Last-Minute Friendship [tag: Sohee]

A Long Display Name Here

Sept 11, 2012 18:17:34 GMT -6

What a day. It was days like today that made Hoshi glad the shop closed an hour after sun down. Their normally busy times extended by about an hour a piece, compounded by the fact that the people who stopped in for the tea-tasting ceremonies had to wait until they were less busy, creating a back up in service that just permeated the whole workday. Things didn't die down until about twenty minutes prior, and Hoshi was -for once- relieved at the sight of an empty shop.

There were ten minutes left til closing, but her mother had gotten on her case about shutting the store up before the exact time posted on their sign. It was silly, she thought, but there was really no arguing with umma.

The short woman sighed, pulled out a chair from one of the table, and propped her feet on a chair opposite. Her feet were aching from running around all day. Umma had helped during the busier parts, but for the majority she had been on her own. She rubbed her left heel to soothe the dull pain. Maybe I'll hire someone if this keeps up. But who? She didn't really know any one other than Mizu and Jin Ho, and most of her regular customers were geriatric. It had to be someone she could trust, and someone who would quickly learn the ropes.

It wasn't that difficult to take orders during rush hours. It was just as simple as offering the menu of the day's tea blends, boiling water, then giving the appropriate amount of cups and strainers to the people at the table. All of the shop's teas were dried loose-leaf and brewed to order, unlike many shops that would just brew on giant vat of tea until they ran out — or worse, the shops that used those awful "bags" with some generic tea leaf inside. She had taken one of them apart before, out of curiosity, and was appalled — when she poured hot water over the leaves, they didn't blossom, they just tinted the water brown. She had tossed out the rest of the box of tea bags. Waste of money, perhaps, but there was no way she'd let those things defile her kitchen any longer. She prided herself, like her father did, on the custom blends the shop offered, and every blend of tea was served with dried leaves that seemed to come to life once re-immersed in water.

The hardest part about working at The Lotus Café was learning the tea ceremony. Hoshi had been brought up on it, but for a newcomer it might be difficult; if she hired someone, it needed to be an intelligent person who would understand not only the difference between the tools needed for the ceremony, but how to use them, as well as the customs needed to be observed by the tea master. It was a lot to take in, and someone would either need to love tea as much as she did, or love to pay attention to detailed, complicated tasks.

Pulling a magazine out of her purse, Hoshi flipped through the pages, re-reading for the umpteenth time an interview with Tahno. The Wolf Bats waterbender was Hoshi's major celebrity crush. It was such a pity that Jin Ho didn't like going to the Probending Arena. She'd love to catch a match, but she had no one to go with and there was no way she'd be going alone. Part of the fun in something like probending was the ability to share it with someone, and she had no one like that.

Glancing at the clock, Hoshi shrugged off the remaining five minutes. Surely no one would care, right?

She stood from her seat, her bare feet making pattering sounds as she crossed the wooden floor to lock the entrance. But-— wait. No. Was that someone coming up to the door? Hoshi sighed, then jammed her flats back on her feet, pushing in the chairs and hiding her purse and magazine and plastering a smile on her face.

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Last edit: Sept 11, 2012 18:28:12 GMT -6

Anonymous

Sept 11, 2012 18:52:03 GMT -6

The sun had now set behind the distant horizon, which meant that Sohee no longer had any excuse to be away from home. That was generally the rule: walk in the door after the sun goes down and there will be trouble, though that was mostly her mother's thing. 'You listen to your mother. Always come back home before the sun goes down,' her father had said to her. 'Unless you are kidnapped, see a cute boy or take a ride home from a stranger.' Her mother had glared at him. 'Oh, right. You could see a cute girl, too. Let's not assume anything here.' Her mother typically gave up by then, but that was her family.

The concept of 'nightlife' had always fascinated her, mostly because she didn't know what it was. She had always pictured the streets brightly lit and full of music while people who apparently never slept danced, ate nice things and had all sorts of fun while the boring people of the world were in bed. She wanted to be a part of that, but as she walked along, she wondered if she wasn't setting herself up for disappointment.

"Miss. Hey, young miss!" a voice called. Sohee ignored it, but then suddenly a flyer was being placed into her hands by a cheerful gentleman who gave her a warm smile and strong pat on the upper arm. "You look like one who's into the best kind of sports. Are you thinking of attending a match? I bet you are! Take a looksee at this. I'd best see you there!"

And he was gone. Sohee realized she had been standing with her mouth open. She was still processing what he had said, and by the time she had formulated any sort of reply, he was long gone. That's how it typically worked with her. She wasn't used to dealing with people on most levels, and she had never learned how to deal with the ones that just came up to her out of nowhere. She needed preparation! Give her a minute or two to mentally prepare herself so she can communicate, yeah? Manners, goodness.

She kept the flyer with her as she walked along, unsure where she was going until her body informed her that she was thirsty. For what it didn't really matter, but that's what signs were for. A quick glance around told her everything she needed to know, and her brain focused on one particular sign. Lotus Cafe? Sure, why not.

'Cafe' was such a comforting word. It gave her the mental image of a smaller, dimly-lit place that smelled of warm drinks and bakery things, a place where people spoke quietly to each other and everyone was friendly. Actually, come to think of it, I may have just had a sheltered childhood. Dad, I'm going to need to talk to you when I get home.

She walked into the building, and when she noticed there was hardly anyone else there, she wondered whether she had entered after closing. However, she saw someone who clearly (hopefully) worked there standing before her, a smile on her face. Suddenly Sohee realized that she was going to have to speak first, and then realized a moment later that she had, again, no time to prepare.

"Uh, hello, uhm..." What do I do? Do I tell her I want a table for one? Well duh, I'm alone. But do I even need to... whatever. "Is there a menu for drinks here?"

It could have gone worse. It could have been like the time where she walked into a breakfast shop on a whim, then panicked and asked if they served breakfast there. The look she had received was enough, and had kept her away from any sort of food service without company for days. She gave herself a mental high five for not sounding completely inept.

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A Long Display Name Here

Sept 11, 2012 19:49:01 GMT -6

"Good evening," Hoshi said politely, her smile wide. She gestured to the empty shop. "We serve hot teas and cakes. Not too filling, but definitely comforting. Feel free to pick a seat." Her tone was wry. "I hope you can find one." She glanced at the clock - closing time. Not one to turn away a paying customer, Hoshi addressed the girl. "I'm going to lock the door so no other customers came in." She arranged her face into what she hoped was something pleasant. "We did just close, but you managed to squeak in."

