amare ✧ lee haechan

sixteen

The warm rays of the sun fell on the large university campus, where Yujin and her classmates gathered in their elegant hats and gowns. The air was filled with anticipation for the ceremony to begin. Faculty members, proud parents and friends filled their seats and their applause echoed through the amphitheater.

Yujin's heart was full of mixed emotions as she took her place in line. Surrounded by her supportive friends, she felt fulfilled. The journey through the university was not easy, but she overcame all obstacles with determination.

As the ceremony progressed, speeches filled with wisdom and inspiration echoed through the crowd. Yujin listened carefully, drawing inspiration from the words of the distinguished guest.

And then the moment has finally come. Yujin's name was called so she entered the stage, her heart was pounding with excitement. Applause from her friends and classmates filled the air, drowning out any negative thoughts, doubts and the emptiness she felt at being one of the few people without her parents present at the ceremony. With a proud smile, Yujin accepted the diploma, a symbol of her hard work and dedication.

As she left the stage, Yujin's friends rushed to embrace her, their hugs full of pride and admiration. They laughed and shed tears of joy as they celebrated this important milestone together. Yujin felt loved knowing that she had found her chosen family in her friends.

The ceremony ended with an explosion of confetti and cheers, marking the beginning of a new chapter for Yujin and her fellow graduates.

"I'm so proud of us," Doyun said while drinking coffee at the cafe across from Yujin's workplace.

"Right? We're university graduates, we've earned degrees and diplomas, and now we can all do whatever we want." Jiah leaned on her arm, looking at her friends.

"Yujin, you don't have to work today, do you?" Nari said, eating cheesecake.

"Nope, I have two days off," she said, happy to take a break from her job.

She couldn't wait to find a new job she could enjoy with a better paycheck so she wouldn't have to worry about her expenses and bills. She wants her life to be comfortable, but it's hard to find such a good job these days, even with a degree.

Soon after, Yujin's friends left the cafe and Yujin stayed behind because she was in no hurry to go home.

As the door to the building opened, she turned her head back to see who had come in and froze as she made eye contact with her parents, whom she certainly didn't want to see. Her heart sank and panic surged through her veins as memories of their last encounter flooded her mind. She quickly gathered her belongings, her hands trembling, desperately hoping to leave before they talked to her.

As she walked past them, her heart pounded in her chest as she realized that this confrontation was inevitable. Taking a deep breath, she headed for the exit, her footsteps echoing in her ears. The room seemed to close around her as she felt their presence right behind her. The weight of their unspoken words hung in the air, suffocating her.

Finally stepping outside into the cool breeze, Yujin's emotions threatened to consume her. She turned to face her parents. "Why did you follow me outside? Just get your coffee or whatever you want and leave me alone, I do not want to talk to you. And I know you don't want to either, you just want to take your anger out on me like in the old days, you want to blame me for what happened even though it was all your fault," she said, her voice trembling as she tried to express the pain and frustration that had built up over the years.

"Is that how you speak to your parents? Did we raise you like that? I'm disappointed in you, look at yourself! You should be our pride, not who you are now. And you'd better not tell me it's our fault because it's not true! I'm ashamed of you," her father said, his voice getting louder and each word was like a dagger to Yujin's heart. Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision, as she struggled to make sense of it all. People passing by gave them strange looks, making her feel even worse.