Seventeen | Sickfics - Hurtfics I

Seungcheol | Overworked Part II

Mingyu had been watching Seungcheol closely since the beginning of practice. Every labored breath, every mistimed step, every fleeting moment of unsteadiness—he saw it all. And deep down, he knew. Something was wrong.

His suspicions were confirmed just before their final dance practice ended.

Seungcheol suddenly stopped moving.

Mingyu's breath hitched as he turned to look at him. Blood trickled from Seungcheol's nose, stark against his pale skin.

"Hyung!" Mingyu shouted, rushing to him.

Seungcheol's dazed eyes met his for a brief moment before his knees gave out. Mingyu barely managed to catch him before he hit the ground, cradling his limp body against his lap. The faint rise and fall of his chest were the only signs that he was still conscious, though his breathing was dangerously shallow.

The rest of the members gathered in a panic.

"Hyung, wake up! Please!" Mingyu pleaded, shaking him gently, but there was no response.

Jeonghan dropped to his knees beside them, his hands hovering uncertainly before finally pressing against Seungcheol's burning forehead.

"Somebody get a towel! His nose is still bleeding!" Jeonghan ordered, his voice thick with worry.

Dino scrambled to his bag, quickly pulling out a towel and passing it to Jeonghan, who pressed it against Seungcheol's face. Meanwhile, Joshua had already dialed emergency services, his voice steady but urgent as he relayed their location.

Jeonghan's jaw clenched. "He's burning up... How long has he been like this? Did anyone know he was sick?"

Mingyu hesitated before speaking. "Wonwoo, Vernon, and I noticed he wasn't well in the van earlier. He had a fever, but he didn't say anything. I've been keeping an eye on him since then."

Jeonghan's sharp gaze locked onto him. "Then why didn't you tell me?"

Mingyu lowered his head, guilt gnawing at him. "Because... I think he didn't want any of us to know. He didn't want to be a burden."

Silence fell over the group.

Dino and Seungkwan sniffled quietly, their worried faces buried in their hands. The others stood frozen in place, unsure of what to do, how to feel. They had all seen Seungcheol push himself time and time again, but none of them realized just how much he had been hiding.

Minutes later, the paramedics arrived. By then, Seungcheol's nosebleed had stopped, but he remained unconscious. Mingyu and Jeonghan moved aside as the medical team assessed him, checking his vitals before carefully lifting him onto a stretcher.

One of the paramedics turned to the group. "Who will accompany him?"

Jeonghan didn't hesitate. "Mingyu, you go. We'll follow as soon as we can."

Mingyu nodded and quickly climbed into the ambulance. Inside, he watched as the paramedics worked swiftly—placing an oxygen mask over Seungcheol's face, securing an IV into his hand, and attaching a pulse oximeter to his finger. One of them drew blood, likely for testing.

"What happened to him?" a paramedic asked.

Mingyu swallowed hard. "He had a high fever earlier, but he didn't say anything. Then, before practice ended, he got a nosebleed and collapsed."

The paramedic nodded. "Thank you. That helps."

The rest of the ride was a blur. Mingyu barely noticed when they arrived at the hospital, only snapping out of his trance when Seungcheol was wheeled into the emergency room. Left with nothing to do but wait, he paced anxiously in the lobby, hands clenched into fists.