Heading over to the door, she flipped over the sign from "open" to "closed" and turned the lock. "Nice to meet you," Hoshi relaxed a little, now that there were for-sure no more customers coming. "My name is Jeon Hoshi, and I own --or, will own-- this shop." She picked up a menu, and slid it on the table to the brown-haired young lady. "We specialise in tea blends for any occasion; our specials for today are a lychee black tea paired with light, buttery cake, as well as a black milk tea with chocolate cake. However, you are free to order from our wide selection of blends."

She gestured to the shelves lining the wall behind the counter, filled with metal tin upon metal tin, filled to the brim with dried teal leaves.

"Do you know much about tea?" she queried. Now that the door was locked, Hoshi felt more inclined to take her time. "If you have an ailment - maybe an upset stomach, or if you're nervous, or something, I have teas for that. If you're just into the taste, I have fruit teas, flower teas, or plain teas. Heavier teas, like black, or lighter teas like green. Stronger teas, made with older leaves, or less harsh teas made with baby leaves. I've got a pastry or something for everything, all fresh made here today. What'cha tasting?"

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Anonymous

Sept 11, 2012 22:26:44 GMT -6

Hot teas and cakes. Nice. She didn't know too much about tea, but she did know about cakes, and she knew that she adored them. She had come in thirsty, but the more she thought about food, the more her stomach was trying to get her attention.

"We did just close, but you managed to squeak in."

Everything had been just fine up until that point. Here she was walking in confidently, avoiding an awkward situation like a master, and then it turns out she committed one of the most disliked faux pas in the customer service world. She was one of those people. She knew it was awfully strange for her to be the only person in the building. Either the food and drink were terrible or she had come in at the wrong time. She never thought of the former, but now was assured it was the latter.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, I can come back another..." she started, but the woman was already off. Maybe she didn't care. Maybe she genuinely didn't care. She was being nothing but polite about it, so if that was the case, Sohee wasn't going to push it. She took a seat not too far from the door and glanced at the menu the woman slid to her.

She didn't get much of a chance to look as the woman — Hoshi — was speaking to her. Words, a lot of them, were coming at her. She tried to keep track of what was being said, especially the specials, but she couldn't keep track of the combinations, and by the time Hoshi was done listing the items, she had already forgotten most of them. (Though 'light, buttery cake' stuck with her, and not in a bad way.)

"I'm Sohee," she said, unsure of why she was introducing herself. Maybe it was the fact that they were alone that made it feel more personal. "Uhm... I don't know very much about tea at all. It sounds like there are so many. I like fruit teas, though! Uhm..." She looked down at the menu, but it was hard to read it with Hoshi standing right there. Pressure to choose was kicking in already. Well, that's what she got for coming in at closing. It's not like she could take her time.

She set the flyer on the table next to the menu to get it out of her hand as she looked. "I think I would like to try the orange blossom tea... and maybe a chocolate cake to go with that?" her request unintentionally came in the form of a question. A tea guru she was not, and she dreaded hearing, 'Oh honey, you don't want that' or, 'Sorry, we're out of that' which meant that she would have to panic and choose a backup option. But hey, chocolate and citrus usually went well enough together. And Hoshi did ask what she was tasting. Sohee was always tasting chocolate, so she was being good and honest.

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A Long Display Name Here

Sept 12, 2012 0:45:25 GMT -6

Hoshi held up her hands. "Relax, Sohee." She smiled in what she hoped was a reassuring manner. "I don't live too far away — just a couple of blocks — and my mother lives upstairs so if it gets too late I can just sleep here, I don't mind. Please, just take your time." She stepped out of her shoes. "Since you are the last customer, though, I hope you don't mind me being a bit more informal. It's been a heck of a day."

I think I would like to try the orange blossom tea... and maybe a chocolate cake to go with that?

A girl after her own heart. Fruit teas were Hoshi's favourite too, and chocolate was always a good go-to. She exercised the utmost self restraint when it came to the sugary treat, however, because she figured she might not have enough self control to stop after just one. The short, green-eyed woman clapped her hands, quite pleased. "An excellent choice!" she confirmed, smiling wider. "The orange blossom tea is quite light, and does well with the heavier chocolate cake."

Moving to behind the counter, Hoshi filled up a teapot with water from the tap and set it on the stove. She grabbed one of their metal trays as well, and began arranging her various cups and tools carefully on the surface. It wasn't normally a habit to give private tea ceremonies, but it was after close and Sohee had admitted to not knowing much about tea. Hoshi was very much of the opinion that tea was the greatest beverage in the world save water for its versatility both in taste and what foods could accompany them.

As she worked, selecting various tins of differing types of orange blossom tea, Hoshi addressed her young customer. "It's a little late out," she said. Not really the sizzling night life hour (not to mention this was the wrong part of the City for that), but it was after sundown. The sun had already dipped below the horizon, and the greyish-black night sky was rapidly taking over the fading orange-pink hues. Not really the time to visit a tea shop, as most people took their tea either in the mid morning, mid afternoon, or before bed (the last usually being in the privacy of her own home). After a small pause, trying to find her chashaku, she finished her sentence. "Just getting home from —" she glanced at Sohee, quickly appraising her age, "--work?"

The water boiled, and Hoshi worked quickly, switching from the stove-pot to the serving pot. The steam stung her eyes --would she ever get used to that? Probably not-- and she turned her head briefly to clear her vision. Dipping a silver spoon into each tin, the woman meted out a helping of tea leaves into individual ceramic cups; she selected eight drinking cups --four a piece-- not wanting each tea to be marred by the other.

Bringing the tray back to Sohee, Hoshi set everything down carefully, talking as she worked. "Tea ceremonies are a dying art." It was a rehearsed speech, but every word she spoke carried as much fervour now as it did the first time she learned the words. "Once, tea was a way for people to connect through a common love; it was an art form, a time-honoured tradition that took years to master. Now, the art is lost as things make way for convenience and speed. But, I think everyone can benefit from taking the time to enjoy a freshly, properly brewed cup of tea."

She sat across from the girl, arranging the eight cups in equal rows in front of the two of them, placing an open-faced, bowl-shaped tea strainer from edge to edge of the first cup on Sohee's right; she then mirrored the action to her row of cups. She spooned in a small amount of dried tea leaves.

