Kazuo took a moment to look over the young man, banishing his previous thoughts, if only for a moment or two. It took him more than a second to catch a full glimpse of Hyuk-jae's face, due to the overhang of black hair. Fire Nation? Kazuo was not comfortable enough to say so for certain, but his customer had dark hair, pale skin, and tawny eyes. It seemed to fit the stereotypical description of a firebender. He felt momentarily excited, his expression brightening--until Kazuo realized he could not, exactly, burst out the question he wanted to ask.

"Ginseng. Right." He sounded vaguely distracted when he said it, which wasn't far from the truth--he was distracted, feeling somewhat whimsical. Kazuo was prone to boredom, and being a waiter was not exactly what you would call an "engaging" job. He was thinking of how it would be wonderful if, by some miracle, the stranger would just jump up and proclaim that he was a master bender, or something of the sort. Regardless of the fact the patron was resembling a drowned dog at that point in time, soaked with rain. Being stuck in here all day is messing with my head. Kazuo started towards the kitchen. When his customer asked for a towel, the young firebender sent a glance over his shoulder and smiled--the expression slightly mischievous, considering the fact it was crooked. "I hope you realize that'll be extra." But the words were playful, obviously not serious.

He picked up pace and loped to the kitchen, humming off-key under his breath, to some song or another. "Ginseng--" he began, but before he even finished his sentence, Sakti handed him a steaming cup of tea. What could he say? The walls were thin. "And a towel?" She grumbled, went to the back room, and returned with a plush towel big enough to, hopefully, dry of the patron and mop up the mess.

He returned to the restaurant's single customer dutifully, setting the tea in front of him, and holding out the towel. Again, Kazuo cast him a crooked smile. "Looks like you were out there for a while. No umbrella, I take it?" The comment was playful. A second later, however, and Kazuo's brows were furrowing. "Ginseng tea keeps you from getting sick, right? At least, that's what Sakti told me... you want me to start a fire for you? It's kind of cold in here." Kazuo paused for a moment. Wait... I'm supposed to ask him something else. "Oh! I'm sorry. Um, do you want anything to eat? I meant to ask that right when I came back." He laughed a little sheepishly at himself, and held his hands behind his back. "Sorry. Kinda new at this. Honestly, I hate waiting tables, but hey, it keeps me out of the rain, right?"

"Kazuo! I heard that!" Sakti snapped from the kitchen. Kazuo flinched, but then he smiled again, just as sheepishly as his laugh had been. It took him a second, and then he realized how badly he was rambling. Upon which point Kazuo blushed and bit his lip, glancing momentarily towards his feet.

ooc: still falling into his character <3 hopefully i'll get the hang of him soon c: sorry for the slight ramblyness.

Mentioning the street and the rain had Kazuo glancing out one of the restaurant's windows, staring out at the dreary clouds and the people who were bustling down the street. It made Kazuo a little dubious. Sure, when he was with his mother's water tribe it wasn't uncommon for them to be out in storms, but for practical reasons. He could not even begin to fathom as to why some of those people were out.

"I don't blame you," Kazuo replied absentmindedly, still looking out the window, maybe with a bit of longing, despite the bad weather. "Umbrellas can be dangerous. You can take out someone's eye with one if you unfold it wrong." Kazuo glanced back towards the patron, smiling lazily. He was in one of his friendlier moods--or perhaps it was mere boredom that drove him to engage in conversation. Not to mention, something about the stranger brought out a sense of friendliness in him. Perhaps it was only the fact that Hyuk-jae was so wet--it made Kazuo feel as though the other man was in need of some help, which he would willingly give.

Kazuo-Ren watched the other firebender wring the water from his vest, arching his brows a little bit. "Keep positive, yeah? Plus, a little secret. Sakti makes great tea. One drink of that and you won't get sick. I can almost guarantee it." Kazuo was lying, but hell, why not? Sometimes a little lie might make someone feel better, and if Kazuo was in the Hyuk-jae's position (soaking wet and on the verge of a cold) he would have appreciated a little kindness, even in the form of a lie.

