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Today’s concert is going to be perfect. Jisung was sure of it.
It is going to be starting in ten minutes, and his nerves are jittery— the good type. Usually it would be the bad type: anxiety, thoughts going 100mph, bouncy legs. But no. It’s minimal. They are in the dressing room right now. His legs are swinging while he’s sucking on the almost-gone sucker, to the point the paper stick is starting to peel off into his mouth.
“Do you want another one, you seem to be really enjoying that, yeah?”
Jisung blinked. His eyes are no longer burning as he looked across the room to see Chan looking back at him with that toothy grin he always has. Of course, Jisung gives a teasing smile back.
“Nah— the paper ruined the taste now I don’t want anymore,” he yelled back.
“That’s also like your what— twentieth one today?” Felix chirped in, trying to squeeze himself on the one-person sofa next to him.
“That too.” He laughed.
“Ayyyy, we need to go out now, everyone!”
Their manager announced walking in, doing the typical “chop-chop” clap. All the members jumped up from around the busy room and giddied on over to him.
Jisung grabbed another sucker from the coffee table smirking, shoving it nonchalantly into his front pocket.
Obviously, stress and anxiety would always be present, but everyone seemed confident— shoulders straightened, eyes bright, sure steps. Maybe it’s because rehearsal had went as smoothly as ever— only just one hiccup with Jeongin’s earpiece that got quickly resolved.
Overall, vibes were vibing today.
Jisung glanced over at Jeongin to his left. He looks as handsome as ever, of course, but his ear piece doesn’t seem to be sitting quite right. It looked a little wonky, no matter how many times he tried fixing it. He shouldn’t have to deal with that PLUS it glitching out at rehearsal. He didn’t understand why staff couldn’t just get him a new one. It’s less trouble in the long run.
“Do you want to switch ear pieces, Jeongin?”
Jeongin looked to him, confused for a hot second, then he must of realized what Jisung was referring to, because he shook his head looking down.
“It really is okay, Hyung.”
Jeongin thought he could get away with dealing with that. Oh, you thought!
“No, no— I think yours will fit me better” he reassured.
Jeongin reluctantly took it off, wincing at it getting stuck in his ear. They traded them off to each other as all the members were making their way to start the concert.
Chan gathered us under the stage. As anyone could expect, he had to do a really sappy pep talk.
“. . . Stray kids!” We all chanted after his quick encouragement.
One by one we all went up. Jisung moved his head up towards the sky. Little water droplets bounced off his face. It’ll be sprinkling for a tad bit, hopefully. He sighed deeply, breathing in the rawness of the air.
Soon enough, the first song began playing. Chk Chk Boom.
Felix opened it off beautifully, not missing a note. It transitioned over to Jisung, who absolutely nailed it too. The powerful choreography kept all eight of them steady in rhythm.
It continued like this until their first break.
The weather seemed to be at a constant steadiness, but not to the point it affected their performance much. It was actually really refreshing.
Chan was guiding them all off stage— hands brushing against their backs— for their 15 minute rest.
He felt the light touch of his hands when he finally went by him. Seungmin is in-front of him with now just Chan and Minho behind him.
That’s when it happened. He should have noticed it sooner, that it would be more than just a faulty in-ear mic.
The first step off the stage— rain still coming slow and steady down— there was a buzz. Not the type you just brush off, no. It was getting louder and louder like a bumble bee.
“What the he—“
As he reached up to take out the mic, it felt as if lightening went off in his ear. A sudden zap went out through his whole body. His vision whitened— a pain so severe he couldn’t describe himself.
It was like he was on fire in the middle of Antarctica. He was viciously getting attacked by needles.
He had no sensation of movement in his body when he went crumbling down to the ground— only thing caught was everyone’s surprise.
As his vision darkened, all he could pinpoint was his ear hurts like a bitch, everything was blurry, and there was nothing but silence swallowing him whole.
Chan thought everything was going fine.
The rain was making everyone’s hair slightly damp. Looking down at Jisung, he could see little clumps of hair beginning to stick together.
He’s been so proud of Jisung lately. Well, he always is. It just seems he’s been working extra-hard, but still having his genuine happiness. He’s been absolutely crushing it today— like he’s unstoppable.
Thats when he realized, Jisung suddenly stopped at the end of the stairs. It was like he was frozen. He was reaching his hand up towards his ear when his face twisted in unusual fury. He heard a loud pitch coming from his spot.
Something was definitely wrong. But he had no time to think as Jisung went crashing down to the ground. Now, that got him out of his trance.
