“Hana, dul, set~”

“Kamsamnida!”

The member os Super Junior bowed, thanking the staff of Inkigayo for their work, as they left for the dorms. As they piled into the large van, their manager - Kim Junghoon - congratulated them on a job well done, “It’s nice to see you all back in the game.”

“Gomawo, hyung~”

Junghoon smiled as they chimed a thanks to him. Driving to the dorms in near silence, everyone sat straight in their seats when they took notice of what seemed to be police cars, parked in front of their complex.

“Hyung,” Donghae’s voice trembled slightly, “Why are the police here?”

"Calm down, Donghae. I don’t think they’re here for anything bad.”

As the van rolled to a stop, a police officer looked over and a frown slowly crossed his face.

“Wait here.”

Junghoon jumped out of the drivers seat, rounding the front of the van and headed over to where three officers were talking, a few feet away.

“What do you think they’re telling him?” Donghae asked, clutching Eunhyuk’s sleeve tightly.

“I don’t know Hae, but it doesn’t seem to be bad. They’re not forcing their way over to arrest anyone, so it must be something else.”

Some of the members looked at Leeteuk, who shrugged and said, “Don’t ask me, I’m as clueless as the rest of you.”

They all slunk back in their seats; disappointed their leader didn’t know what was happening.

After a good few minutes of talking with the officers and a lot of muffled shouting that the boys strained to hear from inside the van, Junghoon came back to open the door next to where Siwon sat and stuck his head inside - a slightly confused and slightly disturbed look on his face.

"Boys, I think you all need to come out and hear this for yourself, instead of me telling you."

 

------------------------------

 

"I'm a what?!"

"You seem surprised, Mr Park. Were you not aware you had a child?"

Leeteuk shook his head, positively stunned at Officer Yoon's statement.

"H-how old is she?"

"She's just turned 15, Sir."

15.

"I've had a daughter, for fifteen years... I never even knew."

I would have been 20 when she was conceived and 21 when she was born... Leeteuk thought, trying to remember just when and how he could have possibly knocked up some girl to have a child.

"We've put her into a safe house for now, while we get medics to check her over in the morning. The crash was quite intense. Her mother died instantly and she was knocked unconscious for quite a while. It took paramedics around 10 minutes to wake her.”

“C-can I see her?”

The officer looked surprised at his question.

“Of course, Mr Park. She’ll be undergoing tests at Seoul Hospital at around 9 tomorrow morning. You’re welcome to come and see her then.”

Leeteuk nodded and thanked the officers before they drove away.

 

------------------------------

 

It wasn’t until later that night when it all finally clicked.

“I KNOW WHO THE MOTHER IS!”

The members came running from their respective bedrooms and kitchen, into the lounge where Leeteuk was slapping himself on the forehead, muttering about being stupid and oblivious.

“Hyung!” Ryeowook called, grabbing the leader’s hand and pulling it away from his face, “Calm down and explain to us what happened.”

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Leeteuk began to explain;

“I was 20 at the time, she was 2-3 years my senior. It was Inyoung noona’s engagement party. She, no we, must’ve had a few drinks and we ended up at her place. I don’t even remember her name, that’s how slammed I was. Anyway, all I remember is going home with her, leaving in the morning when she was still asleep and then forgetting all about her. I never saw her again.”

Donghae and Kyuhyun whistled lowly, all the members glancing at each other in disbelief.

They’d never thought their angelic leader would be capable of something like that.

“So,” Siwon started cautiously, “What are you going to do now?”

Leeteuk sighed and slumped into the couch, “Take responsibility of course. Her mother just died and she’s my daughter. I’m not letting her live without a parent.”

“But she could be put into a foster home, or an orphanage.”

“No.”

Eunhyuk flinched at the harshness of Leeteuk’s voice.

“Sorry,” he apologised, voice suddenly tired and hoarse, “But I grew up with a father who beat me and who hated me. I will not be like my father. She’s my daughter and I’ll take responsibility for her.”

Standing up, Leeteuk winced as the bones in his body creaked and joints cracked.

“Well I’m going to bed. Anyone who wants to come to the hospital with me better be up and ready by 8:15.”

Some members hummed their agreement as Leeteuk meandered off down the hall and shut the door of his bedroom quietly.

Glancing around the room, Siwon clutched his bible and rosemary beads tightly;

“God have mercy on us all.”