Henry first met her on his way to the bathroom. She just got signed in the company the month before and was in the middle of her first shoot while he was on his way to his own, deciding to take a short bathroom break before getting dolled up. He saw her entering the girl’s bathroom and seeing that she was dressed like a boy and even looked like one, he called her out and pointed her to the direction of the boy’s bathroom.

“That’s the girl’s bathroom.” Henry said. She raised an eyebrow at him, clearly offended.

Henry felt stupid when she took a step closer, giving him a slight glare before saying, “I am a girl.”

Henry knew that the pain in his shins was definitely something that he won’t forget for the rest of his life.

Their second meeting came soon after, much to Henry’s chagrin. He was in the parking lot, arriving a lot earlier than he was supposed to be for his shoot. He was texting his manager to please get him coffee for his hangover when a few moments later, a small body came colliding with his, falling on top of him as he stumbled backwards. He winced as his back hit the cold concrete and was suddenly very aware that there was a woman on top of him.

“ dude. Are you okay?”

Henry blinked. He heard that voice before and as if on reflex, his hands automatically went to guard his shins. He looked up and saw her dusting off her ridiculously lace-y dress before picking up her discarded skateboard. Henry blinked again. Who the hell would skateboard in that dress? Not that he was complaining because she definitely look good in that dress and he felt a thousand times more stupid now for calling him a boy.

He only realized that he was still gaping when she stretched out her hand to help him up. He snapped out of his trance and took her hand and he was almost taken aback of how soft and warm it is and if he moved his hand a little bit more, their fingers would intertwine.

After straightening himself and dusting off his clothes, he opened his mouth to apologize for calling him a boy two days ago but was interrupted by a loud voice.

“Yah!”

The pair turned around and Henry raised an eyebrow as Jongin ran towards them, hair in a tangled mess and wearing a suit.

“Hey, break’s over. The photographer is—oh Henry hyung!”

The young man engulfed Henry in an enthusiastic hug which he returned. “Are you in a middle of a shoot?”

“Yeah. Just took a quick break.” Jongin glanced at his watch. “We gotta go. I’ll see you around, hyung!”

Henry waved them goodbye and watched as she got on her skateboard again but Jongin had grabbed her wrist and dragged her along.

Henry was only slightly jealous.

They were formally introduced two weeks after by Krystal. They were in a house party (Heechul’s) and Henry had gone with Zhou Mi who promptly ditched him when he spotted Victoria so he spent the next few hours drinking to his heart’s content. Krystal approached him not long after his 5^th glass of tequila with her trailing behind.

“Hey loser.” Krystal greeted. Henry rolled his eyes.

“It’s nice to see you, too, Krystal.” It was Krystal’s turn to roll her eyes.

“Ugh, can you at least try to look a little more decent?” Krystal scrunched her nose up in disgust as she buttoned Henry’s dress shirt and fixed his tie. “I want you to meet someone and I don’t want you to look more of a loser than you already are.”

“I can feel the love there, Krys.”

Tilting her head to the side, Krystal gave a small nod of contentment before calling her over.

“Henry, this is Amber.” Krystal slung an arm around her shoulder. “Amber, this is Henry, the loser friend that I’m talking about.”

“You mean the Canadian?” Amber asked with a grin.

“Yeah, that too.”

Krystal leaves a few moments after, dragging Jongin along to dance with her and Henry was left with Amber. He didn’t really know what to say so he feeds himself more alcohol. Amber must be pleasantly buzzed as well because not long after, she stood up from her seat and grabbed his wrist, dragging him to the dance floor.

Henry thought that the crowded dance floor was probably the reason why breathing is suddenly so difficult but Amber had her arms wrapped around his neck, her body pressed against his as they danced to the beat of the music and he knows that the amount of people definitely doesn’t have anything to do with it.

The alcohol was already taking control when Henry suddenly kissed her and he thought that there’s nothing more perfect when she kissed him back and pulled him closer.

They ended up in Henry’s flat and were already half in his bed when Henry realized that alcohol and doesn’t go well together.

“We’re both drunk.” Henry breathes into her neck, too intoxicated by her scent to stop.

“Does it matter?” came Amber’s reply.

Henry realized that it doesn’t. Not when Amber’s already writhing underneath him and gasping his name over and over again.

When morning came, all he found was an empty space beside him and her scent lingering on his sheets.

Henry was told that Fei couldn’t make it to the shoot because she came down with something and after he pulled out his phone to wish her to get well, he watched as the stylist fuss over the dresses in the racket and briefly wondered what Amber would look like in them. She’ll probably look good, Henry thought. She looks good in anything.

The world seemed to grind into a halt when Amber entered the studio, wearing a tight leather pants that showcased her amazing legs, a black fitted tank top coupled with a ridiculously large fur jacket and a good three-inch stilettos. Henry blinked. Once. Twice. Thrice. Just to make sure that he’s not dreaming.

Amber had greeted him with a smile, informing him that she was Fei’s replacement. Henry nodded stupidly because he can’t trust himself to talk. Not when she’s looking like that.

“You just left.” Henry couldn’t help himself as he whispered in her ear, burying his face in the crook of her neck, almost choking on her fur jacket as the blinding flash of the camera continues.

