Details for Coffee Shops and Unicorns |
Summary: | New in town, Myung-Bae follows Zoe, hoping to make a friend in a foreign land. Zoe pulls him into the Leaky Cauldron for a drink. Kaleb the Canadian arrives and joins them for a conversation about coffee shops and unicorns. |
Date: | Wednesday, November 13, 2014 |
Location: | Southwest Diagon Alley - Leaky Cauldron |
Related: | — |
Characters |
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Sunset never quite came. It was a cold, dreary afternoon and now it's dark. Rain has started to fall, sharpening the bite of cold in the air. Zoe's nose and cheeks are bright pink as she darts from awning to awning. She hops across puddles and does her best to avoid the rain. Even though her scarf hides the lower half of her face, eyes shine with her smile.
Myung-bae had been trying to purchase things which he couldnt bring with him more robes and some other needs. His work having kept him busy since he arrived, the man hasnt had time to really do much. Though now seems to be a good time beyond occasionally an accent issue in ordering things he's doing fairly well. Its by chance the Obliviator spots the woman moving by the store he's in and his face lightens a touch no he doesnt know her, but still. He sets the item down and rushes out of the store but she's already ahead of him and he's walking quickly after.
It takes a moment for Zoe to notice her shadow. Glancing over her shoulder, she pivots abruptly to face him. With a bit of a grin, she tilts her head to watch the tall man. "Hello."
He is hurring a bit and has to come to a quick stop himself not to bump into her. Myung-bae rocks back on his heels he smiles and bows respectfuly. "Hello, I hope I didnt startle you. I saw you pass the shop I was in." he winces knowing this sounds bad he'll offer a hand "I'm Myung-bae." he introduces himself as that would be the next step in meeting sombody new.
Zoe's accepts his hand, but following his Western-style greeting, she steps back to bow to him. Recognizing his Koren accent, she says, "Ann-yeong-ha-seyo." But, then in English she adds, "I'm Zoe. And pleased to meet you, Myung-bae."
Myung-bae lights up at the sound of his native tongue. "And nice to meet you Zoe, you speak Korean?" He says and cannot help to ask at the same time, but realzing he should say more he'll continue. "Appologies to stop you out here in the rain. Would you care to step inside for a drink or bite to eat? I've not run into anyone else well with our ancestry until now." he seems glad for it no doubt.
Zoe's laughter is sweet and impish as she steps forward to boldly take Myung-bae by the hand. She tugs him along, darting across the street to the Leaky Cauldron. Once inside, safe and warm, she grins up at him. "I only know a few words of Korean. I was born in Hong Kong."
He isnt expecting her to reach out but he doesnt fight back or anything just moving along with her and into the pub "Ah, well you spoke them well. Hong-Kong, Cantonese then?" he ponders a moment "Hou gouhing yihngsik neih (Pleased to meet you cantonese) he will wait to see if this registers it might give his answer. "What has brought you all the way here?" he wonders though obviously he's here as well. "Shall we sit?"
Zoe pauses, grinning as she tries to decipher his attempt at Cantonese. To be fair, her Korean couldn't have been much better. She answers his last question first, glancing off at the selection of tables and barstools. "Mm. I ate not long ago. But, I will join you for a drink until I can feel my toes again." She lets him follow her to the bar where she hops onto a stool. "Reece!" she calls to the man handing off a drink to an elderly witch down the bar. "Please? May I have a Bungbarrel Spiced Mead…"
Myung-bae will indeed follow through the room nodding to the fact that she'd eaten not long ago. "That would be wise, being able to feel ones toes I mean." he decides to try the drink she's having as well she seems to know the place better than he does that's for certain. He will join her sitting on the stool next to her. "How long have you been in England?" the man wonders after a moment.
Zoe pulls the bright red scarf from around her neck. "Mm. A few weeks. But, I went to Hogwarts here." And can't have graduated too long ago. Tilting her head, she peers up at Myung-bae. "And you?"
Myung-bae listens to her story nodding to it as its interesting sounds like she's traveled a bit just from this bit of news. "I only just, well not today. I start work at the Ministry on Monday though only arrived this week." he answers this first "Though I studied at a Kunlun school in Korea, before now. That is why I speak Cantonese, a few of my professors did and I found it easier to learn that."
