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One last snip sent a long lock of hair descending to the bathroom floor.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGvX5rnD1I
I finished the ends of my hair making sure it was even and in line with my shoulders. When I was done I couldn't help but stare at my new look. Or maybe I was just staring at me. I looked different somehow - felt different. And I don't think I had my haircut to thank for that.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEWxFD1r53G
After a few long sighs, I returned to my room to change into my uniform. It felt strange to be wearing it for the last time.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡil8yWCzoVe
I took a selfie and sent it to Jin who had finally got a hold of me from Italy a month ago. It seemed he and his parents were gradually making progress in their relationship. I was glad. He also managed to convince his dad to take care of the renovations for the spa due to the fire, much to my and my parents' relief. It seemed a threat in the form of ash was enough to convince Mr. Kim that they had been partly responsible for the arson. Due to the cost of damages, we weren't sure if we'd ever get the repairs we needed. I had no idea how we were going to pay them back for their kindness.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2KEI04MIx
After sending it, I was going to delete the picture from my camera roll. However, I stopped myself. Hoseok would probably want to know, I thought. With that, I decided to keep it. When Hoseok managed to get a new phone, I can send him all of the photos I'll take of the things I end up doing after graduation. He'll be happy to know that I've chosen to work towards ownership of my parents' business while attending college online, like I wanted.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBJ2szjwZn
The sound of a car came from out the window.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7jX6iGbXN2
"Mom and dad are ba-" Minju froze, stepping into the room. Her eyes shocked. "Woah! I wonder what mom and dad are gonna say!" The girl left quickly to meet our parents outside. Already telling them about my hair, no doubt.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm2ipTqMsAN
Before following her out I walked to my bedside table, gave Horim a little pat on the head, opened the drawer, and took out a little black box. Running my fingers along the edges, I felt butterflies whizzing around in my stomach.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNLhYREy9Cy
I don't even know if he'll be there.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7izTcfjAw
I'd been keeping an eye out for Yoongi since the kidnapping. I only managed to spot him once, very briefly the week before our month break. Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to talk to him. I hoped I'd see him today. At least, to give him a graduation gift. And to tell him that I was sorry for the way I had treated him. Maybe then we could be friends. And if he didn't want that, at least I'll know I did my part to make things right.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gL1hSAUHT
Making my way to the car, both my parents had astonished looks on their faces. Dad moreso than mom.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDceDahbcU
"I take it this is to commemorate the end of your high school days?" My mom asked carefully. I nodded, "something like that."197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1bdOmPKNB
In truth, I had been gathering the strength to carry on for the past month or so. I couldn't sulk anymore. I needed to be ready. Whether it be more danger, success, or the return of my friends - I was determined to be as strong as they made me feel when they were around. So, yes, I'd like to think that cutting my hair marked the end of my high school days. But more than anything it was my commitment to cutting off my past self. A past self that was afraid of being emotionally hurt, unfair to those who didn't deserve contempt, in need of being protected. I was someone who had too much pride. Something I plan to change today, I thought while holding on to the box in my jacket pocket.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxbgkVcywS
"You look so grown up somehow," mom said reminiscently, finding approval in the change. "It suits you."197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAWLbM2VmE
Dad looked more reserved about it, but after mom's approval, he nodded his head, "I suppose it's nice to have some sign of a next step in life." He cleared his throat and played a confident role. As though it was all part of his plan. I giggled.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7NWrFMLRU1
Minju who had looked suspiciously comfortable with the attention being on me, beamed, "should we go now? Today's a big day!" She sang with a knowing smile. Like she knew something I didn't. I really hoped she and her friends didn't put together a surprise for me. The last time they did that, it was my birthday, and I ended up covered in my own cake.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKy0KGBkly6
"Yes, we should get going."197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlb36GQy5iE
The time had come when all of the soon to be graduates were filing into the gymnasium, finding their seats among the many rows in the middle of the room. Parents and family members stood at the sides or the back of the gym, many carrying cameras and bouquets of flowers. There was also an unusual amount of young girls and women who looked much too young or giddy to be guardians. This was no longer a mystery to me when I heard a scream before looking to find that Taehyung walked in with his class. I rolled my eyes at his cold beauty as he strutted, uncaring about anything around him.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiP7o5WXmKG
But wait. He and Yoongi were in the same class...197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWYiFMmSpO
My eyes searched all around for Yoongi but to no avail. However, by accident, they happened upon someone else. They were standing near my family holding a bouquet of white and yellow flowers wrapped in black paper. A small old woman.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrKVz307n1
Yoongi's grandmother.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTZQn1m3rX
Then came hope bubbling in my chest. Maybe he'd be here after all...197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1h3RqXa1xD
The ceremony started. The principle as well as a couple of others spoke but I couldn't pay much attention with my constant search. I thought to watch his grandmother so that maybe her gaze would help me find him, but she was attentive to the speakers. Plus, my dad caught me looking and gave a subtle warning to pay attention.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Ytefn9qQE
