You Again? (Min)

[Vincent Meian]

Caffeine was something most people required to function on a given day in this era. It was essential, especially with those who worked early or long hours, and for those on the path of teaching children it was often both. Thus, the staff lounge at Hammel always seemed to have a fresh pot of coffee ready throughout the day, even if it was very late or very early.


Fortunately enough for Vincent, it was neither. Just before lunch was usually a good time for an afternoon revival, and more often than not there was at least half a pot of the liquid still hot on the warmer. While he wasn't much to drink coffee or tea for the energy (he didn't need it), the trainer did like the taste, so he drank it at least once a day (sometimes more, if he was visiting Ari after a particularly trying afternoon).


Unfortunately, recent events made it difficult for the man to do much about anything. Having refused treatment for injuries placed upon his person by a massive backlash of powers, the too-tall Asian man had bruises restricting movement in his arms and making it painful to do more than carry small objects. For the first time in years, he'd been forced to type reports rather than hand-writing them, and lifting anything with weight to it was a nuisance on the tender appendages. The bandages over his arms gave some relief; an ointment to dull surface pain had been placed under them, and the cloth itself kept him from feeling much of anything except pressure. It was temporary, but necessary. He refused to share his burden of foolishness with someone else.


Thus, taking his afternoon coffee had taken a little longer than he expected, but the ex-soldier eventually had it and stood at the room's window, sipping thoughtfully as he stared out into the white expanse as both bound hands cradled the beverage. His lean form was still wrapped in its usual black, though the button-up shirt had been traded for a sleeveless Chinese tunic with a high collar, silver edged and threaded with a crimson sash about his waist. It didn't match terribly well with the black jeans and athletic shoes he normally wore, but style had never bothered Vincent much.


Still, it was a peaceful enough afternoon, and with a little luck, there would be few surprises. Though, given how his month had been going so far, those surprises would likely be very large.

[Min Hee Wang]

"AUGHHhhhhhhh" she groaned out dragging herself through the doorway of the staff lounge. Sounding something similar to that of a zombie or maybe a slit-mouthed woman in the way that she exhaled that groan of exhaustion. A hoodie rested draped over her head, keeping most of the light off of her facial features as she would more or less drag herself to the coffee pot.

Her face was hidden by the hood at at first, even as she made that coffee, reaching upright, but not quite tall enough to reach an item that had been to high up. She pulled herself up onto the countertop, standing on her knees as she balanced herself to reach it. "Yoink. " she stated to herself before sliding off the counter back onto her feet. Pouring the mixture into the coffee. then stirring it with the straw.

Min Hee walked from the counter after making her drink, heading over to the window with a dragged pace; she felt like it was going to be a long night. Perhaps a premoninition for future she would think, but hoped she would be wrong for once. At last, her dream was being realized, but part of her felt such a nervos. Sure, she could have stopped that feeling, but she didn't want to. She liked to feel her emotions as they naturally were. Her trainer had always told her it was okay to, so why shouldn't she, after all it was only human.

"Good Afternoon. " she stated politely. Her short-sleeved button-up black shirt making her skin tone seem almost pale in comparison much as the slacks did as well. The pin stripes in the fabric holding a little bit of playfulness to her professional attire. She didn't seem at all intimidated by the height difference between herself and the man that stood nearby. She'd grown used to it through the years.

She had not looked at the figure nearby with much detail at this point--still. And she stood with her hoodie draped over her head as if she would fall asleep standing up. Though the feeling wouldn't last long as her energy often returned quickly to her with a little push.

[Vincent Meian]

The great heaving sigh from behind him made the tall man glance to the doorway briefly, but when he saw someone immediately heading for the coffeepot, his gaze returned outside. Very few students ever wandered into the staff lounge regardless but even fewer dared when a teacher was standing there, so the person behind him was likely a member of the staff. There were a number of people shorter than him (only natural since his height was considered freakish in his native country) and a good number younger, though something about this person's attitude made them seem... childish. It was possible that they were a student, but it was fairly remote.


