HEARTS IN HARMONY

Chapter 5: One Song, Six Voices

The air in the studio was tense, and not just because of the argument happening between the Eclipse members over the soundboard.

Hana kept to the corner, notebook in hand, trying to stay invisible. Choi Soyeon, their sharp-eyed manager, stood nearby with arms crossed, giving Hana a sideways glance every so often. It was the kind of look that made Hana's skin itch.

"You're still here?" Soyeon muttered under her breath, stepping close. "I thought this was a one-time charity gig."

Hana stiffened. "They asked me to stay."

Soyeon smiled tightly. "They ask for a lot of things. Doesn't mean they need them."

She turned on her heel just as Taehyun, the group's famously icy main vocalist, walked in. He barely acknowledged anyone, walking straight past Hana without a glance, but Soyeon's posture immediately changed—shoulders back, voice softer.

"Taehyun," she said, stepping toward him. "I got those vocal sheets for your solo part. Want me to go over them with you?"

He brushed past her with a curt, "Later."

Soyeon's face tightened for a second before she regained her composure. Her eyes slid back to Hana. "You'd do well to keep your distance. Some of us are professionals."

A few hours later

The studio was a mess of half-finished lyrics and overlapping melodies. They had nothing that worked.

"Maybe we should just scrap it and go with the company track," Minjae muttered.

"No," Hana said, surprising even herself. "You guys are five voices—different, but honest. That should be the heart of the song."

Five pairs of eyes turned to her. Taehyun's was the only one unreadable.

"I'm just saying," she continued, "what if the song let each of you tell your own story—your way?"

A pause. Then Kim Jisoo nodded slowly. "It could work."

Jaemin, always the most optimistic, grinned. "We'd need to make it flow, though."

"I can help," Hana offered. "If you trust me."

Taehyun scoffed under his breath. "Why would we?"

Minjae threw him a look, but Hana didn't flinch.

"You don't have to," she said, holding his gaze. "Just give me one hour."

Over the next few days

The studio became Hana's second home.

She worked with each member individually, writing lyrics that spoke to who they were. Jisoo's part came easy—melancholy with hope. Hyunwoo wanted to talk about perseverance. Jaemin leaned into dreams and light.

Minjae's lines reflected leadership and the quiet burden of it.

Taehyun… was different.

He avoided every one-on-one session. When she did manage to catch him between rehearsals, he shut down any attempt at collaboration with a shrug or a dismissive look.

"It's just a song," he said flatly one evening when she found him tuning his guitar alone. "Doesn't have to mean anything."

"Maybe not to you," Hana said, voice steady. "But your fans listen like it does."

That made him pause.

He looked at her then—really looked. But whatever passed through his eyes was gone before she could read it.

"I'll send you a verse," he said finally. "Don't expect a duet."

Recording night

They recorded the song—Still Here—in pieces.

Minjae started with a quiet verse about expectations. Jisoo followed with a harmony that added warmth. Jaemin's voice danced between lines, lifting the tone. Hyunwoo brought grounding.

Taehyun's part came last.

He stepped up to the mic, headphones in place, and when his voice came through—clear, cold, and painfully honest—Hana stopped breathing.

"Built walls to breathe, not to break,

Still I drown in every wake…"

Every word held weight. It was lonely. Beautiful. Real.

When the final chorus came—all five blending into one—Hana's chest tightened.

They had done it.

Later, on the studio rooftop

Hana stepped out for air. The city glowed beneath her, quiet and far away.

"Nice view."

She turned. Taehyun stood behind her, arms crossed, hoodie pulled low.

"You came up here?"

He shrugged. "You were right. The song mattered."

She blinked. "You're… thanking me?"

He smirked faintly. "Don't let it go to your head."

They stood in silence for a moment.

"You're not what I expected," he said finally.

"Cold?" she teased.

"No," he said. "Real."

Before she could respond, the door opened behind them.

Soyeon.

"Hana," she snapped, eyes flashing. "You're not supposed to be up here."

Taehyun raised an eyebrow. "She's allowed to breathe, isn't she?"

Soyeon looked between them, stiff with something Hana couldn't quite name—but it felt a lot like jealousy.

She forced a smile. "Don't forget your place."

Hana met her eyes. "I haven't."

But tonight, for the first time in a long time…

She didn't feel small.

End of Chapter 5