Call me HYUNG!

New Life -III

Life moved forward in its usual, confusing yet clear way. Jungkook's final year of university had been a whirlwind, but it came to a successful end. As expected, he graduated at the top of his class, living up to his reputation as the "Golden Boy." His professors praised his dedication and talent, his friends celebrated his achievements, and his family beamed with pride.

Despite the celebrations and the overwhelming praise, Jungkook felt something was missing. Even though he was surrounded by friends and loved ones, the one person he really wanted to share his success with was Taehyung. Over the past few months, their communication had been sparse. Taehyung's rising fame had kept him busier than ever, and even though they tried to keep in touch, their once-easy friendship had become strained.

At his graduation ceremony, Jungkook scanned the crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of Taehyung. He had invited him, of course, but he wasn't sure if Taehyung would be able to make it. The company he was working for had him involved in several high-profile projects, and Taehyung's schedule seemed packed to the brim.

As the ceremony ended and the crowds started to disperse, Jungkook finally spotted him. Taehyung was standing near the back, wearing sunglasses and a cap, trying to keep a low profile. But Jungkook would recognize him anywhere, no matter how he tried to blend in.

Their eyes met, and for a moment, everything else faded away. Taehyung smiled, his hands clapping softly in applause, and Jungkook felt his heart lift. He was here. Despite everything, Taehyung had made it.

Later that evening, when the formalities were over and the celebrations were winding down, Taehyung found Jungkook standing outside the venue, away from the noise and crowd.

"Congrats, Kook," Taehyung said, walking up to him. "I knew you'd do it."

Jungkook smiled, a little breathless. "Thanks for coming, Hyu-" He stopped himself before the word slipped out, smirking instead. "Tae."

Taehyung laughed softly. "You almost said it."

They stood there in a comfortable silence for a moment, just soaking in each other's presence. Jungkook had missed this-missed him.

"You've been busy," Jungkook said, his voice softer now, more serious.

"Yeah," Taehyung admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "Work's been intense. I'm sorry we haven't had much time to catch up."

"It's fine," Jungkook said, though it wasn't entirely true. He had missed Taehyung more than he could admit. But he also knew how important this was for him, how hard Taehyung had worked to get to where he was.

"But I'm here now," Taehyung added, giving Jungkook a reassuring smile. "And I'm really proud of you, Kook. You've always been amazing, but this... this is something else."

Jungkook chuckled, feeling his cheeks warm. "Coming from you, that means a lot."

They talked for a while longer, catching up on life and everything they had missed. It felt like old times, even if things were different now-more complicated, more uncertain. But for that moment, everything felt right.

Jungkook's graduation had marked the end of one chapter in his life, but seeing Taehyung there, smiling and supportive, made him hopeful about the next chapter-whatever it would bring.

➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶

As Jungkook stepped into the world of professional art, the transition from university to career felt exhilarating yet daunting. His graduation had given him the confidence to pursue his dreams, but he knew that the real world was far more competitive than the classroom. Nevertheless, Jungkook was determined to make a name for himself as a painter.