Songwriter/Producer, Bartender.
Bisexual.
Dating Jiuk.
10/09/1993.
28.
Rooster (WA)
Authored by Etienne.
Offline.
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Post by Hwangjung Lee on Jul 9, 2015 1:50:53 GMT -8
Hwangjung typed a quick text in, feeling a little bit self conscious of it because Z was right next to him, "We should definitely hang out soon." He let auto correct finish his name at the end of the text, and only realized as he hit send that he'd added, "- Hwannie" because basically the only people he texted were Sungyong and Yunjin. He blushed a little, staring down at his phone wishing that he had caught it. He wasn't precisely embarrassed about his nickname since childhood, but it sounded childish to his ears, and he wasn't sure that it was the impression he wanted to make. He was also pretty sure that Sungyong was being a gossip, and he was sure that his best friend would notice his ears turning red.
Sungyong did in fact notice and tried not to laugh at his friend, mostly succeeding. He pulled out his own phone to join in the apparent thing that they had going around the table and typed in quickly, "Clearly to increase our ability to snoop about this sort of thing, we should follow their phone exchange example, if not the blushing example, it's cute though, seriously look at Hwannie's ears." He snorted a tiny bit, managing to continue to contain his laughter as he passed the phone to Samnang after adding, "You can totally just add yourself as a contact if you want."
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Secretary at LGBT Center/Lyricist.
Homosexual.
Dating Hwangjung Lee.
08/21/1993.
30.
Rooster (WA)
Authored by Redeim.
Offline.
I heard that even in space you can hear the scratch of a “I-, I-, I-, I… love you.” - Phil Kaye
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Post by Jiuk Robertson on Jul 11, 2015 17:02:14 GMT -8
Z watched as his phone buzzed, smiling and feeling a bit stupid as he held it up to HwangJung, showing him he got the text. He brought the phone back to face him, not without noticing HwangJung's embarrassed look. It took him a second to realize why, only having to read to the end of the text to get it. 'Ah' He thought to himself, 'That must be a nickname he doesn't use often... I have enough embarrassing nicknames to make him feel better about it, I guess...' He let a coy smile play on his face as he typed in We should, definitely. -Jiji He sent, biting his lip harder than intended because it was one of his least favorite nicknames. Because the last time he let someone use it, they ended up his boyfriend.
Samnang grinned mischievously. I think Z's onto me. He typed. He's hiding his screen now. But that look definitely means he actually tried some flirting. /Now/ I'm anxious to see HwangJung's ears. lmao He then went to the contacts, having a similar enough phone to know how to navigate. He didn't want to snoop into Sungyong's information though, so he just added his name and number really quick, with a note in the nicknames saying he also left a note where they were messaging each other.
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Songwriter/Producer, Bartender.
Bisexual.
Dating Jiuk.
10/09/1993.
28.
Rooster (WA)
Authored by Etienne.
Offline.
|
Post by Hwangjung Lee on Jul 11, 2015 21:28:24 GMT -8
Hwangjung smiled widely, entire face following the motion, when he got the text. He was still feeling a little bit silly about signing with his nickname on the text, but it apparently got him cute nicknames in return, so there was something to be said for that. He glanced over at Sungyong, who wasn't being as subtle as he thought he was in his watching, but he seemed to be pleased with Hwangjung. When Sungyong caught him looking his way, Sungyong smirked at Hwangjung and pointed to his own ears. Hwangjung barely resisted the urge to put his head down on the table in embarrassment, knowing that would only add fuel to the fire of teasing from Sungyong later. He texted his friend quickly, "Stop meddling."
Since the performance was breaking up, and other audience members were standing, he stood and stretched himself, feeling like this had been a rather intense evening. He looked over at Sungyong, not quite sure what to do next then asked quietly, "Are there plans from here?"
