Epilogue

And... The end, right?

No, actually, it's just the beginning.

6th of June 2015

She leans down and places a bouquet of flowers, he didn’t really have a preference but it was better than nothing. She then lights up a candle despite it being broad daylight and Jongin aids her to do it before the two give their bows, all the way down to the ground before they take a seat on the grass. He warns her to not get her dress dirty and she tells him she got it and reminds him that it’s his big day, too.

He snorts and kisses her cheek, saying she worries too much and seconds later, they settle on the ground.

Jongin talks to the stone as if it’s a real person, he acknowledges everything from the breeze of the wind, the scraping of the tree branches against one another—literally everything is a sign to him as he speaks, as if her father is responding. He mentions about how horrible his daughter is and she threatens to smack him square on the face but then he covers it up and says that he’s willing to take care of her nevertheless.

Then she shuts him up with a tap on the lips, simple, quick, and it gets the job done.

She mumbles her well wishes to the other stone right beside the one Jongin’s facing and her hands are clasped together as she finishes what she intends to say in her heart. Jongin’s taking his turn as well and he wishes for the same things he wishes for his sister not too long ago when they were in the other graveyard.

Jongin helps her up and tells her to tell them goodbye and she does in her heart once more.

Then she’s reluctant to leave despite Jongin’s grip on her waist and she breathes out in the quietest voice yet, “Do you think they’ll be proud?”

Jongin only offers the warmest smiles that’s brighter than the Sun and his words soothes her cooler than a night during the winter, “I think, if you ask me, they’ve always been.”

“Just how long has it been?” She breathes into his ear, feeling that he’s got a bit more muscular and he’s been laying off the donuts because he’s stronger now. Minseok laughs and shakes his head, “Long enough because you look freaking thin,”

“You look like you’ve been not touching donuts in a while,”

“Is that compliment?” He sounds offended but when she sees that smile on his face, she can’t help but snort, “You better think so,”

The two laugh, and talk, and talk even more as the minutes went by as they were in the auditorium room—though they’re not the only ones here. It’s packed with people and there are people with a lot of similar clothing and she’s not too far from it, as well. All she’s missing is her hat but apart from that, it’s nothing much to worry about.

“I saw the final performance,” Minseok brings up and ah, right, Junmyeon was his personal cameraman throughout all these performances. She shakes her head and he nudges her with the elbow, “I heard someone’s going to Ju—“

“What about you, huh? Who’s this Jin Ah girl I hear?”

Minseok’s face pale and he leans away, “W-Who?”

“Junmyeon told me, jackass,” She smirks, poking his chest, “Out with the details,”

He tries to get up and nudge her away, “You know, I think they’re calling for you to get ready. Kwan Hee Young is here! See? They’re looking for you!”

At first she thinks he’s messing around and avoiding the topic because this must be some girl he really likes and he stutters a lot after the mention of her but when she looks over her shoulder, indeed, they’re calling for her to go backstage. She hisses and flicks his forehead, “I’m not done with you. We have a whole week and I’m getting what I want to know,”

He laughs but sighs as he sits down as she makes her way, “When did you get so nosy?”

“Shut up!”

“Took you a while, princess,” He smiles, placing the hat on her and she snarls, elbowing his stomach, “Cocky,”

“But precious,” He coos, making her roll her eyes and he threatens to say more but everything is dying down to be more quiet as the principal gives a speech.

Then it happens, one my one are walking out after their names are being called and it’s all they’ve been practicing for two weeks now that they do it for one last time before the grand curtains close. It’s her turn and she’s approaching the person she now calls her stepfather and there’s a proud grin on his face as he hands her the certificate, “Congratulations,”

“Thanks, da—I mean, sir,”

He snorts and gives a leeway, allowing her to slip through the stage and she settles down by one of the chairs, right beside Jongin and they’re comparing on whose cert looks better than the other. Childish but it happens because it’s not every day you receive your certificate in fancy clothing and at a function dedicated for you in which you pay way too much money for in the first place.

