08

      Now the promotion was over, the Shinhwa members had to prepare for their annual anniversary concert. They had a month to get ready, and Minwoo was glad he had this distraction from his current torments.

The main dancer had tried to avoid any other kind of incident, but once alone in his apartment there was nothing he could do. Fortunately, Eric was there for him and had let him stay over at his place without any questions; but Minwoo's stalker had quickly put a stop to this.

The phone call had came in the middle of the night, startling him wake so much that he had almost fell off the couch.

He already knew before answering who the caller was, hence he did not even check the ID and just pressed the accept icon. With the phone on the ear, he waited for the man to talk; the words filling his ear ones he had not expected.

"You should check the ID caller."

Confused, Minwoo had frowned and did as told; his heart jumping in his throat when Hyesung's name showed on the phone's screen, which could only mean one thing.

"What did you do to him ?" He shouted in a panicked whisper.

Laughing, the man said. "Nothing, don't worry." There was a pause then "He's sleeping soundlessly, and it's all up to you it stays like this."

Minwoo felt bile rise up his esophagus and burn like hell; but it was nothing compared to the terror he felt at the moment.

"What do you want ?" He managed with a not so shaky voice.

"You already know what I want." Chuckled back the man. "You're avoiding me once again."

Minwoo tensed and tried to swallow the lump in his throat, but it was of no use.

"I…" He tried, but could not deny the accusation. "Please…" He whispered in exhaustion, his head falling on the couch. "I… I can't… I need… Please, just give me a break."

The man chuckled tenderly before saying. "He's so fragile, so breakable… I could cut him open before he had a chance to wake up."

Minwoo froze and felt like puking, the image of this man in Hyesung's room something so disturbing that he could not believe it could be real.

"Don't ! Please… don't." He was so desperate and lost; this man suddenly targeting someone he loved, someone close to him made him feel so powerless, scared and desperate to do something to help his friend .

"Aw, Minwoo, Minwoo, Minwoo…" Coed the man with an unnerving amused chuckle. "I love it when you beg."

The grip the main dancer had on his phone tightened in contained anger and disgust, the man's words flaring him up despite how terrified he was actually feeling.

"You're crazy. You're ing crazy ! Leave him the alone."

Minwoo shivered as soon as the words had left his mouth, because he knew, he knew it was far from smart to talk back to the man like this; but it had been stronger than him.

"Do you really think it's a way to talk to the man with a knife at your friend's throat ?" Hissed back his stalker. "It's exactly like last time. What'll happen is your doings, not mines."

"Please, no !" He snapped back louder than wanted.

Shutting up immediately, he listened attentively to be sure Eric had not woken up. Once sure his friend had not heard him, he relaxed a bit and patted Gomdori's head laying at the feet of the couch to prevent the dog to get excited.

"Please…" He repeated lower. "I didn't mean…"

"Yes you did." Cut him off the man, and Minwoo tensed. "But it's okay. It's four in the morning. You're tired and working a lot. I can understand." There was a pause then "But don't do it again."

The serious, dangerous voice was enough for the main dancer to believe nothing good would happen if he was disobeying. Therefore, he made a mental note to never, ever again say a word louder than the other.

"Now…" He resumed more lightly. "I'll be expecting you home tomorrow, right ?"

"I…" Minwoo did not want to go home, but he had no real choice.

The man did not wait for an answer and just hung up on him, the regular beep filling the main dancer's ear something deafening for an agonizing moment.

Since then, Minwoo had to sleep at his own place despite the fear of his stalker attacking him in the middle of the night. He was always so stressed once at home that he was not fully himself when at the company with the others.

Some presumed he was tired, but he could see concern on his closest friends' faces; which he hated.

Minwoo was over worried about the other Shinhwa members after the man had sneaked inside Hyesung's apartment; and since then the main dancer was looking after the main singer a lot more than he used to. He just could not get ride of this image of the man in his friend's room pressing a knife to his throat.

It was just too horrifying and impossible to forget.

      The others' loud and cheerful voices snapped Minwoo out of his thoughts and made him look over at his friends goofing around. It was nothing new, and such lively and light atmosphere was a trademark to Shinhwa's practices.

