SEVENTEEN | SICKFICS - HURTFICS I

Seungkwan | Gym Part

Seungkwan stirred awake at 5:30 a.m., a full hour before his usual alarm. The dim glow of his phone screen cast shadows across the neatly arranged room as he reached over to silence the soft chirping of his alarm clock. He yawned and stretched his arms overhead, glancing at the ceiling for a moment to orient himself. Today was special. He'd been hyping himself up all week for this-his first gym workout in months.

Sitting up, he rubbed his eyes and grumbled, "Ugh, why did I say yes to this again?" He wasn't necessarily out of shape, but gym workouts weren't exactly his forte. Still, Seungkwan was determined to push himself.

The quiet buzz of his phone interrupted his thoughts. A message from Vernon lit up the screen.

Vernon: You're really doing this? At 6 a.m.? Respect.

Seungkwan chuckled softly and typed a quick reply.

Seungkwan: Of course, I'm doing this! Stop doubting me.

Vernon: I'm not doubting, I'm impressed. Just don't fall off the treadmill.

Seungkwan rolled his eyes at the jab. "Typical Vernon," he muttered, sliding out of bed. He shuffled to the bathroom to splash cold water on his face, hoping it would wake him up fully.

As he dried his face, a knock sounded at the door. Jeonghan's voice drifted through.
"Seungkwan, you awake?"

"Barely," Seungkwan replied, opening the door to reveal Jeonghan looking far too put together for this hour.

"Gym day, huh?" Jeonghan smirked, leaning casually against the doorframe.

"Yeah, gotta start somewhere," Seungkwan said, puffing his chest out dramatically.

"Good for you," Jeonghan said with a hint of amusement. "But you do realize the others are probably betting on whether you'll actually make it, right?"

"What?" Seungkwan exclaimed, his voice an octave higher than usual. "Who?"

Jeonghan shrugged innocently. "Just saying. Maybe Hoshi. Maybe Mingyu. Maybe... everyone."

Seungkwan groaned and threw his head back. "You all have so little faith in me."

"It's not that," Jeonghan teased. "It's just that the last time you said you'd work out, you ended up binging a whole season of Crash Landing on You instead."

"That was ONE TIME," Seungkwan argued, jabbing a finger at Jeonghan.

"Sure, sure," Jeonghan said, backing away with a smirk. "Well, good luck. Try not to pull anything."

Seungkwan muttered something about proving everyone wrong as he went to his closet to pull out workout gear. He stared at his reflection in the mirror, adjusting his headband with determination. "They'll see," he whispered to himself.

He wandered into the kitchen, where Joshua was sipping coffee at the counter.
"You're up early," Joshua noted with a small smile. "Big plans?"

"Gym," Seungkwan replied simply, reaching for a banana.

Joshua raised an eyebrow. "Nice. Mingyu's not dragging you this time?"

"Nope," Seungkwan said, peeling the banana. "This time, it's all me. No one's forcing me. It's my own motivation."

Joshua gave him an approving nod. "Good for you. Just remember to stretch. And hydrate."

Seungkwan waved him off. "I've got this, hyung. Trust me."

Joshua chuckled and turned back to his coffee. "Alright, alright. I trust you."

As Seungkwan finished his quick breakfast, he checked the time. It was 6:10 a.m. The gym was calling, but his resolve still had to pass one last test-the temptation of his cozy bed, which seemed to be whispering his name from across the room.