Sungyong flipped open his contacts quickly, spotting Samnang's contact information in his phone and pulling it up to send a quick text of his own. "This is Sungyong, so you have my number." He nodded and told Samnang, "There, now you should have my number too." He glanced at the text from his best friend and responded, "Never, it's my job." Not being sure whether there was anything else to be done now that the poetry slam was over, he glanced over at Samnang and Jiuk, responding with a questioning tone, "I'm not really sure?"
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Secretary at LGBT Center/Lyricist.
Homosexual.
Dating Hwangjung Lee.
08/21/1993.
30.
Rooster (WA)
Authored by Redeim.
Offline.
I heard that even in space you can hear the scratch of a “I-, I-, I-, I… love you.” - Phil Kaye
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Post by Jiuk Robertson on Jul 13, 2015 16:05:25 GMT -8
Z looked to Samnang, then to other two. "We could..." He began, but just bit his lip. "I don't know, anything you two particularly like.. to do?" He asked, looking up at HwangJung and Sungyong. Samnang smiled, only pretending to glance at his phone at first until he saw the text from Sungyong. He saved Sungyong's numbers then glanced up to the others. "Hey, guys, it's uh... about time for me to go home, so uhh.. yeah. You all can go to a bar or something, but I gotta work early tomorrow." He said, not too good about the lie, but Z's confused face gave him confidence the only person who could rat him out about the lie was Sungyong, who he hoped would catch his drift and possibly even leave the two alone as well.
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Songwriter/Producer, Bartender.
Bisexual.
Dating Jiuk.
10/09/1993.
28.
Rooster (WA)
Authored by Etienne.
Offline.
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Post by Hwangjung Lee on Jul 14, 2015 1:27:48 GMT -8
At Samnang's mention of the time, Sungyong glanced at his phone's clock and groaned, "Right, I'm opening tomorrow. I'd better get home."
He paused for a moment, glancing at Hwangjung, considering, before smirking a tiny amount and adding, "Hwannie, you don't have to follow me unless you're tired, I know this is normal operating hours for you, and you should actually get a chance to do fun things on your night off sometimes, so if you want to stay out, you should go for it."
Hwangjung froze up momentarily, looking between his best friend and Z, trying to decide what to do. A part of him definitely wanted to just head home with Sungyong, it would be the safer route, but a part of him wanted to see if Z wanted to do something else, maybe, or just hang out a little longer. He said softly, "Er, maybe not a bar, considering I spend a lot of time in those far too regularly for work, but um, what else is even open in the evenings around here?"
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Secretary at LGBT Center/Lyricist.
Homosexual.
Dating Hwangjung Lee.
08/21/1993.
30.
Rooster (WA)
Authored by Redeim.
Offline.
I heard that even in space you can hear the scratch of a “I-, I-, I-, I… love you.” - Phil Kaye
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Post by Jiuk Robertson on Jul 14, 2015 8:23:25 GMT -8
"Um..." Z mused, trying to think of what there was to do around the area that didn't involve going to a bar. He thought about suggesting LA would have more open, but it was still a bit of trip, and going when it was already getting late was just asking for an overnight trip, or at the very least, a very, very late night. He glowered at Samnang, who seemed to be all smiles and had no regret for abandoning his best friend to a cute man. "Maybe a uh... ice cream place?" He tried, giving a small shrug to accompany his questioning tone.
Samnang pulled at Sungyong, giving a small "bye, have fun." to Z and Hwangjung, trying to get them alone before he started laughing maniacally or something.
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Songwriter/Producer, Bartender.
Bisexual.
Dating Jiuk.
10/09/1993.
28.
Rooster (WA)
Authored by Etienne.
Offline.
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Post by Hwangjung Lee on Jul 15, 2015 0:56:47 GMT -8
Sungyong followed Samnang out, rather bemused by the fact that he was being nearly dragged away. Once they were clear of the other two, he stopped, looking at Samnang with a raised eyebrow for a few moments before saying, "I'm not sure if that was inspired or if Hwangjung is going to want to kill me later. Though unless you have a second job, you were lying through your teeth back there."
