Seonghwa's POV

Dance practice lately has been going really well. We've all been working really hard and we haven't been making many mistakes, or at least the boys haven't made many mistakes. But due to them not making any mistakes, it's made it painfully obvious when I make any mistakes. As the eldest, I should be the one working the hardest and making the least mistakes and yet it seems to be the complete opposite. During the choreography of 'Inception', I tripped over and stumbled slightly. Yunho quickly went over and paused the music before turning to me.

"Hyung you need to relax a bit more, you're too tense and rushed. Just let yourself flow through it," he said. I went slightly red in embarrassment but nodded my head before getting back to my position. It was embarrassing and I was ashamed that I was the only one making mistakes, I should be doing better. As Wooyoung walked past, he pat my back and gave me an encouraging smile but for some reason, it only made me feel worse. I couldn't help but to think I wasn't on the same level as the other's and when we finally get to do our first concert in 2 years, I'll probably just embarrass the whole group with how bad I do. We continued on practicing for a while but I made sure to stay quiet and tried to focus harder but I just couldn't and I found myself second-guessing almost everything I did. I couldn't help it, it's just how I am.

"Alright, I think we can have a break boys," our choreographer called out a little while later. We all gladly went over to our water bottles and sat down for a drink. I leaned against the wall and took a few gulps of water before jolting slightly when there was suddenly something pressed up against my side. I looked to the side surprised to see Hongjoong drinking leisurely as he leaned against me. It's not that I don't want him to cuddle with me, it's that he never does so it's surprising, especially since we're at dance practice.

"You alright Hwa," he asked quietly.

"Yeah, m'fine," I replied, leaning my head softly against his. I put down my bottle and wrapped my arms around his waist, taking the chance to hug him. I took a deep breath and slowly begun to relax a bit. I don't get what it is about Hongjoong but just having him close to me sometimes just makes everything feel that little bit easier, breathing a little easier, thinking a little easier. He stayed me for the rest of the last few minutes of our break before we all went and got ready for the rest of practice.

Once practice was over, everyone begun to prepare to head back to the dorm (except Hongjoong who almost never leaves the studio because he's a workaholic), but I decided it would be better for me to stay back and practice some more so I can hopefully do better next practice.

"Are you going back to the dorm Hyung," Yeosang asked.

"Nah, I'm gonna practice. Can I trust you to keep everyone in check at home Sangie," I asked, ruffling his hair gently.

"I mean I can try but whether it'll work or not is debatable," he shrugged. I chuckled slightly at his words, knowing full well that they were true. I watched as the other's all left before finally turning to the speakers and walking over to them. I cued the playlist and hit play, rushing to get into my position and continue practicing.

I'm not sure how long I was practicing for but I thought I was doing slightly better. My moves were sharper, I was less tense and it was flowing better like Yunho wanted it to. I was getting into the zone, getting my groove on so I continued to practice a few different songs, over and over, trying to perfect them as best as I could. After a little while, I'm not sure how long but it felt like maybe an hour, I begun to feel a little off. I was more tired, my vision went fuzzy for a few seconds and my lips were slightly chapped but it hadn't really even been an hour I think so I didn't stop for a drink break and instead just kept dancing, not wanting to ruin the good rhythm I had gotten into. I must've gone a little bit too long though as during one of the run-throughs, there was a sudden sharp pain in my head and I got really dizzy, making me stumble and falls to my knees on the floor. I tried to gain my bearings a little but my vision blurred and my ears were blocked, it almost felt like I was underwater. In what felt like only seconds but could've been longer, I felt something warm on my shoulders, hands. There were noises but they were muffled and I couldn't quite distinguish what it was, or more specifically who it was but it felt safe. (That alone should've given it away instantly). I leant into the touch and arms were wrapped gently around me, pulling my head onto their chest I think. I slowly begun to come back to myself, my vision clearing and my ears unblocking and it was only then that it fully registered that it was Hongjoong on the floor holding me. I shakily lifted my arms and wrapped them delicately around his waist, hearing and feeling as Hongjoong let out a deep breath.

"Hwa? Are you ok," he asked quietly. Am I ok? I think I am. I probably just went a little too long without water but I feel bad for worrying him.

"Yeah I'm fine, sorry. I think I just went a little too long without a drink of water," I explained.

"When did you last have some water," he asked quickly.

"Not overly long, just since the end of practice," I replied. Hongjoong gasped and moved back to he sitting in front of me. Hongjoong has always been quite the dramatic one.

"Seonghwa, how long do you think you've been practicing for," he asked me.

"Maybe an hour or two, I don't know. I just continued after practice," I said confused as to why he was asking. His eyebrows furrowed and he grabbed my hand loosely.

