Chapter 195
Chapter 195
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 195
Chapter Title: Graduation Day
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It was graduation day.
Though it was undoubtedly a gateway to entering society, it wasn't exactly a day of pure joy.
But maybe because it felt like the final exit from the educational institution I'd attended my whole life.
Everyone was buzzing with excitement.
Our department was no different.
'Hmm.'
Unlike my friends, I wasn't simply thrilled about graduating.
I sat in the studio, quietly taking in all the memories around me.
So many things had happened here.
When I first stepped into this studio, I was thrilled about the works I'd create in the future.
When tackling assignments, the studio was the last place I wanted to be.
But when making my graduation piece to finally finish university, the studio had become my bedroom and my home.
Looking back now, it was all just cherished memories, valuable assets in my life.
But there was a reason these memories meant even more to me.
Because there was one being who'd been with me through all of it.
Hyorin.
Just then, as I sat in the studio, Jungeun approached and asked.
"Not going to the auditorium?"
"Nah. What's the point? It's just gonna be speeches anyway."
"True. I can't even picture you sitting through the dean's speech."
"What?"
I shot him a glare, and he grinned as he spoke.
"Kidding, kidding. Anyway, I heard you're holding an exhibition at Arnia Gallery right after graduation?"
"Yeah, not confirmed yet, but probably."
At that, Jungeun smacked my shoulder enviously.
"Man, talented people get treated like kings wherever they go."
"What are you talking about?"
"You've been like that since school days. Kinda inhuman, you know?"
What did he eat to make him talk like this on graduation day?
Jungeun kept spouting nonsense.
I furrowed my brow and said.
"Cut the weird talk. My mind's already a mess."
"Why? Because of Hyorin?"
"What?"
He leaned heavily on the studio desk and continued.
"Makes sense. You two were practically glued together every day for four years. It'd be weirder if you weren't torn up about parting ways."
"Weirder talk again."
Heh.
"Weirder? Do you even know what the biggest topic among our department's graduates is?"
"Not interested."
"You should be."
"What?"
"You and Hyorin are at the center of it."
I tilted my head.
"Seriously not interested. What makes us a topic?"
"Come on, it totally could be. You still haven't confessed to Hyorin."
The word "confess" caught me off guard.
"Wh-what are you saying?"
"Look at that, Kanghyeok Lee flustered."
He smirked deeply.
"Everyone knows except you two. That you like each other. Even the professors probably know."
Guess we'll never see each other again.
He was rambling utter nonsense on graduation day.
I decided not to feed into Jungeun's story anymore.
"Fine. Think whatever you want. Next thing you know, we'll be married."
"You will get married."
"Hey!"
I yelled, and Jungeun burst out laughing, clearly enjoying my reaction.
Then he got serious.
"So, you confessing today?"
"Drop it. Keep going and I might actually get mad."
"No joke. You really confident you can just separate from Hyorin like this?"
His words made me scowl.
"So what, I should confess and we date?"
"There's a reason everyone thinks that. You two wouldn't look weird at all as a couple. You seriously had no idea?"
Okay, we had been annoyingly close.
Not on purpose, just naturally.
Whenever I came to school, Hyorin was there. Eating, drinking coffee, painting—every moment, Hyorin was by my side.
Not because I planned it, just... there.
Sigh. Fine, I admit it.
Anyone might think we were dating.
But just being together doesn't make it dating.
I didn't even know Hyorin's feelings.
No, honestly, I wasn't sure about my own.
Was this reluctance to part, born from being so close, really love?
"I heard Hyorin's coming to the afterparty after graduation. You coming too, right?"
"Afterparty?"
"Remember? Last class, we said we'd all meet up after graduation for drinks. No special occasion otherwise, might never see each other again. Figured we'd tie up loose ends."
I barely attended classes—why would I remember that?
Come to think of it, during winter break, Hyorin kept bringing up graduation.
She must have had this in mind.
"And I heard Hyorin skipped the ceremony today... because of you."
"Me? Why?"
"Well... 'cause you might confess."
I choked and coughed violently.
