A/N: I did not name the president just because, but I decided that they were familiar with each other because of the story flow. This update has a spoiler on it. I wonder if readers found out about it. :) Enjoy Reading!

 

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Chapter 11

Doyoung woke up feeling guarded. His body is tense and he knows immediately that he is in the hospital. 

The silence embraces him, afraid about his reality. The door opened with the same nurse from the last time. She smiles timidly at Doyoung's worried gaze. 

"I will call for Dr. Jin." She said and disappeared into Doyoung's eyes. 

"I'm glad you're tough." Dr. Jin said, his words are soft and it feels different to Doyoung. 

"Am I in trouble Hyung?" Doyoung asked. his eyes aren't looking at the doctor rather bowed his head, getting ready for the news. 

"As far as I know, you've been in trouble in your entire career." Dr. Jin jokes but the younger closes his eyes afraid that he will ruin everything, afraid of the outcome. 

"But you were born lucky. You're fine now." Dr. Jin mumbled, waiting for the younger one to look at him. 

"Did they know?" He questioned anxiously, looking like about to run in a snap. 

"Almost." Dr. Jin honestly said. He heard how Doyoung let go of his breathing and closed his eyes. The doctor looked at him with sympathy. 

"I thought I lost half of my life. It was so intense that-." Doyoung cut off his words when Dr. Jin spoke in a deep voice. 

 

"You almost lost your life Doyoung. You neglect sleep right?" He didn't answer but the silence confirmed it. Dr. Jin looked at him with awe but never said anything. Not a single thing that a doctor is supposed to do to his patient. 

 

"Well, I'm sorry," Doyoung whispered. He has no excuses. He knows his limits and tries to push himself. The sight of being a cold corpse while on the stretcher crosses his mind and brings a shuddering cold that squirms on the back of his neck.

 

"Tell me Hyung, what exactly happened after I passed out." Dr. Jin told him what happened and called Mr. Baek for assistance. Doyoung was listening but his expression was not showing. Dr. Jin said that he told Jaemin about it, receiving an exhausted gaze from Doyoung. It's a relief that the older members are still clueless about him. Doyoung mentally noted to treat Jaemin when he's back. 

--

That afternoon, day two of Doyoung awakening. Mr. Baek visited him. He was scolded for not telling him the emergency ahead of time and he was lucky because the members were a minute late. Doyoung quivered at the idea of almost getting caught. The members won't leave him alone when they learn about it. Thinking of the what-ifs are enthralling to Doyoung, it caught him off guard making his heart thump erratically. If only the sarcasm could be heard, Doyoung would be the one to muffle first.

He acquired his phone in three days. The memories of the blooded device lingered on his finger and the invisible sticky feeling did not leave Doyoung's imagination. Like a repeated disk, following him to his sleep. 

 

The next day is quiet. No visitors, no messages, but a lot of miss calls. It is the fifth day since he woke up. Doyoung is playing games on his tablet, diverting his thoughts to gain his sanity. The door opened wide and Doyoung thought it was his manager, ignoring the footsteps and concentrating on the game. 

 

"How are you feeling?" A deep voice startled Doyoung. His eye searches where those voices came from only to meet the gaze of an intimidating person he knew a long time ago, they stared at each other for a long time before Doyoung sighed. He knows that this will happen but not this sooner and he wasn't ready yet. This person who accepted him despite his illness cares for his well-being. 

 

"I'm feeling fine Mr. President." Tall, in his suit and an intimidating aura press the room smaller than it used to be. Doyoung's mouth formed a thin line, afraid that his frustration betrayed him. His body is already tense.

 

"Doyoung, Do you remember the first thing I told you when you join the company?" Doyoung tilted his head confused, gaze was written all over, the air conditioner of the room decreased as Doyoung recalled his words when he was a teenager and offered him to pursue his dreams.

 

"That you believe in me," Doyoung whispered, the old man snorted, nodding his head. 

 

"I also said that I will take care of you. What happened inside the company, Han Kyusoo was fired for neglecting his duty. He has a talent. I see him work harder but I never imagine that he would take his insecurities to my children." Doyoung witnesses how the man changes his expression quite often. He is the president of a big company but seeing him change tones in a day surprises Doyoung the most. His eyes widened while interpreting his words.

 

"Kyusoo was dismissed because he touched you. I'm disappointed with the company's incompetence and I apologize for not keeping my promise." Doyoung sighs, forgetting that this person is in the highest position. Years ago, he met him because of his father. They talked about the future and the young Doyoung admired the man who made his dreams possible. He thought that he had no hope of pursuing music but this man is the one who gave him a hand, allowing him to do things he loves. 

 

"You don't have to apologize. It's my incompetence that it happened." Doyoung bowed his head. The game he seriously played earlier is long gone. Game Over. And Doyoung thought that his life as an idol was over too. 