Hee Young is trying her best not to laugh when Jongin gives his speech of appreciation. He says his thanks to his parents, complimenting that they had an awesome pair and choice in marrying one another because now they have one amazing son that’s not only gotten a diploma but he has an honor’s mention. He adds on that he says he thinks New York will be an interesting place to get used to but when he mention that he's not going to be alone, she feels the chills running through her spine and she knows that he knows, she's looking at him. She’s rolling her eyes when he mentions her name but all he says next to her name is that she’s one pretty girl and she’s my pretty girl, that it makes the audience coo many names and he catches one from Kyungsoo that goes stop showing off!

“Let me live for one day, will you?”

Then he’s continuing on to his thanks for his teachers, especially Mr. Kang and he says he’ll miss that old man. It all ends well when he ends it warmly by wishing the very best to everyone else pursuing either a job, a career or continuing on with their studies.

She stiffens when she hears her name but then she goes onto the stage with a bit of pride on her shoulders because she too, has an honor’s mention. She stands by the pedestal and glances to her newlywed parents and those are the first people she thanks—because that’s the structure to how you thank people. She says that they’re amazing people and though they were off to a rough start, she’s grateful things are settling down nicely.

Her eyes move over to Mr. Kang and she smirks, “And thank you to that man over there,” She points with her forefinger, “That has never given up on me even when I have on myself,”

“What about me?” A woman waves a hand and Hee Young snorts, “Thank you to his wife, too,”

Then her eyes travel to Minseok sitting on the front row and she says her thanks because he’s one of the few people who has never lost faith in her even when the faith was long gone for her. Minseok mouths it’s nothing and it’s my pleasure and it makes her smile before she moves on. Then she reveals that she doesn’t have a proper speech made up because it’s too much work and she doesn’t have time so she needs extra time to think through what she’s going to say—plus, she’s the last one to give her speech, anyway.

She meets eyes with Hee Min and immediately says her thanks, her gratitude and then her eyes land at Junmyeon who was present because Minseok doesn’t want to be alone. She mentions his name and Junmyeon is almost shocked. Then her speech continues and it sounds like,

“I came here with a dream of mine forgotten and now I’m leaving with a passion to pursue that dream—not in hospitality but… in dance,” She meets eyes with someone and she smiles, “And I’m thankful that I managed to learn many things while I’m here and I thought, for someone as damaged as me, it’s going to be impossible finding happiness but… it really isn’t,” She glances through the crowd, “Instead of welling myself in the dark all the time, I’ve taken the choice to look at the bright side,”

Junmyeon, “I’ve seeked help from people I’ve never thought I’d get them from,”

Mother, principal, “Patched up the wounds from the past,”

Minseok, “Experienced the pain of departing with a friend and only realizing how much they meant when they’re gone,”

Lay, Kyungsoo, “Creating new friendships,”

Then… Kim Jongin, “And falling in love,”

Before she can end her speech, she’s finding herself having wide eyes when a hand is raised in the swarm of people. It takes her two seconds to realize what’s going on, who is saying whatever they’re saying and she’s almost cursing her head off when Jongin asks something from her stepfather and she’s feeling nervous when she’s told to not leave the stage just yet.

Jongin has the most mischievous look on his face yet as he jogs up onto the stage and he swoops an arm around her waist despite her protest, “What the are you doing?! This is our graduation!”

He smirks and pulls her close, and everyone foresees what’s about to happen when he dips her lower. Her hat nearly falls off and she’s holding onto him and her hat the same time with her eyes still wide as ever.

“It’s our last day here, might as well end it with a bang,”

“Kim Jongin…!”

Then his lips are doing one of the most sinful things ever on hers and what’s worse is that she doesn’t seem to mind at all at the casual lip lock in front of everyone and her hat fell off. Some people shout the words of Jongin having the guts of a million men and he’s smiling against her lips before he bites down her lower lip and then he releases her lips only to leave her breathless. It’s a standing ovation before the next event to their eventful day but it’s a day they’ll never forget. This was a last page of the current chapter in their lives and they can look back and smile.

And… The end, right?

No, actually, it's just the beginning.