Song suggestion: 내가 니편이 되어줄께 (I’ll Be By Your Side)- Coffee Boy ft. Ha Eun

Chorong and Suho both didn't exactly know how they got caught up in this photoshoot mess. What they did know was that their outfits screwed them over.

"I just find this fascinating. It's like they're taking engagement photos." Jungkook stared at the scene in front of him and held out his hands to make a frame.

I knew I should have chosen that damn dusty rose dress instead...

Chorong glanced over at Suho to see his reaction as the two were sandwiched together thanks to the other students. 

Chanyeol snickered seeing Chorong's facial expression turn sour at the shoving. "Even if you guys didn't happen to match, this still would have happened anyways."

"You know what, let's just get these photos taken then."

Pushing the others aside, Suho placed his hand on Chorong's shoulder and pulled her in. He leaned and whispered, "They're not going to let us off until we take photos together. Think of it as a way for us to have tangible memories."

Chorong's ear tickled as he whispered, but she nodded her head and sighed. Everything had been going well, she went around the park taking candid photos of everyone so their true personalities were exposed in the moments she had captured. Some smiled brightly, some looked like lightning blurs, while some had their double chins exposed as they laughed. Nothing new, really. 

"I see you're taking photos of everyone else but yourself again." Suho pushed the camera aside from Chorong's face just as she was about to snap another photo.

"I did take some with the others. We had to take the female group photo then all of us together, remember?"

Suho nodded sarcastically. "Mhm, I hear you." 

He removed the hanging camera from her neck, pulling the screen and flipping it for selfie mode. 

Chorong put covered her face with her hand, laughing at Suho.

She had the camera zoomed, so all the screen showed was a close up of his nose.

"Whoops." He quickly unzoomed the camera and was about to take the selfie when the others had managed to interrupt.

"This isn't right," Kyungsoo squeaked, "we'll take the photos for you guys."

Sehun snagged the camera from Suho's hands with a questionable smile on his face. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you both look dazzling."

"Who uses the word dazzling anymore?" Naeun questioned as everyone started to gather around and push the two together.

And was how they ended up in the photoshoot mess.

Should I just go for it? No, it might be weird. Suho slightly regretted pulling Chorong into him. He wasn't even sure if she was okay with it yet told her to play along. Plus, he didn't even know how to pose with her. What were they supposed to do, hug or something?

Sehun coughed in frustration and waved his hand angrily at the two. "What are you guys doing? This isn't the time for awkward and boring, I need cute and sweet."

Suho and Chorong stood, frozen, not knowing what he wanted them to do.

Baekhyun sighed and walked into the frame. "Let's just push you two closer together- not stop wriggling away Chorong. Okay, now hand on here if that's okay with the lady and boom. Magic. Shout out to Jesus. Sehun, we're clear."

Sehun gave Baekhyun a thumbs up and yelled, "This is what I wanted, not the awkward Christian side hug vibes."

"Are you okay with this?" Suho asked as he stared into Chorong's eyes.

To his surprise, she turned to him with a smile and spoke with her warm brown eyes. It's fine.

With her confirmation, Suho tightened his grip as they held hands and the two looked in to the camera with their natural eye smiles, both genuinely happy at the forced opportunity to take a photo with the other.

Eunji slipped her hand through Baekhyun's arm, her lips widening at the sight. "I think this is the happiest picture we'll see for the rest of the day."

"Yeah, it is." He silently placed his arm on her waist instead, pulling her in as she peacfully leaned her head against his shoulder.

Dong Il and his wife smiled at each other as they got ready for Chorong and Eunji's graduation.

"Honey, it really has been a long time, yet the years have gone by so quickly." His eyes glimmered, remembering how cute and fresh his two girls looked when they were just 10.

Ilhwa patted her husband on the back. "I know how much you care for the two of them even though you don't always express it with your words."

Dong Il gruffly chuckled and ran his fingers through his gray hair. "They grew up just fine without me being a ball of sunshine, didn't they."

He wrapped the tie around his neck, fussing with the knot until is wife came over to adjust it for him instead. 

"I'm so proud of our two girls," Ilhwa barely let out a whisper, her eyes starting to water as she finished up the tie.

"I know, I am too." Dong Il went in for a kiss on the forehead and comforted his wife. "They are so much stronger than we ever imagined and grew up so, so well. It seemed like yesterday the two were just cute litte girls. Today almost gave me a heart attack, they look like beautiful young ladies that are all grown up and ready to take on the world."

Eunji and Chorong both watched the sweet moments unfold having cracked open the door ever so slightly. They wanted to surprise the two with handwritten letters and a framed photo with the two of them together. They both gave each other a look and bitterly smiled, even more grateful for the aging couple. Graduation only reminded Eunji and Chorong to be even more appreciative, one towards her parents and the other towards her second parents. There never was a more bittersweet moment, and they couldn't explain in words how guilty yet lucky they felt having the couple always on their sides, restlessly working like shadows in the background for the two.

Chorong and Eunji were finally aging into young adults, functional and strong. On the other hand, Dong Il and Il Hwa were aging only to become more frail.

