Chapter Text
Hao was fuming. He came to win. He pretty much abandoned his whole life in China just to find success as an idol in Korea. He knew it was going to happen no matter what, but Hao being Hao, wasn´t ready to accept anything less than being number one. Yes, he was that good, and he knew. Call him cocky, although he prefers being known as confident.
As soon as he stepped his foot into the Boys Planet dorm he heard almost every trainee talking about this Sung Hanbin and how talented he was. Professional dancer, they said. Face sculpted by God himself. A voice so beautiful it made flowers bloom. Hao was sure they were exaggerating. A hot great dancer with killer vocals, no that’s very unlikely. There´s no way someone could be that amazing. On the other hand, Hao was that amazing, so maybe this guy Sung Hanbin could be almost as perfect as Hao himself. Almost.
Hao choked on his saliva once he actually saw Hanbin for the first time. Big chocolate eyes, a thousand-watt smile, glowing skin, oh Hao was in trouble. Until now he heard so many compliments about Hanbin but no one mentioned that even his body was absolutely gorgeous. Those leather pants he wore with a simple white button-up. And the harness? Boy did not come to play. Although, Hao wouldn´t mind playing with him a little.
Hao´s jaw dropped once again as he realized those rumors about Hanbin were true. Not only his star-level performance, but also the dance battle with Lip J punched Hao right in the face. Is he supposed to compete with that? Zhang Hao was more than used to being the best of the best, however, this time he feared he wouldn’t be able to fulfill that. Everyone loved Hanbin. Apparently, he was already quite known in Korea. How can Hao, a foreigner, earn more hearts in Hanbin´s country than his new number-one rival? Oh, it's going to be tough.
Only if Hao knew he was wrong.
Zhang Hao certainly stirred the pot as much as Hanbin did. The four stars under his name were proof of that. What else could he expect after his excellent performance with the other Yuahuas. Of course, they slayed! They practiced night and day. Hao just hoped Hanbin watched diligently and saw the potential threat Hao represented for him. Even though they haven't even talked yet, Hanbin should know whom he stood against.
After the star-level test, they finally met in person and Hao got flustered again. Hanbin was… so easy to talk to. So kind, so humble and so so handsome from up close. Hao´s head was spinning. He cannot compete with him. It´s done, Hanbin won. Hao was still going to do his best, that’s for sure but beating Hanbin seemed impossible. Everyone fell for him, including the one and only Zhang Hao himself.
No one was surprised when these two became centers for the signal song. It was a blessing and curse in one. Remember that one part where they actually have to swirl around and touch each other? Well, technically they don’t but Hao made sure they did. Yes, that part had Hao´s heart flutter more than it should.
The day before shooting Here I Am, Hao almost died. All because of Sung Hanbin.
It was almost midnight. Only the two of them were in the practice room, as usual. Two aces who were aces for a reason. Hao very quickly understood that Hanbin wasn’t only popular for his looks, nor he counted on his natural talent to excel. The amount of time and effort Hanbin put into his training was impressive, even for Zhang Hao who practiced almost as much as Hanbin did.
Hao was a quick learner, yet a perfectionist. He learned choreographies quicker than Hanbin but only after watching Hanbin dance, he realize the details he sometimes overlooked. That’s the reason he stayed up longer and practiced together with Hanbin who always helped him improve. It almost seemed as if Hanbin wasn’t trying to beat him. Maybe he wasn’t. Maybe Hao was the only one who took winning so seriously.
“Hao-ssi, if you move your fingers like this it will look more natural. I know most people won´t notice but the judges will. Try this,” Hanbin offered his thought and showed Hao the move again. Hao could only agree. He hadn´t even noticed his fingers moved so awkwardly until Hanbin pointed it out. He tried what Hanbin showed him and immediately felt more satisfied with the overall look of his moves.
“You're right, thank you Hanbin-ah,” Hao smiled. “And please, drop the honorifics already, I've told you that so many times,” Hao pouted. Hanbin was only one year younger but it didn’t stop him from talking to Hao as one of his honored seniors. Cute, but also annoying. Hao felt ancient whenever he was addressed that way.
“Okay, Hao h-hyung,” Hanbin said hesitantly but Hao´s bright smile ensured him it was okay to treat Hao as his peer. “Let´s have a quick break, my muscles are dying,” Hanbin huffed and took a seat on the floor.
