Reasons to Stay // Hyunin

~41~

"Jeongin, you ready for tonight?"

Felix and Jeongin were prepping for their graduation that they'd been waiting for for so long. They'd arrived at the school early to help with the finishing touches of decorations. The air was full of excitement as students bustled here and there, more than ready to say good-bye to their painful years of high school.

"Of course," Jeongin replied, struggling to unravel a long decoration, to which Felix helped him.

"You know, Changbin's coming," Felix leaned in and whispered, eyes twinkling.

Jeongin looked at him in happy surprise. "No way!"

"Yes way!" Felix squealed like a middle school girl.

"Since when?! I can't believe you didn't tell me," Jeongin pretended to pout, but a smile came back to his face quickly. Recently he'd been busy and hadn't had that much time to visit Changbin, and he'd thought that Changbin would only be able to watch the graduation live in his room. But evidently he was granted parole for the whole evening.

"Hey, you two," a feminine voice called from the other side of the table they were working on, "come here and help me with this."

Jeongin glanced up, seeing his classmate Lee Kiara struggling to hold the string, tape, and scissors at the same time. He quickly came over to help her.

It was strange how everything had changed once Hwang Hyunjin had mysteriously disappeared. Lee Kiara had seemed to forgotten about the whole bet on Hyunjin, and she'd developed into one of Jeongin's better acquaintances. The blonde boy was never discussed, though probably silently thought about, but Jeongin was glad at the outcome.

Hakkun, the boy who'd tortured Jeongin so much, had also changed somehow. During Jeongin's periods of time outside of school and messing around with the gang, Hakkun had gotten into some more serious troubles with the law and had even served time in detention centers. By the time Jeongin'd come back to school, Hakkun had already been released and he was a totally different person. Although the two weren't the closest friends, they were cool with each other, and Jeongin had the heart to forgive. Also, Jeongin did see him a lot of times because Hakkun was dating Kiara, who Jeongin worked on several projects with.

Jeongin found it hard to believe the boy he used to be months, years past. Back then, he'd never thought he could change. Depressed, suicidal—what was that even now? Jeongin had grasped the truth that there were so many reasons to stay on this earth, and it'd made him new. There'd be bad times of course, but behind the dark clouds the sun was still there. Life surrounded him, with open arms.

Jeongin gazed around the gym, the students happily busy, the colors and sparkles of decoration glittering the building. The music played invigorated him, made him feel refreshed, like he wanted to sing and dance happily forever and ever.

He loved life.

----

"Lee Know! Baby!"

Han was trying to wake his boyfriend up as today was the day of their dongsaeng Jeongin's graduation, and Han didn't want to be late. He had prepared everything, their outfits, where'd they eat, their whole schedule—and Lee Know, who had taken some extra hours on work earlier, had been sleeping for the whole day. The evening was coming, and Han knew that Jeongin would act sassy if the couple was late.

"What." Lee Know replied, barely moving his mouth, not bothering to open his eyes.

"Jeongin's graduation!" Han replied. "If we want to get there early like you said, we need to head out soon."

"Right," Lee know rolled out of bed, compliant, and got ready without other words. The two were in a taxi before they knew it, and Han could tell that the older wasn't quite completely awake yet. It didn't matter, he was still handsome and like that, even more cute.

When they got to the big school, the official ceremony hadn't begin yet, and there were students and families here and there, talking, chatting, enjoying their evening. Jeongin had told his hyungs that he would be near the fountain, and that's where they found him, with Chan, Felix, and Changbin around him.

"Innie-yah!" Han sang with a ring. He glanced at Jeongin and Felix. "Congrats you two! Done with high school for forever!"

Jeongin giggled and the group enjoyed their time together before the students were called in to put on their graduation gowns and start the ceremony.

Jeongin hurried toward his clothes lockers and took the bag with his gown in it. But while everyone was busy putting theirs on, Jeongin noticed that his cap and tassle were missing. Well that was great.

He suddenly remembered that they had been in a separate bag which he had left in his car. Jeongin felt annoyed at his bad fortune but there must still be time, so he hurried as fast as he could to the parking lot, which was full of cars but empty of any people by now.

A late car pulled into the parking lot and slowly drove around, looking for a parking spot. It slowly came toward Jeongin, and the boy, friendly, glanced quickly and put up his hand for a quick greeting before turning back toward his car.

And he froze.

Who was that driving the car?

Jeongin glanced up again but the car had picked up a little speed and driven around the corner.

It was Hwang Hyunjin of course, who had decided after all to come see his Innie graduate. But he hadn't planned for Innie to notice him. Well, that backfired.

His cheeks burned as he picked up slight pace on his vehicle, not wanting to give Jeongin a chance to perhaps come alongside the car or get a better look. Hyunjin'd messed up, big time.

Jeongin, back at his own parked car, didn't know what to do. Hyunjin...Jeongin hadn't thought about the name in a while. He'd tried to forget about the wretched times he'd gone through a few months before, and he'd thought he'd succeeded.

He thought.

But as he had gotten a glimpse of that pretty face which he'd known so well a few months ago, Jeongin knew that Hyunjin couldn't be forgotten. He was forever to stay in Jeongin's mind, whether to comfort him or to haunt him.

And for now, it was haunting him. What the hell was Hyunjin doing at his graduation?! Planning another assassination attempt?! What had become of the gang, Jeongin didn't even know. Hyunjin was the leader, right? Maybe he was still after Jeongin!

Jeongin was afraid, and if he were in his right mind, then he would know that if he was actually a single target, that he should go back as quickly as he could to the throngs of students. But he was afraid, and hardly in his right mind. So Jeongin decided to hide, alone.

Behind a bush is not the smartest place to hide, Jeonginnie.