*Han's Recovery – Day by Day*
*Day 1-2: The Wobbly Start*
Han was awake for real now, but "awake" and "functional" were two different things. Sitting up made his head spin. Standing made the whole room tilt. Taejoon basically didn't leave his side, hovering with a hand out like Han was a newborn deer.
The first time Han tried to walk to the bathroom, he made it three steps before his knees buckled. Taejoon caught him, Alexander caught Taejoon, and they all ended up in a pile against the wall.
"Graceful," Harrison said from the doorway.
"Shut up," Han and Taejoon said at the same time.
Alexander just sighed and hauled both of them up. "This is why we need a schedule."
*Day 3-4: The Rotation Begins*
That's when the "Han-sitting rotation" started. Taejoon refused to be left out, so Alexander made him team leader out of pure exhaustion.
Mornings were Taejoon. He'd bring water, force Han to eat, and argue with him about taking one more step than yesterday. "It's not a race," Taejoon would say, while literally counting Han's steps out loud.
Afternoons were the idols. Jace would read to him — badly, with all the wrong voices — while Kai tried to teach him meditation. Han fell asleep every time. Adriel just sat there looking guilty, like Han collapsing was personally his fault, until Han threw a pillow at him and told him to quit moping.
Evenings were Alpha Boys chaos. Lorenzo tried to make him laugh to "test his lung capacity." Ace challenged him to thumb wars to "rebuild strength." Hudson brought him protein bars that tasted like cardboard. Caleb kept bringing blankets even when Han was sweating. Harrison would just sit there and call Han an idiot every ten minutes, which Han said was weirdly motivating.
*Day 5-7: Walking Practice & Public Humiliation*
Walking was the worst part. Han's legs would shake after five steps, and his pride hurt more than his muscles.
The first time he made it down the hall without help, everyone cheered like he'd won a war. Then he tripped on air and would've face-planted if the two Adriels hadn't caught him at the same time. They made eye contact again. It was still awkward.
"Stop naming people the same thing," Han grumbled from where he was dangling between them.
Taejoon started making obstacle courses out of chairs. "Physical therapy," he called it.
"Public humiliation," Han called it, especially when he missed a turn and walked straight into a chair while all six Alpha Boys were watching.
Ace recorded it. For "medical progress," he claimed.
*Week 2: Funny Moments & Setbacks*
Han got better, but not without setbacks. One day he pushed too hard, got dizzy, and had to be half-carried back to bed by Lorenzo and Kai.
"Put me down," Han grumbled. "I'm not a sack of rice."
"You're about as heavy as one right now," Lorenzo shot back. "Eat more."
Taejoon threatened to ban everyone from the room if Han relapsed again. Nobody listened.
The funny moments kept him sane. Like when Hudson tried to "spot" Han during walking practice and ended up tripping over his own feet, taking them both down. Or when Caleb built a pillow fort around Han's bed "so he feels safe," and then refused to leave it. Or when Jace tried to sing healing songs and made Han's headache worse.
"Your voice is the real medical emergency," Han told him. Jace was offended for exactly three minutes.
*Week 3: Almost Normal*
By week three, Han could make it from the bed to the window without help. He'd stand there, staring out at the castle grounds, while Taejoon pretended not to watch him like a hawk.
Alexander started bringing him reports, easing him back into group stuff. "Only if you sit," he'd warn. Han would last ten minutes before trying to stand and prove a point.
The idols started dragging him to meals. Walking there was still slow, with Taejoon on one side and usually Harrison or Kai on the other. If Han stumbled, there were always three hands reaching for him before he could hit the ground.
"Stop catching me," Han snapped one day.
"Stop falling," five people snapped back.
*Week 4: Brat Energy Returns*
That's when they knew he was really getting better — the attitude came back full force.
He started teasing Taejoon for the dark circles that hadn't fully faded. "Who's the patient now?"
He stole Ace's phone and deleted the chair-crashing video. Ace acted betrayed for a whole day.
He beat Harrison at thumb wars three times in a row and demanded a trophy. Lorenzo whittled one out of wood. It was terrible. Han displayed it proudly.
