A/N: hi, everyone! :)

Here's the next chapter. it's basically just about what happens to DBSK after they leave SM.

Hope you all like it :)

April 2010- DBSK PoV

“See? This wasn’t a bad idea at all!” Yoochun grinned at his leader, happily taking in his surroundings.

Yunho just groaned.

“Yes, I know. This is ‘great’, and ‘fantastic’, and ‘one of the best things that has ever happened to us’. Please don’t rub it in anymore! Jaejoong’s already told me ‘I told you so!’ so many times already,” he complained, though he too couldn’t help the wide smile on his face as he surveyed the large function room where the official launching party of their new company was being held.

After they had met with the Avex management last year and it was assured that their working relations will mainly remain the same, Dong Bang Shin Ki had headed straight back to Korea to fix their working matters in their home country. And as everyone (except Yunho) had expected, Jaejoong had succeeded in persuading Yunho that starting their own company was the best way to go.

And now, just about half a year later, their company was formally launching in the entertainment industry.

But, of course, since it was owned by DBSK, the company was already famous and gaining attention already months before, when rumors about it first began to spread. And even if their company was just a newly established one, lots of artists were already applying to be a part of it. While there were a few artists that aren’t new in the business joining them, many of their applications were from new people, hoping to debut into the entertainment world and putting their trust in DBSK’s company to set them on the right path. Them being Dong Bang Shin Ki and, of course, their lawsuit battle against SM have thoroughly gained people’s trust that artists in their company would be treated well. So, while the numbers of those applying to SM as trainees are dwindling, the numbers for them are rising at a very fast rate.

“We’re going to do well, I just know it,” Yoochun said quietly, a lot more serious now as he looked at their guests: family members, a few old friends, artists that their new company have acquired, and people from the press.

Before Yunho could answer, though, Jaejoong and Changmin joined them.

“Look who’s back,” Jaejoong told Yunho and Yoochun with an amused smile.

And soon enough, Yunho and Yoochun found themselves being hugged to death by their duckbutt member.

“Oh my god sun! I’ve missed you guys!” Junsu squealed happily, still wearing his costume and make-up.

Junsu had been dabbling into musicals lately. The boys had taken some time off, only doing a few appearances and performances, in the past months as they were trying to get their company ready for its official launch. Junsu, when he had spare time, had been playing parts in a few musicals, and he had been doing really well. He had been gone the whole week, performing in Japan, and had just come back to Korea now for the launching party.

“I’m so glad I made it back here in time!” Junsu continued to ramble on. “Everything seemed to be fighting against me this evening, you know! We had to have an after-performance meeting and all that for our next round of shows next week! And then my flight was delayed and the traffic from the airport to here was just horrendous! I’ve been on the move non-stop since our musical ended tonight!”

“That would explain why you showed up here so theatrically, looking like a Broadway runaway and all that,” Changmin muttered, rolling his eyes.

Junsu pouted at him. “Hey, my costume’s not that bad!”

“Anyway…” Yunho said, ignoring Changmin’s dark mood. As bad as it sounds, they were getting quite used to it, as that’s how their youngest’s mood seems to be recently. “Sorry again that we couldn’t come to your musical this time, Junsu-ah. Promise, we’ll be there again to watch you next week.”

“Oh, that’s fine,” Junsu said at once. “Besides, you’ve been busy here with the preparations for this…”

He waved a hand to gesture at the party.

“Yeah, and you got a valid excuse out of it,” Yoochun pretended to moan and grumble. “Do you have any idea how many idiotic ‘party organizers’ I had to deal with this week? Plus, I ended up having to put up all those streamers by myself! My back hasn’t hurt this much since when we were still in SM, being overworked 24/7!”

“You’re probably just getting old,” Changmin scoffed, gulping down his drink.

Yoochun scowled at him and was about to retort when Jaejoong glared warningly at him. So, Yoochun just sighed deeply instead, breathing in and out to control his simmering temper. Because even if Changmin was trying their nerves with his greatly increased snarkiness these days, they weren’t allowed to let him get to them and fight with him. Not when their maknae was so… delicate… at the moment.

