After the ordeal with Soonyoung, the boys practiced nonstop for the next two days. The boys worked to their hearts' content, adhering to the stage rehearsal schedule.
Everyone witnessed how hard SEVENTEEN worked, and the amount of passion poured into their performances. Their desire to succeed overshadowed the aches and pains in their bodies. To show what SEVENTEEN's dedication looks like and to disprove all doubters.
While the group focused on improving their performances, the friction between some members of the group became more apparent. Many people overlooked this as childish squabbles. Some can't help but feel concerned and watch the boys from afar.
Concerned about their well-being and the long-term effects of their apparent stress. It may be a major setback for them.
Conflict and tension seems to have arisen when Soonyoung returned to the boys the next morning. Word of what happened the previous night spread and became conversation throughout the stadium.
And all the previous misunderstandings Soonyoung had with his group members.
Mingyu and Wonwoo continue to have a tense relationship. It was Wonwoo, who was ignoring the tall man. After the announcement about Soonyoung's history, he hasn't said a word or paid attention to Mingyu, and the kissing incident has only made matters worse.
It was stressful and uncomfortable to watch their interactions with one another. Anyone could see how futile SEVENTEEN's attempt to pretend as though everything was fine.
But none dared to say anything, and as time passed, the tension rose rather than eased.
There were also times when a minor disagreement turned into a full-fledged fight, injuring two of the boys who had no part in the altercation.
It all started during a stage rehearsal when one boy whined about needing to take a break, and they were on their third run for their group dance. Soonyoung, who was in a foul mood for unexplained reasons, heard the grievance and misinterpreted it.
As a result, a disagreement arose. Mingyu is in defense, while Soonyoung is on offense. Although Dino was the one who made the complaint, it was Mingyu who became his defendant in the situation against Soonyoung, whose words were ridiculous and cruel.
Soonyoung started hurling insults at everyone, not just Dino as if the hurtful words he had hurled at him weren't enough. Seungcheol refused to take the bait and instead walked away, with Jeonghan trailing behind him.
Fueled by rage, Soonyoung landed a punch on Mingyu, who got caught off-guard and stumbled back.
Just as Soonyoung was about to strike again, Mingyu snapped and threw a punch. And the two started fighting, both ignoring their friends' pleas to stop. Dino stood to the left, stunned by the outcome of his complaint, and he couldn't help but blame himself.
The boys attempted to stop the fight but ended up getting their selves hurt. Hansol earned an elbow in the rib area while attempting to drag Soonyoung forward. He stumbles back, not realizing he is getting close to the edge, and falls off the stage, spraining his foot.
Seokmin also attempted to break up the fight but caught a punch to the face, causing him to stumble back in agony, bleeding from his nose, and have his vision doubled. In discomfort, his head pounded.
That's when the staff arrived. They rushed in when they heard the commotion, and when they saw how dangerous the situation had become, all hesitations vanished as they rushed to the stage. Some went to help the injured boys, while others attempted to break up the fight.
Soonyoung and Mingyu were both bleeding and bruised, still fuelled with anger, and it took the staff fifteen minutes before successfully separating the two. They directed glares shining with hatred at each other.
"Greedy and arrogant! That's exactly what you are!" Mingyu had spat, and all of his personal grudges were about to erupt.
Soonyoung remained silent, but the murderous expression on his face revealed what he was thinking.
When the staff holding Soonyoung back became distracted and made the mistake of loosening his grip, Soonyoung took advantage of the opportunity and charged at Mingyu again, landing another punch and almost hitting the staff holding Mingyu.
Mingyu broke free and returned the blow, restarting the fight. This time, more anger, more hatred, and a deepening grudge poured into it with each blow. The other boys stood by on the sidelines, torn between emotions.
They grew worried about their hurt friends, but even more for their other friends, who were on the verge of murdering each other. Mingyu and Soonyoung's relationship had always been tumultuous, according to Jihoon. The fight was inevitable, given their unresolved previous problems and the addition of new ones.
