'm finished.
"Jin, why is your hair gel so crusty??" Taehyung calls from the bathroom down the hall. Jin gasps.
"WHO THE HELL TOLD YOU YOU COULD USE MY HAIR GEL??" He screams as he dashes after him.
Me and the guys are all gathered at Jin's house, currently preparing ourselves for our high school graduation. It's been a very chaotic morning: 7 eighteen-year-old boys all nervously rushing to shower, shave, dress up, fix our hair, practice our handshakes, and not confuse our shoes with one another's. It was Jimin's crazy idea to get ready together, and we all agreed to do it for some reason. We had invited Ji-won and Haru, but they decided it would be too difficult to get ready as such a big group. They're calmly preparing themselves at Ji-won's house now, just the two of them.
I wish I had listened to them.
Instead, the rest of us are all running around Jin's house, screaming and panicking, and extremely pressed for time since none of us could wake up early enough. I can't find it in myself to be annoyed though, I can only laugh at this whole scenario. After today, who knows what will happen to us? I'm hopeful that we'll still be good friends, since it takes a lot to break a brotherhood like ours, but college could take us anywhere. For today, I'm enjoying every bit of our stupidity.
As I'm combing my hair back, a FaceTime call from Haru comes in on my phone. I quickly pick it up.
"Where are you guys? We can't find any of you." She asks instantly. Her and Ji-won huddle their faces in front of the camera to both see. Shit, they're already at the stadium?
Ji-won's eyes widen. "IS THAT A COMB IN YOUR HAIR?" She exclaims. I quickly pull it out and laugh nervously.
"YOU HAVEN'T EVEN LEFT THE HOUSE YET??" Haru screams. Ji-won laughs maniacally.
"MAY AS WELL JUST SKIP THE WHOLE GRADUATION AM I RIGHT?!" She yells sarcastically.
"Both of you shut the fuck up before people start staring! You want to make a good last impression right?" I reply.
"Right, and yours is going to be terrible since you're showing up late." Ji-won scolds.
"We're not late yet! We have half an hour till the ceremony." I say, glancing at my watch.
"You have 7 minutes till the ceremony!!" Haru yells through clenched teeth. My eyes widen.
"JIMIN!!!" I scream. "I THOUGHT YOU SAID IT STARTED AT 10:30!?"
I hear his loud footsteps running to the room I'm in. He bursts inside and looks at me with a worried expression. "Isn't it???" He asks, sounding very unsure of himself.
"GET YOUR ASSES OVER HERE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE!!!" Ji-won yells. "BUT DON'T FORGET TO DRIVE SAFE AND BUCKLE U-"
I hang up on her and all hell breaks loose.
"ALRIGHT GUYS, WE GOTTA MOVE!!!" I scream.
Now imagine: a building explodes and everyone inside just barely makes it out alive, bursting out the door while screaming and running for dear life.
That's how we looked leaving Jin's house and piling into his parents' van.
"GO GO GO!!!" I yell, shoving myself into the passenger seat. Jin hops in the driver's spot, one hand holding his shoes and the other on the wheel. He had a terrifying look of determination on his face.
"You might want to hold onto something." He says with a grin. This goddamn psychopath-
Without further warning he steps on the accelerator and we all lurch backward and gasp as we speed through the neighborhood.
"JUST KNOW YOU'RE NOT GOING TO COLLEGE IF YOU GET ARRESTED ON THE WAY TO GRADUATION!" Taehyung screams to Jin from the backseat.
"YEAH? WELL I'M NOT GOING TO COLLEGE IF I DON'T EVEN MAKE IT TO THE GRADUATION, HEAD ASS! BUCKLE THE FUCK UP!" Jin fires back. All the while Jungkook is living his best life, his entire torso sticking out the window as he screeches joyously, flipping off people who honk at us as we recklessly drive by.
Yup. One amazingly chaotic morning.
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JEON JUNGKOOK'S POV
"...With that being said, and without further ado, let us begin our graduation ceremony, Class of 20xx!" The audience starts clapping at the end of Principle Choi's introduction speech.
Me and the guys arrive just on time, stumbling into the stadium as quietly and smoothly as possible.
Of course, in our case, "quietly and smoothly" means cursing at each other to act natural and walk faster, making a scene while searching for our seats, and last-minute checking our hair on our phone cameras as we move along.
