Chapter 291: Graduation (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 291: Graduation (2)
When we reached the athletic field, we witnessed a truly remarkable sight.
Jeong Seong-bin was taking a group photo with about twenty other students.
Do classes usually take group photos on graduation day?
I didn't think my class had done that. Maybe this class was exceptionally close-knit.
As I was admiring the heartwarming scene, Seong-bin spotted us from a distance.
"Oh?"
At the same time, the heads of the people taking the photos turned toward us. Among them was Jeong Seong-bin’s mother.
"Jeong Seong-jun!"
"Oh dear, we’ve been caught."
The mother asked another parent to take over the photography and then ran toward us at the speed of light.
"How is it that you can't stay still for even one day, not even on graduation day!"
"They say it’s bad for a person to change too suddenly, Mom."
Mr. Jeong Seong-jun got smacked on the back like he was being dusted off for snow, even though it wasn't a snowy day. Meanwhile, the mother gave us a benevolent smile, asking if we had come to see Seong-bin.
I had wondered where Seong-bin’s benevolent smile and irresistible power came from. It seems it was maternal inheritance.
While Mr. Seong-jun curled up like an armadillo to endure the beating, Seong-bin said something to his friends. Then, after saying his goodbyes, he broke away from the group and ran over to us.
"How did you all get here?"
"We came to celebrate your graduation, of course."
As soon as I finished speaking, Choi Je-ho thrust a bouquet of flowers into Seong-bin’s arms.
"Park Ju-woo picked the flowers."
"Happy graduation...!"
"Congratulations on graduating, Hyung."
Park Ju-woo and Kang Gi-yeon offered their congratulations to Seong-bin. Lee Cheong-hyeon looked at the group of Seong-bin’s friends and asked, "But Hyung, weren't you taking a class photo? Is it okay for you to leave like this?"
"Ah, that was just a group of close friends. We took plenty of photos, so it’s fine."
All of those were just friends? Not your entire class?
It was shocking. But as if to prove Seong-bin’s words, the group of students exchanged farewells and quickly dispersed.
"Our Seong-bin has excellent social skills. You didn't become the leader for nothing."
"No, it’s not like that. More importantly, Jeong Seong-jun... why is he like this..."
Still holding the bouquet, Seong-bin stared at his younger brother, who had appeared with gray hair.
"I’ve been anxious ever since you weren't visible in the auditorium, but when did you dye your hair... No, never mind. Let's not even talk about it."
"I dyed it right after my entrance exams were over. You have no idea how nervous I was that Spark might make a comeback. How’s the color? It’s identical, right? I have a good eye for these things."
"There must be a reason you’re doing this."
"To take photos for a 'Who is the real Seong-bin?' quiz, obviously. How often do we get to wear the same clothes?"
"Why do we even need to take photos like that?"
"Because it’s fun."
With that, Mr. Seong-jun started asking his mother to take their picture.
"Hide your name tag with the flowers! I’ll cover mine with my arm!"
"Please, just be quiet..." Seong-bin muttered with a look of deep sorrow.
Despite her grumbling, the mother fought hard to capture good graduation photos of her sons.
By the time the mother’s gallery was nearly full of photos of the two, I approached her.
"Ma'am, I’ll take the photos for you. You should take some with the boys."
"Oh, would you?"
You have to have family photos on graduation day.
That’s what my sister had said. Then, she had come to my graduation—an event some people don't even bother attending—and took photos with me.
"I’m taking it now!"
Along with the shutter sound, the happy smiles of the mother and her twin sons with gray hair were captured on the screen. It was a wonderful photo.
Even after that, Seong-bin couldn't leave the athletic field. It was because I threatened that no one could leave until I captured the "shot of a lifetime."
"If the school uniform were just a bit more ash-purple, it would have matched Seong-bin’s hair tone perfectly... I should have washed that blazer in lye yesterday or something..."
"I’m starting to get genuinely scared of Hyung," Lee Cheong-hyeon muttered.
Even so, by virtue of the sin of having excellent aesthetic sense, he faithfully performed his duties as an assistant photographer by my side.
I heard a clicking sound from above my head and looked up to see Choi Je-ho taking a picture of the top of my head.
"What are you doing?"
"It’s funny."
Funny? Is it funny to see me throwing my body onto the dirt of the athletic field for the sake of the leader’s monumental event photos?
"Look at this."
I glared at him with fire in my eyes, but Choi Je-ho didn't care. Instead, he was busy showing the photo he took to Kang Gi-yeon and Park Ju-woo. The two of them desperately held back their laughter after seeing the photo.
As the crowd began to grow, we returned to the vehicle immediately after securing a few group shots.
Once I confirmed that everyone except Seong-bin—who was going to eat with his family and return to the dorm later—had boarded, the car started moving.
"Hyung, you’ve become a star..."
"Why?"
I thought Choi Je-ho was the star, not me. That guy had become a "hot guy" recently, setting social media ablaze after the leak from the Female Idol Grand Festival.
≫ Choi Je-ho in drag lolololol
I thought a General was giving a command
└ f*ck, Lady Jeho and Choi-merized are trending
└ LMAO lolololol
└ I don't know if I should call it a blessing or a curse that this didn't air on TV
└ Definitely a blessing. If it aired, he would've been torn apart for being an attention seeker.
≫ If Choi Je-ho taking off the blanket looks like an Emperor taking off a cloak to me, am I done for?
└ No, you can still make it back at that stage.
└ If Choi Je-ho taking off the blanket looks like a farmhand tossing aside a quilt to go chop wood? Then you're done for.
└ Thank god, I haven't gone that far yet. By the way, what stages are there where Spark wore outfits similar to their year-end performance?