"Cough! C-confess? To Hyorin? Me?"
"You really not confessing?"
I didn't even know my own feelings—what confession?
No idea what Jungeun expected, but no such event was planned.
I was the same as always, then or now.
"Ah, can't listen anymore."
Maybe because of his reaction, my mind grew more unsettled.
I stood up and said.
"Not sure about the afterparty. I'll go if I can. Text me the address just in case. I'm heading out."
"Hey! She's coming soon because of the afterparty!"
"Whatever. I'm going."
"Hey! Kanghyeok Lee!"
Ignoring Jungeun calling after me, I headed home.
My mind was just a mess.
Thought about painting, but no desire.
So I lay on the bed, replaying my talk with Jungeun.
'That I'd confess to Hyorin.'
Of course I liked Hyorin.
But crucially, that like was just the fondness between people.
Love? Not sure if it's love.
How would I know? I've never been in love.
But I knew what love felt like.
Heart racing, chest pounding.
I knew that was love, but I couldn't say that's what I felt for Hyorin.
Just... fondness. That's it.
And why I was so unsettled now.
Because I no longer had Hyorin as my partner.
She'd been helping me all this time.
"Sigh."
Without Hyorin, Director Go wouldn't have chosen me.
But confessing for that reason? No.
Hyorin wouldn't want that either.
A loveless confession...
I checked the time.
5:30 PM.
Afterparty starts at 5 at the bar.
They were probably there now, gearing up to drink.
Yet here I was, still in bed.
'Should... go?'
Was going to the bar right?
If I went, everyone would focus on me and Hyorin.
Jungeun made it sound like the top topic.
"Sigh."
I didn't want all that attention.
Decided not to go and rolled over.
But.
I bolted up.
"Ah, seriously."
Hyorin coming to see me nagged at me.
If I was there, eyes would split.
But if everyone expected a confession and I didn't show.
They'd pity Hyorin, think she got stood up.
When it wasn't like that at all.
If anything, she'd dump me.
Her coming to get confessed was all just friends' imagination.
Perfect Hyorin wouldn't like someone like me.
For her sake, I had no choice but to get up.
'Not for me, for Hyorin.'
I couldn't let her get framed as the girl who got stood up because of me.
With that, I grabbed a jacket off the hanger.
Click.
And headed to the bar Jungeun texted.
As 6 PM approached, the graduation afterparty's energy ramped up.
But as the drinks flowed, the students' whispers grew louder.
"Hey, think she got stood up?"
"Yeah. I thought Kanghyeok would definitely confess to Hyorin today."
"No way, is that story true?"
"What story?"
"You know, that Hyorin got used by Kanghyeok."
"What? Really?"
"Yeah. Stuck together every day, but no confession on graduation? Says it all. Rumor is he just kept her around for his paintings."
"Whoa, huge. Kanghyeok Lee's total trash."
Ridiculous speculation and fiction filled the table.
Problem was, they weren't whispering quietly among themselves.
Hyorin just quietly sipped her drink amid it all.
Then.
Bang!
Minji slammed a 3000cc beer pitcher on the table.
"God, so much yapping."
Everyone flinched.
She turned to the whisperers.
"Hey! If you wanna whine about love, go home, wash your feet, and watch a drama! What is this, romance hour? Huh!"
"Hey, Minji's drunk."
"Stop her!"
"Stop? Hell no! Say one more word! I'll shut you up for good!"
The bar's murmurs died instantly.
Most students knew Minji's drinking habits all too well.
Jungeun, watching, sighed and rubbed his forehead.
'He's really not coming?'
Even after I said all that, he planned to skip the afterparty?
Thought about calling, but Kanghyeok wouldn't pick up.
Stuck, unable to do anything.
Buzz-!
Thud!
Silence fell over the bar.
Everyone turned, spotting the person at the entrance.
It was none other than.
"K-Kanghyeok!"
The star of all this: Kanghyeok Lee.
At his entrance, Hyorin—who'd been quietly sipping—looked up.
"Kang... Hyorin?"
Who knows what she was thinking, her face an enigmatic mix.