Chapter Text
“Sung Hanbin, the 4th olympian gold medalist, has announced an indefinite hiatus following an injury after Olympics”
Hanbin knew the announcement was everywhere.
By the time he landed in Korea, camera flashes greeted him the moment he stepped past the arrival gates.
He didn't flinch.
Despite the reporters from different media outlets persistently calling his attention, he didn't answer.
He just simply adjusted the strap of his bag and kept walking.
The flashes followed him relentlessly, lighting his path towards the exit. The noise lingered for a while, until he slid into the car and closed the door behind him.
Only then did the noise finally fade.
On the way back to his penthouse, Hanbin looked out the car window.
Seoul looked different.
The buildings blurred past one another. Some are newly built, while others still stand where they had been 4 years ago.
It has been 4 years since he left Korea for his swimming career. His life had been nothing but training, competitions, and flying from one country to another — collecting achievements left and right.
He was at the peak of his career. His successful career earned him a household name in Korea and became a renowned swimmer in the world.
And yet, it had come at cost.
Recently, he had injured his arm during his training session, and the pain hadn’t gone away despite 2 months taking a break.
The doctors told him he needed a break for at least a year. Hanbin agreed, knowing he needed more time to rest, even if it hurt to stay out of the water.
After an hour and a half, they arrived at the penthouse.
He was greeted by a man in casual clothes waiting by the entrance.
It was Taerae…. who had been taking care of Hanbin’s place.
He had been taking care of the place for the past year, making sure everything stayed in order despite Hanbin’s absence. The young man smiled as soon as he saw him.
“Welcome home, sir!” he greeted warmly.
Hanbin returned the smile, small but genuine.
The penthouse felt the same as he remembered. It was quiet, spacious, untouched. The lights were soft and the air was cool. His footsteps echoed faintly as he stepped inside. The sound reminded him how long it had been since he last stood there.
Taerae took his bag and mentioned that everything had been kept as he left it. Mail had been sorted, old belongings stored neatly. Hanbin listened absentmindedly, nodding when needed as he made his way toward the bedroom.
The bedroom looked just as he had left it.
The bed was neatly made, the curtains are drawn halfway to let the late afternoon light in.
Hanbin dropped onto the bed, exhaustion settling into his body. He stared at the ceiling for a moment, letting the silence sink in.
His gaze slowly drifted to the wall beside him. He saw some framed certificates from high school and college hung neatly in place.
His academic awards and early swimming recognitions served as quiet reminders of where everything had started. A few medals rested on the shelf nearby, worn by time and touch.
They spoke of humble beginnings. Of mornings spent training before class, and the dreams that once felt too big for a quiet kid from Korea.
He already made it this far, huh.
The thought lingered as his eyes grew heavy, and before he knew it, sleep took him.
Hanbin woke to the vibration of his phone against the mattress of his bed. He squinted at the screen and let out a frustrated sigh.
Kim Gyuvin.
Of course, his best friend since college.
Hanbin answered the phone, irritatedly, “What?”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming back now? I could’ve at least prepared something!” Gyuvin whined.
Hanbin rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I don't think it mattered.”
“It matters!” Gyuvin exclaimed, sounding almost scandalized. “You’re back in Korea, and I hear nothing? You just show up like a ghost?”
“I just got out of a twelve-hour flight, Gyuvin. Can you just quit nagging?” He said.
“I know, I know,” Gyuvin said. “Which is exactly why you need a drink. Let’s drink tonight! We should celebrate your return. Drinks on me.”
“I don’t feel like it,” Hanbin muttered, rubbing his eyes.
“Oh, come on! Don’t give me that,” Gyuvin whined. “You’ve been gone for four years! You can’t just sneak back into Korea and hide. Come on, hyung!”
Hanbin groaned, leaning back on the bed. “You’re impossible.”
Gyuvin whined again.
“Hey! I’m allowed to be a little annoying.”
“I’m not going. Go have fun yourself,” Hanbin replied.
“It’s just a few sips of alcohol. I didn’t know swimmers aren’t allowed to be a little wild for one night,” Gyuvin teased mischievously.
Because he knew Gyuvin wouldn’t take “no” for an answer, Hanbin let out a long sigh.
“Fine,” he muttered. “Just one drink.”
“Perfect!” Gyuvin exclaimed. “See you later!”
Hanbin stared at the ceiling, shaking his head. It's going to be a long night.
At exactly 8:30 p.m., Hanbin made his way to the bar Gyuvin had sent him the location for.
The moment he stepped inside, the loud and vibrating music welcomed him. There were people that were already dancing on the dance floor. The energy was overwhelming at first, but familiar in a strange, comforting way.
His eyes scanned the whole place. Luckily, he easily spotted Gyuvin at a corner table on the 2nd floor, already holding a glass and surrounded by their friends.
“Hey,” Hanbin greeted.
He slid into the bench next to Matthew and Jiwoong, who immediately greeted him with wide smiles.
“Hanbin! Long time no see,” Matthew said cheerfully. “How are you?”
Hanbin took the glasses, pouring the drink into a cup before taking a slow sip. “I’m fine,” he said casually. “I had to take a break. The doctor said I needed some time off.”
Jiwoong leaned back, while shaking his head.
“Yeah, it took you four years man to finally take a break. Welcome back, Mr. Bigshot in L.A.”
Hanbin smirked. “Big shot huh? Just doing what I love.”
“Enough talking,” Gyuvin announced, lifting his glass high. “Cheers to Hanbin, welcome back!”
The table came alive with cheers, as the glasses clinked loudly as they drank.
