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The music fades, leaving only the sound of their harsh breathing.
Dance practice is brutal as ever. Jake can see it in everyone's faces, the way Sunoo is bent over and panting with his hands on his thighs, how Jay's face is flushed, and Heeseung's shirt is drenched with sweat.
He sees it in the way Jungwon can barely catch his breath to utter a word, only waving his arm to signal the end of this section of practice before heading over to the sound system to pause the next song that started playing.
Jungwon drops to the ground, back against the mirror, as he takes several deep breaths to calm his body down. Jake finds his legs carrying him next to his leader, but he stops when someone taps his shoulder.
Ni-Ki. The kid looks winded, but better than all of them– except maybe Sunghoon.
"I'm going to get some water bottles, do you want anything?" He asks.
Jake can only wonder how he has any energy to walk anywhere, though he keeps that thought to himself. He smiles, shaking his head, and watches as Ni-Ki drags Sunoo out with him. They are definitely going to take a while and bring more than just water bottles.
With the two out of the room, Jake continues his way over to Jungwon. He drops next to him with a quiet thud.
Despite his obvious exhaustion, Jungwon turns to him to offer a cute grin. Jake's heart almost bursts with fondness.
He has never met anyone that makes the word cute feel inadequate, and yet here is Jungwon, who can’t be done justice with such a small word.
He’s so cute Jake wants to squeeze him and never let go. So he does.
He wraps his arms around Jungwon before flopping onto the floor, dragging him down until he's lying half on top of Jake.
A wave of giggles bursts out of Jungwon’s lips, sweet as everything about him.
“Yoi,” he says after his giggles quiet down. "What are you doing, hyung?"
"Taking a nap. We deserve it."
“Practice isn’t over yet.”
“It is for both of us.” To make a point, he tightens his arms around Jungwon. “You look tired.” He says in a quieter voice.
Jungwon twists around until he’s comfortable enough, still laying half on top of Jake. “we’re all tired.”
“Yeah, but you look tired.”
It’s true, they’re all exhausted. Preparing for tour has put them through a new level of work that they’re still adjusting to. And it hasn’t been easy, especially with their jam packed schedules that didn’t let up just because they’re living part-time in the practice room.
But Jungwon looks so visibly tired it’s worrying. Jungwon, who has the best stamina alongside Sunghoon, and is best at controlling his energy. Jungwon, who has the uncanny ability to appear perfectly alright until the very last second. Jungwon, who still runs the dance practice, but now has Heeseung backing him up.
Jake is worried. They all are.
When he doesn’t say anything, Jake thinks Jungwon understands his concerns. He moves his hand to stroke Jungwon’s hair and smiles as he melts against him.
“Not fair, hyung." He mutters as he snuggles deeper in Jake’s arms.
“You should know that I don’t always play fair.”
Honestly, it’s Jungwon’s fault for telling them that playing with his hair, especially near his nape where Jake’s hand is moving now, is a sure way to get him to sleep fast.
Reveal your secrets and face the consequences and all that.
“Rest some. We still have lots of time to prepare, a nap isn’t going to put us behind schedule.”
His eyes close with a deep, content sigh. “Wake me up in an hour?”
“No promises.”
Jungwon looks up at him, a sleepy frown sitting on his face. “Hyung?”
Jake doesn’t tell him he looks adorable when he sleeps, that it’s hard to bring himself to wake Jungwon up when he knows he needs rest.
“I’ll wake you up soon enough.”
The thing about Jungwon, he knows what battles to pick. He sighs at Jake’s answer, knowing there’s no point of arguing, and drops his head down to nap for a while.
He must be more tired than he'd ever admit, because even with Jake playing with his hair, the speed Jungwon falls asleep in is alarming.
But at least he sleeps.
Even breaths move his chest. His eyelashes are fanned out against his rosy cheeks that Jake adores so much. His fingers rest on Jake’s chest, loosely holding on to his shirt, and he is just so... endearing. Jake can’t help but keep glancing at him, heart swelling with fondness, even if he has to crane his neck uncomfortably each time.
It's then that he notices the quiet practice room. He looks up, his eyes wander until he meets Jay's tired smile.
"You good, man?"
"Yup. Got the cat to sleep."
Sunghoon seems to appreciate the nickname, as he snorts somewhere outside Jake's periphery.
"And got yourself out of practice until he wakes up." Heeseung says, but the smile on his face tells them that he doesn't mind.
Jake wants to shrug. Jungwon's weight on his chest stops him. "Got us all a long break." He grins. "If any of you even tries to turn the music on or dance, I'll make sure you don't sleep today."
