Chapter Text
Lightning flashed in the night sky above them, illuminating the darkness for a split second, and Hyunwoo used it to sweep his gaze across his members, counting frantically. O ne, two, three, four, five... there, Kihyun half-tucked under Wonho's arm between the older and Minhyuk, six.
He'd like to urge them faster, but the long cobblestone footpath was already uneven beneath their feet, now made slippery by the torrential downpour. The wind-driven rain was near horizontal, pelting his back with a stinging chill as he ushered them towards the fainty glowing windows of their dormitory looming welcomingly ahead.
Thunder clapped earsplittingly loud, seemingly right above them. Hyunwoo jumped, startled despite the steady rumble that had been echoing in the region since early afternoon, progressing to booms and cracks as the storm had approached and descended. He shivered beneath the coat that he'd tugged close around himself before they'd made the dash from the van at the curb. The winter wind was frigid, cutting to his bones and setting them ablaze with icy tendril that hurt as he moved.
It seemed a long two-minutes to reach the door. Once there, they huddled pathetically against the scant protection the building offered as Hyungwon fumbled with the ring of keys, too dark to read for labels.
Then the door swung open, and the seven of them popped through the opening together like a scene straight out of a children's cartoon.
Someone slammed the door shut behind them and the howling wind and bucketing rain was suddenly muted, leaving only the tangled mess of panting and giggling as bags were dropped and boots kicked off-
"Lee Jooheon, one step more step, and I'll end you!" Kihyun shrieked from his left, startling Hyunwoo from his struggle with his wet sneaker laces. 90% bemused, 5% exasperated, and 5% concerned, he glanced up to watch Kihyun tug Jooheon back from the carpeted hallway so quickly that the younger windmilled and swayed until Wonho steadied him.
"Strip! We're all saturated, and I'm not mopping the entire dorm. " Kihyun explained, dragging off his own jacket, dripping the sopping wet garment to the floor, before tugging his sweater off over his head to join it.
Jooheon grumbled but obeyed, dropping his wet jeans to the floor even as he moaned, "But hyung, I'm freezing!" his teeth chattering loudly... mostly for dramatic effect, Hyunwoo suspected.
"Oh hush, I'll get towels, and you can shower soon. Hyunwoo-hyung is first, though-" Kihyun settled, glancing at Hyunwoo pointedly.
Hyunwoo usually enjoyed the perks of being the oldest and the respect that came with it, mainly because he was sure that a lot of said respect was genuine and not just because he was the oldest. But tonight, when they were all saturated, shivering and uncomfortable? Tonight he could wait.
He shook his head, smiling as he replied, "It's all good. Jooheon-ah can go first, he's already-" Hyunwoo had been going to say 'undressing,' but had to amend to "Naked. He'd already naked. Go on- quick."'
Jooheon didn't wait to be told twice, disappearing up the hallway before anyone could usurper his coveted spot in the shower lineup.
"I'm next!" Hyungwon crowed, glancing at Hyunwoo to be sure, who shrugged unconcerned-
"No, I.M. is next." Kihyun interrupted unexpectedly, and Hyunwoo glanced over to find the youngest slumped against the door, a shivering mess, still in his wet clothes. He looked the definition of miserable.
"But-" Hyungwon interrupted, Hyungwon; stubborn and pouty at the best of times, and doubly so now when he was tired, wet, and jittery with cold.
Hyunwoo was perfectly aware of the fact that younger only had the barest tolerance for their unexpected maknae. Tolerance born of necessity at that and not from any genuine desire to reach some sort of natural accord.
"No buts, you can be third. I. M. was already sniffling this morning, I don't want him sick." Kihyun explained in a tone that invited no argument.
Hyungwon huffed but heard the same inflection that Hyunwoo had and let it go, beyond shooting a poisonous look at I.M. He dropped to the floor beside a scowling Minhyuk who was also obviously not a fan of this rearranged shower hierarchy.
