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Maki wakes up to a steady ache in his abdomen that immediately has him scrambling out of bed.
He lets out a sigh in relief at his sheets being safe, but grimaces once he realizes the damp underwear sticking uncomfortably to his skin was a cause for concern.
He was supposed to have at least 5 more days… Why the fuck was it early?
Maki begrudgingly rummages around his drawer for new underwear and a pad, while doing his best not to wake his roommate, and then quietly makes his way to the bathroom.
He hasn't checked the time, but the dorms are still drowned in darkness, so he places his guess at around 5 or 6am. He had only managed to fall asleep himself at around 2am.
There is always a chance that one of his members is awake already, but he's glad that it's silent when he steps out of his room.
He makes quick work of changing into a new pair of panties, thankful that he hadn't bled through to his pajama pants, and then tries his best to wash the underwear that had been unfortunately sacrificed.
He’s happy that he had woken up early enough for the blood not to have caused a stain, so he rinses as much water as he can out of it before taking great effort to bury the panty (he's not hiding it— Maki would never) somewhere deep in the middle of their current laundry pile.
He was the one who ended up doing the laundry for the dorm most of the time anyways.
All the anxiety-powered energy that Maki has immediately leaves him once he's done, and the trudge out of the bathroom feels a little bit harder than usual.
His legs are tingling, like he might actually collapse at any given moment, and there's nausea bubbling in his chest that has him swallowing more than he'd like to admit.
He considers staying in the bathroom, for the very possible chance that he does get sick, but decides that he'd much rather try and fall back asleep before his cramps start to get worse.
He quietly makes his way down the steps of their dorm to the kitchen, all while holding tight onto the handrail, lest his legs give out on him.
He grabs a bottle of water from the case they keep in the storage closet, and then opens the medicine cupboard for some painkillers.
Maki gives himself a small break, closing his eyes and trying to relax. His heart is beating uncomfortably fast, and he's starting to get scared that he might actually pass out.
After what feels like a century, and he's able to move without crashing into the nearest wall, Maki slowly makes his way back up the stairs. He isn't sure how long it takes him, but he's reminded once again why he's grateful that none of his members were awake.
He might actually have to disappear if one of them caught him gripping onto the railing of their staircase and walking like a newborn deer..
Nicholas is still fast asleep when Maki settles back on his bed on the opposite side of the room.
Maki stares at the painkillers for a bit, debating when he should take them.
The nausea is curling a bit more insistently in his gut now, and he isn't sure he'll get through trying to swallow the pills without gagging.
He settles for placing the two pills he had grabbed on his counter and taking a small sip of the water as a preliminary test.
It takes him forever to swallow the water.
Sleep it is then.
Maki caps the bottle tightly and then puts it next to his pillow for easy access.
He sits with his back against the wall while he waits for the nausea to subside enough for him to lay down.
When it feels okay, he slowly moves until he can rest his head on the pillow, bringing his legs up to his chest in hopes of the cramps dulling to a subtle throb.
It only helps a little, but he's come to know rather intimately that something is better than nothing during hell week.
Maki then opts to focus on breathing, doing his best to ignore the pain and slight nausea that is still muddling his senses.
He pulls his blanket up to his chin to help with the shivers that are slowly starting to attack his body as well— the chills not helping with the pain at all.
It was going to be a long day.
Maki is brought back to consciousness by someone shaking his shoulder.
He whines and curls into himself a little more— not liking the touch when his whole body is overly sensitive— but the person doesn't let up.
“..aki…Maki!”
He cracks his eyes open slowly to see his roommate standing over him.
“You need to get up,” is said in a slightly whiny tone that Maki feels like is grating on his ears. He runs a hand down his face tiredly.
Now that he sees that the maknae is awake, Nicholas moves back to his side of the room and grabs a hoodie from his closet as the final piece of clothing for his outfit.
“We have to head out in like 30.”