He still got tired fast. Still had days where his legs wouldn't cooperate. But now when he wobbled, someone would loop an arm through his without making a big deal of it. Taejoon still hovered, but he was sleeping in actual beds again instead of chairs. Alexander stopped looking like he was carrying the weight of the world.
the infamous "Chair Obstacle Course Incident"
It was a Tuesday. Han had been cleared to walk the length of the hall twice a day, "with assistance," which Taejoon took to mean "with Taejoon glued to his side like a bodyguard."
But Taejoon was paranoid. So he'd set up chairs. Four of them, zig-zagged down the corridor.
"Physical therapy," Taejoon declared, arms crossed. "You have to weave through them. Builds balance."
Han stared at him, then at the chairs, then back at him. "You've lost your mind."
"It's doctor approved," Taejoon lied.
Alexander walked by, took one look at the setup, and kept walking. "Not getting involved."
Han sighed, pushed off the wall, and started. Taejoon hovered two inches from his elbow, hands twitching like he was ready to catch a falling vase.
Chair one: success. Han shuffled around it, slow but steady.
Chair two: also fine. He even shot Taejoon a smug look. "See? I don't need—"
That's when the Alpha Boys and idols showed up. All at once. Because of course they did.
"Ooh, what's this?" Lorenzo asked, leaning against the wall with Ace.
"Han's agility training," Hudson supplied, already grinning.
"Place your bets," Harrison muttered. Caleb immediately pulled out coins.
"Don't you all have jobs?" Taejoon snapped.
"Nope," said Kai cheerfully. Jace was already pulling up a chair to watch. The two Adriels stood on opposite sides of the hall,
Han's face went red. "I hate all of you."
"Focus," Taejoon said, pointing at chair three. "Ignore them."
Han took a deep breath and went for it. He was halfway around when Ace called out, "Ten bucks he hits the next one!"
Han's head snapped toward him. "I will not—"
_Thud._
He walked shin-first into chair four. It didn't even fall over. He just… bonked it and froze, caught between pain and embarrassment.
The hallway went silent for half a second.
Then it exploded.
Lorenzo wheezed. Harrison lost it. Hudson was doubled over. Caleb looked torn between laughing and checking if Han was okay. Jace was wiping tears. Kai had his phone out — "For medical records!" he insisted.
"Delete that," Han said weakly.
"Absolutely not," Ace said, already saving the video. "This is progress. You engaged with an obstacle."
Taejoon was the only one not laughing. He was checking Han's shin, crouched down with a furious look on his face. "Are you okay? Does it hurt? I told them to—"
"Taejoon," Han cut him off, grabbing his sleeve. His face was still red, but now he was fighting a smile too. "I'm fine. It's just my pride. Which is already dead."
"You're sure?" Taejoon looked up, still worried.
"Yeah." Han glanced at the crowd of traitors laughing at him, then back at Taejoon. He lowered his voice. "But if you don't laugh too, I'm gonna be mad."
Taejoon stared at him. Then, despite himself, a laugh broke out of him. Short, surprised, but real.
Han grinned, victorious. "There he is."
"Okay, okay, show's over," Alexander's voice boomed from the end of the hall. He'd come back. "Han, back to your room. You too, physical therapist."
Taejoon stood, offered Han his arm, and muttered, "I'm banning chairs."
"Good," Han said, leaning on him heavily as they started back. "Ban audiences too."
Behind them, Ace was already replaying the video for Lorenzo. "Look, look, right here — the moment he chooses violence against the chair—"
"I hate you all," Han called over his shoulder.
"No you don't!" seven people yelled back.
Taejoon didn't say anything. He just adjusted his grip on Han's arm and kept walking, hiding a smile.
Alright — the "stairs incident" it is 😊
*Week 2, Day 5 of recovery. The Stairs.*
Han had been doing good. Two full laps of the hallway, no chairs involved. He was getting cocky about it. Which is why he looked at the main staircase and said, "I can do that."