Being serious had never been in their habits, and seventeen years later it had still not changed. If not, the members were even more playful than by the past.

"Alright, alright." Laughed the main dancer. "Let's do it right this time." He was still chuckling in amusement for himself when the music started again; but as the professional he was it did not disturb the choreography.

      After another moment of practicing rather seriously, the song Your man arrived and entertained Minwoo and Junjin pretty much. The two dancers were having fun dancing randomly on the song and laughing stupidly at their own idiocy. Junjin had this funny expression on his face while doing weird moves, and in no time Minwoo was cracking up and laughing out loud.

Practicing another song seriously for a while, the members could not stay professional for long and in the end some of them were always goofing around like school boys they were once.

Minwoo could not help think he was lucky to have such moments and friends, because he was not sure how worse the situation could have be if he had been alone.

***

      The concert rehearsal scheduled for the next day, Minwoo was expecting some hours of sleep even if he was anxious once in his apartment. He was too tired and needed to rest. But this threat his stalker was being never far, the main dancer never knew when an attack would happen.

There was a couple of them over the past weeks, and even if feeling overly nervous and stressed about it; he had no other choice than deal with it and hope tonight would be peaceful.

It was sickening to the dancer when he was realizing he was almost used to this madness.

But it was the truth, and he could only hope it would not happen tonight because he needed to be in shape for the rehearsal and concert. Minwoo did not want to think how bad it could be if he was drugged tonight, because there was no way he could miss the rehearsal; but it was unimaginable either to show up being completly out of it.

So he really hoped nothing would happen when he laid in bed and shut his eyes.

***

      Leading the rehearsal, Minwoo was relaxed on this day knowing nothing had happened the previous night. It had disturbed his sleep, but not to the point of leaving him exhausted the next morning. It was just he could have had a more restful night but was still glad for the hours of sleep he had been able to get.

"Okay. We'll start from the right, and then we'll spread and…" The main dancer trailed off with a wide movement of his arms to explain his point. "We'll gather here."

Everyone nodded as understanding before going into position. Minwoo made some more arrangements in the group, moving one person a bit more on the left or backward, before standing in his spot with a last check at the others over his shoulder.

Hours were always passing too quickly when rehearsing, but the most the concert was nearing the more anxious everyone got. It was always an exciting and nerve wrecking experience to stand on stage and manage a concert as perfectly as possible.

      Shinhwa was getting ready in their dressing room, and once there was only five minutes left, they gathered together and shouted their usual encouragement for each other.

Waiting the last few seconds left before they would stand in front of their fans, the six men did their own individual things to relax and warm up for the last time. They could already hear the screams, and it was a music they would never get tired of.

The way it made their hearts beat faster was something irreplaceable and giving them too much satisfaction to even think of not stand on stage ever again. It was overwhelming feelings they did not want to lose. 

Then the platform raised and revealed the six men to the cheering crowd going wild at their sight.

      On their third outfits change, the concert was going smoothly so far; and still hearing the distant screams of the fans gave them the needed energy to pull off the concert till the very end; even if most of them had little sleep over the past days.

When performing, nothing could alter this will and joy they had to stand in front of so many people loving them.

***　

      On the day of the last concert, the members were mostly excited about the night to come than worried about little details like for the first day. It was the last concert and it was always the one they were giving the most without holding back.

It was memories for the fans Shinhwa wanted unforgettable and enjoyable to the maximum.

Hence, they were already full of energy when they appeared on scene despite the two previous days of concert.

It could be seen how the members were enjoying themselves on stage, and it was all the fans wanted. A cheerful moment full of happiness and energy; which was something Minwoo was the king of. He was always the leader on stage, and even if the others had learnt to share the role with him over the years; the main dancer was still in the spotlight at most of the concerts.

He had so much ease when standing in front of people that the other members rather relay on him knowing he was doing a wonderful job.

      Fan service, skinship, playfulness and joy were the definition of the members' interactions, and even when performing a song the fans could feel such emotions emanating from the six men they were cherishing like a family member.

