Kpop Sickfics & Hurtfics

The Unsung Lyrics (Minhee)

The glow from the studio lights cast a soft warmth around the recording room, but to Minhee, it felt more like a spotlight exposing every flaw he saw in himself. He sat in front of the microphone, the lyrics sheet resting in his trembling hands. His heartbeat quickened as the music began, and he prepared to sing. These lyrics were his-words he had poured his heart and soul into, meant to convey emotions so deep that putting them into words had felt like baring his soul. But now, as his voice filled the room, he couldn't help but feel that something was missing.

Minhee paused mid-verse, clenching the paper tighter. He stopped the recording, his head dropping in frustration. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't match the raw intensity of the emotions he'd embedded into the song. His voice felt hollow, distant from the passion he had intended. It wasn't good enough-he wasn't good enough.

"Take five, Minhee?" their producer asked gently from the other side of the booth.

Minhee nodded stiffly, removing the headphones and stepping out of the booth. His heart was heavy, and his chest felt tight with disappointment. The other members of Cravity-Serim, Allen, Jungmo, Woobin, Wonjin, Hyeongjun, Taeyoung, and Seongmin-had all been cheering him on. They knew how much this song meant to him. He had written it specifically for the fans, drawing on his personal experiences and his gratitude for their unwavering support.

As he leaned against the wall of the studio, he replayed his recording in his head, cringing at every note that hadn't met his own expectations. The melody was fine, the lyrics even better, but his delivery felt weak, almost mechanical, like he wasn't connecting with the song at all.

"Hey, Minhee, you alright?" Wonjin's voice broke through his thoughts.

Minhee looked up to see Wonjin and Jungmo walking toward him, concern etched across their faces. Minhee forced a smile and nodded, but even he knew it didn't reach his eyes.

"You don't look alright," Jungmo pointed out. "You've been super quiet lately."

"I'm fine," Minhee insisted, pushing off the wall and avoiding their gazes. "Just... stressed about the recording."

Wonjin exchanged a glance with Jungmo before stepping closer. "Do you want to talk about it? We've all been there. Recording can be rough sometimes."

Minhee shook his head, his throat tightening. He didn't want to burden them with his insecurities. It felt selfish to complain when they all worked so hard every day. "It's nothing, really. I just need to nail it, that's all."

"Minhee, you're doing great," Jungmo said softly, but Minhee couldn't bring himself to believe it.

Before either of them could press further, their manager called them back into the studio. The break was over, and Minhee had to try again. With a sigh, he followed the others, feeling a pit of dread settle in his stomach.

Days passed, and Minhee's frustration only grew. No matter how many times he recorded, he felt like he was falling short. The others had started to notice his quiet withdrawal. Normally, Minhee was one of the most cheerful members, always joking around and making the others laugh, but lately, he had become quieter, more introspective.

At first, the others gave him space, assuming he was just tired from the long hours of work, but as the days dragged on, his silence became more noticeable. He ate meals with them, but barely contributed to the conversations. He showed up to practice, but his usual spark was dim.

Allen was the first to approach him privately.

"Hey, Minhee, can we talk?" Allen asked, catching Minhee after a late-night practice session. The other members had already headed back to the dorm, but Minhee had stayed behind, fiddling with his lyrics notebook.