The surprised expression that Kazuo caught on the other firebender's face surprised Kazuo in turn. It had not been uncommon in the water tribe for people to light fires for their guests, especially in colder weather, if a fire was not already lit. But I'm not in the water tribe anymore, he had to remind himself. The way people behaved in Republic City was entirely different. He remembered the rude glances and shoves he had been given when unboarding his ship.

"It wouldn't be a bother. I don't have anything better to do." Kazuo was thinking that, perhaps, he was annoying his customer--he hadn't had such a long conversation with anyone who had walked into the restaurant before. He glanced at the Fire Nation boy, and then towards the kitchen, thinking he might ought to excuse himself, for politeness' sake... "What? Business policy? No! You're fine, as long as you bought something. I mean, it's pouring outside. Maybe if we were busier you would have to leave, but Sakti's really nice and..." Kazuo trailed off, realizing that he was, yet again, rambling.

Ha! He got a laugh out of the other man, at least! "Selling papers can't be too bad, can it? I mean, at least you get to see the city. I've been here three days, and I haven't seen anything..." Kazuo wrinkled his nose in distaste. Ugh. Saying it like that made him sound more and more pathetic. Surely, this young man must have been accustomed to city life, and there was Kazuo, some ignorant little "country boy", rambling at his patron's table-side. His confidence waned a bit, thinking about how ignorant he must seem. Kazuo felt transparent, just then, and maybe he was, with his open expression and eagerness to please.

"Hyuk-jae, huh? Nice to meet you." Another lopsided little smile, a bit shier than before. Kazuo raised his eyes to observe the patron, though, a bit quizzically, even if he was still biting the inside of his lip. "Ah, well. I should probably get into the practice of doing things right, y'know?" Despite his occasional shyness and some of his eccentrics, Kazuo was not an idiot. He didn't miss much when he was paying attention. He noted that Hyuk-jae was rubbing his wrist, and he noted the bruise around it. Interesting.

But he was sure there were hundreds of logical explanations. He mentally shrugged it off. "Sure thing. Take as long as you need--it's not as though there's a huge line or anything." Kazuo smiled. "They're that way." He pointed behind him, to a door off to the side of the kitchen, clearly marked as the restrooms. He waited until Hyuk-jae left before going over in the direction of the small fireplace, set into the corner of the restaurant, not too far from where Hyuk-jae was sitting. There was a stack of wood nearby, and although Sakti had explained they didn't normally make fires this time of year, Kazuo figured they might as well make an exception. He put some kindling in, and then proceeded to light it with a quick blast of firebending.

He was feeling rather proud of himself, considering the fact that this time he got all of the flame into the fireplace, and none onto the floor. A few seconds later, and there was a happy little fire crackling in the corner. Kazuo warmed his hands by it for a moment, and glanced out the window again, wanting desperately to walk the streets on a day when it wasn't raining. For whatever reason, however, the image of his patron's bruise came to mind again. Hm. One of the mysteries of life, no?

"Kazuo! When are you going to get that radio fixed?" Sakti didn't yell, per se, but Kazuo flinched nevertheless. He hadn't meant to drop it, and he felt bad breaking his aunt's property after only a few days of staying with her. He stood up and turned around, surprised to see that Hyuk-jae had come out of the restrooms, looking much drier. In case he overheard that last bit of conversation, Kazuo spoke up. "I dropped my aunt's radio.. I haven't fixed it yet." He shrugged a bit helplessly.

Kazuo couldn't help but smile back--after all, it was rare that he made a difference in anyone's day. But then, a little kindness went a long way, didn't it? At least, that's what he had learned in his lifetime. Kazuo-Ren took note of Hyuk-jae's brief head-shake. He took a moment contemplating it, biting the inside of his lip. Was it a gesture of annoyance? Was the other man shaking his head in face of Kazuo's ignorance? If the young firebender thought about it too much, he would surely drive himself to madness. As a result, Kazuo shrugged it off.

