The manager hyung sighed. "Okay, then we'll have a meeting tonight at the dorm to discuss it. Musically, you think - " he said, turning to the director.

"I think Kyuhyun would do a good job on his own," said the director with a shrug. I eyed Yesung and Ryeowook both. Neither seemed happy, but I also liked to imagine that it also didn't seem like either was too angry.

"All right. Is a meeting at the dorm okay with the three of you?" asked the manager hyung. I wondered whether a meeting was even necessary. I could just imagine the scene.

"Wait, just regardless of everything else, why does Kyuhyun deserve a solo before Yesung hyung? Yesung hyung's been the main vocalist of the team before Kyuhyun even joined the team," Donghae might say with contempt.

Then Sungmin might say, "And even more so since Kyuhyun messed up that press conference."

Then Leeteuk would confirm the whole thing with his charismatic frown with, "Why was this question even asked? A solo for Kyuhyun is out of the question."

I sighed. As much as I wanted the solo, if this was going to compromise the team dynamics, I would be willing to give it up. Team dynamics were more important than the final product at this point. I glanced at the manager hyung, wondering if he knew that what he was suggesting was a waste of time, but I nodded with Yesung and Ryeowook.

After we'd finished practice at 10pm, the manager hyung took us to the cafeteria and bought us each a cup of tea while we waited for some of the members to arrive at the office.

"So, hyung," I said carefully after a sip from my cup. "Why were you with us for the whole night again?"

The manager hyung looked at each of our curious faces and sighed. "They're not understanding."

"Who's not understanding what?" asked Ryeowook with a frown.

"The fans. The fans aren't understanding either," said the manager hyung. "They really think the three of you aren't in Super Junior anymore."

Our mouths dropped open.

"How? It's really not a difficult concept," said Yesung, his face in his hands.

Apparently, the manager hyung didn't have words for it, either. "I know. It's really - really..."

"It's never been done before, so I guess I kind of understand," sighed Ryeowook. He then looked at the manager hyung. "Okay. Are we having another press conference?"

The manager shook his head. "It's clear the press conference didn't work - in a lot of ways. We're not repeating that."

I lowered my head a little.

"So what's the solution?" asked Yesung.

"The company booked a bunch of U and Dancing Out stages on cable TV, guys. Just to show everyone that you're still performing with the team."

I frowned, uneasy. I had K.R.Y. and the entrance exams bearing down on me, and the workload was suffocating already. "Wait, when you say a bunch - "

"I'm not exaggerating," warned the manager hyung, then he glanced at our expressions. "They're talking about every other day, the three of you will be performing somewhere on broadcast. The days that you're not performing are radios and interviews."

I was in total despair. We didn't even perform that much during promotions. Was the company trying to fail me or something? Despite the fact that Ryeowook wasn't as concerned about the entrance exams as I was, even he was distressed.

"Wait, so how much time are we talking about?" asked Ryeowook.

"Extra practice every night this week, then performances start next week." As I closed my eyes in frustration, the manager hyung spoke with a smile. "But there's a surprise for you guys during practice tomorrow. And you'll like it. I promise."

"I do hope so," I muttered, and went back to drinking my tea.

When we got back to the dorm, all of us waited until Leeteuk and Eunhyuk, who had the last schedules of the day had returned to the dorm to have the meeting about the solo issue. Like always, we were sitting on the floor since there wasn't enough room on the couches for all of us. I was still feeling uncomfortable with the team and I had sat down on the floor on my knees in a corner without meeting any of their eyes. When we were finally all in the living room, Kangin yawned.

"So what are we supposed to be talking about again?"

When the manager hyung explained the situation, I saw frowns appear on each of the members' faces, and sensing the tension, I looked into my lap again. When the manager hyung finished, there was a long silence.

"Wait, so we're talking about what's best for the team?" asked Donghae with a frown of incomprehension.

"Yeah," confirmed the manager hyung.

"Then I'm not really sure what there is to talk about," said Donghae, squinting. I braced myself for some harsh words, but the words that came out of Donghae's mouth next were, "Kyuhyun should obviously get the solo then."

I was so surprised that my mind was blank. What?

Donghae was clearly not thinking right. But it wouldn't really matter, because everyone else on the team -

"Yeah, I'm not really sure why we're talking about this," said Eunhyuk, looking equally as confused as Donghae. "If the director thinks Kyuhyun's going to do the best job, then his getting the solo will be the best for the team."

My jaw dropped open. What was wrong with Eunhyuk, now?

But I heard Sungmin draw in a breath to speak, and I looked at him. Sungmin would be a voice of reason, right? He was angry with me just last night, he wouldn't -

"I don't think I quite understand why it's such an issue either," said Sungmin. "What's the other argument? Kyuhyun doesn't want to do it?" he asked, looking at me.

I was still staring at everyone with amazement and I barely even registered the question, but I answered unconfidently. "No, just - just the mistake I made at the press conference - I mean, whether I deserve - " However, Kangin cut me off.

"We sorted that out between us this morning," said Kangin, shaking his head. "And you said it won't make a difference with the papers, hyung, right?" said Kangin, looking at the manager hyung. When the manager hyung shook his head, Kangin laughed a little. "Yeah, I'm going to bed," he said, then he got up. "Kyuhyun should obviously take the solo. Why is this even a question?"