He tilted his head, waiting to see what Samnang had to say about the whole situation. He was kind of amused though, and it wasn't like the other two weren't adults who could get themselves home when they wanted to of their own accord.
Hwangjung stared at the retreating back of his best friend in intense confusion. Sungyong had been the one insistent on dragging him out earlier, and now his friend was bailing. Granted, he knew that Sungyong had to work early, though this was leaving early for him if he wanted to be out, but Hwangjung wasn't entirely sure what Sungyong was up to, other than probably no good.
At Z's suggestion of ice cream though, he smiled. He replied hesitantly, "If you want to, I am pretty much always up for ice cream. Do you know a good place around here?" He hesitated for a second longer and added, "I'm really not sure what that was just about though."
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Secretary at LGBT Center/Lyricist.
Homosexual.
Dating Hwangjung Lee.
08/21/1993.
30.
Rooster (WA)
Authored by Redeim.
Offline.
I heard that even in space you can hear the scratch of a “I-, I-, I-, I… love you.” - Phil Kaye
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Post by Jiuk Robertson on Jul 16, 2015 7:46:58 GMT -8
Samnang grinned. "I actually got called in tomorrow, but I don't have to start until 10:45. Will we get to work together?" He asked curiously. He was happy for this opportunity, he finally felt like he'd have a real friend at work now. He stuck his hands in his pockets, looking to Sungyong. He couldn't remember the other man's schedule for the life of him. "Did... you actually have to work early or are you able to hang out a bit too?" Z thought a moment before answering. "There's a little Korean cafe that serves really good patbingsoo... it's not technically ice cream but it's really good. Have you ever tried it?" He asked, feeling a bit stupid for doing so. After all, he was half Korean and he'd tried it, and from the looks of it, Hwangjung was full Korean. For all he knew, Hwangjung had been to Korea, spoke it fluently, and knew more about the culture than his own little fanboy self. But he'd also met his fair share of American-born Koreans who acted as if they didn't even know they were Asian (though those ones were more of a nuisance, in Z's opinion). He hoped Hwangjung agreed with his mindset of it never hurts to ask. ((Patbingsoo, in case you've never tried: www.maangchi.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/patbingsu1.jpg ))
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Songwriter/Producer, Bartender.
Bisexual.
Dating Jiuk.
10/09/1993.
28.
Rooster (WA)
Authored by Etienne.
Offline.
|
Post by Hwangjung Lee on Jul 17, 2015 1:50:01 GMT -8
Sungyong nodded and said, "We'll get to work together, but I'll have been there since awful early o'clock because I was telling the truth that I'm opening tomorrow. This is what I get from the person on scheduling for changing my blocked off times in the afternoons now that I have a private skating student who I'm working with. She wasn't too pleased with me."
He sighed and added, "We should find another chance to hang out though. Granted, if we managed that right, those two may make this much much easier for us."
Hwangjung's entire face brightened and he replied, "I don't think that I've had patbingsoo in at least four years, it is so good and it has been way too long, not since last time I was in Korea visiting family I think, and that was the summer before college. I will admit that there are a lot of Korean treats that I'm kind of a little kid about because they remind me of summers going back to visit relatives, or even when I was really really young before I moved here, though I don't remember that very well. There wasn't anywhere good to get it really when I was in college. It makes me happy to know there is a good place for it here, so lead the way."
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Secretary at LGBT Center/Lyricist.
Homosexual.
Dating Hwangjung Lee.
08/21/1993.
30.
Rooster (WA)
Authored by Redeim.
Offline.
I heard that even in space you can hear the scratch of a “I-, I-, I-, I… love you.” - Phil Kaye
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Post by Jiuk Robertson on Jul 17, 2015 8:07:40 GMT -8
Samnang nodded in understanding. "I won't keep you then. Honestly in your situation I'd be in bed already." He admitted with a smile. "But yeah! Hopefully we played that right and we'll get to see a lot of more each other, if anything then as bargaining chips to not be a third wheel alone." He agreed. He hesitated on how to say goodbye; with Z he was ridiculously comfortable, and they often gave each other hugs goodbye that could make some people uncomfortable, with strangers, he'd often just do a hand shake, but it had been a while since he'd had to make a new friend. He debated the slightly-awkward-wave-goodbye thing, biting his lip.
