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Ah-Ra desired tea. Craved it, thirsted for it, yearned for it, needed it; and she knew the cause. According to the words of her dearly beloved mother, Ji-Yeon, Ah-Ra was coming to the age of ripening. That is, Ah-Ra Hwang was ready to be 'picked'. No matter how cleverly her mother tried to disguise her natural mien, a tom-boy, most Noble families knew Ah-Ra as Lunaria's Tom Sawyer; albeit a female version. According to a resolution made by her mother barely seven days ago, that was all going to change. And Ah-Ra would become a woman. Tch. Yeah. And Sue Sylvester would quit taunting Will Schuester's groovy hair. Nevertheless, even this mighty female fell victim to her mother's persuasion. (Unfortunately, doe-eyes were a trait genes chose not to share.) The first step to unlocking a Korean woman's feminine side was not a wardrobe or a new 'do, it was the memorizing and practice of the tea ceremony. Her mother had started to buy dozens of pressed cakes of black tea, pricey porcelain, and even scribes that described the religious and spiritual intentions of a tea ceremony. It triggered headaches, but at least once or twice or day, her mother would present her a satisfied expression. And that'd be enough to carry on another day.

Until this morning, when Ah-Ra's prolific genius concocted a rather strange scene. The hands in the reverie did not belong to her, for the shape was visibly masculine. And those hands made a cup of tea. Not in the indolent, by-the-textbook manner of Ah-Ra Hwang. The way the fingers sprinkled herbs, the way the hand clasped the celadon clay pot; it screamed a worshipping of the art. And somehow, her two lily feet had led her to a tea-house. 'Xian Herbals', the wooden plank read. The female was oblivious to the pulchritudinous weather (If she was paying the slightest bit of attention, she'd have ranted about how the groundhog's shadow had been proved wrong.) nor the Lunarians around her. Ah-Ra stepped in, relishing the indoor shade, sat at whatever seemed appropriate for sitting, and shouted, "Excuse me? I've some questions!"

Breathe in, breathe out. Since Ah-Ra Hwang's youth, the Korean Lunarian had harbored an admiration for all things tea; tea ceremonies being the sole exception. The dozens of different categories- ranging from oolong and herbal; along with what people could make with tea leaves. Her personal favorite being the art of tasseography, a divination practice. The smell of this tea-house was particularly nostalgic, but perhaps it was the scent of a Lunarian afternoon. She didn't know.

Ah-Ra slightly gasped as a stranger kneeled besides her. Cocking an eyebrow, Ah-Ra surveyed her new companion. His crimson hair resembled a cross between a newly ignited fire and a blooming rose. He gave off a nonchalant aura, as if he had never truly been able to shatter his walls of savoir-faire. Then again, he was a stranger, and Ah-Ra was notorious was misjudging people. His inquiry however cleared the misconception. She had almost forgotten that she had called anyone over. Although her permanently-smiling lips opened to field the question, the answer was inaudible. She coughed, a rose-tinted blush flushing her whole face, from the jawline to her temples. "What I meant to say was, are you looking for an extra employee?" Woah. No, that had been the polar opposite of her intended response. It was the tea shop's mien that instantly attracted her. It would provide a chance to obtain hands-on experience from a true professional, along with a boost to her confidence. She was sure that the waiter had not dealt with a customer, if that was what she was, like herself before, and slightly regretted saying anything. What's done is done!