We finally find our assigned spots and move our separate ways, filing into our seats awkwardly as the first few student names are called, followed by applause and intense cheers from their families. I look around the student faces, but our senior class is huge, and I can't find Ji-won. I smile to myself, thinking about all the honors I know she would soon receive. I'll scream at the top of my lungs for her when she gets called.
I never really thought much about graduating. Last year I almost didn't think I would. Now, however, since it's actually happening, a genuine nervous feeling settles over me. I feel butterflies in my stomach and a rare lump in my throat, impossible to swallow down. Is it possible that I'll actually miss this school, after I've hated it so passionately for years?
I haven't hated it this year, though. Ji-won changed everything for me. I smile to myself again, as I do every time she comes to my mind. It's refreshing to have someone simply bring you happiness, out of everything that can bring you down in the world. I need her more than she knows.
Since the students are being called in alphabetical order by last name, I'll be the first out of our friend group to be called. As the names begin inching closer to Jeon, my palms begin sweating profusely. My leg starts bouncing. My heart picks up its pace.
"Jeon Jungkook." Announces Principle Choi.
The entire stadium erupts into applause. I shakily stand up from my seat, but cover up my nerves with a winning smile. I walk as confidently as I can over to the stage. The screams are beautifully deafening. I think the entire senior class has cheered the loudest for me, which I'll admit makes me feel pretty accomplished. My old hoes are all over the stadium screaming and jumping and waving at me, yelling congrats and flirtatious comments as I pass by. I cringe but chuckle and wave back to everyone. All my boys are the main portion of the noise, yelling out their deep and passionate cheers. Taehyung and Jimin stand on top of their chairs and scream for me at the top of their lungs, Jin blows me kisses, Namjoon pretends to cry, and Yoongi and Haru hype things up by beginning a chant throughout our entire grade saying "JEON JUNGKOOK". Even though Hoseok is the only normal one, he catches my eye. He applauds for me enthusiastically with a broad, genuine smile.
I still don't catch sight of Ji-won, but I imagine her clapping politely with a beautiful grin on her face, since I know she wouldn't go against propper manners at such an important ceremony. I know wherever she is in the crowd, she's proud of me right now. That's what matters.
As I look back over the crowd before grabbing my diploma, I decide this is one of the happiest moments of my life. I've graduated.
As I firmly shake Principle Choi's hand, she grins. "Congratulations, Jungkook. You've come so far."
I nod with a smile. "Thank you so much. It means a lot coming from you."
As I walk down the steps to make my way back to my seat, I finally catch sight of my parents among the guests. They're sitting a seat apart from one another, as I expected after their constant arguments, but I appreciate that they made the effort of coming together to support me.
I'm about to wave, but then I realize that I recognize the person sitting in between them. My eyes widen and everything around me stops- the noise, my heartbeat... Suddenly only one thing exists in the world. The person I'm staring at in utter disbelief.
My awoken brother.
I gasp when reality finally hits me, and in the shock of the moment I trip down the last step beside the stage, almost failing to catch myself. I quickly stand upright as the large crowd laughs at my clumsiness. I chuckle nervously as I run a hand through my hair, playing it cool.
My entire body trembles furiously as my eyes trail back to my parents' spot, and I make sharp eye contact with Changkyun. The lump grows in my throat when he smiles at me.
"Congrats, Kook!" He yells, and even with all the noise, he's the only person I hear. His voice is full and healthy, it's alive. He is alive.
Tears roll down my cheeks as I smile widely. "You too!!" I yell back, and we finally share a laugh, for the first time in over half a year.
When I finally make it back to my seat I'm crowded by my peers with pats on the back and high fives, but all I can think is He woke up. He beat the coma. We have so much to catch up on.
I heave a long sigh of joy and relief. It feels like a million weights have been lifted off my shoulders.
And with that, if feels like yet another chapter of my life closes. Except this time, I'm satisfied with its ending.
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SONG JI-WON'S POV
"Now, let's welcome our Class of 20xx Valedictorian, Song Ji-Won, to the stage!" Principle Choi announces, followed by thunderous applause from the student body and guests. I've practiced my speech endlessly, and yet my mind suddenly feels so blank as I make my way to the spotlight.
I take a long, slow breath as I approach the microphone in the center of the stage. I scan the sea of familiar student faces, who have all gone gravely quiet, anticipating the words of mine to come. For four years, most of this entire grade hated me, whether it was for me being a teacher's pet, a nerd, exceedingly intelligent, preppy, a perfectionist, a goodie-goodie, antisocial, a snitch, or Jungkook's girlfriend. Now, however, they're all looking up at me from their seats, looking up to me. A spark of confidence blooms in me when I realize how proud I am of myself, despite what anyone else has to say. My school chose me as Valedictorian. I've done very well all my time here. I won't mess this up.