“...I thought our schedule wasn't until 4?” Maki asks hoarsely, trying to remember where he had last put his phone. As if reading his mind, Nicholas takes it off the charger and hands it to him.
“Thanks,” Maki croaks with surprising difficulty, receiving a nod in return.
“It's already 12pm bro.. Have you seriously been sleeping this whole time?” Nicholas asks, face already shifting to one of concern.
He steps closer to the bed and places a hand on the maknae’s forehead.
“You're warm,” he notes, but Maki shakes his head lightly, too scared to move too abruptly.
The dull ache of cramps would always disappear for a bit after he woke from any sort of slumber, so the maknae would be keeping his current position in bed for as long as he could.
“It's just because I'm under the sheets,” he says, knowing that his body tended to run hotter while on his period. It would get bad enough that sometimes he would overheat just from walking up one flight of stairs.
The funny part was, even though his body ran warmer, somehow he would always end up freezing cold at the same time, switching between kicking off his blanket and pulling it back around him.
It was almost like he was sick with a virus… Although Maki would argue that a period kind of was like one.
Nicholas doesn't look like he really believes him, bringing his hand down to Maki’s neck only to feel the same warmth there as well, but a ping from his own phone has him effectively distracted from whatever's going on with the maknae.
“Okay… you should still get up now if you want enough time to take a shower though,” he says, giving Maki one last long look before he’s on his way back out of the room.
Maki whispers a quiet “okay” in response, because even talking felt like it was using up too much of his energy.
He lies in bed for another 5 minutes, mentally psyching himself up for the day ahead, no strength to even scroll through his phone mindlessly like he usually would.
He peels back the blanket reluctantly, and the shivers start almost immediately. Maki shifts slowly to get off his bed, happy that the cramps are not as horrible as they could be.
His legs still shake when he stands, and he has to brace against his dresser when his vision blurs for a second, but he grabs his towel and heads to the bathroom without much fanfare.
He's in and out within 10 minutes, and then dressed in the next 10. He’s a bit miffed that it took that long, but still giving himself some grace since he did have to do everything with small breaks in between.
He'd hate to collapse and then have one of the members walk in on him lying on the floor…
There goes his overactive brain again making up scenarios.
He throws on a hoodie much like Nicholas. But where Nicholas had likely put it on for fashion, Maki wears one because he's cold.
His period always made him more susceptible to any kind of cool air, and he was sure they would have the AC running at their schedule.
He could only hope that the clothes they chose for him today wouldn't end up too revealing.
Maki throws a jean jacket over the hoodie as a final shield, deciding he could also use fashion as an excuse if asked why he was so bulked up by one of his members.
When he deems himself prepared enough to leave, the cramps are pulsing a bit more insistently and there's a headache blooming in his skull.
He grabs the two painkillers he had set aside earlier in the morning and his bottle of water.
Placing the first pill on his tongue almost makes him gag, but he manages to swallow both down with some water. He takes a couple more sips from the bottle to wash the taste away.
Right when he caps it again, Harua is poking his head into the room.
“Oh!” he says, as if he hadn't actually expected Maki to be ready, “everyone's getting ready to walk out to the cars.”
Maki nods at him to show that he's listening, picking up his bag and sliding the water bottle into it.
Harua hands him a banana once he shuts the room door behind them.
“I doubt you had anything to eat,” he says, and Maki takes the offering with a quiet “thank you.”
If Harua notices anything is off with the maknae, he doesn't show it beyond a quick eyebrow raise.
Maki doesn't eat it right away, opting to just hold it in his hand, following after Harua down the stairs to the first floor where the rest of the members are waiting around the living room.
“Look who's the last to arrive as always,” Yuma giggles playfully.
Maki wonders why he's in such a good mood this early in the morning, but then he remembers it actually wasn't early, or morning, and he was likely the only one who had just woken up.
He's saved from having to respond by K hitting Yuma’s arm lightly, telling him to relax with the jabs.
Maki offers a small smile in thanks that he isn't sure K even sees, the eldest already making his way over to the door to put on his shoes and usher everyone out.
