Moonshine (Stray Kids ninth member)

Red Days

Moon wanted it all to end.

The pain was unbearable. She had woken up that morning with cramps and realized her period was due.

She knew some idols took medicine to prevent it, but due to her strong aversion to medication, every month she suffered.

They had dance practice, so she dragged herself out of bed and went to the bathroom. She grabbed a pad and put it on. Then she washed her face and put on sweatpants and one of Felix's shirts.

"Ready to go?" Chan called from the end of the hall.

"Almost!" Soyeon called back. She grabbed her bag and went to go to JYP Entertainment.

"That's the fifth time you've messed up," Minho noted as the music faded away. "Are you okay, Moon?"

Moon simply fell to the floor, groaning in pain.

"Moon!" the members all surrounded her. "What's wrong?"

She grabbed Jisung's hand and dragged herself up.

"Red days," she said simply as she staggered over to the couch.

Red days was the code the members used when Soyeon had her monthly menstrual cycles.

The members all made sounds of understanding. It suddenly made sense why she kept messing up.

"We forgot!" Jeongin said, distressed. "We never forget!"

"Well, we obviously did this time," Seungmin said. "I think her red days bag is in the recording studio though."

"Why'd you come to practice if you were on your period?" Chan asked in concern.

"Responsibilities. Make the pain stop," she groaned.

The members exchanged looks before scattering.

After a few minutes, Chan returned with a hot water bottle.

Felix had brownies.

Minho had multiple bags of chips.

Han had Moon's Mang stuffie.

Seungmin held Soyeon's earbuds and ipod.

I.N had pillows.

Hyunjin had blankets.

Changbin had some vitamin water.

Soyeon couldn't help but smile.

The members had a bag of stuff to use when they had to go to the company while Moon was on her period, and they had designated items to retrieve.

She had protested at first but they told her it would have no effect, so she gave up.

Jeongin helped Soyeon sit up so he could arrange the pillows for her. Hyunjin put the blankets on her and Han handed her the toy.

Felix set the brownies beside the couch on the ground and Changbin set the drink down too.

Seungmin handed her the ipod and earbuds, already set to the first song in her red days playlist.

Chan gave her the hot water bottle.

"Thanks guys," she muttered. "I'll continue to practice in a bit."

"You think we want to practice with you when you're on your period?" Minho said incredulously. "You get insanely grumpy and kind of mean. I'm surprised you've gone this long without snapping."

"It's not my fault I get emotional," Soyeon huffed.

"Exactly my point." Minho smiled. "Just relax, Moon. Practice when you feel up to it. We'll just practice twice as hard the week after it ends."

She wanted to protest, but she knew he was right. She got really emotional during her period, and instead of crying, she would get grumpy and irritable. She only cried when she got overwhelmed on her period, and the rest of the time she would snap at her members and pick fights, which would result in her crying since she can't handle fights. It was an unfortunate time for her. She also was extremely harsh and brutally honest, and sometimes condescending when she was on her period.

It led to her members doing everything they could to avoid any disasters.

"Fine," she reluctantly said. "Thank you, guys."

"It's better than the alternative," Hyunjin said teasingly.

Moon smiled and closed her eyes as her members went back to practicing.

She would practice once her period ended and her cramps weren't killing her.

She loved to fall asleep, the only time the pain didn't register.

She knew in a month it would return and they'd go through the process again.

But she also knew her members would do anything to avoid her being pissed at them.

So she wasn't worried. She just waited until sleep claimed her.