"The Lotus Café stocks four different kinds of orange blossom teas. This first is a light tea, baby green tea leaves infused with the blossoms. It's very delicate, so it should be a clean taste and very refreshing." She poured the hot water over the tea leaves carefully so as not to accidentally splash out some of the leaves into the cup.

"Leave it sit for about thirty seconds so you can get the full flavour, and-—-" Hoshi broke off, the corner of a paper catching her eye. Something had been partially covered by her tray, but that two inches of image was unmistakable. Gently tugging the paper free, she found herself face-to-face with an image of Tahno in a victory pose. PROBENDING SEMI-FINALS the paper proclaimed boldly. WHITE FALL WOLFBATS VS. REPUBLIC CITY ARMADILLO WOLVES. NEXT WEEK AT THE PROBENDING ARENA.

She stared at the paper for a few moments, blinking. Next week? The semi-finals were next week? She knew she had been busy with the shop, but she didn't think she had missed that many broadcasts! If the semi-finals were already here, then that meant this could be her very last chance to see the Wolf Bats play this season. She hadn't been to a single game!

"You like probending?" she demanded eagerly, looking back at her customer.

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Last edit: Sept 12, 2012 1:30:39 GMT -6

Anonymous

Sept 12, 2012 1:37:37 GMT -6

She was relieved. That went well. Hoshi even complimented her on her choice. Yes! She was doing good tonight. She could just hear Hoshi's thoughts. 'That customer knows her stuff! She's much more knowledgeable than she thinks she is, I'm impressed.' Yep, that was realistic all right.

"It's a little late out."

Sohee replied with a polite nod. Because really, how much could she reply with? 'Why yes, it is. It does appear as though the sun has set, and its lack of light has caused the... the sky to... without light, you see, and... dark.' Sohee was introverted, but she could talk well enough. What she could not do, however, was small talk. Small talk could probably be used against her as a form of torture —

"Just getting home from... work?"

"Oh! No, I was just... my mother teaches me at home, so I was out just taking a walk and got kind of distracted and time flew by. I didn't know it was so late, so I decided to get something to drink and maybe eat, but... late..." she trailed off. She left off the part where she was breaking curfew, where she would be met by the evil set-herself-on-fire-in-rage demon that was her mother, where she would more than likely never see the light of day again, and how, quite possibly the worst bit, her father would shake his head in disappointment. Because priorities.

Everything was going nicely. The smells of tea and other delicious things wafted towards her from the kitchen, and she started to relax. Any interaction with strangers got her heart pounding and feeling tense, but things were slowing down now and everything was ohmygodshe'ssittingdownatthetablewithmeWHAT. Her mental images of herself sitting alone at the table enjoying her solitary time with cake and tea shattered with the force of a cannon strike, fragments of her imagination scattered all over the place that she knew she'd have to clean up later — ooh, tea.

She watched, fascinated, as Hoshi set out the cups before them and began to explain the different types of tea. I ordered one flavor and now there are four cups in front of me. Now this is service. Either that or extremely expensive oh my god do I have enough money for this?

Hoshi seemed distracted by something. She had broke off at one of the most important parts! Leave it for thirty seconds and what?! But what came next surprised her, equally out of the sudden shift in subject and Hoshi's sudden change in demeanor. The woman now appeared more direct, interested... excited?

"You like probending?"

"Well, I..." she started, a bit taken aback, her brain trying to catch up. I... but... the tea, it... "I do! I mean, I only just recently started getting into it more. I've never been to a match in person, but it seems so exciting. I wasn't sure about keeping this flyer, someone just handed it to me, but now that you've brought it up..." And there she was. She wasn't even a super fan of probending and she was already taking in complete paragraphs. She studied the flyer Hoshi had slid out. "I really want to go. I've heard about the Wolfbats, mostly from dad. I don't know how much it is to go, I don't have much, but oh, if I could... you like it, I take it? Who do you like?"

All thought of tea was gone even though it was right in front of her. Her stomach had even reluctantly stopped making noises, and she realized that she was talking to someone about something cool, something they both liked. Potential friend material here, Sohee. Don't mess this up. ...seriously, don't.

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Last edit: Sept 12, 2012 1:39:01 GMT -6

A Long Display Name Here

Sept 12, 2012 2:49:29 GMT -6

Tea momentarily forgotten, Hoshi leaned across the table, clutching the paper to her chest. "TAHNO," she said, much too loudly. "I mean, Tahno. Of the Wolf Bats." She held up the flyer and pointed to the lanky, pale, black-haired young man with his arm raised in victory. "He's their waterbender, and he's absolutely fabulous. The Wolf Bats are the reigning champions, and Tahno has lead them to each victory." Excited to have finally found someone who shared an interest in probending — how was that for serendipity? Hadn't she just been wishing for someone to go to a match with? — Hoshi stood and grabbed her purse from a nearby table.

"A couple of weeks ago, I even managed to snag his autograph!" She carefully pulled out one of her most treasured possessions, turning it to show Sohee. "See this?" she asked, pointing at the bold black letters on the bottom right of a profile photo of Tahno inlaid in a clearly well-loved newspaper article. "I was at Narook's Noodlery and he was there, and I got his autograph!" Hoshi beamed, remembering the day. "I know it doesn't mean anything, but look — it says With love to my biggest fan." The older woman laughed, both in pleasure and at her own silliness. "He probably signs this for every love-struck fan he has, but at least I can pretend it's to me."

With a start, she realised that she had left the tea steeping for a little too long. "Oh!" Quickly, she laid the article on the table with her purse and returned to her tea setup, pulling a face as she removed the strainer from Sohee's first cup. Not exactly a good start to try and impress a new customer. "I'm so sorry. I left this for too long. It will probably be stronger than it's supposed to be." What a rookie mistake! Hoshi was appalled at her carelessness. She hadn't made a flub like that in years, why now, of all times?

"Go ahead and taste it," she said unhappily. "If it's terrible I can just throw it out and start again."

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Last edit: Sept 12, 2012 2:52:31 GMT -6

Anonymous

Sept 12, 2012 3:23:09 GMT -6

Hoshi was suddenly very into their conversation topic. There was no doubt about it. This was not necessarily a bad thing, but Sohee wasn't expecting her to jump from explaining the art of making tea the right way to bellowing out someone's name. Hoshi seemed to agree, and a moment later her voice had softened, though it still retained the passion. And oh lord did she seem passionate. She was talking about teams, talking about players — oop, there she went, she grabbed her purse, and out came a newspaper clipping with a signature from some fellow on it (he seemed familiar, that was for sure), and he had written something nice, and...

