K-pop sickfics/hurtfics

Hongjoong ateez - coughing blood

@fiiii5 here's your request, hope you like it.
1100 words.

The rhythmic sound of sneakers squeaking against the polished floor echoed through the practice room as ATEEZ drilled their choreography for the hundredth time that day. Sweat dripped from their temples, their breaths ragged, but none of them slowed down—especially not Hongjoong.

As the leader, he always pushed himself the hardest, ensuring every move was perfect, every angle sharp. The upcoming comeback was important, and Hongjoong wanted everything to be flawless.

But then, in the middle of a sharp turn, his chest suddenly tightened. His vision blurred for a split second, and before he could steady himself, a harsh cough racked through his body. He barely had time to turn away before something warm and metallic filled his mouth.

The moment he pulled his hand away, his stomach twisted. Crimson. Blood.

A collective gasp filled the room.

"Hyung!" Mingi was the first to react, rushing toward him as Hongjoong staggered back, his legs suddenly weak.

The others followed, panic flashing across their faces.

"Hongjoong, what..." San's voice cut off when he saw the red stains on Hongjoong's hand. "Blood?"

"I-I'm fine," Hongjoong rasped, though his own voice betrayed his uncertainty.

"You're not fine!" Wooyoung snapped, his usual playful tone nowhere to be found.

Mingi grabbed a towel from the floor and handed it to Hongjoong, his eyes wide with worry. "Hyung, we need to get you to a doctor."

"Guys, seriously, it's nothing," Hongjoong tried to insist, but the dizziness in his head made his words weaker than intended.

Yeosang, who had been quiet up until now, frowned deeply. "Nothing? Hongjoong, you just coughed up blood. That's not normal."

Jongho was already pulling out his phone. "I'm calling Manager-hyung."

"Wait, wait!" Hongjoong held up a hand, taking a deep breath to steady himself. "Let's not make a big deal out of this. I probably just strained my throat too much. Maybe a popped blood vessel or something."

Seonghwa shot him a deadpan look. "You think coughing up blood is minor?"

"Well..." Hongjoong hesitated. "I mean, it can be."

Yunho, who had been scanning him with worried eyes, sighed. "Then let's go to the doctor and confirm that, okay? If it's really nothing, you'll get to rub it in our faces later."

Hongjoong groaned, knowing he was outnumbered. "Fine."

The doctor's office was cold and sterile, the white walls almost too bright under the fluorescent lights. Hongjoong sat stiffly on the examination table, arms crossed, while the others waited around him. They had all insisted on coming, despite the fact that the room was small.

After checking his throat and running a few tests, the doctor finally spoke.

"It's likely laryngitis-induced hemorrhage," she said, looking at Hongjoong. "Your vocal cords are extremely inflamed, probably from overuse. The coughing irritated them enough to cause a small bleed."

The members let out a collective sigh of relief.

"So it's not anything serious?" Mingi asked, his voice still laced with concern.

The doctor smiled reassuringly. "Not at all. But it could become serious if he doesn't rest. He needs to avoid singing, speaking too much, or straining his voice in any way for at least a week."