Outsider | Na Jaemin ✓

𝟹𝟹 | 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯

As soon as the door creaked open a little bit, the people inside the room took a deep breath, clutching onto their party poppers and silly string cans, "Congratulations on your graduation!" As the sequins and coloured strings carpeted the wood floor.

The small group clapped along, trying their best to hold their tears back as they didn't want to cry in front of their cute underclassmen, "Of course you guys should throw a party." Donghyuck taps on his chest proudly, his chin raised up high. Jeno reaches the can of fake snow, spraying it onto Donghyuck's attire, "Who customised my outfit?" The dance room is ultimately filled with laughter though their hearts grew weak at every single second that flew by.

"I'm going to miss you all." Haeyoon announced to the team, "Thank you for a great last year and for always trying your best. I couldn't have asked for a better team." Everyone in the dance room 'aw'-ed at the little speech, the underclassmen close to Haeyoon running up to her to give her a teddy hug.

Coach Jeong's somewhat bossy voice broke the small cuddling session and the graduating students lined up across from him, snickering at their coach's running nose, teary eyes and whimpering lips, "I'm glad you're finally out of here. You guys were honestly a handful to deal with." he sends a glare at Donghyuck to which he just did a cute pose to him, making the rest cringe, "Good luck in the future and I'm glad that I'll never see you guys ever agai---" Soobin runs his way to his father, the rest following and tackling their tearjerking coach.

This is their final week at Nabi High School, their final week at high school in general. All the 12th Graders all got their results back, some ready to burn the papers while some thanking the Gods and the higher-ups for listening to their prayers. Unlike most of the people in the group however, Haeyoon wasn't too sure of what to study yet in university but she still had about another two weeks to worry about it. Renjun decided to go into the arts major, Jeno into modelling while Donghyuck and Yebin entered the dance major, wanting to become teachers and inspire the future generations. Hearing her friend's stable plans made Haeyoon uneasy but she knew that she couldn't only take her time and not rush because she would regret it in the end.

Haeyoon made her way to the side of the room where she calmed herself through the booming atmosphere, feeling comfort even though the overlapping noises did give her a slight headache, "Here." She gives a small smile to the boy, handing out a plate of meat pie and chips to her from the clatter table in the middle of the room.

"Thanks, Soobin." Haeyoon munches on the pie, Soobin still by her side as he gathers up the courage to start a conversation.

"I'm sorry." Soobin brushes the pad of his thumb on his plastic cup, looking down at the lemonade fizzy drink, "For everything that you went through because of me and because of what happened to Jaemin."

'Jaemin...' Haeyoon swallows the lump in her throat, "Well, he was bound to find out sooner or later anyways." She smiles regretfully, wishing that she was the one to tell him, "But what you did was honestly hurtful to me, Soobin."

"I know and I don't expect you to forgive me at all." Soobin's bangs fell, covering his eyes, cowering his face down in shame, "Haeyoon, I've been selfish but after doing some real deep reflections, I have come to accept that you'll love Jaemin and not me." Haeyoon was glad for him. Yes, he did so many wrong things but for her what matters now is the fact that she is able to hear these words straight from his mouth, "Have you heard anything from him?"

"No, I haven't."

"He'll come around. He loves you, Haeyoon." Cautiously, Soobin pats her shoulder and Haeyoon faces him with a genuine smile.

"Are you going to university? Have you figured out what you want to do?"

"Yeah. I'll be majoring in dance with Donghyuck and Yebin." Haeyoon could feel the nervousness in his voice, knowing very well that Donghyuck doesn't necessarily favour him, "Just thought it'll be fun to teach others and all that. Either that or maybe I'll perform myself or with a group? I don't know. I only became leader because Jaemin left and I don't think I did a very good job at being a lead--"

"You did well, Soobin." Haeyoon cuts off his rant, "You were an awesome leader." She averts his eyes to Donghyuck, yelling around and hyping the party, "Donghyuck will come around. It'll be okay."

"It was nice to talk to you again, Hae." Soobin remarked, feeling a big task being erased from his imaginary to-do list. He lets a hand out, hoping that Haeyoon wouldn't leave him hanging, "Congratulations on graduating and good luck for the future."

Haeyoon playfully smiles and teases him, Soobin's face becoming red by the second, "Thank you for realising your mistakes. Good luck for the future too." She softly snaps her palms with his, sending him an honest and relieved face.

"That's the last of it." Haeyoon looks down to the two plastic bags on the ground, laying to the metal lockers for support before closing her now former locker.

"Let's go out!!" The snow covered the green grasses of Nabi High School's front lawn and everyone was busy covering their bodies with the warmest paddings and stuffing their pockets with pocket hand warmers. With Renjun's help, the two loaded the baggage to Jeno's car before locking it back up again, not wanting to leave the gates of hell just yet.

They eventually scattered around the school, taking one last view at the places that they wanted to, with Jeno and Donghyuck holding a little basketball match for drinks while they were at it. Haeyoon made her way into the now bald, leafless tree that held so many memories of her and Jaemin. With her mitten hands, she brushes over the neck of the tree, the splinters catching the poofy material of her white gloves. She leaned her forehead on the tree as if she was listening intently to the tree who only became darker and colder as the season went by, "We finally made it, Nana."

It's been almost two months since Jaemin left Seoul and Haeyoon lost track of how many times she wished that it was all a dream. His scent when she passes by the hallway, in the classroom, in the dance room. 'I miss him so much.' She thought to herself at every second of the day, "I know I said I'll wait for you but it hurts me how long it's taking. Come back to us, Na Jaemin. Come back to me."

Their senior year has now ended and now their adult years are starting.