Sohee's head was spinning, and she realized she must have had a look of surprise on her face. She hurriedly rearranged her facial features, making sure her eyebrows hadn't vanished into her hairline and that her mouth was properly closed. She turned her focus to catching up with everything that was being said, only this time it wasn't out of politeness, but because it sounded neat.

She looked at the clipping and signature, the man's photo and what he had written. "That is so cool!" Sohee said, and she meant it. He was nothing more than a slightly familiar face to her, but already she was slightly jealous. "I don't really know what most of the players look like. It's been mostly radio for me. But I've seen posters for the teams around, and oh, to see a game... and the players! You know, my..."

They both seemed to realize that the reason Sohee had come in was not, in fact, to talk about probending and gush over celebrity crushes. Sohee didn't even have one yet for goodness sake. No, in fact it was the tea, and Hoshi suddenly seemed to be quite displeased with herself.

"Go ahead and taste it. If it's terrible I can just throw it out and start again."

Sohee could tell from her tone that she was more unhappy about her own mistake than anything else, and Sohee felt it herself. It was an empathetic thing those of the introverted kind tended to feel. It was a shame, too. Just when things were getting fun! She was suddenly annoyed at the tea sitting in front of them. How DARE you interrupt our discussion, inanimate, tasty object. You should be ashamed. As punishment, I will now ingest you. So... take that.

She hastily took the cup with two hands, remembering to retain some semblance of ladylike manners, and took a sip. It wasn't quite what she thought it would be, but... ooh. Yes, yes that is nice. She wasn't sure if this was how it was supposed to taste, but if Hoshi hadn't mentioned anything, she wouldn't have guessed anything was wrong. In fact, it was quite delightful.

"This is good!" she exclaimed after she managed to tear the cup away from her protesting lips. The only problem was that she was bad at compliments. Either they were too short or they sounded forced. Never the happy medium. But to please Hoshi she would risk the latter. "Really, I... I like this taste, it's nice and light and... well. I won't say too much since there's still three more to go!"

She put on a smile, hoping to show her hostess that everything was fine and that they could continue as happy as could be, both out of an effort to please Hoshi and avoid having to be a part of an uncomfortably awkward situation.

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Last edit: Sept 12, 2012 3:37:24 GMT -6

A Long Display Name Here

Sept 12, 2012 4:03:11 GMT -6

Her eyes lit up again. Maybe she hadn't messed up too badly. "Is it? Thank goodness." She repeated the ritual of meting out dried leaves and pouring water, and explained as the dried leaves blossomed to life, "This second tea is also a green tea, but a small hint of cinnamon has been added and the leaves are aged more. 'Baby' teas are teas made out of leaves that have been picked shortly after sprouting. The longer the leaves are left on the stalk, the more aged something is considered. The flavour becomes stronger, and the taste a lot heavier." Hoshi gestured at the chocolate cake. "You might want to take just a small bite of that, to reset your palette, so you don't taste the first tea." She let the tea sit for about a minute while she repeated task for her side of the table. "You have never been to a probending match?" she queried, trying to fill in the gaps between tasting. "Neither have I. I want to, but I don't know anyone who would want to go."

With an expert hand she removed the strainer from the cup, moving it quickly back to the silver tray and setting it on a small wooden board, not spilling a drop in the transfer. "There should be a slight spice to the tea, because of the cinnamon," she said picking up her own cup and indicating for Sohee to do the same. "I've found it works quite well with chocolate. Make sure you breathe in the aroma first; scent is a big part of taste, after all." The earthbender took a deep breath herself, smiling a little as the citrus-y scent wafted up. There was something so comforting about cinnamon, something that reminded her of autumn, her favourite season; reminded her of cakes, and pies, and family; of gatherings and festivals. She smiled a little at Sohee, the corners of her mouth upturned in thoughts of private nostalgia.

"How old are you, Sohee?" She didn't look very old, and Hoshi guessed they were four years apart, at least. The tea was still hot, and it would be foolish to finish it quickly. The earthbender sipped it, her green eyes studying the girl across from her with interest. "You said you were homeschooled?" Hoshi was a little impressed. She had been schooled by her mother just a bit, but nothing too long-lasting. She learned to read, to write, and do arithmetic. Nothing particularly complicated — she wouldn't be designing Satomobiles soon, for instance, but she knew just enough to be able to run the store and enjoy a good novel. Sometimes, she wished she were one of those really intellectually-inclined people, such as the Air Acolyte scribes and librarians, or even the fabled scholars of Ba Sing Se university in times of old; it always seemed like something that would allow her to talk with anyone about anything, and maybe make more friends. Not that she felt particularly lonely; Jin Ho was more than enough for her, even if he wasn't a huge fan of probending. Still, it wouldn't hurt to expand her circle just a little bit. Even umma had complained, once it became clear that Jin Ho was not going to propose, that Hoshi needed more female friends. She didn't know about that, but another friend — male or female — would be nice to fill the hours now that Jin Ho was almost always occupied somehow.

She took a nibble of a piece of chocolate cake herself. It was incredibly decadent, and it was all she could do to stop herself from rolling her eyes into her head. It had been so long since she had treated herself to something as rich as chocolate cake.

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Last edit: Sept 12, 2012 4:05:00 GMT -6

Anonymous

Sept 12, 2012 23:34:55 GMT -6

Sohee kept watching Hoshi's masterful hands. They knew what they were doing, that was for certain. Sohee had long thought that tea was such a simple thing: make hot water, chuck bag into water, and suddenly, tea. But she was quickly learning that there was much more to good tea than that, and she liked it. She'd have a thing or two to tell her parents about when she got home. When exactly that would be at this point she didn't know, because oh my god cake.

She took a bite of the cake and let it stay in her mouth for a few seconds. She had to desperately fight the urge to avoid eating the entire thing in a single gulp, because this cake was delicious. She would have done exactly that had Hoshi not been with her, and for a split second, as the delicious mixture of heaven and awesome created fireworks of culinary perfection in her mouth, she wished Hoshi would go away so she could devour the rest, plate and all. But no. I am a lady. I am polite. Ilovechoco — erm, I am respectful. She gave up the cake with a look of longing, then turned back as Hoshi prepared more tea.

"You have never been to a probending match? Neither have I. I want to, but I don't know anyone who would want to go."

