13 days

“Hyung. Hyung!” A persistent, soft voice called out.

Leeteuk shook himself out of his daydream. “Hank—Hangeng.” 

The name still felt foreign to his tongue. 

“Ani, hyung, you’ve always called me Hankyung. Don’t change it now. Let it be…just like before,” Hankyung said in his ever calm voice.

The two men smiled at each other for a minute. 

"Hankyung?" Leeteuk asked, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, hyung?"

"Are you happy?" It was a direct question, no sugar-coating or beating around the bush. Leeteuk stared at the man opposite him with intensity, wondering what his response will be. He looked healthy; his face was glowing. With a sudden realization, Leeteuk realized Hankyung had never looked this relaxed when he was with Super Junior.

"I am, hyung," Hankyung answered immediately, his face breaking into a smile. 

As Leeteuk nodded, Hankyung continued. "I've never felt happier, to be honest, hyung. It's...everything's been amazing. The stage, the singing, the dancing, the fans."

Leeteuk's heart sank lower in his stomach. Hankyung didn't need them. He was fine. 

"But...it's not the same. I miss it. I miss sharing the stage with twelve other people. I miss going home to a loud and noisy dorm. I miss you."

Leeteuk savored the words. Oh how he had missed that sweet, soft, slightly accented voice.“I’m so happy you came home, Hankyung."

He had arrived at the dorm two days ago, along with Henry and Zhoumi. Henry and Zhoumi, Leeteuk had been expecting. Hankyung…he had not been.

“H…Hankyung?” Leeteuk had whispered, stumbling past the grinning members towards the door, where a certain shy Chinese man was standing.

“Hey hyung,” That had been all Hankyung had said then, but to Leeteuk, they were magnificent, terrific, perfect words simply because Hankyung was the one uttering them.

Of course there had been phone calls and video messages, but they had not seen each other for over a year. And now, he was here. In Korea. In Super Junior’s dorm. Right where he belonged.

Leeteuk had embraced Hankyung tightly, had taken note of Hankyung’s tired but overjoyed face, and had shed tears of happiness.

“Yah Leeteuk, stop keeping him all to yourself!” Heechul had yelled out, breaking the emotional scene and instead creating a happy atmosphere.

Now, sitting together alone under the stars outside Super Junior’s dorm, Leeteuk and Hankyung talked about the past, the present, and more importantly, the ever approaching future.

“Are you worried?” Hankyung asked.

Leeteuk smiled. “Not at all. I’ve raised you all as my own kids for half a dozen years. I’ve known most of you for longer. So I know that SuJu can go on without me and be stronger.”

Leeteuk had thought about it for a long time, and as he spoke the words, he knew they were true. The boys—no, the men—he had raised were going to be just fine without him. They would push on and never falter.

“And this is why you’re leader, Teuk hyung. We’ll all miss you,” Hankyung whispered, grabbing the older man in a hug.

Leeteuk wrapped his arms around the lean man tenderly. It seemed so cruel. Hankyung had finally returned to them but now, they were soon going to be ripped apart again. These were the times when he missed SuJu13. It just wasn’t the same anymore.