SEVENTEEN | SICKFICS - HURTFICS I

Vernon | Stairs Part I

It was a chilly afternoon in Seoul, and the members of Seventeen were gathered in their practice room, preparing for their upcoming concert. The energy was high, except for one member who was noticeably quieter.

"Vernon, you good?" Joshua asked, glancing over at him. Vernon was huddled on the couch, wrapped in a hoodie, looking pale.

"I'm fine hyung," Vernon replied, though his voice was weak.

"Hyung, you look like you've just been dragged through a snowstorm," Dino teased, but his eyes were filled with concern.

"Maybe we should take a break," Woozi suggested, noticing Vernon's flushed cheeks.

"Hyung I'm fine really." Vernon insisted, but he shivered slightly, and the warmth of the room felt overwhelming.

"I think you have a fever," Mingyu said, walking over with a worried frown. "Let's check."

"I don't need-" Vernon started, but the look in Mingyu's eyes made him relent. "Okay, fine."

Mingyu pulled out a thermometer from their emergency kit and handed it to Vernon. "Just put it under your tongue for a minute."

Vernon sighed but complied. The rest of the members gathered around, watching intently.

"What if he's actually sick?" DK said, biting his lip. "We have a concert soon!"

"Then we'll figure it out," Joshua reassured him, glancing at Vernon. "Just focus on getting better."

After a minute, Vernon took the thermometer out and stared at it. "Uh... it says 39 degrees."

"Wow, that's not good," Seungkwan exclaimed. "You should've said something earlier!"

"I didn't want to be a bother," Vernon mumbled, looking down.

"You're part of the group. If you're not feeling well, it affects all of us," Jeonghan said gently, placing a hand on Vernon's shoulder. "We need you healthy for the concert."

"I'll be fine hyung," Vernon insisted weakly, but his voice lacked conviction.

"Let's get some medicine and a cool towel," Hoshi said decisively. "We need to bring down that fever."

"Can't we just do a quick practice first?" Vernon asked, looking hopeful.

"Absolutely not," Seungcheol said firmly. "You need to rest."

"Yeah, we can practice without you for today," DK added. "We'll make it work. Just focus on feeling better, okay?"

"Alright, alright," Vernon relented, his resistance fading as he sank deeper into the couch.

As the members bustled around, planning how to care for him, Vernon couldn't help but feel grateful. Despite his fever, the warmth of their camaraderie wrapped around him like a cozy blanket.

After an intense practice session, the members wrapped up, glancing over at the couch where Vernon lay, shivering slightly and still asleep. His face was pale, and the worry etched on their faces deepened.

"Should we wake him up?" DK whispered, concern in his voice.

"I think he needs to rest," Joshua replied softly. "But we should definitely get him home."

"Alright, let's carry him," Mingyu suggested, glancing at the others. "He's not waking up anytime soon."

They all nodded in agreement, gently moving toward the couch. Hoshi leaned down, careful not to disturb Vernon too much. "One, two, three!"

With a coordinated effort, they lifted him off the couch, wrapping his arms around Mingyu's neck. He felt so light, yet the burden of caring for him weighed heavily on their hearts.