K-pop sickfics/hurtfics

Taehyun TXT - Overworked/ Sleep deprived

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1400 words

The night was deep, and the city's lights blinked in and out of the darkness, but the studio was still alive with music and energy. Taehyun hunched over his notebook, eyes glazed as he scribbled lyric after lyric, trying to perfect the words that would fit just right into the song the group had been working on. His eyes flickered to the clock, surprised to see it was almost 3 AM.

"Just one more line," he mumbled, tapping his pen against the paper. He was known as the perfectionist in the group—someone who would push himself to no end for the smallest details. But tonight, exhaustion was setting in. He rubbed his eyes, willing himself to keep going. There was so much to do, and they were preparing for an album that was already on a tight deadline.

The other members had left hours ago, some of them giving Taehyun a gentle nudge, urging him to rest. But rest felt like a luxury he couldn't afford. He was ambitious, always striving to go above and beyond. Yet in the back of his mind, he knew this pace wasn't sustainable. Lately, his body had been sending warning signs—headaches, that heavy tiredness in his bones, and an unsettling sense of burnout creeping in.

When he finally packed up and left, the streets were empty. The cold wind bit into his skin, but it felt good. Maybe, he thought, the exhaustion would go away if he just kept pushing. But deep down, Taehyun wondered how long he could keep up this pace without something breaking.

The nights began to blend together as Taehyun found himself staying later and later at the studio. What started as a few extra hours after practice turned into a nightly ritual, one that left him there long after the other members had gone home. Alone in the quiet, he could focus fully, chasing perfection without distractions.

The only sounds were the soft hum of the city outside and the faint echo of his own movements. Taehyun watched himself in the mirror, eyes dark and focused as he drilled each dance move, each vocal line. He'd replay recordings of his performances over and over, searching for any tiny mistake, any moment that wasn't flawless. He adjusted his stance, his tone, his gestures—all in pursuit of something better.

But the toll was building. His body was weary, each movement a little slower than the last. Sleep had become an afterthought. Even when he did sleep, his dreams were filled with rehearsals, and he'd wake feeling like he hadn't rested at all.

One night, as he was running through a particularly difficult routine, his foot slipped, and he stumbled, catching himself just in time. Breathing heavily, he paused, placing his hands on his knees as he tried to steady himself. His vision was blurred, and the room felt strangely off-balance, as though it were swaying. But he ignored it, steadying himself and standing back up. The work wasn't done yet.

As the days wore on, the others began to notice. Beomgyu would give him concerned glances as they practiced together. Taehyun would just shake his head, saying he was fine. But he knew Beomgyu didn't buy it. Yeonjun, too, had started sending him quiet texts around midnight, checking in whenever he noticed Taehyun hadn't left the studio yet.

Each time, Taehyun would reply with a quick message: Almost done. Don't worry.

One night, though, as he lay on the studio floor after an exhausting practice session, he read a text from Hueningkai that hit harder than he expected. Hyung, we need you healthy too, okay?

Taehyun stared at the words, a strange heaviness settling over him. He knew they all cared about him, and he hated worrying them. But he also couldn't shake the feeling that if he didn't keep pushing himself to the limit, he wouldn't be good enough. The pressure felt immense, like a weight pressing down on him every moment.

For the first time in days, Taehyun let himself lie there in the quiet. He felt a pang of loneliness, realizing he had been pushing himself in isolation. His perfectionism had pulled him away from the very people who were his strength—his members, his family on this journey.

As he finally gathered himself to go home, he told himself he'd take a break the next night. But even as he left the studio, he knew he'd be back again, driven by the same desire to prove himself—despite the exhaustion that now felt constant, pulsing in every bone and muscle.

And so the cycle continued, the late nights stacking up, the hours of sleep dwindling, until the edges of his world felt blurred and frayed.

A week later, things hadn't improved. Taehyun's schedule had only gotten tighter. Between rehearsals, music video shoots, and practice sessions, he barely had time to sit down and breathe, let alone sleep. His sleep schedule had gone from a reasonable five hours a night to a fragmented two or three hours at best.

One morning, during rehearsal, he felt his body finally pushing back. He stumbled mid-dance, catching himself just in time. Yeonjun, who was practicing beside him, gave him a worried glance. "Are you okay, Taehyun?"

"I'm fine," Taehyun muttered, brushing it off with a tired smile. But the truth was, his vision was swimming, and his legs felt like lead. He shook his head, trying to focus, but every move felt a second slower than it should.

Beomgyu noticed too, and during a break, he quietly passed Taehyun a bottle of water, whispering, "You look like you're about to collapse, man."

Taehyun forced a laugh. "I'm good, just... didn't get much sleep." He tried to keep his tone light, but his voice was rough, betraying how close he was to the edge. The others could see it too, but they didn't push him. They knew how determined he was, and how hard he worked to perfect his craft. But for the first time, even Taehyun was beginning to realize he had limits.

Late that night, he lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. His mind was filled with worry and doubt. He was afraid to let anyone down, afraid to take a step back and admit he was struggling. His thoughts spiraled, unable to quiet, and the hours slipped away, leaving him wide awake when the sun began to rise.

~~~

The breaking point came unexpectedly. It was during a final run-through for a performance, and Taehyun could feel his energy bottoming out. He tried to push through, to move in sync with the music and the other members, but his body refused. His vision blurred, his legs wobbled, and before he knew it, he was on the ground, his head spinning.

The next thing he knew, he was in the company's quiet room, a blanket draped over him. Soobin sat nearby, his usual calm expression tinged with concern. "You need to take a break, Taehyun," he said softly. "We're worried about you."

Taehyun felt a surge of shame, but also relief. "I don't want to let anyone down."

"You're not letting anyone down," Soobin replied, his tone gentle but firm. "If you keep going like this, you're just going to hurt yourself more. The best thing you can do for us and for yourself is to take care of yourself."

The next few days were a blur. The company gave Taehyun a lighter schedule, and the members helped pick up the slack. He found himself with time he hadn't had in weeks, and though he was reluctant at first, he finally began to rest. He let himself sleep as much as he needed, eat without rushing, and simply breathe.

In that space, Taehyun remembered the joy he had in creating music, in performing—not just for others, but for himself. His body slowly recovered, and with it, his mind began to clear. One evening, while watching the sun dip below the horizon, he realized something that surprised him: the world hadn't fallen apart because he'd taken a step back. His members, his fans—they were all still there, supporting him.

When he returned to practice, the exhaustion had lifted, and he was met with smiles and laughter. It wasn't an easy journey, but Taehyun felt a renewed sense of strength, balanced by the knowledge that he didn't have to do everything alone.

The music, the performance, and the dream were still there—steady, waiting, and stronger than ever.

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