"Seonghwa, it's almost midnight. You've been practicing for close to 5 hours," he told me. I froze in shock at his words. 5 hours? Has it really been that long?

"Has it really been that long since you've had a break and taken a drink," he asked with a frown when I didn't reply.

"I didn't realise how much time had passed," I admitted quietly.

"Wait here," he said before jumping up and running from the room. He came back a few minutes later, a small container and chopsticks in one hand and a drink bottle in the other. He sat down and handed them to me.

"Have these alright, they'll make you feel a little better and less light-headed," he told me. I did as asked, eating and drinking what he gave me while he rubbed my back gently.

Once I was finished, we packed up and walked back to the dorm together, not talking, just enjoying each other's company.

"Hey Hyungs," San said as we walked past the loungeroom where he, Yunho and Mingi were playing video games.

"Hello boys. Don't stay up too late," Hongjoong said before grabbing my hand and pulling me to our room. I was slightly worried he was going to be mad at me but he just pulled me to lay down on his bed with him, wrapping me up in his arms.

"You wanna tell me what happened? Why you neglected your health like that," he asked, brushing my hair back softly.

"I was just too focused on practicing, I completely didn't realise," I lied. Deep inside I know I was just too far in my head, trying to be better.

"You nearly passed out Hwa. When I walked in you were on the floor and barely conscious," he pointed out.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," I replied in a small voice. Thinking about what he said made me remember exactly what happened and how embarrassing it was, how embarrassing I was. I didn't even realise I had tensed up and started to shy away from Hongjoong until he called my name out softly.

"Seonghwa. Hwa. Hey, look at me jagiya," he whispered, cupping my cheek and rubbing it softly.

"Sorry, I'm just. I'm really tired," I said with a sigh.

"Do you want to have a shower before bed," he asked me.

"I'm too tired Joong," I whispered.

"That's ok. Let's get you changed alright," he said, sitting up so that I could get up. I moved slowly though, suddenly being hit with a wave of tiredness. Hongjoong seemed to realise though as he helped me up and helped me get changed into my pyjamas before laying me down and getting changed into his own clothes. He walked over to the door and flicked off the light before coming back and joining me on the bed. I moved over to he could get comfortable, then cuddled up to his side when he opened his arms for me.

"Just sleep Hwa, get some rest," he said softly, running his fingers through my hair and lulling me to sleep.

~~~~~

The next day I decided to stay back and practice a bit more again, still needing to do a lot better than I was doing. I was practicing hard, for about an hour (I was actually keeping track this time), when the door suddenly opened. I paused the music and turned around as I wiped some sweat from my forehead to see Hongjoong standing by the door. I raised an eyebrow in confusion, not understanding why he was here and not producing.

"Joongie," I questioned.

"Don't forget to have a drink Hwa, keep hydrated" he said gently. I paused at his words, tensing and my eyes widening slightly as I realised he specifically took a break from producing to make sure I was looking after myself. It made me feel more ashamed. I'm older than Hongjoong and yet I have to have the younger check on me and make sure I'm looking after myself.

"Thanks," I mumbled in reply before turning away from him and grabbing my bottle. I took a few sips before arms were wrapped around my waist and a head rested against my shoulder, making me relax.

"I just want to make sure you safe and healthy Seonghwa," Hongjoong whispered. I sighed and nodded before he let go and left the room so I could continue practicing and he could continue producing. This just shows I need to be better. From now on I promise I won't be an embarrassment and I won't burden any of the boys with setbacks!

~~~~~

By the time it was about two days before our concert, I had been improving a lot. I stayed focused during trainings, not getting distracted, I continued doing extra practice and I didn't mess up too much. That was until that day, only 2 days before our concert and it was the worst mess up yet. While we were practicing Déjà vu, I sat too far back on Yeosang and felt him begin to fall down. In a moment of panic, worrying for Yeosang's safety, I threw myself to the side, falling to the floor hard with a bang. Yeosang still fell but it would've been a lot worse if I had still been on top of him. When I hit the floor, my ribs smashed into the ground and the breath was knocked out of me. I felt a sharp pain, but I shrugged it off, getting up quickly to check on Yeosang.

"Sang, Sang, look at me. Are you ok," I asked quickly, placing my hand softly on his shoulder as the other's milled around.

"Yeah, I'm alright," Yeosang nodded as he sat up and wiped his hands on his pants.

"Are you sure," I asked worriedly.

"Yeah, promise," he replied. I let out a deep breath, relieved that I hadn't hurt too badly and found that it was a little hard to breathe.

"Seonghwa Hyung, are you alright? You came down pretty hard," Yunho asked me.