After the speeches, a slideshow was shown on a projector of photos depicting the graduates during the year. I wasn't expecting to see myself at all but was surprised to see myself in the background of a lot of them. Then a picture of me and Hoseok posing at the ice skating rink showed. I sunk in my seat. That little rascal submitted this? Two images later came a picture of Namjoon and his crew at the rink. It was clearly taken from a distance and for good reason. Yoongi stared down at his phone, one of his eyebrows slightly arched. I marveled at his near perfect silhouette. He was so handsome, even then.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVTvu2b02A
Next was a wide shot of the rink with all its skaters and the stands where Yoongi's group sat ridiculing some poor soul. But while his friends laughed and faced toward one direction, Yoongi had been peacefully facing another. I chuckled to myself, appreciating that even then he was different than the others.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHEyePJHOab
Following his gaze across the photo, my smile faded in utter shock when I saw...me. I was skating on my own, a big smile on my face. There was no stopping my body becoming rigid nor bug eyed as though in a trance. Even when the image changed, I still saw it in my mind as it raced. Even when a picture of me and Jin came up I was too flustered about Yoongi to be concerned about the jealous glares the girls around me were giving.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgm9SlNLrel
The looks I'd find Yoongi giving me on that fieldtrip, the arcade... it all came flooding back at once. That's when I remembered something Hoseok said, I'm not sure he's changed at all...197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCC1B1S3FsP
Did he care about me even since then? Is that what Hoseok meant? If that was so it still begged the reason why.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyClZoLb2n8
After the slideshow was over it was time for each class to line up and receive our diplomas on stage. The picture taking part was a little awkward but I lived. We returned to our seats much to my relief. When Yoongi's class lined up, I searched thrice and still hadn't seen him. Where is he? I wondered anxiously.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDv3H7OgfK
Kim Taehyung received his diploma without a care in the world, though the room had made a fuss over him. So much so that the announcer had to wait a while to announce the next students.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVcx2oAyNx
"Min Yoongi." The announcer called as I held my breath. But there was no movement. After a moment more, the announcer repeated, "Min Yoongi?" My heart sunk when no one in line moved. The woman announcing spoke to the Yoongi's teacher who looked disappointed and returned to the microphone. "Okay, we'll move on then. Nam Eun...ah - there he is!"197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMSwRcQfoA
Yoongi jogged to the front of the line and hopped on the stage in a smooth motion. A heavy breath burst through my teeth before gasping for air. I shook my head at the close call. This guy is going to give me a heart attack one day. Even more worrisome was the ache in my chest and the static in my limbs - a response to his arrival. He received his diploma and stood with the others in his class. Some of them surprised he was there. The butterflies in my stomach went wild, seeing him here. I noticed his hair looked different. He wore a semi fresh undercut. I almost didn't catch it. Taehyung excitedly made his way over to his side, his attitude changed. The two exchanged a few words before Yoongi's eyes began searching the crowd of students.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuITKfdeddU
I swallowed audibly - my heart pounded as his scanning eyes headed toward me. I considered looking away. If he passed right by me, I'm not sure I could take it. But I remembered the image in the slideshow and I had to know...197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzbdZtHeZUN
The grip around my diploma tightened as his gaze got close. Then, like a magnet, his eyes met mine and locked into place. His eyebrows ever so slightly hiked upwards when he found me. A twitch in his cheek made it seem as though he smiled, but it was hard to tell with him. I wasn't sure what to do in this shared gaze but he wasn't looking away. So neither did I.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqwWxUEvwK
When the ceremony was over, everyone met with their families and received their gifts. After some family pictures, Minju, Hyeji, and I went crazy with taking selfie after selfie with each other. I kept an eye out for Yoongi at all times. At first I rushed my family so that I could catch him before he left, but he stood not too far off as though waiting - holding the bouquet that his grandmother had before. The elderly woman was kind enough to congratulate me before she left.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2W66LCmoKB
"Alright, that's enough pictures. Minju-ya," Mom waved her hand. "let Yurim congratulate her classmates."197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpzcnw7TuV
"But we won't see her 'til tonight," Minju complained. I raised an eyebrow toward her,"What do you mean? I'm coming back home to help with dinner. You're not that good a cook, you know." I ruffled her hair. She was not amused.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJCNuMaLYl
"Nevermind your crazy sister, you just go," Mom waved me off.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡksZEWGc9GR
I nodded and started straight toward Yoongi. He'd been leaning on a pillar yawning and rubbing a spot on his chest. I chuckled, not really knowing why. I guess I was just glad to finally see him. As I came nearer, I squeezed the box in my jacket pocket.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZJRyovRRR
Then something knocked me sidewards. Or rather who. A boy had been playing with his friends and bumped into me. It was Minho. He immediately bowed his apology then gave me a surprised look. "Oh? Lee Yurim? I almost didn't recognize you because of your hair! It suits you!"197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe54ygUHaCt
It was the first compliment I received about my hair today so I was a bit shy in receiving it. "Thank you. Uh, congratulations on graduating!"197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnFV6URjRc
"Congratulations to you as well. Ah, hold on," the boy reached into a package he had and offered a little box with a cute chocolate character, "here." I regarded the box with surprise and a bit of confusion.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFCnlM7KXLb
