Chan’s face was plastered with worry and Woojin could see this from across the waiting room. Had they gone too far with this? I mean it was only Chan’s first day back and already he has to deal with this madness. But it was all for fun right? Yes, he had to keep reminding himself of that. He got up off of the couch he was sitting on and walked over to a nervous Chan who would have cut a whole through the floor with all of his pacing. “Don’t worry, I am sure he is alright. He is Hyunjin after all, our powerful dancer! Nothing can break him.” Woojin tried to comfort Chan. Chan gave a light smile and nod before responding.

“I know. Trust me, I know how strong that boy is. But as the leader, I should have been here for him. For all of you. Woojin, you shouldn’t have had to deal with all of this on your own. I should have been here to help you! I-“ Chan was cut off by Woojin’s strong arms wrapping around him and bringing him to his chest. Woojin’s hand on the back of his head and the other around his back. “There was nothing you could do. You had to go. And we understand that. But you are here now, and that is all that matters to me and the others right now.” Woojin said in a comforting tone. Chan nodded and hugged his friend back.

What could he say? He loved his Stray Kids family so much that he would take a bullet for any one of those boys. Seungmin approached the two older boy’s and held out his arm. “I brought you guys some snacks. In case you were hungry.” He said. The boy’s let go of each other and took the snacks. “Thank you Seungmin.” Chan spoke in english. Soon, a man in blue scrubs came over to them with concern on face. Chan’s heart sank when he saw the man approaching. They stood up as the man approached. “Are you boys with Hyunjin?” The man asked. They all nodded in response. The man looked as if he had just come out of a blood bath. He had blood on his scrubs on top of his other scrubs and some on his mask as well. What had happened?! “Is he alright?! What happened?!” Chan interjected. The doctor gave a sigh and looked down for a moment. “We did everything that we could. But that boy was just too far gone for us to help. He passed during surgery. There was nothing more we could do for him. I am so sorry boys.” The doctor said with regret. Chan’s heart just felt like it had snapped in half. He dropped to the floor in shock. He looked at his friends and tears welled up in his eyes at the sight. Seungmin was leaning against the nearest wall, crying as he gripped it for support. Woojin was pacing with his hands behind his head, tears streaming down his face. Chan’s vision blurred for a moment. This Isn’t real!

This isn’t happening! He got up and with the strength he had left, he pushed on and ran down the hall. He opened every door he saw, just hoping and praying he would find his friend. He tore open door after door, tears now streaming down his face, but no luck. Until suddenly, he saw a gurney being wheeled into the hallway he was running towards. Whoever was on that was covered by a sheet, and Chan pleaded and hoped that he would not find his friend under that sheet. He slowed down as he approached the gurney, he felt like he was moving in slow motion. Every step was heavy and slow. His heart racing in his chest, eyes now red and puffy from crying. He approached the gurney and lifted his arm to pull down the sheet just a bit. But he hesitated, did he really want to see who was under this? And what if it was Hyunjin, did he really want to see his friend dead? He stood there for what felt like eternity, and then he placed his hand on that sheet and pulled it down from the face. He fell back at the sight he saw. There laying on the gurney was a lifeless Hyunjin. Blood all over his mouth, neck, and chest. No movement whatsoever. “No-n-no way!” Chan said with a stutter. He was in so much shock that his words would not come out right. He walked back over and threw himself over his friends lifeless body.

Woojin and Seungmin came running over to them and stopped at what they saw. Chan was sobbing as he lay over Hyunjin. Tears streaming as he pleaded for Hyunjin to wake up. “Wake up! Don’t you dare leave me! Wake up!” He yelled. No response. Chan was sobbing even harder now as he yearned for Hyunjin to wake. “I-I’m s-s-sorry Hyunjin. I-I-I shou-ld have b-been here. I-I sh-should not have l-left.” Chan sobbed. Chan’s crying was interrupted though by faint snoring coming from somewhere near him. Chan lifted his head as he calmed down a bit to try and figure out where the sound was coming from. But he was shocked when he found that it was coming from Hyunjin. “Wait…what?” He questioned. “Alright Hyunjin! You can wake up now! He fell for it!” Woojin yelled out. Hyunjin’s body stirred a bit as he woke up from a great nap. He opened his eyes and saw Chan next to him and Woojin and Seungmin on the floor laughing. Chan was so shocked looking and Hyunjin just smiled and waved at his hyung. Chan was so busy searching for his friend that he did not even realize a camera man had been following them this whole time. Even in the dorm. “H-how?” Chan stuttered out.

“Surprise hyung! It was a hidden camera prank!” Said Seungmin between laughs. “And boy did we get you good!” Woojin added. Hyunjin joined in on the laughing spree that was occurring and stood up. “I- I don’t understand. The blood, the doctor, the vomit. It was all fake?” Chan asked with shock. “Well the vomit was real. Doctor said that I had a stomach bug of some sort, so they gave me some fluids for dehydration. But yep, blood and what the doctor said was all fake. I am perfectly fine hyung.” Hyunjin said. Chan was shocked that they were able to pull such a prank off, and he fell for it like a mouse grabbing a piece of cheese off of a trap. But it seemed so real! That boy better go into acting because damn he is good! “But Woojin said you had missed your medicine! For a whole week! Who all knew about this? Who was in on it?” Chan asked still puzzled. “Pretty much everyone, except Lee Know. He was not there when we talked about it. You didn't see the camera hyung?” Seungmin said. Chan shook his head. He never once saw that camera when he arrived home. Hyunjin walked over to Chan and wraped a long arm around his friends shoulder. "And yeah, you are right. I had missed my medicine for a week. And I told Woojin hyung about it. That night I barfed all over the kitchen floor, he gave me my medicine and I feel fine now hyung. I was feeling the effects for a little bit and felt like I couldnt breathe for a few days, but I am fine now. Dont worry hyung. I am not going to die" He said with a small laugh. Chan was just standing there. Utterly speechless at this point. How did he not notice the camera this whole time? He felt so stupid. He felt angry. He felt relief. He felt so many emotions that it was hard to choose which to feel right now. “I am so angry at you guys! I’m glad that you’re not dead, but pissed at you guys for this! That was horrible of you! I really thought you were gone!” Chan said angrily. “Were sorry hyung. Really we are.” Hyunjin said. He felt kind of guilty now that he saw how angry Chan was. “I mean, I don’t know if I can forgive this!” Chan, we said we were sorry. We did not intend to hurt you. We were just having some fun with you.” Woojin said. Chan still was angry. “You know what, I am just going to make it easy and quit. I am no longer your leader! I quit Stray Kids!” Chan yelled as he stormed off. The others were shocked at what they heard. “What just happened?” Seungmin asked. “I think we just lost our leader…” Hyunjin said with shock. "No way. He is not serious." Woojin said. They stood still for a few seconds, just waiting for their leader to come back. But 5 minutes passed and he still did not show back up. When all hope seemed lost, Chan came running back to them in a ninja run. He was laughing. The others didn’t understand. Chan stood up straight and spoke in English. “Got ya!” Everyone started laughing with shock. “No way! I seriously thought he quit over this!” Seungmin said. “No way! I would never leave you guys over something like this. I am still angry, but I guess I can forgive you guys this time. I am not going anywhere any time soon.” Chan said with a smile as he wrapped his arms around the other members. They all smiled and walked out of the hospital. “These guys are going to pay. Just wait.” Chan said in his head as he grinned.