𝗗𝗢𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗘 𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘 - 𝘫𝘰𝘴𝘩𝘶𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘶
: ̗̀➛ SYNOPSIS : You are reluctantly roped to play the guitar for your graduation performance with no prior knowledge. Your brother, Yoon Jeonghan, promises to find you a tutor, only for you to discover that the instructor is none other than your brother’s best friend, Joshua Hong—your secret crush. As lessons unfold, feelings intensify, but you're left wondering if Joshua shares the same sentiment. How will both of you handle the growing tension between teacher and crush?
CHAPTER 28 : graduation day
The auditorium hums with restless energy. Chatter and laughter echo off the polished floors as students in crisp graduation robes flit between their friends, making memories before the day slips away. The performances had started an hour ago—a whirlwind of piano solos, dance numbers, and heartfelt speeches. But through it all, your mind drifts elsewhere.
Your heart sinks deeper with every passing minute. No familiar figure leaning against the back wall, no warm smile meeting yours. You tell yourself it shouldn't matter—this is your day, after all. But it does. More than it should.
"Hey." Jay's voice pulls you back to the present. He tilts his head, concern flickering in his eyes. "You okay?"
You force a smile. "Yeah. Just... nerves."
Jay doesn’t buy it. He never does. "It's about Joshua, isn't it?"
You open your mouth to deny it, but the words stick to your tongue. What’s the point? He already knows.
A sigh escapes you. "I thought he’d be here."
Jay doesn’t tease, doesn’t poke fun at the weight in your voice. Instead, he leans closer, his voice gentler. "Don’t think about it too much. You’ve practiced like crazy for this. It’s your moment. Don’t let anyone take that away from you."
His words settle over you like a fragile shield, something to hold onto. "Thanks, Jay."
"Anytime." He flashes a grin as he adjusts his guitar strap. "I gotta get ready. I expect you to cheer the loudest, got it?"
You manage a weak laugh, nodding as he jogs toward the stage. But the ache in your chest lingers.
Jay's performance is effortless, as always. Fingers dancing over the guitar strings, voice smooth and steady. The crowd sways along, and for a moment, you let yourself get lost in the music. But as the last note fades, reality crashes back. Your band is up next.
Backstage, your hands tremble as you tune your guitar. Your bandmates joke around, but their voices blur into distant noise. You try to shake it off—you’ve done this a dozen times. Yet today feels different. He should be here.
"Breathe," you whisper to yourself. "Just play."
The stage lights blind you for a moment as you step forward. The crowd stretches before you—friends, family, familiar faces. But not his.
Your heart pounds in your chest, swallowing down the rising panic. What if you mess up? What if—
At first, you think your eyes are playing tricks on you—a cruel illusion born of how much you want him there. But no. He’s real. Joshua stands at the edge of the crowd, just behind the last row of seats.
Your breath catches painfully in your throat. He’s slightly disheveled, as if he rushed to get here, hair falling into his eyes. But they’re locked on you—soft, unwavering. And when he meets your gaze, everything else fades away.
He mouths something—slow and clear so you don’t miss a syllable.
A tremor runs through you—not of fear, but something else. Something warmer, stronger. The weight on your chest lifts, and suddenly, you’re not afraid anymore. Because he’s here. He came.
Your fingers stop trembling as you grip your guitar. With one last breath, you nod slightly, a smile tugging at your lips. And then you play.
The music flows effortlessly, your nerves dissolving with every note. Your bandmates move in sync beside you, and the audience responds—cheers swelling, applause ringing in your ears. But all you can focus on is him, standing right there, watching you.
It takes you back to that night at the bar, where he played his heart out, his gaze soft with tenderness and admiration as he locked eyes with you. However, this time, the roles are reversed now, and you realize just how far you've come, from silently cheering him on to standing here, under the same spotlight, sharing this moment. And in his eyes, you find that same unwavering support, only this time, it's for you.
By the time the final chord echoes through the auditorium, you feel like you’ve left your heart on that stage. Applause erupts around you, your name mixing with the roar, but none of it matters. Because Joshua is still watching, still smiling.
The ceremony blurs by after that. Diplomas exchanged, speeches given. Your friends pull you into group photos, laughter ringing in the air. Ricky throws an arm around your shoulders, grinning. "We actually did it. We survived."
"Barely," Julie jokes, nudging Yujin, who rolls her eyes.
"I’m just glad we don’t have to sit through another lecture," Karina adds, flipping her hair with mock relief.
You laugh softly, warmth blooming in your chest. "We made it," you agree, hugging them tight.
Your parents are next—your mom dabbing at her eyes while your dad tries (and fails) to play it cool. Jeonghan stands beside them, arms crossed but his smile unmistakable.
"Proud of you, little sis," he says, ruffling your hair. "Even if you did almost choke onstage."
You swat his hand away. "I did not."
"You were great," Seungcheol appears, cutting in, offering you a warm smile as Mingyu and Minghao nod beside him.
You’re about to respond when you feel it—an undeniable shift in the air. And then you see him.
Joshua stands just beyond the crowd, hands tucked into his pockets. For a heartbeat, you freeze. Then he takes a step closer.
"Can we talk?" His voice is soft but sure.
You nod, stepping aside as the noise of the celebration fades behind you. When you finally stop, it feels like there are a thousand words tangled in the silence between you.
"I’m sorry," he cuts you off. "For not being there when I should've been. For making you wonder. I wanted to be here. I wanted to tell you—" He pauses, breath hitching. "I was scared."
His voice cracks, and it cuts through you, raw and unfiltered. "I told myself that staying away would be easier. That maybe, if I kept my distance, these feelings would go away. But they didn’t. They only got stronger, and I—I didn’t know how to handle it."
Your chest tightens. "Joshua…"
He lifts his head, and the vulnerability in his expression makes your heart ache. "I thought you’d be better off without me confusing things. But every time I tried to stay away, I kept wanting to be near you. I’d look for you in every room. Every song I played reminded me of you." He laughs quietly, but there’s no humor in it. "I thought I was doing the right thing, but all I did was hurt you. And I’m so, so sorry."
Tears sting the corners of your eyes as his words unravel the knot in your chest. You never realized how much he had been holding back—how much of himself he had hidden away.
"I like you," he confesses, voice trembling. "More than I should, maybe. But I do. And if I messed things up beyond repair, I understand. But I had to tell you—because pretending I don’t feel this way isn’t working anymore."
Your heart pounds in your ears. "You should’ve told me," you whisper, the ache in your voice echoing between you.
"I’m telling you now," he says softly, stepping closer. "And if there’s any part of you that still wants me—I’m here. I’m not going anywhere."
For a moment, all you can do is look at him—at the quiet hope in his eyes, the way he’s baring every part of himself for you. And then you take that last step forward, closing the space between you.
"I’ve been waiting for you," you say, your voice steady even though your heart feels like it might burst. "I don’t want anyone else."
The breath he releases is shaky, almost disbelieving. And when his hand brushes yours—hesitant, as if he still doesn’t quite believe this is real—you intertwine your fingers with his, grounding him. "I’m not going anywhere either," you promise.
A smile breaks across his face—soft and beautiful—and before you can say anything else, he pulls you into his arms. The noise of the celebration, the blur of the world—it all melts away. Because he’s here. And he chose you.
A teasing glint sparks in your eyes as you pull back slightly, your voice light and playful. "So… are we dating? Are we finally official?~"
Joshua chuckles softly, his forehead resting against yours. "Yeah. We’re official. Finally."
And when he kisses you—slow and sweet—it feels like everything you’ve been waiting for has finally fallen into place.
🕊 - last two chapters tmr guys... 🥹