Chan went bolting down the steps and kneeled down at him— but that’s when he saw it. Jisung’s whole body was shaking violently.
Specifically, his right arm seemed to getting most of the load— with a consistent spasm taking over him. Chan blinked.
“Call an ambulance!” He screamed. It was the type of scream that was bone chilling— pure, unfiltered panic.
Only a few staff members and Minho (who seemed to be in shock standing above them), realized that Jisung is on the ground not okay. Well, now everyone around them knows after Chan screamed.
The audience seemed to not have a clue of what was going on as Jisung was now has a serious problem backstage.
It was like a fever dream for Chan. Slow- mo. He could sense other people— his members too— surrounding him but he just cant focus on anything else but Jisung in-front of him, who right now seems like he’s dying.
He heard someone scream “turn off the power to all the mics!”
“Step back, Chan”
“We stopped the electric shock!”
He couldn’t comprehend what’s happening. A medic was pressing gauze to his ear— blood, okay. Just a little.
Jisung is being surrounded by medics taking him away on a stretcher. Snap out of it. He began following after them.
The other members are in a similar state. Felix is a disheveled, crying mess— mumbling stuff Chan doesn’t want to know to himself.
Minho is is crying. Changbin is crying also next to Chan —running after them throughout the halls, pushing confused passerby out of the way. Seungmin is crying. Jeongin is crying— okay Chan, that’s enough.
“He’s beginning to seize!”
Oh hell no.
He got a single glance of Jisung on the stretcher— sweaty, pale skin, closed eyes, body now turned facing him.
Too many people were in a chaotic state around him so he couldn't see him too long— but what stuck out to him was his mouth.
Foam was bubbling out, a pinkish color. He couldn’t tell if it was from the sucker earlier or his own blood.
They are outside now, an ambulance waiting right there for him. A man stopped him from going in.
“Sorry, we can’t have anyone go in”
“He’s going to be alright, right?” Chan raised his voice towards the end.
“Yes, he got stabilized, and they made sure his airways were cleared.”
“Thank the Lord.”
Before he knew it, the doors shut. He saw a peek of the stretcher and the hardworking medics inside the ambulance.
He looked over to the other members and their manager. They seemed to be in the same condition of himself— crying, ruined makeup.
He walked up to Hyunjin, who was closest, and squeezed his shoulder, “let’s go, everyone. Now. He will be okay.” He had to be the leader— especially in a situation like this. Their fans can wait. Their team can deal with them.
The others nodded sniffling. They ran for the vans. A few people seemed to be videoing them but security looked to have it under control— backing them off.
The members split off into two vans and had their drivers speed off to the hospital— not yet knowing what awaits them.
Han’s consciousness comes back to him. He doesn’t want it to. He was enjoying himself without a care in the world. Oh, where was he again? Bed. . . they have a concert, right?
He opened his eyes. They were crusted closed— which gave him the ick as they peeled open.
His vision was blurry— but he can still see people in a room that surely doesn’t look like his own.
He registers something on his face— so he goes to take it off. Must of been Felix pulling a prank.
Oh, but he can’t. His arms aren’t cooperating. He can barely move them— they feel hundred times heavier than they usually would.
No one seems to notice his struggle though, the figures are facing away from him towards this white dressed figure. They seem to be talking— but everything is muffled. It’s like he is underwater trying to listen.
He feels quite drowsy, eyes loopy. He really needs to figure out what’s happening though. Using all the strength he has, he croaks out a noise. He couldn’t tell you what the noise was, but it seemed like enough to get their attention.
“Oh!. . . awake, oh . . . gosh.” Someone is now weeping, kneeling at his bedside, Felix.
Hospital.
“Whuh..” he trailed off.
His vision began clearing as the doctor came to him, smiling.
“You. . .ruptu. . .ear drum. . .” while the guy was talking, he moved his eyes at Chan, who had a relieved-like smile.
“. . .shock. . . myotonic seizure. . .” He couldn’t concentrate any longer as the doctor continued on. He still felt as if he was underwater trying to listen to them.
“Pain medic. . .”
“I don’t think… overwhelm. . .” someone added in. He couldn’t tell who. He didn’t really care. He sounded frustrated. He just wants to sleep. So he did. His eyes closed involuntarily— but this time— with a smile on a face.
He thought of all the members, how amazing they are. He couldn’t remember anything about why he was here though. His thoughts began jumbling together.
I really am craving a sucker.
He didn’t feel the pain from his ear as he went out, nor the warmth of the members waiting for him once again.