Chapter Text
Chan would be lying if he said things weren’t hard since Woojin announced he was leaving Stray Kids, all of them felt the strain. Stays were sad and confused and it was no different for the eight remaining members but they had no choice but to continue on as they were; striving to make their dreams come true. Still. It was hard. Reminders of Woojin’s missing presence were everywhere and everyone was dealing with it differently.
Changbin would lock himself in his room every spare second of free time he had; writing and producing music he wouldn’t let anyone listen to. Chan would periodically knock on the door to bring him food and water, which he was at least accepting so he left him to his creative processes. If this is what he needed to do to sort out his feelings, Chan wasn’t going to get in his way. Considering a lot of the other ways Changbin could have chosen, he decided this wasn’t too bad of a coping mechanism.
Minho’s normally 4D personality that always serves to brighten up the day with his incredible wit and creativity, had been rather dim as of late. So many perfect opportunities for him to tease his members passed by without even so much as a glance from Minho. Attempts made by the rest of Stray Kids to bring it out were mildly successful, so Chan considered it a temporary situation and continued to think of activities and opportunities to shake him out of it.
Jisung, the other third of 3RACHA was having the exact opposite problem of Changbin. No matter how much he tried, Jisung couldn’t write a single lyric. It was like he had lost his voice and he didn’t know what he wanted to say anymore. The more he struggled with writing, the more frustrated he got as their talented speaker was not used to being at a loss for words. Chan would gently remind him not to force it and that his voice would come back once he found the right muse and not to worry since they had plenty of time before they had to release another album.
Seungmin, though an absolute sweetheart, had always had a bit of a bite but it went from a small nibble to a full blown snap. His sharp tongue slicing through whatever unfortunate victim had crossed his path. On more than one occasion he had gotten into a fight with another member that Chan had to quickly settle. He knew Seungmin was hurting but he often had to remind him that that wasn’t a good enough reason to hurt others. They had practiced taking a deep breath together and taking a moment to think before responding to someone. So far it had settled considerably compared to the first few weeks.
Felix and I.N. had both taken to being extra clingy lately. It wasn’t entirely out of the ordinary for Felix but I.N. was usually always trying to prove how grown up he was so it was abnormal to see him constantly latched to some member or another. Like his approach with Changbin, if cuddles were what they needed to feel better, then Chan was happy to oblige. He would often find them in the bed of another member when he checked on everyone at bedtime before turning in himself.
Chan was dealing with it by trying to handle absolutely everything at once on his own. Every waking moment he was thinking of how they were going to continue on and repair their fractured group. He was constantly in meetings with their managers and staff to make sure everything went as smoothly as possible and plan for the future. When he wasn’t in meetings he was producing music. When he wasn’t doing that, he was constantly seeing after the group. He had become an absolute perfectionist, worrying over every small detail. He didn’t get much sleep before but this certainly made that matter worse. The stress was beginning to get to him and it showed through his frayed nerves. He just needed to hold out a little longer and then they could rest he would tell himself when he felt himself losing control.
Hyunjin’s way of dealing with the departure of Woojin was to throw himself into work in every form that meant. Hyunjin was so scared that Stays would leave because they were upset that he decided he needed to work even harder to become a better version of himself. He would spend hours choreographing new dances, most of the time stumbling home exhausted at 4AM before waking up for their schedule at 6AM. His handsome looks had been gaining him new popularity so anytime he was offered an MC job or a guest appearance, he would leap for it with excitement. Every time Chan tried to talk to Hyunjin about how he was doing, he would always get the response that he was fine so Chan decided not to push the issue. After all, Hyunjin’s incredible determination was not something he could easily fight with. Most of hyunjin’s trainee days he had heard he didn’t need to try to so hard since his looks would get him anything he wanted and that he could never be the main dancer, but he worked so hard to prove them all wrong and debut as the main dancer for Stray Kids. Hyunjin’s schedule had become so hectic that Stray Kids would usually only see him a small portion of the day so no one noticed that Hyunjin’s tall frame, though still lean from dancing, had thinned considerably.
