SEVENTEEN | SICKFICS - HURTFICS I

DK | Happy Part II

The days blurred together as DK continued to go through the motions of his routine. He smiled, laughed, cracked jokes, and cheered on his members, but inside, it felt like he was slowly being consumed by a quiet heaviness. Each day, he pushed the sadness further down, burying it under layers of cheerfulness and energy that the world expected from him. He had become an expert at hiding it, even from himself.

And now, it was concert day.

The excitement in the dorm was palpable. The members were buzzing around, preparing for the big night. Seungkwan was loudly practicing his vocal runs in the hallway, while Joshua hummed a familiar tune as he finished packing his stage outfits.

"DK, are you ready for tonight?" Mingyu called out, glancing over at him.

DK snapped out of his thoughts, forcing a wide smile as he turned to Mingyu. "Of course! I've been ready for this since we started preparing!"

Mingyu grinned back. "That's the spirit! It's gonna be incredible tonight."

It was the same story everywhere. The energy was electric, the members' enthusiasm contagious. They were all talking about the fans they were going to see, the songs they were going to perform, the special moments they would share. DK nodded along, trying to keep pace with their excitement, but underneath it all, something felt off.

He was excited, yes. But there was something else in his chest-something dark and heavy that he couldn't shake. He had always lived for the stage, for the rush of performing, for the way his heart raced as the lights hit his face and the fans screamed his name. But tonight, it wasn't just adrenaline that was pumping through him. There was a strange mix of dread and sadness that refused to be ignored, and he didn't know why.

Backstage before the concert, DK stood with his eyes closed for a moment, breathing in the familiar scent of anticipation. The energy around him was high, everyone was getting ready, and the sounds of excited chatter filled the air.

"DK! You good?" Hoshi called out, clapping him on the back. "The stage is calling for you, man. Let's go!"

"Yeah, just stretching my legs a little," DK said, pushing down the odd feeling in his chest. He forced another smile, making his way to the stage entrance.

As the countdown to the show began, DK found himself standing alone in a quiet corner, away from the chaos. He felt the weight of the atmosphere pressing on him, but he didn't know how to explain the tightness in his chest. He had been looking forward to this day for months, but now that it was finally here, something about it felt...wrong.

It's just nerves, he told himself. You've been through this a hundred times. Don't overthink it.

But even as he repeated the words, a part of him wasn't convinced. He glanced at the members, all hyped up, checking their outfits and making last-minute adjustments to their hair. They looked excited, and they had every right to be. They were going to perform in front of thousands of fans who had waited for this moment.

But the closer it got to showtime, the heavier his heart felt.

The lights in the venue went down, and the crowd erupted in cheers. The air was thick with anticipation, the energy of thousands of fans reverberating through the arena.

"Let's go!" Woozi shouted, his voice cutting through the roar of the crowd as the first notes of their intro track filled the space.

DK's heart began to race, the familiar rush of adrenaline coursing through him as he stepped onto the stage, joining his members. The lights hit him, and for a brief moment, everything else faded away. This was the moment he lived for-the connection with the fans, the pure joy of performing, the power of music.