Chapter Text
(Written in May 2018, rewritten in December 2024)
An ordinary scene unfolded in Seventeen's training room, yet nothing hinted at the strange turn of events that would occur in a few hours. The members were rehearsing their choreography for their latest Japanese single, “Call Call Call” under the supervision of Soonyoung, better known by his stage name Hoshi, the leader of the performance team. After hours of practice, he finally announced a break.
“30 minutes of rest, guys!” he shouted, breathless but still energetic.
Immediately, the room erupted in relief. Some members literally collapsed on the floor, panting, while others laughed, enjoying the well-deserved respite. The silence was quickly replaced by the sound of animated discussions and laughter.
“Help me, I’m dying." Seungkwan dramatically complained, lying flat on his back, his face flushed from exertion. His arms were stretched above his head.
“Do you want mouth-to-mouth?” Seokmin joked before running toward Seungkwan. Without waiting for a response, he jumped onto him with all his weight.
“Noooon, I’m good, thanks—” Seungkwan tried to protest, but his words were drowned out as DK crashed down on him. Quickly, the other members decided to join the “human pyramid,” and Seungkwan found himself literally buried under a pile of bodies. He started to suffocate, half-laughing, half-protesting.
“Come on, guys, get off him before we actually smother him." Seungcheol laughed, grabbing Vernon by the shoulders to pull him away from the pile.
Woozi, who had been observing the scene from a corner of the room, quietly stood up. “I’m going to grab something from my studio I’ll be right back." he said before leaving the room, his headphones already pushed into his ears.
Meanwhile, Seokmin was rummaging through his bag, looking for his wallet. “Does anyone want to come buy food for tonight at the convenience store?” he asked, standing up with one hand ready to grab his things.
He almost tripped when Jeonghan literally jumped onto his back, clinging to him like a human scarf. The duo was well-known for their unpredictable antics.
“I’m coming with you!” Jeonghan shouted, laughing.
Vernon, watching the scene with an amused but reserved smile, hesitated for a moment before speaking up. “Can I come too?” he asked timidly, a little uncertain, always afraid of intruding in those moments when the older members seemed so close.
“No, it’s our little date with Dokyeom.” Jeonghan teased with a smirk, throwing an impish glance at Seokmin, while Seungcheol, who remained on the sidelines, rolled his eyes. The use of the word "date" outside their couple was not to his liking, especially when it involved another member of the group, particularly Seokmin, with whom Jeonghan shared a great bond.
Vernon blinked, clearly puzzled by the joke. “Ah...” he murmured, caught off guard, unsure whether he should feel excluded or if he had just disrupted an intimate moment.
Jeonghan couldn’t help but laugh lightly at his confusion. “I’m joking, of course, you can come!” he said, throwing an arm around the younger boy's shoulders in a friendly gesture. Vernon, somewhat relieved, managed a shy smile.
“Okay, I’m joining you too!” Seungkwan exclaimed, bouncing with energy to cling onto Vernon.
Hoshi, always quick to throw a jab, couldn’t help but comment on this sudden closeness. “You’re joining him, aren’t you?” he said with a teasing smile, pointing at Vernon with his chin. At these words, Seungkwan and Vernon froze, blushing simultaneously, caught off guard by the remark.
“Very funny, hyung...” Seungkwan replied, shooting a dark look at his elder. Being teased about his budding feelings, especially in front of Vernon, embarrassed him more than he could hide.
“Come on, move it. You only have 25 minutes left before the break is over." Seungcheol interjected in an authoritative tone, cutting off the teasing. He observed the small group with a mix of affection and impatience. While he liked the idea of the members relaxing, he wanted to keep an eye on the time.
Just before they were about to leave, Jun, who had been quiet until now, straightened up. “I’m coming too. I need to get some fresh air." he announced calmly, joining the others who were preparing to exit the room. Jun often liked to recharge after long hours of training.
Thus, the small group consisting of Jeonghan, Seokmin, Vernon, Seungkwan, and Jun headed toward the exit.
As Jeonghan was about to follow his friends, Seungcheol abruptly grabbed him by the wrist, his grip firm yet gentle. “We really need to talk, Han." he murmured in a serious tone, trying to catch the attention of the younger boy. However, Jeonghan immediately pulled his arm away with some irritation. But Seungcheol, determined, wouldn’t let him go and grabbed his wrist again without hesitation.
“Later, Cheol. Can’t you see I’m busy ?” Jeonghan replied, glancing quickly at his friends who were already in the corridor, eager to enjoy their break. He didn’t want to discuss this now, especially in public.
