Page 8 of Damian & Jun: Episodes 1-4
“You’re giving a lot to not expect anything.”
Damian shook his head. “Spending time with you isn’t a chore. And I’m pretty sure I’m older than you, so aren’t I supposed to pay for things?” Damian waved at the table. It was the Korean thing to do, after all, the oldest person paying. “What do you say? You can keep the hat and coat on, and I’ll get a cab?”
Biting his lip, Jack gave a nod of assent. “How old are you?”
“Thirty-two. How old are you?”
“Twenty-four.”
Damian grinned. “So, I am older.”
Jack flushed and bit the inside of his cheek. “Don’t let it go to your head. You’re just using that as an excuse, and I know it.”
Damian chuckled. “Far be it from me to misappropriate local dictates.”
Jack rolled his eyes but stepped closer to Damian as they moved out of the booth. He pulled the hat down over his eyes.
Damian paid at the front desk on the way out since it was obvious Jack didn’t want to be left alone. It was awkward, but there was enough of a crowd that it wasn’t too obvious. They got out onto the street, and Damian waved down a cab quickly enough. There were plenty circling the bars and clubs looking for those who were ready to call it quits on their night out. Damian gave the driver his hotel and address and sank back in the seat.
From under Damian’s hat, Jack muttered, “So you do speak Korean?”
“You heard me order food.”
“Lots of people learn their favorite foods.”
“And lots of tourists learn to say the name of their hotel.”
“Yeah, but you added extras. The pleasantries. All those little phrases that show you have depth and can make comments.”
“Know a lot about learning languages, do you?”
Jack shrugged. “I have to in my line of work.”
“What language do you know?”
“The regular ones, Korean, English, Mandarin, Japanese.”
“Ah, yes, just the basic four languages everyone needs to know.”
Jack huffed. “Now you’re making fun of me.”
“No, I’m being American about it. You know most of us can only speak English.”
“Yes, but you speak Korean and English.”
“And people back home are shocked.”
“Is it because you’re Black?”
Damian laughed. Whoever this Jack was, he could certainly be direct. “Are you trying to get a reaction?”
Jack looked away, chuckling. “My friend Gigi is always complaining that Americans are surprised she speaks Korean because she’s half Black, half Latino. They all think she’d speak Spanish.”
“Is Gigi American?”
“From L.A., yeah. She’s a choreographer. But she does a lot of work here and in Japan.”
“She sounds like someone who would be fun to talk to.”
