I can't live without you.. || Chanmin

Spiraling down

A/N: just be aware school is getting busy for me so i might not be able to upload as much. maybe once or twice a week

The dorm was unusually quiet that evening, a heavy tension blanketing the space. Seungmin had spent the day resting in his bed with his ankle elevated and wrapped tightly in bandages. Chan and Felix stayed by his side, making sure he had everything he needed. But as the hours dragged on, something gnawed at Chan—a persistent feeling that things weren't right.

Seungmin wasn't improving. If anything, he seemed worse.

Chan glanced over at the bed from where he sat at the desk. Seungmin lay curled under the blankets, his brow furrowed even in sleep. His skin was paler than usual, and his breathing was uneven. His ankle, which had initially been swollen, now looked grotesquely puffy, with angry purple bruising spreading across his foot and up his leg. Chan bit his lip, anxiety clawing at his chest.

This isn't normal.

Felix walked in carrying a water bottle. His expression was somber, the usual brightness in his eyes dimmed with worry. "How's he doing?" he asked softly, as if raising his voice might somehow make things worse.

Chan shook his head. "He's not getting better. I think... it's more than just a sprain."

Felix's face tightened with concern. "Do you think we should take him to the hospital?"

Before Chan could respond, a sharp hiss came from the bed. Seungmin stirred awake, clutching his injured ankle with a grimace of pain. He sucked in a breath through clenched teeth, his face twisted in agony.

"Seungmin?" Chan was by his side in an instant, crouching down beside the bed. "Hey, what's wrong? Does it hurt worse?"

Seungmin didn't answer right away. His hands shook as he tried to sit up, and Chan could see the sheen of sweat glistening on his forehead.

"It... it feels like it's on fire," Seungmin whispered, his voice weak and trembling. "It hurts so bad, Chan."

Chan felt a jolt of fear rush through him. This wasn't just a twisted ankle—something was seriously wrong. "We need to get him to the hospital," Chan said urgently, locking eyes with Felix.

Felix nodded, already grabbing his phone to call their manager.

Seungmin shook his head weakly, panic flashing in his eyes. "No... I'll be fine. I just need—"

"Seungmin, stop," Chan interrupted gently but firmly, taking his hand. "This is serious. We need to make sure you're okay."

Seungmin opened his mouth to argue, but a pained gasp escaped instead, his body curling in on itself as another wave of pain shot through his ankle. Chan's heart twisted at the sight.

"Hang in there, Minnie," Chan whispered, squeezing his hand tightly. "We've got you."

Felix ended his call and gave Chan a grim nod. "Manager's on his way. We'll get him to the ER."

The next few minutes were a blur. Chan and Felix carefully helped Seungmin sit up and draped an arm over each of their shoulders to support him. Seungmin winced with every step as they guided him toward the front door.

"Almost there, mate," Chan whispered, his voice soft and soothing. "Just hang on a little longer."

When their manager arrived, they bundled Seungmin into the car, and the ride to the hospital felt like it took hours, though it was only fifteen minutes. Seungmin lay slumped in the back seat, his breathing labored. Every bump in the road made him flinch, and it tore Chan apart to see him in so much pain.

The hospital lights were blinding when they finally arrived. Nurses rushed to their side as soon as they saw the state Seungmin was in. He was whisked away in a wheelchair, and Chan and Felix followed closely behind, their hearts heavy with worry.

They waited anxiously in the sterile waiting room, the minutes stretching unbearably. Chan bounced his leg nervously, his hands clenched into tight fists on his lap. Felix sat beside him, unusually quiet, his gaze distant.

Finally, a doctor approached them, his expression calm but serious. "Seungmin's injury is more severe than we initially thought," he explained. "It's not just a sprain—it's a fracture, and there's significant swelling that may indicate a deeper issue. We're admitting him for further tests."

Chan felt the air leave his lungs. A fracture. That meant weeks—maybe even months—of recovery. It meant missing the performance. It meant Seungmin would spiral, feeling like a burden again.

"Can we see him?" Chan asked, his voice strained.

The doctor nodded. "He's been given pain medication, so he's resting. But yes, you can see him."

When they entered Seungmin's room, the sight of him hooked up to an IV, his ankle propped on a pillow, was almost too much to bear. Chan swallowed the lump in his throat and moved to Seungmin's side, gently brushing the hair from his forehead.

Seungmin blinked his eyes open slowly, groggy from the medication. His lips parted as he saw Chan, and a flicker of embarrassment crossed his features.

"I... I messed everything up, didn't I?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.

"No," Chan said firmly, his hand resting on Seungmin's. "You didn't mess anything up. This isn't your fault."

Seungmin closed his eyes, tears slipping down his cheeks. "I just wanted to get it right..."

"You did, Minnie." Chan's voice cracked, but he held back his own tears. "You've already done more than enough."

Felix sat on the other side of the bed, his hand resting gently on Seungmin's arm. "We're with you, no matter what," Felix whispered.

Seungmin let out a shaky breath, and though pain and exhaustion weighed heavily on him, there was a glimmer of relief in his eyes.

And as Chan sat beside him, holding Seungmin's hand, he silently vowed that whatever happened next, he wouldn't let Seungmin carry this weight alone.