Maki slips the banana in his bag and follows behind Taki.
Today there are 2 vans prepared to take them to their schedule, and Maki ends up in the 5-seater.
He's happy that his legs are longer now so he isn't forced to sit in the middle seat— sorry not sorry Harua.
He doesn't bother with putting in his headphones, just pulls a mask up over the lower half of his face and brings the hood of his sweater up over his head. He drops his bag by his feet, placing Harua’s by its side so that the older doesn't need to hold it on his lap the whole ride.
Maki leans his head against the window and pulls his arms tight against his stomach. It eases the pain just enough if he puts enough strength into it.
He tunes out the sparse conversations happening around him and closes his eyes. If he's lucky, he may be able to get in a nap on the ride.
Maki wakes up a little before the car pulls into the lot. He can hear conversation coming from outside, some voices louder than others, and he cringes at the way it makes the throbbing in his head start again.
When the car rolls to a stop, he unbuckles his seatbelt and blinks tiredly as the other members prepare to go out and face the crowd.
He wordlessly passes Harua back his bag, then slings his own over his shoulder. Yuma opens the door and immediately the noise compounds.
Maki flinches a bit, and Harua must've caught the movement out of the corner of his eye because he's looking back at the maknae in concern for a second before he has to step out of the car himself.
When Maki makes it out, he gives the reporters a 90 degree bow as he usually does, relishing in the reprieve it gives him from the cramps for all of 3 seconds.
After he says his hellos, offering smiles even though it probably isn't too visible under the mask, his arm ends up intertwined with Harua’s– the older practically dragging him along as they start making their way into the building.
The flashes coming from the cameras do not help with how Maki is feeling, and he can't help leaning into Harua when his vision tilts for a second.
He straightens up so fast he doubts any of the reporters noticed, but the frown that settles on Harua’s face for a few seconds before it's smoothed out for the cameras is telling the maknae that he definitely did though.
Harua untangles them from their current arm positions and instead places his arm around his waist. Maki cringes a bit at the arm resting against his lower back and the hand on his hip.
He debates just asking the members to not touch him at all today, but that would be far too out of character for himself so he ultimately decides against it.
He lets out a breath once they make it inside.
Harua lets go of his waist when they make it to their waiting room, and Maki all but collapses onto one of the couches as the other members slowly file in.
Harua sits next to him, and the once over that he gives him has the maknae sweating a bit under the scrutiny.
“Are you feeling okay?” the older asks quietly, and Maki appreciates that he isn't drawing too much attention to him.
He hesitates for a bit, unsure if he wants to be his usual truthful self, but he settles on a “I’m a bit tired,” that seems to get Harua off his back with a sympathetic, “Do your best.”
When everyone makes it into the room, the managers give them the order for hair, makeup and outfits. Maki’s one of the first members in the order for outfits today, and he's glad for it.
He ends up in another room with Euijoo and Taki as one of their staff takes hangers off clothing racks and tells them which outfit belongs to whom.
He has to bite back the disappointed sigh at seeing the short sleeved crop top that's placed in his hands and the lack of any inner shirt or sweater to go with it.
He gives the noona a clipped smile and then trudges off behind one of the dividers with the clothes in hand to change.
On any normal day, Maki might be a bit more enthusiastic about the chance to show off his well toned stomach and the bulging muscles on his arms. But having either one of his assets out usually begets touching from his members, and he's not looking forward to it at all.
He ultimately decides to start by changing his pants. They're prepared blue overalls that he's been told not to actually wear properly, so he just lets the top piece flop down over the front and back. The top line of his underwear is peaking out enough to be visible, and he's beginning to get an idea of the type of fashion statement they're going for today.
Maki finds it rather cute, he just hopes that his pad isn't too visible because of his semi-flat ass.
He takes a seat on the chair once he's accomplished that, a bit winded. He places his head in his hands and takes a minute to just breathe.
