Chapter Text
Its been a few months now, few months since jaehyun joined the company, met new people, and in some odd way found passion and love again.
Whether it was how he watched as Sungho in all his beauty worked out, worked hard and kept their spirit up, or Sanghyuk, how his passion showed in each dance step he executed while he never failed to help the other trainees perfect their own skill as well. How Dongmins production and writing seemed to be so natural to him and how he showed his love in small acts of service, how Donghyun danced like a fish swam in water and in his own way was calm and understanding, the way he'd listen to all of the others and never failed to encourage them. And then there was Kim Woonhak, the younger brother jaehyun never had, mature and dedicated yet still such a childlike soul, the innocence and the joy of a child showing in all his ways, woonhak was what jaehyun would call a soulmate, actually all of them are what he would call a soulmate, like fate had designed the stars in such a way that theyd align just right as they met.
Jaehyun would do it all for these boys, everything to show them his love for them, whether it's cleaning up after a meal so as to not make Sungho uncomfortable, or buying Hyuk a few donuts after staying with him to practice, whether it's listening to Donghyun talk about his fish and show that yes he interested in whatever makes Hyun happy, or even helping woonhak with his homework or just play around to ensure he doesn't grow up too soon.
That love is how jaehyun found himself here, where? You might ask, at a café near Minnies school ( if dongmin smiles or warms up whenever jaehyun calls him that no one needed to know), its currently 9 am way too early for the graduation which apparently isnt bound to start until 10:30? Thats what the school guard told him as least, but its alright "its better to be early instead of late" is the consolation jaehyun is giving himself for messing up the time.
But really, it's ok, it gives him time to fix himself up. You see when a 19 year old is put in a situation where they need to look a little older they can only do much. So here sits jaehyun in a long black coat, because to him that's what an adult would wear, he is an adult of course, just maybe not as much as the other people walking into those gates.
Its a bit confusing to him why it matters by the way, he doesn't know why he wants to look older, more mature?aged?refined? He isn't sure, but what he is sure about it that he wants to be here, he's glad hes here.
Why? You ask? Because he remembers his nerves the day of his graduation, the lingering feeling of fear mixed with anticipation and excitement maybe but it was fear none the less. Fear of the future, in period where all he knew and cared for was music a period before he met his people, jaehyun remember his feet tapping the floor, a never ending surge in his nerves, he remembers the way he fidgeted and scrambled his eyes around. Peering through the crowd scanning every inch to find some resemblance of a family face. He remembers it all so well, the breath he didn't know he was holding, the smile from his brother the eyes of his mother, the smile on his father, it made it easier it made it make sense, it was worth the work.
Maybe those memories are what lead him here. When Dongmin told him a few days ago he still recalls the way his heart sank for the younger
"oh they can't make it since they live in the countryside"
( why do you smile when you seem sad? )
"its alright hyung please don't worry yourself with it"
( how can I not? )
"won't you be tired hyung"
( oh your kind heart )
Jaehyun remembers the innocence he saw in the youngers eyes, something close to a child asking for a new toy after breaking his old one, it was pure yet in some ways guilty, like dongmin felt bad for asking. Jaehyun made it a point from that very moment that nothing would keep him from making it to this graduation.
So that's why he's here, getting up from his seat, bouquet in hand ( he spent a fortune on it ) (the money doesn't matter to him right now) cake in the other as he stalked towards the school, shoulders back and chest puffed as if to prove that he deserved to be here. He followed the crowd into the hall, well lit, chatter of multiple student's as they enter the final hours of their highschool years. He can feel it, the nerves, the fear, the excitement and anticipation except this time around it isn't his heart skipping beats but instead a hundred kids packed in this gymnasium. Finding Dongmine wasn't hard by any means, spending 24/7 with a fellow trainees does that to you, one swipe across the body of students and his eyes easily landed on the black haired lanky boy.
One thing was for sure, much like jaehyun, dongmin too was one with multiple friends, easy small talk with fellow students from what jaehyun can see, but there was more. The smile while not fake was forced, it wasnt uncomfortable as such it was more printed on, but jaehyun saw through it, how dongmins eyes would dart around ever so slightly across the crowd, he needed to make his presence known to dongmin as soon as possible. With thay thought in mind jaehyun leans over the railing lightly and waves the bouquet gentlly ( so as to not mess up the flowers).
A few sways later he watches as dongmins eyes reach him,
and it's as though hes watching himself. jaehyun can feel in his own bones the way the youngers shoulders relax ever so slightly (and if both of them smiled at each other softly that's just for them to know). Min turns around once they hear the ceremony begin, it was a mundane one, just as one would imagine, to anybody but jaehyun it may have been just another graduation. Sure the parents were here to watch their kids grow up, sure the students clapped and teared up a bit as their friends go on stage.
He watched as Dongmin went onto that stage, he looked smart in his uniform well put together and overall just a clean look, it made jaehyun's chest well up in pride. Its a funny thing really, it had been just a few months when he was first introduced to dongmin, and here he finds himself clapping his hands on his thigh while trying to record the moment his friend gets his certificate. If tears well up in jaehyuns eyes its to Noones surprise, this moment forever engraved into him.
