10 years. 10 years since the name 'Super Junior' was chanted. But still they were a legend, the ones who led the Hallyu wave when the K-pop craze swept over the world. They fulfilled their dream, which was to cover the entire world with pearl sapphire blue. They were the first of many to hold a solo concert in Paris, where they shed many tears, finding out that Paris loved K-pop as well.

Today, 10 years since our AngeL left for service. The moment he left, Super Junior broke down into their sub-groups. Yes, maybe they couldn't perform as 15, but they could still make the name 'Super Junior' be known in every country there is. Super Junior KRY, lasted in Korea for a good 2 years, before Super Junior M took over in China for the next 2 years. It went on like that for 8 years, while members came in and out of the army. 2 years was spent waiting and doing individual activities. Leeteuk MC-ed, Eunhyuk and Donghae continued as Eunhae, Heechul went around in variety shows along with Kangin and Shindong, Yesung in singing competitions as the judge, Sungmin being mentor to all the aegyo trainees, Ryeowook going around with Yesung, Kibum with his acting career, Henry and Zhoumi doing their own activities in China, and Kyuhyun, who just entered the army.

10 years, since Super Junior last danced on stage and sang their hearts out. 10 years had passed, and just like they had promised,

Super Junior was back.

Today our Leader, our fallen angel, lay on the couch poring over last-minute schedules. The rest of the members lazed about, Henry and Zhoumi having flown to Korea a few weeks ago. Even though they didn't look it, they were incredibly nervous. Today. Today was the day they would go back on stage. They had pleaded the company to let Hankyung, Zhoumi and Henry join them as Super Junior once more. Zhoumi and Henry they immediately agreed, but Hankyung's issue took a while. Soon, the verdict came out. They had agreed, as long as Hankyung's company in China had also agreed to this, since they felt that it had already been more than 10 years, the group deserved to be together once more.

"Super Junior! 5 minutes!" a call came. The members looked at each other. Leeteuk took a deep breath and said, "Today is the day, guys. Today is the day we go back on stage to rock the world once more! Let's give it our best!" The members nodded. They did their backstage cheer, one that hadn't been done with so many members in such a long time, once again.

As they rose up onto the stage, as was their usual dashing entrance, the familiar sentence echoed throughout the concert hall in which they had held many concerts and Super Shows. "Super Junior neun wonrae man jaman ppajin, ireum hayeo himsen dori Superman."

They finished 'Superman'. Then another familar song came up. "Hey! I'm Mr Simple!"

Mr. Simple was finished as easily as it had begun. "Sorry sorry sorry sorry..."

Their hit song from 2009. Ah, how long it had been. Super Junior might have aged, but they were still the same, had the same energy, had the same vitality and enthusiasm as they had 10 years ago.

Then they sang all their hit songs, from Twins to U to Bonamana to No Other to y, Free and Single to Spy. After that, they sang selected songs from different albums. They then let all sub-groups perform their hit songs, from KRY's Fly and My Love My Kiss My Heart to Trot's Rokkugo to Happy's Cooking Cooking and Pajama Party to lastly, SJ-M's Perfection, Me, Super Girl and Break Down. They finished off with a few songs, first with Happy Together, then with Shining Star, then with A Short Journey, lastly with Good Friends and Sapphire Blue.

As Sapphire Blue ended, the members gathered on stage. Leeteuk grasped his microphone. "Leeteuk, Heechul, Hankyung, Yesung, Kangin, Shindong, Sungmin, Eunhyuk, Donghae, Siwon, Ryeowook, Kibum, Kyuhyun, Henry, Zhoumi. 15 stars on stage. We are back. Uri neun Super Junior!"

"OHEYO!" everyone, ELF and Super Junior member alike, shouted.

Then the familiar reply reached Super Junior's ears. The reply from the ocean of Pearl Sapphire Blue spread in front of them. One, they were happy to see, had not diminished over the years, but if possible, increased instead. "Uri neun el-peu oheyo!"

"We promised a 7th album, didn't we?" Leeteuk asked the fans.

The fans screamed their reply.

"You shall get it soon!" Leeteuk announced. This brought a whole new wave of cheers along with it. They would try their hardest to return to the frontline of the Hallyu wave and make sure that the new generation loved them too. They would show the world, that the name Super Junior would last forever.

The world might have been ready to say goodbye to Super Junior, but Super Junior was not ready to say goodbye to the world. Not until they conquered the world once more.

They were back.

Super Junior was back, for good.

~*~

The number 13 means something entirely different to the sapphire blue sea. It’s not just a number. It’s Super Junior’s history. And yes, it’s our story.

·         13. 13 shining boys sharing the stage. The number of completeness, fullness, happiness. The 13 boys that gained the hearts of their beloved ELF.

·         12. 12 Members when they debuted. Though everyone, including the members themselves, detested the addition of the 13th member, we all grew to love our evil maknae.

·         10. The Sorry Sorry sensation was a hard feat to beat, and coming back with only 10 out of 13 members caused much sadness to the sapphire sea. But even if the number decreased, ELFs vowed to love the missing 3.

·         9. 9 members will be standing on stage in the coming days. Our space big star made a very dignified decision to serve his country. And yes, we will wait for him. We will wait for Kim Heechul.

·         5. Five successful albums in a little more than 5 years. 5 years of making their supporters happy. Five years of proving themselves to the critiques.

·         4. Four Super Junior sub-groups.

·         3. The missing three we promised to protect. And impossible it might be, these are the three people we yearn to see with our 10 remaining boys; sharing one stage as a whole family once again.

·         2. the two people who suffered greatly due to nonacceptance of some fans: sunshine Zhou Mi and our dear boy Henry. And the 2 years that we have to bear as we patiently wait for our boys to finish their duties to their nation.

·         1. one group, one stage, one fandom, one heart, one sapphire sea— one promise.

·         ∞. The promise to believe, protect, and love our boys— to infinity and beyond.