Wang Jiho woke up with his heart fizzing from the morning on.

"Graduation!"

Even brushing his teeth, even toweling his hair, the word “graduation” bobbed in front of his eyes.

"I’m graduating!"

Clenching a fist and cheering silently to himself, Jiho flopped onto the bed and rolled around. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Everything around him felt exciting.

Even the voice from downstairs calling him to breakfast sounded sweet.

"I’m coming!"

He straightened his red tie and dashed down the stairs.

In the kitchen, Biju and Ri Hyuk, both in aprons, were moving fast.

Carrying over a pot of soybean stew, Biju smiled.

"Sleep well, Jiho?"

"Yes!"

"We made a proper breakfast so you can head out full."

"Wooow..."

Sausages, meat, ham, pork cutlets.

He nearly teared up at a table set entirely with his favorite dishes.

"Kids’ menu!"

As he swung his spoon and chopsticks like a whirlwind, Ri Hyuk clicked his tongue.

"Hey. Slow down. You’ll get indigestion."

"What am I supposed to do when it’s this good. Wow. What did you put in it? It tastes even better than usual."

At that, Biju hid the MSG and dashida behind his back—fortunately, Wang Jiho was too focused on eating to see.

"So good."

The food was delicious.

And he loved that the hyungs were pouring all their attention on him.

He really felt like the protagonist today.

"When are you guys coming later?"

"Right before the ceremony starts. We’ll arrive on time. The school asked us to do it that way."

"The school?"

"Yeah. If we show up early, the campus explodes."

"..."

He could picture it.

Crowds with telephoto lenses flooding in, turning the auditorium into chaos.

Wang Jiho asked carefully:

"But you’re watching the ceremony, right?"

"Of course."

"I’m getting an award as a representative of the graduates today. It’s twice as big as the award Ri Hyuk got."

"Good for you."

Ri Hyuk gave a crooked grin.

"Just graduate, lunch kid."

"I will. I am going to graduate... And I’m an adult now, why are you treating me like a child?"

"Right. Jiho is an adult."

Nodding, Biju asked gently:

"Want banana with Nutella?"

"Yes!"

Watching the hyungs burst out laughing, Wang Jiho rolled his eyes.

Then, as they kept piling side dishes onto his rice like a flock of mother birds, he let a smile slip.

When he finished eating, Wang Jiho went to put on his shoes.

He laced up the pair he’d prepared days ago, smoothed back the brown hair he’d dyed neatly for the ceremony, and said:

"I’ll go on ahead! Don’t be late!"

"See you there!"

Like the day’s star, Wang Jiho strode off briskly.

With Wonseok and the new manager Mr. Minsu, he stopped by the shop to get styled, texted hard with his friends—

And the moment he got out in front of the school with an empty backpack on, things erupted.

"It’s Jiho!"

"Jiho!"

"Heehohohohoho!"

A crowd big enough to kick up a dust cloud rushed in to surround him as entertainment reporters’ flashes popped.

He remembered how nobody cared at his middle-school graduation, and a victorious smile curved his lips.

"Hello!"

Seeing the protagonist give a little huhuhu smile, the entertainment reporters grinned wide and asked:

"How do you feel about the Tree?"

"Huh? What tree?"

"The graduation congratulatory tree that Ms. Hailey Blue sent. How do you feel?"

"Hailey sent a tree?"

"Yes!"

Did they mean a wreath?

He remembered a recent video call with Hailey.

"I’m graduating, Hailey!"

"Oh. Congrats."

"Hailey. Hailey."

"What."

"In Korea, people send congratulatory wreaths for graduations. With a ribbon that says congrats and... what do you call it, a tree? Could you send one of those?"

"A tree? I heard Korea has a lot of mountains—guess there are a fuck-ton of trees."

It was hard to explain a congratulatory wreath, so he’d put it that way.

Anyway.

He’d asked so he could brag to his friends, I got a wreath from Hailey Blue!

"Anyway, you mean a tree? Got it."

The image of Hailey shrugging OK flashed through his mind, and Wang Jiho froze.

"Wait."

He faltered.

"Not that kind of tree."

The reporters’ faces sparkled in front of him, and his heart dropped.

"Excuse me one second."