Seungcheol and Jeonghan rushed inside. Their expression was one of shock and worry. While his lover, Seungcheol, rushed up the stage to help break up the fight, Jeonghan dashed to where his injured friends were being treated.
It took almost seven people to separate the two men still fumed with anger. Three male staff members held Mingyu back, while Soonyoung got held back by four.
Seungcheol stood in the center, feeling the one emotion he hadn't expected to feel for the two.
When Mingyu saw the expression of absolute disappointment and shame on the leader's face, he felt as though his rage suddenly flushed out from him and overwhelming remorse had taken its place.
Mingyu only understood what he had done after that. He allowed Soonyoung to get inside his head, but that wasn't the worst part. Rather than remaining logical, he allowed his emotions to determine his next steps. The worst thing is that two of his friends got hurt in the end.
He had never expected to see Seungcheol give him that kind of look, whatever the cause. Mingyu felt ashamed of himself as a result, and the self-blame began.
Although the fight had ended, it left the damage to be dealt with.
Before the medics arrived, they gave the two injured boys first aid. Wonwoo's father, Mr. Kim, was among the medics, and he hurried to where his son and his friends stood, a terrified expression on their faces. They were clearly trembling as well, showing how badly the fight had affected them.
The other medics went to tend to Hansol and Seokmin, while they approached Mingyu and Soonyoung with caution.
Mingyu, who was already drowning in self-blame and guilt, simply let the medic take care of him without complaint, and when the workers thought he can stay put, they let him go. Soonyoung was still furious. When the medic wanted to check on his bleeding nose, he snapped at her and swatted her hands away.
The female medic stepped back in surprise and felt terrified right away; she just stood there, unsure whether she should proceed. Soonyoung scoffed at her and wriggled free from the staff's grasp.
The staff prepared to block Soonyoung in case he attacked Mingyu again, but Soonyoung only sneered at them before walking away with a final hateful glare directed at Mingyu. People on his path backed up in terror.
The injured ones got escorted to the clinic as soon as possible, while Dr. Kim remained with his son and his friends for some much-needed counseling to help the boys cope with the emotional distress caused by the fight.
Witnessing such aggression, particularly among their friends, is no laughing matter. Apart from having a negative impact on their relationship, the fight could also have a negative impact on their confidence in one another, making them distrustful of one another. That's not a very pleasant direction for their friendship to take.
There were no more commotions in the day. The stage rehearsals went off without a hitch, except for SEVENTEEN who were being treated in the clinic.
The news of what had occurred quickly spread like wildfire, and everyone at the ICCJ was talking about it. Some also took sides, further complicating the situation. For the rest of the day, SEVENTEEN got dismissed.
*****************
When the time came for the Charity Visit, SEVENTEEN knew they had to put in twice the effort to make sure they behaved. Their personal problems were already wreaking havoc on their reputation, and they didn't want to add to it. They don't have a choice but to get along. At the very least, this time.
Hansol, who insisted on accompanying them, had to rely on crutches and have someone accompany him in case he needed help. Fortunately, his injury was not serious, leaving him nursing a swollen ankle. Dr. Kim also gave him crutches to ensure he didn't put any pressure on his injury, which he would have to use before the swelling goes down.
Seokmin, whose nose was thankfully not broken, had to wear prescription glasses because, besides a swollen nose, he was suffering from headaches and often felt nauseated.
The headaches were worse than the pain from his broken nose because it caused his vision to double or blur without warning as it attacked. Dr. Kim had prescribed him glasses, besides medications, to ease the effects of the headache.
The two boys were recovering well. As they were more mentally traumatized than anything. Their minds kept replaying the events that happened the day of the fight. The memories are still fresh in their minds, taunting and haunting them. Dr. Kim didn't stop trying his best to keep the boys' mental health in check, but he could only do so much because it wasn't his area of expertise. Dr. Jeon, his partner, would have been the best candidate for the role.
