SEVENTEEN | SICKFICS - HURTFICS

Seungcheol | Cardiac Arrest Part I

Seungcheol sat at his desk, the dim light of his lamp illuminating the stacks of papers and schedules in front of him. He rubbed his temples, the weight of the world pressing down on his shoulders. He had been given more responsibilities than ever, and the pressure was mounting.

His phone buzzed, and he saw a message from Jeonghan.

Jeonghan: "Hey! You coming to the practice room soon? We're just about to start."

Seungcheol typed back, trying to keep his tone light.

Seungcheol: "I'll be there in a bit! Just finishing up some things."

He took a deep breath, trying to shake off the exhaustion. He knew he should tell them about the extra work, but he didn't want to worry them. They had enough on their plates.

A few minutes later, he walked into the practice room. The members were gathered, stretching and chatting.

"Cheol!" Jeonghan called out, looking up with a grin. "You're late! What were you doing?"

"Oh, you know, just some stuff for the company," Seungcheol replied, forcing a smile.

Mingyu raised an eyebrow. "Stuff? You always say that hyung! You should tell us what's going on."

"It's nothing serious, really. Just the usual," Seungcheol deflected, settling down next to them.

"Come on, don't be like that! We're a team hyung," DK chimed in, stretching his arms. "If you're swamped, we can help!"

Seungcheol shook his head. "I appreciate it, but I've got it covered. Just a few extra meetings and reports."

"Extra meetings?" Jeonghan teased. "Are you secretly a manager now?"

Seungcheol chuckled, trying to keep the mood light. "No way! Just a lot of planning for the next comeback."

As practice went on, Seungcheol pushed himself harder than usual, trying to hide his fatigue. But when the session ended, he felt the weight of exhaustion settle in again.

"Hey, Cheol," Joshua said, catching him off guard as he wiped sweat from his brow. "You've been off today. Everything okay?"

"Yeah, just a bit tired," Seungcheol replied, avoiding eye contact.

"Really?" Joshua looked concerned. "If you need to talk or if something's bothering you..."

"I'm fine! Really," Seungcheol insisted, a hint of frustration creeping into his voice. "I promise."

"Okay, okay. Just making sure," Joshua said, raising his hands in surrender.

As they headed to the dorm, Seungcheol felt the guilt wash over him. He wanted to be open with them but felt that he needed to shield them from his burdens.

Later that night, as he lay in bed staring at the ceiling, the weight of his responsibilities felt heavier than ever. Maybe one day he'd let them in on the truth, but for now, he'd keep it to himself.

With a sigh, he closed his eyes, wishing for a moment of peace amid the chaos.

Morning sunlight streamed through the curtains as Seungcheol woke early, the sound of the city just starting to stir. He tiptoed to the kitchen, the familiar scent of fresh coffee grounding him. Cooking breakfast was a small comfort amidst the chaos, and he found solace in preparing a hearty meal for his members.

As he flipped pancakes and scrambled eggs, he thought about how much he cared for them, wanting to shield them from his burdens. He arranged everything on the table, a colorful spread of food, and stepped back to admire his work.