With the reporters guiding him and the managers helping ("Move, please! Aaagh!" "Whoa. Being pushed by the wave." "Minsu, didn’t you major in security!"), they finally got inside the school.

The English bulbs on the “tree” flashed, spelling out: Congrats on your fucking graduation.

It even had power—because the tree was spinning.

"..."

He saw classmates walking past at a distance stifle a snort or cover their mouths as they glanced at him.

"..."

With his eyes shut and a beatific smile of acceptance, Wang Jiho faced a storm of camera flashes.

"Hahahahahaha!"

In the car on the way to the arts high school, we were dying laughing.

Because photos were flooding in.

—[Photo] NewBlack’s Jiho moved by a wreath from a global star... "I’m so happy"

—[N-Photo] "Congrats on your ** graduation"... This commencement has been NewBlack-ified

—Who is Hailey Blue, who sent a congratulatory wreath to NewBlack’s Jiho?

Seeing the maknae smiling tearfully in front of the giant tree Hailey sent felt refreshing.

"As long as it’s not me~!"

"Hahahaha!"

Saving the photos by category, Ri Hyuk snickered.

"Honestly, he brought this on himself."

"Agreed."

"He literally told the whole world he was graduating. Here, there—everywhere."

He’d even gone across the sea telling Hailey, I’m graduating soon!

Maybe that’s why the school’s field was crammed with wreaths.

There were tons of shots people had uploaded. Wreaths from Jusehan and Mister Producer, too.

"Even Hahyun sent one."

"Really?"

A member of Teen Spirit, which had held a ceremony at another school a few days ago, sent a congratulatory wreath.

—Lost on the college exam score, but I graduated two days earlier vV

We laughed at the wreath with the cute font.

"Idiot."

"Hahyun is such an idiot."

Nobody even knew Hahyun’s exam score.

—NewBlack’s Jiho vs Teen Spirit’s Hahyun, "Did they compete on exam scores?"... "Jiho’s is a little higher"

Thanks to that, only the fact that he lost was now widely known.

By now, Teen Spirit’s group chat was probably holding its “Idiot of the Year” awards.

"Oh, see this? Not just Hahyun—lots of people sent things."

"There’s rice too."

Starting with the one ton of rice donated by Concretes, Street Boys’ fans, in thanks, the place was packed with wreaths from all kinds of broadcast folks.

"This reminds me."

Junhyun said:

"Three years ago, we went to Jiho’s graduation."

"Compared to then, this is night and day."

Back then we’d gone wow at the few reporters there for Girls on Top’s Gil Chaegyeong.

Now there were at least hundreds of spectators swarming around.

As the new managers on their first schedule shivered with nerves, we opened the phone gallery.

"Let’s see. 201... 2014."

Around this time three years ago.

The gallery was full of Jiho at his middle-school graduation. A pale, puffed-up little presence going ahem among his friends...

"He was cute back then."

"That’s why we spoiled him so much."

"Wow..."

Looking at the photos, Biju let out a low whistle too.

A chubby-cheeked kid white as mochi. So cute you wanted to give him a snack for no reason.

And now...

"He does look grown."

Scratching our cheeks as we looked at the sharp jawline in the photo-news, a pretty youth who could pass for a college student.

He’d grown so much it made us a little sad.

On the other hand, it felt weirdly like I’d raised him.

"You guys must feel it even more than me. You knew Jiho before I came."

"He really was a baby when we first met."

Biju burst out laughing.

"Everyone was so funny back then. Jiho joined last, and we were like, ‘This is the water purifier,’ teaching him the purifier. ‘This is the restroom,’ and so on."

"We were such idiots. All of us."

"It was fun in its own way, even then."

Chuckling, Junhyun turned to the window.

Like I had at TJ, they had tons of trainee memories.

Meanwhile—

Maybe because I’d been the last to join, today’s graduation felt different.

After his middle-school ceremony, it felt like we were watching the maknae step into the next moment of his life together.

Sharing big moments with the members felt good.

"Um, Chief... I mean, singers."

From the passenger seat, Mr. Jongwan spoke politely:

"We’ve arrived at the school."

"Okay."

And the moment the car reached the front—

Rrrrrrrumble!

At the sight of a massive crowd surging like a tidal wave, the managers gulped, faces tight with tension.

At the wheel, Mingi laughed.