Chorong gave Eunji a quick squeeze on the hand and went in for a comforting hug. She knew the other wasn't good with her words, just like her clumsy father. "I'll knock."

"Come in," Dong Il hollered, "what, are we late or something?"

Eunji pushed the door wide open in a split second and ran towards her parents, pulling the two in along with Chorong for a group hug.

"Mom and dad, we're really lucky to have you guys by our sides. Thank you."

Dong Il side eyed his wife with a wide grin and patted the two girls on their backs.

"It was worth it to raise you two after all."

Eunji wriggled her nose as her head was still buried on her father's shoulder. "Dad, I hope you don't go to graduation smelling like this."

Ilhwa let out a snicker. "You really couldn't have let this moment last longer."

"Hey dad, almost ready?" Joon Myun entered his father's room as he watched the latter frantically finish up some paperwork.

"Yeah, actually, I don't know if I can make it after all. It has been so busy lately."

Joon Myun rolled his eyes, watching his father pretend to sign his papers when they were clearly upside down. "I don't understand why mom said you had the looks of an actor. You can't even act. Anyways, here."

He handed his father two photo frames and a handwritten thank you letter. "One's for our last family photo with mom, the other's for the picture we'll take today, just the two of us."

"Thank you son," the father pulled his son in for a hug, "your mother would be just as proud as I am right now."

"I know dad, I know."

The two didn't really need to share any more words with each other. Their hearts spoke for them.

"Good luck with your speech today, honey. Are you going to drop me a hint as to what you're going to talk about? Say, your cool dad?"

Hyuna smiled and kissed her father on the cheek. "No, dad. But you'll support whatever I say, right?"

"Of course. I'm really proud of how far you've come, never think otherwise. I know I haven't always been the best father, but I'm thankful for a daughter like you that knows what to do and learns from her mistakes."

"I haven't been the best daughter either, but I'm glad you've given me the courage to speak up and fight for what is right. You'll be in for a great surprise event at graduation."

"I didn't expect anything less," the congressman chuckled, "don't you have anything to say to our daughter, dear?"

He eyed his wife, who was only watching as the two had their conversation.

"It's okay now, mom. I'm okay." Hyuna strided over to her mother and gave her an affectionate embrace. 

"I'm so sorry," Hyuna's mom whispered, "and thank you for growing up to be a half-decent human being despite what I've done to you."

"Thank you for trying to be less of a ." Hyuna whispered back.

Hyuna's mom flinched at the words but sighed it off. The same biting tongue had certainly been passed down to her offspring.

"And what are my two ladies so secretively talking about?"

Hyuna and her mother exchanged glances before putting their fingers to their lips. 

"Sh."

It was finally the time they had all been waiting for.

Graduation.

In just moments, they were going to reveal to the school audience and beyond what truly happens beyond closed doors. 

"As long as everything runs smoothly from here, we shouldn't have any problems," Hyuna discussed with Chorong as the former flipped through some papers, "I hope everybody is still ready because anything could happen. The world doesn't exactly conspire to help us after all."

"Speaking of which," Hyuna lowly spoke as she lifted her head, "here comes the devil himself."

Sly and speedy, Hyuna flashed her pearly whites and bowed at the presence. "Good evening, Principal Kim."

Ignoring Chorong, he only faced Hyuna as he spoke. "Well, if it isn't our student speaker for the night, the smartest person in her grade. I really anticipate listening to your wonderful speech. I loved your draft." 

He eyed the papers in her hands.

"Do you think you could actually hand your speech to me," Pen in hand, he clicked it while speaking, "I wanted you to emphasize the portion about me a little more."

Panicked, Chorong froze and stared at Hyuna's papers. 

We're ed.

Without losing her cool, Hyuna calmly handed over everything she held.

"Please, go ahead."

With a few adjustments, Principal Kim grinned at the speech and gushed at his own red marks on the papers. "The best speech I've seen so far Hyuna. Can't wait to hear it."

Patting her on the shoulder, he left to take his seat with the other school administration on the front row of the stage.

How?

"Thank goodness Mr. Kwak told us to always be steps ahead." Hyuna untied her black coat to reveal an inside pocket. She removed some folded papers from the pocket and threw off the coat to reveal her striking red dress underneath.

Noting Chorong's baffled expression, Hyuna handed over the fake speech. "I brought the fake one too since I heard from alumni that he always likes to make last minute adjustments to the parts where he's praised and bull like that. Ugh, the er touched me too."

Wow, she really was prepared for this.

"Don't just stare at me, graduation's about to start. Go take your seat before you blow my cover." Hyuna waved her hand. "I'll do well."

The underclassmen hurried to their places at the soundbooth while the seniors sat in their required placements. Unfortunately, this meant that the scholarship students and EXO-K were spread out from each other. Reporters flocked the huge auditorium, mixing in with the large number of parents and other family members.

However, the friends were all ready.

No matter what was going to be thrown in their way, they were ready to give it their all.

For one last try.

A/N: I included the parts with the parents for a purpose. It's really moments like these when we realize how much our parents have done for us and just how much they have impacted our lives. We don't always get along, but we're always family.

next chapter will be a complete revelation of what happens! will they fail again, or manage to barely pull through?