He really wishes those painkillers he took would kick in already…
Maki reluctantly peels off the layers of his hoodie and jacket so that he can put on the crop top. It's got buttons running down the middle, and is checkered in what he thinks is a navy blue.
The shirt hugs his chest lightly, and he's happy that it's thick enough to block his chest area from the cold air circulating in the studio.
His stomach, however, is as free as a bird, and he has to resist the urge to cross his arms to block his navel.
But hey, they say fashion is pain anyways— Nicholas would be proud, he thinks— so Maki leaves the bottom and top unbuttoned for the bit.
He hangs up the clothes he had come with on the now empty hangers, stepping outside of the dividers and back into the main area. He isn't surprised to find Euijoo and Taki already out, with some noona’s smoothing out creases and fixing the fine details of their pieces.
One comes over to take his clothes, and Maki contemplates for a second before quietly asking if there was something he could use as a sweater. There had to be something that would still match the vibe… right?
The noona’s eyebrows furrow, but she tells him to wait while she checks and then runs off.
Maki stands awkwardly at the side, watching as some of their other staff hold up jewelry to his hyung's ears and necks to see what matches the theme.
The noona is taking a while, he notes, and he ends up getting fitted for jewelry before she makes her way back over. They end up putting a silver chain around his neck, a bracelet on his left hand, and a few rings on his right.
The noona looks a bit sad when she trudges back over to him. She says that no, there aren't any extra pieces for him to put over the shirt, and that she had asked if he could use his own clothes and had been told no.
Maki gives her an awkward smile, thanking her for trying and apologizing for being difficult. She shakes her head, and if they were any closer, like Maki is with his hair and makeup noona’s, he’s sure he would've gotten pinched for insituating he was in the wrong for trying to put his own comfort first.
Usually if Maki’s awake enough when the noona’s are doing hair and makeup, he keeps them entertained with random conversations about the latest trends and different tiktoks he plans to film with the members, amongst other things.
They also just happen to think he's cute as his head bobs up and down while he's sleeping, even though it creates more work for them.
The maknae would go so far as to say that they're good friends, and he's able to joke around with them almost as much as he does with the members, while still keeping the staff-artist boundaries.
Today, however, Maki is silent, and lowkey dissociating as he tries to ignore how much pain he's in.
Sooyoung, who is up first and working on his makeup, looks worried, and he can tell that she's hesitant to start a conversation. She presses a finger to the crease in his forehead at one point, trying to get him to stop furrowing his eyebrows as she dabs foundation over his skin.
That gets a small airy laugh out of him, and she smiles somewhat triumphantly at no one in particular, working on his face with a renewed vigor that Maki admires.
She finishes off with some blush over his cheekbones and nose, placing a smudge of pink lipstick over his lips, and then coos that he's going to steal so many of his member's fans at the fansign today.
Maki gives her the best rendition of a smile he can in his current state, a quiet “thank you noona” leaving his lips.
Heewon moves to take Sooyoung’s spot almost immediately, having been watching from the side as her friend blended colors and worked her magic on the piece of art that was Maki’s face.
She takes in his silver hair for a second with such an intense stare that Maki is almost scared.
“I know what I'm going to do,” she declares, materializing a comb and clip out of nowhere.
“How do you feel about a middle part today?” She asks, already moving to separate his hair down the middle.
“Whatever noona thinks is best is fine,” Maki murmurs, eyes closing at the feeling of hands in his hair.
“Leave it to me,” Heewon says with a bright smile, grabbing the setting spray. Sooyoung sits to the side and admires Heewon’s grand movements with a fond smile on her face, attention cut in half as she types something on her phone.
“I'm just going to curl the ends out a bit and give you some side bangs. It'll be over quickly,” Heewon says, her hands already moving to clip his left side in place as she works on the right.
Maki isn't quite sure why she's narrating her every step for him today when it isn't something she usually does, but he's learned better than to question her.