The three are silent for a few seconds before Sunghoon laughs, muffled by what Jake assumes is his hand. "Okay, big guy. No need for threats."
Jake doesn't answer, and the room quiets down again.
There are only a couple of minutes left in their original break when Sunoo and Ni-Ki come back. They have a few bags with them, and judging by the shape, it’s mostly snacks. Ni-Ki’s eyes immediately find them, so he puts the bag he was holding down and skips over, mirth dancing across his features.
“Jake hyung?”
Even though Jungwon probably won’t wake up, Jake presses a finger to his lips. "He's sleeping.”
A small smile softens Ni-Ki’s mischief. “good. Hyungie needs all the sleep he can get.” He searches his pockets for a moment. “doesn’t mean I won’t take pictures to tease him.”
A big lie, of course. Ni-Ki barely teases Jungwon. He dotes on him and finds him cute, just like the rest of them, even if he has the most respect for him. Their relationship is sweet like that.
Jake glances once more at Jungwon, and nods his head. “Just make sure to send them to the group chat.” he says and throws a peace sign to the camera.
--
Weverse
Ni-Ki 🌟 wrote a post:
Hyungs are very cute ㅋㅋㅋ
Jake 🌟 left a comment on Ni-Ki’s 🌟 post:
My back hurts ㅠㅠㅠㅠ but it was worth it! Jungwonie slept well ❤
Ni-Ki is, to simply put it, incredibly sleepy.
Him and Jungwon had stayed out until 2:40 am, shooting for the new dance project that had many night scenes. It was one of the latest shoots they ever had, and it was tiring as hell. The choreography is one of his favourites, but if he had to do it one more time...
By the time they had a pitiful excuse of a dinner and the fastest showers they could manage (that weren't fast at all considering how exhausted they both were), it was closer to 4 am.
And yet, they were asked to be at the company at 8 am for a group shoot.
Sleepy is actually an understatement. Ni-Ki could probably fall asleep if he sat still for more than 10 seconds. He keeps shifting his weight or fidgeting with the buttons of his jacket or even rubbing his eyes to stay awake.
He barely takes notice of where they're heading, trusting that Jungwon is leading them the right way.
They arrive at one of the shooting studios if Ni-Ki's guess is right. Jungwon knocks before entering.
The room is filled with staff and various boxes of equipment and decoration. The place itself is still bare, white walls upon white walls. Not even the green screen they use sometimes is rolled out. There's not a single camera to be seen.
"Oh, you guys are early." One of their managers says when he approaches them. "We still have a while to go, as you can see."
Ni-Ki could only blink at him.
"Kyungmin-nim sent me the schedule. The shoot is meant to start in 45 minutes." Jungwon says evenly. Ni-Ki hears the slight edge in his voice he usually works hard on keeping away.
The manager scratches his cheek. "Yes, but there was a change in schedule since the filming crew won't be here until 11. Did Kyungmin-ssi not send you the revised schedule?"
"I…"
Jungwon rummages through his bag and fishes his phone out. He rubs his face as he unlocks the device and starts looking through his messages and mail. Ni-Ki can see his hand faintly trembling as he checks.
"No, there's nothing here," he says. He turns his phone around to show the manager what Ni-Ki assumes is the schedule he has. "This is the last thing he sent me."
"Ah," the manager looks apologetically at them. "Must have been a mistake on his part. Sorry you had to show up early, kids. Go to your practice room for now and I'll get you when we need you."
After a second too long, Jungwon bows, and they hastily follow his suit. "Thank you."
He walks out of the studio in brisk steps.
And really, Jungwon tends to walk fast, but even Ni-Ki's sleep deprived mind knows this is his pissed off walk.
"Jungwon-ah," Heeseung calls gently.
They stop by one of the elevators, waiting for it to arrive.
"I'm fine, hyung." He rubs his face again. He looks far from fine in Ni-Ki's opinion. "Let's just get to the practice room."
Any word Heeseung has to say is dropped. He doesn't look too happy about it, but he respects Jungwon's not-at-all-subtle wishes to not talk for the time being. He'll probably bring it up later today, or tomorrow.
Ni-Ki doesn't dwell on it, sighing when the elevator stops by their floor. They fold themselves into the space and Jay presses the button of the 14th floor.
The lights are bright here, he thinks. He closes his eyes, but it's no use when he feels them piercing through his lids. Too bright.
Soon enough, he finds himself in the practice room.
His hyungs spread out across the space, and he can already see Jay pull his airpods, while Sunghoon sits right in the middle of the room, just because he can. Sunoo and Heeseung take the couch, Jake is walking around, never one to sit still for long.
