Stay Strong Seventeen

Xu Minghao

*Inspired from the time when The8 had to cancel his schedule due to a back injury
*Performance unit POV

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"It's just so hard for me to move right now"

The8 told Jun with a weak tone, the boy was laying on the dance floor panting heavily holding the older's hand tightly.

Minghao was in so much pain

Jun pushed the younger's sweaty hair away from his face with worried expressions.
Minghao dropped on the icy cold floor minutes ago and couldn't stand back up which made the performance team hurry to his side.

At first, they thought that Minghao was just exhausted but obviously it was more than that.

"You got hurt?" Hoshi asked frantically the second he came into the practice room seeing Minghao on the floor with a worried Jun. He wasted no time to speculate what has happened.
Minghao swallowed thickly, he closed his eyes and nodded in pain

"WHERE?" Hoshi asked sprinting his way to lean closer to him on the ground

"My back it's just ..." Minhao sighed, he seriously couldn't move anymore, this was going on for the past three days and he couldn't hide the pain any longer

Few days ago, The8 was reheasing with his team members when he landed roughly on the floor.
Everybody ruhed to him immediately, he winced saying that it was just a minor fall.
He didn't even think much of it at first, but as time went by, after long practices and shootings, his back pain escalated and he couldn't hide it anymore.

Hoshi was extremely worried, him and Jun tried to help The8 to stand up but they couldn't. Minghao was practically screaming under their touch and the two eldest felt the need to get some help.

They called S.coups who was soon followed by Dino.
Being their leader, Scoups was better at handling situations like this. In his time, Hoshi has seen a lot of injuries as the leader of the Performance team as well, he remained calm holding nothing but Minghao's best interest at heart.

"Okay" Scoups kneeled down next to Minghao, the boy looking weaker by the second, still panting, biting over on his lips to suppress the pain
"Can you at least stand up?" S.coups asked but Minhao shook his head with a wincing expression

"No"

"Is it a bruise? What am I looking at here Hao, a broken rib?" Hoshi tried to make a joke but it didn't make Minghao feel any better.
He sat down near The8's waist line where he was still holding Jun's hand, the younger using it as a stress release, pressing on it too hard trying to distract himself

"No"

"Okay, how about you rest for a while? But don't move we don't know how bad it is"

Hoshi suggested and Scoups agreed "We can give you some painkillers and we'll call the doctor here"

That was okay, ... for now at least they hoped and Minghao nodded.
Dino, who was only a few feet away from the whole scene, immediately left to get the painkillers. The youngest of all was frozen the entire time, he joined Scoups as he heard him talk to Hoshi over the phone, they were fine when he left earlier and now this.

The practice room was starting to get suffocating for Minghao, they tried to remain calm as they waited for the doctor to come, taking a step away from Minghao as he needed more space to breathe.

Jun, with his hand tightly intertwined with Minghao's, started speaking in their native language, giving him all of his attention as they had a small conversation.
The older nodded replying back to whatever Minghao was telling him and no matter what it was, Hoshi and Scoups knew for sure that Jun was trying to make the younger feel better and probably distract him with some stories.

A chuckle was heard, Minghao laughed at something Jun said. The older with a grin on his face somehow proud of himself for making the younger laugh. He was definitely tryin to distract him.

Minutes later, Dino came back with a medicine box in his hands. Minghao was staying still on the ground, S.coups holding him up a little as he winced and suppressed his painful muffles.

"Why you didn't say anything earlier?" Hoshi asked after he helped the younger gulping down his pills "I thought we agreed about not hiding things like these" Hoshi sounded really concerned. Minghao laid down this time resting his head on Jun's thigh

"I'm sorry" Minghao muffled closing his eyes and breathing deeply, having no energy to go through the lecture

His breaths were slowly getting better, he focused so bad to push the pain aside for a second and just breathe. He wasn't moving so the pain wasn't that bad

About 15 minutes later, their manager came rushing inside with the doctor.
Not moving him was the right thing to do.
He safely commenced his first aid treatment, he said that he didn't suspect anything too bad or broken, it shouldn't be that serious, a muscle injury, or a sprain. In worst cases, it will be a herniated disk.

They watched as the doctor placed him gently on the stretcher and they all walked outside by his side until the paramedic closed the doors to the ambulance. Jun was talking in Mandarin to Minghao the entire time, something within the lines of
"Don't worry you'll be fine"
"We will see you soon" ... "Don't stress yourself" ... "I'm always here for you"

It has been almost three hours since Minghao was taken away by the paramedics.
They all went home after that, and waited for his return. Everybody was worried, The8 wasn't the type to get sick or injured easily, this was indeed a rare thing to happen.

The door key click was loud and clear for everyone to hear and immediately gather in the hallway just to see Minghao

"Hey kido are you okay?" Jun was the first to arrive and ask the younger who looked drained. The manager had a gentle arm around his waistline supporting him a little as he walked which was soon replaced by Jun's secured hand.

Minghao didn't say much a "Yeah I'm fine" and "Don't worry" but none of them were satisfied with the answer.
Jun walked him slowly to the living room couch where he sat him down gently, Minghao swallowed and closed his eyes in the process still in pain.

"It's nothing serious, just a back sprain, but he needs to take few days off, no dancing until he fully recovers" the manager gave them the news but it didn't mean that Minghao was in any less pain

"I'm okay, just a little tired" Minghao said resting his head on Jun's shoulder for a bit, his breaths rather profound. He is doing better at least he can walk now but the pain was still there

"Okay how about you just lay down for now and rest?" Jun said offering the boy his hand, and Minghao agreed. Jun slowly helping him to sit and walk all the way to his bed.
He Helped him change while speaking in their language, in times like these, it was more reassuring to speak it comfortably, he made sure that he wasn't in pain as he laid down and stayed with him until he finally fell asleep.

Hoshi softly knocked on their door opening it gently looking for Seventeen's Chinese duo only to find Jun sitting by Minghao's side on the bed "Hey" he greeted

"Hey" Jun answered picking his head up to meet the other

"How is he?"

"Better I guess ... just sleeping"

Hoshi smiled at the sight of the younger sleeping soundly next to Jun
"Okay ... let me know once he wakes up we will order some comfort Chinese food and ... watch tv?"

Jun smiled "Sounds great, I'm sure he'll appreciate it"