Ch.80Graduation Commencement Speech

After Jaerin’s group, Bloombell, finished their first music broadcast, I stayed until the end to watch the #1 announcement.

There were two reasons for this.

One was because Jaerin would appear once more during the final ranking announcement.

The other was to prepare for the possibility of my identity being discovered later.

‘It would be troublesome if people said I only watched one performance and left.’

So after watching all the performances, I leisurely walked out of the broadcasting station while chatting with Jaerin on KakaoTalk.

>How was it?

<You looked so pretty! It suited you well. I think you’ll do great.

>Better than Kim Sujin?

Why is Sujin being mentioned here?

‘Come to think of it, she’s asked something similar before.’

After pondering the reason briefly, I figured it must be the rivalry mentality of people destined for greatness.

‘Do they instinctively know? That they’ll meet each other at the very top?’

I think Yerim also asked about Sujin and Jaerin in a similar way before.

Seeing things like this, it really seemed like destiny might be real.

‘Especially since Jaerin became a huge hit right after her first broadcast.’

Stunning looks and overwhelming talent.

A presence that wouldn’t be overshadowed by anyone.

With all these combined,

Bloombell achieved the incredible record of winning first place on a music show just 7 days after their debut.

Considering the competitive idols at the time and limited marketing resources, it was an extraordinary achievement.

Truly worthy of being called a new syndrome.

Anyway, after successfully watching Jaerin’s performance,

time flew by once again.

December.

At the MNC year-end awards ceremony, I received the Rookie Award as expected.

“I will continuously work hard and stay humble to be worthy of this award. Thank you.”

It seemed I still couldn’t break free from the limitations of being a child actor.

The roles I played and my screen time still couldn’t overcome the barrier to becoming a lead.

That was different from having an extraordinary presence.

Perhaps because Eclipse was filmed at the beginning of this year,

stories about me gradually started to decrease.

It was an inevitable progression given the nature of being an actor.

If you don’t film new projects, you’ll naturally be overshadowed by newer works.

Being forgotten by people was only natural.

And so, in the blink of an eye, 2013 arrived.

‘I should travel to Europe this year.’

I was supposed to have gone last year, but

a truly, extremely special circumstance made that impossible.

“Waaaaaaaaah!”

Me, Kim Donghu, age 17.

I ended up with a baby sister 16 years younger than me.

I’ll save that story for later.

So, February 2013 arrived.

My middle school graduation ceremony, filled with many memories and experiences, was approaching.

‘My daily life is coming to an end now.’

Unconsciously, I turned my gaze toward the stage in the auditorium.

The place where the graduation speech would be given.

Originally, I should have been giving the graduation speech as the student council president,

despite not even running for election.

But I adamantly refused, thinking it wasn’t right.

‘No way, how could I give a speech when I barely participated in school life?’

If I at least had many memories with the other students, it might have been different.

Training camps, school trips, and so on.

It made no sense for me to give a speech when I had no shared memories with anyone.

So I tried to either cancel it or have the principal give it instead.

-I-I’ll do it.

Breaking everyone’s expectations, Kangsik stepped forward.

Since I had become the student council president, Kangsik naturally became a student council member.

There was no reason to refuse.

Step, step, step.

If there’s no reason not to do something, then do it.

That’s why Kangsik was now walking toward the stage

where the graduation speech would soon be delivered.

“H-hello. I’m Na Kangsik, who will be giving the graduation speech.”

Nervous eyes and his still stuttering speech.

But no one laughed at him.

As everyone watched Kangsik,

who would mark the end of our time together,

“I d-didn’t have many friends because I’m not good with words.”

Kangsik’s graduation speech began.

+++++

I’m nervous.

I regret it.

Why did I volunteer to give the graduation speech?

Is it really right for me to do this?

I worried countless times.

The reason I wanted to do it more than I feared it was

because I had something I wanted to say.

To the friends who changed me.

And to this school.

I had words I wanted to leave behind.

Na Kangsik gathered his anxious thoughts and began to speak.

“I, I used to hate this part of myself. Because I thought I had a personality that couldn’t get along well with friends.”

With each word I spoke, sweat dripped down.

Cold sweat flowed, and I even felt dizzy.

But.

“But now I like who I am. Because I’ve found friends who like me for who I am.”

Contrary to how I felt, I gradually stuttered less.

“I believe your school life was like this too. Sometimes hard, tiring, but looking back, full of good memories.”

I believe those moments have taken root in your memories.

As Kangsik continued speaking, his mother, Park Oksun, found it increasingly difficult to hold back her tears.