And Jungwon…
He finds him looking through the storage units where they keep their equipment and props they use for performances.
Jungwon opens and closes drawers, until he seemingly finds whatever he's been looking for. It turns out to be some foam mats they use during practice sometimes.
He takes out a few and starts spreading them on the floor, putting some on top of each other. When he's done, he looks up and meets Ni-Ki's eyes, beckoning him to come closer.
"This is probably not the best, but it's what I have now," he says. "C'mon, you can use an extra hour or two of sleep."
Then he turns to his bag and takes out the extra sweater he brought. He folds it until it looks something like a pillow and puts it on the mat. "Lay down."
As he is about most things, Jungwon is right. An hour or two of sleep sounds like heaven to him now.
Ni-Ki doesn't need to be told twice. He drops on the mats with a tired groan. They're not the thickest material in the world, but doubling them makes it better. And it's better than the cold, hard ground in any case, so he'll take any win he can. Jungwon's sweater is also soft, and it smells like him.
Sleep is already tugging on his lids when he feels Jungwon walk away.
"Hyung?"
"Go to sleep, Ni-Ki-yah." He says gently. "You need it."
"So do you." Jungwon only shrugs. "Just stay, we could both use some rest." He scoots to the side to make some space beside him.
Jungwon doesn't argue, which speaks volumes about his exhaustion in itself, and lays down as well.
"If you kick me in your sleep, you're not gonna like what will happen."
He throws his arm over Jungwon's waist. "Yeah, yeah, just sleep, hyung."
"Brat."
And then they're both off to dreamland.
--
Ni-Ki wakes up to giggling somewhere above him. He squints, trying to decipher who is there. It shouldn't have been a surprise to see Jake.
"Aw, Ni-K-san! I was about to take a picture!" He says, and proceeds to take some anyway.
A whine leaves his lips, and he covers his face with the hand that isn't trapped under Jungwon.
Trapped under Jungwon?
Oh.
His hyung is still fast asleep, using Ni-Ki's arm as a pillow. How they ended up like this isn't something Ni-Ki knows, but he doesn't mind that much. Even with his arm being very numb at the moment.
"I'm gonna post this right now." Jake looks like he's vibrating with excitement. "I'm so glad your hair colours aren't a secret, I don't think I can not post this."
"Hyung," he groans. "What do you want?"
That stops Jake's rampling. "Oh, yeah. They need us down in the studio so we can get ready for the shoot. Wake Jungwonie up and let's go."
--
Enhypen @ENHYPEN_members
#ENHYPEN #JAKE
Cute sleeping leader and cute grumpy maknae heh
En-o'clock filming is fun. Filming a three-parter is a little less fun.
Jay sits outside the studio with a little sigh. The rain hasn't let up–which is why they switched to filming inside in the first place–and the pitter-patter of it is soft against the large windows facing him.
He is not exactly the fondest of rainy weather, but he thinks it's okay. At least the building is warm. It's so warm he's wearing a short-sleeved shirt and feeling great about it. It doesn't stop the slight melancholy brewing in his chest.
He's always been like this around winter time. Sunlight definitely suits him best. But it has gotten better since debut–since he has the members.
They make most things better.
They test his patience too often, sure, and they're a damn pain sometimes, but. They make winter better, they make this sadness he has better, they make him better.
He's deep in his thoughts that he doesn't notice the studio door opening and someone stepping out until they plop next to him.
Jay jumps with the beginning of a curse on his tongue when he realizes it's only Jungwon.
All previous thoughts vanish as a smile paints his face.
"Hey," he says.
Jungwon groans.
"That is not the sound of someone who won this stupid game we just played." He pats Jungwon's hair, his smile getting bigger.
"I'm tired," he whines.
A laugh escapes Jay. He doesn't mean to, but Jungwon is too cute when he starts whining. It's a sight they don't get to see often. Jungwon is usually above any whining that isn't playful or purposely annoying, and even that is mostly reserved for the cameras. So him whining now, all sulky and pouty… Jay is just so fond.
"Well, it's done now. And you get a free meal out of it."
"And I'm not taking you with me," Jungwon tells him without looking up. "I'm taking Jake hyung."
Jay puts a hand above his heart, a fake wounded expression on his face. "I'm so hurt, Jungwon-ah. Is this what I get for helping you?"
"Yes."
"So cruel, Jungwon-ah."
"Mmhm."
Jay laughs again. "Whatever you say."
They lapse into comfortable silence after that. Jay would usually talk Jungwon's ear off, but he's content with the quiet. Despite the chaos Jungwon can bring, he's a calm presence to be around most of the time. Jay likes that, how it's never too loud with him.
