Shindong who was now alone in the dorm because Ryeowook  had to leave for his radio show, suddenly felt really stuffy and worried. He felt more uncertain lately compared to before. He knew that it was because of his upcoming leave due to his military service. He worried that fans wouldn’t miss him as much as they missed Leeteuk or Heechul. Did they even love him? He knew that there were quite a few fans who actually had the opinion that Shindong shouldn’t be in Super Junior. He never felt handsome compared to the others – well maybe with an exception or too – and he knew that he said and did a few things he shouldn’t have. And he felt constantly bad for those. Lately he started to feel more and more that it actually might be true, that Super Junior would be better off without him.

Before he could bring himself even more down his phone started ringing. As he saw on the display it was Yesung.

“Hyung”, he said answering the phone. He tried to sound normal but the other one noticed that Shindongs voice was a bit too controlled for his usual way to talk.

“Donghee, are you okay?”, he instantly asked, sounding a bit worried. Forgotten was his own miserable emotional state.

“Yeah, yeah I’m okay”, Shindong tried to convince his hyung. Yesung though didn’t believe him.

“Do you have plans now?”, he asked. He himself had his day off, but he didn’t feel like doing anything he usually does, like visiting mouse rabbit or hanging out with his brother.

“No not really”, Shindong had to admit. He though had a late night meeting around 1am with two of his side-business colleagues. He had to start taking care of the replacements that have to be set for his long absence. So Yesung asked him if he felt like grabbing something to eat, which Shindong happily agreed to. It felt weird not having Yesung around more often now and he knew he wouldn’t get to see him more regularly by the time he himself would be away.

Fifteen minutes later he parked his car in the parking lot of a not so popular small jajjamyong shop. At least his hair was now black and he hoped that there wouldn’t be too many people recognizing him or Yesung. He entered the shop and after two seconds of glancing through the room he saw that Yesung wasn’t here. He choose one of the tables in the back and already ordered for him and his friend. He knew anyway what the other always ordered. A few minutes later Yesung walked through the door, wearing big sunglasses – why style logically – and a black hoodie. He seemed to be even thinner than when he left Shindong thought for a little moment before he waved at him and stood up to hug him. Yesung smiled happily at him, glad that Shindong had time. All the other ones were so busy all the time. Like he would be if he’d be allowed to perform. He would never understand why it wasn’t allowed for an idol to perform in his freetime. He wasn’t on active duty anyways. I mean he knew about the importance of the service and he felt proud to be a citizen of this country, to be a South Korean. And he wanted to do everything that could help his country. Just why can’t he do the one thing he loves the most in his life in his freetime?

“You look thinner.”, Shindong said slightly piercing the others side.

“You too”, Yesung just said laughing lightly. He didn’t have much appetite lately to be honest. But right now he had. So he was about to call the ahjumma, but Shindong told him he already ordered.

“Yah, how would you know what I want?”, he asked playfully angered. Shindong laughed and told him what he ordered.

“And am I wrong?”, he asked.

“Nope totally right”, Yesung laughed. “But why didn’t you order Soju though? I need Soju today.”

“I have a shooting later though”, Shindong said but then decided that it wouldn’t matter too much. A little bit of Soju couldn’t be that bad. Besides his alcohol tolerance was quite high anyways.

After the practice of “Something” Kyuhyun and Changmin decided to go to one of the free vocal practice rooms – but not really with the idea of practicing they just felt like talking a bit and needed a good reason to tell their managers why they’d like to stay a bit longer. Since Kyuhyun had been so busy lately they didn’t have much time to hang out together.

“So are you nervous about the comeback?” Changmin asked, sitting on the piano chair, while Kyuhyun was simply sitting on the floor leaning against the wall, playing with his waterbottle.

“Actually yes”, he admitted. “More than usually”

“Scared we might still have more fans than you?” Changmin asked teasingly. But Kyuhyun just ignored him.

“You know this comeback is so important for Leeteuk-hyung… And also Heechul-hyung I think. And then there is Yesung who isn’t here. And it’s been two years after all.”

“What exactly scares you?” Changmin asked wanting to help his friend to get rid of all the feelings he didn’t talk about with anyone. Except with Changmin.

“That we might fail”, Kyuhyun finally managed to say, after staring at the wall in front of him for good five minutes. “Maybe we lost too many fans to younger groups you know”, he then also said. Changmin had already guessed that this was his friend’s biggest worry but he also knew that it was important that Kyuhyun actually admitted it.

“Why would you think that?” Changmin asked, but obviously not expecting an answer since he just went on: “You call them ELF for a reason don’t you?” Kyuhyun smiled. “Look after all that happened to DBSK”, here Changmin had to stop for a second. It was a dangerous path he was taking here. “Yunho-hyung and I still have so many fans. They didn’t leave us. Cassiopeia never left us and so also ELF will never leave you.”

“What makes you so sure about that? What if they don’t like our comeback?”

Changmin laughed. “Have you seen the MV or did you just move your lips along the audiotrack? ELF will love this! Because it’s exactly how Super Junior is. And ELF love you for that.” Since Kyuhyun didn’t seem too convinced he continued: “Think about that: Sure there are a lot of new, younger groups with hot guys, dancing and singing and being cute and y. But honestly I have yet to see a group that is like Super Junior. I mean sure SM is trying to make EXO into SJ the second but they are gonna fail because Super Junior is just unique. While you are worried right now if fans will like this, like that as soon as you are on a stage again for Super Show or whatever all of your hyungs will forget the meaning of the word image. And I mean totally forget it! I remember a few shows where I had to cover my eyes in embarrassment because it was so terrible. But this is exactly what makes Super Junior special. And this is exactly why ELF will always cheer on you.”

Kyuhyun stayed silent for a moment thinking about what Changmin just said. He knew Changmin was right though. And the longer he thought about it the better he felt. Finally he smiled, soon grinning while asking: “You are actually a huge ELF, am I right?”

Changmin laughed and said: “Probably I am but don’t expect me to scream oppa in your face and write a fanfiction about you and Sungmin!”

Both burst out in laughter and continued to tease each other a bit more until Changmins manager started to knock loudly at the door and yelling something about Changmin having practice with Yunho and the background dancers in five minutes. Sighing Changmin and also Kyuhyun got up and hugged each other awkwardly. Maybe because they were alone in a room together. Maybe that’s why it was awkward. And not because they just talked about fanfiction and also not because skinship started to become awkward some time ago. However Kyuhyun smiled happily at Changmin and thanked him for listening to him and helping him. Changmin just shrugged and said:

“We both know that I’m a smart piece of and smarter than you Kyu-boy.”

He ran out of the room before Kyuhyuns waterbottle could have hit one of his bodyparts.