In the Rain: Missed Opportunities~ Hendery ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙ ☔️ (Almost First Love)

Umbrella-saving, rich kid AU?

The sky is filled with dark clouds, like smoke churning across an indigo sky. Above, the stars offer little to no shine or sparkle. The sun has barely set, and yet the thunder and rain overhead swallow it whole.

You shiver as you walk out the huge, arched gateway of the academy. The cold is chilling, muffling sound and sight. You pull your coat closer to you. It was a rich, ruby-colored number that went nicely with your grid dress and black stockings. Warmer, warmer, you think to yourself.

As the raindrops petter down, you look at the heavens in dismay. Wasn’t it supposed to be nearly summer already? Why was it still raining? Not wanting your leather bookbag or yourself to get wet, you bring out your old, spiky umbrella.

You press the button. The metal contraption seems to budge and develop a light of its own. It unfurls slowly, all pointy edges and ebony cloth.

You hold the umbrella tightly, just as a huge gust of wind blows your way. You shiver. Making your way down the paved steps, you begin to go against the flow, fighting with all your might to make it past the howling wind.

Ting. It’s your iPhone vibrating softly in your coat pocket. Slinging your bookbag more tightly across your shoulder, you reach in to grab your phone and answer it. “Hello?”

“Where are you?”

You blink. “Hendery?” you say, as another torrent of rain gushes down onto your umbrella.

“That’s my name,” he deadpans.

“I know,” you say, a whisper of a smile across your face. “Hendery Wong. Wong Kunhang. How could I ever forget?”

You can feel his silent laughter from the other side of the line, and you grin to yourself in return. Hendery Wong, a snob? Definitely not.

It was true, though, the whispers across the hallway of the rich Taipan kid with a coldly beautiful face. He was quiet and kept to himself, friendly and warm when he chose to be, and hardworking above all. “But he’s a snob. Has to be. With a face like that? And a family like that? He is. Just you wait and see.”

You nearly believed it once, too.

Hendery had features like a Disney prince. Shiny black hair that was kind of longish across the forehead and along the back. Big chocolate-brown eyes. Smooth skin, an aquiline nose, and a jawline so sharp it looked like he cut his own striking features from marble.

But he was so kind. Is so kind, rather. Up to this day, he has never been cold; even when you feared him at first, you two slowly grew closer to each other. He had the brightest, most blindingly white smile you’ve ever seen. He laughed loudly and pitchedly, but even then he sounded endearing. He was your first friend, and he had the warmest soul in the world.

You two met through serendipitous circumstances at the prestigious academy. Despite his brooding face, he was always quick to grin and joke and do all sorts of crazy things possible. Best of all, he knew when to do these things—he knew when to listen to the professors or to keep to himself.

And you?

Well, you kept to yourself most of the time already, anyway. Introvert things.

“Hendery...why did you call?”

“It’s raining. Are you sure you can get back home safely?”

“Aw, thanks, but I can manage for sure. This isn’t my first thunderstorm—” A gust of wind blasts into your face, and you gasp as your umbrella turns inside-out—but, but—

A hand grabs your shoulder back. You look up, in shock. Astonished. Your umbrella flies off in slow-motion. But you’re already being turned to face something, or someone, else. A new, sturdier umbrella is above your head. You look at the hand, then look up to a familiar face. Hendery’s face.

Hendery!

You try to fight the blush in your cheeks before hoping that it’s just too dark to see anything. You smile weakly. “How did you know?”

Hendery grins. “I knew that you’d be too hard-headed to get any help in this type of weather. So I brought reinforcements.” He motions to a waiting luxury car, complete with what you believe is a chauffeur in the front seat.

You stare at the leather seats, the gleaming white outer part of the vehicle. “Hendery. I can’t.”

“Yes, you can.”

He’s so close that you can see the dark pupils in his eyes, the mark on his left chin, the grooves across his lips...

The chauffeur has probably turned away by now. Hendery smiles, and your heart skips a beat.

“Please.” He begs. “For me. I just want you to be safe.”

The rain is no longer pouring in torrents. Now they plink down with the frequency of a leaky faucet.

“Hendery, the rain is stopping. Thank you so much, though. But I can return home on my own.” You give him your biggest smile. Also I don’t think my heart can take being in the backseat of the same luxury vehicle—which you own!—as you.

Hendery pouts a bit. Gosh, you wish you could kiss his lips already. He’s so close he could probably see everything about you too, and suddenly you become conscious about everything, from your lipstick shade to the way your hair is styled to your shiny patent-leather boots.

“Are you sure?” His voice is filled with concern.

You nod. “I’m sure. Thank you...thank you so much, though.”

He pushes the umbrella handle to your hand. “Then please keep this. And remember to call me when you have arrived safely home.”

His voice contains some—dare you say it?—disappointment. And you can’t help but feel it, too. Another missed opportunity. But you know your heart would never allow something so abrupt and uneasy.

Hendery gets into his car. You wave as he rolls down his windows. “See you next week!”

“See you!”

Was it really a missed opportunity? You two smile and nod at each other wistfully as you speed across in opposite directions.

Be still, my heart.

As Hendery drives off, he waves. You wave back. He drives across into the dying sunlight. Both your smiles contain a multitude of unspoken words and secret loves. Was it really a missed opportunity, if Hendery was to go to you again? Was it the blossoming of first love?

You two are both heartfelt, wistful, but more importantly than that, innocent. So innocent.

Both of you felt the same.

Maybe next time.

Yes, maybe next time you’ll both experience first love for once...