"I'm fine, I was just worried about Yeosang," I replied. It wasn't really a lie, it was only slightly sore and would heal. Plus, the concert is two days ago, I don't want to ruin all of the boys work and embarrass them by having to cancel the concert or worse, have to sit in a chair the entire time. Everyone seemed relieved at my words so I'm glad I told them I was fine, they don't need to worry much. We continued practice and it was a bit of a struggle but I managed to get through it while keeping calm and not showing that I was hurt. I would usually stay back and practice a bit more but I'm not silly, I know that I shouldn't do that because it'll make it hurt even more. Right now I need to rest whenever I can so my ribs can feel a bit better. When we got back to the dorm, I went straight to my room and locked the door. I went to the mirror and slowly pulled off my shirt, wincing slightly as I lifted my arms above my head. I looked in the mirror and frowned when I saw the bruise on my ribs where I fell. It wasn't too bad but it'll definitely be hurting and bruised for a while. I bit my lip nervously, trying to think of what to do to help it heal a bit better. I've never had bruised ribs before so I don't know how to treat it and I definitely can't go to the hospital because the others would find out and it would cause a fuss which we don't need. I do however, happen to have a new friend from Kingdom who is usually great at this stuff (he says he knows everything because his members are so clumsy). I can call and ask but I can't let him know it's for me, I'll just say it's research purposes. I quickly found Minho's contact in my phone and called him.

"Hey Seonghwa, what's up," he asked, answering on the third ring.

"I'm not too bad. The kids are driving me a little crazy but nothing new," I said, hearing him chuckle.

"What about you," I asked him.

"Yeah nothing much, just a lot of practices. You guys would be doing a fair bit of practice wouldn't you? Your concert is soon," he said.

"Yeah it's in 2 days," I replied.

"Are you excited," he asked me.

"Yeah, I'm a little nervous as well. I just don't want to let anyone down," I admitted.

"You'll do great Seonghwa, you all will," he said firmly and I smiled softly.

"Thanks. Listen, can I ask for your opinion on something," I asked.

"Of course, what's up," he asked.

"What would you need to do to treat bruised ribs," I asked.

"Seonghwa you need to go to the hospital right away. Rib injuries can be very bad so it needs to be checked out," Minho said quickly. Shit, I don't want him catching on.

"Oh I'm not hurt. I just remembered how you said you know how to do a lot because your boys get injured sometimes so I thought I should brush up on what to do in some situations," I lied quickly. He didn't reply straight away, staying quiet for a few seconds and I was worried he was going to see through my lie.

"If that does happen, you need to get them to the hospital to make sure there isn't any serious damage," he told me. That doesn't really help because once again, I can't go to the hospital.

"What if we can't get to the hospital," I asked him, trying to just sound a bit curious rather than desperate.

"I don't recommend it but just make sure they rest, keep ice on it and don't move them too much until you can get them to a hospital. If they're in a lot of pain then give them some pain killers to ease them and maybe bandage it," he explained. I listened closely, imprinting it into my mind so I could go off and do just that once I finished talking to Minho.

"Thanks Minho, it was nice talking to you," I said going to hang up.

"Wait, Seonghwa," he called out quickly, making me pause and wait for him to continue.

"Are you sure you're ok? You're not hurt," he asked gently. My heart swelled at how concerned he was even though we haven't known each other for a very long time.

"Yeah, I'm perfectly fine Minho," I lied once again.

"Alright. Well stay safe, I'll hopefully see you soon," he said.

"Bye," I replied before finally hanging up. Ok, so ice and bandages. I went out of my room and quietly slipped down the hall to the kitchen, trying not to gain any attention from the boys in the loungeroom playing games. I grabbed some ice from the freezer, closing the door silently behind me and going to the bathroom to grab the first aid kit before finally going back to my room and closing the door. I went back over to the mirror and took off my shirt so it would be easier to bandage my ribs. It was still a task I struggled with but after about five minutes, I finally managed to wrap it tightly and clip it up. I closed the first aid kit and lay down on the bed, placing the ice on my ribs. It was cold but it gave me an immense relief and I let out a sigh. I just stayed laying on my bed for a while, waiting until the ice started to melt before getting up and putting it back in the freezer. I was on my way to my room after putting it away when the boys seemed to have noticed me.

"Hyung," San called out.

"Yeah what's up," I asked him.

"Can you make some Ramen for us please," he asked, poking his head over the back of the couch and pouting cutely.

"Can't you make it yourself," I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Please Hyungie," he begged, putting on his puppy dog eyes. Curse him and his puppy dog eyes.

"Ugh fine, who else wants some," I asked.

"All of us," Mingi piped up quickly.

