Inside | HENDERY WAYV/NCT

16

Yun would freely shame Luna whenever he wanted to.

"Fatso!! I can feel the earth shaking!"
"Is that a crack I see?"
"Eat less would you? Your cheeks are going to explode."
"You're so ugly. But if you lose some weight you'd look better."
"If they put you and a hippo side by side, I'd choose the hippo."

Luna pulled her hand hard. He released his grip and turned to her. He could see her eyes brimming with tears. She looked up and tried her best to not cry.

"What was that?" She asked him after a while.

"What was what?"
"Babe?" she sounded so defeated. He shrugged. "Well I know you heard them because I did. And I thought rubbing it in their faces was a good idea. I'm sorry," he apologised. He thought he did the right thing.

She released a heavy sigh. "They weren't wrong."

"Excuse me? They are absolutely 100% wrong. Who are they to say that? You know there's more than just how a person looks like on the outside."

"Well, people lust with their eyes first."

"And that's why so many 'beautiful' people aren't happy. Looks are not everything. Beauty is not defined by what ever stupid beauty standard we have."

Luna smiled at him. "So pure and naive," she reached for his head and ruffled his hair. He pushed her hand away. "No. I mean it."

"I know. I learnt a lot today."

You don't believe in what I say

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

Both Hendery and Luna were lost in their own world the moment they stepped into the book store.

"You like literature, huh?" He asked her suddenly.
"Nah. I read everything. Business books, calculus. Anything interesting," she shrugged. Hendery turned to her, his face was filled with horror.

"Why would you read a calculus book?"
"For fun? I mean I read things that interests me. What's with the wtf face?"

"I wish I never learned that shit. And you're here reading them? Girl, get a degree or something," he slapped his forehead. He couldn't fathom why she'd read a calculus book. Out of every book available, calculus. Luna cracked into a silent laughter. He wasn't the first one to question her.

"Why in the world are you reading my textbooks??" Jungwoo pulled the book away. Luna frowned and pulled back the book.

"I can't study like you. So, let me read them and pretend I'm studying," he froze and released the book. Jungwoo sat back and just laughed in disbelief.

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

She pushed the door and slowly made her way to the room.

"Fatso you're home," Yun's voice was chilly. Luna gulped. She stopped and turned to face him. He towered above her, his face was unamused.

"Dinner."
"I'm on my way," she quickly threw her bag into her room and headed for the kitchen. Her hands were quick to prep the ingredients.

Yun placed a bottle of some sort of powder on the counter. Luna looked up to him and nodded her head.

"Eat this. So you'll lose weight."
"But these are basically laxatives. I don't want to."
"Just eat it, piggy. I bought this so eat it," Yun pushed her forehead hard and walked away. Luna pushed the bottle away and continued cooking.

"YUE!!"
"What?!" Yue ran into the kitchen.
"Taste that for me and add salt if needed. I have to go to the bathroom badly," Luna handed Yue the ladle and ran to the bathroom.

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

Yun sat at the dining table and questioned the different types of main dishes that day.
"Two soups?"
"Well, Yue wanted something non spicy so I made her one," Luna said as she placed the rice bowls on the table.

They ate dinner quietly. Luna and Yue watched as Yun finished the spicy stew all by himself. Yue turned to Luna. Luna shook her head.

Luna was helping Yue with homework when Yun banged on their door hard.

"Open the fucking door, hippo!!!"
"What?"
"What did you put in my food??!!!" Yun shouted at Luna's face. His spit was everywhere. Luna calmly wiped the spit off her face and smiled.

"Those stupid laxatives you gave me," she nodded and was ready to close the door but Yun yanked her hair hard.

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

Luna came back to the kitchen and saw Yue tasting the stew.
"I think the salt is bad," Yue handed the ladled to Luna. "I added so much but it's still bland."

"Which salt did you used?" Luna asked her and Yue pointed to the bottle of said laxatives. Luna's jaw dropped.

"That's not salt," Luna whispered and quickly get the bottle. It was light. "How much did you use?"

"Half bottle," Yue whispered slowly.
"We're fucked, Yue. I'm fucked," Luna mumbled as she tried to find a solution.

"Cook another soup," Yue suggested. Luna took a deep breath and quickly scrambled to cook another dish. She wanted to get rid of the spicy stew but Yun came in.

"Make it spicy spicy okay? I'm feeling it," he said before walking away.

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

"You want to kill me?!" Yun half shouted. He was then on the floor clutching his stomach. Luna crouched down to meet his eye and shook her head.

"No. But it's fun seeing you suffer like this. Because now you'd understand how I feel if I eat those stuff," Luna got up turned around and slammed the door shut.

"YOU PIG!"

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

She looked down onto her feet.

"You shouldn't do that to him."
"I didn't mean to. I just..... . He's always mean to me."
"No matter how mean he is he is your brother."
"Is he?"
"Luna... . Don't use that tone on me."
"Mom, can I ask you? Have you ever once. Just once, consider me as your daughter?"
"Luna...."
"I thought so. I'm sorry. I should've just thrown away the stew and let him touch me whenever he wanted to. I know my place. I'm so sorry."

And in another life I'd choose to never be born again. So I won't feel the pain of being me.