SEVENTEEN | SICKFICS - HURTFICS I

Jeonghan | Fatigue Part II

Joshua's POV

As the concert continued without Jeonghan, I focused on channeling all my energy into the performance, reminding myself that this was what he would have wanted. The cheers of our Carats resonated in my ears, but a part of me couldn't shake the worry that clung to my heart.

Every time I glanced back at the backstage area, I half-expected to see him standing there, ready to join us. The other members did their best to keep up the energy, and we tried to reassure the fans, explaining that Jeonghan was taking care of himself.

"Don't worry, Carats!" I shouted during one of the breaks. "Jeonghan will be back soon! He's just resting up so he can give you the best performance possible!"

The crowd cheered, their support filling the arena, but my mind was elsewhere. I couldn't shake the image of his pale face, the way he swayed slightly as he fought against the dizziness. It was a constant reminder of how much we needed to take care of each other, especially when we were pushing ourselves so hard.

Finally, as we wrapped up the last song, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. We had made it through, but my thoughts immediately turned to Jeonghan. As the encore ended, I rushed backstage, my heart pounding with concern.

When I reached our waiting room, the sight of Jeonghan lying there brought a lump to my throat. He was sleeping peacefully, but the sight of the IV drip attached to him made my chest tighten.

"Is he okay?" I asked the medic, who was checking his vitals.

"He's stable, but he's severely fatigued," she replied, glancing up at me with a serious expression. "He pushed himself too hard, and he needs to recover. This IV will help hydrate him and restore some energy."

I nodded, feeling a mix of relief and guilt wash over me. "I should have noticed sooner. I should have done something."

"It's not your fault," she reassured me, her tone gentle. "He's a dedicated performer, and sometimes they don't realize how much they're pushing themselves until it's too late. Right now, he needs to rest and recover."

I stepped closer to Jeonghan, taking a moment to really look at him. His features were relaxed in sleep, but the shadows beneath his eyes told a different story. "I'm sorry," I whispered, though I knew he couldn't hear me. "I should have made you stop earlier."

The medic placed a hand on my shoulder, squeezing gently. "He'll be fine, but it's going to take some time. Just let him sleep for now. He needs it."

I nodded, taking a deep breath as I sank into a chair next to him. The adrenaline from the concert was starting to fade, leaving behind a heaviness in my heart. I wanted to be strong for him, to protect him, but it felt hard to reconcile that with the reality of what he was going through.

As I sat there, watching him breathe, the door creaked open and the rest of the members filed in. Their expressions mirrored my own-worry etched into their features.

"Is he okay?" Woozi asked, his voice low.

I nodded, though it felt like a weak reassurance. "He's just resting. The medic said he's severely fatigued, but he'll be alright."

"Did we do the right thing?" DK asked, biting his lip. "Should we have let him stay out there?"

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "We did what we had to. He needed to take care of himself. We can't afford to ignore our health, especially when it puts us at risk like this."

"Still..." Hoshi said, looking at Jeonghan with a frown. "I hate seeing him like this."

"We all do," I replied softly. "But he'll bounce back. He always does."