The practice room was quiet, except for the sound of Hanbin's voice breaking the silence.
"So... you're not even going to deny it?" he asked, arms crossed, eyes avoiding Zhang Hao's.
Zhang Hao looked up from his phone, confused. "Deny what?"
"The rumor," Hanbin snapped. "People are saying you've been badmouthing me behind my back. That you said I only got popular because of luck."
Zhang Hao blinked, disbelief flashing across his face. "What? Why would I ever say that?"
Hanbin laughed bitterly. "I don't know, maybe because you've been cold to me lately? Maybe because every time I try to talk to you, you just walk away?"
For a second, the air between them went still. Zhang Hao took a deep breath, setting his phone aside. "Hanbin, I've been tired. That's it. I don't care about stupid rumors, and I would never say anything like that about you."
Hanbin's anger softened, but pride kept his tone sharp. "Then why didn't you just tell me?"
"Because you didn't ask," Zhang Hao said quietly. "You just believed them."
That hit harder than Hanbin expected. The silence stretched again, heavier this time. Zhang Hao stood, walking toward the door — but paused.
"For what it's worth," he said softly, glancing back, "I think you're one of the hardest-working people I know."
Hanbin's chest tightened. "...I'm sorry," he muttered, just loud enough for Zhang Hao to hear.
Zhang Hao smiled faintly. "Next time, trust me before you trust the noise."
When he left, the room felt strangely emptier — and Hanbin realized that maybe the rumor wasn't the real problem at all.