The comeback (Chapter 32)

It’s a nice day in summer. The long awaited day for Super Junior fans to see their president being released from the army. It’s been 2 years or to be precise, 21 months, since they last sees Leeteuk on the entertainment stage. They missed him. 

On the other side of the area, the members of Super Junior are also gathered outside the military camp waiting for their leader to appear. The space that he left when he went to the army makes them feel how empty they are without him. He is the one that always bring the team together whenever there's a disagreement between them. Even though he always pays them a visit when he's on holiday from the service, it’s just not the same as standing together with him on the stage, performing to the crowd.

The screaming from the fans is getting louder when they saw Leeteuk's appearance. He went out of the gate, looking straight at his fellow member. His eyes went teary; it’s a good 2 years experience with the army, but it won’t help take away the feeling of longing and missing the Super Junior team works.

He hugged each one of them. He misses his team so much. This is the moment that he waited for the last 2 years.

He waved at the crowd of E.L.F who has been waiting for him from early in the morning. Glad that his fans still waits for him after 2 years. His eyes went searching for someone in the middle of the crowd. Someone that he hopes will turn up today.

An interview session is being prepared specially for his returned.

“Congratulation for your successful 2 years military service. Do you have any come back plan with Super Junior anytime soon?” The media is asking him as the respected leader of Super Junior.

“First of all, thank you for coming. I’m really touched with people who turned up today. I wouldn’t expect it would be this big.  I cannot talk about my come back with the team yet as we all know they are having their own activities now. But I’m sure SM has some plan for us. With my comeback, I'll be giving my very best to everybody.” He said while looking at his members, nodded agreeing to his words. The last 2 years when Leeteuk went to the army, Super Junior members mostly having an individual activity rather than group activity. His comeback brings up hopes of the fans for SuJu to return as a group again.

Leeteuk looked at the crowd again, still searching for someone.

“You’ve been looking at the crowd for a few times. Who are you looking for?” Asked Eunhyuk who stand next to him.

“Is Sora-shhi here?” He whispered.

“She’s back to Korea?” Eunhyuk puzzled. He knows that Sora is currently busy with her filming and film promotion in Hollywood. But he didn’t know whether Sora is back to Korea. Hearing Eunhyuk’s answer, Leeteuk feels a bit sad. He’s hoping for her to turn up today.

"Let's go this way.." Hyun Joong, Leeteuk's manager is guiding them to the car after the interview session ended. Leeteuk, Sungmin, Donghae, Eunhyuk and Hyun Joong is riding the same car.

“Hyung, do you have any information about Sora?” Once he entered the car, he couldn’t help but to ask that question to his manager hyung. He's still hoping for some news from her.

“You’re still in contact with her? It’s been a while since we last get in touch with her. I thought the two of you break-up already.” Donghae looked at his hyung. Even though Leeteuk is asking them to take care of their sister-in-law, they’ve lost contact with her when she went to Hollywood. There's nothing that they can do other than look at her news on the international medias.

Leeteuk look at them. He's going to have a hard time explaining the situation. They are not breaking up, but these 2 years, they are not in contact with each other either.

“She gave me a card last few days, and she asked me to pass it to you” His manager interrupting their conversation while handing over the card that Sora gave to him to Leeteuk. 

Leeteuk looked at the peach colored card in front of him, his face glows.

“So it’s true that she’s in Korea now?” He asked. His manager hyung nodded. Sora did come to their office few days back to handover the card by herself. Despite of her tight schedule and people’s attention on her every move, she's making a bold move to meet him at SME office.

Attentively Leeteuk opened the card.

Oppa,

Miyant for not able to welcome you the moment you’re released from the army. I really wanted to go but my schedule won't allow me to. I’m going back to America a day after you’re being released from the army and it’s going to be harder for us to see each other when I go back to America. I don’t know what to do, but I hope I can see you at the hotel tonight.. I’ll be waiting for you ^^. Saranghae..

Sora

Unconsciously he smiled while reading the letter. Her beautiful hand writing and the style of writing still didn't change. She loves to give him a letter or card despite of the technology that they have. He missed her so much. That letter is giving him an indication that Sora is still thinking about him.

“I couldn’t believe that she stays loyal to you even after becoming such a big name in Hollywood...” Tease Eunhyuk. Everybody knows how well she's doing in Hollywood and how she's been capturing producers' interest to work with her. She's becoming one of the top actress there just within 2 years. Her popularity in Hollywood's silver screen is not a joke.

“I’ve told you she’s loyal right? What you have faced before is nothing, the real challenge is now.. But I know both of you will get over it” Sungmin is voicing out his confidence towards their relationship. Their relationship has been through lots of things and yet it’s still strong until today. It’s an indicative that they will do just fine with other challenges.

