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A new ramen place had opened up close to the SM building. Yuta had gone and absolutely raved about it and the restaurant advertised gluten-free ramen, so Shotaro wanted to try it. “Guys, do you want to try the new ramen place?” Shotaro asked one day after practice.
“Sounds good,” Eunseok agreed.
“I have heard good things,” Seunghan added.
“Can you eat the ramen?” Sungchan asked.
“I should be able to. They advertise gluten-free ramen,” Shotaro answered
“Great let’s go then,” Sungchan agreed.
The seven of them finished packing up and headed out of the practice room to try the ramen place. When they arrived, the small restaurant was almost empty. A waitress quickly showed them to an empty table. Sorting through the menu, Shotaro noticed that there was no mention of the gluten-free ramen advertised outside. Concerned that he was wrong, Shotaro flagged down the waitress, “ Hi, I wanted to confirm that there is gluten-free ramen?”
“Yes, there is, it’s only one flavor though,” The waitress confirmed.
“I would like that then,” Shotaro said.
Since everyone else was ready they all ordered different types of ramen. The group of them happily chatted about random things while they waited for their food. The waitress came with seven bowls of ramen placing one in front of each of them. Shotaro happily dug into his noodles, inhaling most of the bowl. Once the group finished they decided to walk back to the dorms cheerfully chatting away. On the way home Shotaro’s stomach began to cramp uncomfortably. “Hey guys I'm not feeling great. My stomach hurts,” Shotaro complained, rubbing his stomach,
“Oh no, was it the ramen?” Wonbin asked.
“I hope not. The restaurant said it was gluten-free,” Shotaro answered.
Arriving back at the dorm Shotaro went to his room and laid down on his bed hoping the cramps were just indigestion, not his celiacs. Shotaro had just lied down when he was hit with overwhelming nausea. Shotaro tried to force himself up and to the bathroom but barely managed to sit up before throwing up all over his bed. Shotaro groaned as he doubled over vomiting all over his comforter and himself. Grossed out Shotaro forced himself to a standing position staggering as he gagged and threw up all over the floor. “Sungchan!” Shotaro weakly shouted, falling to the fall
“Hyung?” Sungchan called, opening the door.
Sungchan gasped as he walked in, seeing Shotaro sitting on the floor covered in vomit. “Oh my God, Hyung!” Sungchan shrieked, rushing over to help Shotaro.
Shotaro let out a weak noise before gagging again. Sungchan bent down and gently wrapped an arm around Shotaro. Sungchan carefully picked up his hyung carrying him to the bathroom. Sungchan placed Shotaro in front of the toilet. As soon as he was on the ground Shotaro retched over the toilet, “Hyung stay here. I am going to get new clothes for you and clean up the room,” Sungchan explained
Sungchan rushed out of the bathroom shouting, “Seunghan call our manager and also get the cleaning supplies!”
“Why?” Seunghan asked.
“Shotaro hyung is sick,” Sungchan explained
Sungchan rushed into their bedroom room cringing at the site of vomit all over their room. Bracing himself, Sungchan gathered the comforter and sheets from Shotaro’s bed, taking them straight to the washing room. After starting the washing machine he returned to their room and pulled out some comfy clothes for Shotaro deciding he would clean the floor after checking in Shotaro.
Sungchan walked back into the bathroom where Shotaro was curled over the toilet. Sungchan leaned over him and worriedly asked, “Is there anything I can do for you?”
“No, just stay here with me,” Shotaro weakly whined.
“I can do that,” Sungchan assured, sitting next to Shotaro.
Sungchan sat with Shotaro for another 45 minutes before Shotaro finally stopped puking. Shotaro sat back whimpering in pain. “It's okay. It’s okay. Come on, I'll help you wash off then take you to bed,” Sungchan assured, pulling Shotaro into a hug.
Sungchan helped Shotaro get undressed while Shotaro lay there basically limp. Shotaro whimpered as Sungchan gently maneuvered him into the bathtub. “I'll help,” Sungchan reassured, reaching to grab the soap.
Ten minutes later Sungchan helped Shotaro out of the bath and into his new clothes. Groaning Shotaro pulled away from Sungchan to vomit again. Shotaro gagged and vomited except this time when he threw up the vomit was tainted red with blood. Looking at the red in the toilet Shotaro started crying, “Hospital Chanie I need the hospital”
“Ah shit okay yeah yeah I’ll have our manager come and take us to the hospital,” Sungchan said, trying to contain his fear at the sight of the blood.
Twenty minutes later their manager came bursting into the bathroom as an anxious Seunghan watched from the hallway. “What happened?” Their manager questioned, kneeling down next to Shotaro.
“We went out to dinner and the restaurant said it was gluten-free but Shotaro hyung has been sick since we got back,” Seunghan explained.
“He also threw up blood,” Sungchan added.
