Little: Hendery
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Caregivers: WayV
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Requested by: Advicetaeminnie
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"So who's going to do the next challenge?"

"It's Hendery's turn. I forgot who's joining him though."

Xiaojun and Sicheng were in the venue of an award show, discussing who was next to do the "On My Youth" challenge.

It was now Hendery's turn and they were waiting to see who would do the challenge with him.

Little Hendery was running around the venue, talking to other male idols and becoming friends with them.

"Hendery! Angel come here!", Sicheng said.

Hendery ran away from talking to Stray Kids, and came over to his members.

"Yes papa?", he said.

"You're next to do the challenge. Come on, the members said the person you're doing it with is already at the spot."

Hendery nodded in agreement.

He wondered who the challenge would be with.

A member of Shinee? Enhypen? The Boyz? Cravity? Seventeen? The choices were endless.

When they reached the spot to film the TikTok however, Little Hendery froze in his spot.

Standing there with a smile on their face, was Irene from Red Velvet.

"Hendery?", Kun asked.

The little stood there, lost in the thoughts appearing in his mind.

———————————————————————

(Flashback: Macau, People's Republic of China, 2004)

Five year old Hendery and his father were sitting at home, with the boy playing with his sisters toys.

His three older sisters were having sleepovers at their friends houses, so the small boy was left alone.

"Boy, wait here. I have a guest coming over.", his dad said.

The young Hendery watched as his dad got up and went to the front door.

When he opened it, a gorgeous woman stood there, dressed in casual clothing.

The little boys first thought was, "this isn't mom."

The woman came in, sitting with the father on the couch.

"Qua-In, this is my son.", the dad said.

"Hello little one."

Hendery smiled at her, waving.

Of course, she smiled back.

But the smiles and sweetness was short lived.

Qua-In, or as Hendery would soon be pressured to call her, New Mama, would turn out to not be the nicest person.

The poor boy was unaware that her walking into the house that day would create a chain reaction that would last for almost a decade.

"I told you to clean the kitchen floor!", Qua-In yelled.

She swung her belt down, hitting the five-year-old on his face, making him cry.

"Oh you're just going to cry? I'll give you a reason to cry."

She kept hitting the young boy with the belt.

It was a common occurrence in the house. Whenever she was angry, upset, stressed, or just in a certain mood.

She would abuse him.

Hendery tried to tell everyone he knew. His sisters, his aunts, his teacher, his sisters friends, but no one believed him.

Pretty soon, all of the women in his life began to treat him differently, seeing him as someone who just begged for attention.

Hendery realized, after a year of being treated like a liar by the women in his life, that he would never be able to trust them.

He confided in those ladies. He expected them to hold Qua-In accountable.

But instead, they ignored him. All those women ignored him.

For ten straight years.

———————————————————————

"Hendery? Sweetie what's wrong?"

Little Hendery had started to cry without realizing it. By the time he came back to his senses, his caregivers were surrounding him worriedly.

"Papa! I scared!", Hendery told Sicheng.

The man hugged him closely.

"Sweetie, Irene is a nice lady. She won't hurt you."

"He thinks I'm going to hurt him? Why?", Irene asked.

Hendery looked at her, backing away.

"She look like her!", the little yelled.

The members looked at each other.

From the childhood photos of Hendery that they had seen, Irene looked a lot like Qua-In.

"Irene, we're really sorry, he's just scared around women.", Ten said.

"Oh..."

Irene pouted, looking down.

"I'm sorry for scaring you."

Hendery looked at her again.

She seemed so sad. He didn't mean to make her sad.

He separated from Sicheng, taking one step towards Irene.

"Why you sad?"

"Huh?", she asked.

"Why you sad? What I do?"

Irene smiled.

"You are just adorable. I can't be sad around you!"

Hendery smiled at her.

"I sorry Ms. Irene. You look like my papa girlfriend."

"I see. Well, I am nothing like her. I'm a nice lady."

"Really?"

Irene took a few steps forward.

"Hendery, I can tell that there is some past trauma with this woman. And probably other women. But...I am not like them. I would never hurt you. You're super sweet and a gentleman to be around. What reason would I have to every do anything to you?"

Hendery looked down.

Irene stepped even closer.

"Don't be sad. You're grown up now. You don't have to think about her. She isn't here. But we, your friends, are."

To everyone's shock, the little went up to Irene and hugged her.

After a few seconds, she hugged him back.

"You really be nice to me, Ms. Irene?"

"Yes cutie, I'll be nice to you."

Hendery let go of her, jumping up and down and cheering.

Finally, a lady he could trust.

"So, are we ready to do the challenge?", she asked.

Hendery held her hand.

"Yes! Let's do ittttttttttttt!"

Sicheng leaned over to YangYang.

"He's so cute."

"I know."

"Just reminding you."