Change
Title: Change
Focus: Leeteuk-centric
Rating: PG
Genre: Attempted!Angst, Friendship
Summary: Jungsu wonders what the future will hold for him.
A/N: This is just a drabble I wrote regarding Leeteuk's temporary departure, that is nearing us! This is also the first time I'm writing a centric-fic...
Jungsu approaches the dorm’s living room that is filled with commotion from his many overenthusiastic members. He stops just behind the wall, so that the others cannot notice him and he stands there listening. He hears Youngwoon, who is laughing hard at something that must be funny, along with Donghae, who is discussing the events that occurred on his drama’s set earlier that day. Jongwoon’s screams can also be heard as their magnae Kyuhyun abuses his elders with his not-so-secretly evil mind. It’s rare times like this, in which all the members don’t have a schedule for the hour and decide to join each other in the living room, that Jungsu cherishes most because nothing makes the leader happier than seeing his group as close to a whole as they can be.
Jungsu takes a moment to close his eyes and absorb the noises going on in the room. He tries his best to memorize every sound that enters his ears and engrave it forever into his mind because soon, he won’t be hearing them anymore-for a very long time. Times like this, Jungsu begins to worry about the future. He wonders what it will feel like waking up early in the morning on a new bed, expecting a schedule and not having one, wanting to hear the members’ voices but not being able to. Jungsu inhales deeply and opens his eyes again to peek at the other side of wall. None of the members notice him, and he takes the moment to watch their happy faces as they laugh and talk like the people they are. The leader turns his gaze towards the television only to realize that an old episode of Star King is being aired, and of course, he himself is also on the screen. It was back during their earlier days when they weren’t as popular, when Jungsu still had his longer hairstyle that once trended back then. Jungsu laughs silently at the memories that strike at him like a quick flash, and he gradually sinks everything in.
Because of all their hard work back then, they were able to taste fame, and this fact causes stress for the leader. He wonders how an absence of two years will affect him. What if he is forgotten? The members are still laughing and enjoying their time together and Jungsu takes this moment as well to study the members in front of him. There is Jongwoon who sings with a strong passion, Youngwoon who protects his members because they are family, Donghee who can make anyone laugh, Sungmin who is quiet but holds a golden heart, Hyukjae who dances like it’s the only thing he can do right, Siwon who wins over hearts at first glance, Donghae who strives with great spirit towards his dreams, Ryeowook whose vocals cannot be compared to anyone else’s, and magnae Kyuhyun, the group’s lucky thirteenth card. Then there were the members that weren’t present. There was Heechul who was different from everybody else and created his own spotlight along Kibum who looked forward to achieving his dream of acting. Jungsu doesn’t forget Henry and Zhoumi, two friendly beings whom he had welcomed generously to the family, although they are only part of M. And last but not least, Jungsu remembers former member Hangeng. Even if he wasn’t going to be with them anymore, Jungsu chooses not to forget his name because Hangeng will always be family and Jungsu will always warmly welcome him back if he ever chooses to return.
Jungsu is about to join his members in the living room, but he stops. The leader hesitates for a while, standing behind that wall and debating on the right decision to make. He makes up his mind and retreats, back to his room, back into his bed. Why? Because this is what life will be for him soon and he’s going to have to get used to it. He will call the members occasionally to ask how they are doing, but he won’t be able to every day. Jungsu knows he will face hardships in the future and be required to deal with them. But Jungsu also knows that even if he is forgotten during the two years he is gone and the public no longer recognizes him when he returns, the members will still be there waiting for their hardworking leader along with the smile he will bring back just for them.
Super Junior isn’t just a group to him though, and he isn’t just a leader. Jungsu believes they are more than that, more than friends. They are brothers from different mothers that share an unbreakable bond. At that moment, Jungsu decides that no matter what he becomes in the army, his members will accept him, support him, and cheer him on. With that, his troubles are finally put to rest.