|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 9:17 pm
Seung stamped his feet against the pavement, and rubbed his gloved hands against his arms, trying to warm them. He felt the cold air down to his bones, and even the extra layers the shelter had so graciously provided. <******** winter for being so cold. He looked around for shops that didn't have a "No Loitering" sign in their door, hoping for one he hadn't seen before. Seing had been in almost every shop in this entire city, some only once and others with keepers that greeted him.
Today, unfortunately, was not his lucky day. He cursed to himself in Korean, wishing the shelter or his favourite alleys weren't so far away. With this burst of cold, he'd get frostbite soon enough. He could feel his fingers going numb, due to his tipless gloves.
Seung was about to curse again, when he saw a shop out of the corner of his eye. A book store. Small and cozy and not freezing cold. He looked for a sign against wanderers, and nearly slapped his forehead. What a stupid question.
With a quick glance around, the skinny man slipped in the front door, and immediatly basked in the heat. Warmth, glorious warmth! For a moment he just stood, dumbstruck, and let himself thaw out.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 9:29 pm
The bookstore was quiet, quaint as ever, the smell of old paper filling the main room. After about the front desk, shelves filled the entire area, crammed with books of all sorts of ages and prints, admittidly not the best place to curl up and relax. And yet, there was the young woman, slumped over at the front desk, eyes closed. However, at the ring of the bell, she instantly shot up, almost expecting her angry manager to be looking her in the face. Instead, it was an Asian man. How peculiar.
Sophie blinked, wondering what the man was doing. He didn't seem to be in any condition to be wanting to purchase books. But, he did seem cold, and that, in Sophie's mind, was a terrible thing. Even in the warmth of the room she still wore a sweater and her jacket, though her scarf was put away for the moment.
She knew it was against protocol, but Sophie figured that it was against protocol to sleep on the job, too, and that was one thing she couldn't help. Stepping from behind the counter, she watched the man for a moment, and then spoke, her voice the only noise save for the rattling of the heater in the back.
"Hey...do you need some hot cocoa or something? You look frozen to the bone."
The shop always had cocoa and snacks in the winter: it was supposedly a ploy to bring in customers. But, seeing as how she'd been the only one to have a cup all day, it wouldn't hurt to give some to the poor man.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 9:53 pm
The sound of the girl's voice snapped Seung out of his reverie. He stared at her before nodding vigoursly, his normally forlorn face breaking into a grin.
"I would indeed! And I am. Winter is too cold in this town for my liking. I'd go elsewhere, if I could."
He stepped forward from the door a little. With a unsteady tug, he pulled his grey beanie off, and in another motion shook off the frost layered on his raggy coat. Seung looked around, and whistled lowly.
"This is a nice place you've got here. Do you own it?" he wondered aloud, and stepped further into the store.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:04 pm
"I know what you mean. Winter is too cold just about anywhere."
Sophie turned, walking the short distance to the table with the cups and cocoa, nearly laughing as he asked her the question. "No, but I wish. This is just a job to pay the bills, and it doesn't do a very good job at it."
She brought the cocoa back to him, studying his face as she handed him the cup. "I take it you're not from around here?" she asked, sitting down beside him. She'd never seen him in the neighborhood, but then again, it was a pretty big city. Still, he just had this foreign air about him...well, it wasn't much of a difference anyway. Either way, he had stumbled in, and either way, it was Sophie's personal duty to make him feel better, at least for the moment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:27 pm
"Most jobs do that. Pay you just enough to get by, if that," Seung replied, and took the cup from her graciously. His hands thanked her profusely, and his fingers nearly did a tribal worship dance. Metaphorically, of course.
He laughed, a little to himself and a little at himself. "You could say that. I wander. Generally found in internet cafes when I have the cash, and stores that don't mind me hanging about when I don't."
He took a sip of his drink, and sighed contentedly.
"This is good stuff. Normally you bookly people don't like drinks near your books. Unless it's in an overpriced cafe, then in that case they fawn all over it and spend too much money on cheap fraps. You're rather different than most, miss." Seung took another sip, and hmmed. "Nicer. That's the word."
