"No, no, no. You're doing it wrong!" The choreographer's voice thundered through the studio, frustration etched on his face. The boys froze in place, pulses racing, muscles tense, awaiting their mentor's command. 

"Sunghoon, switch with Jaeho," he barked. The two boys locked eyes briefly, anxiety swirling behind their gazes, before shuffling to trade places. Their choreography was intricate and precise; this change would force them to relearn each other's parts. But they dared not protest, not with their debut so close and everything at stake. Hands clasped to stop the trembling, they steeled themselves and nodded.

The whistle's shrill cry pierced the air, abruptly halting the pulsating music and sending the boys crashing to their knees, chests heaving as they gulped oxygen into their burning lungs. The choreographer's harsh gaze seemed to melt away, his demonic possession momentarily exorcised, and he regarded the boys with a fleeting softness. Stepping quietly from the studio, he returned cradling bottles of cool water - one for each exhausted dancer.

"No more than five minutes," he murmured gently, the boys too spent to respond. With a paternal nod, the choreographer slipped away once more, granting them a precious interlude of solitude and respite.

"Hyung!" The desperate cry pierced the air, reverberating through the practice room walls.

Geonu's head snapped up, adrenaline coursing through his veins. Across the room lay Jake, crumpled unconscious on the floor.

Jay knelt frozen in panic, hands hovering uselessly over the fallen boy's limp form.

In an instant, Geonu was in motion. He sprinted across the room and slid to the floor beside Jake. Gently, he cradled Jake's head in his lap, fingers trembling as he smoothed back the sweat-soaked hair from his pale face.

"Jake. Jake, can you hear me?" Geonu's voice cracked with emotion. He fumbled for his water bottle, hands shaking. Cupping the water, he tenderly trickled it over Jake's face, watching intently for any sign of response.

"Come on, buddy. Wake up." The raw urgency in Geonu's tone betrayed his rising fear. He had to wake up. Gripping Jake's shoulders, Geonu gave a gentle shake. "Please wake up!"

"Jake, can you hear me?" Youngbin pleaded, shaking Jake's limp body. No response.

"Jake, wake up!" Nicholas cried out, tears welling in his eyes as he gripped Jake's hand. Still nothing.

The older members huddled around their fallen friend, desperation and fear etched on their faces as they tried in vain to rouse him. But Jake remained motionless, locked away in unconsciousness.

The younger members sobbed, overwhelmed by the sight of their hyung collapsed on the floor. All except Jungwon, who fought back his own tears and steadied his trembling hands. He had to stay strong for the others while the hyungs focused on Jake.

Youngbin's voice shook as he spoke urgently to the ambulance dispatcher. Jake wasn't waking up.

Jungwon clutched Yoonwon tightly, the younger's sobs wracking his small frame. Jungwon looked up to see Nicholas rush in towards them, eyes bloodshot and frantic. In the distance, Seon's shouts echoed down the hall as he carried Jake's limp body out the practice room, the remaining members on his heels.

The practice room felt cavernous now, the silence broken only by the cries of those left behind. Riki reached for Nicholas with a trembling hand, desperate for comfort. Nicholas enveloped him in an embrace, murmuring reassurances as the boy wept into his shirt. Nearby, Sungchul, Taeyang and Kyungmin huddled together, faces buried in each other's shoulders. Daniel and Taki clung to Sunoo, overwhelmed and afraid.

"He'll be okay," Nicholas whispered, though his voice shook. "The hyungs are with him. Sunghoon and EJ too. Jake will be alright, I promise." But his eyes betrayed his doubts, glistening with unshed tears.

Nicholas forced a smile as he squeezed Riki tight. "It'll be okay. Now, hush." he muttered out.

"I wanna go to him!" Riki sobbed, tears streaming down his cheeks. 

"Please, please take me to the hospital too!" Another cried, voice cracking with anguish.

"We will go, we will go to the hospital," Jungwon said softly, breaking his silence. "But not now. Let's rest first."

He gently grasped their shoulders, looking into their red-rimmed eyes. "Wash your faces. He wouldn't want to see you like this. You have ten minutes to collect yourselves." 

Jungwon imitated their coach's stern tone, though it had been more than five minutes since he left the practice room. Glancing at the clock, the hands read half past six in the morning. At least his words brought flickering smiles to their exhausted faces.

