Chapter Text
The air in the waiting room was charged with nervous excitement. Zerobaseone sat before the mirrors, the soft glow of vanity lights illuminating their faces as the makeup artists finished their makeup and adjusted their outfits for the MAMA Awards. The excitement for their performance was palpable, but underneath it all, Yujin felt a pang of anxiety. It was the biggest event of the year, and every detail mattered.
Zhanghao meticulously styled his hair, while Jiwoong helped Matthew adjust his collar. Hanbin tested the durability of his outfit with a series of exaggerated poses, causing the others to chuckle. (Or more like Gyuvin busting his ass laughing while simultaneously hitting Ricky) Yujin smiled along with them, but the tension in his stomach twisted. He brushed his fingers through his own hair, wishing he could shake off the nagging feeling that something was wrong.
"You okay, Yujin?" Gunwook asked, catching the younger boy's eye in the mirror.
"Yeah, just a bit nervous," Yujin replied, forcing a grin.
"Don’t be! You’re going to kill it out there," Ricky added, slapping him lightly on the back. The encouragement was heartfelt, and Yujin appreciated it, but the feeling of unease lingered.
As the time for their performance approached, they examined their stage outfits—sleek, coordinated looks that perfectly embodied their concept. The excitement in the room intensified as they practiced their final routines in front of the mirrors, each member calling out to one another, creating a sense of unity and anticipation.
"Let’s show them what we got!" Hanbin declared, with the members hands surrounded throwing it into the air.
Yujin felt his heart race as they made their way to the backstage area. The sound of the crowd was like a distant thunder, growing louder with every step.
The performance began with the powerful beats of "Kill the Romeo."
The lights dimmed, and as the stage erupted in colors, Zerobaseone captivated the audience. They danced with precision, Yujin moving with an energy that felt like he was unstoppable, his nerves transforming into exhilaration. Each beat ignited a fire in him, and he poured everything into the performance.
But then came the moment that would change everything.
After finishing his segment, Yujin hurried offstage under the stage floors to take the lift that would elevate him to the front of the stage for his solo dance break.
He could hear the crowd's roars behind him, the anticipation for the next part building. However, a sudden chill ran down his spine as he reached the lift. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right.
The lift rose, filling the empty space on stage. He stepped off the platform and the bright lights of the arena dazzled like stars, illuminating the stage where he stood, the audience’s energy electric. The crowd roared as they transitioned from their high-energy b-side track "Kill the Romeo" into a powerful performance of "Good so Bad." Han Yujin, the group’s beloved maknae, took center stage for a solo dance break. His movements were fluid and fierce, showcasing his skills honed from countless hours of practice. Each movement drew cheers from fans and fellow artists alike. The spotlight followed him as he moved, creating an aura of magic around him, he truly did look like an angel. But as he made his way back to the main stage, the sudden dip beneath the platform caught him off guard.
The lift that was supposed to stay up when he rose from it originally, had all of a sudden come back down. The empty space was there as he prepared to turn around. Yujin realized the lift was still down, concealed in darkness beneath the stage. He hadn’t been able to see the empty space that lay ahead. Screams were heard from the crowd that witnessed his quick and sudden disappearance from where he was walking.
He landed hard, the impact knocking the breath from his lungs. The fall was disorienting; he felt a sharp pain shoot through his ankle and shoulder as he landed awkwardly, surrounded by cold metal equipment and wires. The stage lights above flickered, casting eerie shadows, and Yujin struggled to gather himself, his mind racing in confusion. Pain shot through his body like lightning, and he gasped as the world went dark.
Yujin laid on the ground, disoriented and in pain. He tried to bring himself up, but a jolt of agony shot through his entire body. “Ah! No, no, not now,” he gasped, trying to push himself up but failing.
The dim lights flickered, and his surroundings felt surreal and distant. He blinked, trying to clear his head as fear began to settle in. “What happened? Where am I?” Panic rose in his chest as he realized he was alone, the echoes of the crowd above him fading into silence.
Backstage was chaos.
The members of Zerobaseone watched in horror as Yujin’s absence stretched too long. As the performance came to an end having to continue without Yujin’s prescence their anxieties grew. They exited off stage, everyone from the staff to the audience wondered what happened to Yujin. They exchanged worried glances, feeling the unease grow thicker. Jiwoong walked briskly through the crowd, his jaw tight with concern. After the performance ended, Yujin was nowhere to be found. The last time anyone saw him, he had been heading for the lift to make his entrance for the "Good So Bad" transition, but something had gone terribly wrong.