“Okay here’s what will happen, Seunghan go to the other dorm and let them know what is happening, and then stay over there for tonight. Sungchan you come with me to the hospital and I’ll call someone to come clean up the vomit,” Their Manager said.
Their manager rushed Shotaro to the hospital where Shotaro was diagnosed with dehydration and damage to the stomach lining which is what caused the bloody vomit. After almost nine hours Shotaro was finally discharged early the next morning with a strict order to spend the next couple of days resting and to not eat anything with gluten, citrus, spice, or lots of salt or sugar.
“Hyung, are you sure you are okay to be alone today?” Sungchan checked.
“Yeah, I’ll be okay, I'm just going to spend the day resting,” Shotaro assured.
“If you are sure,” Sungchan said
“I am. Now go or you’ll be late,” Shotaro reassured shooing Sungchan
“Alright someone will be by at lunch to check on you,” Sungchan relented.
After the other members left Shotaro shuffled his way into the living room. While he felt better than earlier his stomach really hurt and even the thought of food seemed incredibly unpleasant so Shotaro decided to get a glass of water and a heating pad to see if that helped with the pain. Plugging the heating pad cord in he realized it was too short for him to lie on the couch and after a moment of consideration he decided to lie up on the floor with the heating pad. Shotaro had barely laid down before he found himself quickly falling asleep.
Sungchan spent the whole morning extremely worried about Shotaro. He kept checking his phone to see if Shotaro had texted or called. His original plans to go home at lunch and check on him were ruined when their dance practice didn’t go as well as usual and they had to stay extra meaning Sungchan didn’t have enough time between schedules to run the dorm and check on Shotaro. Concerned with the radio silence Sungchan decided to contact one of their hyungs in NCT. Originally he planned on calling Taeyong but then he remembered they were in a comeback and so after a moment of consideration Sungchan decided that Kun would be a good choice since he was responsible and close with Shotaro. Clicking on Kun’s contact Sungchan texted him: Hey Hyung are you free now?
“Yeah?” Kun responded almost immediately.
“Can you stop by our dorm to check on Shotaro?”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. It’s just last night he ate gluten on accident and ended up in the hospital for a couple of hours, and now he’s home alone”
“I can stop by and check on him now. I should be at your dorm in 20 minutes”
“Thanks hyung, let me know if everything’s okay”
After Sungchan hit send on his last message he rejoined the group. “Were you texting Taro hyung?” Sohee asked.
“No, I was texting Kun hyung. I haven’t heard from Shotaro so I asked him to check and make sure everything is okay,” Sungchan explained
“Let us know what he says,” Eunseok said.
“Of course,” Sungchan agreed.
Kun and Yangyang arrived at the RIIZE dorm half and later. At first, they tried knocking and then calling Shotaro but there was no response. Growing concerned, Yangyang said, “I know their door code,” typing in the pin for the dorm.
The two of them entered the silent dorm and looked around not seeing anything. Walking further into the dorm the two of them began looking around to see if they could find Shotaro. Yangyang rounded the corner to the living room and let out a shout.
“What ?’ Kun came running.
Shotaro was lying curled in a ball on the living room floor. Concerned, Kun carefully approached Shotaro gently, shaking his shoulder to wake him. Shotaro groaned as his eyes fluttered open. Shotaro looked at Kun and blinked in confusion. “Are you okay?” Kun asked.
“What’s happening?” Shotaro asked, looking around in confusion.
“Why were you on the floor?” Kun questioned.
“I don’t remember,” Shotaro mumbled.
“How do you feel?” Kun continued to press.
“Like shit,” Shotaro groaned, sitting up.
“Are you hungry?” Kun questioned.
Shotaro paused for a minute mulling it over. He was indeed hungry and since he no longer thought he would throw up he agreed. “Great, I'll get you rice,” Kun said, standing up.
“Why are you guys here?” Shotaro asked, turning to Yangyang.
“Sungchan texted Kun hyung about what happened and asked for us to check on you,” Yangynag explained.
“Cool You can tell him alive then,”
“Will do,” Yangyang laughed.
Kun came back into the living room holding a bowl of plain rice. He placed the bowl on the coffee table before turning and helping Shotaro shift so he was propped up before handing the bowl to him. Yangyang and Kun stayed for another half hour before they had to run out. “You sure you’ll be okay?” Kun checked again.
“Yes, I’m sure. The others will be back in like two hours and I am feeling much better. Don’t worry so much,” Shotaro reassured Kun.
“Alright if anything happens you can text any of us and someone will come,” Kun reiterated as he left.
That evening the six other members came bursting into the dorm. After a frenzied two-minute search they found Shotaro lounging on his bed with a heat pad. “Hyung, are you okay?” Wonbin asked.
“Did you eat?” Sungchan demanded.
“Are you in pain?” Sohee questioned
“I’m okay. I ate some plain rice earlier and will have some later. My stomach still hurts but it’s a lot better,” Shotaro assured them with a smile.
“Are you sure?” Anton asked.
“Yes,” Shotaro reiterated.