-^* Are we clear? *^- | Haobin

-^* 8 *^-

You have 1 missed call from Zhang Hao (work) 6:37 a.m.

-^* Are we clear? *^-

HANBIN POV:
We talked for a long time after I got home from the hospital. I nagged him to tell me everything he could, so that every memory of his could become a memory of mine. I had some of my own already, those which previously had no face to them. But now that I knew Hao was the one who had been haunting my nightmares I felt them morph into dreams that I couldn't wait to have. He was honest, he told me about all of our bad moments as well as our good and he painted me a picture of our lives back then which helped me understand everything a bit clearer. Of course part of me still felt frustrated by being kept in the dark for so long, but the relief of knowing was so much greater.

I also felt some relief in knowing that I hadn't been losing my mind the past few weeks, and that my strange magnetic pull towards Hao had some meaning behind it.

Life just felt so complete. Maybe slightly too complete. It's times like these you have to keep aware that you aren't really up in the clouds because the rain can pour at any moment...

I think I'd gotten ahead of myself by presuming that the darkening clouds wouldn't pour just yet.

I made my way into work on Monday, feeling elevated, the sun shining brightly and the trees blooming with pink petals.
I walked into the locker room, seeing Taerae and Jiwoong changing into their work clothes as they chatted amongst themselves.
"And he just packed up and left without another word. I couldn't convince him otherwise he just left like that." Jiwoong sighed heavily.
"What? All that for a friend? It's a bit much don't you think...?" Taerae replied with bitterness.
Jiwoong went to speak before Taerae spotted me and nudged him. He turned his head and smiled awkwardly until genuine concern mixed with relief appeared in his expression.
"Hanbin! How are you? Matthew said you weren't feeling so good." Taerae spoke jovially.
My eyes were still on Jiwoong. I wanted to know what he was talking about, something in my gut told me it was about Hao, and that it wasn't particularly good news.
"I'm okay now, just a fever." I replied with a gentle smile.
"So it all went well with Hao then? He told me it did," Jiwoong finally spoke, trying to avert from the topic that was still weighing on my mind.
"Mm, everything's been explained and we're sorting it out..." I said as my face dulled, "but what were you talking about just now?"
"Oh it's nothing-"
"Don't keep anymore secrets from me, I don't really like it all that much considering my situation at the moment..." I retorted more venomously than I'd like to admit.
I began putting my bag in my locker and took my eyes away from the pair, seeing in the corner of my eye how they looked at each other, debating whether to tell me or not.
"Well...Hao got a call from his friend early this morning. He said he wasn't well and Hao just shot off without telling me much else..."
"By 'shot off' do you mean..."
"He took a plane back to China this morning, he's probably boarding right now..."
I glanced over to see Jiwoong avoiding my gaze. Hao had left the country. I didn't want to be as annoyed as I was, his friend wasn't well and I didn't know the situation well enough to judge but...I was sort of angry. It felt like as soon as we'd reached some common ground he was gone, and I didn't know how long for.
"He's been friends with the guy since they were kids, I think their parents are friends but he's always been a beg for Hao's attention. From what Hao's told me before, you two didn't get along in high school." Jiwoong explained.
High school. That damn high school. So he went there too, he must've been an exchange with Hao. And once again I was lost in my own mind trying to dig for memories that didn't exist anymore. I hated it.
I sighed and pulled my hoodie off over my head, stuffing it into my locker.
"Do you know his name or anything?"
"I think it's Yuxuan, but I'm not 100% sure."
I nodded.
"Thank you, anyway...I have a class this morning so I'll go first, bye guys..." I uttered, feeling a distance between them and I now. I closed my locker and escaped the atmosphere, letting the glass door swing shut behind me as I left.