Sensitive

Chapter Two

Fortunately, the only thing all the members have on their schedules today is dance practice, which is why they hold occasional game nights on Tuesday. Unfortunately, it means that the choreographers and other staff are harder on them and that also means that the members are more uptight with the additional pressure. 

Practice is brutal. Jungwoo isn’t sure if it’s the lack of food he’s had or if he’s actually getting sick like Taeyong said, but he can’t seem to get his body to move correctly. He didn’t eat enough at dinner and he didn’t have his usual midnight snack, then he skipped breakfast after Taeyong and Johnny left because he just needed some space, so it would make sense. His body feels heavy and he’s sweating less than usual even though he’s working just as hard, so he’s probably dehydrated. He keeps tripping over minor steps which earns him constant berating from the staff and occasionally some of the other members. 

The six-hour practice feels like an eon and it doesn’t help that he keeps messing up. The session is usually long, but it’s even worse having to endure the time plus someone snapping at him every couple of minutes. He’s probably exaggerating, but it definitely feels like it. He feels like he’s being singled out and he’s gone from wanting to cry from getting his feelings crushed to wanting to cry out of pure frustration and anger. He spends the rest of the practice internalizing his anger and remaining stony to make it seem like he’s just void of emotion. It’s better than letting anyone know how affected he really is. Even Yuta, who’s usually really gentle with him, steps in to tell Jungwoo to focus more.

The staff even held him back after practice was done to make him go through the moves he missed. Donghyuk, Mark, and Doyoung had given him worried looks but he had ignored them. The other members left and Jungwoo was left at the mercy of their harsh choreographer for another two and a half hours. He’s exhausted and angry again when he finally finishes practicing and ends up taking the scenic route back to the dorm again because he needs to let off a lot of steam. He’s still upset when he gets back to the dorm and just wants to be left alone, but the dorm is full of all the NCT members because it’s game night. He sighs tiredly as he slumps against the front door and spies all 17 of the members gathered in the living room. He doesn’t want to do this right now. 

His body is shaking from exhaustion and he knows he won’t be able to address the issue he’s been having without snapping at all of them in this state. He’ll just have to tell them another time. His main goal right now though is to try and slip past all of the members so he can shower and hopefully just be alone. It doesn’t work.

He makes it as far as the kitchen counter before one of the maknaes sees him and then all the attention is on Jungwoo and trying to get him to join. He tries to decline nicely but the maknaes aren’t having it and even some of his hyungs gang up on him. Jungwoo sighs defeatedly and ends up plopping down in the empty space between Lucas and Doyoung who are on the outer part of the giant circle.

“Come on hyung don’t look so put out!” Donghyuk yells. “This is going to be fun!”

“Alright,” Jungwoo sighs. “What are we playing?”

“Mafia!”

Jungwoo, as well as multiple other members, groan.