Amber tangled her fingers in his hair, adjusting herself on his lap. “That’s how it’s supposed to work, Henry.”

Henry raised his head, looking at her intently. He wanted to say that he didn’t want it to work that way and it would be nice if she would stay even just for a few hours just so he can have the pleasure of watching her sleep and cradling her in his arms. However, his thoughts were interrupted when Amber smiled at him and grabbed the collar of his dress shirt to beckon him closer.

“So, dinner?”

Their dinners became a weekly thing and so was . Henry had a revelation of all sorts when he realized that he wants more than dinners and stolen make out sessions in an empty dressing room and from Amber. Henry was falling in love.

.

“I love you.” Henry suddenly said in that one rare occurrence where Amber actually stayed in the morning. They were cuddling in his bed, basking in the afterglow of when he slipped it out of his stupid mouth.

Amber raised her head and looked at Henry in what he assumed as a mix of pity and regret. Henry wished he could take back what he said time but at the same time not because he truly meant it.

“It’s not supposed to work that way.” Amber said. “I don’t do relationships, Henry.”

It was silent after that but Henry could hear the faint sound of his heart breaking.

Amber untangled herself from him and gathered her clothes before disappearing into the bathroom. Henry was in the kitchen when she was about to leave and offered breakfast but she shook her head.

“I’ll see you around, Henry.” She said before leaving.

Henry didn’t see her after that.

“She’s in Paris for the fashion week.” Krystal informed him two and a half weeks later.

Henry looked up and stared at Krystal through the mirror. “What?”

“You look so pathetically miserable that I decided to be nice to you for once.”

Henry opened his mouth to protest that no, he doesn’t look pathetic but he has been living off of junk foods and instant noodles for the past few weeks so he closed it again because that is pretty pathetic.

“She’s coming back today. Wanna go to the airport with me?”

Henry wanted to say yes but stopped himself when he realized that he doesn’t know what the would he say to her so he chose to shut up and shake his head.

Krystal scoffed. “You’re such a ing wuss.”

He probably is.

When Amber came back, he avoided her like plague because he wasn’t sure what to say or what to do or if he can actually make himself seem decent and calm and not like a stupid loser that Krystal always tells him that he is.

“Here.” Krystal irritably shoved a small paper bag at him and Henry winced at the impact.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a souvenir from Paris. Amber wanted to give it to you but since you’re both avoiding each other, I decided to take matters into my own hands and be a good friend to both of you.” Krystal said as she tried not to be a bit too y and Henry was thankful for that.

“You two just need to talk, Henry.”

“I can’t. I’m going back to China.”

Henry was packing his things that night and was having a hard time on deciding what he should bring and messing up his room when there was a knock on the door. Henry knitted her eyebrows in confusion because it was already one o’clock in the morning and as he stride towards the door, he hoped that it was not Donghae being bored who decided to annoy his ‘favorite dongsaeng’ because he really doesn’t need that right now.

But as he opened the door, he wished that it was Donghae or Zhou Mi or Jongin or anyone who was not Amber.

“Can I come in?” Amber asked and it was awkward for Henry to see her there standing in his doorstep because she was always latched onto him, legs wrapped around tightly in his waist.

When Henry nodded, he almost stumbled backwards as she threw herself at him, kissing him like there was no air in the world but his and Henry found himself wrapping his arms around her waist because Amber has never kissed him like that before.

Amber broke the kiss as she comes up for air, pressing her forehead against his. “You’re leaving?”

Henry closed his eyes and pulled her closer, trying to calm the beating of his heart. He wasn’t sure if he heard it right but Amber sounded so sad and lost and Henry wondered if she was drunk.

“Yeah. To China.” He answered.

Amber cupped his cheek with her hand and pleaded with her eyes. “Stay. Please.”

Henry blinked. She can’t possibly be sober for her to be like that. “Are you drunk, Amber?”

“I’m not, you ing idiot.”

“Then why are you asking me to stay?”

Amber’s glare softened. “I realized a lot of things when I was in Paris. Most of them are about you.”

“Is that a good thing?”

She chuckled. “Maybe.”

“And what was the realization all about?”

Henry’s heart was beating so fast in his chest that he was sure that it can’t possibly be healthy as he waited for her answer. Amber smiled at him before placing a kiss on his lips and pulling back as quickly as it came in contact.

“That I like having you with me, Henry.” She whispered above his lips and Henry tingled all over.

Henry grinned and his heart was already exploding in happiness. “I thought you don’t do relationships?”

“We’re not in a relationship.” Amber said as she wrapped her arms tighter around his neck.

Henry’s grin got wider because now he knows that Amber doesn’t really mean that. He decided to close his eyes, pressing his forehead against hers to tell her something that she already knows. “I love you.”

“Don’t push it.”

Henry only hugs her tighter because she failed to conceal her smile in her voice.

(Later, when they were cuddling in his couch and he had completely forgotten about the fact that he still needed to pack his things, Henry asked why Amber was so desperate for him to stay when he was only going to China for three days for a shoot.

“It was only for a shoot?!”

“Uh, yes?”

“But Krystal said! – I thought you were! –“

Henry raised an eyebrow as Amber failed to form coherent sentences. She let out a sigh of frustration and hid herself on his chest.

“I’m gonna ing kill Krystal.”)