SEVENTEEN | SICKFICS - HURTFICS

Woozi | Bruises Part I

It was another late night, the kind Woozi was becoming all too familiar with. The dim light from his desk lamp cast long shadows on the walls of his studio, and the rhythmic clicking of his keyboard filled the silence, punctuated only by the occasional rustle of paper or a sigh escaping his lips. His eyes were tired, the kind of tired that went beyond exhaustion - it was a deep, dull ache behind his eyes that had settled in over days of little sleep and endless hours of work.

His hands trembled slightly as he scrolled through the music files, tweaking a melody here, adding a layer of harmony there. He'd been working on this song for what felt like forever, but it still wasn't "right" to him. Not yet. He had to get it perfect.

His phone buzzed on the desk, the screen lighting up with a message from Seungkwan.

Seungkwan: Are you home yet hyung? It's almost midnight!

Woozi glanced at the time, then back at the unfinished composition on his screen. His shoulders were sore, and his neck felt stiff from hours hunched over his desk. He couldn't remember the last time he'd taken a real break.

Woozi: I'm fine. Just a little more work to do.

He hesitated before sending it. He knew Seungkwan was probably worried, but he didn't have the energy to explain how tangled up in the music he was.

Seungkwan replied almost immediately.

Seungkwan: You've been saying that for the past few days... You need to eat and rest, hyung. This isn't healthy.

Woozi stared at the message for a while, unsure of how to respond. He wasn't exactly lying. There was just a little more to do, and besides, he'd already skipped dinner tonight. But he wasn't about to admit that to Seungkwan. He let out a breath, rubbing his temples.

Woozi: I'll be fine. Really. Just a bit longer.

He sent the message, but deep down, he knew he was lying. His body was protesting more than it had in weeks. Every time he moved, his joints ached - his wrists, his knees, his back. It was becoming harder to ignore. But he couldn't stop now, not when he was so close.

The sound of a door creaking open broke his concentration. He turned around in his chair to see his roommate, Joshua, standing in the doorway, eyes narrowed with concern.

"Woozi," Joshua said softly, stepping inside the room. "You're still here?"

Woozi quickly glanced at the clock again. It was later than he thought - almost 2 AM now. He hadn't even noticed the time passing.

"I'm almost done hyung," Woozi muttered, glancing back at the screen. "Just need a little more time to finish this part."

Joshua raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "A little more time?" He paused, taking a step closer. "You've been at this for hours. You barely ate dinner. And you haven't even touched the tea I made for you earlier."

"I'm not hungry," Woozi said, though his stomach was growling. "I'll eat later. I promise." He rubbed at his wrist, wincing slightly at the dull throb in his joints.

Joshua's gaze softened as he stepped closer, gently placing a hand on Woozi's shoulder. "Ji, you need to take care of yourself. You can't just keep pushing yourself like this. It's not healthy."

"I'm fine hyung," Woozi insisted, but his voice lacked the usual conviction. "It's just... a little pressure. I'm almost done with this song, and I can't stop now. It has to be perfect."

"I get it. I do," Joshua said, his voice steady but firm. "But you can't ignore your body. You're pushing yourself to the limit." He tilted his head, a small frown tugging at his lips. "I've noticed the way you've been moving. You're in pain, aren't you?"