Title: Potential
Pairing: Kris/Suho
Rating: G
Word Count: 1144
Summary: While preparing for their debut, the pressure of leading a 12 member group becomes more and more daunting each and every day.
Author's Note: One of my early on favorite pairings . . . until SuChen ruined my life. I also made the dorms walking distance from where they practice . . . which I didn't notice until afterwards. /fail/

Sometimes Joonmyun doesn't understand how he got here, preparing to lead a 12 member boy band for one of South Korea's biggest music labels. Sure he remembers his decision to enter the music industry, the countless hours of practice, auditioning for SM Entertainment, and then seven more years of non-stop work. But never had he dreamed of leading a group.

Now that it is about to become reality though, he's finding his nerves weakening. The steadfast determination that got him in, waning in the face of being responsible for the actions of eleven other people. Not that he allows himself to appear any less resolute.

When he receives news that EXO will be dividing up into two units, Joonmyun feels some relief and a little upset that management seem to notice his inner struggles. However, he is nothing but thankful to hear that the second unit will be getting it's own leader for when the two are separate.

Yifan is tall, like the tallest person Joonmyun has ever met, but he is also multilingual, can rap, has a nice deep voice, and is ridiculously handsome. He seems to be both kind and strict with the other members, and Joonmyun feels he will step up to the position of leader just fine.

He, on the other hand, still wonders why the company placed him as the leader of not only EXO-K, but EXO as a whole. He isn't the oldest, that title belongs to Minseok-hyung who doesn't seem to mind being passed over for the position. When it comes to his talents he is good across the board, but he doesn't think he stands out in any particular area unlike how Baekhyun does for vocals or Jongin for dance. The one thing he does have going for him is his affluent background, which means he can provide some financial support for s beyond what the company provides them.

But-

“Hey, what are you still doing here?”

Joonmyun jumps, startled to hear Yifan's voice from behind him. The taller man is standing just inside the practice room's doorway, the loose clothing he wears soaked through with sweat. His sharp eyes focus on Joonmyun's form where he is sitting down on the floor next to his duffel bag.

“Lost track of time thinking,” Joonmyun replies, looking at his watch. 11:49pm. Lost track of a lot of time, apparently. Oops.

“Well, the two of us have a meeting with management early tomorrow morning, so come on. You can get lost in thought on the way back to the dorms,” Yifan offers, walking over so he can help haul Joonmyun up off the floor.

He then drapes a long arm around Joonmyun's shoulders, using it to forcefully pull the shorter man along. There is no way Joonmyun will be able to break out of his grasp, so he huffs and lets himself be dragged along, trying to ignore the mixed scent of sweat and cologne coming from Yifan. It isn't make him lightheaded, he is merely tired after a long day of training.

“Wanna tell me what you were so lost in thought about, that it looked like you were about to camp out in a practice room for the night?” Yifan asks, gaze set determinedly ahead.

Joonmyun tries to shrug, “Mostly about the group. How do you think practice went today? Between the song and the dance, I think there are just a few spots that need some more cleaning up, then we should be all set for debut.”

Which was in a month. Joonmyun tries hard not to think about it.

“Before debut, we have to get through filming the music video. Which, in case you forgot, is only a few days way,” Yifan reminds, smiling at Joonmyun. “But I think you're right, we should be all set before then.”

“I didn't forget about the music video shooting!” Joonmyun splutters, pushing lightly at Yifan's side. Yifan's response is to tighten his hold around the shorter one's shoulders, tucking him into his side more snugly. Joonmyun is feeling very tired.

The two drift off into silence for most of the walk back to the dorms, and it is only broken by Yifan when they enter the elevators. His arm still draped over the shorter, Joonmyun can't help but notice.

“You know, I think the company did a good job choosing you as leader. EXO-K is lucky that they get to keep you.”

Joonmyun freezes.

“Even if you don't say it, sometimes you get this look in your eyes,” Yifan continues, like what he is saying is normal for an elevator conversation. “It's like you don't think you deserve to be where you are. Whether it's in the company, being put in a debuting group, or as leader, I don't know. All I can say is this, you do deserve it.

“You've worked very hard to get where you are, you look out for the younger trainees and now our members, and you want to succeed. You deserve this, Joonmyun. If you ever doubt yourself and need to talk, you can always come to me. We're both leaders after all, so we can share the suffering and help each other out.”

Yifan stops at that, sliding his arm down Joonmyun's back so that he can squeeze the smaller man's side affectionately, then he steps off the elevator. Joonmyun trailing behind him slowly, quickly losing himself in thought again.

It's the first time anyone has ever said anything like that to him, and it leaves him with a growing warmth in his chest. Though he partially blames the spot on his side that Yifan had grabbed, as the skin is still tingling pleasantly and leaves Joonmyun's face flushing with confused feelings.

He spends the next hour getting everyone settled down, making sure that everyone has eaten and is preparing for bed. He even spends a few minutes talking with Chanyeol, who has been struggling with some of the complex dance moves due to his tall stature. Despite offering to get one of the other members to help Chanyeol, like Yifan who shares his situation of being so tall, or Jongin who is actually talented at dancing, the younger refuses.

Chanyeol defends his choice by stating that dance didn't come as naturally to Joonmyun as it did to Jongin, which means that he is better equipped to help teach others who also struggle. That and the fact that Joonmyun works twice as hard to make up for the lack of natural skill makes him the perfect teacher.

Once everyone is in bed, including Joonmyun himself, he can't help but think that maybe Yifan is right. He has never doubted the company before in any of the other decisions they made, so they must have seen potential in Joonmyun that he himself can't see.

A potential that even Yifan can see.