Just then, the crowd hushed as the MC walked onto the stage.

“And now, let’s hear a few words from our CEO and president, Mr. Jung Yunho!”

The crowd began to applaud loudly as spotlights were suddenly focused on Yunho.

“Well, I guess I did good in hiring the lighting equipment, at least,” Yoochun grinned broadly as Yunho squinted and shielded his eyes from the bright lights.

Yunho threw a quick scowl at him before heading off to the stage.

“I’ve always thought he’d make such a hot CEO,” Jaejoong smirked as his eyes roamed Yunho’s back up and down.

“Why am I thinking that the only reason you insisted that he become the top dog is because you find him hot in suits?” Junsu asked sarcastically, though he couldn’t help smiling, too.

“Don’t be silly. The main reason I insisted that he be CEO is that we all know he’ll be great at heading the company,” Jaejoong snapped. “Though him being hot in suits is my second reason right after that,” he added sheepishly.

“And you get to really live out the Yunjae fanfics where CEO Yunho has hot, wild with you on his desk in his office,” Yoochun drawled, making Junsu snort with laughter and Jaejoong glare at him.

Jaejoong watched with a dreamy expression and Junsu bounced up and down in excitement while Yunho gave his speech about how DBSK managed to achieve what they have now, the obstacles they had to face and the sacrifices they had to make. The audience was completely enraptured by Yunho and his enigmatic words; there were quite a few awed expressions and some teary eyes.

Yoochun, however, was watching their youngest member.

Changmin was just idly swirling the champagne in his glass, giving a small, sad sigh now and then.

“What’s wrong, Changmin-ah?” Yoochun asked seriously, unable to take it anymore. Changmin looked up at him warily, and Jaejoong and Junsu looked away from Yunho to watch them.

“What do you mean, hyung?” Changmin said quietly.

“You know perfectly well what I mean! Seriously, Changmin! Don’t think we haven’t noticed how you seem so off lately! Aren’t you happy at all that we’re starting our own company now?” Yoochun questioned.

“Huh? What? Of course I’m happy! I’m very glad that we have our own company and that we don’t have to answer any more to greedy bastards and just let our artistic inclinations be free!” Changmin insisted.

“Then, why are you so moody and upset these days? Heck, I’d even go as far as to say that you’re depressed!”

Changmin’s expression became stony.

“You know why,” he said darkly, before turning around and stalking off into the crowd.

Jaejoong, Yoochun, and Junsu all sighed heavily as one as they watched their maknae disappear among their many guests.

Because, yes, they knew perfectly why.

And there was still nothing that any of them could do about it.

So, they just shook their heads and made themselves listen to Yunho again, joining the crowd in clapping wholeheartedly when Yunho finished his speech a few minutes later.

“Where’s Changmin?” Yunho asked with a frown as he returned to them, immediately noticing the absence of their youngest.

“Oh, you know, the usual…” Jaejoong sighed, shrugging a bit. “Going off to sulk somewhere by himself…”

“Again?” Yunho asked wearily, running his fingers through his hair.

But then, Changmin was momentarily driven away from their minds when a distraction arrived in the form of Hangeng.

“Great speech there, Yunho,” he smiled, shaking Yunho’s hand.

“Thanks, hyung.”

Hangeng was one of the first artists to join DBSK’s new company.

Only some months after DBSK won their lawsuit case against SM, the Korean entertainment industry was shocked once again when Super Junior’s Hangeng also filed a case to have his contact with the said agency terminated in December 2009. Elfs, as well as other people from other fandoms in the K-pop world, were devastated by how Super Junior lost one of their members. And SM’s name was ruined even more because of this. Fans were even more upset when, after his contract being terminated, Hangeng flew back to China to take some time off.

Things started to look brighter, though, when Hangeng returned back to Korea a little over a month ago and went straight from the airport to the new premises of DBSK’s company and signed with them. That brought back the hope for the fans. At least Hangeng was back and now in the company of his old friends. Now the Elfs are only just waiting for the rest of Super Junior to leave SM and join DBSK’s company so that they can be reunited with their old member.

“You’ve got everything settled for y