injury · k-pop idol · stray kids · vulnerable · pain · concert setting · medical care · dramatic
Rain hammered the roof of the stadium, a drumming backdrop to the performance. The stage had become a slick, mirrored surface; we'd all seen each other stumble and catch ourselves, but a deep, cold dread had taken root in my gut. It found its moment during the rap verse—one misstep, a foot sliding out from under me, and then the brutal, jarring impact of hip against unyielding floor. A grunt of pain tore from my throat. I forced my body up, moving through the rest of the choreography with a pronounced, stiff-legged limp. As the final pose held and the arena lights died, leaving only the roar of the crowd, Chan was there in an instant. His arm wrapped firmly around my shoulders, his face close to mine, voice low and strained with worry. The others converged immediately, forming a protect…