Inside | HENDERY WAYV/NCT

41

Luna contemplated to see herself. She saw a glimpse of her but she wasn't ready to see herself as a whole.

"I AM SO BUYING THAT DRESS SOON!!" She heard Kelly's voice. Luna turned to her right and saw Hendery holding up his phone.

"What the heck?" Luna covered her face but Hendery stopped her. "Don't. Let Kelly have a look."

"Luna, get purple highlights in your hair, and you'll look like a fairy," Kelly added. She was munching on the other line.

Eventually they decided on that specific dress for her. She took out her purse to pay, but Hendery was quicker. "My treat."

"Why would you do that?" She asked. He shrugged. "Kinda like a bribe because you're willing to go ice skating with me," he chuckled. Luna held her hand out to take the paper bag from him but he refused. "I'll carry it."

He turned to Luna who was window shopping her way through the mall. "Hey, what's for dinner?"

"I don't know," she turned to him and shrugged.
"Sushi or pizza?"
"You know I don't..."
"Okay, sushi it is," he cut her off before she could even finish her words. Luna was amused.

*****************

Hala munched on the dumplings Hendery brought. She was more absorbed into eating rather than the conversation.

"You know, Luna doesn't eat in front of people," Hala interrupted. Hendery nodded. "I know. She doesn't."

"But I don't know what power or skill you have, she eats when you ask her to. Remember that ice cream on Yue's birthday? Do you know how hard it is to make her even taste an ice cream? And you just handed her a spoon and said have a taste," Hala sounded envious. She was obviously offended by how Luna would refuse whenever she offered. Hendery laughed. He shrugged.

He himself didn't know how he did it. He just did.

"So what's the plan?"

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The sushi house was packed with people. Luckily they got a table in the corner. Luna watched as Hendery chose his sushis. He handed her a plate of sushi rolls.

"I...." she hesitated. "Look at me when you eat. You can eat with me, right? So just look at me and chew," he assured her. He handed her a pair of chopsticks and the condiments. Luna smiled. "Kill me, Hendery."

She picked up a piece and bit into it while locking her eyes on him. "Don't stare back," she closed his eyes. "Sorry. Sorry," he broke the eye contact and lowered his gaze down onto his plate.

"Thank you," Luna held a piece of sushi roll in front of him. He giggled like a high school girl and bit the sushi.

You're that one person who radiates comfort. Not all the time but just at the right time. Don't be too nice to me. I might fall deeper.

***********************

Luna climbed up the stairs thinking of how can she hid the huge paper bag. Hendery dropped her off at the parking lot and bid her goodbye. "See ya tomorrow," he waved and sped away.

"Ah, quick go inside. Yun isn't home yet," Mrs Hua ushered her quickly to her room. Luna entered her room quickly and locked the door. She proceeded to block it with a chair. She sat down on the floor and took out the dress from its bag. She stared at the dress for a hot minute before hanging it in the wardrobe.

A simple knock on her door startled her.

"Yes, mother?"
"Have you eaten? Do you want to eat with me? It's lonely," Mrs Hua said from the other side. Luna hesitated. "I'm coming. Let me take off my makeup."

She exited the room in the same outfit she wore when she left. Luna sat in the empty seat. Mrs Hua placed a bowl of rice in front of her.

"Eat up. I made some tomato eggs. Your favourite," the elder smiled. Luna could hear her head screaming not to eat. "If you don't feel like eating, its okay."

Quickly Luna smiled and picked up her chopsticks. "I love these."

**************************

He sat on his window sill and stared out the window.

"Hendery!" Kelly opened his door and sat beside him.

"What is it Kelly?"
"I need that dress. Does it come in pink?" She played with her hair. Kelly handed him a piece of gummy shark. He laughed and nodded.
"Yeh. In pastel pink, lilac, baby blue and white," he chewed on the gummy shark.

He looked up to her. "It tastes like lemons," she smiled. "Kelly, how long have you known Luna?"

"Around 10 years? Plus minus. Why?"
"Has she always been that way?"
"What way?" Kelly pulled him so they'd sit on the floor. They leaned on the wall. Hendery shook his head and reached more for the gummy shark.

"I remembered her being very bright. But as she got older, her smile faded. She wasn't as bright as when I first met her. I still remember our first day opening that dumpling house 10 years ago, she was there. So bright," Kelly smiled when she remembered their first day opening the dumpling house 10 years ago.

Hendery tilted his head, trying to remember that day.

"Wait, if she was there 10 years ago. Then, I've met her," Hendery scratched his head.

"Yeah. She made you cry when she accidentally bumped into you and you dropped your tray. Remember?"

"What?? No way. She was tall! That girl was tall," Hendery turned to her so quickly that Kelly bursted into laughter.

"That was her. Wait, I think there's a photo of you guys. I'll be back," Kelly exited the room for a while.

After a few minutes, she came back with a photo album. "See? You guys met. Here's you, still crying because mom yelled at you for dropping the tray," Kelly showed him the photo.

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~10 years ago~

The dumpling house was jammed packed with people on it's opening day. Everyone was on hands and helped in serving and waiting customers.

12 year old Hendery was told to serve some complimentary drinks to a table. He carried the trau carefully but a toddler ran passed him and he bumped into a girl. A loud crash could be heard. The cups fell and shattered.

He panicked and his mother wasn't helping.

"Why did you drop it?!" Mrs Wong got a bit angry at him. He bursted into tears yet he had to clean the mess up since everyone was so busy. He weeped as he swept the floors.

Fate sure is funny.