Work Text:
“Make some noise!” Seungkwan screamed into the mic as all of the Seventeen members lined up to begin their ending ment.
The crowd went wild. Seventeen had just finished performing their song Chuck which concluded their back to back nonstop performances, and were now able to take a break to talk to their fans.
“Wow, the atmosphere is so great in here!” Soonyoung cheered as the screams from the audience got progressively louder.
“Is it hot in here or is it just them?” Jun joked to Wonwoo beside him, causing some fans in the front to almost faint as screams erupted from every direction.
Once the crowd started to dwindle down, the members started talking one by one, giving their ending statements.
It was close to the end. Soonyoung was speaking and beside him, Jihoon stood, looking out into the audience and waving at a couple of people he saw who made eye contact with him. One person in particular caught his attention in the front. She seemed to have her arm stretched out like she was stretching but when she looked directly at him, he knew.
Eyes widening, he tried to avoid it, but it was too late as she swung her hand back and the object she had held in her hand went flying towards Jihoon.
Even if he tried to duck and avoid it, it came at such an alarming pace that all he could do was helplessly stare at it come flying towards his head.
Smack! The loud sound startled all of the members and all of fans in the audience as the object hitted Jihoon on the forehead and he went stumbling down from the impact and pain. Hand held onto his forehead, he could already feel drips of blood seeping out from the wound as he tried to gather his bearings.
Gasps were heard amongst both the members and the crowd as security tried to keep everyone calm and settled. Soonyoung knelt beside Jihoon, frantically speaking to him, asking if he was okay or not and feeling around his body for more injuries. Jisoo, the second closest as he was standing on the other side of Jihoon, tried his best to keep the members from overcrowding Jihoon, allowing him the space he needed to regroup. Jihoon groaned from the escalating pain as well as the headache that was starting to form from all the noise around him.
Suddenly, a hand appeared, pressing it along with his own hand to his wound. Looking blearily up, Jihoon could see the worried face of Seungcheol as he spoke to him in words he couldn’t understand through the pain.
Seungcheol, noticing his lack of response and focus, called the members to step aside as he started to gather Jihoon in his arms. Before he could do so, the managers rushed out and tried to take Jihoon away.
“I got him,” Seungcheol gruffly said, as he tried to get a better grip around Jihoon with his shaking arms.
“No, we got him,” one of the managers said, placing a gentle hand on Seungcheol’s back. “You all need to get back out there and console the fans. We’ll take care of Jihoon. Go!”
Seungcheol, knowing it was no use, released his hold on Jihoon and watched as the managers took him away. Tears were welling up in his eyes as he sat there kneeling next to the spot where Jihoon just was. Clenching his fists and teeth, he tried to keep his tears at bay as he knew he had to address the fans soon.
Another hand rested upon his shoulder, and he looked up to see Jeonghan standing there, a worried look on his face. Sighing, discreetly wiping the moisture from his eyes, Seungcheol reached for his hand as he pulled him up and Seventeen once again lined up, this time, with a more serious atmosphere surrounding them.
The crowd was still in chaos, security still in the midst of calming people down to avoid injuries. Seungkwan and Vernon were also trying their best over microphones to get the fans to calm down so that they could avoid anyone else getting hurt.
Seungcheol took a hold of the microphone, and at once, the crowd started to hush as they awaited the leader’s words. However, he couldn’t get anything out. All he could think about and focus on was Jihoon and how he was hurt. Feeling his throat close up, he looked over at Seungkwan, and Seungkwan, with a knowing look and a nod, started to take over.
Trying to remain postive despite the situation, he lightly said, “Please refrain from throwing anything at us! We love all the gifts you give us, but to avoid any problems or injuries, we would like it if you wouldn’t throw anything! Thank you guys!”
Seungcheol knew it was right to let Seungkwan talk as he was not in the right mindset to speak at the moment. He knew the words that would come out of his mouth would not be representative of Seventeen and of his leadership, so he kept quiet as the remaining members said their last words and wishes to their fans.
