wake up. | nct/wayv

11

LEVEL ELEVEN : KING OF HEARTS

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UNIT : THE VISION

PLAYER : HENDERY
JULY 2020

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> hendery was found working shifts at multiple restaurants by nakamoto yuta, the man with the high sociability and thirst for adventure that led him to the poor boy from china. had he not befriended him, hendery would have remained in that tiny apartment with his sleeping bag and clothes sitting in cardboard boxes, instead of with jungwoo, lucas, and dejun—the people that came to be his pillars.

hendery grew up with three older sisters and two parents, all of whom were very loving and supportive. their household wasn't the most fortunate in terms of financial status, but they were happy.

however, hendery couldn't stop the doubts that gnawed at him everytime he saw the bare mattress he and one of his sisters shared, or the old kitchen faucet that would squeal when you turned it on, or how his father would always go for the cheapest option at the grocery store no matter what the quality was. it was the way he wasn't allowed to throw (waste) coins in the fountain as a child, or go on vacation because they "were comfortable just where they were."

yes, they were happy, but didn't they deserve more?

so when hendery met liu yangyang in front of yuta's friend's bakery, who told him he had run away from his luxurious home simply because he hated it, hendery couldn't help but feel envious. people like yangyang could leave whenever they wanted, were allowed to hate their families and where they came from. hendery wished he could hate his parents for never spending time with him, but they worked too hard. he wished he could hate his sisters for taking up so much space in the house, but they had nowhere else to go. he wished he could hate his neighbors for giving him their leftovers out of pity, but he usually went to sleep on an empty stomach. he wished he could hate his life, but he had come so far. it wasn't like he was going to be reborn.

he silently watched yangyang enter the bakery without him. he greeted some of the guys inside, then gave a little nod towards yuta.

hendery followed shortly, ignoring yuta waving at him as he headed straight for the counter.

"banana milk, please," is all he said as the barista nodded curtly and prepared his order. hendery didn't expect them to have banana milk on standby, but he kept his "in need of a drink" demeanor straight even after the small drink was placed in front of him.

he slid the money over, cleared his throat, and slowly picked up the milk. "thank you..."

the employee smiled and waved him goodbye. he began walking out and ended up on the sidewalk, ignoring the fact that yuta had waited for him, and still was. he was still a bit bothered by yangyang, and by the fact that he'd just asked for banana milk at a bakery. engrossed in his awkward thoughts, hendery didn't notice that he was about to bump into someone until it happened.

he gasped lightly and took a step back from the person—a young man with brown puppy hair and sparkling eyes, wearing a beige sweatshirt and blue jeans in the middle of summer.

"i'm sorry," hendery bowed politely. "i wasn't paying attention."

"did you come out of that bakery?" he pointed at the establishment, completely ignoring what just happened.