Her son, who used to come home every day with slumped shoulders,

had started coming home smiling and talking about school at some point,

and now he was standing confidently on stage giving a graduation speech.

‘…Kangsik.’

Park Oksun looked at her son and then shifted her gaze to Kim Donghu.

A friend who was watching her son with unwavering, firm eyes.

Thanks to Donghu, Yerim, and Minhyeok,

her son was able to stand on that stage now.

“I don’t think this graduation is a farewell.”

Na Kangsik recalled the moments spent with his friends.

They were truly, truly enjoyable and precious memories.

But now they were past moments that needed to be preserved as memories.

“We’re just taking different paths for a while, but the fact that we were together won’t change, so…”

So.

Originally, I should have continued speaking right here.

But for some reason, the words wouldn’t come out.

“…th-there’s no need to be s-sad thinking it’s a f-farewell.”

My vision is blurry.

Why is everything suddenly looking hazy?

I don’t know.

“I hope we can decorate our final moments with… with smiles.”

With those words, Kangsik’s speech came to an end.

From that moment on, Kangsik was so drained that the rest of the graduation ceremony was a blur.

He seemed to remember hearing loud applause, being told he was amazing multiple times,

being embraced by a warm presence that cried, and

struggling to hold back tears while taking pictures with friends.

But he does remember the final moment.

-D-Donghu!

-Yes?

-I, I’m going to become an amazing d-developer like you said. S-so! After becoming an amazing developer! I’ll h-hire you as a m-model!

Before going home.

He clearly remembers saying that to Donghu.

What did Donghu say then?

-I’ll be counting on you when that time comes.

That’s definitely what he said.

Not for a farewell,

but to prepare for when they would meet again.

“Son, are you okay with not seeing your friends anymore?”

“Yes! We’ll meet again anyway, and I’ll be even more impressive then, so it’s fine!”

“…Our son has really grown up, hasn’t he?”

That’s how Na Kangsik graduated from middle school.

+++++

Daehan Arts Comprehensive High School.

Shortened to Daejong High.

Not only was it undisputedly the #1 arts high school in terms of quality,

but thanks to the crazy scouting talent of the ambitious chairman, Edward Park,

it recruited and produced numerous talented individuals.

There was only one condition for admission to Daejong High.

You must have talent.

As long as this condition was met, personality didn’t matter.

After all, things like personality could be taught at school.

But talent wasn’t something that could be taught by anyone,

so Edward Park was obsessed with talent.

‘And now it’s fair to say I’m reaping the rewards.’

After searching and searching for traces of genius,

Edward Park was astonished when he encountered Kim Donghu.

Kim Donghu, the owner of a devilish gift that was both perfect and had room for growth,

crushing ordinary people beneath him. This protagonist had finally enrolled in Daejong High.

Not only that, but the center of Bloombell, Ryu Jaerin,

who was showing tremendous momentum lately, had also enrolled.

‘It’s a double blessing, indeed.’

Hoo-hoo-hoo.

Edward Park was humming as he hurriedly walked to prepare for the entrance ceremony.

“Huh?”

But Kim Donghu, whom he had so desperately wanted, was nowhere to be seen.

+++++

Around the time of Daejong High’s entrance ceremony,

I couldn’t attend.

It wasn’t because of my schedule.

It was because of an unexpected variable.

“Hello, I’m Bong Jinwoo.”

“Excuse me?”

“Bong Jinwoo, second year at Daejong High, and the head of a theater club called Sparking.”

About 165cm tall.

A senior who was a head shorter than me looked up at me and continued.

“Kim Donghu, there’s a play I want you to do.”

“What? Wait a minute, suddenly pulling me aside, what is this…”

“I thought I wouldn’t be able to talk to you properly if not now, sorry. But I had no choice.”

I was desperate too.

Saying that, Senior Bong Jinwoo handed me a script.

“It’s not a school play, I want to perform this in Daehangno.”

Most of the preparations are done, now all I need is a good actor.

After saying that, Senior Bong Jinwoo firmly gripped his trembling arm.

‘What is going on here?’

Though confused,

due to my professional habit as an actor, I read the title of the script.

‘…Story of the Moon and the Stars?’

I feel like I’ve heard this somewhere before? That thought was brief.

I immediately widened my eyes.

‘This is that one.’

The title of the work mentioned in [Sims – Real Life] was right in front of me.

With things unfolding like this, I couldn’t contain my curiosity.

What kind of work was it that Sims had strongly recommended?

Even before checking the rating, I immediately.

‘Immersion.’

I entered the script, and

the first thing that greeted me was.

‘…What is this?’

A vast universe.