"Jongwan and Jiwun, get used to it. This’ll be your everyday from now on."

"...Yes!"

The new managers got out to manage ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) the scene—

Crash-rush!

"Oh boy."

"They’re getting swept away."

"If it’s your first time, that happens."

Watching Mr. Jongwan and Mr. Jiwun go ooooof as the crowd carried them, we smiled fondly.

It’s like that for everyone at first.

"Two, three! Hello! We’re Sa-Black without our maknae!"

"Hello!"

Same as at Ri Hyuk’s ceremony, a photo wall at a graduation still felt surreal.

Holding the mic a reporter handed over, Junhyun gave a short comment.

"Okay! Let’s move!"

The path to the auditorium was rough.

Thankfully, the school had restricted entry to family and staff, so once we were on the second floor there was a bit of breathing room.

We met friends there.

"Yo!"

LB, in sunglasses, tipped his chin and waved. The swarm of Street Boys stepped aside.

"Saved you a good-view spot."

"Thanks."

"Chief Joo, have a seat here. We pre-warmed it."

"Whose body heat is that?"

"I’m Lee Hanjo. Chief."

"Disgusting. I’ll take a different chair."

The Street Boys clapped and burst out laughing. I high-fived Hanjo with an eyyy and said I was kidding.

As we settled in, a commotion rippled across both floors.

The graduates on the first floor pinned their gazes on us, and parents and family craned their necks to gawk.

If it were just one or two, fine.

"..."

When hundreds stare at once, you flinch without meaning to.

I smoothly shifted my eyes to our maknae.

"He’s here!"

"He is?"

Jiho beamed and twirled his hand in a wave.

In the seats beside him were Sbo’s maknae Giwon and Girls on Top’s Gil Chaegyeong.

True to their rivalry, they didn’t even glance at each other, chatting instead with the friends on their other sides.

Keeping my eyes on the maknae below, I chatted with Hanjo.

"The variety?"

"We start shooting this weekend. Finished the pre-meet."

"Nice."

"Because of you guys, our company’s on fire—good way."

Hanjo smirked.

"We booked another variety on top."

"Yeah?"

"They kept saying it was hard, and then boom—schedules started coming in. Your run-through broke the manager team in."

"Oh man..."

As I let out a helpless laugh at the collateral damage, Hanjo and the Sbo members threw arms around my shoulders.

"Any plans to swing by one more time?"

"We can go up to a billion won salary, Chief Joo."

Smiling at the friends clinging and joking to hire me, I said:

"Great joke."

"..."

"It’s not a joke...?"

Nod, nod.

At their serious faces, I called Ri Hyuk.

"Calculator."

"Stop calling me Calculator. Sheesh. Why?"

"These guys want to hire me. Calculate the annual cost, including opportunity cost."

"One moment."

Eyes narrowing, Ri Hyuk muttered and then whispered the figure to Street Boys.

"...!"

"...!"

The Sbo members buzzed.

"How much?"

"Insane. That’s the price of buying a small company."

"That’s not a hire, that’s an acquisition..."

"So... we’d have to do variety all year to afford him?"

Watching Sbo crumble before the wall of reality, Biju delightedly glued himself to my side.

By then, Jiho’s family had also taken their spots on the second floor, and we waved bright hellos.

His dad waved big with a broad smile.

Grinning like we were best friends on purpose, we heard parents and relatives around us whisper.

"Who’s that, to be greeting that close?"

"They must be confused from seeing the show. I mean, even I feel like they’re the boys next door."

"Dad, you say hi too."

We gave deep bows to the folks who joined Jiho’s dad in waving.

"Father..."

Jiho’s dad gazed off with the same wistful expression as his son.

He seemed to want to advertise to everyone around: I’m Wang Jiho’s dad and I know NewBlack—

But his wife and Jiho’s sisters jabbed elbows into his side-pockets to stop him.

Meanwhile, the showcase began in earnest...

"I mean—showcase? My brain. It’s a graduation..."

Just as I was about to say ceremony—

A rookie boy group, Wet Tissue, took the stage to perform a congratulatory song.

"Like dawn air

I’ll turn dewy for you

Mo mo mo moisturizing"

Hadn’t they surged back onto Mango’s top 100?

"Mo mo mo moisturizing" lodged itself in my ears with addictive charm.

