SEVENTEEN | SICKFICS - HURTFICS I

Hoshi | Storm Part I

It had been a long day for Seventeen. After hours of perfecting their choreography and practicing for their upcoming performance, the members were finally home. Exhaustion hung in the air as they sat around the large dining table in their dorm, but so did a sense of camaraderie. Dinner was a mixture of homemade dishes, takeout, and snacks they'd scavenged from the kitchen.

"Woozi hyung, this kimchi fried rice is fire," Vernon said between bites, shoveling another spoonful into his mouth. He leaned back slightly in his chair, his usual cool demeanor softened by his evident hunger.

"Thanks," Woozi replied, barely looking up from his plate. "I just threw it together. You guys should start cooking more often, though."

"Hey, I made ramyeon yesterday!" Seungkwan chimed in defensively, pointing his chopsticks at Woozi.

"Yeah, and you almost set the stove on fire," Hoshi teased, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Do you know how hard it was to clean the mess you left behind?"

Seungkwan groaned. "Can't a guy live without being dragged for once? I was trying to help!"

"Next time, leave the cooking to someone else," Mingyu said with a smirk, holding up his hands like a seasoned chef. "I'll handle it. My jjajangmyeon is still undefeated."

Jeonghan leaned forward with an exaggerated sigh. "Mingyu, you act like we're on MasterChef or something. We all know you just want compliments."

"Because I deserve them!" Mingyu replied, grinning wide.

Meanwhile, Joshua was carefully peeling an orange, a serene smile on his face. "Guys, let's just be grateful we're eating at all. Do you remember when we had no time to even sit together like this?"

Jun nodded. "True. These moments are rare these days. We should cherish them."

"Cherish them?" DK cut in, dramatically clutching his chest. "Does that mean I can steal your chicken if you cherish me?"

"Touch my plate and see what happens," Jun replied calmly, though there was a glint in his eye.

Across the table, Dino was stuffing his face with a piece of kimbap. "Hyung, you're all talk," he mumbled through his food. "Jun-hyung's the nicest person here. He wouldn't do anything."

Jun gave Dino a pointed look. "Don't test me, maknae. I'm tired, not powerless."

"Let's not fight over food," S.Coups said with the authority of a leader, though his expression was relaxed. "We need energy for tomorrow. Wonwoo, pass me the soup?"

Wonwoo silently slid the pot of soup across the table, his movements precise and efficient. "Careful, it's still hot."

Minghao, sitting beside him, nudged him lightly. "You've been so quiet. Are you that tired?"

"Just saving my energy," Wonwoo replied with a small smile. "You're unusually talkative tonight, though."

"That's because someone has to balance all this chaos," Minghao said, gesturing around the table.

At the head of the table, Hoshi was laughing so hard at something Seungkwan said that his shoulders shook. "You really have no filter, Seungkwan. I love it."

"You love it because I say what you're too scared to say," Seungkwan shot back, a smug grin on his face.

Amid the laughter, Woozi looked up from his plate and glanced at S.Coups. "Do you think we're ready for the performance?"

The room quieted slightly as everyone's attention turned to their leader. S.Coups chewed thoughtfully before answering. "We're close. But tomorrow's another day to work hard. Let's not stress too much about it tonight."