Inside | HENDERY WAYV/NCT

52

Yue pushed the hair that fell away from Luna's face.

"Luna, I might be young but don't treat me like a baby. I know things too."
"I know, Yue. But I don't want you to feel what I'm feeling."
"Why must you suffer alone? Why can't you talk about it? Why can't you be human?"
"I want to. But if I am, then how can I stay there and repay your family?" Luna pulled away from Yue and stared straight into the younger's eyes.

Yue sighed and just shook her head. She knew there's no way of winning with Luna. She's as stubborn as an old mule. Probably even the mule is not as stubborn as her.

Hendery was about to leave when Luna exited the room; arguing with Yue.

"You're not making sense, Luna!"
"You don't understand, Yue! You can never understand!"
"Let me in. Make me understand!"
"That's enough. I don't want to talk about it. No," Luna walked away. She slipped past Hendery and left the house.

Hala made her way to Yue. "What did you say?" Hala was so soft. Her fingers ran through Yue's hair.

"Nothing."

Hendery trailed after Luna.

"Stop Luna. Stop," he pulled her hand so she would stop and she did.

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

"Let's go back."
"No. I don't want to. Yue and me are gonna fight the whole time. I'm too tired for that," she sat down on the floor. Which Hendery just laugh at and sat down beside her.

"If DJ saw me on the floor, he'd give me money."
"Why?"
"Spare change ma'am, spare change," Hendery held his hand out and indeed some coins fell in his palm.

Xiaojun crouched down and sniggered. "Do you need more?" Hendery laughed so hard that he pushed Xiaojun down. "Dude, do you even need this? Give it back!" Xiaojun took back all the coins and sat on the floor.

"Hey Luna," he waved. His puppy were all over Luna. The little beagle made herself comfortable on Luna's lap. "Hey, what's her name?"

"Bella."

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

Finally the car arrived back home. Hendery opened the front door and threw his shoes on the floor. Luna picked it up and put it on the shoe rack properly.

They both sat down on the sofa at the same time. "At this rate, you should just live here. We get to meet each other all the time," Hendery teased her.

"My ass, Hendery. Who's gonna clean my house? And cook?"
"Yun can."
"He can't even cook instant ramen without it tasting like tap water. Please, Hendery."
"Then, he needs to learn how to live without you because one day you will leave that place. I guarantee you that," Hendery nodded his head, assuring Luna that she will leave that place one fine day. 

Sometimes he is reminded of the fact that Hua DeLuna may just be as broken as he is. If not, more.

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

Luna sat down on the shower floor. She was too tired to even stand. After a solid 3 minutes of sitting down, she got up and quickly shampooed her hair. The warm water somehow made her felt a bit better.

By the end of the shower, she felt a lot better. Luna  sighed when Yue packed her some shorts and a sweatpants for tomorrow. Luna had no other option and just put on the shorts and prayed Hendery doesn't look at her with disgust.

Her eyes fell down on her body. Slowly it traced her own figure in the mirror and stopped at the abundance of scars on her thighs. Luna sighed once again. She couldn't hide them forever. But how she wished those weren't her addiction.

"What are you doing?" She hugged his neck softly. Her damp hair flailed all over the place. He giggled.

"Playing games. Come play with me."
"If I lose?"
"Restart. It's just a game not your entire lifeline," he pat the empty seat beside him. 

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

"Don't go easy on me!"
"I am absolutely not, Hua DeLuna!!"
"Booo you lose again. Hendery loser!" Luna laughed at him. Hendery sulked. He never lose and he lost that day. To a newcomer too. He turned away from her.

"Hendery..."
"No. I don't want to talk to you..."
"Let's play again."
"No."
"It's just beginners' luck."

He turned to her and shook his head. "No, it's you cracking the code how to win. Teach me," he handed her the console. "I have no idea how!!!"

"Then, kiss me as an apology."
"Done!" She kissed his cheek softly. He turned and showed her his other cheek. "Tch, baby," she mumbled yet she leaned over to kiss him again. He quickly turned and you guys know the rest. They kissed.

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

He knew she never played any video games. She was awkward with the console. But something about her posture intimidated him. He knew he'd lose. Admist the game, he caught a glimpse of her thighs through the shorts.

Little scars were waving to him, saying hi. He felt a lump in his throat. Hala never said anything about this. He was unprepared.

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

The tide changed but she's still on the sand, waiting for the water to touch her so she could return back to her eternal home. But no matter how long she waited, the water shall never touch her ever again.

She is now the lost gem of the sea. The one that will never return back to its home. The one to wander the earth aimlessly until the end of time. For she has no soul nor home. No place to turn to. Immortal. That's what she is.

A cursed maiden of the sea. The lover who could never love. For she was damned to roam for eternity.

Luna fell asleep midway reading the novel. She was woken up by Kelly slowly touching her cheeks. "Luna wake up. Let's eat."

It took Luna a few seconds to register the fact she wasn't home.

"Let me help you," Kelly smiled. She pushed away the stray hairs on Luna's face. Luna flinched when Kelly accidentally got her finger stuck in her hair.

"I'm sorry."
"It's okay. It's just reflex."

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

People don't flinch upon touch unless they're scared of it.