“So, you're going to meet her tonight?” Donghae refers to Sora's request to meet him.

Leeteuk looked at the letter again. Think deeply before making the decision. He needs to make it count.

“Which hotel is she staying hyung?” Asked Leeteuk. Trying to calculate the situations. It will be hard for him to run away from the fan's attention since it is his first day out from the army, but his genius mind will work out of the way to look for her.

“Ritz Carlton.. If I’m not mistaken”

“You’re really going???” Asked Eunhyuk. Shocked. Leeteuk might be a person with loose mouth before, but he's not a risk taker. He will never be one.

"Wait and see" Said Leeteuk while looked at him, smiled. A meaningful smile.

***********************

Leeteuk is scheduled to meet Lee Soo Man, their company's president this afternoon. He needs to discuss about his comeback and the team future. At the same time, Leeteuk also wanted to discuss about the way forward of his personal life. The one which he planned way before he entered the army.

“Anneyaseyo Sajang-nim” He entered the big room. Their company president's room. It can be counted with his fingers the number of times he entered that room before.

“Anneyaseyo Leeteuk-shhi! You’ve come back safely. You look great now!” He hugged him and shakes his hand. 2 years without Leeteuk feels like 2 years without Super Junior in the entertainment industry. It’s been a bit dull for them.

“Thank you sajang-nim. I’ve come back healthily as promised.” Leeteuk is brushing his pumped up arms. His body looks greater now after all the activities that he’d done in the army. He's not the skinny boy that he used to be anymore. 

"I'm glad to hear that..." Lee Soo Man said while pressing his intercomm button. "Any drinks for you?" He asked.

"It’s okay sajang-nim. I have to rush somewhere after this.." He said while looking at his wrist watch.

"If that's the case let discuss the business matters straight away.." He said while taking out some documentation from his drawer. "This is your contract extension and this year's planned activity for you as well as your team" He handed the documentation to him for him to read it through.

Leeteuk look at it, it’s the continuation of his future as a celebrity. The refined terms and conditions look okay for him. But the schedule seems to be a bit of burden to him.

"Fall?" He's asking about their comeback album. It’s planned to be released in fall. He looked at it again. With the continuation of the shows that he left before he joined the army and with the comeback album, the schedule seems a bit burdened to him. After 2 years of enjoying a rather free and easy schedule, it’s going to be a hard time for him to adjust to the hectic schedule that he had back then.

“Your fans have been waiting for your comeback. SuJu has been waiting for their leader’s comeback. It’s been 2 years since the last album and now even the members are focusing on their individual activity. Comeback album for fall's release seems to meet everybody’s expectation..”

“But the fall, isn’t it too short?” This mean they've got only a few more months to work on the comeback album.

“We do a re-package. Adding a few new songs, but others are compilation of SuJu hits. What do you think? We already have a few selection of songs for your come back. It’s definitely going to be a big hit.” Everything has been planned for them. Just waiting for the day he's going to be released. Today.

“You’ve prepared a lot for us sajang-nim. We really appreciate that.” He smiles. Glad to know about the new album release. Glad to come back to the industry.

“Treat it as a welcome back gift from me. From the company...” He smiled at Leeteuk sincerely.

“Kamsahamnida sajang-nim.” Partly bowed towards Lee Soo Man. “Actually, I have something else to ask from you..” He looked at his company’s president again. Find the courage to voice it out.

“What is it Leeteuk-shhi?”

“You know about the rumors last time?” Referring to the rumors created because of his last episode of WGM. The goodbye kiss scene that draws people’s attention and created rumors about their real relationship off-screen.

“Kang Sora-shhi?”

“Dae.. “ He nodded.

“So you’re really dating her?”

Again he nodded. “I wanted to make it public, but I need approval from you first, is it okay?” Without hesitation, he is voicing out what's in his mind.

Lee Soo Man goes near Leeteuk and pats his shoulder.

“You know she’s a big name now right? If she agrees for you to make it public, we don’t have any objection Leeteuk-shhi” He smiled. As a business man, those kinds of rumors are selling the image of their idol groups to the top and of course he wouldn’t object to that kind of situation.

“So that’s mean the company is okay with this?”

“Yes.. sure.. You’re at the right age to get married too”

“Kamsahamnida sajang-nim!!” Immediately he hugged his president. Thanking him. It’s a green light for him. It’s a green light for them.

[Another chapter left.. I'll try to update tomorrow or else, it will be next week. Sorry in advance, in case I couldn't update the chapter tomorrow ^^. Have fun this weekend with DC episode ;) ]