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Post by Narye Matsuya on Aug 7, 2012 10:33:36 GMT -5
When Narye finally got around to actually using the phone number Saaga had given him, which was actually the number of the glassblowing shop she worked at, it was a bit of a tense affair at first. For one, he was not guaranteed that the young woman would be the one to pick up or worse, her boss might pick up. After the man caught Narye and Saaga sharing a kiss, he could have done without talking to the elderly man. Second of all, he was actually concerned that Saaga might have lost her job because of that incident. A simple kiss shouldn't have been that big of a deal, but her boss really seemed to take issue with it.
However, he found his fears alleviated when Saaga's voice came over the receiver. She was still at work so Narye had to make it quick, no matter how much he wanted to talk to her some more. He asked and made sure that she still had her job first, then offered to take her out for some drinks as per his agreement to make up for the embarassment of being caught by their boss.
Now Narye found himself sitting in a corner booth at a local bar, waiting for Saaga to show. It wasn't a rowdy or unkempt place, but it was definitely a change of atmosphere from the tea shop the two of them last met in with plenty of locals drinkings, talking, laughing and generally relaxing after the day's work has been done.
He particularly liked the place because of its surprisingly varied selection of drinks, close it was to his own home, and because he knew the owner. All of those on their own were pretty good reasons to go there, but for Narye there was an extra incentive that seemed tailor-made for him. Narye was a lightweight when it came to drinks, and he knew it. So if he found himself just a little too tipsy, it was option to just have the owner help walk him home without too much trouble, or make one of his employees do it. It didn't happen often since Narye knew his limit, but it was just a nice optional service.
When the owner asked Narye why he had come in that evening, and taken to a table instead of the bar, Narye tried playing it off and leaving out details. However the owner was a seasoned bar man and he accurately guessed that Narye was meeting a girl, but was polite enough to not guess anything more detailed. Just that one time, he brought over a tray with a small selection of sake and beer for Narye to share with the mystery girl when she showed up, on the house.
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Post by Saaga Sun on Aug 7, 2012 14:31:59 GMT -5
After the whole kiss debacle master Zhang had taken to acting very strangely around Saaga. He was suddenly expressing immense concern for the development of her skills and made sure to ask her to stay after working hours to teach her some new trick he thought she’d find handy. He also sent out Tseng to do most of the deliveries and only ever left the shop if he could be sure that Saaga was looked after by either of his other employees. It would have seemed like he was being protective, wanting to make sure nothing untoward happened to her, but she found that theory hard to swallow since he still talked to her in the same way as always. Condescending and wasting no opportunity to insult her or swat her on the head with his damned paper fan or the latest newspaper, depending on which was closer to hand at any given time.
When Narye had called to the shop, she had been sitting at the register and as soon as she’d answered the phone, master Zhang had been looming over her pressuring her to finish as quickly as possible. She had tried her best to sound like she was talking to a customer, though her pretense had fallen apart as soon as they had started talking about meeting up for drinks.
“Miss Sun. It grieves me deeply to see you waste your potential over a pointless romance,” he had said, emphasizing his words with a shake of the head and a ‘tut tut’-noise.
Saaga had looked at him, eyes narrow and full of displeasure. It wasn’t any of his business what she chose to do with her life on her free time.
“Please. I sincerely doubt meeting someone for a couple of drinks and a nice time sometimes is wasting any of my potential.”
“You say that now. But then you’ll start prioritizing this…gentleman over your work and before I have time to say ‘I told you so’, you’ll have quit your job and ended up as a bored little house wife in some little town somewhere nobody’s ever heard of. Such a tragedy,” his reply was spiced with yet another ‘tut tut’ and after he’d finished Saaga had been a little confused whether he was still talking about her or reminiscing about something that had happened to someone he knew. She chose not to ask about it and continued her work.
And so it was that on the evening she was going to meet up with Narye, Saaga had been thoroughly overworked and pushed to her limits and it showed. She had slight shadows under her eyes and was in a state of perpetual annoyance. She had planned on going home to change into something more…pretty, but her boss had kept her at the shop so late she had to actually run to catch the tram and be on time at the bar. Thus she was dressed in her working clothes; black knee length trousers, a short sleeved collared shirt and a black vest with gold trimming. She had opened up a couple of the upper most buttons of her shirt to seem more casual, but all in all she looked like she was going on a delivery instead of what she assumed was a kind of date. And thanks to heat of the workshop her hair was curled and frizzy, because why the hell not.
