smile!! [yugbam]

exhibit 20

the final room. a few chairs were propped up in a line in front of a giant movie screen. a remote is placed in every single chair, as the movie needs to be played for it to start.

bambam sits in one of the chairs and plays the movie.

familiar footage starts to play along with a calming melody of a music box hums in the background. scenic shots of the previous exhibits were all beautifully displayed in the movie. the bridge, the park, the festival,

every single exhibit that was recreated was playing on screen as the real place taken.

a voice starts to narrate into the movie.

bambam's voice, to be exact... :

dandelions: symbolizing being able to overcome your hardships by standing proud and strong.

that's what i learned from being with him.

there were many life lessons to come out of our relationship, but one thing i learned, is just how powerful love could be.

yes, our teenage romance was dumb and naive. but what we shared is something so precious to me, i don't even know how to explain how much he changed me in the best way possible.

he was ambitious. whatever he wanted, he wouldn't stop till he got it. he looked over me. making sure i was happy and healthy. he was so selfless. he protected me at all costs. the smallest things you could do for him, he takes that to his heart and is thankful for every little detail that relates to him.

no one ever got to see that, except me. i knew him inside and out.

and i knew, he was the best partner i could ever ask for.

does our story have a happy ending? not really. but does mine? absolutely. and it wouldn't have if it wasn't for him.

i'd wish i could admit that i have been able to move on, but frankly working for years and years on this project has made it especially hard for me to do. i don't know where he is, what he's doing, or even if he's still here, but if he is, i wish him the best.

i didn't do this museum to be romantic. to win him back over. i think our story has been closed bittersweetly and there's not much i can do. i want to grow from this experience because our journey was something special. something no one else had. and i needed to share it to the world.

believe what you want, but what i had with him was true love. i'm happy that the world has change its perspective, but let this be a lesson that discrimination for any regular human being is unacceptable. let's learn to love everyone, no matter what their life choices are.

i fell in love with him. and this is our story.

after being imprisoned for years without any good reason, i hope this gives justice to kim yugyeom.

because i know him. and i know...

he is a beautiful dandelion inside and out.

i'm proud of who i've become and i'm proud to be the one to spread this message to everyone around the world.

i don't want anyone to live in fear anymore for living the life you want to live.

so i hoped that this project can open eyes for many people and society will change from here forward.

change for him.

i'm bambam, and this is my love story.

the story of how i learned to love him... and love myself.

thank you so much for living through my journey. i still have a lot to learn, a lot to live for, but i'm happy with everything that's happened since the day i got this camera to today.

yugyeom, i didn't break our promise. i finally made the art museum! what do you think about it? did i do it as how you envisioned it?

i hope you enjoyed it.

-

the screen turns completely black.

bambam gets up from his chair, throughly satisfied with the opening of his museum.

he exits the theater and returns to the main entrance of the building, the line being completely empty as it just closed off for the day. he looked up at the twinkling stars in the night sky as he sat on the concrete stairs.

he laughed at him as he noticed tears were rolling down his face. "happy 10th anniversary." he reached inside his back and took out a pair of teenage worn out shoes in front of him.

he felt insanely happy, hearing how so much people loved his museum and how it's changing people's perspective already.

but...

he still felt something was missing.

he thought that one he fulfilled his project, all the weights would be lifted off of his shoulders.

but it didn't.

he sniffed as he placed the shoes in front of him, wondering why he felt a bit bittersweet on launch day. he took out his old polaroid camera and aims the focus on the shoes.

"i never got to give these back to you." he sighed remembering the promise he made the time he lost his shoes at the party.

he wants to convince himself that he has grown independently, but it's just been hard these days reliving all those precious memories for this project.

"i hope you somehow get to see my museum." he gets ready to take the photo.

right before the click happens, a big pair of shoes step into the shot, ruining the picture.

*click*.

bambam shook his head, wondering he ruined his picture. he looked to see who's was in his way.

right away. he realized who it was.

bambam almost stumbled backwards.

"would you look at that. my shoes." the figure put his hands in his pocket. "looks like you
got a new pair. which means, i'm taking these back."

bambam eye's glossed at the sight in front of him. "yu-yugyeom..."

"as a little trade off. i have something i've been meaning to give to you long passed due. i love you too, bambam."

"what did you say?"

"i love y-"

"shut up. i already knew you did all those years ago."

-

[the end]