Seventeen | Sickfics - Hurtfics I

Hoshi | Over Exhaustion

For the past few weeks, Hoshi and the rest of the team had been working tirelessly on their comeback song. Their schedule was grueling, stretching from 6 pm to midnight for dance practice. Hoshi, however, often stayed in the studio until 3 am, pushing himself to create new choreographies and think of fresh formations for the group. His dedication to his craft was evident, but it came at a cost. Sometimes, Dino would accompany him, but after a recent high fever, the youngest member had been told to rest and regain his strength, leaving Hoshi to work alone.

One evening, as the clock neared 3 am, Seungcheol called out to Hoshi as the rest of the members prepared to leave for the night.

"Hoshi, we're going now. Only until 3 am, okay?"

"Yes, hyung. No worries," Hoshi replied, his voice quiet but resolute.

After three intense hours of choreography work, Hoshi packed up his things, preparing to head back to the dorm. He didn't want to risk receiving any scolding from his hyungs, so he opted to walk home. The cool night air wrapped around him as he strolled through the empty streets, the silence soothing in its own way.

When he arrived at the dorm, the darkness greeted him, the only light coming from a dim lamp left on in the living room. His members were all fast asleep, their quiet breaths filling the space with a peaceful rhythm. Hoshi quietly made his way to the shared room he had with Jun, Wonwoo, and Woozi. The sight of them sleeping soundly brought him some comfort, but his own body was beginning to betray him. He dropped his bag onto his bed and took a quick shower to refresh himself, hoping the hot water would ease the tension in his muscles. After drying his hair, he collapsed onto his bed, his exhaustion catching up with him. He quickly fell asleep at around 4 am, barely able to keep his eyes open.

The next morning, Hoshi was stirred awake by a gentle voice. Jeonghan's voice was soft and warm as he called out to him.

"Soonyoung... Soonyoung... darling, wake up. Breakfast is ready."

Hoshi groaned softly, reluctant to leave the warmth of his bed. His body ached, every muscle sore from the weeks of practice. He didn't want to show Jeonghan how much he was hurting, so he hid the discomfort behind a neutral expression. He couldn't afford to fall ill, especially with Dino just getting better. He didn't want to burden anyone.

"I'll just go and get ready, hyung," Hoshi said, trying to mask the fatigue in his voice.

Jeonghan nodded, a soft smile on his lips. "Alright, we'll wait for you downstairs."

Hoshi dragged himself out of bed and shuffled to the bathroom, trying to shake off the stiffness in his body. As he looked in the mirror, he couldn't ignore how pale he looked. His reflection was a stark reminder of the toll the long hours of practice were taking on him. After taking some painkillers in hopes of easing the soreness, he made his way downstairs.

At the kitchen table, his members were already eating. Dino was there too, looking much better than before, and Hoshi couldn't help but smile at the sight of his younger brother back to his usual self.

"Dino, how are you? Feeling better now?" Hoshi asked, his voice softer than usual, a slight hint of concern in his tone.

Dino looked up and grinned, nodding. "Yes, hyung. Thanks to all of you hyungs."

Mingyu, ever the protective one, chimed in, his voice warm. "No worries, just don't strain yourself too much for now."

Vernon, ever observant, glanced at Hoshi with a furrowed brow. "Hyung, you look kinda pale. Are you okay?"

Hoshi waved it off with a weak smile, trying to reassure them. "Ah, yes. Just didn't get enough sleep, that's all."

Joshua, looking concerned, added, "Do you want to stay back today?"