As the woman came to stand by the window as he had, Vincent took another look at her. Her attire was semi-professional, aside from the hoodie, and though she was small she appeared to be well-toned. Her dark hair stuck out underneath the hood, but other than that her pale features were mostly hidden as she sipped from the cup.


"Good afternoon," he greeted in return, his low voice in its usual balance of polite and vaguely distant. Though the speech was returned in kind, he said nothing else, content with stewing in his own thoughts for the time being. Something about this girl nagged at him, as if he should know her from somewhere, but many people in this place rang those bells (so to speak), so the soldier was fine to let it be and drink his coffee while the lounge was still quiet.

[Min Hee Wang]

Min Hee's height was something she was quite aware of though she took no insecurities in about it. She had always been one of those palm-top tigers so to speak. Small in stature, but more feisty than most gave her credit for and she was proud of it. Though there was something almost comical when she did get into a disagreement because of her stature.

Min's eyes would glance from the edge of the hood to the figure beside her. Of course it was more difficult a task than she would have expected given that the man was so much taller than her. She followed the line of his body. She noticed the awkward fashion sense the man had, it reminded her of someone, she couldn't quite place it but this figure had an awkwardly familiar air about him. That voice... had they met before?

Her gaze lifted further, causing the hoodie to slide off the top of her head to drop to the floor since it was merely draped over her head. She stared up at the taller man as if she'd nearly seen a ghost. Her voice held still a slight accent as she spoke to the man, "I don't believe this."

[Vincent Meian]

After a long moment of the two of them standing there in silence, the young woman to his right finally seemed to look up, taking notice of his long frame. Used to it, Vincent merely let her, deciding not to make any sort of scene out of it. Many people did so, even before they noticed his nationality, so by this point in his life it didn't bother him much. He merely sipped his warm beverage and waited for her to finish her survey.


Her response, however, was abnormal. Turning his bruised face in her direction, the soldier looked on the much shorter trainer with a frown, though mostly of confusion rather than anger. The face turned up at him was even paler than it had been, and her eyes were wide with shock. "Is there something the matter?" he asked calmly.


There was something about this girl that he couldn't place now, as if he'd seen her once before. If she recognized him, did that mean she knew him, too?

[Min Hee Wang]

Min Hee stared up at the other man, there was no mistaken it, though aged furhter the man still looked nearly the same. His eyes seemed more worn with distress, but she couldn't mistake -that- face. "It's you again." she stated firmly. Giving him a small glare, though she came to the realization that him being in there meant that he worked there, which meant she would have to work with him. She nearly cringed at the thought.

"Vincent Meian~ " she laughed. "I thought you'd be dead by now." she stated casually. She couldn't believe it, the man was standing there before here, as if time had somehow turned backwards. Though she hadn't really paid much attention to it before she noticed he looked like some sort of abused child. His face messed up with bruising that didn't suit the man's otherwise handsome face. Though she was sure that somehow he'd deserved the injuries. "What the heck happened to you? Did you get into a bar fight or something?" She questioned nosily, but it was her nature to get to the bottom of the situation.

Her hand extending toward his face though she didn't touch him, she pointed toward the bruise on his skin, "What if i.... poke it... does it hurt?" she questioned. The tattoo on her wrist of the magpie sitting on the korean symbols of her name in red ink showing visibly upon her wrist as she pointed there. "Eeeeeepppo--just kidding." she stated as she lowered her hand back to her coffee cup, bringing it back to her lips as she sipped down another bit of it. "Looks like someone gave you the butt kicking you deserve, pig. " she teased him a bit as she had back then.

[Vincent Meian]

The glare the small woman gave him along with the disrespectful tone in her voice brought back a faint memory; a young girl consoling someone he'd once trained, looking at him with that same expression. A Korean girl, barely as old then as his daughter was now. What had been her name?