"I- I can wait-" Changkyun tried placating quietly and something that Hyunwoo had never felt regarding the youngest blossomed in his chest, something soft and tender; the maknae's teeth were chattering so loud he could barely get the words out, yet he was still offering-
Kihyun snorted, "You get sick, everyone gets sick. Take your shoes off." at the same time, Wonho nudged Changkyun's thigh with his socked foot, reprimanding sharply, "Be respectful, he's your hyung."
Hyunwoo felt something wither within him at the realization that they were so, so not seeing what was right in front of them, but instead still filtering everything through the filthy lens of that stupid variety show.
The kid had literally been polite and considerate, use of 'hyung' or no, and in return, he'd been scolded, and his health disregarded in favor of the group as a whole.
Was this normal? How had he not seen this?
"Showers free!" Jooheon's voice echoed through the dorm, and Changkyun dragged himself to his feet, lethargically stripped out of his jeans and sweater, and disappeared from the room before Hyunwoo could think of anything to say.
Things had been...tense, for lack of a better word, since their debut the week before last. Changkyun's last-minute arrival and basic theft of someone else's deserved position had not sat well with those who had put in the blood, sweat, and tears from the very beginning.
Hyunwoo knew that at least Minhyuk and Wonho believed the younger had struck some sort of deal...that he'd promised to create drama for the sake of ratings, in exchange for a guaranteed debut spot. He'd overheard them talking about the younger's tears and 'loner' facade as examples.
Hyunwoo didn't exactly believe that the kid had been promised a place in the group; he'd seen the way too honest look of shock that had graced the maknae's face when his name had been called during the ceremony.
But he did believe that the show-runners had always intended Changkyun to debut.
And whether Changkyun had been aware or not, Hyunwoo wasn't going to lie...it hadn't sat well with him either. He may not have been nasty or rude like, well, others... but he had been guilty of refusing any earlier efforts the younger might have made to form bonds.
But now? They'd debuted. They were a team. Family for the foreseeable (and hopefully a long time into the) future. And he was the leader. The glue. The example and the guide.
Changkyun was a part of the team, one that seemed, now that Hyunwoo was thinking clearly about it, genuinely kind and wanting to fit in, if overly quiet and perhaps a bit awkward. For better or for worse, and Hyunwoo would have to help the others accept-
"Is he ever getting out?" Minhyuk whined, and Hyunwoo opened his mouth to start lending credence to his plan when he realized-
He glanced at his watch. Changkyun had been gone over thirty minutes, while Hyunwoo had been lost in his self-recrimination and determination to fix this mess.
Hyungwon shot to his feet, "This is ridiculous-"
The white noise of the shower in the near-distance suddenly cut off, and Hyungwon scowled, grumbling, "About time." as he disappeared down the hallway.
A series of dry coughs echoed from further into the building, and Hyunwoo frowned-
Kihyun looked up from where he was fiddling with his phone, a grimace of concern softening his face as he stood, saying, "I'm going to make some tea."
Hyunwoo stifled a relieved smile; Kihyun, with his inability to 'not care,' was well on his way to fixing his own negatively shaped preconceptions. If the kid sniffled for a few more days, Kihyun would be all over him.
" I. M. you absolute asshole! " The enraged howl was followed immediately by the enthusiastic bounce of a door being slammed open, and loud stomping footsteps sounded from the hallway.
A softly voiced exclamation and the sound of a brief scuffle echoed, and Hyunwoo stood to intervene just as a towel wrapped Hyungwon, hair dripping rivulets down his bare-chest, redfaced with rage and near trembling with restrained violence, dragged a half-clothed Changkyun into the lounge and all but threw him at Hyunwoo and Kihyun's feet.
Even Wonho winced at the casual violence, standing, looking ready to interfere if necessary.
"Hyungwon, what-" Hyunwoo started, but was cut off by the vitriol that spilled from the younger.
"He used all of the hot water! Its freezing and everyone is saturated, but we let him go first because he's pathetic! And to thank us, he uses all the fucking hot water like the self-entitled little asshole that he is! " Hyungwon screamed, spittle flying as he gestured angrily.
