The afternoon sun bore down on the school's field as the students ran laps around the track. The air buzzed with laughter and shouts, but for Chenle, it all felt distant, like he was trapped behind a wall of glass.
His head throbbed. His chest felt tight.
He hadn't slept properly the past few nights. Between his anxiety, his rooftop talk with Ara, and the constant pressure to act like everything was fine, it was all becoming too much.
Coach's voice echoed across the field, calling for them to start drills, but Chenle barely heard him. His mind spun out of control, replaying every mistake, every doubt, every fear he'd shoved down for so long.
And then... something snapped.
Chenle stumbled, tripping over his own feet. His vision blurred, the ground tilting beneath him. His breathing came in short, shallow gasps, the world suddenly too loud, too sharp.
The whistle blowing.
The pounding of shoes against the track.
The laughter nearby that cut like knives.
It was all crashing down on him, suffocating.
"Chenle?" Jisung's voice broke through, shaky with worry.
Chenle clutched his head, squeezing his eyes shut. His heartbeat pounded in his ears like a drum, too fast, too erratic. His hands shook uncontrollably as he tried and failed to catch his breath.
"I... I can't..."
Jaemin was suddenly at his side, gripping his shoulders firmly. "Hey, hey. Look at me. Breathe with me, okay? You're gonna be fine."
But Chenle wasn't fine. His body felt like it was shutting down. His arms were heavy, his legs numb, his chest locked up. Voices swirled around him, muffled, like he was underwater.
And then...
Everything went black.
When Chenle opened his eyes, he was in his own room. The soft glow of the lamp on his desk felt strange, almost foreign. His mind lagged behind, struggling to catch up with reality.
"Chenle?"
His gaze drifted to the side, landing on Kun. He was sitting in a chair right next to the bed, his eyes heavy with concern.
Jaemin, Jisung, Renjun, and Mark were gathered nearby. Haechan and Jeno had gone home, but the worry on the others' faces filled the room.
Ara stood near the door, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her eyes never leaving him.
"You scared the hell out of us," Mark muttered, his voice low but full of relief.
Chenle blinked, dazed. "What... happened?"
"You had a panic attack," Kun explained gently. His tone was careful, steady, like he was afraid of startling him. "You passed out during PE. Ara told me everything."
Chenle's stomach dropped. His body tensed.
They knew.
All the walls he had built, all the effort he put into pretending... it was gone. His secret was out.
Kun must have noticed his panic, because he reached out, squeezing Chenle's hand. "Hey. It's okay. No one's mad. We just... we're worried about you."
"I..." Chenle's voice cracked. He swallowed hard, fighting the lump in his throat. For so long, he had carried this alone, believing no one could understand. But now, faced with their concern, the weight in his chest shifted. Lighter. Scarier. Real.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
"You don't have to be," Renjun said firmly, his brows furrowed. "We should've noticed sooner."
Jaemin offered a small, teasing grin. "Yeah, you're kinda terrible at hiding stuff, you know."
Chenle let out a weak laugh, his eyes stinging with tears he didn't want to shed.
"You're not alone in this," Ara finally spoke, her voice steady despite the tightness in her posture. "We're here for you. Always."
Chenle looked at her, then at the others. Their faces weren't full of pity or judgment... just warmth. Understanding. Care.
Something inside him cracked, but instead of breaking, it made room for something else. Safety.
For the first time, he believed maybe he didn't have to carry this alone anymore.
Elsewhere, far from the school, a dimly lit warehouse echoed with the sound of shifting crates and murmured voices.
Danny leaned casually against one of the crates, his arms crossed over his chest. Shadows danced across his face from the single hanging light above.
"So," one of the boys across from him drawled, his tone skeptical. "You're really going through with this?"
Danny smirked, his eyes glinting darkly. There was something unsettling about the calm in his expression.
"Of course," he replied smoothly. "She deserves it."
The others exchanged uneasy glances before nodding.
Danny's smirk deepened. His voice dropped, low and cold.
"Let's teach Ningning a lesson."
