Lia’s been home for three days now and she’s loving every second of it. Breakfast will be ready when she woke up, all looking delicious. Then she will take their dog, Chichi for a walk at the beach, inhaling fresh air. From time to time, she got messages from Mr. Ha showing the children at the academy who missed her, and wishing she were there. They often have a video-call with her. Maha and Hyunji also often checking on her, and making sure she’ll come to Seoul for their graduation. At first, she thought she will make some excuses to skip their graduation because she would be too embarrassed to face them and her juniors, but her dad told her she will be sorry if she missed her friends’ graduation.

On weekend, she would wake up late, then went to the beach with her parents. She also often helped at the restaurant. It’s been so long since she felt so relaxed like this, without having to prepare the lessons for the children, doing her assignments, or composing music.

“Ya, give me the clothes you’ll wear tomorrow, I’ll iron them,” said her mom one day before she depart for Seoul to attend the graduation. She just nodded and went to her room. She tried several outfits, but she felt strange seeing the outfit she had planned to wear on her graduation day. She snapped back from her thoughts when her mom knocked and went into her room.

“What happened?” asked her. Lia couldn’t hold back her tears when her mom embraced her.

“I really want to graduate with my friends, mom.. I feel too ashamed to face my friends and my juniors who sincerely wished me luck and told me I’ll excel my exam, but I feel like I have disappointed all of them and didn’t meet their expectation of me,” said Lia.

It was true, even on her first year, many of her friends and her lecturer told her she’s smart and will do well in everything she does and even told her she’ll be a great singer in the future. Her juniors told her she’s their role model thus they often asked her school stuffs so they can be like her. She’s surrounded by people who always root for her and wished her all the best and she’s always driven to do her best in everything.

“I know it’s an huge honor to be surrounded by those who always support you and wished you luck. But unconsciously, you’ve been trying your best to meet their expectation and proof yourself to them when the only thing that matters is to live and have your own expectation. Failure it’s part of the process, Lia, but I’m afraid you’re not familiar with it because all this time you tried your best to not fail to proof yourself.”

Her mom words strike like a lighting on a sunny day. She just realized all this time she’s been adored by her lecturer, respected by her friends and her juniors, it’s all to show them that she’s indeed the best. One time when she got lower score than usual in one of the subjects two semester ago, most of her friends asked her what happened and it must be a mistake for her to get B-. She actually was so tired the day before the exam and fell asleep without studying properly, thus she almost came late to the exam and didn’t do well. All this time she thought she’s being herself because she’s not going to please others, but she just realized she worked this hard not for herself, but to please others that have faith in her. She tried to meet their expectation. She tried to please others not with her personality but with her achievements.

“It’s okay. You won’t be ignored just because you graduate 6 months later. You’ve learned your lesson, and I believe those who wished you luck will continue to support you. You’re lucky to have them, but remember to live to your own expectation. Now, now, wash your face and take Chichi for a walk, and before going home please buy some potatoes in the market,” her mom took one of the outfits Lia had laid in her bed and leave the room.

She smiled because the outfits her mom picked is the one she’s actually want to wear. She washed her face, took a deep breath and head outside.

---

It’s been weeks since Hyun can’t sleep peacefully. He needs to talk to Lia again, but Hyunji messaged him to inform Lia’s going to go home for the entire school break but will visit for their graduation. He felt so guilty to have caused one of the smartest person in their class graduate late. He didn’t mind taking another semester, but Yoo Lia is a girl with dreams and ambitions.

He had planned to skip the graduation, but after some thinking he decided to go and talk to Lia if he happens to meet her. He’s not sure if she’s willing to talk to him, but he’s going to try. Mr. Ha and Mrs. Choi already knew what happened, and both of them really missed her; Mr. Ha told him it’s weird to not have her in the academy in the school break. One day he visited the studio, and heard some children said they missed Lia and wanted to meet her badly. One of them even very determined to go to Busan.

He’s been thinking going to Busan to meet her, but Maha said Lia was happy to be home at last and been having fun. Maha concerned if he went down to see her, she will be uncomfortable and won’t enjoy her well deserved break. So Hyun agreed and get himself a busy schedule by making music at the studio and helping Mr. Ha as his assistant when some artist were recording. But he his mind often went blank and almost everyday he thought what would he say to Lia if they meet.

He messaged her several time, but there were no response from her. After the 5^th messages and still got no reply, he decided to stop contacting her for the time being and let her take all the time she needs. But when Hyunji told him Lia is going to Seoul for the graduation, he felt uneasy but motivated at the same time. He wants to properly apologized to her and do everything she asked to make her feel better, but the most important thing is he just want to see her. For two months she’s been part of his everyday, even when they’re not meeting to discuss the performance, they often messaged each other about music stuffs. It felt so weird suddenly she’s out of his reach.

---

Lia took a deep breath and board the KTX to Seoul. She took the earliest ride at 6am in the morning and expected to arrived at 9am and she will go straight to their campus auditorium. Kim Dojin already promised to sit with her so she wouldn’t be so awkward being there alone. She played numerous scenarios in her head if she happens to meet Hyun, will she act normally and acts like nothing happened, slap him, ignore him, or shout at him? Maha and Hyunjin called her before she departed just to make sure she’s going to Seoul.

“Show me the station! You’re really going, right? We’ll be so upset if you’re not going to be here,” said Maha when she video called her this morning. Lia laughed and showed them the train station.

“Of course, I even bought you flowers! Ya, I’m departing now. See you soon,” and she disconnect the call.

She’s genuinely happy for her friends, but she can’t help feeling bitter. But her mom’s words came back to her mind and she told herself it’s okay. All she have to do is being there for her best friends, have a meal and go back to Busan this afternoon. It is that simple.

But that simple plan is ruined when she arrived at her school, and the first person she meet is not Kim Dojin, but Lee Hyun.

He was holding one bucket of flowers, obviously for Ryeok, and was standing awkwardly alone near the entrance of the auditorium. She was running a bit late and Kim Dojin already inside saving a seat for her, so there were not many people outside. When he met her eyes, he looked surprised.

“Lia-ya,” said him softly. Lia decided to ignore him and walked straight pass him to enter the auditorium, but she caught his wrist.

“We need to talk, I mean I need to talk to you,” said him.

Lia sighed. “I don’t have time.” She’s about to walk again but his grip on her wrist tightened.

“Please. I need to talk to you,” said him. She looked directly at his eyes. Those eyes were the same eyes she looked for the past two months, but somehow it’s different.

“I told you I don’t want to talk to you,”

“Meet me after the graduation ceremony. I’ll be here. Please?” asked him. “I won’t let you go if you won’t meet me.”

Lia studied his face again. He didn’t look like his usual self she met a month ago, he looked thinner and tired. When she finally nodded, he let go of her hand and she enter the auditorium, followed by him.