Disclaimer: I do not own Super Junior or DBSK or SM Entertainment
Lee Donghae has just started college. But something's funny about the school's dance program. How will he survive his time at school and what kind of drama will he face? A Super Junior fanfiction with cameo appearances by other artists. EunHae and others.
Rated M for now since there may be some violence, swearing, suggestive themes later.
Music echoed throughout the semi-dark practice room. It was a slow ballad. Guitar ornamentations caressed the main piano theme, and a light, underlying drumbeat gave the music its framework. But just as the main singer stepped up to the microphone, the guitarist stopped playing and raised both his hands in frustration.
"This isn't right. It's too simple. We're missing something."
"Hey!" The young brown-haired boy turned around at the shout. "Henry! You're Henry, right?"
The boy named Henry looked around for the person calling his name. In the distance, he spotted a figure bolting towards him. As he watched, the indistinguishable figure turned into very familiar face.
"Donghae!" He cried happily.
"Hey! You remember me! I was so worried, since orientation was so long ago."
"Haha, how could I forget? It's not like we spent every day hanging out or anything." Donghae chuckled at the younger's sarcasm. "Did you just come in from Mokpo?"
"Yeah, about an hour ago. When'd you get here?"
"I arrived in Korea about a week ago, but I've been living in a hotel up until now. I needed some time to adjust to the massive time difference."
"Yeah, Canada's pretty far. I swear. I'm so glad I ran into you! This school is so big."
"Yeah. Stroke of luck, eh?"
As Donghae and Henry walked down the campus towards the assembly hall, Donghae spotted a few figures in the distance. They weren't walking. They weren't running. It looked a bit like they were dancing, but he couldn't tell for sure. He craned his neck trying to see clearly, but the sun was getting in his eyes.
"Come on, we'll be late!" Henry muttered as he tugged the sleeve of Donghae's shirt. Disappointed, Donghae turned back towards his friend and the two ran towards the auditorium.
The president's welcome speech lasted for a good two hours. Henry had to keep nudging Donghae to keep him awake. By the time the speech was over, however, Donghae's energy seemed like it had never been gone. Henry laughed as he watched his friend bound out of the building and tumble onto the grass, breathing out a sigh of relief.
"Finally! It's over!"
"You've never been one for stuffy academic lectures, have you?" Donghae smiled up at his friend.
"Nah, I'd much rather do something physical. Dancing, acting, sports… even singing. It's much more entertaining than listening to someone talk to you about what you should be learning."
"I hear you. That's why I'm majoring in instrumental performance. Then I can control where and when I play, and what I learn." Donghae propped himself up on his elbows just as Henry sat down.
"You're majoring in instrumental performance? What instruments do you play?"
"Well, you heard me play piano at orientation, right?"
"Well yeah, we spent hours in that room, messing around with duets."
"I also play guitar, and-"
"Really? Will you play for me?" Henry looked a bit taken aback. But then suddenly, he smiled.
"Sure, let's go to my room, and I'll grab my guitar. I'd rather play outside though – the weather's really nice."
Donghae jumped up.
"Let's go!"
Ten minutes later, Donghae and Henry sat on the grass just outside the freshman dorms. Henry was strumming quietly on his acoustic, while Donghae hummed along quietly.
"Did you know, Hae?" Henry asked as his fingers continued gliding over the strings.
"Mm…?" Donghae mumbled, immersed in the music.
"This school's musical production facilities are amazing. They have all the equipment any musician could dream of getting his or her hands on!"
"Like what?"
"Microphones, pop filters, amps, high quality cameras, synths… like, everything! I wish I could name them all! I would have liked to reserve a studio and mess around with the equipment, but the recording studios are reserved for upperclassmen…"
"We could take you there if you'd like."
Donghae and Henry looked up at the owner of the high-pitched voice – the newcomer. A male of average height with simply styled auburn hair stood before them, accompanied by a friend with darker hair, who was slightly taller.
"You seem to play guitar really well." The shorter of the two said. "We're looking for a new guitarist to add some depth to our songs. Would you like to join our band?"
Henry looked back and forth between to two, perplexed by the difference in attitude. While the shorter of the two seemed interested, open, and friendly, the brunette looked away from the conversation, cold and quiet. Sensing the confusion, the brown-haired person spoke again.
"Ah, sorry. Let me introduce us. We're sophomores here and we've formed a band with a few other students." He gestured at his friend. "This is Kyuhyun, our lead singer, and I'm the guitarist. My name is Sungmin."