└ I think your heart has already gone that far, though.
How long had it been since that incident? Who dared to usurp the position of the star?
Instead of answering, Park Ju-woo handed me his phone.
≫ Today’s biggest star at the Mirae Arts High School graduation
Spark Iwol lolololol
He’s not even a graduate, but he got the most attention before leaving
└ It’s f*cking hilarious that the reporters took photos of Kim Iwol lolol
└ ‘Iwol passionately taking photos of a graduating member’
└ Isn't that title a bit too much? T_T
≫ From today, the local attraction of Mirae Arts High School is Kim Iwol
That’s just how it is now
└ Even though the person in question never even attended Mirae Arts
└ But he got the most articles, right? He brought honor to the school’s name, right?
≫ Kim Iwol’s Thighs: I’m trying my best for your shot of a lifetime...
But... I don't know how much longer I can hold out
└ Looking at how tight those pants fit, I think they could hold out until next year’s graduation too.
≫ They say a parent's love is greater than a child's...
It’s true. Iwol’s love is just too big.
└ Seong-bin, what is your dream?
How do you plan to take photos in the future?
Do you even have a sense of composition or professionalism?
Do you even want to keep stanning your members?
Then why is there still space in your gallery?
Why hasn't your phone battery died?
Shouldn't there be at least one buffering error by now?
Do you even memorize their profiles? Are you working yourself to death?
└ Mr. Iwol, you can't be doing this here.
My brilliant performance had received far too much attention. Memes of me were already being photoshopped and circulated across all sorts of social media and communities. Me speed skating, me doing the backstroke... It looked like a photoshop contest was about to be held.
They say the world doesn't understand artists. Once Seong-bin’s photos are uploaded to Spark’s official account today, everyone will understand my world of art.
As the long entrance exam period and graduation came to an end, Jeong Seong-bin and Park Ju-woo received text messages. It was the notification for their admission results.
The two of them each took a shared laptop and went into Park Ju-woo’s room.
While the kicked-out Choi Je-ho lay on the sofa playing games, Lee Cheong-hyeon and Kang Gi-yeon sat at the dining table with their hands clasped in prayer.
"What are you doing?"
"Hyung, come and pray quickly. Opportunity comes to those who are earnest!"
"Are Seong-bin and Ju-woo at a level where they even need to pray?"
I could confidently say that among their peers, no one sang as well as Park Ju-woo. There was no one before him, and there would be no one after him at this age who could surpass Park Ju-woo’s skill.
Though he might fall slightly short of that, Jeong Seong-bin was also not to be underestimated in terms of ability. He had the experience of singing countless times in recording studios and on stages, even competing against established singers.
So there was nothing to worry about.
Unless one of them had come out crying on the day of the practical exam...
"Hyung!"
"We both passed...!"
...the result was already decided. Wasn't it?
"They said Ju-woo is the top of his class."
"Really?"
At my words, Lee Cheong-hyeon asked while chewing on a celebratory energy bar he had hastily stacked instead of a cake.
"Seong-bin is the runner-up too..."
"You’re both amazing."
As Kang Gi-yeon praised them, Jeong Seong-bin and Park Ju-woo’s faces turned slightly red.
After the celebrations, the conversation turned to practical matters. It was time to decide whether to just register and take a leave of absence immediately, or attend for a semester or a year before taking a leave.
"What do the members think?" Seong-bin asked.
If it were me... assuming the school system allowed it, I would recommend just registering for now and taking a year off.
A lot of annoying things happen when you enter as a freshman. You get pulled here and there, you do your work but still end up hearing complaints, and it’s even worse if you’re a celebrity.
But that was just my opinion as someone whose social life was a wreck; Seong-bin, who enjoyed making friends, might have a different view. He might have dreamed of a fun orientation and a hopeful freshman life!
"What do you guys want to do?"
"I’ll... leave it to Seong-bin’s decision."
Park Ju-woo backed out. Thanks to that, Seong-bin was faced with the crisis of deciding how the two of them should take their first steps into college life.
I thought for a moment before answering.
"I think it would be good to attend at least one semester."
"What’s the reason?"
"The schedule for the first half of the year isn't extremely tight, is it?"
At my words, Lee Cheong-hyeon brought over a laptop and opened the calendar shared by the dedicated team.
"Our full album comeback is scheduled for June. That’s right around the time your semester ends. In the second half of the year, we won't have as much free time as the first half because of concert preparations. And we don't know what next year’s plan will look like."
"So, you’re saying it’s better to try attending at least one semester for now?"
Lee Cheong-hyeon summarized my words. It was an excellent summary.
"In the first semester of your freshman year, the major subjects won't be that intense. Just in case, take a few classes, focusing on the mandatory ones. Since you won't have to pay tuition this semester, you can always take summer or winter sessions later, even if it costs extra..."
I flipped through my diary, falling into serious thought about whether it would be better for them to take summer sessions or winter sessions.
Taking summer sessions while being active might be overkill. Would one or two subjects be okay? Or should they just do winter sessions after the concert is over? It’s not like they have to graduate exactly on time, so is it right to just tell them to take five or six years as the situation allows?
Seeing me lost in deep thought, Jeong Seong-bin quickly cut off the conversation.
"I’ll discuss it well with the company people...!"
Well, they aren't children, so I figured they’d handle it themselves and told them to do so.
"Ah."
Something suddenly occurred to me, and when I made a sound, the boys turned to look at me.
"It would be fun if you joined a club or something."
"Wouldn't that be difficult with our schedule?"
"I suppose so."
I nodded and smiled at Kang Gi-yeon’s words.
Still, it’s a shame. Those things are fun.
I remembered the cozy club room. I felt a sense of nostalgia.