Who’s there? BOYNEXTDOOR!!

The blue light of the smartphone screen was the only thing illuminating Taesan’s face in the darkness of the dorm room. It was 3:00 AM, the hour when the mind usually turns against itself. His thumb hovered over the glass, scrolling through a sea of comments that he knew he should ignore.

*“Taesan’s dancing looks lazy lately.”*

*“Is it just me or does he look bloated on camera? He needs to manage himself better.”*

*“The other members are so much more charismatic. He’s just… there.”*

Taesan swallowed hard, the words searing into his brain like hot iron. He was the youngest, the one who was supposed to be the "cool guy" of the group. He prided himself on his stoicism, on the fact that he could handle the pressure of being an idol without breaking. But as he stared at his reflection in the darkened screen, all he saw were flaws. His jawline wasn't sharp enough. His movements weren't precise enough. He wasn't enough.

He clicked the phone off and stared at the ceiling. Tomorrow, he would work harder. He would be lighter. He would be perfect.

***

One week later, the practice room at KOZ Entertainment was stiflingly hot. The bass of their latest track thumping through the floorboards usually energized the group, but today, it felt like a physical weight.

"Again!" Jaehyun shouted, his voice cracking with the authority of a leader who was feeling the pressure of an upcoming comeback. "From the second chorus. Woonhak, watch your spacing. Taesan, you’re lagging half a beat."

Taesan nodded, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of a trembling hand. He felt lightheaded, a dizzying sensation that had become his constant companion over the last seven days. He had survived on nothing but black coffee and several gallons of water. The thirteen pounds he had shed had left his clothes hanging off his frame, his collarbones protruding like jagged cliffs.

"I'm fine," Taesan muttered to himself, though no one had asked. It was his mantra.

"Hey, Giant Baby, you're looking a bit pale," Woonhak said, leaning over to nudge Taesan’s shoulder. Despite being the second youngest, Woonhak’s 6’2” frame towered over almost everyone, yet he still looked at Taesan with the wide-eyed concern of a younger brother. "You want some of my protein bar? I've got the chocolate one."

Taesan forced a smirk, trying to maintain his 'cool' persona. "Keep it, Woonhak. You're the one who needs to grow another inch to reach the ceiling. I’m not hungry."

"You haven't been hungry for days," Sungho chimed in, crossing his arms. As the oldest, Sungho’s 'nagging mom' instincts were currently on high alert. He walked over, squinting at Taesan. "I didn't see you at breakfast. Or dinner yesterday. And your face is leaning out too much. You’re starting to look like a ghost."

"It's the lighting in here, Sungho-hyung," Taesan replied, his voice thin. "I’m just focused. We have to be perfect, right?"

Jaehyun frowned, his leader-instincts warring with his own exhaustion. "Focus is good, but you can’t dance if you collapse. Take five, everyone."

As the members dispersed to grab water, Riwoo stayed behind, lingering near the mirrors. He was the quietest member, the one who noticed the small shifts in the atmosphere before anyone else. He watched Taesan stumble slightly as he walked toward his bag.

"You know," Riwoo said softly, appearing at Taesan’s side like a shadow. "A car can’t run without fuel. Even a really cool, expensive car."

Taesan didn't look up. "I'm not a car, Riwoo-hyung."

"No, you're a person," Riwoo countered, his voice dropping to a whisper. "And your ribs are showing through your shirt, Taesan. I see you checking the comments. Stop it."

Taesan stiffened. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I've got a dad joke for you," Riwoo said, trying to lighten the mood but failing to hide the worry in his eyes. "Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field. But you know what happens to scarecrows? They get thin and hollowed out until the wind blows them away."

Taesan didn't laugh. He couldn't. His stomach cramped painfully, a reminder of the void he was nurturing.

By the time the afternoon rolled around, the atmosphere in the building shifted. Zico, their manager and the man who had essentially raised them in the industry, walked into the practice room. He wasn't wearing his usual 'cool producer' hat; he had the look of a father who had just received a worrying phone call.

"Everyone, circle up," Zico commanded.

The six boys gathered. Leehan, the resident oddball, was distractedly tapping a rhythm on his thigh, his mind likely drifting to the corydoras fish in his tank at home, but even he sensed the tension. He looked at Taesan, his brow furrowed.

"Taesan-ah," Leehan said, his voice unusually serious. "You’re vibrating. Like, your whole body is shaking."

"I'm just caffeinated," Taesan snapped, his defensive walls crumbling into irritability.

