Vernon was being so quiet lately, it wasn't so noticeable at first as Seventeen had just so many things to do and everything was just so loud around them, but these days his quietness is throbbing louder than everything else around them.

Everybody seemed to notice that Vernon was just drifting away from them and questions have been rising among the members.

Today, Vernon came back home exhausted, he silently took a shower and immediately went to bed without having dinner, again, he said that he didn't want any. He just flopped on his bed and minutes later, he was in deep sleep.

Mingyu was staring at him as he set on his bed across the younger looking at his chest going up and down in a slow motion. Mingyu then exchanged worried looks with S.coups who was doing whatever on his laptop.

Coups seemed worried as well, he gently closed his p.c and whispered to the younger "I'll wake him up and talk to him so you go make sure that the others keep quiet" Mingyu nodded and headed outside leaving Vernon and S.coups together.

Seungcheol moved next to Vernon on the bed, he ruffled the younger's hair pushing his bangs away until he slowly stirred and woke up looking confusedly at his leader.

"Hyung what is it?" Vernon asked, slowly sitting up pressing on his elbows 

"We need to talk Vernon-ah" S.coups said with a gentle voice helping the boy to sit up on the bed and face him, Vernon looked rather confused looking at his Hyung

"Are you okay?" S.coups asked, Vernon shrugged his shoulders and said "Yeah"

"Don't you dare lie to me Vernon" 

S.coups said firmly "You don't look good, I can see that Vernon-ah, please if there's something wrong just tell me, tell us, at least one of us"

Vernon tossed and tried to hide his face from the older but where will he hide now that he's facing him ?

"Hyung ... I'm..." 

 Vernon said breaking eye contact with his leader, he couldn't finish his sentences while Seungcheol kept focusing on his face. Vernon was stuttering, he wasn't sure about what to say

"Hyung ... actually, I ... it's complicated I don't know ..."

"Vernon-ah you're making me feel worried, what is it?"

Seungcheol was getting extremely worried and somehow impatient, his eyes anticipating the younger's answer

"Hyung, do you think it's normal for your heart to ache without an obvious reason?"

S.coups frawned "Your heart ?" He asked rather confused

"Yeah"

Vernon suddenly pressed his hand on his chest and clutched the fabric around it, his hands turning into fists "It hurts" ... "It beats funny, everything feels weird" ..."It's hard for me to smile freely" ... "It feels heavy"

Vernon said, his tone really low and sounded just sad. As he spoke, he kept  his head down, looking at his lap and his blanket until he felt his body getting warmer.

Seungcheol hugged him so tight but gentlt as well, the leader's warm body against his own felt soothing. Vernon let out a sigh in his leader's embrace, still holding his chest, he gasped for air as he sobbed so hard, tears floating from his eyes

"Why does it hurt so much Vernon-ah?" S.coups asked, still holding Vernon in his arms.

Vernon gasped "I don't know" he whispered loud enough to reach the leader's ears "All I can do, is sleep it off every time" he continued

Coups tightened his grip around the boy and now playing soflty with his hair tapping his head occasionally until he calmed down

"Do you want to go see a doctor?" Seungcheol asked, Vernon has calmed down but the older couldn't let him go yet so they cuddled and S.coups got in bed next to Vernon pulling him close. Vernon closed his eyes and just accepted whatever the leader did for him

"No" he muffled 

"Don't you think that you need to get help?" Seungcheol hesitated before he said that but he did anyways

"I have all the help I need right here" Vernon said tightening his grip around the leader's waist. Seungcheol smiled "But still ... I'm worried" 

Vernon looked up "Don't worry Hyung, I won't be doing something stupid"

Seungcheol smiled ruffling the boy's hair "I know"

Vernon finally rested his head  on his own pillow drifting back to sleep. Coups watched the younger as he fell asleep and immediately called for an emergency meeting with the rest of the members, he told them about everything, how Vernon was feeling and how important it is to keep an eye on him, do whatever it takes not to leave him alone, monitor every step he takes and just make sure he was ok.