for SY-JaeHa

The Valedictorian

~flow19~

Life wasn’t going to be the same anymore.

It was only now that it fully hit Choi Sooyoung as she stood one last time in front of the main building of her university in her maroon robes and mortarboard. By the time she stepped out of the auditorium later in the afternoon, she would have her diploma in her hands. By then, she was going to start a new chapter in her life. She would no longer be a kid, confined by daily schedules and wardrobe problems and boy problems. No, she was going to be an adult… in every sense of the word. She was going to start working, saving for the future and all that.

She wondered how life had happened so fast.

“Why are you standing there, unnie?”

Sooyoung turned around, finding her best friend approaching her. “I was just thinking.”

“The boys have been looking for you too.” Im Yoona informed her, holding her mortarboard in one hand as she made her way. “The ceremony’s going to start soon.”

“I know.” The slightly older of the two women nodded. “This is it, huh?”

“This is really it.” She sighed, looping arm around her best friend’s. “Is your kick speech ready?”

Sooyoung nodded once more. “I’m not really sure if it’s kick … but I really tried.”

“There you are!” Kim Minseok, otherwise known as Xiumin to everyone else, yelled out loud as he, Kim Jonghyun, Wu Fan, also known as Kris, and Luhan came into view. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

“I’m not that hard to find, you know.” She shook her head; a smile playing on her lips.

“But we promised we’d go to the auditorium together, remember?” Jonghyun shook his finger admonishingly. “Besides, Kris was panicking that maybe you were having a nervous breakdown or something.”

“The last time I checked, the panicky chicken was a lot shorter than me.” Kris rolled his eyes when Jonghyun glared at him. “It was you who panicked, not me.”

Sooyoung shot the tallest in the group a mock look of hurt. “You don’t care about my well-being at all?”

Kris rolled his eyes, slinging an arm around her shoulders. “I didn’t need to panic because I had no reason to. I know you’re always calm despite the nerves.”

“How sure were you?” She arched an eyebrow.

“A hundred and ten percent.” The Chinese native said smugly. “There’s a reason why I’m your other best friend.”

Sooyoung grinned, reaching up to pinch his cheeks. “You are such an adorable dork. Do you know that?”

“I hate to break the teasing but we have to go.” Xiumin glanced at his watch. “It’s almost time.”

No one really protested the idea; the group soon making their way over to the auditorium. It didn’t escape Sooyoung’s notice how it was probably going to be the last time they were heading to the place as students. It also didn’t escape her how a certain Luhan hadn’t said a word at all. Waiting until Kris unconsciously dropped his arm from her shoulders, Sooyoung dropped to the back of the group where Luhan was, elbowing him in the ribs to get his attention.

“You’ve been quiet.”

He nodded slowly. “I was just thinking.”

“About what?” Sooyoung questioned. “You know you could always tell me anything.”

“About how it’s the end of the road already.” The reply was soft, as if he only wanted her to know of his innermost thoughts. “I was thinking about those things I didn’t get to do, those chances I didn’t take… how everything’s going to change.”

“Not everything has to change, you know.” She reminded him, absently reaching for his hand to squeeze it reassuringly. “And, well… it’s not too late for everything.”

A hopeful glint flashes in his eyes. “You think so?”

The brunette grinned. “I know so.”

Whatever reply Luhan had didn’t make it out of his lips as they reached the auditorium; the group separating as they headed to their respective places. Two lines were formed outside the main entrance of the auditorium; the students lining up alphabetically sans Sooyoung and Lee Jonghyun who had taken the end as valedictorian and salutatorian respectively. But even as they were only merely minutes away from the graduation rites, she couldn’t help but think about Luhan’s words. Where did they come from? He had always been someone who was laidback yet knew what he wanted. So why did it seem like he had regrets?

But then, the traditional graduation march began to play and all thoughts disappeared.

Some were nervous, some were calm, some were teary and some were goofy as pair by pair, everyone took the turn marching down the aisle toward their seats. Sooyoung in a sharp breath as she neared her turn, mentally reminding herself to walk carefully. The last thing she needed was to trip and fall flat on her face. That would be more than just humiliating.

And as her turn came after Jonghyun had started, she felt all eyes on her as she took her first step inside the auditorium. in a sharp breath, she mustered the most genuine proper smile she could, carefully taking each step one by one. From their respective seats, her friends sent her encouraging smiles as she passed by them and headed for the stage where she was to sit with the higher officials of the university.

It was time to start the commencement exercises.

As Lee Sooman and Park Jinyoung, the university’s president and principal respectively, took their turns in the podium to deliver their speeches, Sooyoung’s attention fell on all her schoolmates. This was probably the last time she was going to see them like this; all hopeful, excited, nervous about what the future held. It was something that she committed to memory, something that she vowed never to forget. She was going to miss each and every one she shared her university life with; her eyes nearly tearing up as Kim Heechul, Director of Academic Affairs, took his turn for the most important part of the ceremony.

“At this point, we will begin the awarding of diplomas to the graduates of class 2012.” As the words left his mouth, the first row of students stood. “Ahn Jaehyo, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy.”

One by one, the students walked up the stage to receive their diploma from Principal Park and take their pictures before walking down the stage of the auditorium one last time. Sooyoung had made it a point to smile in congratulations to each of her schoolmates, whether she was close to the person or not.

“Choi Jonghun, graduating with a Bachelor of Music degree, major in Instruments: Strings.”

“Han Sunhwa, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Communications, laude.”

Sooyoung watched those who went up, some with tears in their eyes and some with proud smiles on their faces, and received the piece of paper that culminated all their hard work for the past how many years. Idly, she wondered if the speech she had written gave justice to everything they had all been through. Sure, a couple of paragraphs wouldn’t completely capture every triumph, every hardship, every tear, every sweat and every smile but as valedictorian, she wanted to capture at least the essence of it.

“Hwang Chansung, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education, major in History.”

Changung climbed up the steps, receiving his diploma from Principal Park and shaking his and President Lee’s hands, before he posed for his picture. An excited grin crossed Sooyoung’s face as she looked at the person next to him; the first of her closest set of friends to receive a diploma in the ceremony.

“Im Yoona, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film and Audio-Visual Communication.”

Though they had been reminded to act accordingly, Yoona couldn’t help but wave, albeit swiftly and excitedly, at her best friend as she took her turn up the stage. Sooyoung smiled widely and proudly as Yoona accepted her diploma from the Principal, doing the handshakes that were required of her before she stood in place; her diploma brought up to her chest as her photos were taken. From their seats, Xiumin, Jonghyun, Luhan and Kris had smiles identical to their friends; Yoona going down the steps to return to her seat.

Sooyoung’s attention shifted as the next row of graduates stood up from their seats; the proud smile disappearing from her faces. From where she sat on stage, she could still clearly see the nervous on Jonghyun and Xiumin’s faces as they waited for their turn. They were just a couple of steps away from the end goal and Sooyoung couldn’t help but think of how long her two good friends had come… and how much she would miss them.

“Kim Jisook, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Statistics.”

Xiumin leaned over Kibum’s shoulder closer to whisper to Jonghyun’s ear. “Good luck, dude.”

“Kim Jonghyun, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater Arts.”

Sooyoung clapped happily for her friend as Jonghyun in a sharp breath, taking it one step at a time as she ascended the stage. He sent a quick salute her way before he accepted his diploma and continuing the rest of the way. The brunette let out a happy yet somewhat melancholic sigh. Two of her friends had officially graduated already and it was getting close and closer to the end.

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