"Fine. You guys just have fun while I go and do all the hard work," I said, rolling my eyes fondly. Time to go and cook for my kids, what fun...

~~~~~

It's finally the day of the concert, the day we've been preparing for, for the past month and a half. Unfortunately since the first day, my ribs have been more and more painful as the time passed.

When I woke up, my chest felt tight, my ribs were aching and I could hardly breathe. I sat up quickly, gasping at the pain but I knew I needed to find something that would help ease it. I managed to stumble out of bed and down the hall to the bathroom, quickly closing the door and locking it. I rummaged through the cabinet, breathing heavily and groaning slightly at the pain. I found the box, quickly popping out two pills and downing them with some water. I gripped the sink tightly and clenched my jaw tightly to work through the pain until the pain killers begun to kick in a few minutes later. I gingerly grabbed the bottom of my shirt and lifted it up, showing my bruise. It was a lot bigger and darker, now an ugly shade of purple. I quickly wrapped it up again with a bandage, whimpering as the pain hadn't fully subsided yet. I had just finished when there was a soft knock on the door. I pulled my shirt back on quickly, making sure the bandages were covered. I went over, unlocked and opened the door. Hongjoong walked inside sleepily, rubbing his eyes and I had to stop myself from cooing at how small, adorable and cuddly he looked. I however couldn't help myself from wrapping my arms around his waist and pulling him to my chest. Sure, it hurt a bit but no pain no gain. When Hongjoong is sleepy is when he's the most cuddly and affectionate. He cuddled to my chest and let out a soft puff of air, whining when I kissed his head softly. I chuckled and let him go so he could do his routine to wake up more. He walked to the sink and quickly splashed his face with the water before standing back up and freezing. I was confused as to why he froze but then he suddenly grabbed the pain killers from the side of the sink, turning to me quickly. Shit, I forgot to put them away.

"Did you take these? What's wrong? Are you hurt," he asked quickly.

"Yeah I did. I woke up with a bad headache earlier so I took some. I wanna be in top shape for later," I said. I figured it was better to bend the truth rather than lie fully given the fact he had already seen the pain killers.

"Ok. Make sure you let me know if it doesn't get better alright. I don't want you feeling bad during the concert," he said. I couldn't find it in myself to continue lying so I just nodded to avoid having to actively lie to him. I have a feeling this might be a little bit harder than I originally thought.

~~~~~

"You guys almost ready to go? We have about 5 more minutes before we head out," Hongjoong said as we were waiting back stage.

"Hyung." I frowned and turned around, looking to see San gripping the edge of my sleeve, looking uncertain.

"Hey Sannie, everything ok," I asked worriedly. San tends to stress about things a lot and he's always had trouble with self-doubt and confidence. I know he doesn't seem like he has trouble with it but once he's on stage he's fine, it's before he get's out that he panics.

"Um yeah. It's just, I'm a little nervous," he said, biting his lower lip anxiously.

"That's ok, it's alright to be nervous," I said softly.

"But Hyung, I can't do it," he said shaking his head.

"Oh baby, it's ok. You're gonna be perfect alright," I assured him gently. His face dropped slightly and he looked down but I quickly placed my hand under his chin and lifted his head back up.

"Sannie, you're gonna be fine," I said rubbing my thumb over his cheek softly.

"SEUNGMIN IN THE BUILDING." We all spun around quickly at the familiar voice, shocked to see the eight members of Stray Kids walking into the room. Is this what Minho meant when he said he was gonna see us soon? Jongho quickly walked past and went over to Seungmin while Felix came over to us.

"Hi Sannie Hyung," he said with a bright smile. San opened his arms and Felix hugged him quickly. I smiled softly as I noticed San physically relax and he seemed less stressed. I moved off to the sight so that they could talk as Changbin and Wooyoung walked over to them as well. I frowned slightly when I noticed Minho grabbed Hongjoong's arm and move him off to the side away from the other's to talk. I began to wonder what they were talking about but I got distracted as Hyunjin came over and started talking to me. Turns out Stray Kids missed seeing us and decided to come and support us during our first concert back. We talked for a few minutes but pretty soon it was time for the concert to start and time for us to give it our all. Unfortunately the pain killers I took seemed to have been beginning to wear off which was not good. I only managed to get through 3 songs before I started to feel sharp pains when I jolted slightly. I found myself holding my ribs whenever I bent down or turn particularly quickly, which was a lot. I can't just sit out now, it would let everyone down so I just grit my teeth and continued through the pain. Two songs later and we were up to Déjà vu to perform. There seems to be a pattern with this song as this is when it all started to go downhill again. When it got to the part where I was lifted and turned on Yeosang's back, the same move that I got hurt from originally, I couldn't help the pained gasp and whimper I let out as I was dropped back to the floor. It hurt, quite a lot but I covered it up and continued on despite the immense pain I was feeling. I just hope Yeosang, San and Hongjoong didn't notice. I had to try desperately to not cry, blinking away the tears in my eyes. I let out quick breaths to try and get rid of the pain, clenching my fist slightly. San went to the front of the stage and begun talking to the fans which confused me because that wasn't in our schedule but Hongjoong suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me to the very back of the stage.