Whoah, whoah, whoah. Time out. This was too perfect. It was too easy. Was this how people were able to be social? Opportunities didn't even present themselves to you on golden platters, they broke through your front door like a battering ram or a large, enthusiastic drink? Here she was, getting into probending and hoping she could go someday (going with her parents was out of the question of course), and now the friendly woman serving her tea was giving her a chance. She'd have to wait for this. Don't mess it up, Sohee. Take it nice and slow. We'll ask her once we're a bit more acquainted.

Before she knew it the next cup was ready, and she took a small sip, dutifully breathing in the steam through her nose. There was definitely the trace of cinnamon there. She wasn't sure if she liked it quite as much, but the more she tasted it, the more she came to appreciate it. Either she had made the right choice in flavor, this woman really knew what she was doing... or both.

Hoshi's inquiry about her age caught her off guard, and she thought it was a bit of a strange inquiry, but then she realized they were due to start doing that conversation stuff again.

"I'm seventeen," she replied simply. "My mum does all the teaching. There's no real guide, she does it all herself. I've learned a lot, but if I want to go to a university or something I think I have a lot left to learn." Seeing Hoshi take another bite, she did the same now that it was socially acceptable. She finished it with another small sip of tea, trying her best to be polite and show her appreciation on her expression at the same time. "I think she's almost out of things to teach me, so I've been thinking about looking for some sort of job soon, even though the thought terrifies me."

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A Long Display Name Here

Sept 13, 2012 1:34:27 GMT -6

"Seventeen?" Hoshi echoed. That was almost a decade difference. "You seem older." Not much older, but Hoshi often found that younger people had the collective intellect of a teaspoon. Not necessarily because they were stupid, but because they just did not have a need to care about anything and so were too wrapped up in their own lives to have a decent, respectful conversation. Or, at least, those were the kinds of teenagers that came into her shop, usually dragged along by their parents and with no appreciation for a good tea. She wished there was a brew to treat brattiness.

She moved to the next bit of tea. "This is a heavier sort of tea," she began. "It's called 'oolong'. I guess you can call it between green and black. Not quite light, but not quite as heavy, either. This is also relatively young, and has jasmine petals added for a slight sweetener. It shouldn't be too overpowering though."

As she repeated the ritual, Sohee told her about being homeschooled, and her desire for a higher education. She smiled as the younger girl took a sip of the orange-and-cinnamon, looking quite content. So far, so good! "I think it's wonderful that you want to keep learning!" the earthbender chimed in, waiting for the third tea to steep.

I think she's almost out of things to teach me, so I've been thinking about loking for some sort of job soon, even though the thought terrifies me.

... No way. No way. This was way too good to be true. Happenstance? Was there someone looking out for her? She had thought about hiring someone... and now..

She finished steeping the tea, and gestured to Sohee to take a sip. "So, uh... wow. I know this is going to sound really weird, but I was just thinking about hiring some help here at the shop." Hoshi paused, letting the words sink in. It seemed almost too good to be true. "I... wow." Serendipity!

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Anonymous

Sept 13, 2012 2:47:23 GMT -6

Sohee could only nod. She seemed older? There was never any safe reply to that. 'Thank you!' was accepting of a compliment, and compliments should never be accepted as such. She liked to hear that, since it was often accompanied with a comment about how young she looked, and that was a killer combination. She figured in a place like a cafe with a hostess proficient in teas, seeming older was definitely a good thing. For some reason, annoying old people was something she felt very bad about. N-not that Hoshi was old. Sohee congratulated herself for not saying that out loud.

How old was Hoshi? Maybe when they were a bit more friendly, Sohee could ask. It didn't seem right to do so now, but her best guess was mid to late twenties. For some reason that comforted her. She liked having older friends. People her age were often intelligent, but didn't quite have that mature quality she so loved from people slightly older. Once you got into 'where did I leave my teeth' territory, thaaaat was a bit too much for her.

As she sipped the next cup, she nodded again. "Mm," she affirmed, not wanting to suddenly give her hostess the silent treatment. But her mind was blanking. "I don't know what I want to be or what I want to do. I'm not a bender, as much as I wish I were, and I'm kind of anti-social for a lot of the — oh gosh, this is delicious — a lot of the jobs that look neat."

She took another sip. This had a bit more... power? The difference was noticeable, but not extreme. She was actually quite sure that this might be her new favorite. It was tied closely with cup number one, which meant that cup number four would have to... what. What did Hoshi say?

"Oh, are you?" Sohee replied politely. "That's quite a coincidence! Has anyone applied yet?" Sohee gave her cake another longing look and took another sip. It was while the liquid was starting its journey down her throat that she realized exactly why Hoshi had brought that up, and in between her sudden thoughts of, Well goodness, Sohee, you're denser than this cake and oh god I appear to be choking, she coughed and replied, "Oh! Uhm. Well. I uhm. You know I told you I don't know much about... if that's what you were trying to... I don't... really?"

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A Long Display Name Here

Sept 13, 2012 3:11:54 GMT -6

With an alarmed look on her face, Hoshi stood and leaned over the table, patting the girl's back in an attempt to help. "Take a deep breath, deep breath, that's a good girl." Her caretaker instincts kicked in and she shushed the coughing girl in a calming voice. "We breathing okay? Have a very careful sip of tea. Small sips, there you go."

Once she was certain that Sohee wasn't going to suddenly asphyxiate on her products, she sat back down and studied the girl with interest. "You clearly enjoy what you're tasting, yes? I need someone young, someone who wants to learn, and who shows an interest in tea. You can't learn those things, but you can learn everything else." She began to prepare the fourth and final cup of tea, speaking all the while. "Are you interested?" She tried to speak lightly, but her heart was hammering in her chest. Was she doing this right? She hadn't yet consulted with Umma about hiring help, but... it was going to be her store anyway, right? Surely Umma wouldn't mind. Hoshi forged ahead, sounding a lot more confident than she felt.

"You wouldn't start off with a tea tasting, first of all," she tried to reassure the younger girl. "I mainly need help taking orders. This shop, at its busiest, is only run by myself and my mother. Having only two people working when all the tables are full-—" here Hoshi gestured to the twenty-some-odd tables in the shop, "— it's really hectic." She thought back to earlier that day; one person taking and delivering orders, and one person prepping tea was not an efficient way to run the shop — especially with just two employees, Hoshi very rarely got a day off.

