The morning felt different.
Not because the house was quieter than usual.
Not because the sunlight coming through the windows looked any different.
But because today was the day they had been waiting for.
Graduation.
Yerin stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the final details of her outfit.
She looked at herself for a moment.
Four years.
Four years of lectures, assignments, exams, arguments, friendships, sleepless nights, laughter, and memories.
And somehow, it was all ending today.
She picked up her phone and checked the time.
She had barely stepped away from the mirror when Do-hyun walked out of the bathroom, already dressed.
He looked at her.
"Ready?"
Yerin turned around.
"Almost."
He looked at her for another second.
"What?"
She raised an eyebrow.
"Nothing."
"You're staring."
"I was checking whether you're actually ready."
"I am."
Yerin picked up her bag.
"Let's go."
By the time they reached the university, the entire campus looked completely different.
Graduation banners hung across the entrance.
Students were everywhere, dressed for the ceremony.
Some were taking photographs with their families.
Others were laughing with friends.
Some were already crying.
Yerin stepped out of the car and looked around.
"It's really happening."
Do-hyun stood beside her.
"Apparently."
She smiled.
"Don't sound so excited."
"I am."
"You don't look excited."
"I don't know how to look excited."
Yerin laughed.
Before she could say anything else, someone called her name.
"YERIN!"
She turned.
Emily was running toward them.
Min-jae followed behind her, carrying his digital camera.
Emily immediately grabbed Yerin's hands.
"Finally!"
Yerin laughed.
"You look more excited than I am."
"Of course I am!"
Min-jae raised his camera.
"Enough talking. We're taking pictures."
Do-hyun sighed.
"We just arrived."
"Exactly."
Min-jae pointed the camera toward him.
"Stand there."
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
Yerin laughed.
"Just listen to him."
Do-hyun looked at her.
"You too?"
"Absolutely."
They stood together.
Min-jae took the first photograph.
Then another.
Then another.
Emily kept changing positions.
"Wait! This one!"
"Again!"
"Min-jae, that picture was horrible!"
"How was it my fault?"
"Take another!"
Yerin couldn't stop laughing.
Eventually, they stood together with the rest of their graduating class for one final batch photograph.
Yerin stood between Emily and Do-hyun.
Min-jae was somewhere nearby.
The camera flashed.
For a second, everyone smiled.
No one knew how many times they would look at that picture years later.
But they all knew they would remember this day.
The auditorium was filled by the time everyone entered.
Students took their seats while professors and juniors prepared the stage.
The lights dimmed slightly.
The ceremony began.
One of the juniors walked onto the stage.
"Good morning, everyone."
The auditorium responded with applause.
"Today isn't just a ceremony."
She smiled.
"It's a celebration of everything you've accomplished."
The speech continued.
She spoke about the late nights.
The difficult exams.
The friendships.
The moments when students wanted to give up but kept going.
"And today," she said, "you aren't simply leaving this university with a degree."
She paused.
"You're leaving with memories that will follow you wherever you go."
The auditorium became quieter.
"Some of you will stay close."
She smiled.
"Some of you will move to different cities, different countries, different careers."
Her voice softened.
"But wherever life takes you..."
She looked across the graduates.
"Remember the people who stood beside you when you were still becoming who you are."
Applause filled the auditorium.
Yerin looked toward Emily.
Emily was already emotional.
The ceremony continued.
Names were announced one after another.
Students walked onto the stage.
Trophies were presented.
Certificates were handed out.
Then the junior holding the microphone paused.
"We now move toward our highest academic achievement."
Yerin sat quietly.
She wasn't expecting anything.
The junior looked down at the paper.
"The student who achieved the highest overall marks across all subjects throughout the university..."
Yerin barely listened.
"...is someone whose dedication has been noticed by both students and faculty."
She looked at the audience.
"Hwang Yerin."
Yerin froze.
For a moment, she thought she had heard the wrong name.
She looked at Do-hyun.
He was already looking at her.
Emily's eyes widened.
"Yerin!"
Yerin stared at them.
"Me?"
Do-hyun smiled.
"Yes. You."
She still didn't move.
Emily whispered loudly.
"GO!"
Yerin looked at Do-hyun again.
He gently nudged her shoulder.
"Go."
She finally stood.
The applause grew louder.
Yerin walked toward the stage.
Every step felt strangely unreal.
She reached her professor.
Her professor smiled warmly.
"Congratulations, Yerin."
"Thank you, professor."
The trophy was placed in her hands.
She looked down at it.
A small smile appeared.
Then she turned toward the audience.
Emily was clapping like she had personally won the award.
Min-jae was cheering.
And Do-hyun...
He simply smiled.
