"I just like mechanical things," said Hyuk-jae, crossing his arms across his chest as they walked. "I taught myself what I know about repair work and building things. I just... I like it." He found a simple joy in fixing broken things and a complex one in creation. There was nothing quite like it. He would have given anything to make his living building and fixing mechanical things.

His parents hadn't ever taken much to the idea. Hyuk-jae had easily surpassed his mother in mathematics, turning to teaching himself from books while being home-schooled. He found numbers soothing. His mother, frustrated by his one-track focus, attempted to teach him more history, literature, and art, but it was clear his love for mathematics remained. Hyuk-jae found patterns and music with a precise quality the most soothing. As they walked, he thought about this. How had he started to fix things? Reading manuals, mostly.

The hardware shop had the familiar tangy smell of metal. Smiling, Hyuk-jae began to wander through the store, taking it in. Such a soothing atmosphere. He ran his fingers over wires, checking gauges. Soon, he had found the one needed to repair Hotaru's radio. Using his own wire cutters, the young Firebender turned the spool to get a proper length — and just a little extra, just in case. Handing it to Hotaru, he waited. "There," he said simply, "buy that."

Once that was done they headed back to the girl's apartment. Hyuk-jae waited for her to change the light bulb so that he could get back to work. He needed both hands and so couldn't use his bending — and he hated using his bending, anyway.

Hotaru smiled a bit when Hyuk-Jae placed the wires in her hands. Even the shop owner looked dumbfounded by the fact that he had his own wire cutters. From the way Hyuk-Jae explained the origin of his mechanic flair, he felt his destiny was intertwined with that of machinery. She understood that, how passionate one can be for a dream. Hotaru arrived at the counter and paid for the wires, asking the man to also add a lightbulb to her purhcase. The owner obliged, handing her the purchased items in a small brown bag.

"Why don't you work for a shop like that, then?" Hotaru asked on the way back to her apartment, "Or perhaps open your own mechanics business. I'm sure you could do it."

Hotaru had almost forgotten how dark she had left the apartment and she even stumbled a bit on her way in. She felt her way around towards the chair under the lamp and quickly put the bulb into its new home. All at once, her small home was illuminated once more. Hotaru had to look away from the brightness as soon as it was in. Rubbing her eyes, she hopped down from the chair.

"I'll get started on that tea, then," Hotaru walked over to the kitchen, still slightly blinded. Black spots ran over her vision. A sharp pain greeted her hip as she once again bumped into her countertop. Hotaru couldn't help but mutter a curse under her breath. She managed to get the pot and the kettle out of their hiding places without injuring herself further, at least.

Carefully storing his tools again, the young man pointedly ignored the store owner's astonishment. His tools were nice, one of the nicest things his parents had ever indulged him in.

"Why don't you work for a shop like that, then? Or perhaps open your own mechanics business. I'm sure you could do it."

"I can't," he said, not wanting to offer an explanation. He wasn't allowed to apprentice with anyone because of the fits. It wasn't safe for him to work in a factory setting with machinery, and most mechanics with small shops considered someone like him a veritable bull in a china shop. When combined with his Firebending the fits were nothing short of a recipe for disaster, and he knew it.

Quietly, Hyuk-jae followed Hotaru to her apartment.

"I'll get started on that tea, then."

Waving the girl off, he settled in to get started on the radio again. It was soothing, and soon Hyuk-jae had zoned out entirely. He gutted the radio, removing old wire and replacing it carefully with the new. His hands were gentle with the machinery, repairing in an almost loving manner. He truly was in his element.

The stove boiled the water quickly. Hotaru easily could've used her firebending to do it, but she figured she might as well get some use out of her appliances. Her mother had insisted upon her purchasing them, so she should use them every once in a while. The tea's steam wafted upward with an earthy scent. Hotaru smiled as the smell curled around her nose. She always felt more at ease when she had a cup of tea at hand.

Hotaru cleaned out a second cup. She always had at least one already clean, but because of a guest she had to take time to ready one for him. In her bachelorette pad, of sorts, Hotaru never did dishes unless she had to. Not that this created a tower of cutlery and plates that hosted a family of flies. She only had a meager few of each of those. The flies would have starved to death long before Hotaru would even clean it.

She carried the steam cups over to the table carefully. Hotaru left the second cup close to Hyuk-Jae's reach, but not too close so as to interrupt his work. Hotaru suddenly wondered what time it was. She looked at the wall as if a clock would magically appear. Making a face, she turned to look out the window. From the time he had arrived to now, it was considerably darker.

"It's quite late, do you need to call someone? Anyone waiting for you?" Hotaru asked, gesturing to her phone that, unlike the clock, was actually there.

Tinkering with the clock was pleasant. The young Firebender was able to lose himself in the wires and intricacies of the radio. He thanked Hotaru quietly for the cup of tea and sipped it slowly while he worked. It tasted good to him, hot and fresh. He didn’t even notice that it was getting dark!

"It's quite late, do you need to call someone? Anyone waiting for you?"

“No,” said Hyuk-jae dispassionately, “No one’s waiting for me. I don’t have anyone to call, and there’s no phone where I live, anyway.” He carefully reconnected the last bit inside the radio and then closed it up again. “There,” he said, experimentally turning it on.

A bright swing tune filled the room, sweet and jaunty. Hyuk-jae smiled. It was good to know he’d fixed something. These were such satisfying moments. Looking up, he noticed the darkness in the window. “I – I guess I’d better get going,” he said, quickly beginning to pick up his tools. “Ah –“ he quoted her a fair price, maybe even a little low. Putting his bag back on, he waited near the door.

((OOC: Thanks for rping with me! It was fun!))

Hyuk-Jae didn't seem the least bit concerned that nobody was waiting for him, but it let Hotaru's mind wonder. Just what was this strange boy's life like? She knew so little of him and he offered no information, a complete mystery.She felt a bit guilty, Hotaru had her parents she could call and even her teammates were there for her. But this boy appeared to have none of those luxuries. Just a mechanic's heart and a tough exterior.

Hotaru was jolted out of her reverie as her radio was brought back to life with a victory song. With that, the boy looked out the window and quoted a price for her.

"Ah, yes, let me go get my money," Hotaru hurried into the kitchen where she had left her wallet when she had fixed the tea. Hotaru hesitated as she pulled out the yuans. She thought of a lonely Hyuk-Jae walking home alone to nobody in some strange part of town. In a moment of spontaneity Hotaru pulled a small receipt out of her cluttered wallet. She scribbled her name--realizing that she had yet to reveal it--and then her phone number below it.

"I-I know you don't have a phone, but," Hotaru explained as she pressed the money and the note into Hyuk-Jae's hand, "Just in case you find one or...I don't know, want some tea."

Hotaru was unaware of the implications of giving an unmarried boy her number and, frankly, it's probably better that she didn't. The poor girl had been embarrassed more than enough times today.

Hotaru held the door open for Hyuk-Jae with a warm smile, "Thanks for everything."