𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐘 | Haobin

10 - Lonely prince

POV: Hanbin | WEDNESDAY

Some comments were downright cruel like:

"I guess the Prince has a soft spot. Who would've thought?"

But then there were the ones that made my skin crawl, the ones that painted us as something I couldn't even begin to process:

"Did you see how he held Hao? That's more than just 'helping out.'"

or "The way Hanbin looked at him... there's definitely something there. #ShipIt."

The screen blurred as I watched the video play again, every detail magnified, every touch, every glance now cemented in everyone's minds. This wasn't just a mistake anymore—this was a disaster. My reputation, my carefully constructed image—it was all falling apart in front of me. And the worst part? Some small, hidden part of me didn't even want to deny it.

I clenched my jaw, forcing the thoughts away, and focused on the task at hand. Damage control. That's what I needed right now, before this spiraled even further out of control. But as I closed the video, the memory of how it felt to hold Hao, the warmth of his body against mine, lingered longer than it should have.

I needed air. I needed to get out of there, away from him, away from everything. I grabbed my phone and slipped out of the room as quietly as I could, my heart pounding in my chest. I found an empty corner of the hallway and dialed my father's number, my hands trembling as I held the phone to my ear.

He picked up on the first ring, his voice a venomous hiss on the other end. "Hanbin," he snapped, his tone colder than I'd ever heard. "What in God's name were you thinking?"

My stomach twisted into knots. "Dad, it's not what it looks like—"

"Not what it looks like?" he cut me off, his voice rising in fury. "Do you think I'm a fool? That video has spread like wildfire! You've made a complete mockery of yourself—of this family! That lowly scholarship student? Do you have any idea the damage you've done to our reputation? To mine?"

His words were like daggers, each one slicing deeper than the last. I clenched my fists, struggling to keep my voice from shaking. "I was just trying to help—"

"Help?" he spat, his voice dripping with contempt. "Don't insult my intelligence with that pathetic excuse! You had one job—one simple job: to maintain the dignity and superiority of this family. And what do you do? You're caught on camera holding that nobody like he's something precious, something worth protecting! How could you be so careless?"

My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of fear and frustration boiling inside me. "I didn't mean for it to get out of hand—"

"You should've never gotten involved in the first place!" he barked. "Do you realize how weak you look? How people are laughing at you? They're questioning your place, your strength, your judgment. This is a disaster, Hanbin, and you brought it on yourself!"

His anger was palpable, suffocating. "I don't want you anywhere near that boy again. Do you understand me? Fix this. I don't care what it takes—discredit him, deny everything, make sure the world knows that you had no choice, that you were simply doing your duty. But you will erase this stain from our name. Is that clear?"

I nodded, even though he couldn't see it, my voice barely a whisper. "Yes, Father. I'll fix it."

"See that you do," he snarled, before hanging up, leaving me standing there with the weight of his expectations crushing down on me.

I scrolled through my contacts and found Ricky's name. If anyone could help me spin this, it was him. He had more followers than Yuji, more influence. I sent him a quick message, asking him to meet me outside. I didn't have to wait long before he showed up.

"Hanbin!" Ricky's voice rang out as he strolled towards me, a smirk already playing on his lips. He leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed, eyes gleaming with mischief. "So, what's the emergency? Or should I say, who's the emergency?"

I didn't have time for his games, but I could tell from the look on his face that he already knew everything. "I need you to post something for me. A statement."

Ricky raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "A statement? About what? The fact that you and lover boy over there stole all the attention at the party? You know, people usually wait until the after-party to make out, but you two... bold move."

"Cut the crap, Ricky," I snapped, but it only made him laugh harder.

"I mean, Hanbin, I thought you were just going to swoop in, save the day, and keep your cool. But instead, you went full-on knight in shining armor. Holding him like that, the way you looked at him... Man, you've got the internet buzzing more than I ever could. Who knew you had such a romantic side?"

I clenched my jaw, trying to stay focused. "It wasn't like that. And you know it."

"Sure, sure," he teased, leaning in a little closer. "But let me ask you—what's he like up close? Those big, teary eyes when he looks at you... must've been intense. I bet that clingy thing he did, holding onto you all helpless, had you feeling all sorts of things, huh?"

I glared at him, but the smirk never left his face. "Ricky, this is serious. That video is everywhere. My father's already lost it over this, and if I don't clean up this mess, I'm screwed."

He rolled his eyes dramatically. "Fine, fine. You and your drama.''

"Make it look like I was just doing the right thing, helping out a student in trouble. Make sure people know there's nothing more to it. No connection. Just me being... civil."

Ricky's smirk grew wider. "So, the prince isn't interested in the princess after all?"

"Just do it," I snapped, not in the mood for his teasing. "And make sure it spreads."

He chuckled, pulling out his phone. "Relax, Hanbin. I've got this."

As Ricky started typing out the statement, I felt a sick sense of relief wash over me. This would fix it. This would put everything back to normal. But as I stood there, watching him work, I couldn't shake the hollow feeling in my chest.

Last night had been a mistake. I knew that. But why did it feel like I was losing something more? Something I didn't even realize I wanted? I clenched my fists, shoving the thought away. I couldn't afford to think like that. Not now. Not ever.

By the time Ricky was done, the statement was perfect. Cold, detached, and exactly what I needed. He hit "post" with a satisfied grin, and I knew it wouldn't be long before the narrative changed. People would forget about the video, about Hao, about everything.

But as we walked back inside, I couldn't help but glance back at the room where Hao was still asleep, oblivious to the storm I was trying to control. And I couldn't help but wonder if things would really go back to normal—or if last night had changed everything in ways I couldn't even begin to understand.

___________________________

Now this is my longest chapter written so far
Next chapter will be from zhang haos perspective again ;D

Also here's my spotify playlist if you want to read with music https://open.spotify.com/playlist/70R4nqDnbSXL7VEngwCpBV?si=IfDPBRK4SweYvhMXixeWIA&pi=e-R8CkJ5MmTuqI

See u~