Z smiled, flapping his arms a bit in a cute manner. "Oh wow you've actually been to Korea that's so exciting my mom always wanted to take me as a kid but then-" He paused. He'd already revealed a lot about himself through the poem, but he didn't reveal that. He also didn't want to make Hwangjung uncomfortable by revealing he now lived with Xavier's parents. He cleared his throat and looked away, "the opportunities just kind of left. I finally started learning Korean in a classroom setting though, that's been fun." He finished."U-Um I-it's just down the street. After the mall..." He winced, he also hadn't mentioned his stutter, and this awkward situation seemed to be bringing it back. All he wanted was to enjoy this night and go home, but with Samnang's evasive maneuvers, he felt like the entire atmosphere was just more awkward. He shifted uncomfortably, his hands still flapping slightly against his sides.
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Songwriter/Producer, Bartender.
Bisexual.
Dating Jiuk.
10/09/1993.
28.
Rooster (WA)
Authored by Etienne.
Offline.
|
Post by Hwangjung Lee on Jul 18, 2015 0:15:56 GMT -8
Sungyong watched Samnang do the awkward shifting of not knowing how to say goodbye in a social setting with a new friend for a moment and thought about his body language with Z and in general. He gave a slightly sheepish smile and asked lightly, "Do you usually do hugs goodbye with friends? I've not got that many other than the two I've been close to forever, and I'm not quite sure what to say other than that I'll be happy to see you at work tomorrow."
He tilted his head to the side, trying to make it easy for Samnang to just laugh it off and wave if that was more comfortable, or for him to actually take the invitation for a hug goodbye if that was what he wanted. Sungyong found himself shockingly comfortable with Samnang pretty much right away, and hugs were rather nice.
Hwangjung noticed that Z seemed uncomfortable, but he had seemed genuinely excited about the fact that Hwangjung had been to Korea, which was kind of cute. He decided that maybe it would let Z settle a bit if he talked about that, though before he started he put in, "I've not really gotten much chance to explore the area around the mall yet, so you'll be showing me around something that I'm unfamiliar with." He paused and then went on, "I was actually born there, though I moved here right about when I turned four, maybe a few months after. I've had my citizenship here for a while, but I still kind of remember it. We went back several times when I was a kid, the last time the summer right before I went to college. My grandparents still live there, though I'm not sure how much they approve of me these days, or my parents for that matter, coming to the US to work as professors and deciding that they didn't want to go back. I didn't live there long enough for it to really be home though, that's SF, where I met Sungyong and Yunjin and spent most of my childhood. I'm still not really used to this half of the state though." He thought over what Z had said for a bit and added, "It's cool that you're studying it now though. How comfortable are you in Korean?"
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Secretary at LGBT Center/Lyricist.
Homosexual.
Dating Hwangjung Lee.
08/21/1993.
30.
Rooster (WA)
Authored by Redeim.
Offline.
I heard that even in space you can hear the scratch of a “I-, I-, I-, I… love you.” - Phil Kaye
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Post by Jiuk Robertson on Jul 18, 2015 7:31:45 GMT -8
Samnang laughed off his awkwardness, surprisingly relieved Sungyong just brushed it off. He supposed the confusion on how to exactly say goodbye was called for, after all, before this they had talked only a handful of times. He gave Sungyong a still-slightly awkward, not-yet-close hug, but his heart was in it and it was sincere. "I'll see you tomorrow then." He said with a smile.