"Mm? For me? But I don't have anything to give back."197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOP45UFPba
"Don't worry about it. Enjoy the rest of your day!"197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWZfX9qO5O
"Y-you too! And thank you!" I bowed as we said our farewells.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4VZJIUVdd
I smiled incredulously at the chocolate character. Receiving a gift from any of my classmates was the last thing I expected today. I was grateful. I just wish I had something to return the favor.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuRGA06uQJf
Before I could pocket my unexpected gift, it was snatched from my hand. "Hey! That's m-"197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2lhE8HXeRp
I stood speechless when I found Yoongi standing in front of me, surveying the box of chocolate. "You're smiling a lot for receiving a tiny piece of chocolate. Do you like him or something?"197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr18kAumyKV
My cheeks blazed, "of course not!" I reached for it but he pulled it out of reach. "Ya, are you really stealing it from me?" I tried again but in vain.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJfA43gAmx
"Oh," he pointed accusingly at my face, "if you don't like him then why is your face turning red?"I froze then quickly turned away from him. "N-no it's not!" I grimaced in secret. This was not going to be the way he found out! "Fine, keep it if you want!" I bluffed. For a moment he didn't respond. I was beginning to wonder if he'd taken the chocolate and left.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7kdJptOhNN
"Relax," he said as he slipped the chocolate in the my pocket, giving me goosebumps. "I just figured if you liked it that much, you probably don't want this." I turned to find him holding up the bouquet.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4d0UhuAtHz
"That's...for me?"197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpV2aBpo9Uu
"Not if you don't want it. I'm sure someone else would appreciate it," he turned toward a nearby group of girls and my feet moved on its own.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzsPsuXEL3y
I snatched it from his hand, "I want it!" Clearing my throat, I composed myself. "Gifts are supposed to be accepted by those they were meant for." I caught a smirk on his face before noticing something. The flowers in the bouquet, they were the same kind of flowers as the ones that grew in the Jung's backyard. "Yoongi... this is... really pretty."197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84W0qHmuRu
"Better than that other guy's present?" He asked with a hint of playfulness.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgYZFWrb5nY
I chuckled and nodded. "And here I thought you were too cool to hold flower bouquets. That's why I got you this instead," I took out the black box and placed it in his hand. Yoongi was taken by surprise at the gift and received it awkwardly. "I never apologized for what I said and for blaming you for what happened to Hoseok. None of it was your fault." He opened the box and took out the black and brown, leather woven bracelets with metal charms and beads. The black had the golden colored metal. The brown, silver. "And I shouldn't have treated you the way I did."197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7TB0vYJBk
He touched his thumb to one of the gold charms which was a tiger, "you made these?"197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGutHszzqY
"Mhm. Here," I took the black one and fastened it around his wrist then began securing the other.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzSocLzzXr
Yoongi pulled his hand away and took the brown bracelet from my hand. Instead, he grabbed my wrist and began putting it on me.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbibAFLT9wv
"What are you...?"197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05IL97tIJC
"You're calling a truce, aren't you?" Despite his cold exterior, his fingers worked delicately around my wrists until the bracelet was secured.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISUvPmjxlb
"Yeah, I am."197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFV1QHdtaL
"Good. Let this be a reminder when you're about to be unfair to me again," he said smugly, holding my wrist.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMOix4v7gyV
I clicked my tongue and whacked him with the flowers, "I thought you were gonna make them friendship bracelets! But of course you wouldn't say something sweet like that!" She glared at him as he grimaced, rubbing his chest.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWAiYpbdpH
"Who says I wanna be your friend?"197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNB6M995YB
I whacked him again.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLc2uA2AXYj
"Aht!" He winced and rubbed at his chest again.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIeBawLJzhU
"Tsk, what are you crying about? It's just flowers!" I scoffed.197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaqIkBAFlmB
"If I knew you'd use them as a weapon I wouldn't have given them to you." Yoongi stopped rubbing his chest but looked to be more vigilant for more attacks. "I'd hate to see how you treat the other gifts."197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTjXyk7UxL
My face switched from pouting to pensive. "Other gifts? What do you mean?"197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdi09SJXrV
"I mean, let's go for a ride," he turned and walked off suddenly, waving me along. I watched him in disbelief, snobbishly expecting me to follow. Clicking my tongue, I looked around and considered asking my parents if I could stay a little longer but they weren't standing where I left them. "Your family went home, by the way," he called out to me, reading my mind. I told them I'd give you a ride!"197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCksVmo8Dt
"What?" I scurried to catch up to him. "When did you talk with my fam- HEY! Did you just walk faster? YA!" Yoongi looked at me over his shoulder and broke into a swift jog. "This bastard MIN YOONGIII~!"
197Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tKPdKg1Ht
A/N:
Heeeyyyy~
So this was supposed to be the last and final chapter of Colder Than Winter HOWEVER the ending is taking me a lot longer than I thought it would. And I had the beginning half of the chapter written so I thought I'd split it so that I had something to give you guys for waiting so darn long!! Sorry about that and THANK YOU FOR READING!!!
Don't lose faith in me yet! We're almost to the end!
- Tootles for now fellow geniuses! <3
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