Elation of Hearts

2

Luna, having just emerged from a refreshing bath, found herself reluctantly tasked with delivering a steaming bowl of pork soup to their new neighbor by her determined mother. The evening air carried a subtle chill, and Luna hesitated at the prospect of venturing out. Her mother's firm request rang out, "Luna, I made this pork soup; please place some in a big bowl and give it to the new neighbor."

"The lady of the house is nicer than the previous tenants of that house," her mother added, emphasizing the importance of the gesture. "Hurry up! It's getting late for dinner now," she insisted.

Complying, Luna filled the bowl, feeling the warmth of the soup's vapor on her face. An uncertain thought crossed her mind, prompting her to ask, "Is it enough?"

"Add a little," her mother responded. Luna obliged, ensuring the offering was substantial. She approached the gate of the new neighbor's house with a mix of reluctance and obedience, knowing reprimand awaited if she defied her mother's wishes.

Summoning her courage, Luna rang the doorbell. The door opened slightly, revealing a familiar face. "L-lance?" she stammered, holding the bowl between them and then pushing it towards him. "My mom would like to give this to your mom," she explained. Lance glanced at the bowl.

"Get in," He said, and Luna nodded, stepping inside. "You may sit here, my mom is still in the bathroom. She'll be out soon."

Lance took the bowl of pork soup and placed it on the table. He then informed his mom about it.

A woman with long, curly brown hair eventually popped up, offering a polite greeting. Luna's eyes widened in disbelief as she beheld Lance's mother's youthful appearance. "Good evening, ma'am," Luna greeted, still marveling at her beauty.

"Good evening too. Oh, please tell your mom my thanks for the pork soup," she responded graciously, offering Luna a bag of oranges. "By the way, I have some oranges here; I'll give some to you as well," she added.

"It's a lot, ma'am," Luna expressed.

"Ah, don't worry about it. We've got plenty to spare around here. It's just me and my son, so we can't possibly finish it all," the woman explained with a friendly tone. "Make sure to let your mom know that I really enjoyed the pork soup. Thank you!"

"Oh, and I heard you and Lance are in the same school," she added, turning to Lance and Luna, who exchanged glances.

"Yes, ma'am, we're actually in the same class," Luna responded.

"Oh, really?" The lady seemed pleasantly surprised.

"That's wonderful!" Her voice brimmed with enthusiasm. "Please, look after my Lance," she requested warmly.

"M-mom..." Lance began to object before his mom nudged him gently.

"It might be a bit much, son, but having a friend to watch out for you is never a bad thing," she reassured him.

"Anyway, Luna, please pass along my thanks to your mom," she said, smiling warmly.

Luna nodded gratefully and exited, only to be accompanied by Lance. "Thank you, and good night," he bid her as he closed the door. Luna felt a fluttering sensation, but she dismissed it with a shake of her head.

The following morning, Luna found herself rushing, having stayed up late the previous night enjoying an online concert. Her favorite boy band, BSB, had left her exhilarated, but the consequences of her late night were catching up with her. As she entered the gate, a group of four girls abruptly closed it, causing her to tumble from her bike.

"Hey, BSB girl!" they taunted, closing in on her. Luna recognized them, knowing they had made a habit of tormenting her. One of the girls, Lucile, poked her head with force, eliciting a pained response.

"What, Lucile?" Luna exclaimed, trying to shield herself.

"Nothing. We're just having fun seeing you that way," Lucile chuckled, joined by the others.

"BSB girl, how's your horoscope today?" one of the girls mocked, noticing a yellow smiley face chain in Luna's bag. Lucile forcefully took it out and held it up, her eyes narrowing.

"Oh, so it's yellow, huh?" she retorted.

"Give it back!" Luna protested.

"Why? Will your luck end if I destroy it?" Lucile threatened, wielding the smiley keychain menacingly.

"N-no, please," Luna pleaded.

Just as Lucile was about to carry out her threat, a brown-haired boy appeared, surprising everyone. Lucile was taken aback by his presence, describing him as if he were an angel sent from above. Despite his glasses on, she could clearly see how handsome the man was.

"I bet you're too woman for this girl thing," Lance declared, taking the keychain from Lucile. Luna watched as they engaged in a playful exchange, both holding the keychain, while she remained on the ground.

"Really? Are they going to seduce one another in front of me?" Luna muttered silently as she witnessed Lance and Lucile's dramatic interaction.

"You won, my lover boy," Lucile conceded, blowing Lance a kiss. Lance smiled in response, and Lucile turned to Luna. "Be grateful someone saved you today, weirdo," she remarked before leaving.

Still on the ground, Luna heard a voice. "Stand up there," Lance instructed, and she quickly composed herself. "You're late; you'd better hurry before you expose yourself to the teacher," he stated. Luna grabbed her bike and walked alongside him as they headed to class.

Once inside, Lance used his body to shield Luna as she stealthily made her way to her chair while the teacher was engrossed in writing on the board. "Here it is," Lance said, handing her the keychain. Luna was startled as she examined it, finding no scratches.

"H-how did you..." she began to ask, but her words trailed off.

"Thank you," Luna expressed, her eyes fixated on the smiley keychain. Lance observed a hint of sadness in her eyes, and it struck a chord within him. He had never seen her eyes so beautiful yet filled with sadness; usually, they were full of light, but now they betrayed a profound melancholy.

As tears welled up in her eyes. He knew "That smiley keychain isn't just an ordinary keychain for her. Lance, inexplicably protective of her, found himself captivated by the depth of emotion in her eyes. It was the first time he truly saw her, and it left an indelible mark on his heart. If those women didn’t stop, he wouldn’t know if he could control his anger from that time on.

"Here, take this." Lance extended his handkerchief with a gentle gesture.

"Mmm," Luna accepted it, using the fabric to dab at her eyes as she attempted a smile. "I'm sorry," she apologized with a faint grin.

"Make sure you're on time next time," Lance cautioned her, a hint of concern in his voice.

Luna conveyed her acknowledgment with a simple nod, and together, they directed their attention to the front of the classroom, where the teacher diligently went through the attendance list. Subsequently, they seamlessly transitioned into the lecture, fully engaged in the academic discourse unfolding before them.