Not long after, more familiar faces joined their table. It was filled now with loud laughter and shouting coming from their old friends from years ago. The music grew louder and the drinks kept coming each time.
For a while, Hanbin let himself get lost in it all, from the chaos as a welcome distraction from months of exhaustion.
Three hours in, the table had gone quiet. He leaned back against the couch as his fingers loosely wrapped around his glass. The warmth of the alcohol finally settling in.
Matthew broke the brief silence for a while, eyeing Gyuvin. “Gyuvin, are you sure Ricky’s not gonna be mad at you?”
Gyuvin waved him off without hesitation. “He trusts me. Besides, he knows who I’m with.”
Hanbin raised an eyebrow. “So… you really ended up with Ricky?”
“Yeah. Crazy, right?” Gyuvin laughed, nodding his head.
“Crazy is an understatement. You are engaged already.” Matthew snorted.
Hanbin glanced at Gyuvin again. He looks surprised. “You two used to fight all the time. I’m honestly shocked you ended up together.”
Gyuvin laughed softly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah. We were a mess back then. Always arguing over the pettiest reasons back in college.”
“I guess the ones you don’t like really do end up together.” Jiwoong added, while sipping another drink.
Hanbin shook his head, amused. “Guess some people really do find their person. Congrats on your engagement.”
Gyuvin lifted his glass with a grin. “Thanks. Took us long enough.”
Matthew leaned in, eyes flicking toward this time to Hanbin. “What about you, though?”
Hanbin raised a brow. “What about me?”
“You were four years overseas. I’m sure you met a lot of people, and you’ve got a pretty stable career with all that fame,” Matthew said eagerly.
“Don’t tell me you never thought about settling down or getting into serious relationships.” he continued
Hanbin let out a quiet laugh, swirling the drink in his hand.
“Honestly… I barely had time to think about anything beyond swimming,” he admitted.
He had met people along the way, but it was always a casual and short time thing. There's nothing that made him want to stay nor he pictured lasting a relationship with them. He never allowed himself to imagine a future with any of them.
His mind had always been fixed on his career. Everything else came second.
“Aren’t you tired of all that training? You missed most of the fun in your life here in Seoul,” Jiwoong added, shaking his head.
Gyuvin smirked. “He’s indeed Mr. Big Shot. His swimming career is at its peak. And obviously, he gained even more fan girls.”
Matthew laughed, leaning back in his seat. “With that face and having a successful career? There’s no way you didn’t have people lining up.”
“I noticed. I just didn’t think much of it.” he shrugged.
Jiwoong clicked his tongue. “Unbelievable. Not even athletes? Not even back in college?”
Hanbin took a slow sip of his drink. “Not seriously.”
Gyuvin smirked. “Yeah, he’s boring. He even rejected someone back in college. I honestly thought he liked that guy.”
Matthew blinked, clearly confused. “Who?”
“Zhang Hao,” Gyuvin said.
“Our schoolmate back then… I think he was Hanbin’s biggest fan. He never missed a single competition. He liked Hanbin a lot, but Hanbin rejected him.” Gyuvin explained.
Zhang Hao.
A music major student, training to become a music teacher. He noticed how the man would always carry notebooks and lesson plans, talking about standing in front of a classroom someday. Hearing his name sent Hanbin spiraling back to those earlier days.
Of course, he couldn’t forget Zhang Hao.
He was one of the few people who believed in him without hesitation. He, who trusted him enough to think he could go far—farther than anyone else expected.
Back then, Zhang Hao had been there, cheering from Hanbin’s success that was already certain from that young man.
“Hanbin?” Matthew’s voice cut through his thoughts. “You good?”
Hanbin blinked, then forced a small smile as he lifted his glass slightly. “Yeah. Just tipsy,” he said lightly.
Hanbin wasn’t even sure how he made it home.
He walks unsteadily into his penthouse, as he feels his world is spinning due to the alcohol.
The place was too quiet. Taerae was already asleep so there's no one who would assist him. He kicked off his shoes and let his jacket slide into the floor.
His head throbbed while he made his way inside.
He went straight to the bathroom, letting the shower run just long enough to wash off the smell of alcohol and the heaviness in his head.
Once done, he reached into his closet. After grabbing a clean pair of his pajamas, Hanbin accidentally hit a small box placed at the back of the shelf. He didn’t notice it at first, until it fell to the floor.
Dozens of letters spilled out, scattering across his bedroom.
Hanbin froze for a while, confusion was written all over his face.
He then knelt and began gathering them, until one name made him stop.
Zhang Hao.
He quickly picked up one of the letters, noticing how creased and worn it was. He then read a letter, while he was sitting on the floor.
June 2021
From: Zhang Hao
14 Han Street, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Dear Hanbin,
Do you remember when you told me to write to you once you achieved your dream? You wanted to know if I had reached mine as well. I know you might never read this, but I wrote it for you anyway.
I just want to share what’s been happening in my life, as I promised. I know you’ll be living in another country for years and you’ll adapt to a different culture, and a life far from the Seoul you grew up in.
I know, Hanbin… I got rejected. But up until now, that hasn’t stopped me from writing. I promised myself that once you were in the spotlight, I’d still write to you.
To remind that someone believed in you first, someone who admired you from the start and that someone was me.
Actually, I’m graduating soon. I had to pause for a year as many things had happened, and I needed to focus on supporting my studies. I can’t help but be amazed by you, how you managed to balance being an athlete and a student at the same time before.
I’ll let you know once I graduate. I just want you to know that no matter where life takes us, there’s someone back home who has always been quietly cheering for you!
Sincerely yours,
Zhang Hao