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Seungmin and the rest of Stray kids are in the JYP practice room and are looking at another long day for work ahead of them. All the members are working to their best recently as they are having their comeback soon. The deadline for their comeback is slowly approaching leaving all the members on edge to finish learning all the choreographies.
Just as they were going to start their last run though of the song the door to the practice room swung open. One of the staff members walked in with someone they haven’t seen before. He was tall and pretty muscular and was slightly intimidating.
“Mr. Min is sick and has taken a week off of work so Mr. Park will be replacing him for this week”, the staff member says before exiting the practice room, leaving Mr. Park with the rest of the members.
“Thanks for taking care of us for the week” Bang Chan said before the rest of the members copied him and said thank you in unison.
“There’s no need to be so formal” just think of me as the same as Mr. Min. Let me treat you all to dinner today after your schedule to get to know you all.”
The members were surrounding Mr. Park telling him about their recommendation’s for dinner, but Seungmin was not joining in and was just watching everyone from afar.
At that moment Bang Chan called everyone back to finish up with practice while eyeing Seungmin with a worried look on his face.
The last rehearsal went smoothly overall, and it wasn’t too difficult to learn with Lee Know trying to teach some of the moves to the other members after learning it himself. Seungmin could feel himself struggling a little bit, but he told himself that he has time to perfect it and get comfortable with the routine. He is someone that doesn’t overwork himself….. usually. The members know this and don’t worry about this too much about him. Unlike Chan who had once worked until 3am and fainted in dance practice after forgetting to eat.
Everyone started packing their bags to head to their recording session. Seungmin felt Mr. Park staring at him but ignored it as Han and Felix started talking to him about this new anime, they both started watching. Seungmin was about to leave the practice room too when he forgot his water bottle and told Han and Felix to go without him and that he will catch up later. When he gets back to the practice room Mr.Park was still there. Seungmin didn’t think much of it and went to get his bottle when Mr.Park stops him before he reaches the door.
“ Mr. Park is something wrong?” Mr. Park looks at him before replying “ Your holding your whole team back. How did you even manage to debut with that sloppy dancing. You have to practice a lot more if you don’t want to fall behind. I’m telling this to you for your own benefit.” Seungmin doesn’t say anything and quickly grabs his things and leaves the practice room.
He speed walks to the bathroom and takes a look at himself in the mirror, Mr.Park’s words were repeating in his head.
“Your holding your whole team back.”
“How did you even manage to debut”
“Sloppy dancing”
Those words were repeating again and again as closed him eyes and leaned over the sink. He doesn’t even know why it’s affecting him so much, he has delt with his share of hateful comments and opinion it just comes with the role of being an idol so why he thinking about this so much.
These thoughts were disrupted by the sound of the door opening with Jeongin walking in. Seungmin shot his head up and looked towards him.
“That’s where you were, Channie Hyung was looking for you. He tried to call you too, what were you doing?” Seungmin didn’t say anything and just asked Jeongin when Chan was.
Chan was in his studio. Seungmin considered telling Chan because he might be able to help him. When he walked into the studio, he saw Chan with his headphones on completely immersed in what he is working on.
“Hyung, you wanted to see me?”
Chan took his eyes of his computer screen for just a second and looked at Seungmin before looking back.
“I just need you to record these parts for the new song”.
Seungmin hesitated before stepping into the recording booth. The recording went smoothly and Seungmin was getting his stuff from the sofa and looked at Chan as he considered telling him about the incident in the practice room but after seeing Chan in that state, he doesn’t want to worry anyone they are all stressed enough with the comeback already he doesn’t want to add to their stress. Especially Chan because he knows how much he can overwork himself. He will deal with this himself it’s not that big of a deal.
He heads back to the dorm to change out of his workout clothes, and he sees Minho on the way. They make their way back to the dorms in comfortable silence. When they get to the dorms Seungmin asks Minho,
“ What do you think of the new manager ?”
Minho looks at him surprised with the sudden question.
“ He seems nice, I didn’t really think too much about it, Why do you ask?” “ No reason”. Minho shrugs and walks into his room.
“Why would you ask that you are only going to make them worry” Seungmin thinks to himself his way into his room and to the shower to freshen up for the rest of the day as they still have a photoshoot to do.
After his shower, he and Minho go back to JYP to head to the photoshoot for their new album. Seungmin overheard Felix and Han talking about which restaurant they are going to go to after the photoshoot. This is pretty rare for the group to do especially so close to a comeback so clearly, they are excited, but Seungmin internally sighs. He completely forgot about that and doesn’t really want to see their new manager for the rest of the day, but he doesn’t want to worry anyone by saying he doesn’t want to go.