Finally, I clear my throat and begin, feeling hundreds of expectant eyes on me.
"Billions of people around the world question what happiness is. It's a very complicated and abstract concept. However, the most accurate way to put my happiness into words is 'watching yourself and the people you love grow, learn, and succeed'.
That's exactly why this graduation ceremony has been one of the most joyous experiences of my life.
Look around at our wonderful staff members, our wonderful families. They've been supporting us every step of the way on this chaotic, challenging, and beautiful journey we call High School.
Look around at your peers, friends and fellow students. We've all been together since Day One of freshman year. We've all changed immensely together- I definitely know I have." I add, and the crowd chuckles with me in an understanding moment.
"We've made many mistakes and improved together. Today, we succeed together. That's an incredibly meaningful bond that will exist within us for the rest of our lives. Lets all share a moment, and let go of any grudges we held for the past four years, especially ones regarding our peers." My eyes scan the crowd for Sana, and deep in my heart I let go of my negative feelings toward her. We all deserve second chances.
"Forget all the drama and let us unanimously be proud of one another, as a class, as a family.
I want to congratulate everyone for overcoming the struggles this school blessed us with." The teachers laugh and try not to look too cocky. I lock eyes with Ms. Lee, and my heart warms when she smiles at me.
"We worked so hard, yet we had so much fun. Senior year was incredibly impactful for me..." I look for Hoseok, Jungkook, and all the guys in the crowd, the ones who changed me the most. I take a steady breath before continuing.
"So it'll always have a special place in my heart. We made it to the end, and I wish everyone the best in the upcoming chapters of your lives.
With a very heavy yet proud heart, I hereby conclude Class of 20xx's graduation ceremony. Thank you all so much."
With a smile, I take my cap off my head, and all the students follow the gesture.
"1... 2..."
This is really the end. Tears spring into my eyes, and I pray the audience my hand trembling.
"3!"
Together, we throw our caps into the air with loud, joyous cheers. Watching them fly upward and rain back down must be the most beautiful thing I've ever witnessed.
I hold back my sobs till I'm well away from the microphone, and as I walk down from the stage I cover my mouth with a hand in a continuous attempt to hide my pain.
As the large crowd applauses and cheers, Ms. Lee runs over to me from the sidelines. When I see her approaching, I can't hold back my tears any longer. We collapse into a strong hug.
"I am so incredibly proud of you, Ji-won." She whispers to me, and I hear her voice breaking as well.
I can't bring myself to speak so I just nod and embrace her tighter, a waterfall of both happy and sorrowful tears streaming down my cheeks.
She pulls away and holds me at arms length by the shoulders. We laugh at how depressing and disgusting we look now that we've sobbed together.
"You've kept me sane as a teacher here." She chuckles. "You've done so well everywhere you've been- in class, in history club, and even slightly socially this year." She laughs when I nudge her away, pretending to be offended.
"You've taught me the most out of everyone here." I say with a sigh. "As my teacher and as my friend. Seriously Ms. Lee, I'm going to miss you so much. I'll miss all the little things, like eating lunch with you and talking trash about other students," I say and we laugh, thinking back at our fun times.
"And I'm gonna miss giving you extra work as an excuse to keep you hanging around after school with me." She says.
"We both knew I never needed extra credit." I giggle.
"Hey," She nudges me this time. "I'll still be around. Seoul National University isn't far from here." She winks. I know she's proud of the choice I made too. I made it for me, not for Principle Choi or my parents. That's what she's always wanted for me.
"JI-WON!!! JI-WON WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU???" I hear Hoseok yelling in the distance. All the students are now up and about, hugging and crying and taking pictures with their friends and family. I chuckle as a glance around and wipe my own tears away.
"You better go find him." She says.
"Thank you for everything, Ms. Lee." I say, squeezing her hands.
She smiles broadly. "You too, kid. Now get outta here."
I laugh as I begin walking away. "You better keep in touch!" I call back at her. We wave and I watch her face disappear in the crowd the further away I go.
I take a deep breath. I knew this day was coming. I can't cry it's over, I have to smile back on the memories.
"THAT SPEECH WAS BEAUTIFUL BITCH!" Someone suddenly yells from behind me. Before I even get the chance to turn around, the voice I recognize as Hobi pounces on my back. I gasp and almost fall backward when he wraps his legs around my waist.
