Chapter Text
Twinkle twinkle little star; how I wonder what you are! Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the Sky.
★
"I hope I don't mess up today. My throat didn't feel right during the soundcheck."
"Nicho, try not to overthink it. Relax."
"Easy for you to say, Heeseung. You're always doing great."
The five idols sat in the green room, the air thick with anticipation. Nicholas sat before the mirror, nervously adjusting his hair. They were all taking turns with their makeup. The first concert of their new tour was just under two hours away.
Heeseung, always the calm center, chuckled, though the unease in his eyes was evident.
"Doesn't mean I'm not stressed, right?" He played with his fingers absentmindedly. The rest of the group joined in his chuckle, but Nicholas couldn't shake the feeling that something was different today. He watched Heeseung for a moment longer before he stood up, tapping his legs to shake off his nerves. "I'm going to find a quiet spot to practice," he said, walking away with the look of someone who needed to retreat into his own mind.
Nicholas tilted his head, eyeing the group of members left behind. "He's way more stressed than usual, isn't he? I mean, I know we haven't toured in a while, but he's always either gaming or napping by now."
He leaned in closer to the others, but the makeup artist grabbed his chin, forcing him to sit up straight.
"Look straight."
They heard the manager calling from the back of the room. "Heeseung, the phone!" Heeseung quickly rose and rushed off, leaving the room in a hurry.
EJ leaned over and whispered to the others, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Well, this is the first time his brother and sister-in-law are coming to see him perform."
"I didn't know that," K raised his eyebrows.
"It's crazy, right? All these years and they've never come. I'd be stressed out."
"I'd be stressed out too," K added thoughtfully, before teasing, "Then again, when aren't you stressed, Ta-ki?" and got slapped in his arm in response. "It would be fun to see Heeseung cry tonight, though." K laughed out loudly, trying to find his friend in the crowd while the others joined in unison.
The teasing moment was short-lived. K's teasing smirk dropped when he noticed Heeseung. The mood shifted in an instant. In mere seconds, Heeseung fumbled with his phone, dropping it and struggling to pick it up. He seemed unsteady, pushing away his manager's hand, and storming out of the room.
For Heeseung, those few seconds felt like hours. His world blurred as tears welled up in his eyes. The heat rising in his chest felt suffocating. His heartbeat thundered in his ears, drowning out everything else.
When he heard the doctor's voice in his phone, it was as if the world had stopped. And it stopped. For his brother. For his sister-in-law.
They had died in that instant.
The doctor's voice rang out, cold and detached.
"The child doesn't have any serious injuries. His mother shielded him during the impact. We'll observe him overnight for any concussions, but we need a legal guardian's consent for further tests. According to your brother's insurance, you've been named the temporary guardian. Please come to the hospital as soon as possible."
His body reacted before his mind could catch up. Without thinking, he grabbed his phone and ran, leaving the green room and concert hall behind.
When he realized he had no car keys and no jacket, it hit him all at once. He was standing in front of hundreds of fans, exposed and frantic. Ignoring the chaos around him, he dashed to the nearest taxi. The world felt distant, almost unreal, as he told the driver the hospital's location.
As the taxi sped away, Heeseung glanced back one last time at the stadium. The place that once brought him life now was a reason his dear family's life was taken away. The irony wasn't lost on him. It was all because of him—he couldn't shake the thought that he was somehow to blame.
★
Sunoo walked into the classroom with bleary eyes, the early morning fog still lingering in his mind. It was early in the morning, and he was the first teacher to arrive in his group. He was the first teacher to arrive that day. After placing his bag on the table, he reached for the red apron, tightening it around his waist. A small stain from yesterday's painting session caught his eye-probably from a child who had accidentally touched him.
His gaze drifted around the room. It wasn't too messy, but there were still little tables to wipe down, dust and remnants of paint to remove.
He wondered, idly, if any of the kids might be allergic to dust.
As he wiped down the tables, he hummed a song that had been playing on the radio during his drive to work. The simple task helped clear his mind, but a single ray of sunlight suddenly hit him in the eyes, blinding him for a second and leaving behind a swirl of black dots. He blinked, shaking off the dizziness.
"Yo, hi Sunoo," A voice rang out, startling him. The man's loud greeting echoed in the hallway as he clapped the doorframe, passing by with a box full of meat. He disappeared into the kitchen at the end of the hall.
Sunoo flinched at the unexpected noise. He glanced out of the room and saw familiar black hair disappearing into the kitchen. "Fuck, Jay, scaring me like this..."
"Be careful, there could be kids around." Sunoo heard behind him, and so he flinched for the second time.
"Gosh, Jungwon! Can you be a bit louder, when you sneak up on me next time?" Sunoo grumbled, half-laughing as he turned to face the intern.
Jungwon smirked, his gaze drifting towards the kitchen. "He wore black today. Gorgeous."
"You say that every day, no matter what he wears," Sunoo replied, sighing as he placed a hand on Jungwon's back and guided him into the classroom.
"But today, he's extra gorgeous!" Jungwon said, his voice full of exaggerated excitement. He spun around before dropping his bag onto a chair. "You'll never get it."
"Not that I want to get it," Sunoo muttered, rolling his eyes as he handed Jungwon the cloth to take over the cleaning duties. He went over to the window to let in some fresh air before the kids arrived. The view was calming—one of the perks of his classroom, with the garden just outside.
"Teacher Sunoo?" A voice interrupted his moment of peace. He turned to find the principal standing in the doorway, a stern look on her face. She was dressed in a plaid shirt and black trousers, an unusual seriousness in her expression.