Jungwon rose slowly from his seat, the weight of the world seeming to press down on his slender shoulders. Each step towards his backpack felt labored, as if he was wading through molasses. With a heavy sigh, he retrieved a chocolate bar he had stolen as a result of the choreographer's ignorance, holding it gently in his hands like a peace offering.

"I know it's not much," he began, his voice thick with emotion. "But I hope this small treat can bring you some comfort during this difficult time." 

The boys stared at the chocolate, their hungry eyes brimming with desperate longing and childlike innocence. Their young minds could already taste the sweetness melting on their tongues.

"There's only enough for one small piece each," Jungwon continued, sorrow etched into each word. As he handed the treasure to Nicholas, an unspoken apology shone in his eyes.

Nicholas looked at him in confusion, the weight of Jungwon's sacrifice slowly dawning on him. "Aren't you going to have some?" he asked softly.

Jungwon shook his head, a sad smile flickering across his face. "I need to make a call," he lied gently. "I'll be right back."

They both knew he wasn't really leaving to make a phone call. Jungwon turned and walked away, the sound of his receding footsteps echoing the quiet sacrifice of his selfless act.

*****

The young nurse's words were grim as she delivered the prognosis to the elderly man. "Nothing life-threatening, but he's severely malnourished and underweight. He'll need to stay a few days for monitoring."

The man let out a heavy sigh, anxiety creasing his brow. Their time here was limited, but the boy's health was paramount.

When Jungwon entered with the rest of his teammates, he froze at the sight of their coach deep in hushed conversation with the nurse. Their eyes locked, and Jungwon saw the strain in his coach's smile as he greeted the boys. Something was very wrong. Jungwon could feel the tension humming in the air, his coach's smile not reaching his eyes. This went beyond competition and dance. His friend was suffering, and time was running out.

Jungwon's eyes were rimmed red, yet his lips curved into a glamorous smile as he stood before him. "You didn't have to come all this way," he said gently. "A call would have sufficed." 

He fumbled for the right words, desperate to provide comfort to the boy who had clearly been crying. "Jake is awake now. I know he'd love to see you."

Jungwon gave a short nod, his smile wavering ever so slightly as he followed.

"The others are in the canteen," he continued, voice soft yet intense. "They refused to budge an inch. Please take them with you when you go - they're driving me mad with worry."

He said it with an affectionate laugh, but his eyes were dark with exhaustion. Worry etched lines into his face that had not been there yesterday. Still, he managed a tired smile for Jungwon's sake.

With a choked sob, Riki threw himself at Jake, clinging desperately to his motionless form. Daniel scrambled up beside them, small hands grasping at Jake's hospital gown as he called out for his beloved hyung. But Jake did not respond, did not even lift his head. He sat rigidly upright, the IV line snaking from his arm the only sign of life in his otherwise still body.

Riki buried his face in Jake's shoulder, tears flowing freely as he begged him to say something, anything. Daniel began to wail, the awful truth hitting him then - his hyung, always so strong, so invincible, had been reduced to this empty shell. Riki held Jake tighter, wishing with everything in him that the warmth of his embrace could penetrate whatever dark place Jake's mind had gone to.

The very air seemed heavy with sorrow, the string of antiseptic doing nothing to mask the sour scent of grief hanging over the three boys. Jake remained unmoved, silent, locked away in his own inner torment while Riki and Daniel clung to him as though he were a lifeline they feared would slip away.

"Are you feeling okay?" Nicholas asked gently, his eyes searching Jake's face.

Jake managed a small, jerky nod, not trusting his voice. The air was thick with tension, like the calm before a storm. Nicholas moved closer, slowly reaching out to run his fingers through Jake's hair in a soothing caress.

"It's not your fault," he murmured. 

That was all it took for the floodgates to open. A broken sob escaped Jake's lips as he crumbled, tears spilling down his cheeks. His slender frame shook with the force of his anguish, taking Nicholas by surprise. Nicholas wrapped his arms around him, holding him close as Jake finally let go, crying out his grief and guilt. The raw emotion poured out of him in heaving sobs that wracked his entire body.

Nicholas said nothing, simply rocking him gently as Jake clutched at him like a drowning man. His heart ached for the boy, wishing he could take away this pain. But for now, all he could do was be there for him as the storm raged on.

