Chapter Nine

Seokjin subtly wiped his forehead, he could feel the sweat dripping off him and he almost grimaced in disgust. Moving to the front as his bit came up in Fire, he sang, happy that his voice didn't break at all, unlike he had done during the last one. He could feel his limbs shaking with the effort of getting through the choreography, it was one of the harder ones they had, and one of the most exhausting ones of the night. 

Seokjin moved towards the back again, almost stumbling. He didn't know how much longer he could keep up. He knew that had another two songs to get through before they would be able to take a break backstage.  To Seokjin it took an age for the song to end. It was over for a moment, already he was moving with the others, ready for the next to start.

Namjoon looked over to him, a questioning look in his eyes. Seokjin did his best to give a smile, not being able to truly hide how much he was shaking. Namjoon used one of the relays to speak to backstage, asking them to delay the next song by a few minutes. Seokjin almost dropped to the floor in thanks as Namjoon glanced to Yoongi and the two of them took to talking to the fans.

Jungkook walked over as they talked. Wrapping his arms around Seokjin from behind. Letting the elder lean against him. Muting their headsets for a moment Jungkook asked, "You all right?"

"I'm all right," Seokjin answered.

Jungkook snorted, "I can feel you shaking hyung."

Seokjin rolled his eyes, "I'm fine," he repeated.

"Just," Jungkook paused, seeing the looks the others were aiming at them.

"I know, and the same goes for them as well," he said as he noticed that Taehyung was looking pale again.

"Jimin is watching over Tae," he said softly as the young dancer was already making his way over to the singer. 

A moment later Jungkook released him, Seokjin smiled to him, giving a nod as they then got ready for the next song to come up.

XxXxX

Finally, another break, the second one and Seokjin walked back grabbing a bottle of water and flopping down on the sofa as one of the make-up noona's walked over to him to touch him up a little before he changed out of what he was wearing into something else. Namjoon settled beside him a few minutes later, already changed and make-up reapplied. Seokjin stood, heading to the dressing room to change before rejoining Namjoon on the sofa.

"How are you feeling?" Namjoon asked as soon as the elder sat down.

Seokjin said nothing as he rested his head against Namjoon's shoulder. "How long have we got?" he asked.

"Another five maybe six minutes, drink up," he said handing over a fresh bottle of water as he noted that Seokjin had already drunk the other.

Seokjin opened his eyes for a moment, taking the bottle and opening it, sipping it slowly. Namjoon took hold of Seokjin's hand squeezing it gently. He could feel the heat emanating from the elder, and it wasn't just because of their excessive activity. "Thanks, Joonie," Seokjin said quietly.

Giving another squeeze, "Are you okay?" he asked once more.

"Tired," he murmured, "Halfway through now," he said, the adrenaline that had taken him to their first break had long since faded. Each of them would be doing their solo songs soon, which meant they would each be able to take some time to rest. 

Namjoon nodded as the others all began to gather around again, "How is everyone?" he asked the others.

"Feeling a little sick," Taehyung admit as he settled onto the sofa, curled up against Jimin after the elder of the two had sat down.

"I feel okay," Yoongi said, glancing up from where he was looking through his phone.

"My nose keeps blocking up," Hoseok complains, blowing his nose once more.

"Did you use the nose spray?" Namjoon asks him in concern.

"No I didn't," he said, rolling his eyes, "Forgot about that."

"Go and use the new one that's there," Namjoon told him, giving a small chuckled.

Hoseok nodded and moved away to grab it from Yoongi's bag. One of the stagehands walked in, "You guys need to get ready," he told them.

With a nod to each other, they stood and walked back towards the stage. The excitement of the fans coming through loudly. They looked to each other, nodded and walked out, waving and getting ready to start the third set of songs, before they would break up for their solo songs.

XxXxX

The night wore on, Yoongi and Taehyung had each thrown up. Thankfully they had been able to hold off until they had a break. Namjoon was feeling overly tired and wanted nothing more than to get off the stage. Hoseok was feeling the same. Seokjin was quiet, he hadn't been able to hide his coughing when he had been on stage, grateful the others would cover for him as best as they could when he started.