“Stop pushing important discussions aside." Seungcheol insisted, his piercing gaze fixed on his boyfriend, trying to break through the nonchalance Jeonghan often hid behind.
“Are you done? Can I go now? I said later." Jeonghan shot back, a bit sharper this time, refusing to yield to the pressure. Neither seemed ready to back down, and the atmosphere grew tenser by the second.
It was at this moment that Seokmin, having noticed his friend’s delay, jogged back toward them. “Are you coming, hyung?” he called out lightly, breaking the intensity of the moment.
Jeonghan, without even waiting for a response from Seungcheol, nodded and shot a defiant look at his boyfriend before Seungcheol finally let go of his wrist reluctantly. The leader quickly joined the rest of the group sitting on the floor, his frustration still palpable. As soon as he reached them, he slumped against the wall with a sigh, trying to calm his nerves and catch his breath.
“Jeonghannie is giving you a hard time, hyung." Chan teased, a smirk on his face, casting a glance at his older friend. His words stung slightly, but the situation indeed warranted a smile.
Before Seungcheol could respond, Minghao gave him a gentle tap on the back of the head, reprimanding the maknae’s insolence. “Leave him alone, Chan." he said softly, a hint of reproach in his voice. But even Minghao couldn’t help but smile, watching the complex dynamic between Seungcheol and Jeonghan. The tensions were a part of the group's daily life, and even if the teasing sometimes seemed serious, everyone knew it only strengthened their bonds.
They were going to need it...
Meanwhile, on the way to the convenience store:
Under the humid heat of the early evening, the small group strolled along the sidewalk, their laughter echoing through the almost deserted streets of Seoul. Seungkwan, as usual, couldn’t help but turn this walk to the convenience store into a full-fledged performance, his clear and powerful voice rising into the heavy air.
“All the single ladies, all the single ladies!” he sang at the top of his lungs, dancing lightly to accompany his lyrics. A few passersby looked at them curiously, some smiling at the young idol's exuberance, while others remained puzzled by this impromptu display.
“Please make him stop." Jeonghan groaned, desperately trying to cover Seungkwan's mouth with his hand, which the latter seemed completely oblivious to. “Seungkwan, can you save your voice for Japan next week? Besides, we’ll get recognized." he added, almost pleading.
“Now put your hands up!” Seungkwan joyfully continued, completely ignoring Jeonghan's protests and pursuing his enthusiastic tribute to Beyoncé. He raised his arms to the sky, drawing even more attention to their small group.
Jeonghan, at the end of his patience, sighed deeply and finally gave in. “That’s it, I’ve decided; I’m going to kill him." he declared, half-serious, half-amused, rolling his eyes. He threw a conspiratorial glance at Jun, who was walking just beside him.
Jun burst out laughing and threw an arm around Jeonghan's shoulders. “Hyung, not here, there are too many witnesses." he replied, leaning slightly to whisper in his ear while throwing an amused glance at the few passersby who had stopped to watch the scene.
“Yes, it’s—” Jeonghan was interrupted by a sudden loud rumbling: several police cars, sirens blaring, sped down the street, breaking the tranquility of their walk.
“It must be serious." Vernon commented, eyes glued to the vehicles disappearing in the distance, his worried expression mirrored by the rest of the group.
A brief silence fell as they watched the cars drive away, but soon they resumed their way to the convenience store. When they entered, a wave of cool air enveloped them, courtesy of the powerful air conditioning units in the store. A collective sigh of relief escaped their lips.
“So, what are we getting?” Seungkwan asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement as he eagerly scanned the shelves piled high with snacks.
“Not the whole store this time." Jeonghan replied, raising an eyebrow as he headed toward the back of the store to look for drinks. “We just came for a few things for tonight, remember?”
Seokmin and Vernon, on the other hand, couldn’t resist the call of the shelves overflowing with colorful bags of chips. They immediately started calculating how many snacks they could bring back without getting in trouble.
After filling their basket with a few bottles of soda, energy drinks, and some sweets, they headed together to the checkout. As Jeonghan was paying and the group joked about Seungkwan’s snack choices, a loud explosion erupted outside. The ground shook slightly beneath their feet, and several shelves in the store trembled from the impact.
Without warning, a series of clearer explosions, resembling gunshots, echoed down the street and into the store. They froze, the atmosphere in the small shop suddenly turning icy.
The clerk and the group members exchanged stunned glances, their faces expressing as much confusion as concern.
“What was that?” Seungkwan dared to ask, his voice betraying a slight tremble. None of them dared to answer, still in shock.