She walked in to the lively establishment and looked around to try and spot Narye. There was a man at the bar wiping glasses with a soft cloth and he gave her a once over before glancing over in the direction of some tables farther back. Out of curiosity she followed his gaze and spotted her date…man she was seeing…friend…never mind. She walked over to his table and dropped down on the opposite chair like a ragdoll.
“Sorry I’m a little late. Today was a nightmare and I could not leave the shop earlier,” she said to him, letting out a deep sigh and resting her head face down on the table for a moment.
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Post by Narye Matsuya on Aug 7, 2012 15:18:56 GMT -5
Narye was doing just fine waiting for Saaga to show up. He already had drinks set up and the owner was providing enough conversation to keep Narye occupied and entertained for a little while. Plus, he was not all that sure how long it took to get from the shop to this particular bar, so he could not hold it against Saaga if it took a while to arrive. They had the rest of the evening to wind down and have a good time, which was long enough for Narye.
When she finally did walk into the bar, looking a tad harried, Narye gave her a little wave and a little smile. The closer she got, the more it looked like she was quite a bit disheveled and quite a lot worn out. Despite her work clothes and frizzy hair, Saaga still looked pretty in Narye's eyes. It was just a different kind of pretty from the usual make-up and styled type.
He found it hard not to chuckle a little bit when she flopped into her chair and planted her head on the table immediately after sitting. Though it did make the bottles on the table clink and ring and threatened to tip over. Fortunately they did not, and the precious fluids within remained safely enclosed.
"Well then, I can't think of a better reason for a bit of a drink then."
Just as Saaga had poured tea for him before, Narye poured her a cup of sake and placed it near her head with a gentle tap. Narye wanted to finish his own beer before he joined her with the sake, and leaned back in his chair with a grin.
"I hope whatshisname, your boss, isn't working you too hard, honey. Er, any harder than it looks like anyway. Otherwise I might have to give him some crap before he works you do death."
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Post by Saaga Sun on Aug 7, 2012 17:50:22 GMT -5
Saaga lulled her head to the side and looked at Narye or his hands rather while he poured her a cup, her cheek still pressed against the hard wood of the table. She managed a tired smile at his comment, fully agreeing that she could use a little kick so to speak. She rose to sit straight in her chair and stretched her arms, arching her back and grimacing slightly when she heard the crackle of her knuckles and spine. The sound was uncomfortable, but she felt instantly a little better. She did not wait long after he’d placed the cup on the table, but rushed to grab it and swig the liquid down in one shot. It tingled her throat a little going down, but the taste wasn’t bad. She put the cup on the table with a thud and took a deep breath.
“That’s much better. I needed that,” she said, combing through her hair with her fingers trying to sort out the sweaty curly mess.
She raised her eyebrows a little at Narye’s comment looking a tad perplexed at his choice of words, or one word specifically. She was not really sure what to make of him calling her ‘honey’; she was not at all used to endearments of any kind. It didn’t seem to her like he thought much about using the term; maybe that was just the way he chose to speak and there was no special meaning behind it. He had called her that at the teahouse as well and the context had been that of a joke. She thought maybe she was overthinking it too much and decided to try not to care about it.
“Ugh, I’ve been stuck at the shop almost 24/7. He barely even lets me go home to sleep. I mean, I wouldn’t mind spending my nights there if it was voluntary but the whole thing stops being fun when I’m being forced to stay there. If I didn’t know any better I’d say he’s doing this to keep an eye on me ‘cause he’s worried. But he acts like such an asshole it’s hard to believe,” she ranted and poured herself another cup of sake in a furious gesture. She didn’t normally use any sort of foul language, but right then she was so frustrated she felt like normal words weren’t enough to express her feelings on the matter.
It was also more than a little unfair towards Narye to make him her emotional punching bag, but she really needed to vent. Otherwise she would be less than stellar company for the remainder of the evening.
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Post by Narye Matsuya on Aug 7, 2012 19:45:47 GMT -5
Narye was mildly impressed by just how fast Saaga slugged-down the drink he had poured her. Given how daintily she had handled her tea back the previous time they got together, and how she sipped her water at the Ball, Narye was never quite sure if she was the kind of person to throw 'em back quite like she just did. But it was comforting to know that Saaga could let loose after a damned-hard day's work like anyone else. Her stretching and drinking and talking ill of her boss was like seeing another side of her, or at least like seeing her from a different angle.