But the doctor had to leave for Seoul to work on another case. A teen girl who recently got diagnosed with mild schizophrenia, or was it psychosis? Dr. Kim obviously was a general practitioner for a reason. Being a mental health practitioner is perhaps the scariest of all medical fields. Some doctors ended up like their patients, mentally broken and beyond repair.
*************
At exactly seven in the morning, SEVENTEEN left their current residence and took a three-hour drive to the orphanage. When they arrived, the children and staff were waiting for them at the entrance.
The kids proudly displayed their handmade posters, with paint smudges on their chubby cheeks and some on their shirts, and their sweet little faces painted with a big smile.
They all looked cute as they ran up close to welcome the guests, and their happy, excited chatter filled the air.
Jeonghan stood next to Seokmin and Jisoo, watching as the latter took care of the former, who had complained about the long journey, giving him another headache. With the way he treated Seokmin, Jisoo resembled a concerned mother hen.
Jisoo has never left the younger's side since the incident took place. He also appeared to be Seokmin's personal nurse, which was both amusing and distressing to watch.
Jeonghan frowned and turned away from the befuddled pair. Since they're both completely oblivious to their feelings for one another.
Jeonghan knew he had to convince at least one of the two to confess to the other, but who else could he persuade? Lee Seokmin, of course, is his only fool.
Jeonghan has a knack for persuading people. As he considered the various methods that he might use to convince Seokmin, a grin appeared on his face. Jeonghan would undoubtedly have a good time.
"Hannie? Hey, is everything okay with you?" Jeonghan snapped out of his thoughts and curved into his famous angelic smile, as Seungcheol asked with a frown.
But, having known the angel man for years, Seungcheol knew well that behind the smile, his partner was plotting something nefarious once again.
Seungcheol chose not to comment on it. Instead, he smiled back and intertwined their fingers before leading them into the orphanage to look around.
The other SEVENTEEN boys had already gone off in search of adventure. Mingyu, Jun, The8, and Dino went looking for a group of young teenagers with whom they had vowed to play another game of soccer when SEVENTEEN had visited the orphanage the previous time.
Hansol and Wonwoo went to the gardens, where there was a vast blanket spread out on the grass, as well as books and pillows strewn about. The staff have already prepared all of it before they even arrived. Reading books with the younger children while learning and having fun is a great way to connect and spend time with them.
Soonyoung and Jihoon went their separate ways. They were not on speaking terms, having had a heated argument the night before. Nobody understood what was at the heart of their conflict as they tossed various topics back and forth. Jihoon's enraged rants about his partner's misdeeds, and Soonyoung accused Jihoon of cheating, were all they heard.
The confrontation lasted until two in the morning when both sides withdrew furiously into their respective quarters.
Even though it had been hours since the argument, the two refused to reconcile and instead began avoiding each other like the plague. To Jihoon's dismay, Soonyoung went to hang out with Shownu and his friends. He has repeatedly warned Soonyoung not to associate with people like Shownu, but Soonyoung has remained deaf to his words.
The small male mentally cursed his partner for being obstinate before leaving to.....................play with babies?
Jeonghan insisted that he and Seungcheol go to the nursery first, and to their surprise, Jihoon, the smaller male, was also there, sleeping on the playmat under a pile of chubby little babies.
One baby slept on Jihoon's chest with a pacifier in his mouth and a chubby hand clutching Jihoon's shirt. The baby shifted and whined cutely, but showed no signs of waking up. Jihoon moved one of his arms sleepily to hold the baby in place, and then he slept like a log again.
Jeonghan squealed inside and would've taken a picture if his partner hadn't given him a half-disapproving, half-warning glance.
A sleeping Jihoon is probably the safest to be around, because being around an awake Jihoon, particularly one who is still angry, is like walking on a death trap. Better not do anything stupid to provoke a sleeping volcano, they say.