Chan had started to believe that they were going to make it through more or less unscathed as they had just wrapped up their tour and were set to perform on stage at MAMA before earning few weeks rest until their new album was released. Re-recording Seungmin and Minho over all of Woojin’s original parts had been difficult but they had done it and they were proud of their upcoming album despite everything. Their schedule had been pretty grueling but they made it through somehow. Chan had been hard on them the past couple of weeks, telling them Stray Kids needed to be perfect to show fans they were okay and could continue on. His strictness was beginning to take its toll on the group as he demanded nothing less than their 100% effort. No one complained though, they all knew Woojin’s departure was hitting Chan the hardest and this was just his way of coping. Every time he scolded them they just looked at the floor and told him they would do better.
Stray kids were in the practice room rehearsing for their performance when he noticed something off. Hyunjin’s normally sharp and powerful moves had become loose and sloppy. They had been practicing for most of the morning and everyone was fatigued but it was only Hyunjin who was pulling his focus.
“Let’s take a break everyone, we’ll circle up after everyone has had a drink!” Bang Chan announced to the group as the final song in their MAMA set had finished. “Hyunjin-ah, can I talk to you for a second?” They younger stopped on his way to retrieve his water and turned back towards his leader, a quizzical look on his face.
“What’s up Hyung? Everything okay?” Hyunjin asked as he approached.
“Well that’s the question, is everything okay? Your dancing isn’t up to it’s usual standard today. Our performance is tonight and we cannot afford for you to be making rookie mistakes.” Chan responded. A look of panic crossed Hyunjin’s face.
“No! I am fine I promise. I am sorry, I will work harder!” Hyunjin answered eagerly, panic changing to determination. Chan smiled and patted him on the back. He had always been a bit strict with Hyunjin but the younger could handle it. He needed him to be on his game tonight.
“Alright, then let's get back to work!” Chan said, summoning everyone back to the center of the practice room. The rest of practice went better and Chan felt comfortable releasing everyone back to the dorm. He instructed everyone to eat and rest before he headed off to the studio to finish a few last minute details. The rest of Stray Kids herded home and burst through the front door, arguing over who was getting to shower first and who got to choose what they were going to eat. Changbin noticed Hyunjin shuffling behind where he would normally be up at the front, fighting with Jisung and Seungmin for the first shower before offering to all shower together.
“Everything okay Jinnie?” He asked his younger brother, resting a hand on his shoulder. Hyunjin flashed him a bright smile.
“I’m okay, I am just a little tired hyung” he answered, Changbin smiled in kind.
“You and me both kid! Let’s shower, eat, and get some sleep. Ya! Seungmin get out of the bathroom, Hyunjin is going to shower first!” Changbin yelled across the dorm. He was met with complaints from his other younger brother as he exited the bathroom to let Hyunjin in.
A few hours later everyone was sound asleep when alarms started going off, signaling the time to get up and make their way back to the arena to prepare for the show. Chan hadn’t come home but that wasn’t unusual, he probably took a nap on the couch in the studio and would meet everyone at the performance. Changbin stretched as he moved to get out of bed. He looked over as Hyunjin was also getting out of his bed when he saw him suddenly sway on his feet. Changbin rushed across the room and caught him before he fell face first to the floor. As he helped Hyunjin sit carefully back on his bed, he couldn’t help but notice him wince in pain.
“What’s wrong, are you feeling sick?” Changbin asked, searching his friend’s face as worry creased his own.
“No I’m fine, I guess I am just a bit sore from our busy schedule lately” He smiled up at Changbin. “We better get going or Channie-hyung will scold us for being late” he said as he slowly rose to get dressed. Unconvinced, Changbin decided to keep a close eye on him as they got ready for their stage at MAMA. Hyunjin was much more subdued backstage than he normally was and Changbin noticed a thin sheen of sweat had appeared on his forehead. Even his movements were small and controlled, as if he were moving as little as possible to avoid pain. Changbin decided enough was enough and he needed to talk to their leader.