He knows all of them tend to gravitate towards Jungwon when they need to wind down. Whether it's nervous energy or just the need for quiet, they always find him. Or Jungwon finds them. He can sense when he's needed or wanted.
It's probably why Jungwon came to find him in the first place.
Jay's disdain of the rain isn't a secret.
Warmth fills his chest, chasing the leftover melancholy away. Jungwon, once again, manages to make him feel better with this silent, nonchalant way of his. The one where he doesn't say he's trying to help, he just does.
He turns around, a thank you hanging on his tongue, but the sight of Jungwon's droopy eyes has him forgetting all about it.
"Oh," he says. "You're really tired, huh?"
A big yawn has Jungwon's eyes tearing up before he looks at Jay. A cute pout sits on his face.
"I slept for like… 7 hours today, and I'm still sleepy."
Jay shrugs. "Sleeping once for 7 hours doesn't make up for days worth of missing rest." Jungwon glares at him weakly. The effect is ruined by his still teary eyes. "But you can nap now for a bit, I guess. The punishment is gonna take a while to film."
And thank god he managed to scrape up enough points during the game to escape the punishment. Not that it's that bad, but he'd rather not peel all these little eggs.
It seems like that is all the permission Jungwon needs to flop down on the bench to rest his head on Jay's thigh.
"Thanks, hyung." His eyes are already shut. "You can come eat with me when I have time to get this meal."
Jay laughs at that. "Wow, I feel so appreciated. Thanks, Jungwon-ah."
"Mmhm."
He settles after that. Maybe it has to do with the rain Jungwon loves so much, or the fact that the place is warm. Maybe Jay flatters himself a bit and thinks he's partially the reason Jungwon sleeps so easily. It doesn't matter though. As long as he rests.
Jay's fingers find their way into his hair, stroking the soft strands with utmost care. Even though it's warm, he kind of wishes he has a blanket or even a jacket to tuck over Jungwon. For no real reason other than his own peace of mind.
Rain continues pouring as minutes pass by. He hears some noise from the shooting studio, though none bad enough to disturb Jungwon's rest.
He zones out for a bit, but he notices the door opening this time. He looks up to see Heeseung.
"Hey,"
Heeseung takes in the scene for a few moments. "He's already sleeping?"
"Yeah," he snorts. "Catching up on some missing sleep."
Heeseung stares some more before he turns on his heel and reenters the studio. He comes back out with a blanket.
"The others are gonna take a while," he spreads the blanket over his dongsaeng. "Might as well sleep comfortably."
"Thanks, hyung,"
"Don't mention it,"
--
Weverse
Jay 🌟 wrote a post:
A well-earned nap after winning en-o'clock 😆 blanket courtesy of Heeseung hyung!
It’s unusually quiet in the dorm.
Then again, Sunghoon thinks, most of the members aren’t around.
A rare day off leads to them going out. Jake and Ni-Ki are out shopping, Jay is out with his mom, while Sunoo went to his house. And Heeseung... he doesn’t actually know where Heeseung went, but it doesn’t bother him. As long as his hyung is out of the dorm, it’s fine.
It sounds a bit hypocritical coming from Sunghoon, who is still in the dorm. He just wanted to relax though; he’s had enough socializing. But now he’s bored, and the dorm is almost empty.
Almost. Jungwon is still here too.
Any other day off, Jungwon would’ve gone out with Jake and Ni-Ki or went to visit his family, but he chose to stay in, wanting some peace and quiet after their hectic schedule. Sunghoon doesn’t blame him for that. For all their busy schedules, Jungwon's seems busier, always being pulled by this manager or that for a meeting or preparing for something that won’t be released for months. Or whatever the managers decide is his responsibility for the day.
He deserves all the time to rest.
But Sunghoon is bored. What’s better than sitting with his favourite leader?
He pockets his phone before standing and heading to their shared room.
The door is half open, so Sunghoon knocks and peeks in. The sight he sees is just adorable.
Jungwon is sprawled on his bed, eyes closed in the face of the sunbeams shining through the windows. The beams reflect on his hair, which Sunghoon is selfishly glad is now dark and almost recovered from bleach damage, and it makes him look... soft. That and his cotton shirt and worn-out sweatpants make him look so huggable.
“Hi, hyung.” Jungwon says, eyes opening for a second to spare him a welcoming look before closing again.
“Hey,” he leans on the door frame. “What are you doing?”
“Not much. I talked with my grandma a bit,” a smile crosses his face, the fond one he always wears when he mentions his beloved grandmother. “She’s okay. And I’m not doing anything now. The sun is nice.”