He slumped to sit on the ground near a shelf, and looked up at her, his black hair a mess around his face. "What's your name, anyhow? I doubt it's something unfitting, like Minerva or Edna. Don't think it'd be so common as to be a Savannah or a Jessica either. Hm. Possibly a Sara?" he asked with a mischeavious smirk.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:40 pm
"Sophie's the name," she responded, grinning, "and what would your name be?" She stood, ready to fetch her own cup of cocoa. "I don't suppose nicer wouldn't really be the word. Humane sounds more like it. If someone can't at least help the other with basic needs, then they aren't being humane." She gave her cocoa a sip, then sat back down.
"I can't really say I've wandered, but I do live in an apartment with four other guys who show more interest in eachother than in me, so I suppose that's an experience." She chuckled to herself, blowing air into her straw so as to make the cocoa froth. "But, I'm sure everyone's had their experiences, eh?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 11:10 pm
"Seung. Seung Pak. And before you ask- it's not Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, or Pacific Islander, heh."
Seung sighed. "A large amount of the populace seems to be rather unhumane then, yes?"
When the guys were mentioned, Seung grinned. "Better than having them all have interest in you? Could get a little demanding and annoying. Messy messy making out all over you. Though I suppose you have that now, only all around you?"
Before he could take another drink, there was a loud rustling in his pocket, then a high pitched 'yip!' emanating from the same source. Seung carefully set the mug onto the floor, and dug into his pocket to take out the miniscule puppy. He laughed a little, nervous.
"I hope you don't mind Ling...I swear he won't eat any books?" he said, and winced as the mutt flomped over to the mug and stuck his muzzle down into it to have at the drunk. "Aww, Ling. You're going to get it everywhere..." he mumbled and tried to pry the two apart.
Seung looked back at Sophie apologetically. "He's uh. Thirst?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 11:22 pm
"Seung, eh? So I suppose it's not African, either?"
She grinned, but nodded seriously about the inhumane comment. She then laughed about the boys. "Well, it's not so much that as it is that they try to buy me a 'cute' outfit, get frustrated when I don't wear it, and end up wearing it themselves. But if they really want to be alone, they let me know in advance...I just log in a few extra hours here."
She smiled at the sight of the small dog, entirely unconcerned about the books. "I dunno if chocolate would be good for him, lemme see if I've got some water..." She hopped up, foraging around the front desk before holding up a water bottle triumphantly with a "Ha!" Using a cup, she poured just enough so that it wouldn't spill when the dog lapped up the liquid, then set it down beside the man and his furry companion.
"There we go."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 11:37 pm
Ling yipped again, and buried his muzzle into the cup, slurping loudly.
Seung nodded. "Only room mate i had was ...a party person."
He rested his head against the shelf, and scooped up Ling, who nuzzled and made happy sounds.
"...You know, you're a strange creature. I'm a homeless man in my mid twenties who smells, looks like a**, and has both fleas and some sort of mite." He turned to look at her.
"Yet you're...not really. Treating me. Like one?" He shrugged slightly. "It's just...eerie. To talk like this. When I haven't in ages."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 11:53 pm
Sophie pondered that for a moment, feeling contemplative as she sipped her cocoa, which had just begun to lose it's maddening heat. After thinking about it, she faced him, setting her cup down.
"I guess you're right, if you look at it that way. But, y'know..." She pulled her jacket collar to the side to reveal a tattoo on her shoulder. "People make mistakes, but that doesn't make them bad themselves. I think people deserve a second chance, but in my case, any doctor I'd talk to would want me to pay up my soul for one. So, my mistake stays. But, either way, I suppose it's just a 'do unto others as they would do unto you' kinda thing. Maybe someday people will get that concept down."