He feels like his hair is done relatively quickly, and it's definitely not because he ended up falling asleep partway through. Still, it's a light nap— one that has his eyes fluttering open at the faintest touch to his face to direct his head back in the right direction.
The noona’s seem to be trying their best to let him rest, as after the first time he wakes up because of Heewon’s styling, Sooyoung is immediately cooing and telling him to go back to sleep, her hands under his chin to help keep him in place.
He feels like he's being unfairly coddled by them quite a lot, but he's extremely grateful. Between their warm smiles and small talk over his head, he ends up with one of the best naps he could've gotten in his current state.
Maki gives both of them a side hug when his hair is finished, taking pride in the beaming smiles they give him before they focus their attention on their next vict– member.
Now that he's completely ready for the fansign, he heads back to the waiting room, determined to get a longer nap while he waits for the rest of his members to be finished.
The AC is blasting when he gets there, and he can't help the shiver that runs through his system. He glances at his phone for the time, sighing when he realizes there's still 2 hours left until they have to actually go out and meet the fans.
Maki ends up going back over to the dressing room to ask for his hoodie, promising that he'll return it before it's time for them to go out and greet the fans. He receives it fast, trying his best to make sure his makeup doesn't get smudged and his hair doesn't get messed up too bad as he throws it on.
He settles back on the couch in the waiting room when he's done.
It seems like he's the first one completely ready, so he grabs a spot on the couch and closes his eyes in hopes of a quick nap.
Maki’s a good way into his dozing when he's woken up by the smell of food. The managers must've brought an early dinner over for them to eat before the schedule, he realizes.
The overwhelming scent of spices attacks his senses almost immediately. All at once he's reminded that he should probably try and eat something substantial, but knows he won't until even the thought of eating didn't make him nauseous.
He lets out a small, unconscious whimper at being woken up from his slumber, turning to his side and letting out a breath in relief that the cramps hadn't started back in his haste of changing positions. But then someone is tapping his cheek, and just as quickly that turns into hands tickling his stomach.
He manages to open his eyes enough to see that it's K hyung messing with him. Usually he's more than willing to play along with the eldest’s antics, but Maki can't help the full body flinch today, desperately moving away. His arms come to wrap around his midriff, applying pressure to his stomach but also acting as a shield.
He curls into himself as much as he can on the couch, applauding himself for throwing on the hoodie before falling asleep earlier. He pulls the hood over his head (with hopes that Heewon noona will forgive him) and keeps his back turned to his hyung. There are tears of frustration building in his eyes, but Maki blinks them away just as quickly as they had appeared.
He lets out a louder whimper when K doesn't let up, curling into himself even more, and that seems to get him to stop.
Maki tries to take deep breaths to offset the pain slowly making itself known in his stomach and back again. He has a strong urge to yell at his hyung, and it makes him feel even more nauseous for even considering such a thing.
“Maki-chan,” K sings, full on glomping onto the maknae’s back now that he isn't being paid any attention, and Maki has to bite back a curse at the elder’s antics.
Seriously, which one of them was the hyung?
The laughs that come from his members that are scattered around the room don't make him feel any better. They were enjoying his misery. Maki would be wishing suffering on all of them soon.
K brings his arms down to Maki’s waist, effectively pulling him up from where he's been trying to cocoon himself into a little ball. Forcing the maknae to sit back against the couch with him.
Maki is too weak to protest, trying to fend off the nausea that's making his mouth water uncomfortably.
“Are you going to sleep all day~? Hm~?” The eldest teases.
Yes, I am, he wants to say, along with let me go. But the words aren't forming. He tries squirming away from K, but he only holds on to him tighter, thinking that they're playing around.
Maki blanches as those hands make their way under his hoodie, cold fingers making contact with the overheated skin by his stomach. Just as K frowns and is about to question why exactly the maknae is running so hot, Maki lurches forward with a retch that has his whole body trembling.
Well there goes his dinner from last night…
He catches some of the vomit in his hands— that he had quickly put up to try and hold it in— but most of it ends up on the floor in between his legs in front of the couch.