“Chan-hyung, I think there is something wrong with Hyunjin.” Changbin said as he pulled his leader away from the conversation he was having with their maknae. The boys looked across the room at their main dancer as he was laughing at something Minho was saying.
“He looks fine to me” Chan shrugged as he moved to go back to I.N. Changbin’s hand snaked out to catch his elbow.
“No I am telling you he isn’t okay. Earlier he almost passed out getting out of bed and I think he is in pain.” Changbin answered, desperation and worry in his voice as he tried to convince Chan of his suspicions.
“He probably just stood up too fast and is sore from all the performances we have had lately.” Chan retorted as he ripped his arm from Changbin’s grip and moved towards I.N. Changbin quickly blocked his path.
“Would you listen to me?! He canNOT perform with us tonight.” He said frantically. Chan let out an exasperated sigh.
“Look I talked to him earlier and he said he was fine. We’re all tired and sore, Hyunjin isn’t the only one okay? It’s too late to pull him from the show now, we aren’t prepared to do this without him. I know it has been rough lately but we just have to get through this performance and then everyone will get the rest they deserve.” He answered, giving Changbin a stern “this is the end of the discussion” look. Changbin shook his head in disbelief. He couldn’t believe their leader, the always caring and protective Bang Chan wasn’t listening to what he had to say.
“STRAY KIDS TO THE STAGE. STRAY KIDS TO THE STAGE, YOUR PERFORMANCE IS NEXT” the producer’s voice suddenly blasted through the dressing room. The pre-stage jitters overtook everyone as they rose to make their way to the stage. Changbin saw Hyunjin wince and grab his right side as he heaved himself off the couch. As they lined up in the hallway next to the stage Changbin stood behind his close friend. Hyunjin definitely looked pale. Just as Changbin reached forward to confront him, the MCs announced their performance and everyone rushed forward. There was nothing he could do.
Changbin’s eyes found Hyunjin every second he could spare a glance and he was amazed. This would probably go down as one of Hyunjin’s best performances. His moves were sharp and perfect, his expressions were on point and he didn’t miss a beat. The Fan-cams were going to be legendary. It was a flawless performance but it did nothing to calm Changbin's anxiety. He just knew something wasn't right. They ended their performance and swiftly exited the stage back to their dressing room. There was a hum of excitement about the group, this was sure to be one of the top trending performances of the night. Changbin shook off Jisung, who was celebrating the success of the night as he waited for Hyunjin to enter the room. He came in last, sweaty, pale, and out of breath. Changbin hurried over to him just as he doubled over, clutching his right side again.
“Hyunjin, talk to me. What’s wrong?” Changbin asked, gently grabbing the sides of his face, pulling his head up to look into his face. Hyunjin was almost hyperventilating now. His gaze met Changbin’s, eyes filled with fear. Others had begun to notice as conversations hushed around the room and everyone’s eyes turned to them.
“Hyung, I don’t feel so good. My side really hurts” suddenly Hyunjin crumpled to the ground, letting out a scream of pain. Changbin did his best to soften the blow as Hyunjin’s body hurdled towards the floor. Everyone rushed forward, Chan reaching the pair in seconds.
“Hyunjin, try to stay still” Chan ordered. He turned to the others in the room “Someone go get help!” He barked to no one in particular. He saw a blur of red as, who he assumed was Jisung, streaked from the room in search of help. He faintly heard the beeping of numbers being pressed on a cell phone behind him as their manager called 119. His full attention on Hyunjin, who was writhing around on the floor. Chan felt his his forehead and gasped. Hyunjin was burning up, he had never felt someone with such a high temperature before. He slightly turned back to everyone behind him, “Someone find some towels and some ice to try and cool him down.” There was rustling behind him as someone moved to comply. Just as he turned back, Hyunjin suddenly wretched and vomited on the floor. He looked up at Chan, whimpering as tears started to fall from his eyes. He was so pale. “Shhhh it’s okay baby, it’s going to get better really soon. Doctors are on their way, they will be here before you know it” Chan said in the most soothing tone he could muster, gently stroking Hyunjin’s hair as Changbin gripped Hyunjin’s hand. As if on cue, two doctors from the medical team rushed in through the door, Jisung following closely behind. The slid in on either side of Hyunjin, gently pushing Chan and Changbin out of the way.
