𝙴𝚚𝚞𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 4 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎 | HAOBIN AU

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 20

Hao had no idea how long they stood there, the quiet tension between them pressing down like a weight neither of them could lift. His mind spun, trying to process Hanbin’s words, trying to grasp what it all meant for them.

Finally, Hao broke the silence, his voice low and unsure. “Hanbin, I—”

“I don’t expect you to say anything,” Hanbin interrupted, his tone gentle but firm. “I just… I need you to know how I feel. I’m not walking away from you, no matter how hard this gets.”

Hao felt his throat tighten, a lump forming that he couldn’t swallow. The weight of Hanbin’s sincerity pressed against his chest. How could he push him away now? How could he turn him down after hearing that?

He couldn’t.

But he also didn’t know how to let Hanbin in when everything felt so uncertain.

Taking a deep breath, Hao nodded, forcing himself to meet Hanbin’s eyes. “You don’t know what you’re signing up for,” he muttered. “You don’t even know how bad this could get.”

“I don’t care.” Hanbin’s response was immediate, almost defiant. “I know what I’m doing. And I know you, Hao. I know you’re scared, but you don’t have to be alone.”

Hao clenched his fists at his sides, fighting the urge to say something he’d regret. Hanbin’s stubbornness was both comforting and maddening. “You’re making it sound simple, but it’s not.”

“I know it’s not simple,” Hanbin replied, his voice quieter now. “But I’d rather be here with you, facing all of this together, than pretending everything’s fine when it’s not.”

Hao’s chest ached at those words. Hanbin was offering everything—his time, his support, his future. It was too much, too overwhelming. “You’re too good to me,” Hao whispered, barely audible.

Hanbin stepped even closer, now just inches away. “It’s not about being good. It’s about being here. For you.”

Hao could feel the heat rising in his face, his heart pounding louder than it had any right to. The weight of Hanbin’s presence, his words, his resolve—it was almost too much to bear. Hao felt like he was standing on the edge of something monumental, something terrifying, and all he wanted to do was run.

But he didn’t.

Instead, he took a shaky breath and nodded. “Okay. I don’t know how this is gonna work, but… okay.”

Hanbin’s expression softened, a small, relieved smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “That’s all I need to hear.”

They stood there for a moment longer, both of them unsure of what came next. There was so much still unsaid between them, but for now, this was enough.

The bell rang in the distance, signaling the end of the break. Hao flinched at the sound, his heart sinking back to reality. “I should get to class,” he said, the words sounding hollow.

“Yeah,” Hanbin agreed, though he didn’t move. “I’ll see you after?”

Hao hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah. After.”

As they walked away in opposite directions, Hao felt a strange mix of emotions pulling him in different directions—relief, fear, uncertainty. But most of all, hope.

ᯓ★ Time skip the next Monday

The sun hung high in the sky, casting a warm light over the sprawling campus of Hao’s new school. Hanbin stood at the entrance, his heart pounding in his chest as he looked up at the unfamiliar building. He had spent the past few days convincing himself that transferring schools was the right choice, that being close to Hao mattered more than anything else.