My celebrity :) {Haobin}

Chapter 24

It took only a few hours for Hao to finally get discharged. His manager actually achieved to keep the police and the press away from the hospital. Which meant that as soon as the patient had been allowed to leave the hospital, he and Hanbin had to go to the police station for questioning.

In the police station, when they were being questioned, Hao had told the same story he had told in the hospital room. Hanbin couldn't help but find the whole situation very weird. He remembered the events of the previous night very clearly, Hao clearly knew the man that attacked him. 

Something felt very wrong but he couldn't and didn't have any intention to denounce the celebrity. He was feeling overwhelmed by a mix of emotions in that situation. Worry, confusion, curiosity; he just couldn't understand why Hao would deliberately lie to the police. Why didn't he want to properly punish the man that had harmed him?

At some point they were finally dismissed with the police concluding that they couldn't do anything about the situation, since the crime wasn't recorded on any surveillance camera and the description of the man fit about every fifth man in the country.

Once outside the station Hanbin had sighed in frustration, he could feel how exhausted and uncomfortable Hao had felt when he lied as they were being questioned.He was having an inner crisis he so desperately wanted to protect Hao, but how could he, when the celebrity apparently had no intention of getting help. He felt the other boy apologetically looking at him, he could sense that he felt as helpless as himself.

"It's okay. I trust you and your decisions", he finally says. It's the truth he knows that the idol must have a good reason for doing all of this. Hanbin is willing to wait until the idol is ready to talk about it, while staying by his side until that moment comes.

Hao's gaze is so thankful, soft and full of affection that Hanbin's heart unwillingly skips a beat. All that matters to him in that moment is that Hao is safe and nothing similar happens again.

— — — — — — — — —

Hanbin is now back at home, his mind is still restless. He took a long shower hoping to clear his mind, but it didn't help at all.

He still feels preoccupied by the situation but now that he is alone one thing weighs on his mind even more.  He keeps having to think about Zhang Hao. The way he felt when he saw the other getting attacked , when Hao passed out and was rushed to the hospital, when he was told to wait in front of the emergency room, when he almost went crazy waiting and finally when he held his hand and they comforted each other... He can feel his heartbeat beating a lot faster when he thinks about the way they fell asleep while holding each other. It felt so natural in that moment but thinking back, he realises he probably wouldn't do that with just anyone. It was also really endearing , seeing the celebrity interact with his family. The realisation dawns on him that he doesn't just see Hao as a friend, well he actually realised that quite a while ago but now is the moment he really can't deny it anymore. 

Just thinking about the way Hao smiles with his apple cheeks rising and dimples forming, makes him feel butterflies in his stomach.

His thought chain is disrupted by the sound of his phone ringing. It doesn't surprise him to see who is calling him, he thought the call would come way sooner after he left him a massage last night while waiting in front of the emergency room and then again this morning to assure him he's fine.

-incoming call from Manager-nim-

"Hanbin!!!Where are you right now? What are you doing?" Hanbin almost dropped his phone hearing his clearly agitated friend scream into the phone.

 "I'm at home. Why?"

"Oh so you haven't fallen into another dimension, you're just stupid."

Now he is confused, "What are you talking about? We talked to the police earlier. I think Hao knows his attacker somehow but he can't talk about it. It actually makes me worry a lot. Anyway, we were done being questioned at the police station so we went home." 

He hears a frustrated sigh

"I called Zhang Hao to check in if he is okay since he gave me his number. I expected you to be with him, but he told me he was alone.

You like him. I know that, the universe knows that and you know it too, if you stop lying to yourself. Yet you let him go back alone although from what you told me, he is quite mentally fragile because he has been through a lot in the past. He got attacked by a scary man just yesterday, he probably still feels afraid. Now you tell me he maybe even knows the guy which means that probably in the past something horrible happened between them and he is clearly traumatised. He doesn't have anyone at home waiting for him. He is going to be alone there. I'm worried..."

The very many words uttered by his best friend in the speed of light slowly sink in. Hanbin indeed feels stupid now."Oh no! ... I messed up. I have to go. I was so preoccupied with my feelings , I promised him I would make sure he wouldn't have to feel lonely anymore, sh*t."

"Your feelings? Oh at least you are not denying it anymore. I can't believe I also need to manage your love life, I clearly don't get paid enough. Go to him, now.""And make sure he eats!"

-call ended-

Hanbin is already half out the door. He quickly stops by a convenience store to get the ingredients he needs to cook for the patient. He rushes to the apartment building a weird feeling of nervousness, coming from his earlier realisation boiling inside of him.