Inside | HENDERY WAYV/NCT

80

Nobody said you need to live forever to live and love. Even for just a day, you can live and love. With the right person, even when there's not enough time.

Hendery sobbed on the floor as he tried to regain his composure. His room was a mess. Glass shards, broken photo frames, pillow stuffings were everywhere. Luna sat on the floor, allowing him to broke down.

"But why?" He asked in between his sobs. Luna tilted her head and made sure he could see her smiling.

"Because I love you," she wiped his tears. "You're a baby," she pinched his nose softly. Hendery pulled away.

"No... don't look at me. I look awful."
"Really? I thought I'm talking to a handsome prince just now."
"Luna it's not funny."
"I know. I'm being serious."

Luna smiled when Hendery turned to her. She softly ran her fingers through his hair. For a moment, he too stared deep into her eyes.

"Who told you?" He asked.
"You."
"What?"
"Hendery Wong told me. Since day 1," she nodded when he couldn't fathom what she meant.

"How is that possible?"
"Because you're a bad liar, Hendery."

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

You who pretended to be okay when you're not.
You don't have to do it anymore.

Hendery wanted to not believe in what she said. But Luna touched his arm ever so softly. "This... . Yue has one too." She referred to his port scar on his arm.

"It's old scar."
"But this is new," she touched his chest. Hendery gulped. How could she know? He was sure he's careful not to be obvious.

"Leave. We're done," he got up and walked away from her.

"I'm sorry but we're in this for life. I told you previously, only I can hurt me. So, it's either we plan a wedding or a funeral. No in between. Not anymore," she also got up and trailed after him.

"Nobody wants a dying person, Luna!"
"And nobody wants a broken person, Hendery. But here we are, standing in front of each other. So are you telling me fate is being a dick to us?"

Hendery was frustrated when Luna didn't gave up on him. He was frustrated when she could still pretended like everything was fine.

"You're supposed to hate me. I broke your heart."

Luna chuckled and shook her head. She sat on his bed and hugged his carrot plushie. "You actually didn't. I broke mine. Because I chose to believe in you. It's different."

"It doesn't make sense!"
"A lot of things don't make sense, Hendery. Life itself doesn't. But we move forward."

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

Hendery was defeated. Luna talked more sense then he could ever. Instead of trying to be sensible, Hendery just poured out what he really felt.

"I'm never going to move forward, Luna. My time is limited."
"The more reason for us to spend time together. Hendery don't push us away. Don't push me away. I thought we're going to last?"

"Yeah you're saying that now. But will you be there when I don't look the same?"

Luna laughed. "Well, your mom doesn't look like how she was 10 years ago and I'm sure you dad if he's still here he'll love her just the same."

"It's not like that Luna!"

"It's when your lips are chapped and your skin are red here and there. It's when the hair no longer wants to stay on the scalp. It's when everything sucks and you just want it to end, you expect me to feel the same?"

Hendery looked down onto his feet. Whatever she spat was what he felt. Luna softly cupped his cheeks. Her thumbs were softly grazing his face.

"You told me that what's important is the inside and not the outside. You said whatever's inside is more important than the outside. You told me that I can look like anything but what matters is what's inside. Then why is it any different with you? You can be toothless and bald with a strand of hair coming out of your nostril, and I'd still love you because you're a prince on the inside. A good person."

Yangyang and Xiaojun who were eavesdropping, outside were dying of laughter when they heard Luna's description of not being attractive.

"Syhhhh!" Xiaojun slapped Yangyang's arm.
"A prince..." Yangyang tried to hold in his laughter but couldn't.

Kelly whacked both of them and dragged them both downstairs where they proceeded to laugh again.

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

Luna and Hendery stopped talking when they heard Xiaojun and Yangyang dying behind the door.

"Luna, it's not gonna be easy. It's not like a walk in the park."
"I know.... . But a walk through hellfire sounds like a stroll too," Luna pulled him closer and kissed him softly.

"Luna..."
"Hendery..." she broke the kiss and pinched his cheeks softly. "Please let me in," she begged softly.

His hand pushed the strands of hair away from her face. Her eyes were two pools of sadness that he couldn't fix. "But you'll be sad."

"No. I won't," she assured him. "Until death us do part."

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

Yangyang wiped away the tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Do you wanna bet?" Yangyang turned to Xiaojun.
"What?"
"Will Hendery come down and eat?"

"You're on!!" Xiaojun slammed money on the table. Kelly shook her head. These two knuckleheads never did changed.

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

Hendery hesitated. He hesitated for a moment, trying to weigh down his decisions.

"It's a waste of your time. I'm dying. Nothing works. I'm withering," he stopped for a while, trying to form sentences in his head.

"You can say you love me now but when the time comes you won't. You can't possibly be there for me until the end. Nobody can. It's tiring Luna. It's exhausting to see people around you so devastated over the fact that you're dying a slow painful death."

"Who are you to say so?" one simple question clicked so hard in him. "Who are you to decided when I leave? Or how I leave? Hendery, you're tired. Be tired. But don't expect others to give up the same way you did. Because as much as you're tired, we aren't. Nobody's giving up. Not now. At least I'm not. And I am 100% sure others are too."

Hendery shook his head. He wanted Luna to realise that he's a liability. A reason for her heartbreak.

"DJ? Yangyang? Your mom. Kelly? Do they look like they're giving up? They worked so hard to cover your ass and keep me in the dark. They're there out of this door, waiting for you. So don't go around and say we're giving up on you because we sure hell ain't."

"Luna... . I... . I love you but I can't hurt you anymore."

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

Love sure does hurt in so many ways and fate sometimes just messes things up.

Two people. Absolutely the right person but not enough time... . But don't tell me that I can't love you, Hendery Wong.

One day. One hour. One minute. It doesn't matter. Because I love you. And you're my home, my sun, my everything. Even when you don't shine as bright. You will always be the one who shines