Four years together,

But even more apart.

We learned that with one another

Distance does not weaken the heart.

Requested by ß duixing (ø)

...xXx...

"You're nervous, right?" she questioned, her lips. "Because I'm nervous. I guess it's pretty obvious and all but I'm seriously nervous here. You can tell because I'm starting to ramble and I only ramble tons when I'm stressing out and being nervous and I don't know how I'm going to deal with this but someone please shut me up and-"

"Breathe," her friend interrupted, looking more amused than nervous. "Take a deep breathe and calm down Miyoung. You're making me jittery."

"Me jittery? You're the one giving the graduation speech," Miyoung reminded sharply, taking that deep breathe all the same. "I don't know how you're going to do it Sooyeon. This is going to be nerve-wracking. I'd be so nervous."

"So you've said already," Sooyeon reminded gently, patting Miyoung's hand. "Now smile Valedictorian. I'd hate for your mascara to run before pictures."

"I may be a valedictorian but you're the Valedictorian, giving the speech. Aren't I supposed to reassure you?" Miyoung asked, frowning. 

"In an ideal world," another female answered, chuckling. "But then again in an ideal world, four years in Gangnam High wouldn't have been so hellish."

"Point taken," Miyoung agreed, sighing. "What about you, Jinju? Not upset? Am I the only one this nervous?"

"You're just the most openly nervous," Jinju reassured, rolling her eyes. "I don't know how we could not be nervous. We're graduating and we won't see each other again. Ever."

"Children, don't be so overdramatic," Sooyeon scolded lightly, tapping the back of her hand against Jinju's in a light smack. "We're going to separate schools, not different galaxies."

"They might as well be," Miyoung pouted. 

"If only we had Paopu Fruit to reassure you with," the female on the other side of Miyoung joked, chuckling. 

"If we ate that, we'd have to go on an extremely long journey to meet again, Dari," Miyoung teased, some of the tension visibly easing from her shoulders.

"That'd be dangerous," the student behind Dari warned, smiling with amusement.

"But fun, Hyelim. Don't forget fun," Dari added, grinning. "I call the Way to Dawn."

"Then I want Marlucia's Flower Scythe," Miyoung replied. 

"Or we could just meet up in 15 years in a normal high school reunion," Sooyeon suggested, rolling her eyes.

"Boring," Jinju chimed in. "It would-"

"And now, to end our ceremony," the dean continued, gesturing dramatically towards the students on stage - the valedictorians, "one of our valedictorians - the President of the Student Council four years running, founder of the Equal Opportunities Club on campus, and future Seoul Academy student - would be honored to present to us her experience at Gangnam High. A pleasure for her peers and teachers alike, please put your hands together for Choi Sooyeon."

Sooyeon stood, conversation ending and smile lighting her face in a way that was polite but obviously not genuine. 

"Thank you Mr. Kim," she stated, taking her place at the podium. "Parents, faculty, and peers. We are gathered after the end of one long journey. Four years that most would agree shaped us into better people, we have learned all about the nuances of the bell schedule, that the bell is a suggestion to leave but a must to arrive. Putting the 'pro's in 'procrastination,' we have learned to work under pressure, who we can depend on to help at two in the morning - because 'Ms. Ryu assigned that? When?' - and who will depend on us for help at three in the morning - like 'I swear I did it. Promise. I just...lost it.' Learning all about one teacher's habits then discarding them the following year, we were forced to adapt to our ever-changing environment and hone our observational skills because while Mrs. Yang could care less if you chew gum in class, Mr. Jang would surely give detention." 

"This isn't the speech she prepared at the rehearsal," Miyoung muttered, eyeing the staff. 

"Nope," Jinju confirmed, smirking. "But I like it better."

"Most students would agree that high school was an experience in on itself and that they would gladly repeat their glorious journey through the corridors of this campus. They would spend hours talking about all their fond memories within these walls and recall their best moments within these halls. They would visit once more in the future with pride and fondly remember these years as the best in their life," Sooyeon continued, seemingly oblivious to Mr. Kim's glare directed at the back of her head. "As I stated, I learned and did much within these walls. I created unforgettable memories but with the people I befriended rather than of this place. I formed unshakeable bonds out of necessity and outside of what the school deemed an acceptable social circle out of choice but I only regret the former. I stand before you, speech discarded and replaced with my true feelings."

"Uh oh," Hyelim muttered, watching Mr. Kim stand, red in the face. 

"Personally, I hated high school. I hated all of you and I hope you rot in hell. Thank you," Sooyeon completed serenely, stepping off the stage and ignoring the blatant shock on all the faces before her. 

"Well, that's one way to make an exit," Dari declared, chuckling. 

"I like it," Jinju agreed, laughing.

-oOo-

15 Years Later

"I don't think anyone can forget your speech," Jinju stated, clinking her glass to Sooyeon's with relish. 

"It was a masterpiece," Dari agreed, waving her own glass. 

"I thought Mr. Kim was going to push you off the stage," Hyelim confessed, taking a bite of her meal. 

"Still awesome," Miyoung added, grinning. 

"Next time one of you can give the speech and watch the faces of the parents drop," Sooyeon suggested, eyes glittering with mirth. She took a bite of her fried rice. "Though I have to admit that pulling that made it much harder to ever get away from that saying - 'always the quiet ones' - especially once it went to YouTube." 

"But it made you that much more popular as a reviewer since your descriptions always told it like it was," Miyoung pointed out before opening .

"Not as viable as your time with yearbook was for Entertainment and then Vogue magazine," Sooyeon reminded, obligingly giving Miyoung a bite. 

"If we're talking success, we all know that my law work has been phenomenal," Jinju interjected. There was a pause and they all laughed good-naturedly, the chuckles naturally dying out. 

"Oh right," Hyelim stated, digging through her bag before passing on a manila envelope to Miyoung. "The pictures you were asking for."

"Thanks!" Miyoung shrieked, eagerly taking it. "I told my boss that you were the best freelance photographer in the state."

"That's a bit of an exaggeration," Hyelim replied with amusement. 

"Untrue," Dari interrupted. "You're the best in the nation."

"Excuse me but whose video game designs won Best Game Design at Game Choice Awards four years running?" Hyelim reminded, raising an eyebrow. 

"Are we really going to argue about who's more famous?" Jinju questioned, gesturing her chopsticks to the table. "Because if we are, I call dibs on stealing all the food while this fight goes down."

"Nuh uh!" Miyoung argued, holding up her chopsticks. "I call dibs!"

"Why you peasant! This food is mine!" Jinju declared, waving her chopsticks in the air. "En garde!"

The two proceeded to fight a chopstick-sword battle over the food, Dari eventually joining in when they got too close to her dumplings. Sooyeon and Hyelim shared a look and laughed.

This was not, they all mused, how they expected their reunion to go.

But then again, their graduation wasn't all that expected either.

...xXx...

Author's Note: When I first set about creating this, it was not intended to be so...fierce. It was to be light-hearted, a reassurance, but it evolved. And to be very honest, I don't think I mind at all. I hope you enjoyed. Or at least found amusement. And before asked, no, I did not pull this at my own graduation nor did I even give a speech at graduation.