Z listened intently, happy Hwangjung didn't focused on the part he faded off on, and instead on Korea. He wondered how his life would've been if he had gotten to visit Korea as a kid. A part of him wondered if it would've taken him any longer to realize he was gay. As it was, being in a Christian school took him long enough, to think of combining that with a more Korean upbringing... Would he have judged Xavier more harshly when they first met, and their relationship would have never been? He shuddered at the thought, looking back to Hwangjung and focusing on the present. Pondering the past never did him any good, anyway. "Um... I've only just started, but I'm about halfway through Korean II now. The community college only goes up to Korean 4, and then the teacher told me where I could buy the higher level books if I want to do self study. Which I had done before, but without the best results. Since I work full time, I don't always have a lot of time to study. It's uh... kinda disappointing, my Korean." He confessed with a small laugh.
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Songwriter/Producer, Bartender.
Bisexual.
Dating Jiuk.
10/09/1993.
28.
Rooster (WA)
Authored by Etienne.
Offline.
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Post by Hwangjung Lee on Aug 1, 2015 19:40:57 GMT -8
Sungyong waved and replied with a, "See you tomorrow," of his own before heading in the direction of home.
Hwangjung listened to Z carefully and with a smile said, "If you need someone to practice with, I'm happy to listen carefully and speak slowly, but I know that it can sometimes be daunting to practice with fluent friends. I think that it's part of the reason my Chinese never got that great. I always feel like I'm holding up conversations with Sungyong and Yunjin if they try to let me practice."
He thought for a minute and said, "I'd like to get a chance to visit Korea as an adult on my own terms now though, not as a family visit. There were definitely things that I liked about it, but the last several times I visited, I was incredibly uncomfortable because I felt kind of terrified that someone would somehow just know that I was bi from looking at me or something, and that it would be a problem. It wasn't the most logical thought process, but I put part of it down to being a teenager and being stressed out about it at the time, especially the times that I wasn't out to my parents yet."
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Secretary at LGBT Center/Lyricist.
Homosexual.
Dating Hwangjung Lee.
08/21/1993.
30.
Rooster (WA)
Authored by Redeim.
Offline.
I heard that even in space you can hear the scratch of a “I-, I-, I-, I… love you.” - Phil Kaye
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Post by Jiuk Robertson on Aug 3, 2015 11:50:56 GMT -8
Z nodded, "I'd actually really like a buddy to practice with. Sam helps sometimes, but he's never actually taken Korean, he just can read it and picks up on words a lot faster than I do. heh." He explained, kicking at a rock on the sidewalk to punctuate his sentence. He pursed his lips at Hwangjung's next statement about Korea. So he's bi... He thought to himself, now wondering if he leaned more towards men or women. Not like tonight wasn't too obvious, Z could tell Hwangjung seemed just as interested in him as he was. He forced down blush at the thought, pulling up his jacket collar just in case. "It makes sense, I guess. Especially since it seems like Korea's kinda becoming more perceptive to homosexuality." He chuckled a bit. "I feel like if I went to Korea, everyone would just think I was a kid. But it's my end goal, once I become fluent enough. I've never been, and it's half of my heritage, so I'm interested to see Korea for myself." He explained, looking up from the ground to see where they were. He pointed to a glowing sign, not quite visible except for the light shining from it. "It's just past there." He explained.
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Songwriter/Producer, Bartender.
Bisexual.
Dating Jiuk.
10/09/1993.
28.
Rooster (WA)
Authored by Etienne.
Offline.
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Post by Hwangjung Lee on Aug 4, 2015 1:15:02 GMT -8
Hwangjung's face lit up a bit in excitement as they neared the shop. He thought for a moment about what Z had just said though and responded, "If you get to a certain point in the language, going and spending some time there might be the fastest way to get actually fluent. Just, um, let me know if or when you want to practice."
He looked up for a moment, just sorting out what he wanted to say next, then continued, "I've honestly thought about applying for more focused music jobs there, songwriting stuff and all that, but well, before I thought about it too much, I was helping to take care of Tai, and that's important. And I'm really more comfortable being here, well the States, in a lot of ways now."
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