Silent

1

Chan laughed as he ran around the practice room, trying to escape Seungmin, who was hot on his heels. "Hyung, I swear to God, if I catch you, you'll regret ever messing with me," Seungmin shouted, chasing after Chan, who tripped and crashed to the floor.

"Gotcha!" Seungmin said triumphantly, sitting on top of Chan and starting to tickle him. Chan burst into uncontrollable laughter. "Alright... I'm sorry... AHAHAHAHA! Seungminnie, s-stop! I'm sorry-" Chan cried out as Seungmin tickled him without mercy.

"You gonna mess with me again?" Seungmin asked, holding one of Chan's hands in his while tickling him with the other.

"No, sir. I apologize!" Chan gasped, still laughing. Seungmin didn't stop for a moment, continuing to tickle Chan for a little longer before finally letting up. He got off of him, chuckling at Chan's flushed face.

"You never learn, do you, Hyung?" Hyunjin teased, watching the scene and laughing at their eldest hyung. Despite being the oldest, Chan often acted like the youngest. They didn't mind, though. They loved how carefree he was around them, and they let him do whatever he wanted.

"Alright, kids, settle down!" Minho called out across the room. "We're going to run through it one last time today, and that'll be it. Get in your places." He said, setting his water bottle down and moving toward the center of the room. They had been practicing hard. Their comeback had been just a few months ago, and now they were preparing for a series of music shows. They would have to appear on multiple shows throughout the week, so they were determined to perfect the choreography.

"And that's it," Minho said, collapsing onto the floor, gasping for breath. The others followed suit, each of them worn out from the intense practice. Since it was the final round, they'd all pushed themselves a little harder than usual. Chan sat against the wall, water bottle in hand, trying to catch his breath. After taking a few sips, he looked around at his members. They were all sprawled on the floor, sweat dripping from their faces, their bodies glistening with exhaustion. A wave of pride washed over him. These were the members he'd chosen, and together, they had come so far. They'd faced countless challenges, and they would continue to do so in the future. That was all he had ever wanted.

A soft smile spread across Chan's face as he watched them.

"We love you too, Channie Hyung," Hyunjin teased, catching the affectionate look Chan was giving them.

Chan chuckled. "Alright, you guys should head back now. Get some food and rest," he said, standing up to gather his things.

"You're not coming with us?" Changbin asked, sitting up.

Chan shook his head. "I've got some work to do at the studio. I'll head back after I finish," he replied, already moving toward the door.

"Hyung," Changbin called out in a serious tone, causing Chan to stop and turn around. He looked at Changbin. "Yes?" he asked quietly, already anticipating what Changbin was about to say.

"If you come back to the dorm at some ungodly hour again, I swear to God..." Changbin warned, his gaze intense, making it clear he was serious.

"I won't be late, I promise," Chan quickly assured, holding out his pinky finger as a sign of his promise.

"Binnie hyung's right. Come home soon and stay safe. And PLEASE keep your phone on, okay, Channie?" Hyunjin chimed in, walking up to Chan and giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze.

Chan nodded vigorously, his curls bouncing as he did. It was no secret that the younger members often treated their oldest hyung like he was the youngest, and Chan didn't mind one bit. In fact, he secretly enjoyed the attention, even if he'd never say it out loud.