Yerin walked back to her seat.
Emily immediately leaned toward her.
"You didn't tell us!"
"I didn't know!"
Min-jae laughed.
"That's even better."
Yerin looked at Do-hyun.
He leaned slightly toward her.
"Congratulations."
His voice was quiet.
She smiled.
"Thank you."
Then she whispered,
"I want a treat tonight."
Do-hyun's lips curved into a small smirk.
"Deal."
Yerin smiled and looked forward.
After all the awards were finished, the graduates were called onto the stage.
Hundreds of students stood together.
The juniors returned to the microphone.
"And now..."
The auditorium became quiet.
"For the final time as university students..."
She smiled.
"We ask all of you to look around."
Students turned toward one another.
"Look at the people standing beside you."
Yerin looked at Emily.
Then Min-jae.
Then Do-hyun.
The junior continued.
"These are the people you spent years with."
"These are the people who watched you struggle."
"Who watched you celebrate."
"Who laughed with you."
"And perhaps, sometimes, drove you completely crazy."
The students laughed.
"So before you leave this chapter behind..."
She raised her voice.
"Honor the university that brought you here."
The crowd began cheering.
"On the count of three..."
Everyone lifted their graduation caps.
"One!"
Yerin smiled.
"Two!"
Do-hyun glanced at her.
"Three!"
The caps flew into the air.
The entire auditorium erupted in cheers.
Yerin laughed.
Emily grabbed her hand.
Min-jae was already taking photographs.
Do-hyun looked up at the flying caps.
For one brief moment, everything felt perfect.
Later that evening, the four of them ended up at Min-jae's apartment.
Min-jae connected his camera to the television.
Yerin sat beside Do-hyun.
Emily and Min-jae sat nearby.
"Ready?" Min-jae asked.
Emily nodded.
"Play it."
The screen went dark.
Then the first video appeared.
A younger version of the four of them.
The university entrance.
Their first week.
Their first group photograph.
Their first ridiculous argument.
Emily immediately laughed.
"Oh my God."
Yerin covered her face.
"Why did you record that?"
Min-jae smiled.
"Because memories."
The next video played.
Them studying.
Eating together.
Running across campus.
Arguing over assignments.
Laughing during breaks.
Celebrating after exams.
Then came the trips.
The camping trip.
The amusement park.
Random moments Min-jae had captured without them noticing.
Yerin smiled.
"You're actually insane."
"I'm a good photographer."
"You're a stalker."
"I'm preserving history."
Do-hyun laughed.
The video continued.
The room gradually became quieter.
The laughter faded into smiles.
Then came one particular clip.
The four of them sitting together after a long day.
Nothing special was happening.
They were simply talking.
Laughing.
Being themselves.
Yerin's eyes became watery.
She quietly rested her head against Do-hyun's shoulder.
He looked down at her.
Then gently placed his arm around her shoulders.
She didn't say anything.
Neither did he.
He simply kept his arm there.
The video continued.
More memories.
More laughter.
More moments they had forgotten.
When the final clip ended, the screen went black.
Nobody spoke.
Emily wiped her eyes.
"I hate you, Min-jae."
Min-jae laughed while wiping his own eyes.
"Why?"
"You made me cry."
Do-hyun laughed.
"You're both ridiculous."
Yerin looked at him.
"You're crying too."
"I'm not."
She pointed toward his eyes.
"You are."
"Something got in my eye."
Min-jae laughed.
"Both of you are terrible liars."
Yerin smiled.
Soon everyone was laughing again.
It wasn't a sad ending.
It was a happy one.
Because they weren't losing those years.
They were carrying them with them.
It was late when Yerin and Do-hyun finally returned home.
They changed into comfortable clothes.
The exhaustion of the day was finally catching up with them.
Do-hyun grabbed some clothes.
"I'm taking a shower."
"Okay."
He disappeared into the bathroom.
Yerin sat on the edge of the bed for a moment.
She looked around the room.
The day replayed in her mind.
The trophy.
The photographs.
The caps.
The video.
Everything.
She smiled softly.
Then—
She heard something.
Yerin's smile disappeared.
She looked toward the balcony.
Silence.
She waited.
Then she heard it again.
A faint sound.
Almost like someone had moved something outside.
Yerin slowly stood.
Her heart began beating faster.
She looked toward the bathroom.
The shower was still running.
"Do-hyun?"
No response.
She took one step toward the balcony.
Then another.
The curtains moved slightly.
Yerin stopped.
Her eyes remained fixed on the balcony door.
Something—or someone—was outside.
She slowly reached toward the curtain.
And just before her fingers touched it...
the sound came again.
Yerin froze.
...To Be Continued...