"Where are you hurt," he asked quickly. Damn, he must've heard me cry out.

"I'm fine," I deflected quickly, making sure not to talk too quietly and to keep my microphone by my side so it wouldn't pick up our talking.

"Bullshit. Minho told me about the call you made two days ago," he said.

"That wasn't about me. It was to be prepared in case something ever happens to the boys, as I told him," I said with a frown.

"Hwa you're going to do more harm than good by hiding it," he said. I clenched my jaw tightly and looked away in defiance, not answering.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly a few seconds later. I looked down at him in confusion but then I suddenly felt a white-hot pain in my ribs, more painful then I've ever felt before and I had to resist the urge to throw up. My microphone slipped out of my hand and my knees gave out, making me collapse into Hongjoong. He caught me but his hand dug into my ribs and I cried out, sobbing harshly as the tears finally fell.

"Shit, oh god. I didn't realise it was that bad," Hongjoong gulped out. My breathing quickened and then it begun to get even harder to breath than it already was. My vision was blurring and the pain only got worse.

"Make it stop, please make it stop! It hurts so bad," I cried, my entire body feeling like it was on fire. I'm pretty sure Hongjoong went to say something but I couldn't hear as I slowly fell out of consciousness...

Hongjoong's POV

I'm glad to see that Chan and I's surprise seemed to work and help relax some of the boys, especially San and Mingi as they usually tend to stress a lot and psych themselves out before big events. I was talking to Chan when Minho came over and grabbed my arm gently.

"Can I talk to you for a second please Hongjoong," he asked.

"Sure," I nodded, following him off to the side.

"Is everything ok," I asked, confused as to why he wanted to talk to me alone.

"I got a call from Seonghwa two days ago," he told me. I froze, frowning at his words. Was Seonghwa upset about something?

"Is everything ok," I repeated, this time slower and uncertain.

"He asked me how to treat bruised ribs. He assured me multiple times that nothing was wrong and he was just researching in case one of the boys ever got hurt but he asked me what to do if they couldn't get to the hospital. I don't know, something felt off and I thought I should let you know," he said. I furrowed my eyebrows slightly and glanced over at Seonghwa who was talking to Hyunjin. He didn't seem hurt or at least I didn't notice anything the past few days.

"Are you sure he was talking about himself," I asked.

"Not 100% but it definitely gave me the vibes," he replied. Shit this isn't good. Rib injuries are painful and dangerous which means he'll be hurting a lot right now but I know there's no chance he would tell anyone. This is the tricky thing about Seonghwa. He thinks as the eldest he's can't be weak, hurt, vulnerable and he won't tell us when he needs help. We don't know if he is actually injured or if he really was just curious, although he did take pain killers this morning. He said they were for a headache but they were a bit strong. Maybe he really is hurting and that's why he took them.

"Thank you Minho. I'll make sure to watch him closely," I said with a sigh.

