Percentile || Ateez

46%

   The next hour Hongjoong checked in with him and it felt like a stab in Seonghwa's gut. The concern in his dear friend's voice was apparent and he was the last one he wanted to hear such hurt from. Seonghwa could feel himself losing it, the tears drawing ever closer and his will straining as each minute passed. He had to make it to see the members, he had to see the members. They'd done all of this for him, they'd been concerned about him for this long... he had to see them. Even if it was for the last time.

   The hour after Wooyoung called in, it sounded like they were on a busy street. They must've been walking to wherever they were off to next, "Hyung!" He heard him call affectionately, the teasing nature he always held with the older. It was practically the basis of their entire bond, he would've been more worried if he changed his character just because of the circumstances as of late.

     "Wooyoung, where are you guys?"

     "Hm? Oh I... honestly don't remember. We're walking somewhere real quick though before we head back. Yunho is leading the way so I'm not entirely sure where we're going but I trust him." The younger member chuckled out, "What are you up to hyung?"

     "Oh you know just... relaxing, my music playing as usual. Nothing new over on my end." Seonghwa tried his best to say words that would not concern the other, as he did with everyone else. Though he knew they all had a horrible habit of reading the eldest like a book. He wasn't sure how they'd managed to get so close to the point he was so easy to understand but it certainly made life easier most of the time when he didn't have to explain himself all the time. When the members could simply just... understand. It made it easier to feel his pain when he knew he didn't have to do the impossible and put it into words. They simply knew and then knew how to take care of it accordingly since they knew his interests, his comfort material. They knew him.

     "Seonghwa hyung!" Wooyoung called, pulling him out of his head.

     "Huh? Yeah? Sorry."

     "Mingi wants to talk to you, is that okay?" Seonghwa found it nice that the other was asking before he passed it off. Even if he assumed it would be fine he still verified. Of course he gave the okay but it was the thought that made his smile brighten a bit.

     "Hyung!" Mingi said excitedly, which was both odd and adorable sounding due to his vocal range, "I'd been meaning to tell you that earlier today Wooyoung kept whining about missing you. He made it a competition as to who missed you the most, him and San fought over first place."

   The information left Seonghwa with a content sigh. The thought of all the members fighting over how much they all missed Seonghwa left him almost in tears at how much they all worried over him. He tried not to let it out while he could be heard and instead simply thanked him for informing him about the occurrence,

     "Tell them that I beat them all. I miss them the most." Seonghwa decided to play along with his band mates as he regularly did. He enjoyed indulging the members in their fun, it always ended up being fun for himself as well.

   Seonghwa ended up sitting on the phone with them for longer than anticipated, he wanted to enjoy the conversation they all were having. While it started off as just him and Mingi it of course eventually made its way to the rest of the members as well. Every conversation over the phone ended up this way when it came to the bandmates. When one were on the phone with each other, the others would somehow eventually hear and then it ended up being a group conversation unless otherwise specified that it needed to be personal.

   Then came the empty feeling when they said goodbye again. His tears that he held back immediately coming back to bite him in the ass as they began to pour out of his eyes. The feeling of him collapsing rapidly and he didn't have the strength to fight against it.