Finally, the lights start dimming and they head off stage for the last time. Seokjin had barely said a word in the last twenty minutes. His throat was sore and he was scared that if he said anything it would aggravate it even more and he would start coughing again. Jimin and Taehyung led the way to the dressing room. Walking through the door Taehyung went for one of the sofas and flopped down on it, closing his eyes and groaning.

Seokjin leaned against the wall for a moment as he began to cough. His throat throbbing in pain along with his chest, as he struggled to breathe. Namjoon went over to him, holding the singer up as Seokjin's legs threatened to give out underneath him. A moment later he stopped the others in the room looking on in worry.

"I... I'm okay," Seokjin said in a hoarse whisper.

"Sit down for a bit, get some strength back and then we'll head back to the hotel," Namjoon told him.

Seokjin nodded, moving away from him as he headed towards one of the free sofas, wondering if it would be all right for him to doze a little before changing into his street clothes. He stopped walking, the room suddenly tilted and his vision fading around the edges.

"Jin!" came the collective shout from those in the room.

Seokjin barely felt the arms that went around him, stopping him from hitting the floor. He felt himself being lifted up in strong arms and soon felt the softness beneath him as the world faded out for a moment.

XxXxX

Jungkook rushed towards the falling Seokjin, reaching him before he hit the floor. He swung him up into his arms, holding him bridal style as he went over to the sofa and laid him down. The others were already making their way over. Crowding around the sofa. Namjoon sat on the edge of it. Looking on in worry, he glanced to the others, seeing the same worry in the other's eyes.

"," Namjoon cursed, feeling Seokjin's forehead. "He's burning up," he said, glancing over to Yoongi who stood at the back of the sofa.

Jungkook knelt beside the sofa, gripping onto one of Seokjin's hands. "Sho... should we take him to the hospital?"

"I think we might have to," Yoongi said, shaking his head.

"Let's get change," Jimin said, already heading out of the room to change. Taehyung and Jungkook followed him as well.

Namjoon looked to Yoongi and Hoseok, "Let's make him a bit more comfortable," he said to the two of them.

They nodded and with a little manoeuvring, they had taken off the jacket that Seokjin was wearing along with his shoes and undoing a couple of the buttons on his shirt. Yoongi was the next to leave to change as the other three came back into the room. Hoseok and Namjoon soon following.

Jungkook settled on the edge of the sofa, gently running his fingers through Seokjin's hair, "Do you think he's going to be okay?" he asked as everyone was once again gathered in the room once more.

"He will," Yoongi said, slowing drinking a little water. He was beginning to feel sick again.

"So, I've called Sejin-hyung, he's on his way here, he said that he'll take Jin to the hospital," Namjoon said as he walked over to them from where he had stood in the corner for his phone call.

"No," came a strained voice, "Not going."

"Jin," Yoongi said, leaning on the back of the sofa, "You should go, you've got a high fever and a cough that is taking it out of you."

"I'll be seeing my doctor when we get back home," he pointed out.

"Hyung," Jungkook said quietly, gaining the elder's attention, "You should go, you're really sick."

"And so are the others," Seokjin said as tried to sit up, only to find himself too dizzy to remain seated and fell back on the sofa. Eyes closed against the spinning of the room.

"You're going," Namjoon informed him.

"I'm not, we are going back to the hotel and we'll be getting on a plane in the morning to go back home," Seokjin argued back opening his eyes and pleading, "Please Joonie, I just want to go home."

Namjoon closed his eyes and sighed, "Fine, fine, but if anything happens during the night you are going. Got it?" he said, looking Seokjin dead in the eye.

"You should go Jin," Yoongi spoke up, rubbing his stomach as it gave a lurch.

"Yoongi," Seokjin said softly, "It can wait," he added, looking up at the younger man, "You look rather pale, you okay?"

"Just feeling a little sick," Yoongi said, knowing he couldn't get away with lying to his hyung.

Seokjin tried once more to sit up, this time Namjoon helped, "I'm going to change and then let's head back to the hotel, we could all do with a good night's sleep."

The others didn't look happy but nodded as Namjoon went with him out of the room to change. It wasn’t long that all of them were in the van and on the way to the hotel.