Background: Chuseok, also known as Hangawi, is a Korean Thanksgiving Day and one of the most important and festive holidays of the year. Hangawi means the middle of autumn according to the Lunar calendar. Chuseok falls on the 15th of the eighth month in the Lunar calendar. When we compare the Lunar Calendar to our regular one, Chuseok falls in between September and October.

During Chuseok, people celebrate their ancestors, show their gratitude to them and spend time with their families. They also enjoy playing traditional Korean games, carrying out vibrant traditions, customs and eating a delicious array of dishes such as Songpyeon (rice cake filled with beans, sesame seeds and chestnuts), Japchae (stir-fried Ramen) and Jeon (Korean pancakes made up of fish, eggs, sweet potato, flour and veggies).

Prompt:

Fall, when all of our flowers are fading away. It should be bittersweet, right? Well, it would be, if Chuseok's renewal times weren't here to save you. In the middle of this seasons' bitterness, you were able to watch yourself smiling by the side of the people you love. And suddenly encountering someone you never thought you would. Someone you left a long time ago. Someone that reminds you of your bittersweet moments.

Write a one-shot based on that prompt!

Deadline: Sept 29, 2021

Word Count: 1000-2500

Final Word Count: 1700

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Summary:

Jongho gets into a huge argument with San and storms out of practice. He slowly realizes, as he wanders through the festival-energized streets and meets up with a few familiar strangers, that he was wrong. They both apologize. Nothing is more important than loved ones, your KPop family too!

Characters:

Choi Jongho

Choi San

Jung Wooyoung

Park Seonghwa

Kang Yeosang

Jeong Yunho

Kim Hongjoong

Song Mingi

Ju Haknyeon

Choi Chanee "New"

Kim Younghoon

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"You let him kiss you!" Choi San bellows, the neon lights from the dormitory burning brightly over his head and making his pink hair shimmer more vividly. He stomps a foot in fury, his brown selcas darkening.

Choi Jongho shuffles his feet nervously and continues to keep his head down. "He grabbed me and..."

"AND NOTHING!" San snarls.

Jongho's head snaps up and looks behind San to the other members of ATEEZ, who are standing watching them. "San-hyung, I'm sorry."

"Sannie, stop it, it's not his fault," Jung Wooyoung shouts out, rushing toward them. He stops in-between Jongho and San and puts his hands on his hips. "You know I didn't mean it. You KNOW I only like you."

San rolls his eyes.

"What's wrong with you today?" Wooyoung questions. "You're never this angry over someone else getting my love."

Jongho feels his blood beginning to boil inside of him. Until now, he'd been able to calm himself and keep his anger stuffed away. But he can feel it rising inside of him and threatening to erupt.

"You really wanna know why, Wooyoungie?" San growls, getting into Wooyoung's face.

Wooyoung holds his ground, bravely. He clenches a fist to one side, as he keeps his eyes trained on San's.

"He ALWAYS gets his way. But why wouldn't he, he's the frickin' maknae? Of course the maknae gets everything, especially Atiny's precious, talented maknae, Jongho."

That did it!

Jongho's head snaps up and his eyes narrow darkly on San's. "You're mad just because I'm the most talented person of this group?"

"No, I'm mad because you've been getting ALL the attention lately from Atiny's," San grumbles.

Jongho gasps and steps back. "Take that back!"

"It's true. You make up little things like surgery and a family death to--"

Jongho shoves Wooyoung to the side and then shoves San roughly. The action takes both men off guard; Wooyoung stumbles into the arms of Jeong Yunho, while San trips his way into the arms of Kim Hongjoong.

Jongho grunts with fury, his face nearly red with all of his pent up fire. He then storms between Song Mingi and Park Seonghwa, brushing Seonghwa's shoulder roughly in the process and vanishes out of the door.

A loud slam follows, causing Wooyoung to flinch in Yunho's hold. Tears threaten to burst from Wooyoung's eyes.

Kang Yeosang holds Malteez, a stuffed white dog, in Wooyoung's direction and mimics it talking to him. "Don't cry, oppa. It makes Malteez sad, when you are sad."

Wooyoung buries his head in Yunho's chest instead.

Hongjoong spins San around and glares at him. "I think you'd better go track him down and apologize now!"

San looks guilty downward.

"He wasn't making any of those up and you know it," Seonghwa tacks on, putting his hands on his hips. "I'm not sure what's making your jealousy act up so badly today and lately, but you need to stop it before you chase him away. We all know how much you love Jongho deep down."

San grumbles to himself and runs a hand through his short black hair. "I hate how right you are, Seonghwa-hyung."

Seonghwa smirks. "That's what a leader does, San."

San nods. "Fine. But Wooyoungie's coming with me."

Wooyoung pulls back from Yunho's chest and spins to San. His eyes are glittery with tears. "I'm so sorry, Sannie."

"It's not your fault, Woo," Yunho grumbles, putting a hand on Wooyoung's shoulder. "You can't help flirting with others."

San deflates, looking at Wooyoung. "He's right, you can't. I shouldn't get so jealous over you."

Wooyoung clasps his hands together and lifts them up to his chin, looking with big, shimmering, tear-filled eyes at San.

"I made my pretty Wooyoungie cry," San says and pouts his lip.

Wooyoung nods.

"Come here, baby, let's go find Jongho and get him back!" San remarks, holding a hand out for Wooyoung to take.

Wooyoung breaks his tears, smiling and eagerly takes San's hand.