"Where is he? He should have been back by now!" Gyuvin exclaimed, anxiety threading through his voice. “Has anyone seen Yujin?” Jiwoong called out, scanning the crowd of staff hurrying past them. His voice, usually calm, was now filled with anxiety. “He didn’t come back after the dance break.”
Jiwoong rushed to the side of the stage, his heart pounding in his chest. The other members followed closely behind, their faces equally tense as they exchanged worried glances.
“Jiwoong, where is he?” Gyuvin asked, his voice cracking with panic. “We haven’t seen him since the lights dimmed.”
Just then, one of the stage managers rushed over. His face was pale, and his walk was hurried, as if he had just received some troubling news.
the manager began, his tone heavy with hesitation, “we think we know what happened to Yujin.”
Jiwoong’s heart skipped a beat. The rest of the members gathered closer, their ears straining to catch every word.
“What do you mean?” Jiwoong’s voice was sharp, his worry twisting into anger. “What happened to him? Is he hurt?”
The stage manager shifted uncomfortably, glancing around to make sure no one else was listening. “Security found evidence that someone might’ve tampered with the lift Yujin was supposed to use for his transition.”
The members went still. The words hung in the air like a storm cloud about to break.
“Tampered?” Ricky’s eyes widened in disbelief, his voice growing louder. “What do you mean tampered?”
Jiwoong’s hands clenched into fists as his mind raced. The sudden image of Yujin falling, disappearing beneath the stage, flashed in his mind. His stomach twisted. “Who would do something like that?” Jiwoong demanded, his voice low and dangerous.
“We’re still investigating,” the manager continued, “but security said they found signs that the lift was manually deactivated. It wasn’t a technical malfunction.”
Hanbin, who had been silent until now, took a step forward, his face absolutely furious “Are you saying this was deliberate?”
The manager swallowed hard. “It looks that way. We’re trying to figure out who had access to the equipment. Someone might’ve been trying to sabotage Yujin’s part of the performance.”
Taerae, usually the most optimistic, was struggling to hold back his emotions. “Sabotage? Why Yujin? He’s still so young — he’s just a kid! What kind of sick person would this to a child!” His voice cracked, and his eyes were filled with a mixture of disbelief and anger slowly tearing up. The atmosphere was a storm of emotions. Some filled with anger and disbelief, others worry and anxiety.
Gunwook slammed his fist against the nearby wall, his frustration boiling over. “If someone did this on purpose, they better hope we never find out who it was. I'm going to kill that son oh a bitch!”
“Calm down, Gunwook,” Jiwoong said, though his own rage was barely contained. “We need to figure out where Yujin is first.”
Just then, another staff member approached, looking equally grim. “We found him.”
The members froze, the air suddenly thick with tension.
“Where is he?” Jiwoong asked urgently, his heart pounding. “Is he okay?”
The staff member hesitated before answering. “He’s with the medics attending the award show. He fell pretty hard when the lift didn’t come up. He’s in pretty bad shape from what we can tell. We called the ambulance and they’re on their way, he’s got some fractures from the equipment underneath the stage, and he was bleeding profusely.”
Gyuvin’s eyes filled with tears. “He was bleeding? You’re fucking joking, is he going to be okay? Please please tell me he’ll be okay!” As he started sobbing the noise being absolutely heart-wreching for the other members to listen to as they started crying.
The staff member attempted to reassure them. “They’re taking him to the hospital now to get checked out properly, but he’s a strong kid we all know that. He’s shaken up, but he’ll be okay.”
The relief was palpable, but the anger still lingered. Hanbin’s voice was tight as he turned to Jiwoong. “This wasn’t an accident. If someone tried to hurt Yujin—”
Jiwoong’s eyes narrowed, his voice cold with determination. “Whoever did this won’t get away with it. We’ll make sure of that.” Hanbin's eyes red and full of tears looked to Jiwoong with an assured gaze that they'd find whoever was behing such an evil act.
Matthew, always level-headed, took a deep breath. “We need to focus on Yujin now. Let’s go to the hospital. We can deal with this later.”
“Yeah,” Jiwoong agreed, though his anger was still simmering beneath the surface. “We’ll be there for him first. But after that, we’re getting to the bottom of this.”
The group running as they made their way toward the exit, the weight of what had just happened settled over the group. Yujin had been hurt, and not by accident. Someone had tried to sabotage their youngest member, and they wouldn’t rest until they found out who.
But for now, all that mattered was making sure Yujin their star of the group knew he wasn’t alone.