The tea finished steeping, and Hoshi put that strainer on the wooden plate as well. "This tea is a black tea, and has been aged relatively well. The orange blossom flavour is actually taken from an oil extract, so the orange notes should be stronger here. I advice eating this one with the chocolate cake, as it will be an amazing symphony of taste." Hoshi did so herself, demonstrating by taking a bite of the cake first (Oh gosh, this is delicious! Good job, Umma!) and then washing it down with the tea. Chocolate and citrus flavours burst in her mouth like fireworks, and she once again marvelled at the complexity of something like tasting food. Such a simple, every day task but when you found the right two combinations (or more!) of flavours, it was if your mouth sang for joy.

Finishing her mouthful, she addressed Sohee again. "I know this isn't want you came in here for, but there has to be a reason you did! I mean, I am looking for an employee, and you are looking for work. It has to be serendipity. Or... or some sort of karma. Or something."

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Anonymous

Sept 14, 2012 0:06:12 GMT -6

Sohee took another sip of tea (a small one, just as instructed) while she listened to Hoshi talk about the job. Oh good lord. She was serious. Just a few minutes ago it was probending. A few minutes before that Sohee was giving her order. And now she was being asked if she wanted a job.

Was she interested? No! Most certainly not. There were people! She had to take orders, she had to make no mistakes, she had to talk to people. She had a hard enough time doing normal things and was perfectly happy at home. In the real world, if someone was bothering her, she could leave. In a work environment she had no choice. The very thought made her anxious, and she took another, slightly larger sip to keep herself calm.

But she didn't say no. This was an opportunity.

"Well... I..." she trailed off, deep in thought, trying to choose her words extra carefully. "Can I... think about it? I don't know... it's a lot to think about. I have to ask my parents, too," she finished, painfully aware of just how young she sounded. Truth be told she thought her parents would wholeheartedly support her, but this would be her first job of any kind, and the thought terrified her absolutely. Time for more tea. Oh no way. Time for cake, too! At the same time!

She excitedly took a bite, then a sip. And it was delicious. She wasn't sure if she liked a tea quite that dark, but it went oh so well with the chocolate. "Symphony" was definitely the right word to describe it. She was pretty sure small particles of chocolate cake were forming on the ivory stage that was her teeth, playing a grand musical while an angelic chorus of tea molecules sang their little hearts out. Well, maybe that was a bit much. But to deny that she felt as though she could tear up out of sheer bliss would be a lie.

Before she was finished with her mouthful, however, Hoshi was back to it, and Sohee couldn't help but feel skeptical. If there is someone in charge of handing out karma, I think they have a cruel sense of humor, she thought to herself, but Hoshi seemed genuinely intent and excited about it. It was... kind of cute, actually. And now Sohee was glad she hadn't said no. She would hate to disappoint such a kind woman.

"I'll talk to my parents and see if it's all right, and... and if it's all right with them, I... I'll do my best!" she said helplessly. It was that damn empathy. She couldn't say no. She had made herself say yes before she had the chance. She did that all the time, agreeing to things without too much though, not realizing until later what she had gotten herself into. Here she was again, par for the course. But maybe it wouldn't be so bad. If she got to have access to this cake and tea especially...

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Last edit: Sept 14, 2012 0:08:10 GMT -6

A Long Display Name Here

Sept 14, 2012 2:35:13 GMT -6

Sohee seemed nervous, deferring to her parents, so Hoshi scaled it back a bit. She held up her hand. "Forgive me, I'm being too forward." She smiled, and tried to reel her excitement in. "Of course you have to ask your parents. Of course." Hoshi sipped her tea, trying to figure out where to go next. Well, when in doubt...

"So how did you like the tea?" she asked, feeling acutely aware how impersonal this sounded. She tried to be more personable. "Do you have a favourite from the ones you've tasted? I can send home a small bag of whatever you liked the most, as a thank you for coming and letting me ramble at you." Hoshi took another bite of cake, remembering they were just going to make more the next day. They still had almost half a cake left, and that was more than Hoshi would eat (out of self control, mind). So, she did the only thing she found sensible.

"Want to split the rest of the cake?" She jabbed her thumb in the direction of the counter, drawing attention to the glass case housing the three-layer confection. "There's about half left, and I live alone so I wouldn't be able to eat it all." A small lie. "You can share it with your family."

Finishing her tea --the cups were relatively small, after all-- she began returning the used dishes to the tray. "Has your thirst been satisfied? Do you want another cup of tea, or some water?" She glanced at the clock. It was about fifteen minutes past the official closing time. "If you can stay a little longer, maybe we can talk a bit more about probending?" Hoshi was hopeful.

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Anonymous

Sept 14, 2012 3:05:59 GMT -6

Hoshi may have realized that she was taking things a bit quickly. It wasn't even that bad. It was second only to the time when a stranger came up to her, ring and all, and proposed to her. Granted, he realized halfway through his speech that he had the wrong person, and there was a definite alcohol presence there, but that was still the height of her spontaneous experiences. Walking in for a drink and getting a job was not exactly what she had expected. She also felt rather lucky in retrospect. Most people apply and hope for interviews. I got one just by being cool, clearly. ...well, if choking on your hostess' tea counts, then yes, I am fantastic.

Apparently Hoshi agreed, because apparently she was going to send Sohee home with a bag of whatever tea she liked. She thought about it, took another sip of the last cup (complete with cake) and thought some more. "It's difficult... either the first or third cup... even though this one is fantastic with the cake. I thiiiiink... the third one is my favorite! But really, they were all so good. I can't thank you enough for showing me these, this was more than I expected coming in here."

She really did love the tea, and she was legitimately, genuinely surprised that someone would do that for her. Not that people weren't ordinarily nice anyway, but she had come in late only to be given a tea tasting adventure. She was sure it was something Hoshi was used to, but this gesture still impressed her, and she was extremely thankful. But what came next was even better.

"Sure!" Sohee exclaimed at the offer to split the cake. The reply came out much more enthusiastically than she intended, and she paused. "I uh. Erm. I mean I really... yes, please. And thank you." For goodness' sake, girl, calm yourself. You come off like you've never eaten before in your life. She's going to think you're nuts. "But I'm fine! Really, this was delicious, thank you so much. And uhm..." she looked out the window. She wasn't sure why; it was dark in all directions now, and she knew it was late, but... she didn't want to go. She was having fun. She was not expecting this at all. "I can stay! If you're really okay with that, I don't want to keep you. But I would love to talk probending!"