With a flash of green, the fireplace erupts for a brief moment. It allows, briefly, for a traveller to step through unharmed. And who should said traveller be? It is Kaleb the Canadian, a little friendly smile upon his face, as per usual. For a brief moment, he stands just in front of the fireplace, brushing off any soot from his travel through the Floo.
Zoe grins up at Reece and nods with profound appreciation as he hands her a warm mug of spiced mead. Looking to Myung-Bae, she tilts her head. "How did you learn-" The whoosh of green fire snags the girl's attention. Her eyes widen and with utter delight, she cries, "It's Kaleb the Canadian!"
He will accept his own mead and take a drink from it, and its quite good indeed. Myung-bae turns back to Zoe when she speaks though he he's curious what she will ask he turns at the floo being used though this transport doesn't seem to odd to him but the greeting does an eyebrow raising "He.. who?" he will ask it's not unkindly or anything this is just a confusing way to greet someone.
"Kaleb the…" Kaleb looks around. As it's usually 'Mr. Gamp' or 'Kaleb', the nickname Kaleb the Canadian isn't one he hears quite as often as he may like. He takes a good moment as his gaze falls upon Zoe and he, finally, recognizes who it is. "Zoe?" He asks with slight hesitation. "Zoe Qian? Merlin's beard, while I live and breath!" He lets out a little laugh as he approaches Zoe and Myung-Bae. "I haven't seen you in a good while!"
Zoe slips down from her stool to bounce over for a hug. She hasn't added many inches since he saw her last. She barely reaches his shoulder. "I never thought I'd get to see you in London," she says, stepping back. Her eyes shine with warmth as she grins up at him. Pausing, she looks from Kaleb to Myung-bae. "This is Kaleb… he is Canadian. Very Canadian. And…" She glances back up at Kaleb. "This is Myung-Bae. We just met. He is Koren. But, I don't know how Korean yet."
Myung-bae will listen or well watch the exchange between the two but he does nod "It is good to meet you Mr Kaleb." he says though he wonders what the other means about how Korean he may or may not be. He will take another drink from the mead "It seems though it's a good reunion for you both, I hope I’m not being an interruption?"
Returning the hug, Kaleb chuckles. "Oh, I wouldn't say I'm very Canadian. I'm just you're average Canadian." He bows his head to Myung-bae. "It's a pleasure to meet you. And please, just Kaleb is fine. You know, I passed through Korea. I was tracking the trail of what I thought was a lethifold. Turned out to be dementor. But in my defense, they're quite similar in how they affect people." He grins. "You're not interrupting a thing! In fact, if anyone's interrupting, it's me! And I do sincerely apologize! I didn't mean to interrupt your visit!"
"Yes. He is the interrupter. And apologizes. The average Canadian is very Canadian. I am not particularly Chinese… I am too much from everywhere. I'm not properly anything." Grinning up at Kaleb, she takes him by the hand to tug him to the bar. "Please, have a drink with us? Join us? Tell me, tell me. Did you ever find that elusive diricawl?" She glances back to Myung-Bae to explain, "He is a magizooleegist." She's never gotten that word right.
He watches between them but nods to Kaleb's choice of using his first name though the story gets a nod "Ah, that is quite a job I imagine. I took care of magical creatures back home, but i've accepted a job as an Obliviator." this might really not make much sense coming from so far to do that but he's not volunteering the information at the moment. "I suppose having lived and studied in Korea until moving just now makes me quite Korean?" Myung-bae says with a grin.
"Well, I suppose I could join for a drink or two. If it's not too much of an imposition!" Kaleb says as he takes a seat next to them. "I still can't believe it…little Zoe Qian all grown up now!" He chuckles and shakes his head. "The diricawl…oh, that little guy was the bane of my existance! I almost had him, but he disappeared on me again! And I'm sure it was the same one I kept seeing. He would pop up from behind a rock, make his little noises, and putter away, letting me get close, before disappearing again. On occasion, he'd appear right behind me, tripping me!" He lets out a laugh at that, as if a fun game that he played with the bird.
