Kpop Sickfics and Hurtfics Part 2

Fractured Bonds (Wooyoung)

The Kingdom: Legendary War set was abuzz with activity as ATEEZ rehearsed for their next performance. Wooyoung, ever the social butterfly, had been splitting his time between his group's practices and chatting with friends from the other competing groups. Stray Kids' Felix had become a particular favorite of his, their shared goofy energy making them instant partners-in-crime during breaks.

But not everyone found Wooyoung's bond with Felix amusing.

"Do you ever stop talking about him?" Changbin's voice cut sharply across the practice room as Wooyoung animatedly recounted a joke Felix had told earlier.

Wooyoung blinked, confused by the sudden harshness. "What do you mean?"

Changbin crossed his arms, frustration etched on his face. "You've spent all week glued to Felix. What happened to us hanging out? I barely see you anymore unless it's in passing."

"Changbin, that's not true!" Wooyoung protested. "Felix is fun to talk to, but that doesn't mean I've forgotten about you."

Changbin scoffed, his voice rising. "It sure feels like it. Every time we hang out, all you do is talk about him! Do you even realize how that makes me feel?"

Wooyoung opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out. He hadn't meant to hurt Changbin. He was just being himself—friendly and enthusiastic. Before he could form an apology, Changbin threw up his hands.

"Forget it. I don't want to hear it." With that, Changbin stormed out, leaving Wooyoung standing there, stunned and hurt.

The days that followed were excruciating for Wooyoung. Changbin avoided him at every opportunity, and no amount of attempts to apologize seemed to get through. The once-close friendship that had been a source of comfort and joy for Wooyoung now felt like a gaping wound.

At first, he tried to distract himself. He threw himself into rehearsals with ATEEZ, joked around with San and Yeosang, and kept up appearances during filming. But the weight of the rift with Changbin lingered, casting a shadow over his usually bright personality.

As the days stretched into weeks, the strain began to take its toll.

It started with sleepless nights. Wooyoung would lie in bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying the argument over and over in his head. His mind was a whirlwind of guilt and self-recrimination. He thought of all the things he could have said differently, all the ways he might have avoided this fallout.

His roommate, San, noticed the change almost immediately.

"Wooyoung, are you okay?" San asked one morning, watching Wooyoung poke listlessly at his breakfast.

"I'm fine," Wooyoung mumbled, forcing a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

San frowned but didn't press further.

The sleeplessness soon escalated. Wooyoung began showing up to rehearsals looking pale and exhausted, his movements lacking their usual sharpness. Hongjoong pulled him aside after a particularly grueling session.

"Wooyoung, what's going on? You've been off lately," Hongjoong said, his tone gentle but firm.

"I'm just tired," Wooyoung replied, avoiding his leader's gaze.

"Then rest," Hongjoong insisted. "We need you at your best."

But rest wasn't an option for Wooyoung. Every time he closed his eyes, the weight of his fractured friendship with Changbin pressed down on him, making sleep impossible.

The first panic attack struck during a joint rehearsal with Stray Kids. The two groups were running through a segment where they were paired up for a collaborative stage. Wooyoung spotted Changbin across the room, talking to Hyunjin. The sight of him brought a rush of emotions—guilt, longing, frustration—all crashing down at once.

His chest tightened, and his breathing grew shallow. The room began to spin, and his heart pounded like a drum.

"Wooyoung?" San's voice cut through the haze. "Are you okay?"

Wooyoung nodded weakly, clutching his chest. "Just need air," he managed to whisper before stumbling out of the room.

San followed him, finding him sitting on a stairwell, trembling and gasping for breath.

"Breathe with me," San said, sitting beside him and taking slow, deep breaths. Wooyoung tried to mimic him, and gradually, his breathing steadied.

"Thanks," Wooyoung muttered, wiping his face.

San didn't push for answers, but his concern deepened.

One night, after another rehearsal, Wooyoung returned to the dorms only to find himself staring at his phone. The urge to call Changbin was overwhelming, but fear held him back. What if Changbin didn't answer? What if he rejected him again?

He set the phone down and buried his face in his hands. The tears came then, hot and uncontrollable.

San, who had been passing by, heard him and immediately rushed in.

"Wooyoung, talk to me," San said, pulling him into a hug.

Through choked sobs, Wooyoung finally let it all out. He told San about the fight with Changbin, the guilt he couldn't shake, and how much he missed his friend.

"I feel like I'm falling apart," Wooyoung admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

"You don't have to go through this alone," San said softly. "Let me help you."

Meanwhile, Felix had noticed the tension between Wooyoung and Changbin and decided to intervene. He approached Changbin after a Stray Kids rehearsal.

"Hyung, can we talk?" Felix asked.

"What is it?" Changbin replied, his tone clipped.

"It's about Wooyoung."

At the mention of his name, Changbin stiffened. "What about him?"

Felix hesitated before saying, "He's been struggling, hyung. I think he really misses you."

Changbin's expression softened slightly, but he said nothing.

"He talks about you all the time," Felix continued. "I think he was just excited about making new friends, not trying to replace you."

Changbin sighed, guilt creeping in. "Maybe I overreacted."

With Felix's words lingering in his mind, Changbin decided to reach out. He texted Wooyoung late one night, asking to meet.

When Wooyoung saw the message, his heart skipped a beat. He replied immediately, agreeing to meet at a nearby park.

The conversation was awkward at first, but slowly, they began to open up. Wooyoung apologized again, explaining that he never meant to make Changbin feel left out. Changbin admitted that his jealousy had clouded his judgment.

"I missed you, you know," Wooyoung said, tears in his eyes.

"I missed you too," Changbin replied, pulling him into a hug.

With their friendship mended, Wooyoung began to heal. The panic attacks subsided, and he started sleeping better. His performances regained their energy, and his usual vibrant personality returned.

Through it all, Wooyoung learned an important lesson about the fragility of relationships and the importance of communication. And with Changbin by his side once more, he felt whole again.