The Whispers (Underworld 6) VK

50: The Graduates

The graduation ceremony had finally arrived, a long-awaited day filled with excitement and anticipation. The grand hall was transformed into a place of celebration, decorated with strings of lights and banners that draped elegantly from the ceiling. Seats were arranged in meticulous rows, each with a small program on the chair, waiting for families and friends who would soon fill the room with their energy.

In the audience, the Midnight gang had taken up an entire row, looking both proud and ridiculously out of place with their various styles and personalities on full display. Seungcheol, Jeonghan, Jihoon, Joshua, Soonyoung, Mingyu, and their spouses had all gathered for the momentous occasion. Sungmin, the normally stoic CBI officer and Seungkwan's brother, was seated beside Seungcheol, watching the proceedings with a quiet, thoughtful expression.

The excitement in the air was contagious, and the members of the Midnight gang were already buzzing with energy, excited to see Chan, Hansol, and Seungkwan finally walk across that stage.

"Do you think Chan will trip?" Soonyoung whispered to Joshua with a mischievous grin.

"If he does, I'll never let him forget it," Joshua chuckled, nudging Soonyoung. "But I bet he'll pull it off flawlessly."

A low murmur of voices filled the hall as families settled in, all turning toward the stage as the dean stepped up to the podium to begin the ceremony with an opening speech. The usual inspirational phrases about hard work, the future, and achieving dreams floated through the air, though Soonyoung could hardly sit still.

Finally, the moment everyone had been waiting for arrived—the announcer began calling names. Applause filled the hall as each graduate crossed the stage, accepting their diploma with pride and a broad smile.

At last, the announcer called out, "Lee Chan!"

The gang erupted into cheers, ignoring the startled glances from the families nearby. Chan's face lit up, a mixture of pride and embarrassment, as he made his way across the stage. He shot a quick, shy glance toward Jihoon, who was grinning from ear to ear.

"That's my little brother!" Jihoon called out, his usually calm voice breaking into an excited cheer.

Chan nearly tripped at the sound, barely managing to steady himself as he accepted his diploma. He glanced back at Jihoon, laughing, shaking his head but smiling all the same. As he descended the stage, Jihoon was waiting at the bottom, practically bouncing in place. When Chan finally reached him, Jihoon pulled him into a bear hug, lifting him slightly off the ground.

"You did it, Chan!" Jihoon said, his voice thick with pride.

"Thanks, Jihoon-hyung," Chan replied, his voice muffled by Jihoon's shoulder. "I thought you'd embarrass me, but this is next-level."

Jihoon laughed, pulling back to ruffle Chan's hair affectionately. "Wouldn't miss it for the world, little bro."

Before Chan could respond, the announcer's voice echoed again, "Choi Hansol!"

The Midnight gang immediately launched into another round of applause, their cheers just as loud as before. Hansol stepped onto the stage, calm and composed, but a subtle smile hinted at his excitement. He accepted his diploma gracefully, glancing toward the crowd where Seungcheol was already standing, practically vibrating with pride.

As Hansol stepped off the stage, Seungcheol rushed over, his eyes gleaming. Without a word, he pulled Hansol into a tight hug, his voice choked with emotion. "I'm so proud of you, Hansol. You did it."

Hansol returned the hug, his usual quiet demeanor softening as he patted Seungcheol's back. "Thanks, hyung. Couldn't have done it without you."

Jeonghan leaned over to Jihoon, whispering with a grin, "Are we going to need tissues?"