Kpop Sickfics & Hurtfics

Fading Echoes (Seunghan)

RIIZE will always be ot7

Seunghan sat in his dimly lit apartment, staring blankly at the phone in his hand. The announcement had gone out earlier that day: "Seunghan of RIIZE will be taking a temporary hiatus due to personal reasons. We kindly ask for fans' understanding and support during this time." No details. No explanations. Just a vague, impersonal statement that only made everything worse.

For hours now, his phone had been vibrating with messages from concerned fans, friends, and even some members of the industry. He should respond. He should thank them for their support and reassure them that he was fine, that he would be back soon. But every time his fingers hovered over the screen, the words refused to come. His throat felt tight, not from illness or injury, but from the suffocating pressure of uncertainty.

When the hiatus was first discussed, Seunghan had agreed to it reluctantly. It made sense, logically. There had been whispers—rumors that had grown too loud to ignore—and he understood the need to step back, to let things cool down. But what was supposed to be a brief break had dragged on far longer than he expected. Days turned into weeks, and now the weeks felt endless.

At first, it had been a relief to disappear from the relentless pace of idol life. The constant schedule of rehearsals, performances, and public appearances had been exhausting, and he'd welcomed the chance to rest. But that relief had quickly morphed into something else—something darker.

Now, every day felt like a question mark. What was he supposed to do with all this free time? His mornings started with a sense of aimlessness, and by evening, the silence of his apartment became unbearable. There were no cameras, no interviews, no fans calling his name. Just... nothing. It felt like he had disappeared from the world.

He pulled up the group chat with the rest of RIIZE. Normally, it was filled with chaotic messages—Shotaro sending selfies of them in the dance studio, Eunseok cracking jokes, and Anton and Sohee throwing memes at each other like they were in a constant battle to see who could be funnier. Seunghan usually loved it. Even when he was busy, the messages made him feel connected, a part of something bigger. But lately, he'd been quiet.

Scrolling through, he saw that they were rehearsing without him. The next big performance was coming up soon, and they'd been working hard to perfect their moves. He should be there with them, practicing and sweating it out together. But instead, he was here, alone.

A message popped up on the screen.

Shotaro: "Hey Seunghan, we miss you at practice. Hope you're doing okay. Don't forget we're here if you need anything!"

Seunghan stared at the message for a long time, his heart twisting painfully in his chest. Shotaro was always so thoughtful, always reaching out to make sure everyone felt included. It should've made him feel better, but instead, guilt gnawed at him. He felt like a burden. The group was moving on without him, adapting to his absence, and he hated it.

Seunghan: "I'm fine. Just resting up. Hope you guys are killing it at practice."

He forced himself to send the reply, even though it felt like a lie. He wasn't fine. He was barely holding it together.

Days passed, blending into each other in a monotonous blur. Seunghan tried to keep busy—watching movies, scrolling through social media, even attempting to write some lyrics. But nothing could hold his attention for long. Every time he opened social media, he saw fans wondering about his hiatus, speculating about when—or if—he'd come back. The fear crept in slowly at first, like a shadow at the edges of his mind, but it grew stronger with each passing day.

What if he never returned? What if the industry moved on, the fans moved on, and he was left behind? The thought of losing everything he'd worked so hard for was unbearable.