Kpop Sickfics and Hurtfics Part 2

Fractures and Healing (3RACHA)

The glow of the studio's fluorescent lights reflected off the soundboard, creating an almost eerie atmosphere. The room smelled faintly of coffee and sweat, a testament to the late nights Stray Kids often spent here. Bang Chan sat at the mixing desk, his posture rigid. His headphones hung loosely around his neck, and his fingers hovered over the keys of his laptop. Changbin and Han were nearby, their expressions equally strained.

On the couch behind them, the rest of the group—Lee Know, Felix, Seungmin, and Jeongin—watched the scene unfold with growing unease. Tensions had been simmering for weeks, fueled by exhaustion, the looming deadline for their comeback, and unspoken frustrations that no one wanted to address.

“Hyunjin, that’s the third time you’ve missed the timing on this part,” Chan said, his voice tight with frustration.

Hyunjin crossed his arms, his jaw clenching. “Maybe the timing is the problem, not me.”

Changbin sighed, rubbing his temples. “We’ve been over this. The timing is fine; you just need to focus.”

Hyunjin shot back, “Do you think I’m not focusing? I’ve been here as long as you have. I’m just as tired as you are.”

Felix, ever the peacemaker, raised a hand. “Guys, let’s take a break. We’re all exhausted—”

“No,” Chan interrupted sharply, his tone harsher than he intended. “We don’t have time for breaks. If we don’t finish this tonight, we’re screwed.”

Seungmin, who had been quiet until now, muttered under his breath, “Maybe if we didn’t spend hours obsessing over every little detail, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Han’s head snapped up. “Obsessing? Is that what you think we’re doing? We’re trying to make this perfect for all of us.”

“And what about the rest of us?” Lee Know interjected, his voice rising. “Do you think we enjoy sitting here for hours on end while you three nitpick everything?”

The room erupted into chaos. Voices overlapped, frustrations spilling out in sharp, cutting words.

“All you ever do is complain,” Changbin snapped. “Do you think this is easy for us?”

“You act like we’re not contributing anything,” Hyunjin countered.

“Maybe we wouldn’t have to fix everything if you did your parts right the first time!” Han yelled.

Bang Chan slammed his hands on the desk, the sound silencing the room. His voice was hoarse when he spoke. “Enough.”

The word hung in the air like a thunderclap, the weight of it pressing down on everyone in the room.

“If you think we’re such a burden, then maybe you should finish the song yourselves,” Chan said, grabbing his bag and heading for the door.

“Hyung, wait—” Changbin started, but Chan was already gone. Han hesitated before following, throwing a glare over his shoulder as he left. Changbin lingered for a moment, his expression torn, before he too walked out, leaving the rest of the group in stunned silence.

The drive was suffocatingly quiet. Bang Chan gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white. Changbin sat in the passenger seat, his arms crossed, while Han stared out the window, his brow furrowed.

“Hyung, maybe we should’ve stayed,” Han said tentatively.

Chan didn’t look away from the road. “And listened to more of that? No thanks.”

“They didn’t mean it,” Changbin said softly.

Chan’s laugh was bitter. “Didn’t they? Seems to me like they’ve been holding that in for a while.”

The tension in the car was palpable. None of them noticed how Chan’s exhaustion was slowing his reactions, his blinks lingering just a fraction too long.

Back at the studio, the remaining members sat in uneasy silence. The argument replayed in their minds, each of them grappling with guilt.

“Do you think we went too far?” Felix asked finally, his voice breaking the stillness.

Lee Know sighed heavily. “We were all tired. Things got heated.”

“But we said some pretty awful things,” Jeongin said, his voice small.

Seungmin frowned, his gaze fixed on the floor. “They weren’t exactly kind either. But... I guess we didn’t need to pile on.”

Hyunjin’s phone buzzed, cutting through the conversation. He glanced at the screen, and his face went pale.

“What’s wrong?” Felix asked, his concern immediate.

Hyunjin’s hands trembled as he read the message. His voice shook when he spoke. “There’s been an accident. It’s Channie-hyung, Changbin-hyung, and Han.”

The hospital was a blur of bright lights and sterile hallways. The group sat in the waiting room, their expressions etched with fear and guilt.

“They’re going to be okay, right?” Jeongin whispered, his voice trembling.

Felix placed a reassuring hand on Jeongin’s shoulder, though his own hands were shaking. “They have to be.”

Lee Know paced the room, his arms folded tightly across his chest. “Why did we let them leave like that? We should’ve stopped them.”

“We didn’t know this would happen,” Seungmin said, though his voice lacked conviction.

Hyunjin stared at the floor, his guilt a heavy weight in his chest. “I was so awful to them. What if... what if this is the last thing they remember?”

Before anyone could respond, a doctor approached, and they all stood as one.

“They’re stable,” the doctor said, her voice calm but firm. “Mr Bahng sustained a concussion and some bruised ribs. Mr Seo has a broken arm, and Mr Han has a sprained wrist and minor injuries. They’re very lucky it wasn’t worse.”

Relief washed over the group, though it was tempered by guilt.

“Can we see them?” Lee Know asked.

The doctor nodded. “Only briefly. They need rest.”

The sight of their injured members was sobering. Bang Chan lay propped up in bed, his head bandaged. Changbin’s arm was in a cast, and Han’s wrist was wrapped in gauze.

Felix was the first to speak, his voice thick with emotion. “Hyung... we’re so sorry.”

Chan looked up, his gaze weary but not unkind. “You don’t need to apologize.”

Hyunjin stepped forward, tears streaming down his face. “Yes, we do. We said horrible things. We didn’t mean them.”

Chan sighed, his voice soft. “We all said things we didn’t mean. The pressure got to us.”

Jeongin wiped his eyes, his voice trembling. “I didn’t mean what I said, hyung. I swear.”

Changbin managed a small smile. “We know, Innie. None of us were thinking clearly.”

Han nodded. “What matters is that we’re all still here. Together.”

Felix knelt by Chan’s bed, his eyes red. “From now on, no more bottling things up. We talk about what’s bothering us.”

The group nodded in agreement, the weight of their earlier argument lifting as they reconciled.

As the members left the room to let 3RACHA rest, they felt a renewed sense of unity. The accident had been a harsh reminder of how fragile life was and how much they meant to one another.

In the quiet of the hospital room, Chan turned to Changbin and Han. “We’ll get through this,” he said softly.

Han smiled faintly. “We always do.”

Changbin nodded, his voice steady. “Together.”

And in that moment, despite the pain and exhaustion, they felt at peace, their bond stronger than ever.