"Respected sunbae-nims, congratulations on your graduation, from the bottom of my heart!"

I stood at the podium.

The long congratulatory speeches from guests inside and outside the school had just ended.

I was up next, speaking on behalf of the students staying behind.

I slowly took in the whole room at a glance: the foundation chairman, the teachers, the graduates, and their very distinguished families, who'd come to celebrate.

I squared my shoulders.

Nobody looked down on me anymore. I'd come in as Ha Tae-ung the charity case, and I'd become Cheonghwa High School's student president for 2023.

Rumor had it I was the one who'd brought Dongmyeong, fourteenth in the business rankings, to its knees.

Behind me I had Grandad, the Haryun Group's chairman, who'd acknowledged me without my asking, and Jo and Jang, a sturdy shield in the legal world.

I'd reached a place where no one in this auditorium would dare say they stood above me.

"Sunbae-nims!"

With that weighty form of address, I slowly swept my eyes over the graduates. This was the last time any of them would be wearing a school uniform.

Anticipation, excitement and regret about life after graduation crossed paths in the hall.

Their status as Cheonghwa High School students, which let them throw their weight around outside, ended today. To me, they looked like chicks just now stepping outside the fence.

"The distinguished guests before me have said many fine things. So I'll ask for just one thing."

I met the flood of eyes from the audience with a confident smile.

"When you go out into the world, please work hard and pave the road nice and smooth for me and your hoobaes~ That's all I ask."

"……??" "Heh!"

"President! Don't tell me that's the whole speech?"

"Hahahahahahaha."

"Hohohohoho."

Laughter broke out all over the auditorium.

"And if anyone gives you a hard time out there, come find me at school!"

"What?"

"Come to the school, he says?"

"Wooow……. Ha Tae-ung, what are you!"

"The president's got some serious presence!!"

"You're even looking after the graduates?"

The mood grew much softer…