Truth be told, her knowledge of probending was elementary, but it excited her. It was so cool. The way they moved, the way it all worked, the way the losers fell off the edge, ahh it was great. She knew a few team names, and she knew what her father liked, but she hadn't really chosen a favorite of her own. Maybe when she went to her first match... and maybe, if Hoshi was willing... Oh my gosh I'm actually thinking of doing a social thing, and I'm not going into cardiac arrest. This is good, I think.

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A Long Display Name Here

Sept 15, 2012 1:20:35 GMT -6

Smiling warmly, Hoshi nodded. "I'll put that in a box for you then, before you go." She was more than happy to share, especially since Sohee seemed like such a nice girl.

Her smile widened as Sohee enthusiastically agreed to chat about probending. "Oh, yes, that's absolutely fine. I don't really have any plans tonight, and it's so hard for me to find people who are interested in probending." Most of that was her fault, not socialising beyond Jin Ho and her customers, but Hoshi kept that tidbit to herself.

Excusing herself for the briefest of moments, Hoshi removed the tray with the tea supplies, setting them in the sink to do in the morning. She returned with two glasses of water, and set one within arm's reach of Sohee. "Just in case you're still thirsty."

Reaching over to the table with her purse, she pulled out the magazine from earlier and set it on the table facing Sohee. This issue of Probending Digest not only had a full-length interview with Tahno, but a small roster of each of the teams playing this season. Her green eyes wandered back over to the Semi-Finals poster, and she made up her mind to see her favourite player in action. Maybe she could ask Sohee to go with her! — after she asked her parents, of course. Hoshi was suddenly acutely aware of their age difference, and hoped the young girl's parents did not see any budding friendship as inappropriate.

"Do you have a favourite team yet?" the woman asked hopefully, dearly wishing for Yes, the Wolf Bats! to come out of the girl's mouth. It was a futile wish, seeing as Sohee hadn't recognised Tahno on her flyer, but some small part (okay, large part) of her hoped that was due to the girl having trouble remembering faces.

She couldn't believe she had missed so many matches in the past couple of weeks; with the whole trouble with Amon on top of the issues with Mizu and Jin Ho, the days had simultaneously stretched to eternity and sped by like lightning. If the semi finals had arrived, then she had at the very least missed three game broadcasts! She wondered how the other teams fared, wondering briefly if the Avatar's team had made the semi-finals too.

Studying the flyer more closely, she re-read the name of the opposing team: Armadillo-Wolves. Hoshi thought for a moment, then remembered being impressed that their earthbender was handicapped — one-armed. Though, could it really be called a handicap? Clearly, they were able to not only participate in competitive sport but were able to make it far enough to challenge the reigning champions in one of the last matches in the season. That was impressive enough by itself, so it was apparent that the lack of an arm didn't affect the game.

"Did you know that the earthbender for this team--" she pointed to the printed "Armadillo-Wolves" on the flyer, "only has one arm?" The admiration was apparent in her voice. "I've been trained as an earthbender; it's a difficult element to control with two hands, nevermind one." Hoshi paused, then cautiously broached the subject.

"It would be nice to see their match, wouldn't it?"

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Anonymous

Sept 16, 2012 17:13:06 GMT -6

The glass of water was welcome. She didn't want to trouble the woman who had already given her so much after closing, but the cake was so rich that hr throat felt parched after just a few bites. Of course, once that feeling was alleviated, she was just going to have more cake. It was a never-ending cycle of consumption. But it was a good cycle.

She looked down at the magazine, studying the man's face. It was definitely definitely familiar. Suddenly it clicked.

"I don't really have a favorite team, I admit..." she said almost apologetically. "But I've always enjoyed listening to the radio with my parents. I think this is the guy they like, and he plays for the... what are they. The Armadillo Bats! Yes, they love... uhm..." she caught a glance of the flyer that was sitting right in front of her. Smooooth. "I mean uhm. The Wolf Bats. They really like that team. But I like the sound of the team that Korra is on... so it's between them and the Wolf Bats I think!" she trailed off thoughtfully. She couldn't remember the name of the other team, but she had to admit that any team that had her on it was pretty awesome. They had been in trouble for a while, but they were really coming back.

"As for a one-armed earthbender... well, I'm impressed," Sohee replied with a laugh. "You've been trained though! Wow. So... what's it like? I mean, you know how this stuff works and how hard it is... do you think you could ever be a probender?" Sohee was full of admiration. To her, the lines between different skill levels were blurred to some extent. There were the inexperienced up to the pros, but to her, the very fact that someone was able to do any sort of bending was enough. She couldn't exactly picture Hoshi as being very tough, but still someone with some bending talent.

"It would be nice to go though!" she said, bringing it back on topic. "I mentioned how seeing a match is one of the things I want to do most. Now it just seems more exciting. Do you... you said..." Aaaand she fell in the home stretch. She was confident enough until it came to asking. Then she found that her confidence had deflated instantly. Damn this was hard. "Well, I was thinking about asking to go... and looking for someone I could go with. So... I don't know, would you... want to go? With me, maybe?" She hated how awkward she sounded, but she was paranoid of receiving a, "Oh, I'm sorry, I can't. You're just a customer."

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A Long Display Name Here

Sept 16, 2012 21:56:45 GMT -6

"Me, be a probender?" Hoshi laughed. "Oh, gracious, no. I'm trained, but traditionally. They've got some fancy moves in the probending circuit that I couldn't even think of in my wildest dreams." She smiled, shrugging. "My father taught me a few basics, then my parents' friend taught me alongside his son. His son is a metalbending officer now, you know. They both are. Not me though." The short woman waved her hand dismissively at the thought. "Earthbending is more than enough. I don't bend all that much, anyway."

Probending was very much a spectator's sport for Hoshi; it was fascinating and exciting, but at the end of the day she was happily content with her lot in life. Sure, she may have wished deep down that things had worked out between Jin Ho and herself, but they were still friends and they still loved each other deeply.

Sohee mentioned the Avatar's team, and Hoshi bit her lip to keep from saying anything. She thought the Fire Ferrets had somewhat of an unfair advantage. She had remembered listening to the broadcast of Korra's first game, her confusion at the newcomer bending three different elements in succession turning into shock, then awe, then annoyance when she was allowed to continue playing. Begrudgingly, Hoshi could admit that Korra was, in fact, not cheating by being the Avatar; that said, having one of the most powerful benders, trained by other powerful benders, on a probending team? Didn't that strike anyone else as a little one-sided??

But she stayed her tongue, excusing Sohee's interest in the Ferrets as little more than being unfamiliar with the sport. Clearly, as the reigning champions, the Wolf Bats were the best.

