Dreamcatcher Imagines

𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗴 | truly | 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘸𝘰

Reader Is: Neutral Age (Non-DC AU)
Categories: Fantasy, Fluff
Summary: The reader tries to teach Handong about what life is like when she discovers that she may be the one with something to learn after all.

♡

Though the scenarios that you had created in your head about what life with Handong might have been like were vast in count, the things that you ended up doing were none of those.

You had never thought about Handong experiencing the world and everything that it had to offer for the first time. But as it turned out, those were more precious moments than you could have ever dreamed of.

Eating her first ice cream cone, going to a mall for the first time, experiencing her first rain – it was amazing to see her childlike wonder as you took her through the journeys that you considered mundane life.

But her next first was just as new to you as it was to her, something that made your heart race in anticipation and nervousness. "Ready to go, angel?" you asked softly, knocking on your guest bedroom door. Since she didn't have a place to stay, you took Handong back to your apartment and told her to make herself at home. You secretly hoped that she wouldn't decide to leave when she had the means to do so. You had already gotten used to her quiet, calming presence being there. You decided that it made your little home feel a lot cozier.

"I think I'm ready," Handong spoke uncertainly. You pushed open the door, slowly so that she could stop you if she wanted to. She didn't, so you walked in to find her holding the purse that you had bought for her, staring directly into its center opening. "Why doesn't this have anything in it? I think it's broken."

"Sorry?" you asked, stepping closer.

"Why are you apologizing?"

"I'm n— never mind," you stopped, deciding to take a different approach. "Where is it broken?"

Handong held up the purse at your eye level so you could see that it was empty, then turned it upside down and shook it. "There's nothing inside! Did we get scammed?"

You had to bite back a laugh as you finally realized what Handong meant. Her extensive vocabulary, something that she had picked up from both her sculptor and people in the museum, was a hilarious contrast to the lack of common sense that she couldn't help having. "Dongie, purses don't come with anything in them," you explained gently.

Handong frowned. "Well, then, how am I supposed to pay for our date?"

"I'll do that. Don't worry about it."

"You always pay for everything," Handong pouted. "Where do I buy money?"

That time, you couldn't hold back your laughter. Her question was too unexpected. You desperately wished that you could pick her brain and see exactly how she thought that the world worked.

"You have to earn money," you chuckled. You squeezed Handong's shoulder as her frown deepened at the humor that you found in her query. "That's why I work at the museum."

"Your job!" Handong's eyes lit up. "I get it now. Jobs give you money?"

"That's right," you beamed. "The museum gives me paychecks that I can exchange for cash or add value to my cards, basically."

You could see the cogs in Handong's mind turning with the new information that you could give her. Though it was an adorable sight, you decided that it would be best not to overwhelm her. "We can talk about getting you a job later, okay? We should go now."

Handong nodded, but she held up her empty purse sadly as she did so. "Can I put something in here?"

"Of course. What would you like to put in it? Anything that fits is fine."

Handong paused briefly, looking around her room, before she grabbed a cat stuffed animal that she had picked out at the mall. She shoved it into the bag and slung it over her shoulder. "Okay. I'm ready."

You thanked your lucky stars that you had the excuse of turning away to hide your smile. Handong was such an elegant, put-together sort of woman that when she did certain things, it took you aback momentarily even though you knew that she hadn't been alive for very long at all. Sometimes her innocence brought you nearly to tears.

Especially when you stepped onto the sidewalk to head in the direction of your favorite restaurant and Handong slipped her hand in yours. You jumped in surprise, turning to Handong with wide eyes. "Is that okay?" she asked. "It seems that most people who walk in twos hold each other's hands."

"T-That's because they love each other," you stammered.

"Don't we do that?"

"I—" you began. "I, um, I'm not sure that you unders—"

Handong cut you off. "The only reason that I'm alive is because you love me, you know."

"What?"

Handong pointed to the four-leaf clover charm around your neck, which you had yet to take off after putting it on the day that she came to life. "This only works with true love."

Your feet continued to move subconsciously against the pavement. Your head felt like it was spinning, prompting you to wonder if Handong could figure out how to get you to a hospital if you fainted. "H-How can that be?" you whispered after a moment. "Did I really feel that strongly about a statue?"

Handong laughed lightly. "I've always been real. My soul was just trapped inside, waiting for someone to love me, just like all humans' are. Think of it like falling in love the first time that you meet a person. You only know how they look, but you love them."

"I don't know if that's a real thing," you chuckled a bit. "But I see what you're saying."

Handong smiled, squeezing your hand and prompting you to look back up at her. "I've really been trying to enchant you these past few days. I was already in love with you when you wished for me to come to life, yet you only knew that you liked my appearance."

"Well, I never knew what you would be like, but I imagin—" you stopped dead in your tracks, both with your feet and your words, as you finally processed what Handong had said. "Y-you're in love with me?"

"Yeah," Handong whispered. She had stopped in the middle of the sidewalk when you did, and she brought you closer with both of your hands. You would have to teach her later that passersby didn't appreciate people taking up room the way that you were. You couldn't focus on anything but her beauty at the moment, however. She looked at you with the constant inquisitiveness that you had yet to see disappear in her eyes, but also an unmistakable look of love. She was telling the truth.

Before you could study her chocolate orbs for very long, her eyelids were fluttering closed. Her pale hands let go of your fingers to cup your face instead as her beautiful rosy lips settled on yours.

When you snapped out of your shock, you closed your eyes as well. You looped your arms around Handong's neck and pulled her out of her hesitant embrace to a much closer one that she was happy to lean into. "I love you," you murmured.

"I love you, too," Handong whispered. Her minty breath tingled your senses and made you smile widely.

Everything – she – was just as perfect you had always imagined, but better, a million times more so. Just like true love.