Fated Connections ZB1 Zhang Hao x Fem reader

Chapter 29: A Test of Patience

A month had passed since Zhang Hao and Y/N said their goodbyes at the airport. The initial comfort they had found in each other's messages began to fade as their busy schedules took over. The long-distance relationship, which they both had known would be difficult, was proving to be more of a challenge than they had anticipated.

Zhang Hao was in the middle of heavy promotions for Zerobaseone's latest album. Interviews, performances, and fan meetings were constant, leaving him exhausted by the end of each day. He tried his best to keep up with messages to Y/N, but as the days wore on, their conversations became shorter and less frequent.

Y/N, on the other hand, had been thrown into a particularly demanding season at the hospital. With a shortage of staff, she had taken on more shifts than usual. She was physically drained, and her emotional strength was wearing thin. The time she used to spend waiting for Zhang Hao's messages was now spent sleeping whenever she could.

One evening, as Y/N sat in the hospital's break room, scrolling through her phone, she realized she hadn't heard from Zhang Hao in three days. She stared at the screen, her finger hovering over his name in her contacts list. Should she message him? Or would it seem like she was nagging him when he was clearly busy?

Her thumb hovered over the call button, but she hesitated. Zhang Hao hadn't had a proper rest in weeks, and she didn't want to burden him. Letting out a sigh, she set her phone aside and leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes. The exhaustion was catching up with her.

At the same time, Zhang Hao was at the dance studio, going through the choreography for the hundredth time that day. Sweat dripped down his face as he moved in sync with the other members, but his mind wasn't fully there. It had been days since he'd last spoken to Y/N properly, and guilt gnawed at him.

After practice, Hanbin approached him, noticing the tension in his face. "You okay, Hao? You've been off lately."

Zhang Hao wiped his face with a towel, sighing deeply. "Yeah... just tired."

"You sure that's it?" Hanbin asked, raising an eyebrow. "It's more than the schedule, isn't it?"

Zhang Hao glanced at him, then nodded slowly. "It's Y/N. I haven't had time to talk to her much lately, and I feel like I'm letting her down. We knew it'd be hard, but... I didn't think it'd feel this lonely."

Hanbin patted Zhang Hao on the back. "Relationships are tough, especially in this line of work. But she seems like the kind of person who understands, right?"

"She is," Zhang Hao agreed. "But I still feel like I should be doing more."

"Maybe you should tell her how you're feeling. She probably misses you just as much."

Zhang Hao nodded, knowing Hanbin was right. He'd been so caught up in the whirlwind of work that he hadn't made the time to reach out. As soon as he got a break that evening, he sent Y/N a quick message.

The message:

Y/N was finishing up her shift when her phone buzzed. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Zhang Hao's name on the screen. The message was short, but it was enough to bring a smile to her face.

Zhang Hao: "I miss you. Let's talk tonight if you're free?"

Y/N quickly replied, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten.

Y/N: "I miss you too. I'll be home in an hour. Call me then?"

Zhang Hao responded almost immediately. "I will. Rest up until then."

The call:

Later that night, Y/N sat on her bed, staring at her phone as she waited for Zhang Hao's call. When the phone finally rang, she answered it eagerly.

"Hao," she said softly, her heart warming at the sound of his voice.

"Y/N," Zhang Hao replied, relief evident in his tone. "I'm sorry it's been so long."

"It's okay," Y/N said, though a part of her still ached from the distance. "I know you've been busy. How are you?"

"I'm exhausted," Zhang Hao admitted with a small laugh. "But I've missed you. I've been thinking about you a lot, even if I haven't been able to reach out."

"I've missed you too," Y/N said, her voice quieter now. "It's been hard... not being able to talk as much. But I know you're doing your best."

"I feel like I'm failing at this sometimes," Zhang Hao confessed, his voice filled with regret. "I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I didn't think I'd feel this distant from you."

Y/N's heart squeezed at his words. "You're not failing, Hao. We're both doing the best we can. It's just... the reality of our lives. But that doesn't mean we care about each other any less."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and when Zhang Hao spoke again, his voice was tender. "Thank you for being so understanding. I don't deserve you."

Y/N smiled softly. "You deserve everything, Hao. We just have to keep being patient with each other."

The conversation stretched on for hours. They talked about everything—Zhang Hao's latest performances, Y/N's challenges at work, their hopes for the future. As the night wore on, the distance between them seemed to fade, replaced by the familiar warmth they always found in each other's words.

By the time they ended the call, both Zhang Hao and Y/N felt lighter. The challenges of their relationship were still there, but their bond had grown stronger, reaffirmed by their honest conversation.

"Goodnight, Y/N," Zhang Hao said, his voice soft.

"Goodnight, Hao," Y/N replied, smiling as she lay back on her pillow. "We'll get through this."

"We will," Zhang Hao agreed. "I love you."

"I love you too."

And with that, they both drifted off to sleep, knowing that no matter how tough things got, they would always find their way back to each other.