Beneath the Leadership
In the practice room of Pledis Entertainment, the sound of sneakers squeaking against the floor filled the air. It was a warm afternoon, and SEVENTEEN was deep into their pre-debut training, pushing themselves to the limit. Joshua felt his eyes drawn to S.Coups, their strong leader, who seemed to command the whole room with his presence.
Joshua
(adjusted his position as he followed the choreography, glancing over at Seungcheol , who was talking with hoshi about the new steps)
S coups
Alright, everyone! Let’s take it from the top.
Hoshi
Remember, energy is key !
As the members fell into formation, Joshua noticed the strain on Seungcheol’s face. He was pushing himself harder than anyone else, and Joshua began to see how much he neglected his own well-being for the group.
Later that day, during a break, Joshua leaned against the wall, watching the others laugh. But his gaze kept drifting back to Seungcheol, who was quietly discussing strategies with Woozi and Hoshi his brow furrowed in concentration.
Hoshi
Hyung, I really think we should revise the choreography. The transitions are too abrupt
S coups
I get what you’re saying, but we don’t have much time left. We need to finalize everything soon, or we won’t be ready for the showcase
Woozi
I understand, but pushing everyone too hard might backfire. Remember how exhausted we were last week?
S.Coups sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
Hoshi
But I just want to make sure we’re perfect.
S coups
I also don’t want anyone to think we didn’t give it our all.
Woozi
We can still aim for perfection without burning out. Just trust in your team. We’re all in this together.
S coups
Okay, let’s take a break and then revisit it. I’ll talk to the others and see how they feel.
Joshua couldn’t help but admire Seungcheol’s dedication, but he also wished he could ease that weight on his shoulders.
Joshua
(thinking)Why does he always put so much pressure on himself? He’s so intense
At that moment, Joshua felt something shift inside him. He realized he admired Seungcheol more than he thought
this feeling was deeper than respect.
Days later, after a tough practice, the members were gathered in the lounge, clearly exhausted. Dino sat hunched over, staring at his phone, looking upset and scared . Joshua walked over to him.
Joshua
Hey, Dino. What’s wrong?
Dino
(Dino hesitated and scared to see joshua, but he decided to show Joshua his phone screen. There were a series of unsettling messages from a fan who had been stalking him online.)
Dino
They keep sending me these weird messages. I don’t know what to do, shua hyung I am so scared I don't know what to do (eyes filled with tears)
Joshua
(frowning) That’s really concerning. Have you told Seungcheol about it?
Dino
( Shook his head, looking down.)
Dino
I didn’t want to bother him with this. He’s got enough on his plate already.
Joshua
(gently) Dino, this is important. You shouldn’t feel like you can’t reach out for help. We’re a team. If something’s bothering you we should handle it together.
Just then, Seungcheol walked inHe noticed Dino’s distress and approached him with a serious look.
S coups
Dino is something bothering you Just tell me everything
Dino
(looked up at Scoups, his eyes wide.)
Dino
But I don’t want to cause any trouble
S coups
It’s not trouble. It’s about your safety. No one should have to deal with this alone. Just tell me what’s going on.
Joshua
(encouragingly) Dino, you can trust Scoups. He’ll make sure you’re safe. Just share what you’ve been experiencing
Dino
(took a deep breath) Okay… I’ve been getting these messages. They say things like they know where I am and that they want to meet up. It’s really creepy
Joshua felt his heart race at Dino’s words, his protective instincts kicking in.
Joshua
That’s really serious Dino. I’m glad you came to us. We’ll figure this out I promise.
S coups
And if anyone crosses the line, they’ll have to deal with us. We’ll talk to the company about getting you the support you need.
Joshua couldn’t help but admire Seungcheol’s unwavering support He thought to himself He’s always there for us. But what about him?
later that night Joshua overheard Seungcheol on the phone late at night, his voice hard, commanding.
S coups
Find out who’s behind the messages. I don’t care how you do it, just handle it. And make sure they know who they’re dealing with.
Not long after there debut
Jun was shaken after a fan signing event. shua approached him noticing the way his hands fidgeted as he spoke.
Jun
They kept pushing me for a photo and I felt really uncomfortable. I kept saying no but they wouldn’t stop
Jun
I thought it would be fine, but it just… felt too invasive. I didn’t know how to get away from them
shua was about to saw something when Scoups walked in sensing the tension in the air. He quickly approached Jun his expression serious.
S coups
Jun, what happened? I heard some commotion outside.
Jun
I just had a rough encounter with a fan. They wouldn’t take no for an answer, and it made me feel really uncomfortable.
Seungcheol’s expression hardened, his protective instincts kicking in.
S coups
No one should ever make you feel like that. I’ll talk to the company about how we can better handle these situations. You’re safe with us I promise.
Jun
Thanks, hyeong. I just didn’t want to cause any trouble…
S coups
It’s not trouble Your well-being is my priority If something like this happens again don’t hesitate to let me know right away I won’t let anyone hurt you.
Joshua
You know we’re all here for you too, Jun. You don’t have to face this alone. If you ever feel uncomfortable, just let us know.
Jun
Thanks Joshua. I appreciate it. I just didn’t expect something like this to happen…
S coups
We’re in this together. You’re not just a member of SEVENTEEN; you’re family. We protect our family
As Jun began to relax, Seungcheol’s fierce protectiveness made Joshua reflect on the responsibility their leader carried.
Joshua
(thinking ) scoups is always so strong for us. But who is looking out for him?
One late night, after a long day, Joshua wandered into the kitchen for a snack. As he poured a glass of water, he overheard raised voices outside. Curious, he looked out the window.
His heart dropped when he saw Seungcheol confronting a man who had been harassing the group for weeks. The man looked tough, but Seungcheol stood his ground.
S coups
If you come near any of my members again you’ll regret it.
The intensity in scoups voice was frightening yet admirable. Joshua held his breath, feeling a mix of fear and pride for his leader’s fierce protectiveness.
Later that night Joshua lay in bed replaying everything in his mind. He couldn’t shake the feeling that his admiration for scoups had turned into something deeper. He admired scoups strength but also felt scared about the darkness surrounding him.
Joshua
(Thinking)I need to take this slowly.I can’t just rush in and complicate things
Joshua had come to understand that his feelings for cheol went far beyond simple admiration. It wasn’t just respect for his leadership or how he protected the members it was something deeper
He could sense that scoups felt it too, but the weight of leadership always seemed to blind him to what was right in front of him.
Joshua smiled to himself deciding to take things slowly. He didn’t want to overwhelm scoups not when he was already carrying so much responsibility. But deep down, Joshua knew what he wanted and it was s coups . All he had to do now was wait for the right moment.
That’s how it started, innocently enough during their training days
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