His term for her, "Honey", was something of a mixed term or one with mixed meanings. On one hand, it was just in his nature to use that term casually, as something he would refer to most females if he felt comfortable with them. On the other, he knew it sounded like something more intimate and was aware of when he said it to Saaga. Truthfully, Narye WAS just trying to use it casually, for the most part, but he was also kind of trying to get Saaga kind of used to him calling her that as his term of endearment for her. Sneaky, but affectionate.
[color-navy]"Man, that sounds... that sounds like shit."[/color]
If Saaga was okay with cussing a little, so was Narye. But he really was shocked by what she was ranting at him about. At first it was because her boss did sound like a total ass for overworking her. Then it was because she thought it was because he was worried for her. That was like two layers of shocking. It meant that her boss still remembered him, and was at least thinking about him in some context. So maybe that little kiss had made a bigger impact than he thought.
As for being Saaga's emotional vent, Narye had no problem with that. Even if he wasn't already a little influenced by alcohol, he would have been fine with it. If it made her feel better, Narye would endure even more.
"Well tonight's the night to forget about it. All the drinks are on me, so don't hold back."
He held up his beer for a little toast.
"But seriously, you think he's worried about you? Why? Because of me?"
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Post by Saaga Sun on Aug 7, 2012 20:40:11 GMT -5
”It is. It is exactly that. And I can’t really refuse working either because now he’s teaching me all this stuff he previously said I wasn’t ready to learn. I’m afraid if I really tell him off he’ll just focus on teaching Shou and ignore me, even though I’ve worked there longer,” she went on and finished her second cup almost in the same breath she’d finished her sentence. Usually she avoided excessive drinking. She could sit down and relax with a bottle of rice wine and enjoy herself, but she never let herself get drunk. The mornings after were too much for her to bear and she didn’t want to spend half a day in the bathroom retching her guts out and the other half curled up in bed in a fetal position. But right now, she could not have cared less about the consequences.
She was about to help herself for a third round but was stopped short by Narye telling her he was going to be paying. To be honest she had not really thought about money or who was going to pay for the tab, but now she was becoming conscious about it and felt a little guilty even when she thought about accepting the offer.
“Okay then. But next time’s on me alright?” she gave in, but couldn’t help adding in that little demand. She didn’t know much about teachers’ salaries but she didn’t think it would be fair to just sponge off the man. She wasn’t the kind of person who could easily do that. Having accepted his offer, she poured herself a third dose and toasted with Narye, a little half smile on her lips.
“I don’t know if he really is worried, I’m just hoping he is. That would at least be more acceptable than him just being a controlling prick,” she started and took a sip before continuing: “We did have talk about you, but I don’t think that is what’s twisting his beard in a knot. He might be trying to fill in some parental role, even though I don’t want or need him to and he sucks at it anyway.”
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Post by Narye Matsuya on Aug 7, 2012 21:14:45 GMT -5
"Wow. Sounds like quite a conundrum."
Taking another drink from his beer, Narye felt a little guilty for putting Saaga in her current position with her boss. It did not seem like she really held it against him at all, but he could not shake the feeling of guilt anyway. Just seeing, or rather hearing, her in such a complicated situation touched him. From the sound of it, her boss seemed to be, like, giving her an alternative to being with Narye. Like maybe trying to bribe her with teachings or something.
Narye himself was already a little buzzed since he had a drink before Saaga even showed up, and he was trying to keep track of how much he was having. But with Saaga just being good company and this feeling like a special time, Narye was not doing a very good job of it.
"Yeah. We can take turns paying and stuff. Sounds like a plan to me."
The moment Saaga mentioned that they had talked about him, Narye's curiosity was piqued and he had to know more. Who wouldn't be? Even if they had not said all that much, or anything of any real importance, he had to know what it was just to sate his interest.
"So what did you guy say about me? Hope it was something flattering."
Of course was going to crack a joke. Between the drinks and the less-formal atmosphere, it was difficult to not make the whole conversation just a little bit more fun.
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Post by Saaga Sun on Aug 8, 2012 7:03:52 GMT -5
Saaga finished her drink and placed the cup on the table, turning it around absent mindedly and thinking. Conundrum was not quite the word she would have used to describe the current atmosphere in the shop. Disaster was a more appropriate term. It would have been fine if the problem had existed just between her and master Zhang, but the man’s attitude had the added effect of souring the moods of Tseng and Shou as well, though she was holding out hope that they were on her side in this.
