"Hey, tomorrow's the performance, you ready?" Hanbin came up to Zhanghao unexpectedly, so the older boy nearly shit his pants when he felt hands on his shoulders.
"Hanbin! Don't scare me like that" Zhanghao complained, holding a hand over his heart.
"Sorry hao hyung" Hanbin laughed, but he didn't seem sorry at all.
"Hey, since when are you two so close?" Chen Kuan Jui, probably the person Zhanghao talked to the most in here, came up to them.
"I know right? They seem close" Another Korean trainee whose name Zhanghao still didn't know, spoke like they weren't present.
Hanbin was just about to say something, and he looked pretty happy at what the others were saying.
"We're not, really" Zhanghao muttered, shrugging Hanbins hands off, and walking away.
Hanbins smile dropped.
He didn't hesitate to run after Zhanghao, even though he didn't know which direction the older went in.
There were a lot of rooms in the building, but Hanbin didn't think Zhanghao would be in any of them.
So he went to look on the rooftop.
And exactly there was he.
"Hao Hyung" Hanbin's voice sounded different than usual. It sounded hurt, and disappointed too.
It was not his usual happy voice.
"I thought we were getting somewhere with our friendship. But it looks like you don't want to, huh? Why didn't you say so from the beginning?" Zhanghao was leaning onto the railing, looking at the sunset. Hanbin joined him.
"Hanbin. It's not that I don't like you. But I promised myself I wouldn't get close to anyone. I can't bare watch my friends get eliminated or worse debut without them or see them debut without me. I just can't" Zhanghao turned his body, so that it was facing Hanbin.
"I can understand that. But so what? Are you going to stay a loner for the whole program?"
"I guess so" Zhanghao shrugged. He really hadn't thought about that.
"Well, but. We're place 1 and 2. Do you really think we won't debut?" Hanbin tried to make a point.
Keyword; tried
"Who knows how the rankings will change. We've got so many episodes left" Zhanghao answered, staring down at his hands.
"Since the moment you walked into the room, I knew I wanted to be friends with you. I don't know if it was because you looked cute, or maybe because I could tell that you were going to be talented. But I can assure you, that feeling did not go away once. I want to get close to you, Zhanghao" Hanbin tried again, placing his hand closer to Zhanghao's.
"If I say no, will you stop bothering me?"
"No" Hanbin disagreed.
"Fine then, let's be friends. But I swear if one of us doesn't debut, I will actually stop talking to you" zhanghao swore, pointing his finger at Hanbin.
"Okay" But Hanbin couldn't care less, because he was smiling and already hugging Zhanghao.
"Hey hey, keep it down, okay?" Zhanghao hesitated, but patted Hanbins back slightly.
"Sorry" Hanbin detached himself, the smile on his face so wide it hurt.
"What do you think the next...mission is going to be?" Zhanghao tried to keep the conversation going, feeling more confident when he saw Hanbin nodding at him.
"I don't know. You think they'll keep us still separated? G and K group?"
Zhanghao shrugged. "Maybe"
"I want to perform with you" Hanbin confessed, and the older boy didn't know why that made his ears go red.
"Well, too bad" Zhanghao shrugged, quickly walking back to the practice rooms.
Hanbin shook his head, laughing to himself.
———
The new mission had been announced some hours ago, and the teams were already practicing in their respective rooms.
Zhanghao was in the kill this Love team, who he was sure would win, just by looking at his members. They had strong vocals, dancers, and rappers.
Meanwhile Hanbin was enjoying his love me right team, getting the killing part.
He couldn't wait to perform. So he could see how well Zhanghao would pull kill this love off.
"What's got you all smiley?" Heotaek, a very valuable senior asked Hanbin.
"Nothing" Hanbin played innocent, not wanting to say what or better who he was thinking about.
"Mhm, okay" Heotaek mumbled, suspicious.
"I'm tired. It's late. Why don't we stop practicing and go to see other teams??" Gyuvin asked, hoping his hyungs would agree with his suggestion.
"Yeah let's do that" Yedam agreed, as everyone else started to stand up.
"Which team are we visiting first?"
"Let's go to the kill this love G team" Hanbin spoke, trying to maintain his face neutral.
"Why? Is there someone you want to see?"
"Well I mean, Matthew is my good friend obviously I want to see him" The center shrugged, walking to the different practice room. Everyone followed him, some laughing.
Just when Heotaek had opened the door, you could hear Zhanghao's great vocals, as he practiced his moves in front of the mirror.
"We all commit to love, that makes you cry" Zhanghao sang, continuing his verse before asking Matthew what he thought of it.
"Woah, hyung! Amazing" Matthew praised in English, showing off his cute smile.
"Thank you~" Zhanghao answered back in the same language, startled once he noticed all the people standing by the door.
"Oh, hello" Zhanghao waved slightly, bowing.
"Hanbin hyung!" Matthew called, running straight to his friend.
And when Zhanghao saw the two of them so close, he felt an extremely uncomfortable sensation. He turned his gaze somewhere else, engaging in a conversation with Keita.
Hanbin excused himself from the conversation he was having with Matthew, as he walked over to Zhanghao, tapping his shoulder.
"Hao hyung" Hanbin smiled, his eyes crinkling.
Zhanghao gave him a small nod of acknowledgment, waiting for the younger to speak.
"You sang really well, just now"
"Yeah well, it's like I was made for this part you know?" Zhanghao joked, trying to flex.
"Oh, you sure are" Hanbin agreed, sitting down, his back against the wall. He patted the spot next to him, indicating that he wanted the older to sit besides him.
They didn't speak, they somehow didn't need to. Hanbin threw an arm over Zhanghao's shoulder, leaning his head on it.
Hanbin could instantly feel Zhanghao's body tense.
"You really don't like skinship, huh? If you want I'll get off" Hanbin offered.
"No, it's okay. I'll just need some time to adjust to it" Zhanghao refused.
And Hanbin was so happy he smiled for the rest of the day, going to sleep with the softest smile playing on his lips.
——-
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𝖲𝗎𝗋𝗏𝗂𝗏𝖺𝗅 | 𝖧𝖺𝗈𝖻𝗂𝗇
FanfictionZhanghao was determined to make his debut and nothing was going to impede him that. He had promised himself not to get too attached to anyone, since it wasn't sure if they'd debut together. His plans shattered once the audition of the single train...