Jooheon followed the pair into the room at a rapid lope, the pajama-clad rapper's own anger palpable as he stalked toward changkyun, and Hyunwoo hurried forward to-
Only, Jooheon stepped between Changkyun and Hyungwon, protectively shielding the former and absolutely blasted the latter, " Leave him alone- "
Minhyuk scrambled to even out the yelling match, falling into place beside Hyungwon, defending his friend as he scolded Jooheon, "Oh, oh, this is new- you stick up for him now?"
Hyunwoo tried to intervene, "Guys-" at the same time Kihyun shouted, "Hey, stop-"
They were both ignored, Jooheon shooting back, "It's just a shower!-"
"Which you didn't miss out on, did you, so you don't get a say!" Hyungwon spat back, taking a step forward, looming bigger to emphasize his anger.
"Everyone, stop- we can sort this out without being so-" Hyunwoo mediated, pushing between Jooheon and Hyungwon when the pair looked about two steps from squaring up.
"I- 'm sorry! I didn't- I- " Changkyun broke in, struggling to push himself upright, a brittle waver to his voice that Hyunwoo thought sounded suspiciously like near-tears.
"Oh, bullshit, where have we heard that one before?! Take some responsibility for once!" Wonho added helpfully from their left, seemingly unable to keep from butting in, ignoring the way Kihyun tugged on his shoulder in reprimand.
Changkyun seemed to physically curl in on himself, swallowing thickly as he wilted beneath the three-pronged attack, shaking his head helplessly as if knowing that it didn't really matter what he said... it would be the wrong thing.
Hyungwon opened his mouth to say something else, the look on his face indicating it wouldn't be anything kind, and Hyunwoo stepped forward to finally intervene.
"Stop! " Jooheon cut him off, "Just stop! He's apologized! He's explained and apologized- for everything! Even when he shouldn't have, he said he was sorry! Even when he didn't do anything wrong- He still tried to make it better and tried to fit in... you need to give him a chance!"
It shamed Hyunwoo slightly to realize that Jooheon was well and truly ahead of him in the 'seeing the actual current state of things.'
He was the leader and the oldest, and yet apparently Jooheon had been the first to recognize what absolute asshats they had all been being to their maknae.
Had realized for a while, and already made efforts to make amends, if the way Changkyun was leaning against the back of the other's knees in an attempt to hide the strangled tears-
"Hey, hey- " Kihyun discarded any pretense of staying out of the argument and abandoned his efforts to sway Wonho, instead dropping to his knees beside the maknae, hand gentle on his back as he continued, "Take a breath, it's okay- I'm sorry, Jooheon-ah's right, it really is just some hot water- "
"Hyung!" Minhyuk protested, scandalized by the apparent switching loyalties.
Kihyun's gentle voice was scalding as he snapped back, "Just stop. He's nearly hyperventilating he so upset...it's just the fucking shower. I'm not happy, but it's not - Look at him! "
"Oh, for- It's just for attention!" Hyungwon spat, crossing his arms defensively at the disbelieving look Kihyun sent, but it was Jooheon that snapped-
The second youngest pulled away from Changkyun's kneeling form and stepped right up into Hyungwon and Minhyuk's space, seething, " Bullshit ! I'm sorry, hyung, but that's the biggest load of garbage I've ever heard! Will you look at him!? He's- he's not like that at all! Changkyun-ah is- he doesn't like attention, he's... he's shy! He's-"
"He's burning up."
Hyungwon fell silent as the group turned to Kihyun's worried interruption, the vocalist's hands cupping the youngest's flushed cheeks, something that Hyunwoo had credited to the emotional wringer.
"Probably from all the hot water-" Hyungwon spat. Still, it was feeble, lacking the vitriol of earlier, a pretense of holding onto his rage.
"No," said Kihyun, "I mean he's really burning up- like, needs a hospital burning up-" as he spoke one of his hands moved up to push shower dampened hair from Changkyun's forehead, settling flat against his skin-
Changkyun glanced up towards the older, and Hyunwoo could only wonder at the strange look that passed across his pale face. Something akin to hope, perhaps? But tinged with a sad amount of incredulity.
