areum | jjk ✓

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"DEEP breaths, my baby."

a borrowed phone clutched in her hand, areum bit down on her flash cards, not wanting to ruin her nails, as she studied families entering the auditorium.

graduation day brought on many fears for areum, messing up her speech, crying with the outcome of ruining her makeup, having her oxford cap fall down mid-speech if she nodded her head too much-

"are you scanning your audience right now?" jeon asked.

she gasped, covering herself with the curtain as jeongguk chuckled on the line, "how'd you know?"

"i know you, areum. i want to say again how sorry i am for not being able to make it. i hate this case, we all know the defendant is guilty! i'm definitely going to argue with my mentor about this later-"

"it's okay, jeongguk..." areum hushed.

but it totally wasn't okay.

hello? she was valedictorian for god's sake! he was missing her big moment!

"and i know i'm not much of an emotional person, but i'm so proud of you. you're incredibly smart, princess."

areum turned crimson.

"now stop blushing and get yourself out there!"

cheeks heated from nerves and butterflies, areum let out a sigh.

"i'll go rehearse my speech. don't overwork yourself."

"i'll have your surprise waiting!"

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"after all of this, i'd just like to say... you get in life what you have the courage to ask for." areum brings her speech to a close. the cap stayed on, her makeup stayed dry and her words stayed rehearsed. she did it.

it was as though her world moved in slow motion, the students cheered, flinging their mortarboards into the air as they gracefully floated back down. hugs and kisses were exchanged everywhere and as areum felt a small tear roll down her cheeks, someone amongst the audience stood tall, roaring her name.

on his feet, in a muted navy suit, swinging a bouquet was jeongguk. who sat down after a second when he noticed all the parents leering at his unruly behaviour. areum was caught by surprise, wanting to meet him immediately. she lowered from the podium, getting squished by her clique, kissing everyone a temporary goodbye, but deep down she knew, the farewell was everlasting.

she would never see them again and in a way, she was happy. areum wanted to move on from high school, she wanted to experience other things and sometimes old friends can drag you down.

once they let her go she ran on her toes, a trick so you don't fall in your heels, skidding on the waxed floor. she brought herself to a halt, flattening her gown and replacing her ecstatic grin with a more solemn expression.

her parents greeted her, congratulating their only baby girl before heading to the buffet in the west wing of the school. jeongguk approached her soon after and areum threw herself into his arms without a care in the world. she clutched onto him like he was her lifeline making jeongguk's heart burn in adoration.

he placed her down, handing her the bouquet.

"what happened to 'i'm working'?" areum asked him as she sniffed the flowers.

jeongguk scratched the back of his neck. "what kind of person would i be if i missed your graduation?"

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