"Of course," he nodded.

~~~~~

And watch him closely I did, or at least as well as I could. I tried to keep an eye on him as we performed but it was a bit hard what with the dancing and rapping. From what I could see though, he seemed to be doing just fine and there was no sign he was injured. That was until we got to Déjà vu. When Seonghwa was lifted up on Yeosang's back, I heard him cry out slightly and whimper and I knew for sure that Minho was right and Seonghwa was hiding an injury. I caught San's eye as we parted and I could tell that he had heard it as well. He looked confused, and a little worried. Once the song ended, I turned to San and mouthed at him to talk to the fans. I need them distracted so I can pull Seonghwa aside and talk to him. He can't keep dancing like this otherwise he's going to seriously harm himself. I went over to Seonghwa and pulled him close to the back of the stage.

"Where are you hurt," I asked quickly. I wanted to confirm where he was hurt was definitely his ribs but I also wanted to give him another chance to confess.

"I'm fine," he dismissed. So still trying to hide it. And he says I'm stubborn and don't know how to look after my own health. Guess it's time for some tough love.

"Bullshit. Minho told me about the call you made two days ago," I said firmly.

"That wasn't about me. It was to be prepared in case something ever happens to the boys, as I told him," he said. We really will need to talk about his inability to show weakness in front of us because it's quite a bit of a hassle.

"Hwa you're going to do more harm than good by hiding it," I said, trying to make him see what he was doing wasn't a good idea. He still didn't reply though, just clenched his jaw and looked away. I've kind of run out of ideas, except for one. If he insists on saying he isn't injured, maybe the only way to make him admit it is to force him to show it. This may hurt a little.

"I'm sorry," I apologized before placing a hand on either side of his ribs and pressing down, unsure which side was a bit sore. In all my life, I don't think I've ever done anything so stupid. I regretted it the second I did it because the sound that came out of Seonghwa's mouth is one I never want to hear again, let alone knowing I was the one that caused it. He choked out a cry, dropping his microphone to the floor with a clang and collapsing into me. I caught him quickly, only realising too late that I put even more pressure on his ribs. He cried out fully and begun to sob into my shoulder. This is way worse than I thought it was.

"Shit, oh god. I didn't realise it was that bad," I apologized quickly, not knowing what to do. His breathing got more erratic and unsteady and he was basically relying on me to keep him up.

"Make it stop, please make it stop! It hurts so bad," he cried into my shoulder. I blinked quickly, trying to keep my own tears from falling. I don't like seeing people hurt, let alone my best and closest friend.

"I'm so sorry Hwa. Just hang in there for me alright, stay with me," I said gently. My attempts were futile however as he was suddenly a complete dead weight. I yelped, struggling to stop him from falling as he's heavy but I managed to steady him. I was beginning to panic because we're technically on stage but I can't move him as I'm a lot smaller than him. Thankfully the other's must've been checking in because Yunho was suddenly beside me and he quickly lifted him up into his arms.

"Be careful of his ribs," I said hurriedly. Yunho just nodded and loosened his grip a little before carrying him backstage quickly. I heard the other's following and talking but I kept my focus solely on the unconscious boy in Yunho's arms. I can't believe I caused him to pass out, my own best friend. He sound like he was in so much pain, he was begging me to make it all stop that's how bad it was. Yunho gently laid him down on the couch and I knelt beside him instantly.

"What's going on? Why's Hwa Hyung unconscious," Mingi asked as the other's all milled around.

"He um, he hurt his ribs and I accidently pressed down on them and I think he passed out from the pain," I said shakily.

"Hurt? When did he get hurt," Wooyoung asked.

"A few days ago I think. I'm not sure, he was hiding it from us," I admitted sadly.

"He fell. In practice a few days ago, he was trying to protect me so he threw himself off my back and landed on the ground," Yeosang said quietly. Now that he mentions it, I do remember it. I grabbed the bottom of his shirt and slowly lifted it up, revealing a bandage wrapped around his entire chest.

"How the hell did we not realise he was hurt," Jongho whispered. That I really don't know. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, we should've still known.

"Sannie, can you help lift him up little please so I can get this off and see how bad it is," I asked. San quickly knelt next to me and propped Seonghwa up so I could quickly unclip the bandage from the back. San lowered him back down gently and I peeled the bandage completely off, feeling bile rise up in my throat at what I saw. The boys went dead silent and I went pale. There was a very large, very dark purple, almost black bruise spread across the left side of his ribs.

"That is a really fucking big bruise," Wooyoung gasped and I couldn't even find it in me to correct him either, knowing he was right.

"Holy shit, what happened!" Trust our manager to not care about professionalism when we're in trouble.

"He passed out," Yunho told him.

"Shit. Alright, I'll call an ambulance," he said before stepping back out of the room. I slipped my hand into Seonghwa's and gently brushed his hair back, using my sleeve to wipe away the sweat on his forehead. I glanced at the boys, seeing them either huddled together or nervously watching Seonghwa. I made sure to turn back and face Seonghwa so the boys couldn't see my face, feeling an onslaught of emotions creeping up on me. I thought back to the moment I pressed down on his bruise, trying to prove a point but making him sob and cry in pain in the wake of that point. My eyes welled up with tears and I started to cry silently, letting them roll down my face without stopping them. I felt guilty, really guilty. I may have had the right intentions, but I put him through so much pain when I was supposed to help him. A few seconds later, I felt arms wrapped around me and I tensed slightly.

"It's ok Hyung, Seonghwa Hyung will be fine," Mingi whispered. I relaxed in his arms and whimpered, burying me head in his shoulder to try and hide, embarrassed but willing to let my emotions run their course. Mingi hugged me softly, pulling me closer but allowing me to keep my hand in Seonghwa's. It wasn't long until the ambulance arrived, quickly and efficiently loading Seonghwa onto the stretcher and taking him out just as quickly as they got inside.

"Hongjoong." I looked up from where I was still slightly cuddled up to Mingi's side to see our manager looking over at me.

"Can you go out and talk to the fans. Let them know that due to some unfortunate events, the rest of the concert will be cancelled and hopefully rescheduled to a later time," he asked me. I don't know why but for some reason his words made me start crying again. I mean I know I'm the leader and it's kind of my job but right now I'm still upset and I don't really have it in me to go out and talk to the fans. I sobbed slightly and desperately shook my head, Mingi's grip on me tightening protectively.

"Joong, Joong-ah it's ok. I'm not going to force you to go out, one of the staff members will explain the situation," our manager said. I sniffled and nodded in relief, curling closer to Mingi.

"You guys all head to the front, there will be a car waiting for you and you'll be taken to the hospital. Yeosang, ask the drivers name and if it's not Min Hangwoon then don't get in alright," he told us all. Yeosang nodded solemnly before helping Mingi and I up, ushering us out so we could be taken to the hospital.