"Yah- you're sick!? How sick? Sick how? You are very red-" Jooheon dropped back to his knees beside the younger rapper, ignoring the look of disgruntlement that Kihyun shot the second youngest when he leaned in to press his hand against changkyun's forehead, dislodging Kihyun in the process.
He immediately pulled away, though, gaze flitting between the palm of his hand and the maknae as he exclaimed, "Holy- Changkyun! You're -"
After a deep, shaky breath that didn't seem to help much against the choked tears, Changkyun struggled to voice something, "I - I'm- I'm really- I'm -fine-"
He wasn't.
As if the word 'sick' suddenly framed the whole evening in a completely different light, Hyunwoo found himself reassessing every minute detail from the past 24 hours and not at all liking the picture that was forming.
The one he'd completely failed to put together.
Changkyun being the last to wake that morning, despite usually being one of the earlier risers.
The lack of appetite at lunch and dinner, especially after having missed breakfast (having been so late out of bed).
The seeming inability to get the choreography right during their dance practice...that they'd all had perfected for months.
The husky quality to his voice during vocal practice. The coach had even complimented his deeper tone.
The way he'd fallen asleep in the van, despite the thunderstorm raging outside. Hyunwoo had actually had to wake him when they'd pulled up to the curb.
The fact that he'd slumped against the door once inside from their midnight dash through the downpour, seemingly drained of all energy.
The flushed cheeks and glassy eyes.
The parchment pale skin.
The emotional weakness. Hyunwoo had only ever seen the maknae cry in front of them once when he'd been chosen to debut.
The struggle to even sit back up a moment ago.
The lack of more than three words strung together since he'd been dragged to the lounge room.
How the hell had Hyunwoo missed the fact that his maknae was sick?
"Here, hyung-" Minkyuk injected from the doorway as he reentered, and Hyunwoo couldn't remember when he'd left, but the thermometer he was holding out to Kihyun was explanation enough. Also, a kindness that surprised Hyunwoo; Minhyuk was firmly in the 'dislike Changkyun' party. Or at least, Hyunwoo had thought he was.
"Mmm, thanks Minhyukkie-" Kihyun replied, accepting the thermometer and turning back towards the maknae, before hesitating-
He held out the thermometer tentatively, "Here, you can do it- "
Hyunwoo frowned. Any other member and he was sure Kihyun would have already jammed the reader under their tongue with loving threats to not speak while it was there.
Kihyun was practically vibrating with sudden pent up tension, and Hyunwoo immediately realized his dilemma- Here was one of his members, apparently actually sick, and Kihyun was desperate to help, but ...knew he didn't have the right to expect to be allowed. Not when he'd made it as clear as he could that he didn't care.
Even when it had become categorically untrue, he'd still stubbornly covered with temper and misdirection.
"I...I'm fine. You - you don't have to stay with- " Changkyun murmured weakly, dropping suddenly glassy eyes to the carpet as he accepted the thermometer, knuckles white as he tightened his fist around the device.
"What!? No- that's not what I meant! At all! ... Changkyun ! I just- " Kihyun tripped over himself to explain, "I want to help! I just didn't know if you'd want me to-" he tugged the thermometer out of Changkyun's grasp and slipped it between the maknae's lips when he opened them to reply.
"That's... That's the first time you've used my name." Changkyun garbled around the thermometer and Kihyun stared, silent, speechless.
Hyunwoo caught the uncomfortable glance exchanged between Hyungwon and Minhyuk, where the two had dropped unobtrusively to the couch on the far side of the room, neither outwardly concerned nor aggressive toward the maknae.
He knew that he was guilty of predominantly using the youngest's stage name, and he hadn't thought anything of it- until now.
Had they been so intent on distancing themselves from the maknae that they'd subconsciously refused to even use his name?
