Happy Graduation
-
The Valedictorian walked up onto stage, and Changbin felt so nervous. He already knew he was going to receive his diploma, but he wasn't at school when all the students talked to their counselors. He wasn't there to discuss his hopes and dreams for his future.
He was in a rehabilitation center instead, worrying and taking care of his mental health so he could actually have a future to worry about.
Changbin's knee bobbed up and down because he was a nervous wreck, and sitting next to some kid he didn't even know wasn't helping. He saw Felix sitting next to a guy from their history class, so desperately wishing he had someone from his classes he knew to sit beside.
He did have someone he knew behind him, but he wasn't ready to speak to Jeongin just yet.
But the world was not on his side today because Jeongin had tapped his shoulder with an annoying "uh, hey Changbin," to follow the action. Changbin turned around in his seat, wary of the people beside him and making sure to not accidentally hit them.
The younger boy smiled, his face drowning in the look of guilt and anxiety. Changbin's heart slowed, and he suddenly felt bad for ignoring the boy when he sat down.
As both his psychiatrists had said, "it's better to forgive and remember then hold a grudge, forget, and never speak again."
So Changbin smiled at the boy, and he noticed the surprise that was quickly contorted into a happy smile. The younger boy handed Changbin a letter, and begun to speak, "Seungmin asked me to give that to you. I didn't read it, and he is here and will be graduating, so don't worry."
Changbin nodded, stuffing the letter into his pocket before looking back at Jeongin to respond, "Thanks. And by the way, Jeongin, I think it's totally cool to be graduating a year early, unlike those pricks you call your friends."
"Thank you, Changbin. Don't worry about me though. I'm super happy you survived, and I'm sorry for what I did. It was wrong." Jeongin said, a light pink dusting his cheeks in embarrassment. The embarrassment of spreading the news and about being bullied. Changbin, Felix, and Jisung noticed Jeongin getting talked down by lower class men his age, mocking his intelligence. Jisung even went up to the group and told the boys to scatter once. Changbin guessed Jeongin didn't realize it was obvious.
"I forgive you, Jeongin. And thank you, I appreciate it. Now lets enjoy graduating! We're getting away from high school!" Changbin cheered, now a little more comfortable being able to talk to the one person he knew.
Jeongin nodded, his face bright with excitement as they began to listen to what the principal was saying.
A minute later, they began to hand out diplomas. Changbin was bobbing his knee again. He watched all the seniors walk across stage, shake the principals hand, and walked off the other end of the stage waiting for their parents to take a picture of them coming down from the stairs.
His mother, Taehyung, Jungkook, Jimin, and even Felix's parents and siblings we're here to support them, and Changbin's heart swelled in happiness knowing so many people were here to support him and his boyfriend graduating.
Pride washed over Changbin as he watched Felix walk on stage, a happy smile adorning his natural face. He decided to leave his freckles for the world to see, knowing how much Changbin likes them.
Felix and Changbin met eyes, and Changbin waved frantically, trying his hardest to show how proud he was. Felix seemed to catch on, covering his mouth as he laughed into his hand.
Changbin smiled triumphantly, hearing Jeongin giggle behind him. Changbin turned his head around, point his thumb back to Felix on stage and whispered excitedly to the younger, "that's my amazing boyfriend up there!"
"I can tell," jeongin whispered back, amusement dripping from his tone. Changbin laughed as he turned back around, waving at Felix again, his smile showing how proud and happy he was of his boyfriend.
Many people later, it was Changbin's turn to walk upon the stage, grab his diploma, shake his principal's hand, and kiss this school goodbye. His legs were shaking, anxiety finally catching up to him. Changbin counted his breathing, trying to slow it down. Fortunately, Changbin was calm enough to walk up the stairs and to his principal without tripping.
He stared into the crowd for a second, and saw his mother, Taehyung, and Jimin all videoing this moment with their phones, waving and smiling at him. He then looked into the sea of students, noticing Felix's large smile and waves. Changbin waved back, smiling to his family.
Actually touching his diploma and shaking his principal's hand felt great, like he succeeded. He wasted no time in getting off the stage though, being the center of unwanted attention making him nervous.
Changbin saw Felix blow a kiss towards him, and he returned the favor. He saw Jisung pretend to throw up, and a overly happy Jungkook give him a thumbs up.