“What have we got?” One of the doctors asked, feeling Hyunjin’s forehead.
“He…” Chan started, but trailed off as he realized he didn’t know what to tell them.
“He just threw up, he has a high fever, and he has been grabbing his right side since this afternoon.” Changbin answered immediately. The doctor began gently pressing along Hyunjin’s abdomen. As he approached the right side, Hyunjin let out another scream. Chan and Changbin lunged forward, reaching for him.
“I think his appendix ruptured, we need to get him to the hospital as quickly as possible.” One of them said, bringing out ice packs from their bag and gratefully accepting the ice that Minho was offering them as he returned to the room. They began to gently rub the ice on Hyunjin’s neck and arms as two EMTs burst through the door. The doctors filled the EMTs in on Hyunjin’s condition and quickly exited to give them the space to work.
“Hyung…” Hyunjin said weakly, between labored breaths as the EMTs took his vital signs. Changbin and Chan both leaned forward at the same time to better hear him. “I feel weir…” Hyunjin trailed off as his eyes rolled back into his head. Suddenly his body was convulsing and one EMT was attempting to hold him steady while the other gave him an injection.
“He’s seizing from his high fever, we need to move him now.” One said to the other, who nodded in confirmation. “On three, we move him…one…two…three!” They shifted Hyunjin onto the stretcher and stood up. “Only one person can ride with him.” They said as they began to leave the room. Chan raced forward before anyone could react.
“Minho you’re in charge, take everyone home! I’m riding with Hyunjin.” He called over his shoulder as he followed the EMTs to the ambulance. All the rest of Stray Kids could do was stare in disbelief at everything that had just unfolded. It was I.N. who made the first move. He fell into Minho’s arms, sobbing.
“Is Hyunjinnie Hyung going to be okay? He asked with shaky breaths, looking up at Minho. The older smiled down at their maknae.
“Of course, Chan hyung is with him so he’ll be okay. He won’t let anything happen to him.” Across the room, Changbin scoffed. Minho whipped his head around to face him, only to be met with an angry gaze. “Come on, let’s go home and wait for news.” Minho said as he decided to ignore Changbin. He was met with a chorus of “No ways” as his younger brothers shook their heads at him. It was Jisung who spoke up.
“We are going to the hospital.” He said with a fierce determination in his eyes.
“But Chan told us to go…” Minho began.
“I don’t care what he said!” Jisung shouted before he could finish. “How are we expected to just sit at home and wait until he calls us? We are going to the hospital, with or without you.” He finished, crossing his arms, daring Minho to counter. Minho let out a heavy sigh.
“Alright then. But you will be the one to take Chan’s wrath for disobeying him.” Minho said as everyone nodded in agreement. “Manager can you please drive us to the hospital?”
. . .
Stray Kids rushed into the hospital to find Bang Chan sitting in the waiting room with his head in his hands as tears fall onto his lap.
“Chan Hung!” Felix shouted as they approached. Chan looked up in surprise.
“What are you doing here? I told you guys to go home!” Chan said in disbelief as he wiped the tears from his eyes. It was unusual for his kids to disobey him so blatantly.
“We couldn’t just sit at home, we wanted to be here for Hyunjin.” Jisung answered. “How is he?” He asked. Chan lost the argument he was about to start as he looked into the eyes of his kids. There was no way they were going to relent.
“He had another seizure in the ambulance and they took him into surgery.” He answered honestly. Chan observed everyone’s faces fall into looks of despair. “Everyone sit down and I’ll see if I can find everyone some food.” Chan responded, ushering everyone into chairs in the waiting room.
What felt like an eternity later, a doctor approached.
“Family of Hwang Hyunjin?” He asked. Everyone jumped from their seats and moved forward, eagerly awaiting to hear the status of their friend. “I have good news and bad news. Which do you want to hear first?”