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The café was buzzing with its usual mid-morning rush. Hao and Hanbin had just settled into their rhythm, exchanging quick glances and playful smirks as they navigated the orders. It was just another normal day, or so they thought.
Then the bell at the front door jingled, and in walked a figure that stopped Hao in his tracks.
Zi Han.
Hao froze, eyes widening as the familiar face came into view. She looked just as he remembered—bright eyes, a warm smile, and that unmistakable spark of energy. The two locked eyes, and for a moment, it felt like the past had slipped right back into the present.
“Hao!” she exclaimed, breaking into a grin as she rushed forward and enveloped him in a tight hug. Hao hesitated before he hugged her back, the warmth of their shared history filling the space between them. But his shock didn’t last long; he found himself smiling, caught up in the familiarity of it all.
Hanbin, however, watched the scene from the counter with narrowed eyes. Zi Han. The name stirred something in his memory—a story Hao’s mom had shared over dinner, about some high school girlfriend. That was her, right? His jaw tightened, and he forced himself to keep wiping down the counter, his gaze never straying far from the two.
Hao finally pulled back, beaming as he turned to Hanbin. “Zi Han, this is my bo—”
“His friend,” Hanbin interrupted, a forced smile stretching across his face as he stepped forward, placing himself a bit too close to Hao. “Just a friend.”
Hao’s smile faltered, the word “friend” echoing in his mind, leaving a hollow feeling in his chest. Friend? After everything between them, after late-night confessions, stolen glances, and whispered promises—Hanbin had just called him a friend? The word stung, but Hao forced himself to hold it together, nodding as he tried to process it.
Zi Han, oblivious to the tension between them, gave Hanbin a bright smile. “It’s nice to meet you! Hao’s told me so much about his life here. It’s good to see him surrounded by… friends.” She glanced between the two, perhaps sensing the tension but brushing it off.
As they chatted, Hanbin stood off to the side, his eyes dark with something unreadable. He couldn’t quite place it—jealousy, frustration, maybe even anger. Watching Hao light up around someone from his past felt like watching a door he’d thought was closed swing wide open.
After a few more minutes, Zi Han gave Hao another warm hug, promising they’d catch up soon. As she turned to leave, she shot Hanbin a friendly nod before heading out the door.
Hao stood there, watching her leave, his mind racing. But before he could say anything, Hanbin turned to him with an annoyed look. “Interesting reunion,” he muttered, crossing his arms.
