Love Contract | haobin

Eighteen

After Zhang Hao gets out of college, he goes to Ricky's house to pick Yujin up. "Hey, how was he?" Zhang Hao walks into Ricky's house once Ricky opens the door.

"He was really happy today. He said Hanbin took him to the park and he made a new friend."

"Really? Where is he?"

"We were playing some video games in the living room." Ricky tells him and they both walk into the living room to see Yujin playing.

"Oh, hi, papa Hao!" Yujin smiles and rushes over to hug him.

"Papa Hao?" Zhang Hao can't help but smile. "You called me..."

"Yeah, papa! I met a new friend today and he told me it was so cool that I have two dads! I really want to go to school now! I want to make many more friends."

"I'm so happy for you, Yujin." Zhang Hao pulls him in for a hug and kisses his cheek. "I told you you'd make a lot of friends... And as you can see, Papa Hanbin was right. Just because the kids at the orphanage were mean, it didn't mean everyone would be that way."

"Yeah, papa Hanbin was so happy that I made a new friend. My new friend actually had a plushie like the one papa gave me, but it wasn't a hamster, it was a red panda. It looked just like you, papa, so I told him to name him HaoHao."

"Wow, really? I look like a red panda?"

"Kind of! And I'm a baby bunny!" He starts hopping around the house.

"He looks so happy today." Zhang Hao can't help but smile. "He also started calling me papa. I never thought that would make me so happy."

"Yeah, he absolutely loves you and Hanbin." Ricky tells him. "He kept talking about you two and about the friend he made at the park... but what's going to happen when you and Hanbin get divorced? Wouldn't that affect Yujin?"

"I'm sure it will." Zhang Hao sighs. "But Hanbin said he'd still like to be there for us even after the divorce. Hopefully Yujin will understand after some time."

"Wait, so he's willing to still care for him even after the divorce?" Ricky asks, surprised. "So he's going to continue being his dad?"

"Well yeah... even though everything is fake for us, technically it's not fake. We did legally get married and we did legally adopt Yujin, so..."

"Wait, true." Ricky smirks. "So at the end of the day, it's not even fake."

"What are you saying? Technically, it's not, but it is for us."

"Sure..." Ricky nods. "You two are faking it a little too well, don't you think? If I didn't know any better, I'd really think you two are in love."

"Well, we're not. You're seeing things. He'd never fall for me. I think he's still not over his ex."

"Wait... he'd never fall for you, but you did fall for him already?" Ricky raises an eyebrow. Zhang Hao stays quiet, making Ricky gasp. "Wait, you did?!"

"Please don't say anything..." Zhang Hao's not able to hide it. "I do kind of like him. I mean... how could you not start catching feelings for someone who treats you like that?" He sighs. "I really didn't think it through before. I didn't think he'd be so... boyfriend material."

"Oh, you mean husband material?" Ricky wiggles his eyebrows. "Don't worry, I won't say anything. You act like I go spilling all your secrets. In my defense, if you don't tell me it's a secret, how am I supposed to know not to tell?"

"Okay, fine. This is a secret, so don't tell anyone."

"Don't worry, I won't." Ricky tells him. "But since we're out here spilling our secrets, there's something I need to tell you, but please don't tell anyone."

"What is it?"

"I wasn't in a real relationship with Jiwoong. It was all a win-win situation for us. We're just friends and don't have feelings for each other. We actually ended our fake relationship today."

"Wait, why were you in a fake relationship?" Zhang Hao asks, confused.

"Wait, what? You're not even surprised?"

"Not really. Your relationship didn't seem too believable if I'm being honest... especially yesterday. He let you rest your head on Gyuvin's shoulder. I'd be more concerned if it would've been real since it didn't look like it."

"You say that because yours seems so real because of how good of an actor Hanbin is." Ricky frowns. "Or not... maybe you two just like each other."

"Don't say nonsense. Why were you in a fake relationship?" Zhang Hao asks him and Ricky tells him about the letter to Gyuvin and about Jiwoong's parents. "Oh..." Hao just nods. "But are you sure Gyuvin got the letter?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Ricky frowns. "There's no way he didn't get that letter."

-

"Papa! You're home!" Yujin rushes over to Hanbin once he hears the front door.

"Yujin!" Hanbin picks him up. "When did you get here?"

"Just a few minutes ago. We stayed a uncle Ricky's house for a while more since papa Hao was talking to him."

"Oh." Hanbin nods. "And where's your papa Hao?"

"He's cooking in the kitchen."

"Okay, why don't you go play for now and we'll let you know when the food is ready?"

"Okay!" Yujin gives him a tight hug before rushing towards the living room. Hanbin walks into the kitchen and sees Zhang Hao's cooking. Since Zhang Hao hadn't seen him walk in, he gets startled when he turns around and sees him. "Oh sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Hanbin apologizes. "Do you need any help?"

"It's okay. You cooked breakfast for us this morning without my help. I can do this." Zhang Hao tells him. "But how was your day?"

"It was good." Hanbin walks over to him. "Did Yujin tell you about the new friend he made?"

"Yeah, but who was it? Was it a kid around his age?"

"Maybe a year or two older." Hanbin shrugs. "He looked a little taller than him, but I didn't get to see his face. When I was walking over to them, he left."

"Well, thanks to him, Yujin actually wants to go to school now. He keeps saying he wants to start school already and make some friends."

"Yeah, it turned out the other kid had a plushie like the one I gave Yujin, but it was a red panda instead of a hamster. Yujin kept saying it looked like you."

"Yeah, he told me, but do I really look like a red panda?" Zhang Hao turns to Hanbin, not realizing how close they are right now. "Do I really?"

Hanbin looks at Zhang Hao and he feels his face heat up. Zhang Hao still doesn't realize how close they are until he sees Hanbin starting to lean in.

But then Hanbin quickly moves away from him. "Uhh... yeah, it must be the hair color." Hanbin tells him. "I'll go see what Yujin's doing." He rushes out of the kitchen. 

'What was that?' Zhang Hao thinks to himself. Was Hanbin really leaning in or did he just imagine it?

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