Kpop Sickfics & Hurtfics

The Strength in Letting Go (O.de)

The stadium was filled with electric energy, lights flashing in sync with the pulsating beat of Xdinary Heroes' performance. O.de could feel the adrenaline rushing through his veins, the roar of the crowd like a wave that carried him from one note to the next. They were halfway through their set, and the excitement from the fans only pushed them harder with each song. As the opening chords of their intense track "Freaking Bad" echoed through the venue, O.de gripped his keyboard, ready to throw himself into the performance like he always did.

The song started, and everything else faded away—the stage lights, the equipment, the noise from the outside world. It was just him, his music, and the fans. He was lost in the rhythm, his fingers dancing over the keys, body moving in time with the rest of the band. But in a moment of overexcitement, O.de took an enthusiastic step back, his foot slipping slightly on the raised platform. He spun to regain his balance, but it was too late. His shoulder slammed hard into the sharp edge of the stage equipment—a crash that sent pain shooting down his arm.

O.de's breath hitched, but he quickly forced a grin, glancing out at the crowd. The fans didn't notice—at least, he hoped they didn't. The noise, the lights, and the energy were too powerful for such a small misstep to stand out, right?

He straightened up, ignoring the dull throb in his shoulder, and continued playing, fingers shakier than before. He pushed the pain to the back of his mind. It was nothing. Just a bruise. He'd deal with it later. This show was important, and they were in the middle of one of their most popular songs. His fans were having the time of their lives, and the last thing he wanted was to ruin the moment for them.

As the song progressed, though, the pain began to grow sharper. Each movement sent a fresh wave of discomfort through his shoulder, spreading across his chest. O.de gritted his teeth, trying to focus on the keys, but his movements grew stiff, less fluid. His arm felt heavier with each second, and the usual ease with which he played started to vanish.

He glanced at his bandmates out of the corner of his eye. Jungsu, standing at his mic, shot him a concerned look, his eyebrows furrowing in the dim light. Jooyeon was still playing the bass, but O.de could feel his eyes flicker toward him, noticing the sudden change in his energy. Gaon and Junhan, too, were subtly adjusting their positions, as if they could sense something was off.

Even Gunil, behind the drum set, was drumming with one eye on him, his expression masked by the flashing lights but his body language betraying his concern.

O.de pressed on, telling himself it was nothing. He had performed through worse, right? This was just a temporary sting—he could push through it. But as the song reached its peak, the pain became unbearable. His hand trembled, and he missed a note, the sound jarring in his ears.

That's when Jungsu discreetly stepped forward, taking center stage with a quick flourish, pulling the crowd's attention toward him. Jooyeon followed, moving to the other side of the stage, drawing eyes away from O.de as he subtly stepped back from his keyboard. The other members adjusted their positions without missing a beat, covering for him as O.de took a few shaky breaths.

He clenched his jaw, cursing under his breath. They had noticed. Of course, they had noticed. But they didn't stop the performance—because O.de didn't stop. They knew him well enough to know he would want to keep going, no matter what. And yet, they were still looking out for him.

The song ended, the last note ringing through the venue, and the crowd erupted into cheers. O.de bowed his head, trying to hide the grimace on his face. His shoulder was screaming in pain now, but there was still one more song to go. Just one more, and then he could rest.

Before the next song started, Jungsu leaned in close, his voice barely audible over the noise. "You okay?"

O.de nodded stiffly, keeping his smile plastered on for the fans. "Yeah, I'm good."

But Jungsu didn't look convinced. He gave a small nod to the others, and they all subtly shifted again, giving O.de more space. Gunil's drumming slowed slightly, the rhythm easing up just enough to give O.de a chance to recover. Junhan's guitar riff softened, and Gaon played more dynamically to pull the audience's attention toward him.

The final song began, and O.de did his best to keep up, though his movements were smaller, more controlled. The pain was too intense to ignore now, but with the members adjusting the performance around him, he managed to get through it.

When the lights dimmed for the final time and the concert came to a close, O.de let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. They bowed to the fans, waving and smiling as the audience chanted their names. O.de mustered up the energy to wave back, but his shoulder throbbed with each movement.

As soon as they were backstage, Jungsu was at his side, his worried expression no longer masked by the stage lights. "Let me see," he demanded, reaching for O.de's shoulder.

"I'm fine," O.de insisted, stepping back, but the movement sent another jolt of pain through him, and he winced.

"You're not fine," Jooyeon said firmly, appearing at his other side. "You could barely move by the end of the show."

"It's just a bruise," O.de muttered, but even he didn't believe his own words.

"You hit that equipment hard," Gaon said, crossing his arms. "Let's get you checked out. It's not worth risking something worse."

Gunil, ever the leader, stepped forward with a calm but firm tone. "O.de, we're not asking. We're taking you to get checked out. No arguments."

O.de opened his mouth to protest again, but the looks on their faces made him hesitate. They weren't just his bandmates—they were his friends, his brothers. And the concern in their eyes was real, too real to ignore.

He sighed, finally relenting. "Alright, fine."

The tension in the room eased slightly, and Jungsu helped him sit down while they called for the medic. O.de sat quietly, his hand resting on his injured shoulder as the adrenaline from the performance wore off, leaving him feeling drained. The pain was sharper now, no longer dulled by the excitement of the stage.

Jooyeon crouched beside him, eyes scanning O.de's face. "You really scared us out there, you know."

O.de forced a weak smile. "Didn't mean to."

Junhan stood behind them, his usually playful demeanor replaced with a rare seriousness. "You don't have to act tough all the time, you know. We're here for you."

O.de glanced at them, the weight of their words settling over him. He had always been the one to push through, to keep going no matter what. But tonight, he realized that sometimes, it was okay to let others take care of him.

"Thanks, guys," he murmured, his voice quieter than usual.

The medic arrived and carefully examined his shoulder. After some gentle prodding and a few painful winces from O.de, the medic confirmed that while it wasn't broken, it was definitely sprained, and he would need to rest and avoid using it for a while.

"Rest?" O.de echoed, eyes widening. "But we have rehearsals—"

"No rehearsals for you," Gunil said, cutting him off with a firm but gentle smile. "We'll adjust the set until you're better."

O.de wanted to argue, but one look at their determined faces told him he wouldn't win this battle. And for once, he didn't mind losing.

As the night wore on and the initial sting of the injury began to fade, O.de leaned back against the couch in their dressing room, his shoulder wrapped in a bandage. Jungsu sat beside him, scrolling through his phone while the others chatted quietly nearby.

O.de looked around at his bandmates—his friends—and felt a warmth that had nothing to do with the lights or the adrenaline. He had always thought he had to be strong, had to push through every challenge alone. But tonight, he realized that strength didn't always mean going it alone. Sometimes, real strength came from letting others help you when you needed it.

And with these guys by his side, he knew he didn't have to face anything on his own.