♫ How does it feel to know that I am capable ♫

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- Graduation -

Third Person's POV

Four months later

"Congratulations, seniors and juniors! To the graduating class of 2021!"

So, they did it.

Caps were thrown into the air, flying over the students' heads, falling onto the ground. It was magical, a moment almost everyone has been waiting for. Jungkook scanned over the crowd, finding both Taehyung and Jimin standing amongst the student body.

Jungkook managed to graduate in honors, achieving insanely high grades throughout his entire University years. Taehyung followed up behind him, graduating honors as well. Jimin fell behind just a tad but he still stood at the top with them.

The difference between Jungkook, Taehyung, and Jimin, in this case, was the fact that Jimin followed in Jin's footsteps. He became the senior class president. So, as the cheers slowly died down, the principal announced Jimin to perform his speech in front of the hundreds of seniors.

And instead of doubting himself or being nervous about screwing up in front of thousands, because there was family in the audience, he just smiled and skipped to the podium. With a huge grin, one that made his eyes disappear, he waved, looking down at the papers of which his speech was typed onto.

Then, he just tossed it.

"I spent days writing that speech, typing it up with the right fonts and right spacing for what? Everything I wish to say comes from my heart, I don't need a script for that." Jungkook stares, not entirely surprised by Jimin's actions, but rather amused. Of course.

Taehyung laughs from a few rows behind Jungkook, shaking his head while his red locks fall over his eyes. Nonetheless, they stare ahead at their pink-haired friend, who is just bubbling with excitement, cheeks a little rose-tinted.

"Four years ago, we were what the gaming community would call noobs. We were entering something we knew nothing about, we were the losers of the University race. We were the fresh meat, the easily picked on, the nerds," Jimin said, continuing to smile.

"But we learned." Jungkook nodded, unaware that he was beaming at his friend, eyes sparkling. "And that's what life is about in general. Whether it's learning a new subject in school, or learning from a mistake we made, or simply learning about something that sparks our attention, we're learning."

Jimin studies the crowd, taking a deep breath then letting his eyes find the audience. At the top and in the middle section, his friends and boyfriends sit, eyes sparkling even in the distance, smiles on their faces. "As everyone here, I've made mistakes. Yet, I've made too many to count. I make them daily, whether they're simple or complex, I make them."

"And years ago, I used to think it wasn't okay to make mistakes. Until I met my friends, all of them, I realized that making mistakes is what taught us lessons," He pauses, finding Taehyung's eyes then Jungkook's, "and that it is perfectly fine to make them." The crowd stares, just watching.

"Every one of you has made a mistake. We've all made hundreds, but those mistakes turn into lessons, and those lessons brought us here." He leans on the podium, graduation cap on his head and gown pushing against his chest. "So, today, I'm here to tell you that being noobs isn't a bad thing."

"Because in the end, we learn."

Jungkook nods, silently cheering for his friend as he watches Jimin take another deep breath and clutch the podium. "Today, we're learners. We're winners, achievers, champions. We're standing here today to prove those who said we couldn't just how much we could." Now, Jungkook shouts, clapping beside the other honor students.

"We stand here to say that we did it," Jimin says, voice booming into the microphone, the message sent across the entire stadium. "Despite what people told us. Despite the negativity we received, we did it. We accomplished what they said we couldn't." Taehyung claps, staring at his best friend at the podium.

Damn right.

"Life has taught me a lot of things, but it's safe to say that my friends have taught me more. Life has taught me what failing is. It's taught me what sadness is, anger, frustration. It's given me hardships, scars, troubles." Jimin's eyes find Jungkook's, then they flicker over to Taehyung.

"But my friends, they taught me what joy was. They taught me what smiles were, what happiness was. They taught me what love was, and just how to use it." The pink-haired male smiles, blinking to push aside the tears that brim in his eyes.

Then, he breathes into the microphone, smiling as he straightens up his posture. "We've taken plenty of exams here at Bighit University. Finals, midterms, assessments. They've all taught us something, right?" When the crowd nods, staring at the male who just smiles despite the tears that brim in his eyes.

"However," He continues, "life is the most difficult exam. Many people fail because they try to copy others, not realizing that everyone has a different test." Jungkook throws his fist into the air, cheering for Jimin with a grin that makes the male's heartache.

"This speech is all over the place, but maybe that's the beauty of it." Jimin laughs, shaking his head as his soft locks fall over his eyes. "But in the end, the message is clear. To the class of 2021, we did it. We grew, we failed, we succeeded, but most importantly, we learned."

Jimin raises his fist into the air, finally letting his tears fall from his eyes as he just smiles. He'll never stop smiling. His cap falls a little bit, but he says the final words of his speech, making sure they're engraved in everyone's mind.

"Be a game-changer, the world is already full of players."

