Requested by Mountainbeew_poo

It was a peaceful day at KQ. ATEEZ was in the middle of practice and just finishing up their choreography.

"Hey, let's take a break. Come back in ten." The members thanked Yunho while sighing in exhaustion.

Yeosang's struggled groans filled the room when a semi-sweaty Wooyoung threw himself on him.

"You're sweaty, Wooyoung!" he shouted. San laughed and joined in tormenting him too.

The ten minutes couldn't have been any better. Just a chance to breathe before returning to the sweaty practice was enough for the boys to recharge.

But specifically, two of them were the pair that seldom felt tired. Wooyoung and San.

"Is somebody tired? Ooh~ Are you tired, Jongho?" San teased the maknae. The youngest simply turned the opposite direction from the comfy place on the cold floor where he lay.

"Yunho? Yunho~" Wooyoung tickled their oldest 99 line friend. Yunho smiled and played along for a bit. When a manager called him, he ruffled both of their heads then left.

"Who's next?" Wooyoung asked.

San shared a look with him, then nodded to Hongjoong. Wooyoung looked at him, surprised.

"Do you wanna die?" the younger hissed.

San grinned. "Are you scared?"

"Yes."

"He's only talking to Seonghwa. It's not that bad."

"He's in a deep conversation with Seonghwa, so why don't we leave him alone?" Wooyoung corrected. "Look, Yeosang's over there, so let's mess with him instead."

"I never thought my best friend would be so scared of a man who's smaller than the both of us," San said.

Wooyoung frowned. "Go do it. I won't."

"Oh~ Wooyoung's scared? Tell me, is baby Wooyoung scared-- Shit!"

Wooyoung shoved San back into Hongjoong, who stood near. The boy crashed into his leader and fell to the ground. Hongjoong almost fell, too, if it wasn't for Seonghwa.

"Really?!" Hongjoong shouted. San looked down, scared from his voice.

"Hyung, I'm sorry-"

"You're sorry? How many times have I told you not to mess around during practice?"

"I'm sorry, Hongjoong," San sincerely answered, looking into his leader's eyes. They didn't look very forgiving. What's more? San knew the rest of his group was watching him now.

Seonghwa tried to hold Hongjoong back. "It's okay. It was an accident. Leave him alone."

Hongjoong didn't listen. "No. How many?"

"Many times."

"'Many times,' exactly. Why can't you sit down and rest during our break? Why do you have to be running around and bothering us?"

"I-It was Wooyoung who pushed me into you," San quietly replied. He was on the verge of tears due to embarrassment.

"But this wouldn't have happened if you had just sat down and rested calmly. Are you not tired?"

"No," San whispered, looking at his lap.

"I wonder why. Are you not putting in enough effort? Are you slacking again?"

Every member could hear San sniffling and watched his tears fall on the floor.

"Answer me, San."

"N-No..."

"What?!"

"No!" San exclaimed. "I'm working hard just like you all! Why are you saying this to me?!"

"Now's not the time to be playing. We have a large schedule ahead, and you're treating this like it's some game! Are you even worth being in ATEEZ if you're not going to take this seriously?! Are you worth being an idol?!"

"Hongjoong!" Seonghwa snapped.

Wooyoung ran to San. "Sannie..."

"Leave me alone." San stood up and left the practice room, roughly wiping his tears away.

That night, nothing was okay. The members were mad at Hongjoong and concerned with San.

After their confrontation, San left the building without any indication of where he'd go. At first, the group thought he'd go home and probably lock himself in his room, but they were wrong.

"Check his room!" Mingi suggested when they returned home. Yunho was the first to burst through the bedroom door. He shook his head.

"Not here."

"I've called him almost 50 times. His only text was 'I'll be okay,' and he hasn't answered since," Wooyoung reported. "Where could he have gone?"

No one answered that million-dollar question. Where even would San go? They had no clue.

"I'll... check any nearby restaurants or shops. Maybe San's there," Yeosang suggested. Jongho nodded.

"I'll go with him. Two or more are probably better."

"Maybe everyone should go do that. I'll keep trying to contact him." Wooyoung sat down on the couch, tapping his phone frantically. Everyone left out the door until only he and Hongjoong remained.

"What? You won't look for him?" Wooyoung suddenly asked.

"I... I don't think he'll come with me if I do." Hongjoong looked at his hands.

"Maybe not, but you'll try to bring him home, right? Isn't that what leaders do?"

"Yeah," Hongjoong whispered. He slipped on his hood and left the dorm.

San's stomach rumbled as he walked along the riverbank dressed in his short-sleeved shirt. Perhaps it wasn't the best choice on a cold, windy evening. But it wasn't like he had planned to be here.

Why did Hongjoong have to be so strict? Or was it him? Maybe Hongjoong was right. San rarely felt tired during their practices. Or if he did feel exhausted, he'd shrug the stress off by playing. Was that wrong? Was Hongjoong right about San not being serious?

Millions of thoughts ran through San's mind while he kicked the rocks underneath his shoes. He's always thought he's contributed enough to his group. Perhaps not enough, like Hongjoong implied.

"I thought I could make it as an idol," San muttered. He looked across the river to the many lit homes now visible by the darkening sky. "I thought I could work hard enough to become one."

He sighed. "Maybe I'm not destined to be an idol after all."

"Who said that?"

San turned to see Hongjoong standing a few feet away with eyes full of tears.

"Hyung..."

"I have to stop you there, Sannie. You already are an idol."

San fell to his knees as he began to cry. "I don't want to disappoint you, Hong-"

"Shh," Hongjoong approached him with an embrace. "You'll never disappoint me, San."

San relaxed into his leader's hold. Hongjoong was rarely the type to show much affection, but everyone knew it was genuine when he did.

"I'm so sorry, Sannie. I'm sorry for all the things I said that hurt you. There was no reason for me to say it, no matter how irritated I was feeling earlier."

"I know, Hongjoongie. It just hurt so much."

"I know it did. You're talented in every way, and I couldn't ask for a different member, Sannie. I feel honored to have you on our team. Can you please forgive me? I understand if you're still mad, but--"

"I forgive you, leader. Just try to keep your cool, okay?" San smiled at the older.

"Of course. Thank you." Hongjoong ruffled the boy's hair with an equally soft smile.

Seconds later, San's stomach rumbled again.

"Someone sounds hungry. Let's go get something. Just the two of us, yeah?" San nodded and followed Hongjoong up a path.

The group was relieved to see Hongjoong and San enter the dorm together, now past the outburst, with smiles on their faces.

please remember this oneshot is purely for entertainment purposes, and in no way am i trying to depict any ateez member as actually doing this. i wouldn't know :)