SEVENTEEN | SICKFICS - HURTFICS

Dk | Excalibur Part III

As the curtain rose, DK's heart raced with anticipation. The bright lights of the stage hit him as he took his first step forward, the weight of his costume settling heavily on his shoulders. He could feel the thrum of the orchestra beneath him, the vibrations of the music and the hum of the audience's energy. The stage was his, and this was the moment he had worked so tirelessly for.

He took a deep breath and stepped into character, transforming before the audience's eyes into King Arthur-the confident, commanding ruler of Camelot. The words flowed smoothly from his mouth as he sang his opening lines, his voice powerful and clear, resonating across the stage. Each note felt like an affirmation of everything he had dreamed of. He was living his dream, performing not as a member of Seventeen, but as an actor, as King Arthur. And the crowd was with him, hanging on every word.

But as much as he was living in the moment, the exhaustion was building. His body ached from the relentless rehearsals, the bruises from the physicality of his scenes, and the constant strain of pushing through the pain. His throat was raw from the hours of singing, and each time he moved, he felt a stab of fatigue in his muscles. But the adrenaline kept him going. He couldn't afford to stop now, not when everything he had worked for was finally coming to fruition.

As the play progressed, the energy from the audience seemed to fuel DK even more. He caught glimpses of his Seventeen members in the front row, their proud smiles shining in the dimmed light of the theater. Seeing them there, supporting him with such warmth, made his heart swell. Their encouragement and presence was all he needed to keep going. It was as if they were right there beside him on the stage, pushing him to perform even better, to give even more.

He smiled every time his eyes met theirs. Seungkwan gave him a thumbs-up. Hoshi waved with both hands, mouthing words of encouragement. Woozi gave him a quiet but approving nod, as if to say, "You're doing great." The connection they shared, even from the audience, made the exhaustion melt away, if only for a moment.

Each act, each scene, each song felt like a marathon, but DK powered through it all. His voice soared as he delivered his lines with intensity, his movements graceful yet commanding, his presence captivating. He was King Arthur-the leader, the hero, the one who would save Camelot. And he would do it with every ounce of energy he had left.

Two hours into the play, the fatigue was undeniable. His legs were sore, his breath short from all the running, the singing, and the non-stop acting. He had barely stopped to take a breath, let alone a sip of water, and his head felt heavy with the weight of exhaustion. His body screamed for rest, but there was no time to slow down. The show had to go on.

At one point, during a particularly intense sword-fighting scene with another cast member, he felt a sharp pain shoot through his side, but he pushed it aside. It was nothing. Just a cramp. He would be fine. He had to be. His movements were slower now, less fluid, but his focus was razor-sharp. This was his moment-his dream-and there was no way he was going to let it slip away.

The audience didn't notice the strain in his eyes. They were too absorbed in the story, the magic, the epic tale of King Arthur and his knights. But Seoyeon, who played his queen, noticed. She could see the way he fought to maintain his energy, how he was barely holding it together. Yet, she didn't say anything, knowing that this was his dream and his moment to shine. She just kept in character, supporting him with every scene, helping him where she could.

As the play neared its final act, the tension onstage reached a peak. The climax of the story was fast approaching, and DK's energy had waned to almost nothing. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his breathing was shallow. His body was shaking slightly, the adrenaline starting to wear off, but he didn't allow himself to falter. This was the most important moment. He could rest afterward.