The couple quietly exited the room, deciding to return at a later time. They were walking down the hall when a four-year-old girl came out of nowhere and bumped into them. The little girl was running down the corridor when she collided with Seungcheol, nearly falling on her buttocks as if it hadn't been for Seungcheol's quick action of catching her.
"I'm so sorry, mister," the little girl apologized, her expression fearful. Jeonghan's heart melted. It had to be Seungcheol's solemn expression that frightened her.
"Don't be, princess. It was all by accident. Besides, no one got hurt." As he stood at the child's height and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ears, Jeonghan said. "May I inquire what this princess is fleeing?"
The little girl giggled before answering seriously after being named a princess and loving the nickname. "The bathtub, of course! I'm trying to get out of the shower! No baths! I despise baths!"
She stomped her foot on the ground, crossed her arms across her chest, and pouted angrily.
But in Jeonghan's eyes, her acts were simply precious, reminding him of a much younger version of himself who, like her, despises baths and considers the bathtub to be his number one enemy. Oh, the nostalgia.
Jeonghan wanted to join in the fun, so he pretended to look around before saying, in hushed tones, "Let me let you in on a little secret. Baths are something I despise as well. The bathtub is the scariest and most dangerous thing on the planet. We should eliminate them right away!"
The little girl seemed to have just received the world's most expensive Barbie. She let out a squeal and leaped into Jeonghan's arms, surprising the older man.
Jeonghan returned the awkward embrace from the little girl. With a beautiful smile on her lips, she backed away seconds later. "Mister, let's be friends forever!"
Seungcheol could feel himself falling in love with Jeonghan all over again as he nodded in agreement, flashing one of the most stunning smiles he'd ever seen. Jeonghan laughed heartily. "That's a fantastic idea! We'll be the Anti-Baths buds from now on!"
"Anti-Bath buds forever and ever!" guffawed the little girl.
Seungcheol could only laugh. His lover's antics were nothing new to him, but he still finds them funny whenever he sees one in action. The little girl abruptly shifted her gaze to Seungcheol. "What about you, sir? Do you despise baths as well?"
But before Seungcheol could respond, a female member of staff appeared and apologized to the two men. "Please accept my apologies if she was bothering you. I was so preoccupied with filling the tub that I failed to note her exiting the room."
With just a shake of his head, Jeonghan expressed his view of the situation. "Oh no, she was perfectly fine. She was lovely. We don't mind in the least." Seungcheol agreed with a smile.
The female staff member appeared relieved and smiled. "So, thank you very much for keeping her company. I'll take over from here. Just continue doing what you were about to do before she came, and please accept my apologies for the inconvenience." She gave a bow before lifting the little girl onto her hip.
Jeonghan had a thoughtful expression on his face, and it just took Seungcheol a second to find out what he was thinking about, and he couldn't help but want the same.
Seungcheol called the female staff back just as they were about to leave. As Seungcheol chuckled, she turned around confused, and Jeonghan just looked at his partner with the same perplexed expression.
With a gentle smile on his lips, Seungcheol spoke. "Actually, if you don't mind. My partner and I would like to spend more time with......" He paused as he motioned to the little girl, whose name they had yet to learn.
With a beautiful smile on her face, the little girl happily replied, "Lily, Lily! My name is Lily, and I'd like to introduce myself."
Before returning to the female staff, Seungcheol thanked the little girl now known as Lily. Jeonghan had figured out what was going on by this point, and he couldn't help but beam with delight at his partner. Seungcheol has an uncanny ability to make his heart skip a beat and make him feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
"If you would allow us, we would like to spend the rest of the day with Lily," Seungcheol added, still smiling.
Jeonghan's eyes practically twinkled with joy, and he squealed internally as he gazed at Lily like the priceless diamond she was. And when the female worker saw the two males' genuine intentions, she caved in.
She gave a brief nod and grinned. In her arms, Lily squeals with joy, liking, no, loving the thought of hanging out with her new friends. They are her new friends, and she adores them. Jeonghan also felt an immediate bond with the angelic little girl.