The school choir sings and the student all cheer he watches as Dongmins smiles wide with his friends, he watches like a mother watching her son grow up, he watches like a proud father but most of all he watches as a brother who feels with dongmin. Jaehyun knows he can never truly fill in for dongmins parents, but if his presence here can make just a seed of a difference in dongmins day, hed do ut all over again.
So now he waits, waits in the corner while the younger takes pictures with his friends, waits with the bouquet in hand and cake in the other. He waits as he feels thr pride in his chest swell greater for someone he just knows it going to be important to him (he already is important). A few parents ask him to help them take pictures and he gladly agrees, because if jaehyun was lying hed say that the pride was onky for Dongmin, but he isn't. Its a part of Jaehyun, empathy and feeling for others, so when he sees the room filled with students ready to face the world after school, ready to grow up into wonderful adults and to take on the next step of their lives, he feels pride and joy for each of them silent prayers in his heart.
For Dongmin however, its different, its special, he knows just how much the boy has been working, not with jsut school but at the company, how the younger produces music every step how he lives sleeps and breathes music, the passion so similar to his own. Hes watched as the younger had taken any feedback and made use of it, practicing day and night to somehow improve tirelessly. So to jaehyun this wasnt just another student working to their next step, to jaehyun this was a teammate that is working towards the same goal.
Jaehyuns smile widens as he seeing the younger walking towards him, bouquet ready in hand and wishes already flowing out his lips "CONGRATULATIONS" he so but screams startling dongmin and earning giggles from some girls. Dongmin seems a but taken a back standing a but away for a second before slightly smiling and continuing on
"thanks hyung" he says
"Ya minnie im hurt, all this for just a thank you?"
"Please do you want me to get on my knees in reverence"
"Maybe that would work"
They both stare before laughing out loud, jaehyun going in to hug the younger "seriously minnie, congrats". Dongmin freezes for a second but returns to hug gentlely (jaehyun can't help but laugh at his awkwardness). They part and jaehyun finally hands over the flowers and cake to the new graduate. He watches as dongmin eyes the flowers and smiles silently, the sight enough to tell him that the price was worth it.
"Lets go for lunch? My treat to my amazing dongseng" dongmin looks up from the flowers and nods with a smile. Jaehyun thanks God dongmin remembered to take a photo if not hed have had to mope about it later ( he wants to remember this day) so they take a selfie and head out, dongmin saying bye to his friends one last time.
As they walk out of the school jaehyun watches carefully as dongmins steps seem light but weighted. He can tell the younger has something on his mind but chooses not to bring it up, its a big day after all it's normal to think. But he does reach out to ruffle the youngers hair and smile at him, the other turning seemingly annoyed but not for too long as his frown turns into a smile as well.
"Your smile is pretty, the fans are gonna love it"
"Fans?"
"You know once we debut, i can already see it, 'Han Dongmin the mysterious member who's smile is so bright', you are gonna be a favorite"
"Please have you seen yourself and woonhaks smile, if I was bright you'd be the sun"
They laugh at that and walk in a comfortable silence for a while, the jjangmyeon place a few blocks away.
"Do you think we'll make it hyung" theres a hint of the childlike innocence that jaehyun loves aboit the younger, like he's scared to ask but needs to know, not quite hesitation, just more reservation.
"I don't know minnie, but i do know that the hard work you, me and all the others are putting in will come back to us"
"I think we'll make it hyung, does that make me proud? I think we'll make it big
Jaehyun smiles a little as he sees the younger look at him with such hope in his eyes
"I think we'll make it too minnie, and no it doesn't make you proud, it makes you hopeful and hope is never a bad thing"
Jaehyun can physically see the words reach the other and he smiles a bit wider and walks as bit lighter.
They reach the restaurant and eat in comfortable silence. Its easy like this, they are just enjoying the presence of the other. It rare too, most of the time they spend together is them working or practicing its hard to just sit and enjoy, but he wasn't complaining, because to jaehyun those moments are what make them special, with all the boys, its special.
"Hey minni, wheres the bouquet?" There is a pause as the younger scrambles go find the flowers "God i think i left it in the school" "Ya Han Dongmin those cost me a fortune" jaehyun says between laughs. "I'll make it up to you hyung im sorry" the younger says seemingly frantic, eyebrow creases in worry and guilt.
"It ok minnie just buy me jjangmyeon at the dorms?" Jaehyun says with a soft smile "of course hyung im really sorry" and as jaehyun shrugs it of with a light laugh he is reminded that this is the real dongmin. Not the harsh, cold hearted person everyone expects him to be. Hes a soft soul much like jaehgun himself, he just shows it differently and that makes jaehyun love him even more.
"I'm glad I came by the way, im glad I could be there for you today"
He saw the way the youngers eyes got just a tiniest bit teary, and as his smile shone brightly at the words. He knew then that this wasnt just any graduation.
To jaehyun? To dongmin?This was more than just a graduation, it was a promise, a silent promise between the two of them that was for them to know and them to keep.