Butterfly

27. The Graduation

"Are you ready?"

I turn from my mirror, glancing at Sandra. "Yeah, I guess."

She smiles at me, leaning on the doorframe. "Excited?"

I shrug, unable to hide my smile, and she grins at me as we head out of the apartment, pausing at the door.

"JIN, ARE YOU COMING OR WHAT?" Sandra yells into the apartment and we laugh as he appears, his hair messy, pulling on a shoe as he hurries toward us.

"You two are so mean to me."

Seokjin moved in a bit over a month ago, and it's actually been really nice, having him there. We eat whole lot less take out food with Seokjin here, as he takes pride in cooking for "his girls."

Sandra slips her arm through his, kissing his cheek, and he grins, shaking his head at her. "I should just drive myself, if you two are going to gang up on me."

"Aww, poor Jinnie."

I grin as he swats at her playfully. We close the door behind us and I cast a glance at the door across the hall, closed as it has been for months, no new tenants since he left.

Sandra slips her arm over my shoulder affectionately. "You excited to see him?"

"Ah, I forgot the boyfriend is coming," Seokjin raises his eyebrows at me playfully.

I nod, grinning, and Sandra laughs at me. "You should have seen your face light up just then."

"Oh, shut up."

She laughs, unlocking the car, and I climb into the backseat, pulling my phone out of my pocket. Nothing from Jimin, but he's probably driving.

Sandra glances at me in the rearview mirror as she backs out of the parking space. "He text and say what time he'll be getting here?"

"Nope." I set down my phone, reaching for my chapstick. "I think he's driving, though."

"Yeah, I bet."

Seokjin turns in his seat to grin at me. "Is he renting a hotel room?"

"Yeah, I was actually going to talk to you guys about that."

Sandra grins. "Is my little sister asking to spend her graduation night with a boy in a hotel room?"

"Scandalous," Seokjin comments, raising his eyebrows, and I'm again reminded of how perfect he and Sandra are for each other.

Literally, I'm just waiting for him to pop the question to her any day now, because I desperately want little Seokjin-Sandra nieces and nephews. Plus, their children would be the most perfect children ever, with his classically handsome good looks and her pretty, delicate features.

I roll my eyes at Seokjin. "At least I'm asking."

Sandra laughs. "You're eighteen, Y/n. If you want to, I won't stop you."

"Again, scandalous." Seokjin grins playfully as Sandra smacks his arm and I laugh.

"Thanks, San."

She nods, smiling at me in the rearview mirror. "Run through the plan with me again?"

"Well, Jimin gets here today, for the graduation," I recall, scrolling through the past few weeks of planning with Jimin over text. "Then we leave for Busan Saturday."

"You have everything packed?"

"Yeah, just about. Jimin is going to see if we need to rent something or ship the boxes or what."

Sandra nods, smiling at me, and Seokjin puts a hand on his heart. "They grow up so fast, don't they, San?"

She laughs. "I know, Jin, it's so heartbreaking."

"Just have kids already," I complain half-heartedly and Seokjin chokes on his mouthful of water, nearly spewing it over the dashboard as he splutters. Sandra swerves into the next lane, she's laughing so hard.

"Don't kill us," I protest, and Seokjin laughs, shaking his head at my, his face still red.

"Remind me why I like you."

"I'm funny, amazing, the best little sister ever..."

We're all still laughing as Sandra parks, and I hurry into where my classmates are gathered for graduation, pulling my phone out of my pocket.

Still nothing.

I sigh, brushing my hair back from my face, following the crowd out into the auditorium, scanning for Sandra and Seokjin. She wiggles her fingers at me and my eyes fall on the empty seat next to her, my heart dropping.

He's not here.

I blink. Maybe he's late. He got stuck in traffic. His phone is dead and he just can't find where Sandra's sitting.

That's probably it. I turn to face the front again, our principal going up to speak, my thoughts evaporating as the auditorium falls silent.

The ceremony's surprisingly short, and after we've all received our diplomas I head to find Sandra, pushing my way through the crowd of people, scanning until I reach her. She hugs me, grinning brightly.

"How does it feel, high school graduate?"

"Pretty good," I smile as Seokjin hugs me too, then glance around, my spirits plummeting as I don't see his smile, his familiar figure.

Sandra's smile falters. "He's probably in traffic."

I shake my head, because Jimin always plans ahead, overcompensating for time, early for everything. Seokjin frowns, looking around too.

"He didn't text?"

I shake my head and Sandra shoots him a look, probably telling him that was the worst thing he could say right now. I look around the crowded auditorium, the faces blurring together, the one I want to see most conspicuously absent.

Sandra slips an arm over my shoulder. "Let's head home. Are any of your friends having graduation parties you want to go to?"

I shake my head, my throat tight, my head hurting, and we walk slowly to the car, none of us sure what to say.

"Why don't you text him?" Seokjin glances at me in the rearview mirror as he back out of the parking spot and I nod silently, pulling my phone out of my pocket, typing slowly.

Where are you?

No response.

"He'll probably show up at the apartment later," Sandra says, and I shake my head, because if he's not here he won't be. It's a six hour drive from Busan; it's not like he just forgot and will show up later.

We're silent the drive home, and I head to my room when we reach the apartment, closing the door quietly behind me, lying on my stomach on the bed. I stare at my phone, his contact photo, our past messages, waiting for a response, a call, anything.

There's nothing.