Much to Seungmin’s surprise their manager is at their photoshoot and was talking to photographer. Overall, the Photoshoot didn’t take long and before he knew it, they were all heading to the restaurant with the manager.
Seungmin tried to sit as far away as he could from the manager, so he was sat next to Han and Felix. After a few drinks the members and Mr. Park decided to talk for a bit before leaving and going back to the dorms as the group haven’t had the time to really have a proper conversation for the last few days.
When Chan suggested this Seungmin internally sighed because all he wanted to do was go home and get away from Mr.Park. Hyunjin brought up recent SKZ code that they filmed a couple of days ago. Seungmin could still feel a stare on him from across the table.
He looked up to see Mr.Park staring daggers into him. Seungmin instantly looked away and tried to focus on the group’s conversation.
“It was actually so funny and honestly really fun to film” Jeongin said excitedly.
Seungmin tried his best to put a smile on his face while they were talking.
“ I’m sure stays will love it hahaha” Han said giggling.
“ When Seungmin was going off and doing his own thing again, I totally lost it” Hyunjin responded laughing.
Seungmin tried to laugh a little at Hyunjin’s comment. “Oh yeah that was hilarious, it like he’s not even a part of the group” Minho said while sipping his beer and everyone laughed again.
Seungmin really tried his best to laugh along with everyone else. Usually this would be fine, honestly Seungmin would have an equally funny thing to say back to that but today he just didn’t think he had it in him to joke around.
“Do they not think of me as a part of the group?”
“ is that what they said” Seungmin thought as he looked up to see Mr.Park and Chan talking and laughing with each other.
“Maybe I am the problem, and I don’t belong here.” Seungmins thought were cut off by Han half screaming half whining some gibberish.
“Right Han, let’s get you home” Minho said after putting Han on his back to carry him into the van while the rest of the members started to pack up and follow them to the van thanking the staff on their way out while Chan and Mr. Park stayed in the restaurant to pay the bill.
On the ride home, Seungmin was not in any mood to have a conversation with anyone, so he put on his headphones and listened to Day6 while starting out the window. This wasn’t abnormal to the other members as Seungmin usually keeps to himself and with their current hectic schedule the members weren’t surprised.
Chan however glances at him from time to time but tries not to dwell on it too much as Seungmin would tell him if something is wrong…….or so he thinks. Before they know it, they arrive at the dorms and the members disperse into their rooms after the long day.
A couple of hours later Seungmin was still not able to get to sleep and was getting frustrated at himself. He decided to just go to JYP and work on his dance still thinking about what Mr. Park said at morning practice. He steps out of his room to hear humming coming from Chan assuming that he is still working like the workaholic he is. He slowly walks towards the door and puts on his shoes and gets in a taxi to JYP. When he steps out of the taxi, he checks his phone and it is 11pm. He tells himself that he will be back by 2pm at the latest.
Seungmin arrives at the practice room and get straight to practice. He tries the new routine a couple of times to make sure that he won’t mess up in front of everyone else. He is so engrossed in his routine he doesn’t see that his shoelaces are untied. Suddenly the ground falls from under him and he ends up on the floor. Seungmin tries to stand back up but falls back down and holds his ankle in his hands “this is just great” he thinks.
He glances at his phone “1:40 am”.
He tries to stand up more slowly and limps to his bag and swings it over his shoulder. As he walks to the entrance of the building, he can feel his ankle get slightly better, so he decided to walk home to get some fresh air after being in the stuffy practice room. He gets back to the dorms and is finally able to get some sleep.
Seungmin woke up to the sun shining through his curtains and a knock on his door telling him that he has slept in.
“Minnieeeeeeee how are you still asleep?” Felix walks in singing. “I’m up now” Seungmin said slightly irritated from his lack of sleep.
All he wanted to do right now was get back to sleep and to get under his covers again, but he had no choice and sat up. Felix left and Seungmin tried to stand before he felt an ache in his ankle again just like last night.
He tries to walk it off thinking that it will get better when he starts to practice again, and he probably just sleep on it weirdly. He limps slowly to the bathroom making sure nobody spots him and finds a sprain spray that some of the members use when they get injured. He uses it to no success. His ankle does not feel much more different. He thinks to himself that he should just take today to rest when the managers words rush back into his head.
“You’re holding your whole team back.”
“How did you even manage to debut”
Before he can even think of anything else he hears a knock on the door.
