The Smile That Faded- Ni-ki

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Author's note: Hey guys I really wanted to write this hurtfic of Ni-ki because I still cant understand why he got saur much hate for nothing. Like . . . I mean . . . He was a kid back then . . . T-T

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The lights were warm, the atmosphere electric with happiness as the members of Enhypen gathered around to celebrate Sunoo’s birthday. Laughter echoed through the dorm as they teased Sunoo about growing older, their bond as strong as ever. The cake sat in the middle of the table, its single candle flickering in the dim light.

Ni-ki, the youngest of them all, couldn’t stop grinning. He loved moments like this—when they could let loose, laugh, and celebrate like a family. As the others began singing, he noticed the candle’s flame dancing in the air. His mind raced with curiosity. What if I could blow it out without using my breath? A mischievous spark ignited inside him, the way it always did when he was about to try something new.

Before anyone could stop him, Ni-ki swiftly brought his hand down in a sharp motion, sending a gust of air toward the candle. Fwoosh! The flame flickered, danced for a second, and then went out.

The room fell silent for a beat. The boys turned to him, their eyes wide in shock. Even Sunoo froze, his expression a mix of surprise and confusion.

But Ni-ki, innocent and still young, broke into a wide grin, laughing at the little trick he had pulled off. He hadn’t meant any harm—he was just excited, caught up in the moment like any young kid would be. His laughter echoed through the dorm as he clapped his hands, proud of his “magic trick.”

The others chuckled a bit after the initial shock, some shaking their heads. Sunghoon patted Ni-ki’s shoulder, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, while Heeseung said, “Only you, Ni-ki. Only you.”

But what seemed like a harmless moment to Ni-ki, a small, playful gesture in the heat of celebration, was about to snowball into something much darker.

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The next day, the video of the celebration went up on social media, and at first, it seemed like nothing out of the ordinary. The fans were showering Sunoo with love, complimenting the boys on their energy and camaraderie. But soon, the focus shifted.

Comments began flooding in, directed solely at Ni-ki.

“How could he blow out the candle like that on someone else’s birthday?”

“Ni-ki is so immature, he ruins everything.”

“He doesn’t care about Sunoo. Look at how selfish he is.”

“Disrespectful. Doesn’t he know his place? He’s always making everything about himself.”

It escalated. Fans on Weverse, Twitter, and forums began picking apart Ni-ki’s actions, twisting his innocent playfulness into something malicious. The hate poured in like a tidal wave. People were calling him arrogant, selfish, inconsiderate. They dissected his smile, his laugh, painting them as signs of immaturity and disrespect.

And Ni-ki, sitting alone in his room after practice, scrolling through the comments, felt his heart sink deeper with every word. He had never meant for this to happen. The words stabbed into him like shards of glass, each one cutting deeper than the last.

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Days passed, and the hate only grew louder. At first, Ni-ki tried to brush it off. He’d been told before that being an idol meant dealing with criticism. But this was different. The words weren’t just criticism—they were attacks on his character.

Even at fan meets, where he used to feel the warmth and excitement of Engene, things had changed. He watched as fans passed him by without even a glance, moving on to the next member without stopping at his table. Those who did stop handed him letters, but they weren’t the kind of letters that used to fill him with joy. No, these were cold, biting.

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