A second later, and his patron headed off towards the bathrooms. Kazuo was left contemplating the situation. Why am I still talking to this stranger? No doubt, Sakti was shaking her head in the kitchen. Was it improper for him to engage in conversation with the man he was serving? Kazuo didn't know. But, quite frankly, he had become somewhat lonely in Republic City, despite the fact it was far bigger than his tribe. The thing was, though, that the city was more accepting--he had been shunned because of his abilities in his tribe, but now he was certain he would find a place to fit in more easily. After all, he was currently serving a firebender, for spirit's sake!

A few moments later, and Kazuo was staring at Hyuk-jae again. He noted, vaguely, that the man was tall and thin when he was standing, in contrast to Kazuo's average-height and fairly lean build. "How to fix them... um..." Kazuo shrugged a little helplessly, standing in front of the fire. "Well. No. Back in the water tribe, we only had one or two, and my mother certainly didn't own either of them. So. No idea how they work." Kazuo felt, not for the first time, like an ignorant country boy. In fact, it made him feel somewhat idiotic. Everyone else in the city knew all about technology, it seemed, and he could hardly change the station on a radio!

"Do you?" Kazuo was honestly curious, but his voice sounded a little cautious. He eyed the kitchen where Sakti was, no doubt, eavesdropping. He felt like a child again, despite the fact he was, what, twenty two? Kazuo mentally scoffed at himself.

Hyuk-jae wasn't the only one who jumped. Kazuo did as well, glancing over his shoulder in the direction of the windows, glad that he was safely indoors. His exploration of the city could definitely be postponed in such weather. He ran a hand through his already-messy hair, thinking of how it would be something exceptional to be able to bend lightning. The idea itself seemed almost impossible to the young man, who had such little experience bending fire. Not to mention, the idea of trying to control something so wild and powerful was a little ludicrous. The rain beat at the windows and the roof, loud, overriding his thoughts with the noise.

"Yeah... that's true. Either way, I have no idea how to fix it..." He looked eagerly at his customer for a moment. The other man knew how to fix them? That would save Kazuo from feeling such guilt over breaking his poor great-aunt's radio. "Oh, don't worry about the mess." Kazuo cast the other man a vague smile, but his mind was still on the radio. He can fix it! Fix it! Would you fix it? But the waiter didn't exactly know how to request such a thing without sounding rude.

He waited for the other man to stand; the mess seemed to be thoroughly clean. Kazuo-Ren stared on quizzically as Hyuk-jae continued to crouch. Was he gathering his thoughts? Kazuo didn't know, but it took his patron a little longer than necessary (it seemed to Kazuo) to stand. When he did so he acted as though nothing out of ordinary had occurred. Interesting. Had Kazuo-Ren just imagined it?

I usually charge a fee to fix electronics... Kazuo's expression brightened considerably. Did this mean that he would do it for free? That turned out to be not the case, but Kazuo thought that a free meal in exchange for a fixed radio was fair enough. His smile widened, crooked and suddenly a little cocky. "You won't just do it for my charming personality?" The comment slipped before he could sensor himself. Sense returned to him, and he blushed a bit, before saying, "Lemme go ask Sakti."

He loped back into the kitchen as Hyuk-jae sat down. "Heyyyy, Saktiiii..." he feigned nonchalance, leaning against the wall. She glanced up at him, all clever blue eyes and brown hair, streaked thoroughly with gray, looking a little dubious. "That nice young man over there is offering to fix our radio in exchange for a meal..?" Sakti sighed and nodded. Kazuo returned to the dining room with a swing in his step. "She said it was okay. Anything in particular that you want? And I can bring you the radio. No rush fixing it, really, though. So long as it gets done."

Another crooked smile, before Kazuo glanced out the window. Rain was running down the length of it in torrents. He shifted his weight, brows furrowing. Was Hyuk-jae going out in that?

Kazuo-Ren was experiencing one particularly strong emotion just then: relief. He hadn't meant to break the radio, and after being unable to fix it, he'd felt unbelievably guilty. The young firebender also found himself increasingly eager to please this young man, who was so graciously offering his services. Not only that, but Hyuk-jae was engaging Kazuo in the first real conversation he had since arriving in the city.

