Breathless Determination (Jisung)

                                    

                                          
Requested by MalakMimi541
The energy on set was palpable. Cameras, lights, and excited staff buzzed around the studio, preparing for NCT Dream's appearance on a popular variety show. Jisung stood with his members—Jaemin, Jeno, Haechan, Renjun, Chenle, and Mark—smiling faintly as they prepared to dive into the shoot. But beneath the surface, Jisung felt anything but ready.
For the past few days, he'd been fighting off what he initially thought was just a cold. Sore throat, mild fever, a bit of coughing. Nothing he couldn't push through. After all, he had performed under worse conditions before, and they had been gearing up for this variety show appearance for weeks. Jisung didn't want to disappoint his hyungs or let down the fans, especially with their schedule so packed.
But last night had been different. The fever had spiked, leaving him drenched in sweat, and his breathing had become more labored. He barely slept, waking every few hours with a deep, chest-rattling cough. It had grown harder to take full breaths, his lungs tight and uncooperative. When he checked his temperature this morning, it was clear something was seriously wrong.
Pneumonia.
The doctor's diagnosis had been swift and alarming. "You need to rest. Your body's under too much strain," the doctor had said. "Cancel your appearances until you've recovered."
But Jisung couldn't bring himself to listen. Rest? With everything NCT Dream had on their plate? He had responsibilities—to the group, to the fans, to himself. Pushing through was what he always did. So, against everyone's advice, here he was, standing under the bright studio lights, trying to steady his breathing as the variety show shoot began.
As the host welcomed them with a flourish, the other members greeted the cameras with smiles and energy. Jisung followed suit, though it took every ounce of strength to keep up appearances. His body felt like it was on fire, his head swimming with a mix of fever and exhaustion. His lungs ached with every breath, and a wave of dizziness washed over him every few moments.
Jaemin, who was standing closest to Jisung, glanced over as they moved into the first segment of the show. Something was clearly off. Jisung's usually bright demeanor was dimmed, his face pale, beads of sweat forming along his hairline. Jaemin leaned closer, his voice low and filled with concern. "Jisungie, are you okay?"
Jisung forced a small smile, nodding weakly. "I'm fine, hyung," he whispered, though his voice was strained. He didn't want to cause a scene, didn't want to worry the others. Just get through this, he told himself. You can rest after the shoot.
But Jaemin wasn't convinced. He'd known Jisung long enough to recognize when something was wrong. He shared a look with Jeno, who was standing on Jisung's other side. Jeno immediately noticed the same thing—Jisung's unsteady breathing, the way he seemed to sway on his feet, how he kept subtly wiping sweat from his forehead.
As the games and challenges of the variety show continued, the group threw themselves into the activities, laughing and cheering each other on. But while the others were engaged, Jaemin and Jeno stayed close to Jisung, subtly watching him. It didn't take long for the strain on Jisung to become more apparent. He stumbled slightly during a game, his face drained of color. He laughed weakly, trying to brush it off, but Jaemin quickly reached out to steady him, keeping things looking casual for the cameras.
Jeno leaned in, his voice quiet but firm. "You're not okay, Sungie. You need to sit down."
Jisung shook his head, his breaths coming in shorter gasps now. "I can't," he muttered. "I need to finish this."
Jaemin squeezed his shoulder, his voice soft but insistent. "We'll handle it. You don't have to do everything, Jisung."
Despite their attempts to help, Jisung stubbornly pushed through the rest of the shoot, though his energy was fading fast. By the end, his legs felt like they could give out at any moment, his chest tight and painful with every breath. As soon as the cameras stopped rolling, Jaemin and Jeno immediately led him off set, their concern no longer hidden.