At least he hadn't gotten any vomit on the clothes they were using for the schedule. He thinks.
The room goes crazy silent before it turns into chaos.
He blatantly ignores the fact that he's shaking and is starting to feel lightheaded, body tipping slightly at the strain and pressing into K.
He can see the eldest hyung freaking out a bit more than the others from his peripheral, probably confused and blaming himself for Maki throwing up. The hands that were holding Maki so tightly are now flailing as he says something the maknae can't quite make out to the managers. Or maybe it's their members. Maki isn't quite sure.
Well deserved, the maknae thinks guiltily, but also he thinks he's allowed to be annoyed in this situation. He was doing so well until his hyung decided to mess with him.
The vomit sticks to his fingers uncomfortably, and he really wants to go to the bathroom to clean his hands and rinse his mouth. He also feels really bad about the floor.
His stomach is still churning a bit, and oh how he wishes that that won't result in him throwing up again.
He's tuned out any and all conversation, focusing more on how staying upright is becoming increasingly difficult, and trying not to make any more of a mess than he already has.
He flinches at the hands that come to rest on his back and sides, even if this time they don't go under his hoodie and touch his skin directly. Whoever it is, Maki notes in his haziness, is careful at helping him stand, pulling him away from both K and the couch.
When he's finally able to move without swaying, he lets himself be dragged in the direction of what he assumes is the bathroom.
He's proven right when they get there, washing his hands liberally, and only once he deems them clean enough does he try to wash some of the taste of vomit out of his mouth.
That does not end up being a smart decision, as partway through he ends up throwing up more bile. The sight gets a sound out of whoever had been kind enough to bring him to the bathroom.
Maki was more focused on not spilling any of the vomit that was in his hands on the way over, so he didn't pay much attention to who had been helping him with gentle hands until he catches their reflection in the mirror.
Jo is quiet in his care much like he is in daily life, and Maki is a little glad that he isn't panicking like he's sure some of the other members would. His forehead is creased in worry though, and Maki is tempted to take a finger and smooth it out. Fuma is nearby, the same worry plastered on his face, although his frown is more prominent as he watches the maknae.
Maki focuses back on attempting to wash his mouth out again, swishing the water back and forth lightly and then just letting it dribble back out and into the sink.
He turns off the faucet and grips the basin of the sink as his legs startle to tingle a little more insistently.
Fuma seems to pick up on something being wrong, because the hands are back on him now, albeit a bit lower so as to not touch his stomach. Jo comes over to support his hyung right away.
“Are you feeling okay, Maki?” Fuma asks, and the maknae lets out a shaky breath as he braces himself against his hyung’s firm body instead of the sink.
He tries to smile at him, but he's sure it comes out closer to a grimace.
“Amazing,” he says, ignoring the way Fuma’s frown deepens at his sarcasm. He decides to humor them and be a bit more truthful, “I feel like I might pass out though.”
Jo’s eyes widen just a fraction, and there's a bit more pressure applied to where Jo is holding him to keep the maknae steady.
Maki feels a bit bad, because he knows he's probably the heaviest member of their group now, what with all the muscle he's been putting on lately, but Jo and Fuma guide him easily out the bathroom without a word of complaint.
He's brought to a different room than the one they've been using, and as someone who loves the sheer excitement that usually comes with a lot of noise, Maki surprisingly does actually appreciate how much quieter it is here.
He's only half surprised to see that his members and two of their managers have moved to this room as well.
There's something unspoken in their eyes in how they take in his two hyungs supporting his weight until he's able to sit down on the couch that makes his skin crawl.
“I'm fine… I'm fine…” Maki repeats, hoping to get everyone to stop crowding him.
Could he be claustrophobic in an open room?
K settles back into the space next to him on this new couch, but this time, he only drapes an arm around the maknae’s shoulders, pulling him into his side and acting as an anchor.