Looking to Myung-bae, Kaleb smiles. "I met one or two wonderful magizoologists in Korea. Haven't kept in touch, unfortunately, but I'm sure they're still as excellent at their jobs as ever. Always the utmost professionals, they seemed!" He tilts his head at the young mans new position here in England. "Interesting profession, that of an Obliviator. But quite important. Why, I remember back home there was this troll attack. There was some terrible troll destruction in muggle areas before it stopped. The obliviators hade to change the memories of plenty of muggles!"
"Working for foreign ministries?" Zoe tilts her head, considering his words. "That might be an interesting career. Though not as an obliviator. Oh! But, I think I might open a coffee shop. Here in the District. There is a fancy tea house, but no proper coffee house!"
Myung-bae tries to follow along between the two conversations happening "Well I imagine they do have to be tricky, but sorry you were tripped." The man doesnt really know how to respond to this before he looks back to Zoe "Forein Ministries?" he asks though he'll take a drink from the mead listening "A coffee shop that does sound like a good idea, I bet it could work."
"Oh, it was all in a day's work for a magical animal specialist who travels, I suppose." Kaleb grins. "It was more entertaining then working with unicorns. As majestic as they are, they just give us men a sour look! Why, I was tending to the wounds of this one unicorn, and it kept trying to bite me! Finally I just had to say, 'Miss Unicorn? If you don't stop biting me, I don't be able to properly heal this hoof of yours!' Of course, I don't think it understood me…" He laughs again, shaking his head in amusement. "A coffee shop, you say?" He asks of Zoe. "Coffee is a wonderful thing…I'm sure you'd do magnificently at operating a coffee shop!"
"You think so? I'm not sure how much business sense I have… I thought I might hire someone to manage it. And to be more consistent than me about serving coffee." It seems that opening the shop is the extent of the involvement that Zoe expects to have.
"That they are unless when young." Myung-bae says about the unicorns but he doesnt seem to have too much more to add to that part of the story. He will listen about the coffee shop and consider it a bit further "I dont see any reason why it couldnt do good business." he can hear the hesitation in the other but still it doesnt sound a bad idea.
"Ah, yes. The foals. A beautiful golden colour, they are. And more trusting than the adults, that is certain." Kaleb agrees. It's at this point he finally waves someone down to order a mead. Once done, he turns to Zoe. "It's true. I'm sure a shop like that would get plenty of business. I, for one, would definitely frequent that establishment! You know, I bought a coffee from a young gentleman in Egypt who pointed me in the direction of a sphinx. The coffee was delicious, but unfortunately his directions did not lead where promised. I did get lost in a maze, though, for a few hours…maybe there was a sphinx in there afterall, and it got lost too!" He chuckles softly.
"Eh?! You went looking for a sphinx? I suspect he was trying to save your life. Unless you are a genius at riddles. And, I think unicorns are brilliant. They've always liked /me/. At least… the one that I met seemed to like me." Zoe grins up at the two men before taking a sip of her mead.
When Kaleb's drink arrives, he takes a long sip. Chuckling, he shrugs. "Well, you may have a point there. But sphinxes have always interested me. But I wouldn't want to get their riddle wrong, that's for certain!" He offers a smile when Zoe mentions a unicorn. "Of course the unicorn would like you, Miss Zoe. I can't see why it wouldn't!"
Zoe tilts her head back to drain the last of her mead. She sets the mug down with a satisfied sigh. Impish mirth shines in her eyes as she grins up at the two men. "Thanks Kaleb…" She slides down from her stool and fishes a few coins from her pocket. "I have to head back out. I can feel my toes again. But, I hope you'll both come and visit my coffee shop. Once it's open."
Raising his mug in a sort of salute, Kaleb smiles. "Well, perhaps we'll see each other again soon. If I don't see you before, I'll definitely see you when you open that coffee shop." He nods. "Be well!"
Zoe grins and side steps close to wrap her arms around Kaleb's free arm. Nuzzling his shoulder, she grins up at the friendly Canadian. "You too, Kaleb." She steps back and gives Myung-Bae a slight Korean-style bow. "Good to meet you, Myung-Bae. I hope you settle in soon. Welcome to London." She turns on her heel and grinning at them over her shoulder she says, "Gooood evening!" And with that, scampers off into the night.