He saw an elderly woman standing in a doorstep with a troubled, but stern expression. She wore a plaid shirt, and black trousers.
"Good morning, Mrs. Principal," Sunoo greeted her with a warm smile, walking up to meet her. Jungwon quickly followed suit, bowing politely.
"Good morning," the principal replied, before turning her attention back to Sunoo. "Can I speak to you for a moment?"
"Of course. What's going on?" Sunoo's voice took on a note of concern, sensing the gravity in her tone.
"Come to my office. It's urgent," she said, nodding toward him before walking away without waiting for him to follow.
Jungwon watched them leave, his curiosity piqued. "If someone comes, you know what to do," Sunoo called back, leaving the intern behind.
"Yes, sir," Jungwon replied absentmindedly, still wondering what the principal had to say.
"It's about that Jaehyun kid from your group."
Jungwon's heart nearly stopped when he heard the voice behind him. He turned around, his smile almost escaping, when he saw Jay leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable, the smile quickly faded. Jay's gaze lingered on the teacher and the principal as they disappeared down the hallway.
"Mornin'," Jay greeted, his eyes slowly shifting to Jungwon.
The intern adjusted his apron and moved to the table closest to Jay, his voice barely a whisper as he responded.
"Morning," Jungwon replied, trying to focus on Jay's face, forcing his gaze away from the muscles visible under the tight black shirt. "What about Jaehyun?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued.
Jay sighed deeply and shoved his hands into his pockets.
"There was an accident a few days ago," he said solemnly, his tone dark. Jungwon's hand instinctively went to his mouth, his mind already racing with the worst-case scenarios. He'd heard about the accident on the news. "Jaehyun's parents died. The kid's in the hospital now. Nothing serious with him though."
"Nothing besides losing his parents... Oh my God." Jungwon's legs gave way, and he sat heavily on the table, staring down at the floor in shock, the weight of the news sinking in.
Jay stepped closer, his concern evident. "Are you alright?"
Jungwon nodded slowly, though the words felt hollow. "Mhm... It's just so sad." He paused, his voice shaky. "It's going to take a toll on his entire life..."
Jay tilted his head slightly, taking in Jungwon's distressed expression. He walked over and lowered his torso to place a hand on the younger man's shoulder in an uncharacteristically comforting gesture.
"How do you even know about it?" Jungwon asked, looking up.
"I know Jaehyun's uncle's... friends?" Jay's words were a bit tangled, but the intent was clear. He shrugged slightly, his gaze flickering away before returning. "It's a bit complicated, but that's what I heard." Jungwon didn't fully process the explanation, his mind still reeling from the news. "Are you sure you're alright?"
"Yeah, it's just..." Jungwon started, but his words faltered as his vision blurred. A wave of dizziness hit him suddenly, and for a moment, he thought he was going to collapse. But before he could fall, he felt Jay's arm around his waist, steadying him. Jungwon blinked, trying to regain his balance. "Sorry... I didn't eat breakfast yet," he mumbled awkwardly, embarrassed by the weakness he felt.
Jay chuckled softly, a bemused smile tugging at his lips. "You're already this skinny," he said, his voice light. He gave Jungwon's waist a quick squeeze before letting go. "I'll make you something. Just sit and wait."
He smiled and left immediately to the kitchen.
Jungwon watched as Jay walked away, confusion still clouding his thoughts. Normally, Jay hardly acknowledged his presence beyond polite greetings or the occasional brief small talk. The gesture of making him breakfast—something that had long been a dream of Jungwon's—should've made him happy. But the circumstances, the overwhelming sadness about Jaehyun's situation, left him numb. He sank into the chair, resting his face in his hands, trying to push away the flood of childhood memories. The familiar sting of unresolved pain tightened in his chest, and a few tears managed to escape, falling silently as he thought of the little boy who had just lost everything.
"Jaehyun is stable, right?" Sunoo asked, his voice tight. The woman nodded slowly, her expression softening. Sunoo's eyes were glossy as he processed the news—learning that the accident, which had been all over the news for the past two days, involved one of his own students. "Do we have the contact information for his legal guardian? Is he fostered? What does the situation look like right now?"
"His uncle is taking care of him while Jaehyun's in the hospital," the woman replied. "He's handling everything, but I'm not sure if Jaehyun will be able to return to preschool this month, or ever."
"I see... I just wanted to know if they need any help..." Sunoo's voice trailed off, but he nodded, trying to absorb the information.
"Sunoo, I know you're ambitious and kind-hearted," she said gently, "but you have to be here for the other kids. Don't worry too much. I can assure you that Jaehyun has the best specialists looking after him."
Sunoo nodded, his shoulders sinking with a quiet resignation. There was nothing more he could do now.
"I contacted the parents of the other children yesterday and advised them to talk to their kids about what happened," she continued. "That's why I don't want you to lie about Jaehyun's absence. But I need you to be extra cautious today. If any of the kids are making jokes or seem confused, sad, or affected by the situation, please keep a close eye on them. If you notice anything, contact their parents. A psychologist from the clinic will be here today to assist you."
"Yes, of course. Thank you," Sunoo replied, standing up from his chair, his mind already on the day ahead. "I'll head over now. The kids will be here soon."
"Sure, I'll leave you to it," she said with a nod before turning to leave.
★
WELCOME IN THE NEW FANFICTION THAT'S GOING TO BE EVIDENTLY HEESUN AND JAYWON BUT WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE
WHAT DO YOU THINK