My celebrity :) {Haobin}

Chapter 42

Hao's pov:

Hao wakes up the morning of the fan-meeting still feeling giddy from the night before. The joy gets slightly dulled upon realising that he still didn't get a message from Hanbin. Like a mantra , he keeps telling himself that he just needs to hang on a tiny bit more until he is given the chance to make things right between them. Just a few more days and he'll be back in Korea, ready to fight for their relationship. He distracts himself by thinking about the fan-meeting, it's been a while since he last did one and it's the first one he gets to hold in his hometown, it doesn't make the ache of missing Hanbin disappear completely but it helps.

He is supposed to be at the venue early to go over everything one last time to make sure the show proceeds smoothly. As he is chauffeured to the stadium, he is being driven past the queue of fans that are already waiting for him. It makes his heart swell from gratefulness to think about all those people willing to wait a whole day just to see him perform, to get the chance to cheer from him. Seungkwan is sitting next to him, seemingly equally floored to see the size of the crowd. "Just so you know, I cannot protect you from this amount of people, my social anxiety says no", he jokes.

It makes the celebrity chuckle. "It's a good thing you don't have too then, the stadium luckily comes with it's own set of security staff, who are also much more tough and intimidating looking than you", he says sticking out his tongue at the boy next to him.

"Are you making fun of my professionalism?", he answers pretending to be hurt.

"I wouldn't dare, I still need someone that would camp out in a random park for me." He additionally bats his eyelashes for good measure.

"Just so you know I only volunteered for that because your company offered financial compensation for the trouble."

"Seems like we find ourselves in a win-win situation, as I proved yesterday I can also financially compensate you for a lot of things."

"No need, I may have been swayed by a certain someone's adorable antics, making me willing to do almost anything without compensation."

The response makes Hao beam, he can't even come up with a witty response, he's just too happy.

The manager who had silently watched the interaction from the front seat just sighs at them. "If I didn't know any better you might almost think you're flirting with each other."

He gets the same reaction from the two boys, you would get from two kids telling them they might end up together in the future, a good mixture of shock and disgust.

"Okay kids, we've arrived so go prepare, we've got a show to put on."

And just like with children, the moment is forgotten and the boys take off to get in the backstage area of the stadium, walking with linked arms.

Hao goes through the usual preparation steps, ending with him getting fitted and styled shortly before it actually begins. The stylists gossip around him, talking about the outfits his fans wore to the event. They seem to come to the conclusion that his fans have good taste in fashion.

It's always fun listening to this kind of chatter and it makes time pass more quickly.

Just like that it's finally time for the show to start, the lights go off and he confidently steps into starting position. He always starts with his most powerful songs to set the mood, his fans go crazy watching him dance. He likes it too, he can fully immerse himself in the music and the choreography and tunes out everything else.

Since it's a fan-meeting he can't just perform his music like he usually would, so after the first segment, he takes part in some challenges, answers some fan questions, and plays some innocent games. Some signs and banners are being shown on the big screen and he answers them making the fans cheer gleefully. The whole show runs smoothly, the fans give their everything at cheering, singing and interacting and it makes Hao almost explode from adrenaline. It's moments like these he sacrificed so much to keep experiencing, and standing here in front of such a huge crowd , for once his thoughts are freed from regrets.

The event concludes with him singing a few songs again. He isn't too sad about it ending since it's only the first day, and he'll get to perform the same thing again the next day. As always during his last songs he gets to freely walk across the stage to greet and interact with his fans. He is making his round around the stage, singing his heart out, when he suddenly locks eyes with someone very familiar. His brain short circuits trying to convince himself of the fact that he is now hallucinating. He can't resist a second glance and his breath straight up catches in his throat. He definetely messed up a few lines in the song but his mind is too far gone to even notice. He is here, Hanbin is here, in China..., at his fan-meeting... Here? In China? Right now? His mind goes completely blank repeating the same questions over and over again like a broken record. He notices some of his other fans watching him curiously so he quickly pulls himself together to finish this song. He is lucky that he knows his songs like the back of his hand because otherwise he would be in some real trouble. His mind is still a complete mess trying to accept the fact that Hanbin is somehow really here. Additionally his heart started beating erratically and his legs feel like they turned into jelly, he's fully aware that he is about one second away from fully crashing out.

Somehow he actually manages to finish song, he bows , says goodbye and then walks off the stage. The second he gets backstage he sinks down onto his knees, completely drained out of energy. His manager accompanied by a frantic Seungkwan are at his side approximately one second later.

"What happened? Do you feel sick?", the bodyguard asks.

"Do you feel bad about the small misstep at the end. If so it really doesn't matter, this is the first time this ever happened to you anyway", the manager adds.

"He's here...", he manages to breathe out.

The two men share a confused gaze, clearly having no idea what to do.

The manager suddenly looks slightly worried. "Who? Your father? Someone from the past?"

He can only shake his head, because the words just fail him completely. "Hanbinie...My...", he somehow forces out.

The two men still look puzzled.

"While singing the song you were thinking about him and it made you stumble over the lyrics?", the manager tries again.

"The lyrics made you think about how much you miss him and now you don't feel good?", Seungkwan adds gently.

Hao shakes his head again. "No... Hanbin... here... he... 's... here...", he squeaks out.

"What?!", can be heard from both men simultaneously.

"You hallucinated him being here...", the manager inquires carefully.

Another head-shake. "No... really... here..."

"I'll go take a look, Seungkwan you stay here with him and make sure he is okay."

The manager disappears and Seungkwan helps the celebrity sit against the wall, trying to ground him but it's clear that his mind is still miles away. For a while everything except the celebrity's shaky breaths, stays silent, creating a tensed atmosphere.

A few moments later, someone can be heard rushing towards them and Hao's heartbeat instantly quickens. "Zhang Hao!!!!!!" And then arms envelop him, holding him tightly in an all to familiar embrace. It's in this moment that his mind just shatters and he starts sobbing. Hanbin's voice is the only thing registering in his mind continuously whispering comforting words to him. "Don't cry", "please baby...", "Don't cry", "Everything is okay."

It takes him a while to calm down. Throughout the breakdown the only thing he could do, was holding onto the boy in front of him so tight , his knuckles started turning white. The tears that streamed down his face are gently being wiped away by warm hands. When the fog in his mind finally clears and he can consciously take in Hanbin's image in front him, his mind threatens to shatter all over again. Hanbin is looking at him so affectionately it makes his heart almost combust in his chest. Everything around him just ceases to exist as he pulls his favourite person into another hug and breathes in his familiar sent. He can feel all the tension in his mind and body just melt right out of him and for the first time ever since he left Korea, he feels whole again.