Sunghoon smiles at him even though he can’t see it. “You should've gone shopping to enjoy the sun more."
Jungwon clicks his tongue. “Going shopping with Jake hyung and Ni-Ki is asking for aching feet. I’m already tired, why would I put myself through that?”
"Fair enough. Are you gonna nap?"
"If I can manage, why not?”
Sunghoon’s smile widens. He leaves his spot at the door and steps inside, making his way to stand in front of Jungwon, effectively blocking the sun and getting his attention. He gets an annoyed look, though it’s nothing short of adorable.
"Move, please.” He says.
"Hmm?”
Sunghoon ruffles his hair before smoothing it back. “Lift your head a bit.”
"Don’t wanna,” Jungwon whines and lifts his head anyway.
Sunghoon sits down, leans his back on the wall behind him and stretches his legs. He guides Jungwon’s head to lay there. The younger sighs as he melts against Sunghoon, and he turns back towards the sun with his eyes closed.
A smile tugs on Sunghoon’s lips. His heart is at ease looking at Jungwon’s relaxed face. And he’s truly relaxed, not the calm, composed mask he has on while they work or practice. He looks impossibly younger like this, like he doesn't have a care in the world. Like he doesn't carry the weight of the group on his shoulders.
But most importantly, he looks cute. Like a cat stretching in the sun.
Without much thought, his hand reaches up to stroke Jungwon’s forehead. "Cute.”
Jungwon cracks an eye open to look at him, which immediately tears up from the direct sunlight, and he closes it again.
“That's so on brand for you, hyung.”
“What is?”
“Calling me cute," he says. "You do it all the time."
Sunghoon snorts. “That's because it's a fact. Plus, you love it when I call you cute, don't you?”
Blood rushes to Jungwon’s face, his already rosy cheeks turning brighter. Even though Jungwon has gained so much confidence throughout the years –and better ability to control his reactions– he is still the same 14-year-old kid who gets flustered at the bare minimum of compliments, who blushes something fierce and looks away.
Sunghoon is so incredibly endeared.
He coos and pokes at the reddening cheeks under his fingers and laughs at the whine that leaves Jungwon’s mouth as he buries his face in the elder’s stomach.
“I just want to enjoy the sun. Don’t tease!” he huffs into Sunghoon’s t-shirt. His fingers reach over to pinch him, but Sunghoon catches them in time, placing them away from him.
He thinks he should continue teasing before deciding against it. He is the one who decided to come here after all.
“Fine, fine, I’ll stop.”
Jungwon moves his face away, sending one last scathing look at his hyung. With minor adjustments, he's back to facing the sun, basking in the warmth of it. It’s a fast process, the way he melts back in the elder's lap with a content sigh. Like a cat.
Cute, Sunghoon thinks once more, because it couldn’t be said enough. His hands wander up, unable to resist tracing the delicate arch of Jungwon’s eyebrows. Between that and stroking Jungwon’s hair, his hands are busy though not overstimulated. He could do this for a while.
He does. Minutes slip away, and Jungwon's breathing evens out as he sleeps.
Even though he's not doing much, Sunghoon somehow finds his boredom cured. He meant to do something with Jungwon, but he supposes this is good enough. As long as Jungwon is resting.
It's a while later when he hears the door open. He strains his ears and hears someone humming. It's either Heeseung or Sunoo.
"Sunghoon hyung! Jungwon!"
And yup, that's Sunoo calling.
It takes him less than a minute to find them.
"Sunghoon hyung, are you– oh."
Sunoo immediately stops when he sees Jungwon sleeping. A little smile lifts his cheeks. If Sunghoon was within reach, he would've probably pinched them.
"Sorry," he whispers. "Has he been out for long?"
"20 minutes, I think. Maybe more."
"Oh, I think it's okay to wake him then. We brought lunch, come eat."
"We?"
"Jake hyung and Ni-Ki are coming up. We texted the group chat, but you two didn't reply so we got your usual orders." Sunoo says.
Sunghoon gestures to Jungwon as if to say how am I supposed to see your texts when I'm this busy?
"It's whatever. Wake him up."
"Do I have to?" Sunghoon pouts, his hand in Jungwon's hair. "Look at him, how can I wake him up?"
Sunoo rolls his eyes. Sunghoon pouts more.
"Just do it, the food will cool down."
"Fine, I'll do it," he grumples.
And if he takes a few pictures before he does, well. Only he has to know. And the thousands of fans who will see the pictures when he posts them.
--
Enhypen @ENHYPEN_members
The cat is sleeping well
#ENHYPEN #SUNGHOON #ENGENE
Jungwon is sick.