~~~~~

The ride to the hospital was quiet, as was the wait in the waiting room. None of us really talked, just sat close to each other as we waited for any sort of news on our eldest. Wooyoung was sitting curled up in San's lap, his head resting on his shoulder as San fiddle absentmindedly with the bottom of his shirt. Yunho was frowning and running his fingers through Jongho's hair as the Maknae was beside him, while he had his other arm wrapped around Mingi's shoulder. Yeosang was sitting beside me, just buttoning and unbuttoning my shirt sleeve. It was an odd thing to do but it was a way to keep him distracted and ease his nerves a bit so I let him do it. We were there for close to an hour before a doctor finally came out and walked over.

"Park Seonghwa," he question, getting affirmative nods from all of us as we stood up and walked closer.

"It appears the Park-ssi has fractured his rib that was left untreated, not to mention he continued doing a lot of physical activities, so it's gotten worse and the bruising has increased," he explained to us. My knees felt a little weak at his words, realising even more just how badly I had hurt him and they almost gave out completely, had it not been for Yeosang who wrapped an arm around my waist to steady me.

"So what happens now," Jongho asked worriedlu.

"There isn't a lot we can do except let it heal on his own. I will give you a special cream you can rub on it 2 times a day and I recommend you bandage it and ice it occasionally as well. I will give him a prescription for some pain relievers to take if the pain get's too much. Other than that, he just needs a lot of rest and he can't be doing any strenuous activities for the next 2 months at least. He will need to come and get a check up in a month, then another month and we can judge if he can start back up on more activities," the doctor told us. Yunho glanced at me before turning back to the doctor.

"Ok, so definitely no dancing but given that we're idols we have a few concerts coming up. Will him sitting on a chair and singing without moving around have any risk to cause further injury," he asked. I was glad that Yunho stepped up and took the lead, knowing I probably wasn't going to be asking questions as I'm not in the best mindset at the moment.

"No that should be fine," the doctor nodded.

"So there won't be any risk? Because we don't want to have him out there if it might make it worse," manager hyung said quickly.

"No, there won't be any risk as long as he isn't moving around and twisting around a lot," the doctor confirmed. Well that's a relief I guess.

"He is in room 212. He won't be awake for another few hours but you're welcome to sit with him if you would like," the doctor said, bowing before leaving. Manager Hyung turned to us once the doctor was gone.

"I suggest you boys go home and get some rest. We've dealt with the concert and Atiny just wishes for him healthy," he told us.

"Can't we stay Hyung," Wooyoung asked with a frown.

"I think you guys should rest a little, you had quite the scare earlier," manager Hyung said shaking his head.

"Ok but Hongjoong Hyung should stay here, just in case Seonghwa Hyung wakes up because we don't want him waking up alone," San said.

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Yeosang nodded. The other's all agreed quickly and I fought back a smile as they gave me small, encouraging smiles.

"Alright, Hongjoong can stay here but the rest of you are going home to rest. Contact me if anything happens Joong," manager Hyung said. I nodded and they all said goodbye to me before leaving and I went over to room 212. I slowly and quietly opened the door, slipping inside and closing it behind me. Seonghwa was laying on the bed, his eyes closed and his hands by his side with a blanket over him. He looked quite peaceful, especially compared to when I last saw him. I slowly walked over until I was standing beside his bed and I slipped my hand into his. It was surprisingly warm considering he's been unconscious for a while but Seonghwa seems to always be warm. My eyes welled up with tears as I once again remembered what happened. I don't think I'll be forgetting that any time soon. I felt a need to be closer to Seonghwa so I gently climbed onto the bed and slipped under the blankets, cuddling up to Seonghwa's side. Just as I thought, he was radiating warmth and it made me feel more at ease and more relaxed. I sniffled slightly and wiped my eyes before delicately draping arm over his waist and tucking my head into his shoulder. I lay there for a little while, just basking in having Seonghwa close to me and listening to his steady breathing. After a while, my eyes begun to close against my will and pretty soon I was drifting off to sleep.

