Inside | HENDERY WAYV/NCT

50

Hendery - Owner of the land. A prince

Luna smiled as he walked away. Hendery wasn't the perfect boyfriend. He was far from that. Sure he sends random pictures once in a while, they have ice cream dates and such, but he wasn't the kind to always say he loves her. But maybe that's just his love language. Actions.

He'd drove for an hour just for her to push him away, yet he assured her she could always lean on him. He'd immediately climbed up the flights of stairs just to say hi to her and left. Hendery wasn't vocal. But you could feel the wholesome love.

"Don't say a word. I look like a homeless lady," she pushed his cheeks when he stared at her. He laughed and pulled the seatbelt.

"It's an hour drive. Go to sleep, Luna. I'll wake you up when we're home."

"What home, Hendery? I don't have one," she mumbled. "You do. Me," he pointed to himself. Luna laughed. "You're so cheesy. You know that?"

"Yes. Of course I know. But you laughed. That matters. Luna, home is not necessarily a place. It can be people too. If you don't have any, I am here. I can be a home. Just, I'm skinny. So be careful. I'm fragile," he pretended to have frail hands. He stole a glance at Luna who smiled. Her smile mattered most. And that was the thing he wanted to see.

Hendery plugged in his aux and jammed to some songs. Luna was lost in her own world, staring out the window until a familiar song played.

"I thought you don't listen to Coldplay?"
"I never say I don't. Fix You is a nice song. Don't you think?" His eyes were locked onto the road.

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you
And high up above or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try, you'll never know
Just what you're worth

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The gloomy weather complimented the song so well. Luna randomly sang some parts along the way. For a moment, everything that hurt her disappeared.

"Luna. Do you want to stop and get something to eat?"
"Convenience store food sounds good. You know, ramen and some hot easy meals sounds so good," she nodded. Hendery chuckled. "Ah, low maintenance date. We love that," he teased her.

It rained as they ran into the convenience store, laughing.

"Cold. Cold. Cold," Hendery took off his beanie and shook his head. "Hendery, are you a puppy?" Luna stared at him as he stopped. She was soaked. He giggled.

Hendery and Luna both chose the same type of instant ramen. Then she watched as he rummaged through the canned tuna stack. "Luna, do we want tuna with ramen?"

"I think sausages are fine," she shook her head not wanting tuna. He put the can down and proceeded to reach for some chips and candies. They then paid for everything.

They filled the ramen cups with hot water and by sheer fate of bad luck, Luna accidentally spilled some hot water on her hand.

"Hot! Hot!" she almost dropped her ramen cup. Hendery shook his head and with the smuggest face he could, he turned to her.
"Come on. Let me, a pro ramen eater show you. These over here are the things you hold on so it's not hot," he pointed to the rim of the cup and proceeded to grabbed the cup by it.

"Holy fuck that's hot!" He half shouted and also almost dropped his cup.
"Pro ramen eater my ass," Luna laughed and made her way past him. They sat at the small table in the corner of the convenience store.

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He watched her stir the noodles. He'd stare at her doing the randomest things. Sewing beads, tying her hair, sweeping the floor. He'd just stare at her.

"Stare longer and you'll be blind," Luna pretended to poke his eyes. He laughed and quickly turned to his noodles. "Fiesty. Uuuu, I'm scared," he teased her.

Chilly weather with the hot steamy ramen. The perfect kind of date. At least for them.

"You reached a new milestone. You know that?" he asked her with a mouthful of food. "Chew. You'll choke."

Luna being able to enjoy her meal with him was that milestone he talked about and she understood what he meant perfectly. Not much words needed to pass the message across.

Once in a while he glanced at her to make she really did eat and not just pretending.

"I am eating. See," she tilted the ramen cup and showed him her half eaten meal. "Luna do yo....." he stopped mid sentence when Luna suddenly froze.

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The bell rung each time people walked in. It's absolutely normal for a convenience store. The bell rung once again as a couple walked in.

"Honey, would you love me if I look like her?"

Hendery stopped his sentence midway when he heard that question. He looked over Luna's shoulder and saw a couple walking in.

"Don't say that! That's rude."
"Aww. You won't love me then."
"I didn't say that, Arin."
"So, would you love me even if I look like her?" The lady pointed at Luna.
"Arin, stop! That is rude!"

"What is wrong with her?!" Hendery approached the couple. He smiled at the lady and repeated his question.

"I'm sorry. My girl has no filter sometimes," the boyfriend apologised. He pushed his girlfriend who pretended like she didn't say anything.

Luna wrapped her arms around Hendery's arm. "Would you still love me if I'm rude like that?" Luna turned to Hendery and asked him. Hendery smiled and shook his head.

"How dare you!" The lady half shouted.

"How dare I what? You did the exact same thing to me. I didn't say anything," Luna smiled the sweetest most professional smile she could.

"That's enough, Arin. We're so sorry," the boyfriend apologised and dragged her out of the store.

"Ah, snarky and cynical. I never knew you could be one," Hendery turned to Luna and tapped her cheek.

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"Growing up, she was snarky and cynical. The one with more wits than me. But then something about her changed that she no longer is witty. Or at least she doesn't show them as much anymore. But once she shows them. There's no going back. She's a ticking time bomb. Good luck, Hendery."