Jeonghan reminded Lily of her father, to be honest. Her daddy had already gone to the heavens with her mother. She misses her father and mother terribly, but Shina, a female member of the staff, assured her that her parents are happy now and that they would want their daughter to be happy as well.
Lily still tries her hardest to show her parents in the heavens that she's happy, and she knows she'll be fine now that she's met Jeonghan and Seungcheol. She'll never be lonely again.
"Of course she can hang out with you," the female worker, whose name tag read Shina, chuckled, "but after she takes her bath," Lily stopped smiling and actually glared at Shina at the mention of the bath.
Jeonghan chuckled at the child's adorable reaction and had an epiphany. "Instead, how about we give her a bath? Maybe she'd like that."
As Jeonghan said those things, he cast a glance at Lily, who instantly lit up at the prospect of spending time with her new favorite pair, even though she despises baths.
With big round eyes and a full-on pout, Lily made an adorable begging face at Shina right away. No one can really fight the influence of Lily's puppy dog eyes, so Shina had no choice but to give in. Even the couple got charmed and melted on the spot.
Lily squealed with delight as Shina nodded. She wrapped her arms around Shina's neck and kissed her on the cheek. Shina simply smiled and handed Lily over to Jeonghan, who had already reached out for the pair.
Jeonghan scooped up the little girl in his arms, and the three of them set off to the bathroom where Lily escaped earlier. Along the way, Lily's cheerful chattering followed them.
*********
At the Garden~~
Little children ranging in age from 4 to 8 sat on an outdoor play mat under the Gazebo. As a bespectacled man read them a tale, their eyes filled with wonder and awe.
It was their third book in as many hours, and the little kids showed no signs of boredom; instead, they were very attentive and engaged in the storytelling in their own cute little ways.
Wonwoo, the bespectacled man, sat in a small chair facing the children. He was reading a book about a never-growing-up boy and a pirate with a hook for a hand.
"Mr. Wonwon, is he going to be okay?" one child wondered. They were also at the point in the story where the boy got hurt while attempting to rescue the girl and his friends who had got kidnapped by the evil pirate.
Before Wonwoo could reply, another child spoke up "He'll be fine, of course; he's the stowy's hewo. Like Papa, all hewoes awe bwave and stwong!"
"But Erin, your Papa is no longer alive. That means he's as weak as you!" An older child retorted, and his peers agreed and laughed, some pointing fingers at the youngster.
Erin, the little boy, looked down at his lap, his lips trembling and tears streaming down his cheeks. Wonwoo sighed and felt his heartache, while Hansol shot a glare at the older kids, who stopped laughing right away.
Wonwoo sighed and gave Hansol a look that the latter recognized right away. "Well, I'm hungry. Anyone else?" he said as he turned to the children. Immediately, a swarm of tiny hands took to the air.
Hansol laughed, "So, what exactly are we waiting for? To the kitchen, please!" The kids cheered and leaped to their feet with glee. They surrounded Hansol as he carefully stood up with crutches in hand.
"Hyung, we'll be back later." Before leaving with the children, Hansol said that the older children, including those who harassed Erin, also left.
Wonwoo got up from his seat and walked over to where Erin was still sitting, his head down as silent tears continued to fall and wet his chubby cheeks. With an almost silent whimper, his lips trembled.
Wonwoo's heart was breaking at the sight. He sat cross-legged in front of the little boy with a gentle sigh. He gently cupped the child's cheek with one hand and made him look up at him. The broken and hurting expression on his little face struck Wonwoo deep inside.
Wonwoo wiped the tears away with his thumb with a soothing smile as Erin sniffled and looked up at him, his eyes overflowing with agony that someone as young as Erin should not have experienced yet. Wonwoo spoke softly as he cradled the child in his lap, his arms tightly encircling the child.
"Hush now little one, Hyung is here for you."