Maybe that's why he listened to Hyuk-jae's order with such attentiveness, nodding. "Sure thing. It shouldn't take long to prepare..." Kazuo trailed off, curiosity plain in his expression. That was interesting. The man had to have a specific diet? But Kazuo wasn't about to push the subject, just in case it was something that his patron was unwilling to talk about. He shrugged it off, mentally, saving it away for later consideration. He had already noticed several odd things about Hyuk-jae--his bruised lip, his earlier pause, that had lasted too long, and now his eating habits. It was bemusing.

"Really, I should be the one thanking you." Kazuo redirected his gaze, away from the windows and towards the other young man. "And yeah, pretty much. Just dropped it." He shrugged one shoulder. Their living quarters upstairs weren't exactly what you would call "neat", and he had tripped while carrying it. But then, the specifics of how Kazuo had broken the radio were unnecessary--admitting that he could be so inelegant was not something that Kazuo wanted to do, just then. He had a feeling it would cause him to flush all over again.

Kazuo-Ren retreated into the kitchen, pondering the strangeness of his customer--it wasn't that Hyuk-jae seemed odd, really. In fact, the man's conversation was enjoyable enough. But Kazuo's mind kept catching on those three things: the bruise, the pause, and the strange request for food. Were they interlinked at all? Was he over-analyzing it? It didn't matter, really. He would probably never see Hyuk-jae again, after this. He told Sakti his patron's order, and then fetched the radio, before returning to the man's table-side.

"Here you go. Again, I can't thank you enough." With a lopsided smile, Kazuo-Ren reached out and set the radio on the edge of the table. He flinched as, outside, there was another particularly loud boom of thunder. "I hope that calms down before you leave. It would be... unfortunate... if you had to go out in that weather again." His brows creased a bit, and his expression was genuinely sympathetic. Kazuo raised a hand to fiddle with one of the two necklaces he wore, wondering if it was acceptable that he was lingering by Hyuk-jae's table-side, or if he should leave.

Sure, it's no big deal. Kazuo tried to offer a smile, but for whatever reason it was a little crestfallen. He had, of course, forgotten one simple fact: Hyuk-jae's services were not an act of kindness, in reality. They were given in exchange for a meal. Of course they were. No one does anything just for kindness' sake. Of course, Kazuo-Ren couldn't say he was bitter about this. It was only realistic.

Perhaps, if Kazuo had been paying keener attention, he would have noted Hyuk-jae's second lapse in attention. But, quite frankly, he was distracted by the "light show" outside, if you would. When he turned back to the other firebender, the man was behaving normally, as if nothing strange had ever occurred.

I'm used to it. Kazuo's eyes snapped back to the other man, a bit appalled. He worked in this? What sort of boss would force his emploies to do something like that? Hell, what sort of person was out and about in the pouring rain, wanting to buy a paper? Kazuo wanted to ask if it was possible for Hyuk-jae to find another job, but he realized the ridiculousness of the question before he spoke it--jobs weren't always easy to come by. Instead, Kazuo shrugged sympathetically. "I guess I can understand that. After all, the demand for newspapers in weather like this must be insane. I bet rainy days are your best for business."

His words were sardonic, needless to say, but his expression transformed a second later at Hyuk-jae's smile. Kazuo-Ren smirked in return, and after a hesitant second, he sat in the offered chair. Embarrassment showed in his expression, however. "I promise, I don't drop things all the time. Only on days that end in Y." A cocky little half smile, one edge of his mouth lifted up. Kazuo raised his eyes, tawny in color, to glance shyly at the other firebender. But that was Kazuo-Ren--one moment, a half-flirtatious smirk, and the next a shy glance.

Nevertheless, he looked on with some curiosity at the radio. "I doubt anyone else is going to walk in in weather like this, so I may as well sit down for a few minutes. And, like you said, its a good skill to learn. So. What' do you do?"