Jungwon is not sick enough by the company's standards to have the day off, especially on a fan meeting day.
All Sunoo wants to do is tuck Jungwon in bed and let him sleep a few extra, very necessary hours. Of course, neither Jungwon nor the company would allow him to do so.
After the whole Manifesto fiasco and Jungwon missing two days, he had been adamant on not skipping any more days no matter what. Sunoo knows it's hard to miss events, hell, he missed an entire Kcon and a music video shooting, and that killed him inside, but at least he knew he needed the time off. He'd taken time to actually recover.
Jungwon on the other hand, just straight up denies it.
Sunoo has lost count of the times Jungwon pushed through an illness to attend an event, or do a live, or go to practice.
And the thing is, Jungwon has an uncanny ability to pretend he's okay. If Sunoo didn't know better, he wouldn't suspect anything is wrong with the leader. He just knows how to pace his energy and deflect any type of worry.
Like today.
They're in the second week of promotions, already done with the pre-recording for The Show, did a radio interview, and currently doing a fan meeting before calling it a day.
The makeup artist has had to touch up Jungwon's makeup repeatedly throughout the day to hide his paling complexion. He slept backstage whenever he could, even if it was only for five minutes. He's lost focus once during the interview, and they all saw the flash of panic as he realized that he zoned out for a minute.
Sunoo is just praying that this fan meeting passes in peace. They're already halfway there.
"Everyone, what song do you want to see us perform now?" Heeseung says into the mic. "Cheer for the song you want?"
He says the b-side first, which earns him some decent cheering. Then he says the title track, and well…
Jungwon giggles into his mic, "whoa, you guys really love the title track!"
The cheers get louder at that.
"Okay then. Let's go!"
They put their mics on the table behind them. Getting into formation is easy after endless weeks of practice, and the music is so familiar, their bodies move as one.
Without an earpiece, Sunoo can hear all the cheering and chanting, the way the crowd gasps at the killer parts. The energy has him smiling all the way through the song, even though it's meant to be more of a sensual dance.
Just as the song finishes, Sunoo catches an unusual movement beside him. He turns around in time for the crowd's chanting to turn into concerned shouts.
His heart jumps to his throat when he sees Sunghoon holding an unconscious Jungwon.
Sunghoon is holding an unconscious Jungwon.
Jungwon has fainted.
Sunoo freezes for a split second as sheer panic courses in his veins, then he rushes over and helps Sunghoon kneel down without dropping Jungwon from his shaky grip.
The members surround them in a blink of an eye.
"What happened?" Jay asks, hands aimlessly hovering over Jungwon.
"He started slowing down by the final chorus and was swaying by the end. Barely caught him before he planted face first into the floor."
A manager rushes towards them before anyone responds to Sunghoon's words. "We need to get him backstage, Sunghoon-ssi," his hands reach over like he plans to pull Jungwon away.
Except… Sunghoon's tightens his arms, leans away from the manager's like he thinks he would hurt Jungwon. "I can do it." He says through gritted teeth. His eyes are so fierce and protective, Sunoo nearly steps back.
He shifts their still unconscious leader until he has an arm around his shoulder and the other under his knees. Taking a deep breath, he stands up and lifts Jungwon with him. He lets out a small grunt and almost stumbles, but Jay steadies him with a hand on his forearm.
"Thanks,"
They rush back, leaving the shocked hush that fell over the crowd.
--
As they wait for the manager to bring Jungwon home, Sunoo allows himself to open Twitter.
It's in a frenzy, of course. Jungwon's tag is trending, followed closely by the group's and Sunghoon's. The first few tweets detail the incident with no videos attached. He scrolls further before spotting one.
In a spell of morbid curiosity, Sunoo watches.
Everything is apparently going well. No one messes up, Jungwon's energy is up to par as always. Until the last few seconds. With his eyes pinned on Jungwon, he sees how he struggles through the last bit, how he sways as the last beat fades away. How heavily he's breathing. How his face pales so much it's apparent through his makeup and his knees buckle.
And he sees Sunghoon, who has been keeping a close eye on Jungwon, leap to catch him before he hits the floor.
Even though the manager has texted them to reassure them it was only a matter of dehydration and low blood pressure, Sunoo still feels sick to his stomach.
The feeling does not dissolve until the door opens, and the manager steps in with his arm around Jungwon to steady him. But he's awake and standing. The last time Sunoo saw him, he couldn't say both these things about him.
The manager waves them all down as Jay and Sunghoon get up.
"He's going to the bathroom and then to bed directly. Stay here, we should talk."
Jungwon gives them a weak smile before disappearing into the hallway alone.
