IS THIS TABOO?

the worst! no one noticed

The hallway outside the practice room was buzzing as the TXT members stopped by to check on them.
Beomgyu: (In an excited voice) "You guys are going to crush the next stage!"
Jay: (With hope in his eyes) "We’re hoping for the best, guys."
Soobin: "Yes! Keep this energy up, brothers!"
Jungwon: "Thank you, thank you so much."
Beomgyu: (With a mix of sadness and excitement) "We have to leave now, but we’ll see you on stage!"
Everyone waved goodbye. As soon as the TXT members disappeared around the corner, the ENHYPEN members collapsed onto the nearby lounge beds, clearly exhausted.
Sunoo: (Voice heavy with fatigue) "When are we ever getting a break?"
Sunghoon: (Side-eyeing him) "How could you say that? Don’t you want to perform in front of ENGENEs?"
Before Sunoo could even reply, Jungwon stood up, pushing through his own tiredness.
Jungwon: "Get up, guys. We have vocal practice in five minutes."
The members groaned but dragged themselves toward the vocal room. Inside, a staff member introduced them to a new vocal coach. Everyone politely bowed and introduced themselves.
Vocal Coach (VC): "So, our new song has a lot of English lyrics. How many of you can speak English?"
Jake: "Only Jay and I are truly fluent."
VC: "Alright. I want to hear your vocal ranges. Please, sing a part of your choice."
One by one, the members sang fragments of their songs, their voices echoing in the small room. The coach listened intently, nodding along.
VC: (Complimenting them) "Heeseung, you’ve really got a voice! I’m very impressed.

"The air in the small vocal studio felt tight. The fluorescent lights were too bright for their tired eyes, and the smell of coffee had gone stale. After the coach complimented Heeseung, a heavy silence fell over the rest of the members.
Vocal Coach (VC): "Alright, who's next? Sunoo, let’s hear your part. I’ve heard you have a very unique 'honey' tone."
Sunoo stood up, his legs feeling like lead. He was so exhausted from the earlier dance practice and the argument with Sunghoon that his throat felt dry. He tried to start the high note of their new track, but his voice cracked slightly.
VC: (Frowning) "Again. You're flat. You need more power behind it."
Sunoo bit his lip, his eyes stinging. He tried again, but the fatigue was winning. He looked toward Jungwon for support, but the leader was busy looking at the lyric sheet, his face stoic from his own stress.
Sunghoon: (Muttering under his breath) "If he didn't complain about breaks so much, maybe he'd have the energy to hit the note."
Sunoo heard him. His heart sank. He was always grateful to be an idol, but today, the weight of the "Kim Group" heir expectations and the grueling schedule was just too much.
VC: "Sunoo, focus! This song has a lot of English. If you can't get the pronunciation and the pitch right, we'll have to reassign this line to someone else."
Jake: (Trying to be helpful but sounding tired) "Sunoo-ya, it's 'th' sound, not 'd'. Try to follow my lead."
Sunoo: (Softly, his voice trembling) "I'm trying... I just... I need a minute."
He felt the "selfless" part of him wanting to apologize and keep going, but the "sweet and shy" Sunoo was reaching his breaking point. He looked at his members—his brothers—and for the first time, he felt like a stranger among them.

After the vocal session, Sunoo excused himself and went straight to the couch. He sat there, his body feeling heavy with fatigue. Sunghoon, trying to lighten the mood in his usual way, poked Sunoo’s arm, but Sunoo wasn't in the mood to play. He simply ignored him, staring blankly at the floor.
Next, Jay took his turn, singing an English track from one of their previous albums with effortless confidence.
Vocal Coach (VC): (Nodding in agreement) "Since you and Jake are fluent in English, you’ll be handling the chorus and pre-chorus."
The coach then turned to Heeseung. "Heeseung, your voice suits the electronic bridge perfectly. Try to make your voice sound like an electronic instrument."
Heeseung looked at him, paused for a few seconds as if processing the challenge, and then gave a determined nod.
Watching from the couch, Sunoo felt a pang of insecurity. He watched his members getting the "big" parts and felt like his voice wasn't enough—or maybe it was just the language barrier.
Sunoo: (To himself, disappointed) "I really need to start taking official English classes. I’ll fall behind if I keep performing like this. Haaa..."
The Silent Meal
Hours later, the parts were finally finalized. During the lunch break, the members sat together, eating and discussing the vocal session.
Heeseung: (Amused) "He told me to sound like an electronic instrument... What does that even mean? Like an electric guitar?"
Jake: (Laughing) "Probably!"
Ni-ki: (Cutting in) "Don’t worry, hyung. You’ll pull off something brand new."
Jake: (Proudly) "It’ll trend again, mark my words!"
Jay: "Stop talking and start eating."
The table was filled with laughter and jokes, but one person was silent. Kim Sunoo was there, but he wasn't there. He was physically present, but his mind was miles away. He laughed at every joke to blend in, but the laughter never reached his eyes.
The food on his plate remained untouched, and the worst part—no one noticed