Zico stepped into the center of the circle, his eyes locking onto Taesan. "I just got the weekly weigh-in logs from the medical staff. And I’ve been watching the CCTV from the practice rooms. Taesan, you’ve been in here until 4:00 AM every night this week."

The room went silent. Jaehyun looked at Taesan, shock written across his face. "4:00 AM? Taesan, we leave at midnight. You told me you were going straight to sleep."

"I had to fix my footwork," Taesan whispered, looking at the floor.

"You lost nearly six kilos in seven days," Zico said, his voice stern but laced with an undeniable undercurrent of pain. "Do you realize how dangerous that is? Do you realize what you're doing to your heart? To your team?"

"I just wanted to look better," Taesan burst out, the cool facade finally shattering. Tears pricked his eyes, though he tried to blink them away. "They said I was lazy. They said I was getting fat. I’m the youngest, I’m supposed to be the one who looks the best, and I’m failing everyone."

Woonhak immediately surged forward, wrapping his long arms around Taesan in a crushing hug. "Who said that? Give me their usernames, I’ll—well, I can't do anything, but I'll be very angry at them!"

"Taesan-ah," Sungho said, his voice softening from a nag to a gentle plea. He stepped closer, placing a hand on Taesan’s neck. "You’re our center. You’re our strength. Do you think we care about a comment from someone who doesn't even know how hard you work? We care about *you*. I’d rather you be 'bloated' and happy than thin and miserable."

Jaehyun stepped forward, his expression guilty. "I’m sorry. I’m the leader, I should have seen how much those comments were getting to you. I was so focused on the dance being perfect that I didn't see my brother was hurting."

Taesan leaned into Woonhak’s shoulder, his legs finally giving out. The younger boy caught him easily, lowering them both to the floor. The rest of the members followed, sitting in a tight circle on the practice room floor, surrounding their youngest.

Zico sat down with them, crossing his legs. He looked at Taesan with a weary, fatherly smile. "Being an idol is a marathon, not a sprint. If you stop eating, you’re trying to run a marathon while holding your breath. You’re going to pass out before you reach the finish line."

"I just felt like I wasn't enough," Taesan sobbed, the weight of the week finally pouring out of him. "I thought if I was thinner, they’d like me more. If I practiced more, I wouldn't be the 'extra' member."

"Extra member?" Leehan looked genuinely offended. "Taesan, you're the one who keeps us grounded. Without you, Woonhak would probably have accidentally set the dorm on fire by now, and I’d be talking to my fish for ten hours a day. You're the cool one, remember?"

"Even the cool ones need to eat," Riwoo added, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small packet of dried mango. "Here. It’s sugar. You need it. Now."

Taesan looked at the mango, then at the five faces surrounding him—his brothers, his family. He looked at Zico, who nodded encouragingly.

With trembling fingers, Taesan took a piece of the fruit and ate it. The sweetness was overwhelming, making his head swim for a different reason this time.

"We’re going to the dorms," Zico announced, standing up. "Practice is cancelled for the rest of the day. Sungho, you’re in charge of the kitchen. I want a high-protein, high-nutrient meal on the table in one hour. Jaehyun, you’re in charge of making sure Taesan’s phone stays in your pocket until tomorrow morning."

"On it," Jaehyun said, extending a hand to Taesan.

"And Woonhak," Zico added, a small smirk playing on his lips. "You’re in charge of making sure he doesn't feel 'cool' for at least three hours. Annoy him. It’s what you’re best at."

Woonhak grinned, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Oh, I can do that. Taesan-hyung, did you know that when you cry, your nose gets really red? You look like a very tall, very skinny Rudolph."

Taesan let out a weak, watery laugh, wiping his eyes. "I hate you, Woonhak."

"Love you too, hyung," Woonhak chirped, hauling Taesan to his feet.

As they walked out of the practice room, Leehan draped an arm over Taesan’s shoulder. "You know, corydoras are bottom-feeders, but they’re essential for the tank. They keep everything clean and balanced. They don't need to be the flashiest fish to be the most important. You’re my favorite corydora, Taesan."

"That’s a weird compliment, Leehan," Taesan said, but he didn't pull away.

For the first time in a week, the hollow ache in his chest felt a little less empty. He wasn't okay yet—the voices of the internet were still echoing in the back of his mind—but as he looked at Sungho arguing with Jaehyun about what kind of soup to make, and Riwoo telling another terrible joke to a captive audience, he realized he didn't have to be 'fine' all by himself.

He had a home. And at home, he was allowed to be hungry. He was allowed to be human.