"Wait, Youngwoon, sit down," said the manager hyung, looking almost as flustered as I was. "Does anyone think all three of them should - "

"If the director thinks Kyuhyun having the solo is going to come up with the best final product, then that's obviously what's best for the team," said Leeteuk, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "Unless - wait, do Ryeowook and Jongwoon mind a lot?"

As the two of them hesitated, Leeteuk sighed. "If it's about money, you could maybe work it out so the profits for that song can still be shared between the three of you or something."

I hadn't even thought about that, and I wasn't sure if Yesung and Ryeowook had, either.

"N - no, it's not that," said Yesung, almost looking timid. "It's just - I mean, I want to participate as much as I can with this. It's our first project, after all."

There was a silence, then Leeteuk spoke again. "I understand, but Jongwoon, the team has to come before what we want individually, and in this case, it's just too clear what's best for the team."

There was a long silence, then Eunhyuk looked up at the manager hyung. "Can we go to bed now?"

I was sitting at the kitchen table, trying to study, but I was having trouble focusing. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe the team didn't even hesitate before so easily giving me the solo. Never would I have thought that they would forgive me so quickly.

Just as I was drowned in my thoughts, the manager hyung came out of his room. I glanced at him, then I got to my feet and bowed before sitting back down.

He nodded, then he put his hand on my shoulder.

"Kyuhyun. I know time is tight, but - "

"I know," I said quickly. "Health comes first. I'll get at least four hours of sleep a night. I promise."

The manager hyung nodded. "And no crazy tricks."

I smile a little, feeling a bit foolish. I couldn't believe I was that immature only a few weeks before. "No, sir."

"Good. It's not really like you can cram for those entrance exams anyway, right?"

I hesitated. "I guess not, but since I didn't really study at all for this entire year, I'm not really sure how it'll work out."

The manager hyung sighed. "I really do feel bad about telling you that work has to come before school. I know both are equally as important to you."

I thought for a second, but then shook my head. "No, you're right. Thousands of people count on me to do well at work. School - " I hesitated. "Well, a lot less people count on me to do well at school."

The manager hyung put his hands on my cheeks, then looked at me apologetically. "I know you care a lot more about the people who want you to do well at school."

I shook my head a little. "It's - it's okay. You and the team mean the same as my parents to me now."

"I know that's not true," he said.

"Yeah, it's not," I admitted with a tiny laugh. "But you guys care about me, and they - they don't, so - so that deserves at least a bit of recognition." My chest tightened and tears welled up in my eyes as the truth of these words sank in. God, those words were so true.

"Don't say that," reproached the manager hyung, then he put his hands off my face and put them on my shoulders instead. "They care. They're your parents."

"We haven't said we loved each other for almost a year now," I said. A tiny tear rolled out of my eyes. "And we haven't seen each other for almost as long."

"You miss them," he said softly. "That day by the river - "

"I only remembered the best of the relationship between them and me that day because I was questioning ours, hyung." I wiped my eyes. "Even if I don't do well with these exams, I probably couldn't disappoint them any more than I already have."

The manager hyung opened his mouth apologetically, but I spoke before he could. "But don't feel sorry for me. Donghae hyung's dad was right. I have 12 brothers now, and - and if you're okay with it, I'd - I'd almost like to think of you as - as my dad, so..." I smiled through my tears. "I don't even know what I'm trying to say. You really do mean a lot."

"Aw, Kyuhyun," he said, then he gave me a hug that I returned.

"Honestly, I never thought I'd be accepted with such a huge mistake. And I was. And I can't believe it," I said. I smiled genuinely at the very thought; I never could have imagined this to have happened back in April when I first joined them.

"You've come a long way," said the manager hyung with a small laugh. "You've gone through a lot to get yourself here, and you deserve it."

"I think so, too," I said, then I wiped my tears and turned my attention back to my schoolwork just as the manager hyung brushed his hand over the top of my head and left me alone in the kitchen again.

The next day was dedicated to practicing with the entire team for those extra U and Dancing Out stages. However, we seemed to be unusually short in number, giving the practice room the illusion of being larger than it ever was. I almost felt uncomfortable, and clearly, so did everyone else. As such, Eunhyuk hesitated before beginning practice, and looked around at the rest of us.

"Where's Hankyung hyung?" asked Eunhyuk with a frown.

Leeteuk stared at him. "They're cable TV stages. His visa issues won't let him perform on it."

"Oh, right," said Eunhyuk, shaking his head. He looked around again uncertainly. "And Kibum?"

"Drama," said Ryeowook right away. "He won't be at most of those cable stages, apparently."

Eunhyuk nodded slowly. "So we're talking about filling in Heechul hyung, Hankyung hyung and Kibum's parts, right?"

He was met with general assent, and between the ten of us, the parts for those of us that were missing were distributed.

We'd spent the entire day and were practicing into the late night. It was so physically draining that each of us were barely able to breathe by 11pm. Moving each limb an inch was painful, and I didn't know how we were even able to stay standing.

"Just three more run-throughs of each song, and let's call it a day," said Eunhyuk, panting.

We agreed, and we were in the middle of the second run-through of U when the door clicked open, but we were too tired to even care. We were just focusing all of our energy into the dance, then whoever was at the door started yelling.

"You jerks!"

I stopped and finally looked to the door. I was so tired that it actually took conscious effort to focus my eyes, and for a minute, I thought I wasn't seeing clearly. But when I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them again, there was no mistake.

Heechul was sitting in a wheelchair being pushed by Hankyung. As we gawked at him, he smiled his arrogant smile.

"You jerks. You guys replaced my part."