Donghae looked around in amazement. In all his life, he had never seen a facility such as this. Chrome and stainless steel shone all around him. He wanted to explore, but was so afraid that he might accidentally break one of the foreign objects. One side of the room was covered in stereo equipment. Lights blinked cheerfully out at Donghae, who shifted his gaze to the soundboard on a large table. The table also supported a high-powered computer. On the screen were a few windows of complicated music editing software. Sitting at the computer allowed the user to look through a large, clear Plexiglas window and into the actual recording room in which three sets of microphones with pop filters, a keyboard, and a drum set at the back had been set up. An electric guitar was propped up against the wall of the room.
"This is our studio. We received special permission from the president of the school to use this whenever we please."
Henry looked at Sungmin, stunned.
"How did you get the president to agree to that?"
"Well… our band has been pretty successful. Did you know our school has a policy that gives promising groups special treatment?"
"Yeah…" Henry mumbled, trying to recall something. "I heard that SM Entertainment had recruited a five member group from this school after seeing them perform at the talent show. Dong Bang Shin Ki… or something."
Donghae smiled. Just hearing the name brought back memories.
"What?" Henry asked Donghae, intrigued by his sudden smile.
"Nothing!" Donghae chuckled, smiling sweetly at his friend.
"Anyway," Sungmin continued on as Henry shot Donghae a look of interest before turning back to face his upperclassman, "this policy is pretty recent. In fact, it started last year, after their recruitment. The school hopes that the company will return and continue to recruit its students. This will further bolster the school's reputation."
"That's crazy…" Henry muttered as he watched Kyuhyun enter the recording room to adjust the microphones. At that moment, the door to the studio opened and two students walked in.
"Hey guys!" Sungmin cried happily, hugging the smaller of the two.
"Hyung… I can't breathe." Sungmin immediately released him.
"Sorry Wookie. I'm just so happy. You got my text right? I found us another guitarist!"
"If he's good enough and agrees to join, that is." The taller of the two said seriously. Donghae noted absently that he was rather good looking. Sungmin pouted.
"I heard him playing before, and I think he'd be perfect. Anyway, let me introduce you." Sungmin said. "This serious-looking party-pooper is Siwon, our drummer." Siwon shot Sungmin a look that was plainly ignored. "Ryeowook is our keyboardist and composer. He composes all the songs and manages the recording equipment. I don't think we could have reached our current level of success without him." Ryeowook blushed.
"Nice to meet you." He said.
"Hey, I'm Henry."
"And I'm Donghae. I'm just here to watch on though. Henry's the star of the show." Henry punched Donghae's arm.
Ryeowook chuckled and entered the recording room, followed by Siwon.
"Well, I really think you'd make a great addition to our band, Henry. Why don't we play something for you to see if it perks your interest?"
Henry nodded, and Sungmin stepped into recording room.
"Normally, we don't all play in the studio at once." He called from the door. "But we're not actually recording today, so we'll just leave the door open. That way, you'll be able to hear us."
Once the band members had all taken their positions, Siwon nodded at each member and then started off with a light, but rather complex drumbeat. Ryeowook came in next, with slow chords, graced further by Sungmin's melodic guitar theme. After about four measures, growing in volume, Kyuhyun stepped up to his microphone.
Henry and Donghae looked at each other, watching as he opened his mouth. They had never heard his voice before.
As soon as he started singing, however, Donghae and Henry couldn't take their eyes off him. For someone who seemed so cold and silent in the beginning, his voice was unbelievably rich and warm. At intervals, Sungmin and Ryeowook chimed in. Their singing voices were almost identical in timbre, providing a unified harmony.
Donghae nudged Henry's arm, transfixed by the sight before his eyes.
"I think you should seriously consider joining this group… It could give you some amazing experience and leverage towards your future…"
"Yeah… I don't even think I need to consider…"
"How did you like it?" Ryeowook asked happily.
"That was… amazing!" Donghae gushed. "I can't believe you're students of the same school as us! It was so professional…"
"And Kyuhyun-hyung! Your voice is just… amazing!" Donghae nodded in agreement.
Sungmin, Ryeowook, and even Siwon, burst into laughter as Kyuhyun smiled dryly.
"What?" Henry and Donghae asked in unison, baffled by their strange reactions. "You don't think his voice is good?"
Sungmin snickered playfully.
"It's not that, you see."
"You shouldn't call him 'hyung.'" Siwon added.
"Kyuhyun's actually around your age. He skipped up a year."
"He might even have to call you 'hyung,' you see. When are your birthdays? He was born on February 3rd, 1988." The three band members looked excitedly at Henry.
"Uh… he's still my hyung… I'm '89."
"Aww…" All three members sighed disappointedly.
"What's wrong?"
"We were so looking forward to meeting a freshman that Kyu would have to call 'hyung.' He's so disrespectful to his actual hyungs too…"
Henry looked at Donghae and Donghae shrugged.
"… Well… Donghae… he's '86."
"What?"
"Yeah…" Donghae smiled sheepishly. "I decided to attend college after a taking a couple years off post-high school."