She smiled, picking up her cocoa. "But for now, I'm just gonna do my part, feeding the local homeless man who has both fleas and some sort of mite."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2006 1:08 am
Seung smiled smally. "So strange." He leaned to look at her tattoo, before he pulled down his raggy green shirt. He pulled it just enough to show his left collarbone, which, right above it, had a barcode tattooed on.
"Ours aren't so bad. Mistakes, but I saw one of a giant t-rex when I was at school. From his collarbones to almost his crotch. He'll be paying for that one right about now..."
"Someday. A day that is far from today, unfortunately." Seung put Ling back in his pocket, and ruffled his fur.
"Feed? Food is good. Food that is not from McDonald's dumsters is very, very good."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2006 3:37 pm
"McDonald's dumpster? That's all you have???"
Sophie seemed surprised to hear something so incredibly obvious from a homeless person, and instantly, she bounded up, heading behind the counter again and picking up the phone, dialing a number she seemed to know by heart. She paused a moment, then began to speak. "Hey, Gavin, it's Sophie...I need you to bring two classic clubs over to the bookstore, okay?...Gavin, don't worry, I'll pay for it!...Oh, the occasion? There's a homeless guy in here, and I'm buying him lunch...I'm not about to judge if he's cute, Gavin!!...hm, okay, great. See you in a few." And just like that, she hung up the phone, hopping over the counter and sliding back down to her seat.
She certainly had energy when helping the needy, eh?
"So, you like sandwiches, right?" She asked, putting a strand of hair back in place. "It was about time I ordered lunch anyway."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2006 7:24 pm
"Uh...And cookies from the internet cafe...s?" he said, trailing off as Sophie bounded for the phone. His stomach growled loudly as Sophie called up someone he guessed was a friend, and ordered club sandwiches. He snorted out his drink when the other guy apparantly asked if he was cute.
...He was a homeless guy, and before that...? A geek. He was not cute except in the 'awww he's a hobo' way these days.
Seung nodded, and stifled a laugh when Ling barked and seemed to bob his head. "I guess that's a yes for him too. And yea, I definitely like sandwiches. I've had too many cookies and dry ramen packets for my liking."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2006 7:49 pm
Sophie had heard Seung snort, and shook her head as she laughed, the soft curls in her hair shaking back and forth. "Don't worry about Gavin, he's harmless...a tad intimidating, at times, but harmless." She leaned back against the bookshelf, looking up. Yeah, I did the dry ramen thing the first year I stayed out here. Tastes good at first, but after a week or two, the novelty wears off. It'll fill you up, though," she commented.
The rather loud noise of the door opening caused Sophie to jump, and she shot a murderous look to a man about her age, clad in some delit uniform and holding two boxes. "Gavin, don't slam the door like that! You'll end up breaking it someday!"
The man only smiled, playing innocent. "How could you tell me something like that after I brought you and your friend lunch? That's not very hospitable, Sophie."
Sophie shook her head as she fumbled through her pockets, exchanging dollar bills for the boxes and ushering Gavin out the door. "You better get back to work before someone notices you're gone. We can chat later: I can't afford for you to lose your job." Before the man could complain, she closed the door, sticking his tongue out to him until he left. She then sat back down next to Seung, handing him a styrofoam box with a sandwich inside as she opened her own.
"Heh, known the guy since high-school, and he still hasn't changed. Give him one moment, and he won't stop chatting. That's why it's best to be quick: otherwise, I'd be the only one paying bills."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2006 8:13 pm
Seung waved a little at the man, though he wasn't sure he could see him since Sophie dashed in front of him.
"Dry ramen is gross. I stayed in a noodle warehouse once." The man shuddered, and put his hands yup to his mouth, fingers hanging down and wiggled them. "Mice. Everywhere. In the noodles, as well as in rice. Less them, and more their crap. Place was somewhere in Chicago."
Seung took the box and opened it, and salivated at the sight. "I give you an unlimited amount of thanks. Code 'the gathering.' Mmf." With that, he started digging into his sandwich, occasionally tearing off parts and giving them to Ling, who ate the scraps happily, and worried a piece of bread on the ground.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