Then, with that, he turns away from the podium. Jungkook and Taehyung are the first to clap, shouting so loud it's deafening. But, despite how loud they are, others join in and soon do parents and siblings within the audience. The stadium is filled with shouts and screams, caps thrown again, and applause for the pink-haired male who walks down the aisles back to his seat.

"Congratulations, Bighit class of 2021!" A few fireworks are launched into the air and heard from inside as everyone fully rises from their seats. The honor students go first, leaving their chairs behind as they walk towards the entrance, officially leaving school grounds with the words we did it written across their faces.

Taehyung, Jungkook, and Jimin reunite, walking together out of the stadium and onto the parking lot. It's filled with so many cars, completely crowded as the families emerge from the building and set out to find their children. The trio stay by their cars, awaiting the arrival of their friends.

And when they spot them, Jimin's the first to make a move. He runs, darting past Jungkook and Taehyung, heading directly for Hoseok and Yoongi. He's embraced in a hug, one that makes Jungkook's heart melt at the sight. They all did it.

They graduated.

Jin is sobbing, his glossy and slightly red eyes finding Jungkook's beaming ones. Jungkook doesn't hesitate, walking up to the man he calls his mother, opening his arms. Jin hugs him tightly, holding him as he just cries. "I'm so proud of you. I'm so proud of all of you."

Jungkook doesn't even need to question why. He knows why.

From the days of severe anxiety and insecurity to now, it's been a journey. From the days of being unsure about enrolling in university to graduating from it as one of its top students. It's surreal. It's the reason why Jin is so proud.

Because Jungkook has come far, farther than they all have.

Taehyung walks up behind Jungkook, gently tickling his sides as the younger laughs, turning around to throw his arms around Taehyung's neck. Smiles never fall during this time, the seven of them hugging and congratulating the three youngest on their graduation.

And of course, they'll definitely be partying later.

But for now, they just celebrate with one another, leaning against their cars as the crowded parking lot finally begins to die down. They're out there for hours, finally just sitting on the trunks and hoods of their cars, playing some music from the speakers inside of Yoongi's sports car.

Jungkook sits beside his lover, staring at the sky on this beautiful morning. It's eleven, the seven of them talking away. However, Jungkook finds himself just staring at the clear blue sky that's missing its white puffy clouds. The sun beams down on them, but it isn't hot.

He just reminisces, thinking back to the toughest times of his life. He remembers the rain that fell on the day he ran away, the way the streets were wet with puddles, and the way the windows were foggy. He remembers the smell of the alleyway as he moved the bins, making a barricade to shield him from the evils of the world.

Even if it was only for a few hours.

He remembers the taste of his first sip of hot chocolate. He remembers the warmth of the cafe that morning. He remembers learning about the little things Jin taught him, the conversations they had, the fear he felt. He remembers the smile that lit up his features when Jin offered more than just a hand.

He remembers it all, just as if it was yesterday.

He remembers his first kiss with Taehyung. He remembers the hospital, the beeping, the wounds on his lover. He remembers their first date, their little shopping sprees. He remembers their decorating session in their dorm, their first day of university.

He remembers all of it.

"You okay?" Taehyung asks, voice deep yet soft, his brown eyes meeting Jungkook's. The younger blinks, smiling, nodding as he sits up a little straighter and looks around. "I'm perfect, my love." Taehyung smiles too, letting his mouth form that cute box shape.

They hold hands, staring up at the sky together. Then, it just turns into them staring at one another, letting the world fade away. It's just them, the world's gone. It's two young men in their own world and surrounded by their love for one another.

They don't know how much time passes, or if it even does, but it doesn't matter to them. They smile, gazing into one another's eyes as the music around them completely fades away. It goes quiet until their heartbeats are the only song they hear.

They've both come so far, from the days of misery to the days of sunshine. They have their wounds, their battle scars, but it's just memories of what they've been through and how it shaped them. Jungkook knows that despite his past, he wouldn't change it.

If he did, would he be here today? If he changed his past, would he be with Taehyung? Would he be doing what he's doing now?

Despite the pain he suffered through, the hurt, the anger, the sadness, he wouldn't change it, even if his life depended on it. Taehyung wouldn't get rid of the abuse he suffered from, because in the end, it brought him to Jungkook and his friends.

After all, they say the best view comes from the hardest climb.

And Taehyung and Jungkook know that all too well. There are storms, but those pass, just as troubles do. There is such a thing as rainbows at the end of the storm, they see them daily now.

They've come a long way, farther than either of them thought they would have.

Jungkook smiles, squeezing Taehyung's hand with a giggle.

Maybe two years ago they used to be players in the game they call life. Maybe they weren't different from the rest, maybe they followed in others' footsteps.

But just as things change, so did they.

They're no longer players in this world, the game they call life.

They're game-changers.

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Almost to the end.

Guess what's coming up? (:

I purple you 💜

~Pisanthrophobia.