Taejoon went pale. "Absolutely not."
"I'm not asking," Han said, already eyeing the banister like it personally offended him. "I'm telling. I'm fine. I did the hall. Stairs are just a vertical hall."
"That is not how physics works," Alexander said from behind them. He'd been summoned by Hudson, who had a sixth sense for incoming disasters.
"It's three steps," Han argued. "Then a landing. I'm not climbing the whole tower."
"It's twelve steps to the landing," Caleb corrected quietly. He'd counted. Twice.
"Traitor," Han muttered.
Taejoon stepped in front of him, blocking the first step with his whole body. "Doctor said no stairs for another week."
"Doctor isn't here," Han pointed out. "You are. So spot me."
"I'm not helping you fall to your death for your ego."
"It's not ego, it's—" Han paused. "Okay it's like 40% ego. But 60% I'm sick of this floor."
Before Taejoon could argue, the rest arrived. Because of course they did. News traveled fast in this place.
Lorenzo showed up with popcorn. Actual popcorn. "Heard there's a show."
Ace was already setting up his phone on the banister. "For medical documentation."
"Delete your entire camera roll," Han told him.
Jace and Kai appeared with Adriel — idols' Adriel — who looked nervous. "Maybe we should wait?"
"Too late," Harrison said, cracking his knuckles. "He's got that look. He's gonna do it even if we tie him down."
Hudson just positioned himself at the bottom of the stairs, arms out. "I'll catch whatever falls. Body or pride."
"Comforting," Han said.
Alexander sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. One step. If your knees wobble, we're done. Taejoon, left side. I've got right."
"I don't need—"
"You do," Taejoon and Alexander said together.
So they did it. Han, with Taejoon on his left and Alexander on his right, both hovering but not touching yet. The whole group lined the stairs like the world's most judgmental audience.
Step one: fine. Han's leg held. He breathed out.
Step two: also fine. He was sweating, but he was fine.
Step three: he got cocky. "See? Told you. I could run these if—"
His knee chose that exact second to remember it was made of jelly. It didn't buckle, but it _wobbled_. Hard.
Taejoon and Alexander grabbed him instantly, one under each arm. Han didn't fall. But his foot slipped off the step and he ended up dangling between them, toes barely scraping the stair.
Silence.
Then Lorenzo: "And he's flying!"
The whole staircase burst into laughter. Even Alexander was hiding a smile behind his hand.
"Put me down," Han hissed, face flaming. "I had it."
"You had air," Hudson called from below. "Lots of air."
Taejoon was not laughing. He was checking Han's leg, his face all scrunched up. "Done. We're done. Back to the room."
"But I was—"
"Nope." Alexander was already turning him around, still holding him up. "You proved you can get two and a half steps. Congratulations. We'll try three tomorrow."
They maneuvered him back down — which was somehow more undignified than going up — while the peanut gallery provided commentary.
"He flew like a majestic sack of potatoes," Ace narrated for his video.
"He had form," Lorenzo argued. "Ten out of ten on the dangle."
"Delete. That," Han said again, from where he was being frog-marched down the hall by Taejoon.
"I'll consider it," Ace called back.
Back in the room, Taejoon dumped him on the bed with more care than the motion implied. He stood there, breathing hard, staring at Han.
"Say it," Han mumbled, staring at the ceiling. "Say 'I told you so.'"
Taejoon was quiet for a second. Then he sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm just glad you're stupid in front of me instead of alone."
Han blinked. Looked over. Taejoon wasn't mad. He was… relieved. Like catching Han was better than not being there to catch him.
"...Thanks," Han said, quiet. "For the save."
"Yeah, well." Taejoon shrugged, ears pink. "Don't get used to it. Next time I'm letting you meet the floor."
"Liar."
"Probably."
A knock at the door. Harrison's voice: "We brought ice cream. For the brave stair warrior."
"And to watch the video again," Lorenzo added unhelpfully.
Han dropped his head back against the pillow and groaned. Taejoon just started laughing, quiet but real.
"Come in," Han yelled. "Since I can't escape anyway."