 

"Prepare yourself, change will soon come. Be strong till then." Doyoung grimaced while listening. The man put his hands to his pocket and looked seriously at Doyoung, it's fluttering and Doyoung's instinct warned him of bad news.

 

"Hiatus for a month. I will never forget the words I told you that day Doyoung-ah. Rest as much as you could. You're going home in a few days." 

 

--

Doyoung stayed in a daze after the president left. It's been thirty minutes yet the bomb that the old man told him rolled to his brain non-stop like a ball playing on edges.

Hiatus for a month...

 

"Hyung!" Doyoung snapped but Mr. Baek looked at him with awe, waiting for the younger to finally absorb his fate. 

 

"I told you last time that he will visit you." Mr. Baek said in defense but Doyoung is occupied enough to comprehend his words. 

 

"I don't want to be on a hiatus Hyung." Doyoung pleaded, his eyes are teary and Mr. Baek sighs because of it. 

 

"I told the members that you slip and you need time to recover." Mr. Baek muttered. He put the food on the table while looking at Doyoung whose eyes are big. 

 

"Argghhh!" Doyoung messed up his hair. He stayed frustrated for more days before it dawned on him that he's going home.... with his parents.

 

 

--

Mr. Baek called the members for a meeting. Jungwoo looked at them with awe when the conference room closed and he wasn't allowed to join them.  Dreams are also not included while Jaemin stayed looking at s with a blank expression in his eyes. He was informed by Doyoung first hand that's why Jaemin understands the situation. He listens to his hyung grumbling nonstop about his sudden hiatus but Jaemin listens to him with care and attention.

--

The atmosphere instantly gets heavier after closing the door. Johnny, Taeil, Jaehyun, Yuta, and Haechan all looked nervous because they knew that it was about Doyoung. 

 

"Doyoung is recovering fine and the management advised him to take a hiatus for a month." Mr. Baek started, his voice low, testing the water while studying the members' expressions.

 

"We need to see him," Jaehyun mumbled but Mr. Baek shook his head. 

 

"The only thing that I could say to you is that Doyoung is doing fine. He didn't know that you knew about his accident. He told me not to tell anyone because doesn't want to worry s." Taeil's eyes are in anguish after hearing their manager, absorbing that the younger wanted to keep it to himself and it's the oversight on his part as the oldest. 

 

"Don't take it as a cynical thing. Doyoung said that you will feel bad because of the sight. He wishes the members to focus on the practice... And he is sorry for not being with you at this time." Mr. Baek finished his statement, the way Doyoung instructed him to say to the members. 

 

Mr. Baek remembered the important thing Doyoung told him to say to the members.

"Just promise that you won't tell anyone about this. Even for Taeyong." Yuta flinches when their leader's name is brought out. He is one of the closest to Doyoung and Yuta didn't know what kind of reactions he would make if he knew about it. The members are aware of their close bonds and remain silent with it. 

 

"I tell the other members that Doyoung has personal matters at home. Also, this doesn't require you to lie. If anyone asks you, tell them to talk to me." Mr. Baek and Doyoung don't want to push the members more than necessary. He doesn't want them to lie for him, that's why Doyoung made those arrangements. 

 

"I will not tell." Haechan is the first one to agree to it. Being the maknae doesn't really make him clueless. Haechan believes that his hyung has his reasons to think of those and only cares about the group's welfare. 

 

"Haechan!" Taeil protested but kept his mouth shut. The maknae looked at him with awe. 

 

"It will only cause complications for Doyoung hyung if the members found out... I know I'm young but Hyung, he is thinking of us as a whole." Haechan mumbled, his voice was sluggish and understanding. Taeil shook his head but as the oldest of all of them, he embraced the decision Doyoung made. But Taeil wished that Doyoung would be more dependent on them. He doesn't like the idea of him being alone and prioritizing the members when he is the one in pain. 

 

"I also agree. I believe in Doyoung." Johnny said, nodding his head. 

 

"I'm not but I have no choice!" Yuta said, scowling, earning a smirk from Johnny.

"I am too." Jaehyun's expressions and voice are different. His frown is deep and like he was thinking of a scenario. His guts tell him something is wrong and their manager is hiding something. Taeil is too emotional to point it out while Haechan is thinking for the group but Jaehyun knows how sharp the kid is. Yuta isn't convinced. His face is apathetic but Jaehyun knows that the whole thing is bull, probably a scheme to muzzle them. 

 

Jaehyun's eyes met with Johnny. Those stares aren't typical either. Jaehyun sighs while dismissing his current opinion. He knows that there will be changes coming to them and Jaehyun is afraid that it will fume them and be devastating more than what they think.