And all over the support was close to overwhelming after the ceremony ended. Felix squeezed in a hug and kissed him, his mom demanded a picture be taken of her and her "amazing son who graduated high school" and Jungkook gave him a bouquet a flowers, something him and Taehyung had also done for Felix. Jimin smiled, and gave him a journal.
The short psychiatrist grinned, "during our sessions, you talked about writing stories, so I thought you could write all your ideas into this!" Changbin had recalled the man saying happily before Mr. Min snaked his arms around him and distracted him.
Felix on the other hand, was awkwardly glancing at his biological family. Changbin took notice of this, and grabbed his hand, forcing the boy to approach his family. Changbin stuck out a hand for Felix's parents to shake. "Nice to see you, Mr. and Mrs. Lee. I'm Changbin, your son Felix's boyfriend. I'm so glad you made it here to support him."
Astonished, Felix just said a quick, "hello," before standing behind Changbin timidly. Felix's dad shook Changbin's hand, as well as his mother, who then decided to give Changbin a hug.
"You seem like a lovely young man, Changbin. I'm happy for you and Felix," she said, patting the boys shoulders. Felix almost fainted when he watched this, along with his father.
"Thank you! I'll be going now, but don't mind to join me and my family!" Changbin said welcomingly.
Felix looked over to his parents, a shy blush prominent on his freckled cheeks. Felix father grumbled something before speaking up, "he is a very good looking young man, Felix. I'm glad you picked a good one."
Smiling at his father, Felix hugged him. Hesitantly, his father reluctantly hugged him back before Felix said, "being gay isn't contagious," which broke the awkward atmosphere surrounding the Lee family.
Minho and Jisung's family joined the Lee's who joined Changbin and his family. They all went out to eat, celebrating the occasion.
But in the back of his head, his subconscious was screaming for him to read the letter.
-
five years later
Changbin was holding a small toddler in his lap, both of them waving to a freckled man on stage. Felix waved back to them, feeling a sense of pride seeing his husband and son in the crowd.
Felix's mom, who gotten divorced from her homophobic husband was sitting next to his husband. On the other side of his mother, was his mother's girlfriend. On the other side of Changbin was Taehyung, Jungkook, Jimin, Mr. Min -who still wouldn't let them call him Yoongi- and Jiyeon, Taehyung and Jungkook's daughter, in between her parents. Changbin's mother was behind her son, along with her boyfriend and Felix's siblings. And the infamous Jisung and Minho.
The sight was beautiful.
Felix was handed his diploma, and he shook hands, and waited as his achievements in life were announced.
"Lee Felix, graduating with a degree in Social Justices, is a faithful husband and father, as well as a wonderful son, sibling, and friend. Balancing out his studies and job, he always made time for family. With hard work and patience, Lee Felix has rightfully earned this diploma."
Everyone in the crowd clapped, out of respect, and Changbin stood up waving sporadically while trying to balance their child on his hip. Felix waved back, watching as his satisfied husband wore a silly smile as he sat down.
Felix then walked off the stage to his spot in the area for graduates. He plopped down next to his friend Wooyoung, who had originally came to the school for dance, just like Felix. Beside Wooyoung was his friend Yeosang. They all had done plenty of study nights at each others houses, and Wooyoung and Yeosang had just adored little Minjun every time they had visited.
After the ceremony was over, Felix took long strides to see his family, pecking his sons forehead and then his husbands lips before wrapping them into a hug.
"You did wonderful baby," Changbin said, rubbing the graduates back, who shook his head and smiled.
"I had like seven breakdowns before I got up there," Felix exclaimed, his amused tone and comical expression making the whole group laugh.
Jisung slapped his back, to which Felix winced and hissed before hearing the man say, "I'm honestly shocked you haven't puked yet."
Felix gave him an unimpressed look, blocking his child's eye sight before shoving his middle finger in his face. Minho laughed, to which Jisung gave a glare of betrayal towards his boyfriend.
"Can I get a picture! I need my picture!" Jungkook shrieked, finally getting everyone's attention.
Everyone aligned themselves to fit in the picture Wooyoung graciously agreed to take.
The picture with the whole family was surely going up on everyone's wall, this moment going to be cherished forever.
Felix and Changbin couldn't have been more happy at that moment.