"You're way too old for piggy backs!" I scold him.
"Well you're too young to be so boring." He sighs, hopping off my back.
"Come again, bitch?" I smack him and he giggles while flinching away.
"Wait, come here." I say, grabbing his wrist and suddenly tugging him toward me. He looks very confused and slightly nervous as I put my hands on his cheeks and bring my own face close to his. I stare deep into his eyes, examining carefully.
"Ji-won, what are you..." he whispers, voice trailing off as his gaze falters to my lips for a moment. My hands flinch away from his skin when realization hits me, and I take a step back.
"I was looking at your eyes to see if you cried during my speech. They're not puffy or red though." I explain quickly, sighing sarcastically. "Mission unaccomplished, then."
He stares at me without reply for a second, seeming to be lost in thought. He snaps back to reality when he blinks, and covers it up with a chuckle. "You want to see me cry, huh? Sounds a little sadistic."
"You know me so well." I say in a singsong tone, and we both burst out laughing, moving past the slight tension as easily as it came. I always forget about his lingering feelings for me, because we've put them aside completely for the past months, and never dare to talk about it. I should be more cautious though, to avoid moments like those... I don't want to cause more trouble or confusion for him. I really do hope he's been able to gradually move past his feelings. I just wish happiness for him, without me holding him back.
We make our way through the crowd arm-in-arm, searching for the rest of our friends. It feels good to be connected with him right now, literally and metaphorically. We've gone through our entire childhoods, we've been through so many problems I never thought we'd face this year, we've just graduated, and yet we're still going strong. I know we always will.
Me and Hoseok first meet with our families together, dragged into an infinite round of photos and hugs, before we finally all find each other- me, Hobi, Haru, Jin, Taehyung, Jimin, Namjoon, and Yoongi. Everyone but Jungkook. We're all happily congratulating each other, jumping excitedly and hugging and feeling accomplished. I love seeing everyone so joyous together, but I need to find Jungkook around this stadium. I haven't spoken to him throughout the entire ceremony so far. I need to find him, tell him how proud I am of him, tell him I love him. I continuously become more desperate as I look around the stadium and fail to see him.
Jin is the one to notice my nervous, searching gaze. He puts a hand on my shoulder and gives me a knowing, motherly smile. "Jungkook is still with his family. They're on the other side of the stadium, toward the left."
I look to where he's pointing, and smile gratefully when I catch sight of him. "Thank you, Jin."
"Go get him tiger." He winks.
I begin speed walking away across the stadium, but the further I get the more impatient I become.
"Excuse me, pardon me, sorry, excuse me..." I mutter repeatedly as I make my way through the dense crowd of families and friends.
I start walking faster and faster, becoming increasingly desperate to see his face. To see his expression, now that he's graduated. I don't even realize when I begin jogging, but suddenly I'm moving very quickly, trying not to trip over my own feet.
Finally I make it to his side of the stadium, and I'm standing a merely handful of meters away from him. I'm about to call out his name, but somehow he hears me before I even speak, because he turns his head in my direction and we lock eyes.
I sigh with relief and subconsciously smile when he stares back at me. All I see is him, and all I hear is my heartbeat. Without another word to his family, he stands up from his seat and jogs over to me.
I don't even have the chance to speak before he scoops me up in his arms. I gasp and laugh, embracing him tightly as he spins me around in circles, my feet dangling above the ground.
When he sets me down, I'm dizzy but feeling like the happiest person alive. The butterflies will never settle down around him. He'll always have that effect on me.
"I-"
He brings his hands to my face and kisses me, right then and there, before I can speak again. So he was just as desperate to see me, I think, grinning against his lips. I kiss back, somehow forgetting that his parents are watching us. He leans in toward me and I stand on my tip toes to be as close as we possibly can.
He pulls away slightly, resting his forehead against mine. My heart beats impossibly fast, and I wonder why this time feels so much more impactful than almost any other kiss we've had. Goosebumps cover my neck and arms when he gently pecks my forehead, my cheek, and then my lips once more.
He pulls away far enough for us to look each other in the eyes, and this time I'm at loss of words. He stares at me with a beautifully loving expression as he tucks a lock of hair behind my ear. His hand trails down my cheek, shoulder, arm, and he finally laces his fingers into mine. His touch warms me like nothing else can.
We're caught speechless, too utterly happy and proud to find words. He squeezes my hand, and when he finally breaks into a smile to match mine, it speaks enough for the both of us.
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