Chapter Text
The studio is alive with energy.
Seventeen is rehearsing—again—but it’s not just any practice. This one feels different. Carats will be watching soon, and the members are all alive in their element. The beats reverberate through the walls, mixing with the sound of sneakers sliding, and laughter echoing through the room.
“Alright, from the top!” Hoshi’s voice cracks through the chaos, a familiar command that brings everything to order. His energy fills the room, bouncing off the walls, encouraging everyone to push harder, move faster.
Mingyu lets out a playful laugh as he spins around, his long limbs too lanky to move in any way that doesn’t scream clumsy—but somehow, it always works.
“You’re too much, Hoshi.” He teases, and Hoshi throws him a wide grin.
“Of course! But I’m also right, so let’s get it perfect!”
Hoshi’s usual energy fills the room, drawing a smile from every member.
At the front of the room, Jeonghan lounges lazily on the edge of the stage, one leg dangling off, clearly not as invested in the physicality of the dance.
“You guys work too hard. Can’t we just do a relaxed performance? It’ll be amazing.”
He says it with that signature smirk, leaning back and pretending to nap as the others roll their eyes at him. He’s too cool for this kind of effort, and yet, his calm energy is infectious.
“No excuses,” Woozi replies, the tone light but firm. The others laugh, the usual teasing floating through the air.
“Dino, you’re looking good!” jun calls out, half-laughing. Dino flashes a smile his way, but it’s a little too quick, a little too tight.
“Thanks,” he responds, his voice light, but there’s a slight hesitation that doesn’t go unnoticed by Joshua.
Joshua watches him for a beat longer, his gaze softening. “You sure you’re okay?” he asks, a simple question, but the concern in his tone is clear.
Dino nods quickly, a little too quickly. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just... tired, I guess.” He brushes it off with a chuckle, but it’s too forced. Joshua doesn’t say anything more, but he knows something is off.
“Take five! Water, everyone!” Seungcheol’s voice brings the group to a halt, and everyone scatters in their usual fashion, grabbing water bottles and chatting.
Dino heads for the side of the room, where the mirrors reflect his every movement. He pauses, staring at himself, breathing heavily. The laughter of the others fills the room behind him, but all he can hear is the pounding of his own pulse. He leans his palm against the cool mirror, steadying himself, and for a second, he looks like he might collapse.
But he doesn’t.
He shakes his head quickly, clearing his thoughts. His eyes flick to his reflection, and he forces a smile. His hand brushes against his forearm, where the bruises hide beneath his long sleeves.
Just make it through practice, he tells himself. Just make it through.
Behind him, Wonwoo's voice drifts through the air. “Dino, are you getting water?”
Dino doesn’t answer immediately. He stays still for a moment longer, swallowing the lump in his throat before he spins around and heads toward the others, a perfectly executed smile back on his face.
He’s still holding the same cup of water he grabbed earlier, but it’s barely touched. His eyes dart around the room—everyone’s too caught up in their own chatter, in their own world.
“Dino, stop zoning out.” Seungkwan's voice pulls him back to reality, his tone light, teasing. It’s typical Seungkwan—always making jokes, always trying to make everyone laugh. Dino smiles at him, but it’s strained, and Seungkwan catches it. For a second, his expression softens.
“Hey, are you sure you’re good? You look like you haven’t slept in days.”Seungkwan’s teasing tone fades into something more sincere, and Dino feels the weight of it.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Really.” Dino’s response is automatic, too quick, and he knows it sounds like a lie. He tries to smile, but it’s too late. The suspicion is in the air now. The members are starting to notice, but they don’t want to press.
“Okay, but if you need anything, you know we’ve got you.” Dino gives him a small nod, grateful for the space, but deep down, the walls are closing in. Every laugh, every shout, every passing comment feels distant, like it’s coming from somewhere far away.
"What's that" Jeonghan's loud voice brings everyone's attention back to Dino.
Dino’s heart skips. He’s careful. He always is. But today, the bruise—a faint but unmistakable dark mark—peeks out from beneath the fabric.
“Really, guys, I’m fine. It’s just a small bruise from yesterday’s practice. Nothing serious.”
Mingyu gives him a skeptical look, raising an eyebrow as he gestures to Dino’s arm where the sleeve has pushed up, exposing the faint purple bruise.
“A small bruise? That doesn’t look small to me.”
Dino swallows hard, his throat tight. He glances at the floor. He wants to tell Joshua. He wants to scream that everything is falling apart, but he can’t. He knows what the choreographer would say—“You’ll be seen as weak. You’re not one of them anymore if you can’t handle this. You’ll be the problem.” His stomach churns just thinking about it. He doesn’t want to be the burden. He doesn’t want to be the weak link.
“Nothing happened,” Dino says again, but the words come out hollow.
“Don’t lie to me, Chan,” Jeonghan says from the other side of the room. His eyes narrow slightly as he watches Dino’s every move. “We’re a team. You don’t have to hide it from us.”
Dino flinches at Jeonghan’s words, and it’s subtle—so subtle that only the sharpest eyes can catch it—but it’s enough for Hoshi to notice. “It’s fine.” The words taste bitter as they leave his mouth.
But they’re not convinced.
“Chan,” Woozi says, his voice softer now, but no less intense. “Please.”
The whole room falls silent.
Dino stands there, frozen. He feels small. He feels like he’s drowning in their concern. But he can’t bring himself to admit what’s really going on. Because if he does, if he tells them the truth, everything will change.
Everything will fall apart.
“I’m fine,” he repeats, but it’s weaker now.
The silence between them is heavy. The other members exchange looks, unsure of how to proceed.
Later that night, as the others unwind in the lounge, Dino retreats to his room. Meanwhile, in the lounge filled with the elder members, the tension hasn’t lifted.
“What the hell happened?” Seungcheol asks, his voice sharp as he paces back and forth.
“He’s hiding something.” Jeonghan’s eyes are dark, his worry replaced by anger. “That kid… something’s not right.”
“We need to figure out what’s going on,” Woozi says, his voice quiet but firm. “Before it’s too late.”
But Dino doesn’t know. He doesn’t know that Seventeen is already starting to move. They’re already starting to piece together the truth. And when they do, when the real story comes out, no one will be able to deny it.