"Jungwon won't go out tomorrow," the manager says plainly. "He's very dehydrated. His blood pressure was extremely low, and he almost fainted again in the hospital. He needs at least a day to recover. We're putting a statement out tomorrow morning."
"That's all?" Jake asks.
"That's all for him" The manager confirms. "Just let him sleep for now. He needs rest the most. As for us, we should make a rough plan for tomorrow. We have a couple of interviews on top of other performances."
It's 15 minutes later that Sunoo can slip away into their room. Jungwon's already changed and lying down on his bed.
Jungwon offers him a small smile as he approaches him.
Sunoo begins to wordlessly tuck the covers around Jungwon. Before he pulls back, Jungwon’s hand slips from under the cover to grab his own to hold it loosely.
You scared us, he wants to say, but doesn't. The way Jungwon squeezes his hand is enough for him to know that Jungwon is aware of that.
He settles next to him, keeping their hands together. Like this, he feels at ease. Jungwon is right there, safe and resting.
He fishes out his phone, and debates about writing a post or not. Waiting for the company's statement will cause more worry online.
Another brief look on Twitter tells him he should definitely post something. With a small sigh, Sunoo opens Weverse and stares at the cursor.
"Are you gonna post something?"
Jungwon's tired eyes flicker between him and his phone.
"Yeah, I will. They're going crazy with the silence."
"Hmm."
Sunoo thinks that's the end of it, but after a few seconds, Jungwon says, "take a picture, it will work better."
"Huh?"
Jungwon hums again. "If you want to, take a picture. The fans will calm down if they have actual proof that I'm okay." He rubs his eyes with his free hand. "I don't feel like posting anything myself, so I guess this could be the next best thing."
Sunoo knows he's right. But he hates it. He hates that people could be so privy to their vulnerability, that Jungwon feels obligated in any way to share private moment for the sake of reassuring fans.
"I'll see what I can do," he says. "Sleep for now, you need it."
"Mm, 'kay. Night, hyung."
It takes him a while to actually fall asleep. Sunoo has a feeling he might have been tossing and turning if not for their joined hands that Jungwon has absolutely refused to let go of. He tries his best to reassure Jungwon with gentle squeezes and a little humming until he slips into dreams.
Like this, he looks… soft. Bundled up and hidden under his sheets, Sunoo thinks he doesn't look half as bad as he had during the day.
"A picture won't hurt," he whispers to himself.
--
Weverse
Sunoo 🌟 wrote a post:
Engenes ㅠㅠ
Jungwonie is resting! Please don’t worry too much, he is okay and we’re taking good care of him.
Sleep well everyone!
Whoever decided that going live after awards' shows was a good idea needs to come talk to Heeseung as soon as possible.
Because… Why?
They've already performed, spent all night being filmed, received an award and thanked the fans. (Got very exhausted and overstimulated, but no one seems to care about those.)
Why go on live?
Unfortunately, it is not up to Heeseung to say, so they're already back at the company to do it, even though it's very late.
The manager guides them into one of the empty rooms where there's a phone set up by another staff member.
Heeseung slumps on the lone couch, Jay and Jungwon flank by his sides. Ni-Ki beats the rest of his hyungs to the last spot on the couch, giggling as they complain about being on the floor while wearing suits.
But hey, at least they get to stretch their legs under the table. Heeseung thinks that's good enough for now, especially when he sees Jungwon curled beside him, legs pulled up so Sunoo can lean comfortably on the couch.
But maybe it's not just that.
Jungwon looks exhausted, eyes glazed over and hands trembling ever so slightly. It looks like his fever is returning, only a little worse after the effort he put in tonight with mc-ing a section of the show and their own performance.
"Jungwon-ah," he whispers, "can you do this?"
Jungwon blinks up at him. "I think so."
He doesn't sound too sure. Heeseung isn't either.
The first 10 minutes of the live show go smoothly. Jungwon is a master at keeping up his persona for the camera, so there's nothing out of the ordinary with him.
Then Jay and Sunghoon start telling a story and bickering through it.
With nothing to add to the conversation, Jungwon quiets. Leans on Heeseung. It's most likely a subconscious decision on his part, but Heeseung doesn't mind.
As the two go on, Heeseung feels Jungwon slumping further against him. His weight is a welcomed warmth on his side, reassuring and endearing. He looks at the staff to see if they noticed, only to find the two staring directly at him. The older one points at them, and he makes a gesture that Heeseung assumes means he has to wake Jungwon up. Without breaking eye contact, he wraps an arm around Jungwon, adjusting him so he’s more comfortable leaning on him and his neck wouldn’t be so strained.