The clerk, clearly as worried as his customers, slowly approached the front door, looking hesitant as if he feared what he would find on the other side. But before he could even reach for the doorknob, a group of panicked passersby rushed toward the entrance, forcefully pushing the door open. They were seeking refuge, their faces marked by terror.
Their screams mixed with the wails coming from outside, plunging the convenience store into sudden chaos. Caught in the urgency of the situation, the clerk hurriedly locked the door with a nervous gesture, then pulled down the metal shutter to its final notch.
A blanket of silence fell over them, broken only by the heavy, panicked breaths of the newcomers. What had started as a simple outing to buy snacks seemed to be turning into a waking nightmare.
Meanwhile, in the training room:
“I’m hungry. What are they doing?” Mingyu grumbled, his stomach growling loudly. Sitting on the training room couch, he cast a desperate glance toward the door.
“Mingyu, they’ve only been gone for five minutes.” Wonwoo sighed, exasperated, while stealing a quick glance at his watch. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, clearly tired of his friend’s repetitive complaints.
“Indeed, you’re observant, hyung.” Mingyu replied in a teasing tone, a mischievous smile on his lips. Wonwoo glared at him, visibly unimpressed, before shaking his head and returning to his phone in search of a distraction.
Joshua, silent until then, moved closer and sat next to Seungcheol, who was lying on the floor with an arm covering his face as if to shut out the world. It was clear that something weighed heavily on him. “Are you okay?” Joshua asked gently.
A barely audible sigh escaped Seungcheol. “I’ve had better days." he muttered, not moving.
Worried, Joshua cast a glance at him. “What’s going on with Han?” He waited patiently for a response, but the silence stretched on.
Seeing that Seungcheol still wasn’t responding, Joshua gently placed his hand on his arm, as if to encourage him to open up. “So?” he insisted, his tone remaining calm and soothing.
Suddenly, Seungcheol sat up, clearly annoyed by the insistence. “You want to know what’s wrong? I’ll tell you, you d—” But he was cut off by a loud noise.
BANG.
A powerful blast echoed through the walls, shaking the entire room. The windows vibrated from the force of the shock, and the floor seemed to tremble beneath their feet. A heavy silence settled after the unexpected noise, leaving them all frozen in confusion and concern.
“Oh wow, what was that?” Hoshi exclaimed, rushing toward the window. Mingyu and Chan followed closely behind, their faces marked by worry. “That sounded really close." Mingyu added, his eyes wide with surprise. Given the intensity of the tremors, they quickly realized that the explosion couldn’t have been more than a kilometer from their position.
Mutes sounds of gunfire echoed in the distance.
“We really should call the others.” Joshua worried as he headed toward his bag. He glanced at Seungcheol, whose face was tightening with anxiety.
Without wasting a moment, the leader hurriedly took his phone out of his pocket and dialed Jeonghan’s number. The ringtone echoed in the room, coming from the younger's bag, left abandoned in a corner of the room. “He left his phone here." Seungcheol grumbled, visibly frustrated. Wonwoo did the same by calling Jun, but again, there was no answer.
“Great." Minghao said tersely. “The guys never take their phones when they go out, especially during a break. They prefer to enjoy the moment, as usual.”
“Guys, it’s pointless to keep going. Did you forget?” Wonwoo interjected, shooting an accusatory glance at Hoshi, who was beginning to feel guilty. “Our dear performance leader had the brilliant idea to confiscate our phones before practice so we could focus better. They probably forgot to grab them in their rush to leave.” His biting tone highlighted his exasperation, while Hoshi, embarrassed, raised his hands in apology, mumbling inaudible excuses.
“It’s not your fault, don’t worry. We’ll wait a bit. If they haven’t returned in five minutes, we’ll notify the managers.” Seungcheol tried to stay calm, although anxiety was beginning to show in his eyes. His steady tone was meant to be reassuring, but his hands, clenched around his phone, betrayed his worry.
“Hyung, there are people running and screaming downstairs…” Chan, the group’s maknae, pointed out, standing near the window. His eyes were fixed on the chaotic scene unfolding in the street below.
Wonwoo, who was discreetly observing, noticed that Mingyu had sat down next to him, clearly tense. The taller boy was nervously biting his nails, a rare gesture that didn’t escape Wonwoo’s notice. The latter gently reached out and took Mingyu's hand, enclosing it in his own with a reassuring squeeze.
“It’ll be okay.” he murmured, trying to soothe his young friend without taking his gaze off his phone, where he was attempting to find information about the situation outside. His fingers slid quickly across the screen, but the lack of answers only fueled the general anxiety.
“I hope they’re okay…” Minghao whispered, biting his lip, the worry evident in his eyes.