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Keun Sejin was enjoying their 10-long day of vacation. Away from the spotlight and the never-ending practices. Their job is fun, really. But a time-off like this was a luxury and he intends on basking it all in. He did revel in it, yes, and would have continued until the last day if the group didn’t receive strange responses from their Tibetan fox.
Although it went unnoticed for the first few messages, the suspicion arose when “Moondae” refuses singing for Raebin’s grandmother. Their member may be expressionless most of the time, but he’s not cold hearted to refuse a simple favor like that.
His suspicion grew even more when Moondae apparently booked a hotel room to rest and had gone radio-silent afterwards. It’s honestly not like him to do these. His instinct tells him that something was awfully strange. So, Keun Sejin whipped out his smartphone and immediately dialed for their leader.
Ryu Chungwoo picked up the phone after a few rings. “Sejin-ah?”
“Hyung. Have you seen Moondaemoondae’s responses recently?” His voice carried a tinge of worry, a huge opposite to his usual cheerful tone. “He’s not the type to send messages like that.”
After spending several months, including the harsh times spent during Idol Inc., Chungwoo had already came to learn about Moondae as a person. He may not be as close as he is to Moondae compared to the same-age line yet, but he knows him enough to think that the man wouldn’t act that indifferent to his members.
“Hm. You noticed it too?” Chungwoo responded. recalling the messages they received. “Sejin reached out to me too. He’s been in contact with Moondae these past few days and was very much confused by the responses. Do you think something happened?” Keun Sejin could hear the absence of their leader’s usual calm demeanor.
It’s not really the first time something happened to Moondae during a vacation. They could still clearly recall how high his fever was when they were given their first days off. As much as Moondae wanted no one to know, Keun Sejin was grateful he had gone back to the dorms on that day so he could find him sick. Moondae probably would’ve slept all day, without doing anything with it.
Honestly, Keun Sejin might have nagged Moondae’s ears off then if he weren’t ill. The man always does things alone and it was frustrating to say the least.
“I don’t know, Hyung. Should we meet up? I have a bad feeling about this.”
“Of course. I’ll send you a location so we could meet halfway.” The two members met up amidst their 10-long day vacation. If this whole thing was a bust and Moondae was legitimately in a hotel, enjoying his days, whereas they’re here worrying their butts off, Keun Sejin will really nag his ears off until he feels satisfied.
But for now, he let himself be worried.
Keun Sejin tried reading Moondae’s responses once more, thinking how it was both similar and different from how he usually replies. His mind tells him that they’re overreacting, but this feeling deep down his gut tells him otherwise.
“Let’s try calling the others to check if they’ve noticed anything weird as well.” Chungwoo suggested.
The younger member gently shook his head to whisk away the negative thoughts and dialed the members’ numbers one by one. It took several minutes to confirm that the members have been receiving odd responses from Moondae as well.
Both men looked at each other with a frown. This was not normal.
“I think it might be best to just call Moondae.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.”
With clammy hands, Keun Sejin dialed Moondae’s number. Is this feeling just an overreaction? Why is that the thought of something happening to their member seems too frightening?
He felt a soft pat on his shoulder making him glanced at his leader who’s offering him some kind of support he didn’t know he needed.
The phone continued to ring its steady beat, a huge contrast to Keun Sejin’s erratic heart. They both waited with bated breath and immediately breathed a sigh of relief when Moondae picked up.
He perked up. “Oh! You picked up—”
“I’m... at the dorm...” Worry returned its way back to his body, his heart pounding with fear. Keun Sejin clutched his phone. “Don’t call...119... need... doctor...”
“Wait.” His brain didn’t quickly register the tone of the other man’s voice. “...what?”
“Don’t... tell... agency... Please...”
When he realized Moondae sounded hurt, he panicked. “Moondae? Ya! Park Moondae!” He stared at his phone as the call dropped. With trembling hands, he tried to dial his number again, but a hand stopped him.
