SEVENTEEN | SICKFICS - HURTFICS I

Seungcheol | Burned Part III

As the minutes turned into hours, the tension in the room never eased. The members took turns sitting by Seungcheol's bedside, unwilling to leave him even for a moment. They knew the situation was still dire, but they couldn't bear to be anywhere but here, in the place where Seungcheol had always stood strong for them.

Around dawn, the door to the room opened, and the doctor returned, her expression still serious but more hopeful than before. The members stood up immediately, holding their breath.

"His vitals are still unstable," the doctor began, her voice steady. "But we've managed to stabilize his condition for now. His burns are severe, but he's strong. He's a fighter. We're not out of the woods yet, but we're seeing some improvement."

A collective sigh of relief swept through the members. It wasn't the news they had hoped for-there were still dangers, still uncertainties-but it was something. Seungcheol had fought through the night, and for now, that was enough.

"He's going to make it," Hoshi whispered, his voice thick with emotion. He squeezed Seungcheol's hand once more, as if reassuring himself as much as his leader.

"Thank you," Jeonghan said, his voice steadying as he looked at the doctor. "Please, keep doing everything you can."

The doctor nodded, giving them a soft smile. "We'll continue to monitor him closely. He's in critical care for now, but if anything changes, we'll let you know immediately."

With that, the doctor left, leaving the members in a fragile moment of peace. They gathered together around Seungcheol's bed, not sure what to say, but all feeling the same quiet relief. Seungcheol was still with them. He hadn't given up. And neither would they.

Dino stirred in the waiting area, finally waking up. His eyes were red from the tears and his body stiff from exhaustion, but when he saw Hoshi at the door, his expression shifted from confusion to concern. "Hoshi hyung... how is he?"

Hoshi gave him a small, weary smile, though the worry in his eyes didn't fade. "He's hanging in there, Dino. He's still critical, but he's stronger than we thought. He's still fighting."

Dino nodded, his heart swelling with relief. He slowly got to his feet, his body still tired, but his mind felt clearer now. "I... I want to see him," he said quietly.

Hoshi didn't hesitate. "Come on, let's go."

Together, they walked back into the room where the others were still gathered. Dino's eyes found Seungcheol immediately, his heart clenching as he saw the extent of the damage. But there was a spark of hope now. It wasn't much, but it was enough.

The members gathered around Seungcheol, their presence a silent promise that they wouldn't leave him. They wouldn't give up on him, no matter what it took.

The fight was far from over, but with Seungcheol alive, there was still hope. And for now, that was enough to hold onto.

The hours continued to pass slowly, each one feeling like an eternity. The members sat in a careful, quiet vigil by Seungcheol's side. Even though there was a small flicker of hope after the doctor's update, the uncertainty still weighed heavily on them. They couldn't let themselves relax-not yet. Not while their leader was still in critical condition.

Dino sat quietly beside Seungcheol's bed, his hands gently resting on the side of the mattress, his eyes never leaving his hyung's still form. The guilt that had plagued him since the fire hadn't eased. He kept replaying the moment in his mind: Seungcheol running into the flames to save him, his own voice filled with fear and desperation. If only I hadn't been so careless, Dino thought. If I hadn't been trapped, hyung wouldn't have...