The Boy In Pink

Epilogue: Always The Boy In Pink

I lay on the bed of our room in the dorm. It was May 2013, 5 years after our summer together, and Sungmin was busy with the others filming their Japanese single, Hero.

I lay in my nightdress, rubbing my stomach and reviewing my life. Super Junior had been temporarily reduced down to 9 members. Kibum was active in 2009 when they released their single Sorry Sorry, and celebrated the success which followed it, but now he was inactive again, still following his acting career.

Leeteuk, Heechul and Yesung, the three oldest members of Super Junior, all went out to serve their time in the military. Heechul left first in 2011, after the release of Mr Simple. Most of the boys were upset, but they knew he would return. He was coming back August of 2013, and all of the boys were looking forward to it.

Leeteuk left next in 2012, following the release of Sexy, Free and Single. He knew he had to do it sometime, and even though he didn’t want to leave the group, and the boys didn’t want their ‘Mommy’ to leave either, he knew he had no choice. There were weepy farewells, but everyone eventually got over it as time passed.

Yesung just left as the boys started filming Hero. He recorded small parts of it, as well as taking part in the Asian leg of their Super Junior Show 5 tour, but from May 6, he was part of the army. EunJung was really upset: they were married, and they had a son, 1 year old Tae-Won. Yesung didn’t want to leave his family and his hyungs, but, like Leeteuk and Heechul, he had no choice.

Kangin also went out to the army, in 2010. He was absent for Acha, Bonamana, Mr Simple and S.P.Y. He came back in 2012 to film and record Sexy, Free and Single and was now out with Sungmin and the others.

When Hankyung returned from Beijing 2008, he avoided Sungmin and me together at all costs. He was still friends with Sungmin, but he didn’t talk to me at all.

After filming Sorry Sorry and It’s You, Hankyung was inactive.

“Why isn’t he participating?” I asked Sungmin while we were filming No Other. Yes, we. Remember the girl coming down the stairs to see Sungmin playing the keyboard? That was me!

Sungmin sighed heavily. “He’s suing SM for being unfair. Apparently, he wants out of Super Junior but they won’t let him. He has taken SM to court. We all know that’s not truly the case, but just a cover up to protect you, me and Super Junior”

I asked no more. We closely watched the court’s progress with the case, and the next year, the boys’ fears were confirmed. Hankyung was no longer part of SM Entertainment, which meant he was no longer part of Super Junior.

“I feel really bad: SM got publicly bad-named because of me” said Hankyung. “They’re not bad people: it was just…my past and my controversies”

“Don’t worry, hyung, they understand” said Leeteuk, flinging an arm over Hankyung’s shoulder.

I stood in the corner of the room in guilt. It seemed like it was my fault that SM was given a bit of a bad name!

He got everyone’s numbers and the dorm address, and facebook names so that they could keep contact. He hesitated, then got mine too.

“You’re still my friend” he said warmly. “Can you load your number onto my new phone?”

“Sure” I said. I loaded mine onto his and he loaded his onto mine. From that day we talked on the phone sometimes and chatted on Facebook, but we never saw each other in person.

So I was lying on the bed in our room and I switched the TV on. I watched Video Hits for an hour, and Sorry Sorry came on. I smiled when Sungmin sang. As soon as Hankyung started singing, my eyes teared up and I started fingering the heart locket which I almost never took off. I rubbed my stomach and tears fell on my nightie.