Kihyun seemed to pull himself from his crisis of self-disgusted disbelief, and he sat back abruptly, pulling away from changkyun, but holding his gaze as he pressed his hands together, "...I'm- Shit. Changkyun- Changkyun. ... I'm an idiot and stubborn and just...an idiot. I'm really sorry. " Kihyun apologized hollowly, words sincere but empty with acknowledgment of being entirely too late and for all the wrong reasons.
Changkyun stared at him, mouth slightly open, thermometer staying put more by luck than good management-
Before beeping suddenly, cutting into the silence.
Kihyun reached for the thermometer with a glance toward the maknae, reading the digital screen with a frown, a hand coming up to rub over his mouth as he eyed the youngest with concern.
"What is it, hyung? He's really hot, isn't he?" Jooheon queried, patting Changkyun's shoulder reassuringly.
"38.9" Kihyun murmured, still glancing between the thermometer and maknae, "That's - that's getting really high. I think we should at least call manager-nim, maybe go to the hospital-"
Changkyun started, struggling upright with a shake of his head, eyes wide as he protested, "What?! I- No, I'm fine. I'll be fine-"
Kihyun frowned, glancing up to find Hyunwoo for leaderly back-up or something, replying, "He's very warm, hyung. I really think-"
Hyunwoo glanced between the two; sick maknae and mother-hen both looking up at him with expectation-
"No! Don't- I just...please?" Changkyun begged , and across the room, Wonho exclaimed wordlessly and threw his hands up. Hyunwoo stepped to the side to allow Wonho to grab his water bottle from where his bag had been abandoned by the door, before he crossed the room and knelt beside the gathering group, eyes rolling skywards as he sighed, "Oh for- That's it, I can't. ...I'm done too." He held the water bottle out to Changkyun, "I didn't want to like you... but you're making it very hard. Drink."
He turned to Kihyun, "Let's try to get it down ourselves first? Give him some Tylenol and water? Monitor it for an hour or two? Maybe call manager-nim if it gets to 39.5 or something?"
Kihyun swept his gaze over Changkyun's hopeful face hesitantly, asking, "Do you feel sick at all? Dizzy or sore throat or anything like that?"
Changkyun shook his head, pulling himself upright, "No, No, I'm fi-" he paused when Kihyun raised a judgmental eyebrow, echoed by Jooheon's disbelieving huff of breath, and amended to, "-I'm just tired. And cold. Freezing actually-"
Hyunwoo suddenly realized that beyond the pajama-clad Jooheon and sweatpant wearing maknae...there was four boxer clad twenty-somethings and Hyungwon in his towel gracing the lounge.
He burst into laughter.
"I think what hyung means is that we should get you to bed now," Kihyun explained, shoving Hyunwoo when he continued to snigger, " Just so you know though, I'll be in to check on you occasionally, and if your temp gets above 39.5, I'm calling manager-nim. "
Hyunwoo wouldn't call the look on the maknae's face agreeable exactly. Still, he was nodding his acknowledgment of the compromise as he allowed Jooheon and Wonho to pull him to his feet.
"But what about showers?" Hyungwon whined from his spot on the couch, his gaze still distinctly irritated as it followed Changkyun, Wonho, and Jooheon from the room.
Hyunwoo sighed, "Give it a few hours, the hot water will refill. Just...go to bed, shower in the morning-"
"But hyung, we all stink! And my skin-" Minhyuk whined, standing petulantly, seemingly only foot stomp away from five-year-old brattiness.
Hyunwoo sighed, throwing his hands up, voice laced with exasperated irritation as he replied, "Look, Guys, your options are a cold shower or just wash your faces and go to bed like I'm going to...I can't offer anything else tonight!"
Thunder boomed loudly overhead as if to emphasize Hyunwoo's fraying temper, and Minhyuk crossed his arms defensively, taking a half step behind Hyungwon.
Kihyun rolled his eyes loudly, a purely Kihyun trait, and Hyunwoo found himself being flapped at, "Go wash up and check on the others, I've got this-"
Hyunwoo went willingly; if either of the troublemakers insisted on preserving with the ridiculous whining, Kihyun would sort them out a lot faster and with more finality than Hyunwoo.... and he'd probably enjoy it more too.