Kpop Sickfics and Hurtfics Part 2

Shadows of the Past (EJ)

MalakMimi541

EJ was no stranger to sleepless nights. As the leader of &TEAM, the weight of his role often pressed heavily on his shoulders, leaving him lying awake, staring at the ceiling. Every decision he made, every word he said, every move he choreographed circled endlessly in his mind. Tonight was no different—except it was. The vivid nightmares had returned, dragging him into a storm of memories from his time on I-Land.

The blinding stage lights. The sound of his name being called during evaluations. The suffocating silence before an elimination announcement. Even though years had passed since those grueling days, the shadows of those moments still clung to him like cobwebs. Recently, those shadows had grown darker, more vivid, invading his dreams and leaving him gasping awake.

He hadn't told anyone. He couldn't. "It's in the past," he whispered to himself for the fifth time that night, gripping the blanket tightly around his body. "It's over."

But his body betrayed him. The stress and lack of sleep left him nauseous during rehearsals. His appetite vanished, and even the smell of food turned his stomach. He chalked it up to exhaustion, convincing himself it was temporary—just a passing phase.

That night, as his team slept soundly in their shared dorm, EJ finally drifted off only to wake an hour later, gasping for air. His chest felt tight, his throat raw, and his heart raced like it was trying to escape his ribcage. The memory of standing on the I-Land stage flashed behind his closed eyelids. He bolted upright, disoriented and overwhelmed by the sudden surge of nausea.

Clutching his stomach, EJ stumbled out of bed, careful not to wake his roommate. The bathroom door closed behind him with a soft click as he braced himself against the sink. The first wave of retching hit him violently, leaving his body trembling with effort. When he finally stopped, he glanced at his hands, heart sinking as he noticed streaks of blood mixed with saliva.

Panic set in. This isn't normal. What's happening to me? The thought echoed in his mind as he gripped the edge of the sink, trying to steady himself. Another wave of nausea surged, and he doubled over again.

"EJ?" Fuma's groggy voice called from outside the bathroom. The older member must have heard him rush out of their room. "You okay?"

EJ tried to respond, but the words caught in his throat. He felt the room spinning as his knees buckled. The last thing he remembered was the sound of the door creaking open and Fuma's panicked shout before everything went black.

EJ came to on the cold bathroom floor, his body weak and trembling. Fuma knelt beside him, his face etched with worry. "EJ, can you hear me?" he asked, his voice unsteady as he gently shook EJ's shoulder.

EJ nodded weakly, his vision still blurry. "I'm fine," he mumbled, though the coppery taste of blood lingered in his mouth.

"You're not fine," Fuma snapped, his usual calm demeanor replaced by fear. "You fainted, and there's blood. We need to get you help."

Before EJ could protest, Fuma was already shouting for the others. The dorm erupted into chaos as the members rushed to the bathroom, their sleepiness replaced by alarm.

"What happened?" K demanded as he pushed through the crowd, his eyes narrowing at the sight of EJ pale and slumped against the wall.

"Is he okay?" Nicholas asked, his voice trembling as he hovered behind K.

Jo, Yuma, and Harua arrived next, their eyes widening at the blood on EJ's hands and the sink. Taki and Maki followed shortly after, still rubbing sleep from their eyes until they saw the scene.