Hesitantly, Sohee asked a question; Hoshi stared at her, blinking. She wasn't sure she had heard that right.

"You want me to go to a probending match with you? I-- it-- you-- buh-—"

So much for being a lady! She couldn't even string together a coherent sentence when someone offered her something she had been so eager to have. Hoshi cleared her throat.

"I mean, yes! I would love to go!" It was all she could do not to scoop the young girl up into a hug. "We can go next week, to the Armadillo-Wolves / Wolf Bats game!" She thumped the flyer for emphasis. "Or is that too soon?"

Hoshi found her words tumbling out of her mouth like water out of a tea spout. She would have to get tickets! Didn't that one customer have extra passes, Mr... something with a hyphen. She couldn't remember his name, but the image of his face floated through her mind's eye. If he had used them, or something, she would have to splurge on tickets. Assuming there were still some left. It was the second to last match before the finals, so getting tickets at this late a time might prove to be a struggle.

At least there were always the free admittance seats, if she couldn't luck out on proper seats. Not that she'd ever been to the Arena, but she had heard how far removed those seats were from the action. Hoshi hoped it wouldn't come down to that.

"Would your parents be okay with it?" she remembered suddenly. "I'll pay for tickets and everything, if we need to. But do you think they'd mind? I mean..." Hoshi paused, suddenly acutely aware of the near-decade difference in age.

"I'm twenty-six," she admitted. "They won't find that strange?"

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Anonymous

Sept 17, 2012 18:15:54 GMT -6

Sohee thought she saw a look of disapproval flash over Hoshi's face, but it was gone in an instant, replaced by something that Sohee could only interpret as happiness. Hoshi's outburst confirmed her hypothesis, and she couldn't help but laugh. She put on an air of professionalism, acting such the lady, but her eyes flashed every time probending entered the conversation. Either she was an extreme fan, deprived of people to fangirl with, or both. Either way, that was fine with her.

"That should be fine!" Sohee exclaimed, her own happiness rising in subconscious response. Fangirling really was addictive. Odds were good that their voices would soon increase in pitch until they were annoying the neighborhood animals or breaking glasses. "My parents should be fine with it, really. They don't mind me going places too much as long as I have someone to go with."

She started to wonder how she would be able to pay for a seat. She had no idea how much they were. Plus, she had invited Hoshi, so if she were any sort of decent, she'd pay for both. It was only right! Asking someone out somewhere and making them pay was just —

"Oh no, you don't... you don't have to..." Sohee said weakly. Hoshi was so very much into this discussion that it was difficult to remove the train from the tracks, as it were. But she really, really didn't want to have the woman pay for both of them. Especially since... wait, what? She was twenty-six? She was surprised, but also wasn't — many of the people she subconsciously gravitated towards tended to be older, though the near decade was a bit more than usual.

"I don't think they'll mind!" Sohee assured her hastily. "In fact that might make them more okay with it. Going out with a responsible adult who also might be my boss, you know." An excited smile played across her face. This was actually kinda happening. Squee.

The hour was drawing late, however, and Sohee was actually starting to feel tired. Damnit, tea. Damnit cake. She yawned, finished off her glass of water, and stretched.

"I'm really sorry, but I think I should go," Sohee said. "My parents will probably be worried sick. I won't be in trouble, but I don't want to worry them. And I was thinking... maybe before we go, you could meet them? It might help them warm up to the whole idea." There she went, sounding incredibly young again. She hated asking anyone to meet her parents. It made her feel as though she were some ten year old who needed to hold their hands when she crossed the street. Bah. Someday her parents would realize she was older than that.

She stood at the door and said her goodbyes, giving a bit of a bow to Hoshi, along with a warm smile. When they were finished, she nearly skipped down the street towards home. It had been a wonderful night. Now all she had to do was wait for a while until Hoshi could come by to meet her parents. Oh how fun that would be. Or so she hoped.

No sooner had she unlocked the front door than her mother swung it open the rest of the way, staring down at Sohee. For a moment, Sohee wasn't sure if her mother was wearing a "I'm going to kill you" or a "I haven't seen you in a million years come to mama" expression, but a moment later, the lack of air in her lungs gave her the answer.

"Where on earth have you been?" she asked sternly, and Sohee's fear mixed with previous excitement made her next sentence come out in something vaguely resembling English as she hurried to fit all the details of the night in while simultaneously speaking fast enough to sate her impatient mother.

"I'm sorry! I was walking and thirsty and went for tea and had cake, and here's the cake, see? And I met someone there who worked there who loved probending and offered me a job and also really likes probending. Wait, I said that. Er, sorry. But she was telling me about it and she wants me to go to a match with her except that I invited her first because I was thinking she was nice, and she said she would get tickets, but I didn't want to let — sorry. Can I go? Can I work? Can she come over in a few days? To meet you, I mean. She's older than me so she's responsible and she owns a tea shop in the future. I mean, she will own the tea shop she's in now. Sorry."

Sohee's mother, well versed in the languages of frantic excuses, simply nodded. "That sounds fine. I'd like to meet her, but I trust you. She's more than welcome to come over. But you, however, need to get to bed right now."

Sohee nodded and retreated to her room, knowing it would be hours before she could sleep. As Sohee shut the door to get dressed in her night things, leaving her parents alone in the front room, her father turned to her mother and said, "Told you she'd find a date."

*~~~* A Few Days Later *~~~*

Sohee looked out the window at the street below, hoping for some sight of the familiar face. It wasn't just because she wanted to see Hoshi again (although her social anxiety was starting to make her heart flutter as though she had never met her before), but because she was extremely nervous about the inevitable meeting between her and her parents. She was sure there'd be no problems, but her anxiety was acting up because it hadn't happened yet. It didn't make sense to her, but that was how it went.

She paced. She had given Hoshi her address. It wasn't hard to find. Where was she? Was she okay? Was she busy? Did she forget? Did she change her mind? Did she not want to see Sohee anymore? Was it all a fake and Hoshi never actually wanted to — SHUT UP SOHEE, her brain screamed. I've told you to stop with this paranoid stuff. She'll be here.

Sure enough, there she was, making her way comfortable through the crowd. Not waiting a moment, Sohee jumped up to tell her parents. "She's here," she said, trying very hard to keep a calm face.

Wordlessly they got up and headed to the door, but when they were almost there her father asked, "So... is she cute?" Sohee smacked his upper arm as he tried (and failed) to keep a straight face.

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