Judging by leader Gwak in a uniform, he seemed to be a graduating student.

"Hello. I’m Gwak Junghyun, today’s graduation MC, and Gwak, leader of Wet Tissue."

"Tissue Gwak!"

"Tissue Gwak!"

Graduates clapped and cheered.

While Ri Hyuk trembled about brand-name tissues, showcase-level stages kept rolling.

Then the ceremony proper proceeded, and our maknae went up to the podium.

"Vocal Dept. Class A: Wang Jiho, Gil Chaegyeong. Class B: Yoon Giwon."

"Wooooo!"

At our and Sbo’s thunderous applause, the principal hesitated and scanned the list.

"These students have conducted themselves with exemplary manners..."

"Pfft."

"...have been models for other students..."

"Oh boy."

"...and have brought honor to the school..."

"That one could be true."

"I’ll allow it."

After receiving ridiculous commendation wording, Jiho turned, flashed a cutesy V to the whole student body—

"Booooooo...!"

And the entire school booed in unison.

Maybe it was true he was friends with everyone, because shouts flew at the maknae from every direction.

"Yo! Yo!"

"Yo!"

"Yo!"

Eyes wide on “yo,” the maknae stepped down while a stern-faced teacher took the mic.

"Students, quiet please."

We and Sbo, mid-final "Yo!", shut our mouths and averted our eyes from the scary teacher.

Thus the award spree for the maknae wrapped up.

When the ceremony ended smoothly—

"Hyuuungs...!"

"Jihooo!"

Cradling seven certificates, Jiho barreled into us, cheeks flushed, grinning like a country puppy.

"I’m really an adult now."

"Congrats. Really."

"Wow. I still can’t believe it. I’m an adult. An adult..."

We smiled, ruffling the hair of the maknae, who touched his cheek as if in disbelief.

Junhyun chuckled warmly.

"Jjajangmyeon?"

"Let’s go~ But I have to go back to my class to receive more certificates."

"Go, then."

"Okay, I’ll be right back!"

We were about to hold him up to say more—

But the stream of people passing every three seconds shouting "Yo! Wang Jiho! Congrats!" kept breaking our conversation.

Following his friends, the maknae shot us a big grin.

"I’ll be back!"

"Jiho!"

"Don’t worry! I can go alone!"

"No...!"

We gulped as Jiho vanished into the distance.

That’s not why we called you.

"..."

"..."

Watching three sisters nearby blazing with eye-flames, we reached weakly into the air.

"Uh... you should talk to your family first."

Smiling at the family igniting beside us, we thought—

Whatever.

He’ll handle it.

"Special Award, Wang Jiho."

"Woooo!"

Collecting the certificates that couldn’t be handed one by one during the ceremony, Wang Jiho grinned wide.

When he gave a cheeky V to his classmates, the booing poured down again.

At the same time, shouts of "Say a word! Say a word!" pushed him to the lectern, where he wore a smug smile.

"Well. Since you want a word, I’ll—"

"Word over!"

"Get out!"

"Get out!"

As the class burst into giggles, he posed like the Spaceship, pointing a forefinger like, I’m watching you, and laughter rippled around.

Even after the homeroom teacher’s closing words—

"Jiho!"

"Hey! Wang! Over here!"

Summoned here and there to take photos and videos with friends, Jiho smiled like a grown-up.

Chatting with friends who wanted quick career advice about heading into entertainment, they talked about the distant future.

He kept greeting students from other classes who popped in.

He was proud and fond of his grown-up self, popular with the whole school.

"How fitting that my name is Wang Jiho."

Thinking that, beaming, Jiho’s phone rang.

It was his oldest sister.

"Hello, this is Prince Wang Jiho speaking~ kyah!"

"Prince?"

"...?"

"Did you forget anything?"

"Mm. I brought everything I need..."

Ah.

Ahhh.

"Ah."

His heart dropped and he reflexively ended the call.

"I’m, I’m doomed."

Feeling his heart pound, Wang Jiho fumbled to dial.

"Hy—hyungs."

"Huh?"

"Help me pleash. I might die now. I think I just blew past my sisters without saying hi."

"Oof. Ghosts speak these days."

"Hyuuung!"

Now twenty.

Still a little early to be a real adult.