Seonghwa's POV

I woke up confused and slightly disorientated, but it didn't take me long to realise I was in a hospital bed. I went to sit up but that was when I realised there was something weighing me down. I blinked in confusion before slowly turning my head and smiling gently at what I saw. Hongjoong was cuddled up against me, his head tucked into my neck, his eyes closed and face relaxed as he slept peacefully. He looked rather adorable if I might say. Right now though, I kind of need him awake to figure out what's going on. I moved my hand up to his cheek and gently rubbed circles with my thumb, watching as he stirred slightly. He blinked his eyes open and looked at me. I expected him to be happy or excited to see me awake but he seemed rather, sad. He quickly sat up and shuffled away from me, confusing me even more at how cold he seemed to be. I slowly sat up, wincing slightly as I jostled my ribs but I stayed focused on Hongjoong who was still refusing to look at me.

"I'm sorry for causing you so much pain," he whispered, looking down and clenching his fist. Causing me pain? That was when I remembered what had happened to cause me to end up here, how Hongjoong pressed on my ribs and I kind of passed out. So he's feeling guilty? It's kind of my own fault to be honest, I don't get why he would feel guilty. Ok that's a lie, he obviously feels bad because it hurt a lot. I grabbed his hand and frowned slightly when he flinched but he didn't let go, just linked his fingers with mine.

"Joong, look at me," I whispered softly. His hand in mine tightened but once again, he refused to look at me. I hate when he get's like this, when he blames himself for everything that happens. I don't like embarrassing myself, admitting my weaknesses but I hate Hongjoong being upset even more.

"I was scared," I said quietly.

"What are you talking about," Hongjoong asked, finally turning and looking at me with furrowed eyebrows.

"I got hurt, when I fell off Yeosang but I didn't tell you guys because I was scared. It was stupid and I didn't want you guys to think I was an embarrassment," I admitted.

"How could you ever think that Hwa? You would never be an embarrassment to us, let alone when you get hurt from an honest mistake," he said instantly.

"That's just how I think, I can't change that," I said with a shrug.

"I promise you could never embarrass me or any of the other's. All we want is for you to be safe and healthy. I don't like seeing you hurt," he said with a frown.

"I know but I'm fine," I said. His eyes started to glisten slightly and his hand slipped from mine at my words. Did I say something wrong? Before I could ask what was wrong, he suddenly burst into tears and started sobbing. I was shocked when his hands shot forward and he shoved my shoulders. I held back a winced and watched Hongjoong in concern, not understanding what made him react like that.

"Stop acting like you're invincible! Stop acting like you can't be hurt just because you're the eldest! Just stop it," he said angrily as he shoved my shoulder again. Oh. I get it now. I sighed in sympathy, understanding that he was just scared and didn't know how to deal with it.

"Stop hiding things from everyone and open up, tell us when you're hurting," he said in frustration. He went to push me again but I quickly caught his wrist before using the leverage to pull him up onto the bed and onto my lap. He gasped and his breathing hitched slight but he started crying harder and wrapped his arms around my neck. I hugged him back, pulling him closer and making sure he was leaning more into my uninjured side. He sobbed and sniffled into my neck but I just let him, holding him tightly and rubbing his back.

"I'm sorry Hongjoongie," I whispered, kissing his head softly.

"Please d-don't do that a-again. It s-scared me so m-much," he whimpered.

"I won't, I promise I won't. I never meant to scare you Joongie," I said softly. I'm not lying either. Nothing could ever be worth scaring my best friend and making him cry this much. Nothing. I hugged him even closer and rested my head lightly on top of his, letting my eyes slip closed.

"How are your ribs," he asked quietly.

"They honestly feel a lot better but I'm guessing that's because I'm on some sort of pain killers," I said with a small chuckle.

"You're stupid," he mumbled.

"I know," I replied, smiling fondly as he snuggled closer.

"I'm tired. Wake me if I'm hurting you," he said.

"Of course." Yeah that was a total lie, he's far too cute to wake up!

A/N

Ok yeah, so I maybe got a little carried away here and possible did my longest fic and perhaps it's like over 8,000 words but oh well, stuff happens. Apparently I enjoy writing stuff with Hongjoong and Seonghwa's friendship. You learn something new every day I guess

This was requested by Lily_Rose and I hope you enjoyed it, even though it's very long

Thank you everyone for reading and I hope you liked it!