The members and managers whisper about his condition, with Jo relaying with thinly concealed worry that he had thrown up again in the bathroom and could barely walk on his own.
The consensus seems to be that he's sick.
“I'm not…” Maki whines weakly, adding himself to the conversation as he sinks a bit more deeply into K’s side, head spinning. He is promptly ignored.
The maknae much rathers when they were acting like headless chickens freaking out earlier. He really wishes he could laugh at the current situation.
Not too long after he feels like his body may allow him to fall back asleep, schedule be damned, he’s forced to place a thermometer under his tongue.
Not the best idea, when you just threw up by the way, but he manages without making another scene, although he does gag a bit and that has the members scrambling to grab a garbage bin.
When it beeps and their main manager checks the reading, he knows the frowns are because his temperature is normal.
“36.2” he reads, and Maki’s sure the guy is probably wondering if it's broken.
“I told you…” Maki mutters, but quiets at the look he receives from K, whose knuckle has come to rest against his cheek, a frown forming at the heat he still feels radiating from the maknae’s skin.
“Do you think it's a stomach bug?” he hears Nicholas ask, and he can't really help but snort at the mention of his stomach and bugs in the same sentence.
Yeah, the cramps were kinda annoying like bugs.
Maybe he was going insane from the pain.
He definitely gets multiple looks directed his way at the snort. Okay, the members were seriously beginning to look at him like something was wrong.
“Did you eat anything bad, Maki?” This time it's their leader asking, with his cute round cheeks puffing out in worry. The sight has the maknae feeling cuteness aggression bubble up in his chest instead of nausea for once.
He shakes his head as an answer, wincing at the way it makes his head throb. He presses his cheek to K’s shoulder, the eldest encouraging him to curl in closer.
K chances a try at rubbing Maki’s back. He almost pulls away when Maki flinches, but the maknae whispers a quiet “It’s okay” and he resumes rubbing it gently.
“Are you sure?” This time it's Harua asking for confirmation, and Maki has to close his eyes at how worried he looks.
“It's really not that serious,” Maki whines, reaching the end of his patience. He appreciates their worry, because it means they care, but he also wishes that he didn't have 10 pairs of eyes directed at him all at once.
“I'm just cramping really bad…” he finally admits, closing his eyes when the silence stretches a tad too long for his liking. He can practically hear the gears turning in their heads.
He’s saved by one of the manager noona’s eventually bending down by his knees and taking his hands into her own. She massages them lightly and gives him a sympathetic smile.
“What day is it?” she asks, and Maki can't help the awkward smile that forms when she grimaces at him saying “one.”
“You poor thing… I have some pain patches that generate heat, would that be helpful?” she asks, and Maki can't help the speed in which he nods.
She's moving to leave when she pauses in thought. “Did you take any painkillers?” she asks, wincing when Maki replies with “yeah, before we left the dorms.”
“That was like 2 hours ago,” Taki supplies in a hushed whisper, as their manager’s brow furrows.
“Okay, just sit tight.” She pats his knee in sympathy and then she's off to fetch her aforementioned goodies.
Maki groans and rests against K a bit more, practically using the eldest as a pillow.
The next time he opens his eyes, the manager is back and has already started peeling one of the patches open. He takes it with shaky hands and places it on his stomach, sighing at the way the heat practically eradicates his cramps. He considers putting one on his lower back to help with the pain pulsing there as well, but decides K’s gentle rubbing is enough.
“One of those lasts about 10-15 minutes,” she says, handing him the rest of the box, “And they may leave a sticky residue on your stomach the fans may pick up on. I really wouldn't suggest using too many.” Maki nods in understanding, already planning on how he can space out when he applies them.
Before he can thank her for her godsend gift, she's turning to their other manager with a scowl, “If he's in so much pain that he's throwing up, I don't think he should be participating in the fansign.”
Maki freezes at the words, “Just give me 10 minutes and I'll be fine to go out there,” he cuts in, wincing at the way he was jumping into the managers conversation, but absolutely not about to let them take him out of this schedule.