Jake's body trembled as he clutched Riki's shirt, the younger boy wrapping his arms around him in a desperate attempt at comfort.

"I-I'm s-sorry," Jake choked out between heaving sobs. "I-I tried, I d-didn't mean to-" 

But the words died on his tongue as his grief overwhelmed him, English spilling uncontrollably from his lips in a torrent of incoherence.

Nicholas' hand found his head, gentle despite Jake's breakdown.

"Don't worry," he soothed in clumsy, accented English. "It's okay."

Jake's voice cracked as he switched back to Korean. "The doctor said I'll have to stay here for a few days." 

Sunoo shrugged, oblivious to the storm raging inside Jake. "So? We'll come to you at night, if not during day."

Jake shook his head, his eyes brimming with tears. They didn't understand. The evaluation was everything, and now it was ruined. All his hard work, wasted.

"The evaluation," he choked out. "I have ruined everything." His voice broke on the last word, and he buried his face in his hands, shoulders shaking with quiet sobs. The dream was over. All because of him.

"What-I thought you were upset because you missed the dance practice with us-"

All eyes suddenly fell on Jay, who froze in the doorway, a glass of water trembling in his hand. His eyes fell upon three sobbing boys curled together on the stark hospital bed. Their cries pierced the sterile air, speaking of fear and sorrow.

He said nothing. The moment felt too raw for words. Gently, he set the glass on the bedside table.

"The nurse will bring food soon," he murmured. "Try to eat it all."

He slipped away, leaving them to their grief. Nicholas slowly withdrew his hand from Jake's head, though he longed to keep holding his friend. Jay and Jake had their differences, but Jay would never abandon someone in need.

"Guys," Youngbin asked gently, "Where's Jungwon?"

In their distress, none had noticed the missing boy. Jake's sobs had dwindled to hiccups, but his pain still echoed in the room.

Youngbin's question hung unanswered in the silence between them all.

"I'm sorry for that," Jake said, his voice cracking with remorse.

"Don't be," Nicholas replied gently. He placed a comforting hand on Jake's shoulder. "We'll figure this out together. We'll make sure you're there for the evaluation and get the help you need at the same time."

Nicholas' words were a balm, soothing Jake's frayed nerves. Jake wiped away the tears that had spilled down his cheeks on Nicholas' shirt, taking a shaky breath.

"Look after him for me," Nicholas said to the others. "I'm going to find Jungwon."

Nicholas left the gloomy hospital room, the cries of frightened children echoing down the chaotic corridors. His heart ached at the sight of a small, unconscious child tethered to machines nearly as big as its fragile body. He sent up a silent prayer before continuing his search.

The canteen was just as he expected - the older members all huddled together, their faces etched with worry.

"Hyung, you're here," Sunghoon remarked, motioning to an empty seat. Nicholas managed a weak smile and sat between Jaebom and Jaeho. 

"Just got in. Jungwon brought me and the others here. Speaking of, have you seen him?"

They shook their heads. No one really knew Jungwon's whereabouts.

"What about Jay?"

Koga inquired. Nicholas relayed seeing him by Jake's room earlier, but leaving without a conversation.

Nicholas muttered under his breath, his words barely audible. Jaebom let out a quiet chuckle, amusement glinting in his eyes.

"He's not just upset. He's worried sick," Jaebom said, his voice low and serious. "When we first got here, he was a nervous wreck - fidgeting, pacing, unable to sit still for even a minute. I think only time he found any peace was when Jake finally woke up." 

Jaebom's words were tinged with empathy. Despite their rocky past, it warmed his heart to see Jay so concerned for Jake's wellbeing.

"What did he say when he went into Jake's room earlier?" Seon asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

"He took a glass of water for Jake and informed that the nurse would bring him food, but that's all."

Jaebom grinned mischievously again, the shared secret making his heart swell. "We all know that was just an excuse to see Jake. Mealtime isn't for hours."

The blossoming bond between the two men stirred something in Jaebom and the others, a flicker of hope taking root. Perhaps this growing affection could help shield them from the company's anger. Jaebom clung to that fragile hope, knowing they would need any advantage they could find in the trials ahead. Though the road remained uncertain, even the faintest light was something to nurture.

---♥---