“We’ve diagnosed Jung Chanwoo-shi with severe dehydration and we’re giving him needed fluids as we speak. His head has also been bandaged, just minor cuts here and there with no major injuries, but he might wake up with a buzz in his head,” the doctor informed the six boys and their manager after an approximately excruciating 45 minute wait.

Hanbin and Yunhyeong had rode in the ambulance, not wanting the leave the maknae. Even though the remaining four would strongly argue with them, the two felt that it was their fault for not realizing Chanwoo fainting in the toilet. The rest if iKON with the manager (whom Bobby had called after contacting the ambulance, voice trembling as ever) followed from behind.

The ride to the hospital was a bumpy one. Yunhyeong and Hanbin had to watch their maknae’s seemingly lifeless body on the stretcher, chalky pale as if all blood had been drained from his face. The paramedics placed an oxygen mask on him before using many other complex equipment on Chanwoo, shouting out medical terms that neither of them understood Hanbin felt his world was spinning, though his gaze remained fixated on his dear maknae. Throughout the whole 10 minute ride, Yunhyeong kept on repeating Chanwoo’s name perhaps a thousand times, his hands wrapping his former roommate’s firmly as if he was afraid of letting go.

When Chanwoo was wheeled into the emergency room, no one was allowed to come with him, and the 45 minutes that they had to wait was agonizing and tormenting for all of them. Bobby muttered many comforting words to the other five, trying his best to convince them that their maknae was going to be okay and that he was going to wake up and kick their in no time.

But no one was convinced, not even the rapper himself.

It was only when the doctor came out did everyone let out a heavy breath that none of them knew they were holding.

“While we have concluded that the patient fainted from dehydration, his ongoing nosebleeds which he experienced when he fainted was due to stress. He also has low blood pressure, quite uncommon for a young man like him. I believe that he’s an idol, yes?”

Despite the horrors of the doctor’s words sinking into him bit by bit, Hanbin replied, “Yes…we’re s.”

“Was he told to diet? Because he is showing signs of abrupt weight loss, which should explain his low blood pressure. He’s slightly underweight now too.” The doctor asked further and followed his question with a statement.

Yunhyeong’s lips pursed in a press. Looking around, he found s shaking their heads as they knew that Chanwoo was never told to go on any special diet but only to exercise, like the rest. Nonetheless, he decided to add, “No, but we did notice the changes lately. He’s thinner, his cheeks are mo--”

“He eats less nowadays, sleeps less, and he’s always tired,” Junhoe interjected and all attention went to him. “Oh damn it, hyung! We knew something was wrong with him!”

No one had an answer to that, because the distraught vocalist was indeed correct. They all did see the excessive changes Chanwoo was experiencing physically. At the moment, everyone was blaming themselves for not paying their maknae more attention, for not pushing him to eat more when they saw that his portions were practically halved. They too did not stop him from staying back at the studio just to perfect a stupid 1 second off tapping and they certainly did not notice all the signs Chanwoo had unknowingly given to them about his worsening health.

Sensing the escalating tension in the hallway, the doctor continued, “The patient is doing well now, but he does need a lot of rest and his diet needs to go back to normal. We’ll give him a few meds and supplements and his prescriptions will be written down for when he’s discharged. But for now, the most important thing is to be there for him and to give him moral support,” he offered them a diplomatic smile. “We’ll be keeping tabs on him, and if everything’s well, he’ll be discharged tomorrow.”

“Can we see him now?” Donghyuk requested.

“He’s being sent to the third floor as we speak, you guys can go see him there. But please, don’t put too much pressure on him and do let him rest as much as possible,” with that, he gave them a small bow as to which all of them returned and walked back into the emergency room.

“You guys go ahead,” the manager informed them. “I’ll buy us some breakfast and call Chanwoo’s parents.”

Usually, one or two of them would offer assistance to their manager, but at the moment, everyone wanted to see the maknae as soon as possible.

(All of them marveled in their heads on how they had forgotten to contact Chanwoo’s parents though.)

xxx

The first thing that tickled his senses was a faint buzzing sound coming from his right, a known melody to any gamer—the theme song to the game PUBG. He let the familiar sound awaken his other senses, and next came touch. He could feel cold and thin tubes attached on both sides of his arms, and also foreign substances pumping in him slowly but surely at the same spots.

He breathed in heavily, trying to get more oxygen to his brain so that he could make sense of his surroundings, but he realized that the breath he took in was weirdly colder but somewhat clearer, and it was only then did he knew that he was breathing through a face mask for oxygen.

He fluttered his eyes open, only to be met with lights that were so blinding he had to shut his eyes back, white spots clouding his vision in the temporary darkness. He blinked thrice before being fully able of opening his eyes, and even then a sharp pain swirled in the back of his head. The boy tried fighting through it, raising his right hand to hold his throbbing head.

“Chanwoo? You’re awake? Oh my God! Are you in pain? Do you want me t-” a panic stricken voice came from the right, and Chanwoo would know the voice anywhere.

“Bo…Bobby hyung?” he whispered in a croaked voice, struggling to get the name out through the mask.

The elder was on his feet now, hugging his maknae tightly before releasing him a moment too soon because he was afraid that he might hurt him, “Yeah, it’s me,” a slight fear and nerve could be seen in his eyes, but he was smiling down to the boy. “You okay? Want me to call the doctor?”

Chanwoo shook his head and tried getting up, deciding that his body felt uncharacteristically sore all over. He struggled, the dizzying pain in his head attacking him punches after punches, so Bobby helped h