“Hyung what are you doing in there. Hurry uppppp” Jeongin yells.
Seungmin hesitantly opens the bathroom door trying not to lean on his ankle too much.
“Sorry about that.”
He hurries into his bedroom again to get changed before anyone else can ask any questions
“Just a couple of hours of dance practice today then I am done!” Seungmin thinks to himself.
He walks out of his room to see Chan.
“Damn- anyone but him, he will definitely figure out that something is wrong…… I don’t want to hold everyone back” Seungmin thinks.
Before Chan gets a chance to ask anything they both turn their heads towards the scream coming from the kitchen.
“I LITERALLY LEFT IT THERE FOR TWO SECONDS” usually Seungmin is annoyed by Jisung’s antics in the morning but today he can’t help but be a bit grateful as Chan heads to the kitchen to resolve the argument.
“You were up late today” Seungmin jumps slightly at the suddenness.
“Oh, Hyung I just didn’t sleep well I think” Changbin shrugs as he calls everyone to start making their way to the door as the vans are here to bring them to JYP.
Throughout the ride, Seungmin sat quietly looking out the window he thought that nobody would realise that anything was wrong as this is very normal behaviour for Seungmin.
Little did he know Chan sensed that something was wrong with the younger but couldn’t find out exactly what it was, and he tried to keep an eye on him for today.
Before they knew it, they arrived at the practice room. While everyone is warming up Seungmin excuses himself to go to the bathroom. On the way to the bathroom he could feel his ankle throbbing in pain” At least it’s not getting worse he thought”
He leans against the sink and splashes water to wake himself up “The faster I learn this choreo the faster I can get back to the dorms” he thinks. With that he opens the door to leaves.
When he arrives back in the studio, he sees Mr. Park talking to Chan about the practice session today. He feels the managers eyes on him but tries to ignore it. Before he can think he hears Chan tell everyone to get into position.
When the music starts to play Seungmin can still feel the manager stare at his every move and those thoughts came rushing back.
“How did you even manage to debut with that sloppy dancing.”
After that Seungmin started to push himself through the last few songs.
“Just a few more song, just hold out a little longer.” He thought.
It was a lot harder to keep up with everyone else. He didn’t want to accept it before but maybe Mr. Park was right he thought.
Just as he thought that he could make it through the last song the pain in his ankle intensified. Before he could think of anything else he felt the floor getting closer as he let out a scream.
Everyone stop what they were doing and whipped their heads towards the noise.
All the members turned around to see Seungmin huddled in a ball on the floor clutching his ankle in his hand with tears running down his face.
“Seungmin!” Chan ran to him knelt beside him asking him to let him see his ankle.
Seungmins face contorted in pain as he removed his hand from his definitely swollen ankle.
The rest of the conversation was a blur to Seungmin as he slowly slipped into unconsciousness.
When he comes too, Seungmin wakes up to the smell of sanitisation and the sound of a heart monitor. He lifts his head slightly to see Chan sleeping with his head on Seungmins bed.
“I could have made it through practice”
“Im just bothering Channie Hyung, he probably has better things to do”
At that moment Chan woke up surprised to see Seungmin awake so soon.
“Hey buddy, how are you feeling?”
In that moment Seungmin felt the knots in his throat.
Tears start forming from his eyes and spill out.
Chan was confused but comforted him and embraced him in a hug.
“Channie hyung” was all that he could muster before he started sobbing loudly.
“it’s okay, im here. Im not going anywhere” They stayed like that for about 40 minutes until Seungmin stopped crying.
“Do you want to tell me what happened?” Chan asked softly.
Seungmin sniffled and nodded. He explained the whole situation with the manager and the late-night practice. Chan sat patiently and listened to every word.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t want to get in the way while you were all busy” Seungmin said in almost a whisper.
“I thought that you didn’t want me in the group and that I was holding everyone back.”
“Hey, hey you don’t have anything to feel sorry about anything. We are all here for you always and you never have to feel like a burden because you are never a burden, not to me and not to the rest of the members.” Chan said as he hugged Seungmin again.
Almost an hour later Seungmin arrived back at the dorm with his ankle in a cast everyone was smothering him with affection. Normally Seungmin would push them away but today he was so happy to have their love and support as he started to tear up slightly.
“Thank you” he whispered as the members piled up on the sofa watching a movie, while Chan made a call to JYP and got the manager fired and blacklisted from all the other Kpop agencies.
The next morning Seungmin woke up to find out that he had slept on the couch with the rest of his members next to him. In that moment he has never been more grateful to have friends – no, a family like this.