SU-MIN
THE GRADUATION DAY
"Let us celebrate the successful graduation of senior year students this year!"
Everyone applauded for the senior year students who would initiate the ceremony. High-ranked senior year students in each course were assigned to pass what they say is a "heritage course oath" to junior year students who will later become the new senior year students.
High-ranked students from junior year did the same and passed the heritage course oath to sophomore year students, while high-ranked students from sophomore year will be passing theirs to freshman year.
Later on, our professor in performing arts approached the row where I am sitting and spoke to me.
"Su-min, can you do the honors of receiving the heritage course oath from the senior leader?"
Since I didn't know what to do, I looked at my friend Mina.
"You can do it, you will just repeat after them," she told me.
Gosh, that's not what I'm looking for as an answer!
I looked at the professor. "Can't Mina just do it instead of me?"
"Mina was assigned to give the heritage course oath for the new coming juniors," he answered.
Since I had no choice, I just stood up and followed the professor backstage.
"Now is the time for our sophomore year student leader from the Performing Arts course to pass their heritage course oath," the university president, Lee Ji-hoon announced.
Alright. Mina said it would be just a 'repeat after me' flow. Calm down, Su-min...
"The chosen representative from the junior year of the same course would be Moon Su-min. Let's give her a round of applause."
When everyone started applauding, I went up on stage. I was very nervous when I saw everyone looking at me. I decided to hide my hands behind my back because they were shaking so hard before gently biting my lower lip since it was also shaking.
The oath taking did not last long and it is true that repeat after me flow only needs to be done. Everyone applauded again after my oath taking so I calmed down a bit.
"Now it's time to give a short speech by Ms. Moon to inspire the new juniors." I immediately turned my head to the university president because of what he said.
Why a speech?! Mina told me nothing about saying a speech! Besides, I didn't hear the previous students say some speech.
Wait!
I wasn't listening before. Shit. Did they really deliver their own speech?
The microphone was handed to me all of a sudden. That's why I could do nothing but to stay and deliver my speech in front of everyone. Once again, I'm shaking.
"Uh." I looked at the president. "Can I say anything in my speech?"
"You can say anything your heart wishes to say, but avoid saying bad things please," he told me.
I couldn't help but to grin a little after hearing what he requested. I let out a breath before starting my real speech. Honestly, I don't even know how or where to start and what to say.
"First of all I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak in front of all of you…" I gulped a bit.
Then, I pointed to the place where my performing arts classmates were occupying. "My classmates accepted me under the supervision of Professor Jang which I seriously doubted at first."
I turned my head down a little as I started to reminisce everything. My friends' faces started to show in my mind alongside the memories with them.
"Here at the university I also found real friends, who even at the beginning we had a hard time getting along with each other but when the friendship was formed, nothing could definitely break it."
I lift my head to look for them and started calling them to stand up.
"To my friends, will you please kindly stand up and show yourselves to everyone if you are guys proud of our friendship," I announced.
We were surrounded by silence when my friends started to stand up. I can't help but smile with joy while looking at them.
"I would like to take this opportunity to let everyone in this hall know how important you guys are to me as a friend and a family," I said. "Moon Su-bin, my knight in shining armor and my beloved brother. Thank you for always protecting me."
Even though Su-bin oppa has his hands inside his pocket just to look cool, I didn't fail from getting him melted from what I said to him.
"Mina, the best seatmate and classmate I've ever had. Thank you for being so approachable and caring."
She waved at me with full happiness.
I looked at Isla and waved at her. "Isla eonni, can you come here with me in front?"
I saw how she was hesitating at first, but because of the persuasion of her friends, she still managed to come up and hugged me.
I handed her over the microphone. "Eonni, can you help me with the speech?"
"What? No, I can't…"
"Please…"
She sighed and took the microphone before smiling nervously.
She cleared her throat. "I will continue Su-min's speech and will proceed to my friend Han Min-hyuk. Thank you for being such an angel. Your kindness says everything about you."
"I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING!" Min-hyuk suddenly said.
"What is it?" Isla asked shyly.
"I HAVE A CRUSH ON YOU, ISLA!"
Everyone started teasing before laughing happily. I couldn't help but tease her too.
"I already know that. You were kind of obvious," Isla answered him. "You should find a girlfriend soon. Surprise me."
The next one wasn't really what we expected but, who cares?
"Seo Na-bi, I know our first meeting didn't go well, but I know you know that the saying 'first impression lasts long' does not always work. And here we are now, being best of friends. Thank you for the memories, it may be bad or good."
Then, next was my brother.
"Su-bin, one of the university's heartthrob. Should we tell those fashion course students that we are not really dating and you asked me a favor to be your fake girlfriend?"
I can't believe Isla eonni revealed it so boldly.
I saw how my brother just shook his head while laughing.
"But, I would also like to tell those girls that Su-bin will no longer be single, for sure."
"Thank you," Su-bin oppa mouthed at her.
I noticed that Isla eonni was looking somewhere else as if she was looking for someone but couldn't find them.
"And to the person I love the most after my mom..."
I glanced at Isla eonni and she looked a little sad. And for the final words, she chose to say everything from the bottom of her heart.
"Thank you for staying beside me as always. For being like a real brother, and also for being a protector. I owe you my life because when I needed help the most, you didn't hesitate to come and save me. I wished for you to be happy and take away everything that gives you pain and anger."