If there was one thing Minwoo was good at it was tease the fans with purposely suggestive gestures or actions. He loved to hug the members, kiss them or play around with them when on stage; and the screaming fans was his reward. He loved hearing them react to his fan service, and he loved how it made him feel.

The smile on his face certainly a perfect proof of his joyful state.

      At the encore performance, the members had to stand on individual platforms raising high to let them see more fans. Dongwan never liked this part much, but he was always pulling it off as if he did not mind; but he was really afraid of heights.

The others knew it, and were proud of their friend for performing despite his fear.

Of course, the singer was always utterly relaxed once back on earth, but losing himself in the song helped a lot forget about how high he actually was.

Minwoo was sending glances right and left to check on the others, as always. It was an habit he had taken over the years of involving himself more in the whole process of a concert; and most of the time he was only noticing little mistakes the fans could not see.

He was looking in Dongwan's direction to be sure the man was doing alright on the platform when some noise came to his ears. The music was too loud to let him hear it clearly, hence he did not mind it much; but then he noticed the expression on Dongwan's face. And he worried.

Something was wrong, but he could not tell what and a glance at the others told him Eric and Andy had noticed it too. Hyesung was in the middle of a line, and Junjin focusing on the fans; leaving them obvious of the situation.

Minwoo was not sure what he was supposed to do, because he had no idea what could be going on. It was his turn to sing besides that, and starting the note; he barely had time to start singing that a loud crack was heard and everything happened really quickly after that.

The fans screamed, Dongwan screamed, and then the platform the singer was standing on bent and made him lose his balance.

Minwoo could only watch in horror as his friend fell from the platform, the situation suddenly in slow motion with the screaming fans as background noise. Time seemed to froze when the main dancer saw Dongwan lose his balance and threateningly move too close to the edge.

Then in a blink the lights were on, the music gone, the fans' loud panicked whispers deafening in his ears and Dongwan laying on the floor motionlessly.

Minwoo heard himself shout out his friend's name, and then he was running at his side and feeling terrified out of his mind; the other members gathering around him in similar state.

There was a lot of people running to them after that. Staffs, medical staffs, managers, dancers… there was so many people making the world spin around him for a second.

Minwoo did not know what to do or think, and when he was finally back to his senses he was in a car driving him to the hospital where Dongwan was being taken.

      Waiting for a doctor to give them a report on their friend's condition, the Shinhwa members dealt as they could with what had happened.

Eric was sitting quietly in a corner, as if meditating. Junjin and Hyesung were the most panicked; the main singer pacing right and left with tears in his eyes in front of a lost Junjin having no idea what to do or say. On the other hand, Andy had isolate himself in the bathroom for a moment before coming back to sit quietly on a chair.

Minwoo was observing all this from his seat, mostly still out of it. He was shocked and could not come back to his senses fully. Not before he knew Dongwan was alright.

The wait was long, but when finally a doctor arrived and told them their friend would be alright, they could not have be more relived.

The doctor told them Dongwan had a broken arm, bruised ribs, a light concussion and would need a couple of months of rest.

It was nothing considering how more serious the injuries could have be; and after visiting the singer still unconscious, Hyesung was the first one to leave to take a breath outside. Junjin stubbornly stayed at Dongwan's side, while Eric decided to stay with the younger rapper for support.

Seeing this, Andy announced he would get everyone some snacks; and after hearing what the others wanted, he left.

Minwoo wanted to stay with Dongwan, but a suffocating feeling assaulted him and left him no other choice than get out to get some fresh air.

He was out for only a few seconds when his phone rang. Tensing, the main dancer fished the device out of his pocket and stared at the unknown number on the screen. His stomach twisted sickeningly, the caller's identity not a mystery anymore after so many weeks passed.

Minwoo did not want to answer, but something at the back of his mind told him he should; so he accepted the call.

"Congratulation on your seventeenth anniversary concert."

Something in the voice made the main dancer's blood run cold.

Here it is =D

So, how was it ? Do you like it ?

It's not my favorite chapter, and it's nothing surprising. Every stories has less satisfactory chapters (at least for me) and this one's one of them. But it doesn't mean I hate it ^^ It's just... it could have be better without really knowing what to change, xD

Anyway, thank you to everyone for reading and all =)

To next time !