If Fate Allows It | Zhang Hao X Hanbin ✓

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Thanks to his father, the chairman of a widely known entertainment company in South Korea, and his mother, the CEO of an international cosmetic corporation, Hanbin had always lived a life of luxury and privilege, accustomed to the finest things money could buy him. The mansion he called “home” was often empty. His parents, consumed by their businesses, were rarely around, leaving Hanbin to raise himself and navigate the world alone. On this particular day, Hanbin found himself, boarding yet another airplane, set for another business trip that was supposed to bring his family even more wealth.

“Mr. Sung?” his Assistant, Seok Matthew called out, immediately breaking him out of his thoughts. “Yes?” Hanbin replied with a polite smile.

“Are you feeling alright? You seem a bit more ‘off’ than usual.”

“Ah? Really?” Hanbin laughed. He stuffed his leather-gloved palms into his trench coat, stalling while he tried to make up a response that would not make him sound either insane or depressed.

“Well… I suppose it might be the weather getting to my head.” Hanbin said, gesturing to the big dark snow clouds that they were flying above.

He was seated in the luxurious first-class cabin of the airplane, a regular mode of travel for someone of his stature.

Hanbin let out a soft sigh of relief. He sat in the alley seat instead of the window seat, so Hanbin couldn’t even look out of the window to look busy to avoid the conversation. Not to mention, he had also forgotten to take his phone out of his carry-on– which was in his above-head compartment. Before he could find anything to busy himself with, his assistant spoke once again.

“Mr. Sung…? You do know how long I have known you, right?”

“Uhm, yes?” Hanbin awkwardly laughed.

“Exactly. I know something is wrong. If you want to, you can talk to me about anything. As I am only loyal to you, I swear on my honor and dignity that I will not tell a single soul what you tell me–”

Hanbin chuckled, “Woah, woah… Calm down! I swear, it is nothing–”

“Is your ‘Ennui’ what has spoiled your mood?” 

Hanbin stopped. He stared as he slowly blinked at the man, unsure what was going on. “Uhm… My what?”

“Ennui– Boredom,” Mr. Seok shrugged. “Your mother warned me yesterday. She said, ‘Hanbin has some chronic boredom or something as such. He has been really off recently. I think romance might fix him, hence why I’m sending him there!’ or something along those lines.”

“Chronic… Boredom…?” Hanbin muttered under his breath. He didn’t know whether he should cry or laugh. What was the most baffling part was that his mother wasn’t even wrong. Growing up, Hanbin’s life had always felt empty, and painted in different hues of gray. He had heard others describe life as a vibrant burst of color, yet he never could grasp what they meant. Everywhere he looked, everything appeared dull and muted. When he was young, he had chased after this ‘vibrancy’ others spoke of, desperate to change his view of life. But as the years slipped by, he gradually gave up. He had just accepted that was just how his life was.

He remembers telling his mother about the emptiness of his life. Because of a mix of the lack of attention she was able to give Hanbin, her now regretting it, and her being a big worry head, his mother went full anxious mode and googled up many reasons why he would be feeling as such. One Google search led to another and so on forth until she was somehow convinced that it was the ‘lack of romance and excitement’ in Hanbin’s life, that was causing this emptiness. After that, his parents had set up an arranged date between him and some woman from another wealthy family in the country– hence why he was on this trip in the first place. Hanbin was on his way to meet his “future in-laws” or so his parents teased him. Even though this wasn’t the solution he was looking for, Hanbin was thankful that his parent was trying to help. But a part of him also knew his parents were also seizing the opportunity to expand their business and expand their wealth through this potential relationship. For the sake of that– and since knew he wouldn’t marry her– Hanbin was just treating this trip like another business trip.