“Maki…” she starts, and boy does he not like that tone, “You were shaking like a dog earlier, and I know that wasn't just because of your assigned character in the group.”
He shuts his mouth with a pout at her words, and she must find it cute because she chuckles at the affronted look he gives her.
“I also don't really trust someone who doesn't tell us when they're in excruciating pain,” Fuma mumbles, arms crossed, and Maki can see the way the rest of his hyungs start to agree.
Maki winces, he supposes he deserves that. “I'm sorry everyone,” he apologizes, “for causing such a mess.”
The youngest does feel really bad about making everyone worry, the hormones making him tear up a bit.
The members scramble to assure him that he has nothing to be sorry for, and the other manager gives him a wry smile.
“I'm inclined to let him participate,” he says, “It would look bad to pull him out at the last minute… We’d have to issue a statement…The fansign’s supposed to start in less than an hour.”
Oh, had that much time passed while they dealt with him feeling unwell?
“So you'd rather risk him vomiting again, but this time in front of the fans?” the female manager turns to her male counterpart with a glare, “Oh great headline that would be! I can see the article on Koreaboo already.”
“As long as Maki’s honest about how he's feeling,” he tries again, very obviously reeling from the other managers stare, “I think the fans would appreciate him being out there for a bit and then retiring if he feels bad, as opposed to taking him out completely when he's claiming that he's fine.”
She turns back to Maki, who's been watching them with tired eyes, her glare softening immediately.
“Are you sure you can do this? You can't wear those,” she points to the leftover pain patches that are clutched tightly in his hand, “once you're out there yknow.”
“I think it's okay…” Maki says, voice weak and not really helping his case, “The painkillers should be kicking in soon.”
She raises an eyebrow, “The same ones you probably threw up earlier?”
Oh, he hadn't thought of that.
She sighs at the look on his face, pulling out a small bottle of Ibuprofen from her pocket.
“Do you think you can eat something? You really shouldn't take these on an empty stomach.”
Maki nods hesitantly, messing up his hair more from where he's still pressed into K’s side, “I have a banana in my bag.”
He hears more than sees the blur of one of his members rush to retrieve his bag from the previous waiting room, coming back in record speed. The next thing he knows, the banana that Harua had given him this morning is being peeled by Euijoo and placed in K’s hands.
Maki huffs, “I can feed myself y'know."
“We didn't say you couldn't,” the eldest says, even as he holds the banana up to Maki’s lips.
Maki takes a small, tentative bite, swallowing with only a little difficulty. He ignores the members' watchful eyes as he takes 2 minutes to finish a banana that he'd normally scarf down in 10 seconds.
He feels uncomfortably full when he's done, but still takes the water and painkillers he's offered with shaky hands.
Nicholas comes forward to help him, taking the water bottle from him, and Maki makes a conscious effort not to try and bite his hand like an actual dog.
He places the first pill on his tongue and lets Nicholas tilt the water into his mouth slowly. He asks for a break before he attempts the second pill, and Nicholas gives him a soft pat on the shoulder and a nod in understanding.
“Do I have time to take a nap?” He asks when he's done, turning to hide his face slightly from everyone by burying it deeper into his hood.
“About 15 minutes,” Euijoo murmurs from nearby, tone light, “Then we've gotta see if you need to get your hair and makeup retouched.”
There's a hand that comes to rest against his warm cheek and Maki groans, nodding to show that he's listening.
“We’ll wake you when it's time, don't worry, ok?” Harua says, sliding into the empty space on the couch. Maki comes to realize that it's his hand on his cheek, rubbing the overheated skin gently, “Get some rest.”
He closes his eyes at the words, breath evening out slowly. The room is almost silent around him, with everyone trying to make sure he's comfortable enough to doze for a few minutes.
Maki can't help the small smile that begins to form on his lips. He really has such an amazing support system. He doesn't think he can get any luckier.