Tseng had told him that such behavior from the boss was not all that abnormal. Apparently he had gone nuts over him getting married and even more so when his first child was born. The man just had the habit of getting into everyone’s business and then getting over emotional when people didn’t do things the way he expected. And what he expected was for everyone to be as obsessed about glassblowing and work as he was. Even though it made some sense, Saaga could not really forgive his rotten attitude and found herself trying to figure out if there was something else throwing him off. She would have preferred a more sympathetic reason behind his actions, than just him acting like a selfish overgrown brat.
“Hah, flattering is not really the word I’d use. I’m now under the impression that he thinks you are a lecherous old man,” she said, not really bothering to tone down her words.
It was not as if she was the one who thought so. Narye had asked what the old man had said and quite frankly that was the essence of all the things they’d talked about him after the day he’d happened upon them. He had asked her if she was serious about him, if she knew he was much older than her and finally he’d insulted her by implying maybe she just had a thing for ‘father figures’ and anyone twice her age would do. If he didn’t have so many things to teach her Saaga figured she would probably have quit after that comment. But no matter how much of a jerk master Zhang was, it was nigh impossible to deny that he was a genius at his craft and she’d be hard pressed to find a better teacher. Or one that would tolerate her attitude, which in truth was almost as bad as his.
“I think the exact words he used were ‘a lecherous decrepit old man’. Hmm, he must’ve been looking into a mirror at the time,” she chuckled and looked at Narye, hoping he wasn’t getting offended by what she said.
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Post by Narye Matsuya on Aug 8, 2012 8:07:26 GMT -5
"Hey. Hey."
Narye nearly dropped his empty mug on the table, seeming offended by Saaga had recounted for him even though he had specifically asked about it. He held a finger up to Saaga, correcting her.
"... I'm not an old man."
He managed to hold a straight face for a few seconds before he started to crack up from his little joke there. Obviously Narye did not take much offence at being called a 'lecherous decrepit old man', especially since maybe about three-fourths of it were kinda sorta technically true. Maybe. He certainly knew that he was in no way 'decrepit', that was for sure. He worked out and maintained his body way too much to be considered anywhere near 'decrepit' or even 'out of shape'. Old man? Maybe. Narye didn't look it but he was almost forty and that could count. Lecherous? Well...
"And who's he to call ME an old man? That guy looked like he could pass as my grandfather, if my grandfather never shaved, and besides THIS..."
Narye motioned his hand over his torso.
"... Is not the body of an old man. I bet he hasn't even looked close to this good since he saw the invention of the wheel."
Now that he had finished his beer, Narye decided to indulge in some of the sake as well. Taking a cup, he poured himself some of the liquid and offered to pour some more into Saaga's empty cup. In his tipsiness, Narye was not only a tad arrogant, but also tended to encourage other to drink a little more. Narye's dumb little smile and leaned-back posture showed alcohol's initial effect on him.
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Post by Saaga Sun on Aug 8, 2012 10:40:24 GMT -5
”Haha, alright. You’re not an old man. Just a lecherous middle aged one,” Saaga laughed. Her tone was slightly amused, but not mocking. And when she saw him start cracking up she could not help but laugh too. He had a very pleasant voice, that much she knew from before but she especially liked it when he smiled and laughed. He looked almost boyish when he did that and could have fooled anyone to think he was younger than he really was.
“He’s not that old. He’s like a little over sixty. His body I can’t vouch for. Never seen him out of those robes, nor do I ever want to,” she said giggling and tried to swat away the mental image of a nude master Zhang. That was nightmare fuel right there.
She looked at Narye gesturing at his body and bent over a little, grabbing at her sides in a fit of choked laughter. Her cheeks were a little flushed from the drinks, making her look a little feverish with her otherwise disheveled appearance. She didn’t really enjoy talking ill of other people and was usually rather judgmental towards people who did, but right then she was really enjoying herself and selfishly felt she had the right to make a little fun of her employer.
She rose to stand, steadying herself against the edge of the table and leaned over to touch Narye’s shoulder and chest. He felt warm against her hand.
“Hmm…I suppose it’s passable,” she said, faking an appraising tone. She flashed him a devious grin before settling back down into her chair and pushed her cup forward when he offered to fill it up.
“Sir, if I didn’t know you for a gentleman I’d say you are trying to get me drunk,” she smiled at him and drank. She loved that the banter was back. Joking and laughing together with him really made her forget about what was going on at work and she was happy to have accepted his invitation. It remained to be seen whether she’d be as appreciating in the morning.
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