“Come on.” Chungwoo dragged the man by the wrist, seemingly understanding his reaction. He let go of the man and quickly started the car.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
He knew it. His body knew it. And he was right. The moment he saw Moondae collapsed on the floor, with obvious signs of physical abuse, the scream he wanted to let out since the car ride lodged in his throat. And he just freezes at the sight, cold sweat trickling on his back.
"...jin! ... Sejin! Lee Sejin!" Ryu Chungwoo's concerned voice shook him out of his stupor. "We need to get him to the hospital! Call 911!"
With his phone in his hand, he quickly dialed 119 but suddenly stopped. "Moondae doesn't want to call 119." He mumbled to himself.
"What?"
"Moondae doesn't want to call 119." He voiced out. Why? Why doesn't he want to? Keun Sejin had the urge to yell at the collapsed man on the floor. Does he have some kind of master plan again? A reason that justified this insane request?
But at the back of his mind, he knows damn well the reason why. For Moondae, calling an ambulance will attract the attention of people, which will definitely spark controversies that could hurt Testar. The man is too careful. Too damn protective of this team.
Keun Sejin gritted his teeth. "Hyung, we can't call 119. Moondae doesn't want to. Could we just haul him up to your car and drive to the hospital?"
Chungwoo gave him an incredulous look. The man went silent for a moment, clearly making his own calculations on his mind and ending it with a click of his tongue, something Sejin’s not used to hearing from him.
"... Okay. Help me get him up." As he began moving Moondae, the unconscious man winced at the touch. With his experience with injuries, Chungwoo quickly knew. "He injured his ribs."
The younger member bit his lips, eyes burning with unshed tears at the sight. His eyes went back to their leader.
Chungwoo quickly took off to their rooms and left Sejin with the pale looking Moondae. He had a moment to observe the man while he waited. His heart is still pounding from adrenaline and dread.
His hand reaches out to touch his unconscious member's face but was abruptly stopped by Ryu Chungwoo's hurried steps behind him. With a DIY stretcher in his hands, their leader immediately placed it beside Moondae.
"Come on. We have to roll his body into the stretcher. Make sure that we don't move his injured ribs."
Keun Sejin summoned all his will to stop himself from thinking of anything other than to save Moondae. His mind still raced but his hands began to swiftly help their leader.
Finally, both had managed to haul Moondae into the car and hurriedly drove to the emergency room.
Two pairs of eyes stared at Moondae being gurney away into the emergency room.
With Chungwoo walking away for a second to contact their manager, Keun Sejin was left alone, anxiously staring at the pale white door of the room, the red neon sign reflecting on his face.
The doctor emerged from the door after a few hours. "Are you Mr. Park's family or guardian?" He asked.
Both men nodded, faces contorted with concern.
"Mr. Park has sustained sprains on both wrists, which would take approximately three weeks to heal with proper care. Hairline fractures in two of his ribs, these typically require around four weeks to recover. And the bruise on his arms and legs are less severe and should resolve more quickly."
Both Chungwoo and Sejin's shoulders sagged as the doctor continued to report Moondae's several injuries.
Who would do this? And why?
"Was he--" Keun Sejin choked on his words but still carried on. "Was he physically injured by a person?"
The doctor gave them a sympathetic look. "Yes, these injuries he suffered were inflicted by another person. I'm very sorry."
Those words came crashing down on them, unable to believe that it had happened to someone they know. Someone they cherish.
"Please rest assured that we will closely monitor his condition and ensure that he makes a full recovery." With that, the doctor left the two standing in the hallway.
All the rush of adrenaline drained out of their bodies, their legs trembled but willed themselves to land on the hospital chairs. A few minutes passed by with no sounds, no words coming out of their mouths. Only the deep breathing of two exhausted and devastated people.
Keun Sejin and Chungwoo would have stayed gazing at the emergency door until something, or someone comes out of it until Bae Sejin came barreling down the hallway.
“Where is he?!”
-end-