Rushing off stage the moment the lights started to dim, Seungcheol blindly searched for where Jihoon could be, shoving all the makeup and wardrobe noonas away when he was suddenly pulled back by Soonyoung.
Struggling against the arm that held him back, he shouted, “Let go! I need to get to Jihoon! I need to see him!”
“Hyung!”, Soonyoung shouted, tugging harder on Seungcheol’s arm to get him to look at him.
“Hyung.” Soonyoung calmly stated after he finally got his attention on him. “I know you’re worried about him. Heck, I am too! But we need to continue and go on with the show. We need to do the encore stage. And then we can see him, okay?”
“How are we going to do the encore stage without him?! We can’t do it! We can’t!...I can’t...” Seungcheol cried.
“Hyung…” Soonyoung whispered sadly.
Suddenly, a commotion could be heard from the side of the stage. Curious, the both of them turned to see Jihoon fighting against one of the managers.
“Jihoon!” Seungcheol cried in relief as he ran over to where they were standing. Jihoon looked up, paler than he was before with a bandaid on his head from his injury, but other than that he looked fine.
Seungcheol grabbed Jihoon by the shoulders and looked him up and down.
“Are you okay? Does it hurt? Can you see me? Oh my gosh, baby”
Before Jihoon could even get a word out, Seungcheol gathered him up in his arms and held him tight.
“I was so scared,” Seungcheol cried.
Jihoon sighed but wrapped his arms around Seungcheol back.
“I’m okay hyung. It’s okay, it’s not that bad. I’m still alive,” joked Jihoon.
Seungcheol’s only response to that was to hold the boy tighter into his arms.
“Hyung…”
“Seungcheol, we need everyone out there right now! The encore is about to start!,” one of the managers yelled at him as the bustling of people around them became increasingly busier and more chaotic. Soonyoung, who was still standing there with Seungcheol and Jihoon tugged at Seungcheol.
“Come on hyung! We gotta go!”
“No! Not without Jihoon! We can’t!” Seungcheol began to panic.
Jihoon gently pushed Seungcheol away, pushing harder when Seungcheol refused to let him go. He gently cradled his face in his hands, wiping away the moist and leftover tears from around Seungcheol’s eyes.
“Hey. You. I’m okay. I’ll be okay. I’m standing on my own right now aren’t I? It’s already bad that I can’t join you guys for the last song but the members need you right now. The fans need you. Now go out there and be the leader you are. Everyone’s depending on you, hyung. I’ll be okay.”
Looking into Jihoon’s eyes, he felt a sense of calmness that Jihoon always managed to make him feel. Jihoon was right. Jihoon’s always right. He needed to get back out there. Reluctantly, he slowly nodded and squeezed Jihoon tightly once more into a hug before turning towards Soonyoung.
Jihoon, satisfied, looked at Soonyoung with a look of regret in his eyes.
“Can you ask Seungkwan, Seokmin, Joshua-hyung, and Jeonghannie-hyung to take over my parts for me? They can divide it however they want to, or tell them to sing it all together. It’d be easier for them since they should know my parts and lines.”
“Sure thing, Jihoonie. Don’t stress about this okay, we got it! Focus on your head.”
Jihoon gave Soonyoung a smile and a thumbs up. Rushing, Soonyoung and Seungcheol began to run back towards their other members waiting for them by the stage. Seungcheol gave one more look behind him towards Jihoon to see that he was already looking at him with a smile on his face. Determined, Seungcheol gave him a nod, smile, and a flying kiss, before making his way back towards his members.
“We can do this! Let’s end this night on a good note! For Jihoon!”
“For Jihoon!” “For hyung!” “For Jihoonie!” “Jihoon hyuung!”
Jihoon, hearing their shouts and yells, softly shook his head, which caused him a bit of pain but still left a smile on his face as he headed back to the waiting room.