"Really? What made you decide to attend college again?"
"Well… I want to be in the entertainment industry. My childhood dance friend, who was really successful – at this school, actually – suggested that I apply. So I decided to take his advice and applied here…"
"Dance friend? Are you majoring in dance?" Siwon asked, dubiously.
"No, I'm undecided… why?" Siwon looked hesitantly at Kyuhyun, and then back at Donghae pitifully. Kyuhyun shook his head.
"Stay away from this school's dance troupe." Kyuhyun muttered tersely, and then walked out of the studio.
"Sorry. Kyuhyun's a bit bitter about the imbalance in funding… There's also the issue o-"
"The dance troupe he mentioned is one of the other potential groups that receives special treatment?" Donghae asked curiously, accidentally cutting Sungmin off. He was feeling a bit excited at the prospect of being able to dance on stage, and so early in his college life.
"It's the only other entertainment group apart from ours, actually." Sungmin smiled wryly. "But if you're a dancer, Donghae, you might as well go check it out and see if you're okay with it. If you audition and get in, it'll be good for your resume."
"If I'm okay with it…?"
"You'll see what I mean."
"And what's with the imbalance in funding?" Henry asked cautiously.
"The manager of the dance troupe, Heechul, is the son of the CEO of a famous celebrity management company." Siwon said. "In other words, he's very rich. Although the school gives the same amount of funding to both groups, the school has also given him permission to use his own personal funds for the troupe. It's put us at a bit of a disadvantage, you see." Siwon checked his watch. "Anyway, it's getting late, so let's settle this."
"Henry you said you were interested in joining?" Sungmin asked him, smiling playfully, once more.
"Yeah, I think it would be amazing to work with a group like yours!"
"Wonderful! We'll send you an email about our practice schedules and any other information you'd need to know. But for now, tell us a little more about yourself, what you're majoring in, what instruments you play… and stuff like that."
"Uh, well I play piano, guitar, and violin. I'm majoring in instrumental performance – wait why do you need to know my major?"
"Well aside from natural curiosity, knowing your major also allows us to plan our practice schedule around your classes. We'll also know how much time you can put in." Ryeowook said kindly.
"Right…" Henry smiled sheepishly.
"So you'll need a lot of practice time for your major too…" Sungmin muttered thoughtfully.
"Well," Henry said hurriedly, "I can definitely make time for the band." He shuffled his feet, unnerved by the potential problems he foresaw in making the schedule.
"Don't worry about it. Ryeowook's also in music, Siwon is political science, and Kyuhyun… God, Kyuhyun. He's majoring in law with a minor in math. Our schedules are all packed, so our practices usually take place late at night. I hope that's okay with you."
"Yeah, shouldn't be a problem. But what about you, hyung? What's your major?"
"Me? I'm doing visual arts." Sungmin chuckled. "Not nearly as strenuous as law, but still." The room filled with laughter. "It's getting late. You two should head back soon since the first day of classes is tomorrow." Sungmin turned around to close the recording room door, but then paused. "Actually, let's exchange phone numbers first."
Donghae watched as Henry exchanged numbers with the three other members.
"Okay, we need to lock up here, so you two go ahead." Sungmin said, waving goodbye. As Donghae and Henry stepped past the threshold, he added, "And Donghae, feel free to come by any time. We love having friends over!"
"Thanks!" Donghae called back with a smile.
"You know, I feel like there's a lot of tension between the dance troupe and the band." Donghae muttered to Henry as they quickly walked back towards the freshman dorms. It was getting dark, and both were still a bit unfamiliar with the rather large campus.
"Yeah… Are you going to join the troupe?"
"You think it'll be a problem?" Donghae asked sadly. "I don't want to get on the bad side of Sungmin and his friends."
"Think about your future, Hae." Henry clapped Donghae on the back. "Besides, Sungmin-hyung encouraged you to try out for it, right?"
"True… but honestly, I don't even know anything about the troupe. Where do you think I can find information on it?"
Then something caught Donghae's eye in the distance.
"Actually, never mind. Go ahead, I'll text you a bit later okay?"
"What's going on? Is everything okay?" Henry called, but Donghae had already set off across the campus at a rapid sprint.
Donghae slowed his pace as he approached a circle of light provided by an adjacent street lamp. He noticed that the area was slightly hidden from view by the abundance of trees that littered the area, and thanked lady luck that he managed to catch sight of the otherwise elusive figure. Donghae watched quietly from the edge of the circle as the thin auburn-haired dancer in the center of the light displayed moves Donghae had never even dreamed were possible. The dancer was so engrossed in his dance, moving to the beats from his headphones, that he didn't notice his spectator.
Author: Eeee! Super Junior in school! I've always wanted to try my hand at writing a story like this. I have no idea how it will turn out though lol.