Jungwon goes easily, body pliant with sleep. His soft breaths tickle Heeseung's neck.
The manager's glare intensifies.
He tunes back in to the rest of the members just in time to laugh at Sunghoon's joke. His nimble fingers slip the iPad out of Jungwon’s hands before the device could fall and break and hands it to Jay, who takes it without even looking at him or the device.
Heeseung allows himself a small, private smile. It’s not often that Jungwon lets his guard down. It’s rarer when he knows they’re being filmed. However, his tiredness got the best of him this time, and Heeseung is happy to have been the one closest to him when his body decided to tap out.
“Oh, someone asked earlier what are we planning to do tonight?” Jay says. “Sleep!” he laughs along with the others. “It’s been a great night, but I can’t wait to go home and sleep.”
“Same.” Jake says. “It’s been a crazy day.”
Ni-Ki scrunches his nose. “Hyungs, you’re just old and need more sleep to function.”
It sends them into a new fit of laughter, Sunoo clapping at the face Jay makes. Sunghoon pokes Jake's cheek to get rid of his pout.
In the commotion of it all, Jungwon stirs. The quietest whine escapes him, hopefully muffled enough by Heeseung's jacket.
“It’s okay.” Heeseung whispers in Jungwon’s hair. "Go back to sleep.”
Jungwon doesn't seem to need the words as he slips back into dreamland faster than Heeseung has ever seen him.
He takes another look at the staff, and the same manager continues to glare. He uncaps his marker and scribbles on a board. Heeseung guesses the words before he's done.
Wake him up.
The others look confused at the words, but none turn to check. Sunghoon, Jake, and Sunoo check the previously discarded ipad in front of them to see their leader asleep, and Jay does the same thing and shows Ni-Ki.
A little giggle escapes Jake, though he doesn't bother to say anything.
Heeseung quirks an eyebrow at the staff. He's sure he'll see this exact moment on Twitter with a cheesy caption about him giving no fucks about what staff says, especially when he tightens his hold on Jungwon and rests his cheek on the crown of his head.
The conversation the others were in the middle of carries on. With the knowledge that Jungwon is asleep, they all lower their voices down a little, and the cadence of it is reminiscent of their regular talks, a joke here and there, but mostly at a normal volume.
Fifteen minutes later, the staff tells them to wrap up the live. Sunghoon reads a few more comments before Heeseung thanks the fans for the awards they received one more time and signals the end of the stream. They wave goodbye, not bothering with striking any final poses before the staff cut the stream.
Jay’s attention snaps to him in a blink of an eye.
“How long has he been out?” he asks.
“Since Sunghoon made that awful pun."
"Hey!"
There seems to be more questions to be asked, but the manager interrupts.
“Heeseung-ssi, this is unacceptable. Jungwon-ssi–”
“–is tired from performing and mc-ing today while sick.” Jay turns to look at him, eyes dark and piercing. “I’m sure dozing off for the last few minutes in a live is not that big of a deal, right?”
Jay smiles then, perfectly polite and pleasant, and it sends shivers down Heeseung's spine. He tends to forget that, even though Jay is usually a sweetheart, he is still one of their most intimidating members.
The manager purses his lips. With the combined stares of all the members and the other staff member patting his shoulder, he swallows whatever he was going to say. “Gather your things and head down, let’s get you home.”
Once both managers are out, Sunghoon breaks into a giant smile, slapping Jay’s back. “Let’s go, Mr Intimidating.”
"What would happen if I just let him sleep?" Heeseung asks. He hasn't made an attempt to move in any way.
"And what, carry him down to the car?" Jay raises an eyebrow at him.
"Uh… yeah."
Jay snorts. "Would be cute to look at, but unfortunately, you have to wake him up." His sarcastic smile softens. "He'd wake up the second you stand anyway, and he needs to eat so we can give him his meds. And shower, he would definitely want to shower."
Like usual, Jay is right.
Jake pats his shoulder, seemingly understanding the dejected look he must be showing.
"Let's go, hyung."
Maybe he can rob Jungwon into sleeping in his room tonight.
--
When Heeseung visits Twitter the next morning, his predictions have come true. It's kind of funny seeing himself sassing the staff without saying a word.
But the real focus has been on Jungwon, how adorable he is.
One of the tweets catches his attention; it's a collage of Jungwon's pictures, all of which he's sound asleep in. He spots a screenshot from the live in the corner.
'jungwon who always feels safe sleeping around his members and enhypen who let him rest when he needs to 🥺🥺🥺'
It's cheesy, but it's the type of cheesy he likes. Heeseung saves the picture in his favourites album.