SEVENTEEN | SICKFICS - HURTFICS

Mingyu | Pneumonia Part III

It wasn't long before the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the hallway outside the room. The door suddenly flew open, and a rush of worried voices filled the previously quiet space.

"Cheol!" Jeonghan's voice broke the silence, startling Seungcheol awake. His eyes shot open, and he blinked a few times, disoriented by the sudden commotion.

"Hyung, what's going on?!" Seungkwan exclaimed, his eyes wide as he took in the sight of Mingyu lying on the hospital bed, pale and frail, with the oxygen mask over his face.

Hoshi was right behind him, his face etched with worry. "Is he okay? What happened?!"

Seungcheol rubbed his eyes and sat up straight, his heart racing from being jolted awake. "Guys, calm down," he said, his voice hoarse from sleep. "He's stable. The doctors are taking care of him. Please don't panic."

The members quickly filed into the room, each one taking in the scene with varying degrees of shock and concern. Woozi stood near the foot of the bed, his hands clenched into fists as he stared at Mingyu's still form. Vernon and DK lingered near the door, their usually cheerful expressions replaced by solemnity. Dino walked over to the side of the bed, his lips pressed into a tight line as he looked down at his hyung.

Joshua placed a gentle hand on Seungcheol's shoulder, his voice soft but firm. "Cheol, are you okay? You look like you haven't slept in days."

"I'm fine," Seungcheol replied, though his exhaustion was evident in his slumped posture and tired eyes. "I couldn't just leave him alone."

Jeonghan pulled up a chair beside Seungcheol, his sharp eyes scanning Mingyu's condition. "He looks so pale," he muttered, his tone unusually serious. "What did the doctors say?"

"They said it's pneumonia," Seungcheol explained, his voice steady but heavy. "A severe case. His fever's still high, and they've got him on oxygen and antibiotics. They're monitoring him closely, but he's stable for now."

Seungkwan covered his mouth with his hand, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "How did it get this bad? Why didn't he tell anyone?"

"He didn't want to worry us," Seungcheol replied, his jaw tightening. "He was stubborn, as usual. He thought he could handle it on his own."

"That's so like him," Vernon said quietly, his hands stuffed into his pockets. "But he should've said something. We would've been there for him."

DK stepped closer to the bed, his face a mixture of sadness and guilt. "We should've noticed. We've all been so busy, we didn't see how much he was struggling."

"It's not your fault," Seungcheol said firmly, his gaze moving from one member to the next. "None of us saw it. But we're here now, and that's what matters."

Dino nodded, his voice small but determined. "We'll take care of him, hyung. We won't let him go through this alone."

Hoshi sniffled, quickly wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand. "He's going to be okay, right? The doctors said he'll get better?"

"They're doing everything they can," Seungcheol assured him, though his own worry was still evident in his tone. "But it's going to take time. He needs rest, and he needs us to be strong for him."

Jeonghan reached out and placed a comforting hand on Seungkwan's shoulder. "We'll make sure he knows we're here for him. When he wakes up, he'll see that he's not alone."

The room fell into a heavy silence as the members took turns looking at Mingyu, their hearts aching at the sight of their usually vibrant and strong friend reduced to such a fragile state. The weight of the moment hung over them, but there was also a quiet determination in their eyes.