"It's time for Malteez's dinner!!" Yeosang shouts out, suddenly. "Sadness always does this to him." He spins and walks out of the room with his stuffed dog.

Yunho chuckles, watching him leave.

"And it's time for me to end my ugly jealousy," San exclaims, pulling a smiling Wooyoung toward him.

Hongjoong claps his hands. "Alright, the rest of us, let's get the supplies ready for our Chuseok film."

Seonghwa nods. "Atiny's will love it!"

"We'll be back with Jongho in time for it!" San remarks. "I promise."

"Good, we need his apple-breaking hands," Mingi grumbles, walking out of the room with Hongjoong at his side.

Seonghwa pats San's shoulder and follows them.

Jongho, tears streaming down his red face, stomps through the streets of downtown Seoul. All around him, people are celebrating the Korean Thanksgiving holiday with fireworks, dancing and bright lights. There were also people gathered in tents and on porches and park benches, enjoying traditional Korean games, carrying out vibrant traditions, customs and eating a delicious array of native dishes.

He wipes away a tear, roughly with his hand. How can San accuse me of making up the death of my grandfather or my leg surgery? Surely, he's seen proof, like the others. He shakes his head.

He spots a family on the porch of a house to his left. He can see the father carrying a large platter of Songpyeon (rice cake filled with beans, sesame seeds and chestnuts) and his daughter carrying a bowl of fresh stir-fried Ramen known as Japchae. The mother has another platter of Jeon, Korean pancakes made up of fish, eggs, sweet potato, flour and vegetables (one of his personal favorite dishes).

Jongho suddenly halts, staring at a bridge decked out with lights and fireworks exploding in the sky. For a second, the tears stop in the beauty of the setting before him. He knows that Chuseok, also known as Hangawi, is one of the most important and festive holidays of the year for Koreans.

Hangawi means the middle of autumn according to the Lunar calendar, which is usually between September and October. Chuseok falls on the 15th of the eighth month in the Lunar calendar.

Jongho turns and looks over the railing at the Han River water sloshing noisily against the rocks. It syncs up perfectly with the fireworks booms. He walks over and leans against the railing, staring at the water.

During Chuseok, people would celebrate their ancestors and show their gratitude to them. Spending time with families is also a must.

Family.

Like his grandfather and ATEEZ.

Jongho lifts his head and looks up at the sky. "I know San-hyung didn't mean it..."

"Choi Jongho?" a voice questions to the right side of him.

Jongho turns to look toward the bridge, the lights and fireworks illuminating a familiar figure standing in the darkness. Actually, there's three figures standing there. The maknae for ATEEZ steps away from the railing and faces them.

"What are you doing out here?" a light pink-haired man asks. "I heard you guys are filming a Chuseok-themed video for Atinys."

Jongho shrugs. "It may or may not happen now, New."

New, the pink-haired man, steps toward him. "What's wrong?"

The one who'd called his name, a young man with jet black hair and a youthful beauty to his face (definitely the group's visual), steps forward as well, with genuine concern on his face. At New's other side, is another young man with silvery-blue hair. He is looking around him at the fireworks with awe.

Jongho knows all three well from another fourth generation K-Pop group known as The Boyz. They were together with ATEEZ during their filming and time on the popular Spring-time program, Kingdom. ATEEZ had finished third, behind Stray Kids and The Boyz. The three standing before him were Kim Younghoon, Ju Haknyeon and Choi Chanhee (better known as New).

Jongho forces a smile and wipes his eyes again. "Nothing's wrong."

New cocks his head and bites his lip. "Come on, you think I'm dumb, Jongho-nim? Tell oppa, what's going on."

Younghoon nods so vigorously that he might tear his head off his neck.

Jongho looks back at the water. "I just...my grandfather died a few days ago. And I'm sure you've heard about all the issues I've had with my leg. I had a fight with San, because Wooyoung-ah, he decided to flirt with me and kissed me right in front of him." He pauses and chuckles. "Come to think of it, he's so protective of Wooyoung that they really should just go ahead and date each other."

Haknyeon utters a nervous laughter, looking at New.

New backhands him in the chest. "Shhhh, don't laugh."

Haknyeon rubs his chest.

"I don't know if I have much room to speak here," Younghoon says, "but you should treasure the moments you had with your grandfather. He might not be here physically, but he is always with you." He steps forward and points to Jongho's heart. "In there. And in the celebration of Chuseok."

Jongho smiles at him. "You're absolutely right."

Haknyeon stops rubbing his chest and looks at Jongho, dead in the eye. "And San, sounds like he's just angry-jealous. He really meant nothing. You're right to laugh it off."

Jongho nods at him.

"You really should go back and be with your family," New remarks, putting his hands on Jongho's shoulders and spinning him around to face away from them and the bridge. "During Kingdom, you guys really did amazing and you showed your chemistry and talents. We are floored that you ended third. You easily should have finished first. The Boyz are forever impressed with you hoobaes."

Jongho smiles at New's words.

Just then, two more people skid to a halt a few feet away from him. They are breathing hard.

"Jongho-ssi!" Wooyoung screams. "We found you!!"

Jongho smiles. He pries himself from New's hands and races up to them, pulling both Wooyoung and San into an embrace. "I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry," San mutters. "I shouldn't have said those things. Nothing is more important than family. Including our ATEEZ family."

"Happy Chuseok!" Wooyoung cries out, hugging San and Jongho close to him.

"Happy Chuseok!" San, Jongho, New, Haknyeon and Younghoon cry in unison.