Hao soon joined him after practicing Hanbin´s move one more time. Hanbin handed him his water bottle since Hao already finished his own. Hao took it with a smirk. A minute ago he was Hao-ssi to Hanbin, now he was drinking from his bottle. Interesting.
“Thanks,” Hao said after taking a few gulps.
“How will we do tomorrow?” Hanbin asked with a dreamy face. He wasn’t looking at Hao though, his face was turned toward the mirror in front of them.
“We are Zhang Hao and Sung Hanbin, the two centers. There is no one better than us so what do you think?” Hao smirked again. It took him only a few days of knowing Hanbin to stop seeing himself as the only number one. They were equally talented and equally lovable. Where Hao lacked in his dance skills, Hanbin helped him. On the other hand, where Hanbin lacked confidence, Hao was more than willing to make him see what others saw in him.
“God, I wish I had your confidence. Do you ever get nervous at all?” Hanbin chuckled. Only if he knew how nervous Hao got whenever Hanbin did something as simple as looking in his direction.
“No,” a lie. “And you do have it. Hanbin you are confident but in your own more subtle way. Your whole body and face scream confidence whenever you're performing, thrust me. Anyone with eyes can see that. If you were not confident, you wouldn’t be the top trainee in this competition,” Hao said frankly this time. Hanbin´s eyes sparkled with adoration. Whenever he struggled, Hao was there to support him. It was almost ridiculous how much relief and courage Hao´s words have given him.
“Wow Hao hyung is really awesome, you know that?” Hanbin huffed, impressed with Hao´s little speech.
“Well, I am called Zhang/Jjang for a reason,” Hao teased Hanbin playfully. (Jjang (짱) means awesome)
“Yes, you are,” Hanbin laughed at his lame joke. For a few seconds, they both stayed quiet until Hanbin broke the silence.
“Okay, one more try and we´re done for today?” Hanbin asked. He was more tired than he was willing to admit but his diligent personality didn’t let him rest. Not yet.
Hao turned his head away from Hanbin to check the big clock they had above the door. Oh shit, 01:31, when did that happen? Time sure flies with Hanbin around.
“Ah, yeah sure but it really will be the last-,“ Hao didn’t finish his sentence. As he was turning his head back to Hanbin he was stopped by Hanbin´s lips on his own. What the…
As quickly as it happened, Hanbin immediately pulled back, eyes huge as saucers.
“Oh fuck, I am so sorry! I did not mean to!” Hanbin apologized right away. “I was going to grab the water next to you but you turned and-,“ this time it was Hao who stopped him midsentence.
“I don’t mind!” Hao said a bit too excitedly. Hanbin must've misunderstood Hao´s words judging by his surprised expression. “I mean,” Hao continued. “I get it, it was an accident. No worries, we´re good,” Hao chuckled awkwardly. He felt his cheeks blushing, a detail someone as Sung Hanbin certainly couldn’t miss. “Here´s your water,” Hao grabbed the water, gave it to Hanbin, and quickly stood up.
“Hyung,” Hanbin said so quietly Hao could barely hear him. He was going to ignore it but his body acted on his own. Hao turned towards Hanbin which gave him a green light to continue.
“I-,“ Hanbin was looking for words. “I hope we can forget it and continue as if nothing happened. You are becoming one of my closest people here, I don’t want to ruin that by something this stupid,” Hanbin said honestly. God, Hao wished he could forget. It was only a second but the feeling of Hanbin´s soft lips on his will be on his mind for hours.
“Yeah, no problem,” it was a big problem but Hao would only let it be a problem once he had some privacy. His next shower session would definitely include this innocent/not-so-innocent problem into his ´getting-dirty-before-I-get-clean´ routine.
“Come on, let´s do the choreo one more time,” Hao offered hopefully. Hopeful to shut Hanbin up and hopeful to get his brain to think of something other than Hanbin´s silky smooth lips!!
“Yes, sir, let´s do that,” Hanbin replied quickly as he stood up.
Hao somehow managed to remember all the details Hanbin so carefully pointed out before and the dance practice was soon over with both of them equally satisfied with the outcome of their hard work. They exchanged their goodbyes and good nights before parting their ways.
Once behind the closed door, Hao felt like he could freely breathe again. Did Hanbin feel the same? Did he also knock his breath away by his small innocent mistake that sent Hao´s whole being into a spiral? Zhang Hao could only wish that but he wasn’t brave enough to hope.
Either way, it is safe to say Hao was in big trouble and the trouble soon doubled once their lips met again.