When she said his name, understanding dawned on the older trainer and his face expressed his recognition ever so slightly. Now he knew who she was. "Min Wang-san," he replied, finally understanding. "I had wondered where you traveled to hence we last spoke."


Her question was rude and impetuous, but now that he understood who she was Vincent was not surprised. It was cruel for her that she remained the same brat he'd known many years ago, but it did not irk the trainer any more than his current student's disobedience. Instead of disciplining her, as he would have done nine years ago, the tall man gave a slight smirk instead. "Perhaps I should advise you to see the bus that hit me," he added, dry humor lacing his even tone.


Vincent watched her hand carefully as it neared his face, using a great effort of will to keep from slapping it aside with one damaged palm. He didn't much like anything near his face, and the hand of a girl small enough to be a child bothered him not enough, though it was close. Golden-brown eyes glanced to the tattoo, then back to the girl's eyes in silent warning. Fortunately, she withdrew her hand and returned it to her cup, grinning that same impish smile from nostalgic days.


"You would not be wrong," he agreed, taking a drink of his own dark beverage before returning his gaze outside. He said nothing else, but then again nothing needed to be said. The bruises were a tribute to the foolishness of his indecisiveness, and he was willing to bear them until they healed naturally. However, one so young did not need to know of his own problems.


"I thought you would never become a trainer like us," he stated, changing the subject. "You seemed to dislike us all greatly. What changed your mind, tori-chan?" A look of amusement passed over his face at the nickname, one that he'd called her back then because of her flighty attitude towards everything. He wondered if she remembered behind all that spite.

[Min Hee Wang]

Min grinned up to the other man as her name was spoken, or at least somewhat, "Min Hee, but close enough." she stated with a wave of her hand. "I felt like a fresh start. " she stated to the man before drawing the cup of coffee up to down a bit of the contents from the cup. Ahh, that caffeine filled her stomach so well. Warming her skin and awakening her mind.

His tone had surprised her, somewhat, though he'd used it before it was different now. That smirk amused her completely. As well as those words, "Oh I couldn't do that. Someone has to be the big tough girl around here." She stated flexing an arm before giving him a wink. "You've already got the damsel in distress covered form the looks of it."

She smirked slightly to the man over the edge of her cup, sipping from it, it seemed he was still the same old man despite her no longer being a child that he could order around. She was quite thankful for that much at least. Though in the eyes of others she would of course be more respectful, for now, she was living in light of what had been realized.

The glare he'd given her when her touch neared him had been expected, he'd always been that way, but that was a good thing. To her it meant that he had not changed his stance on that matter. She noticed his wedding band, a small laugh passing her lips, "Tied down still eh ? Same yuki-onna? " she questioned due to the woman's cold touch.

"oh? You're surprised? " She questioned. Though she nearly twitched as he brought up that old nick-name. "I got better teachers." She with a dry tone despite herself. Though she leaned to the window seal then. "And why have you come here Oushi-san?" she stated with a tone of amusement. Having called him such a name behind his back since those years.

[Vincent Meian]

"Min Hee-san," he stated, quirking an eyebrow at her slightly. She never did seem to appreciate the fact that teachers used her last name. Back then, he often wondered why. Now... well, now he didn't much care. She was an adult and she could make her own rules. If she did not wished to be called by her family name, then he would not do so.


The smirk fell a bit as the trainer eyed her warily. Min had always been much better with foreign humor than he had; had he somehow said the quote incorrectly? Deciding it didn't matter too much, he looked back to the window. "Come now, there is no shame in asking for help from an older and wiser colleague," he replied mildly.


"I have asked that you not call her that," Vincent warned, not looking at the girl deliberately, and his tone was light for all of its hard edge. "Kenjutsushi-sensei is still my bride, yes, however do that think that you may treat her disrespectfully simply because you have aged. I honestly think my children have more sense than you." His eyes stared out at the field, but the tension in his face had grown, leaving not in the slightest as he drank his coffee.


"Not surprised; amused," he replied languidly. Unlike her, he could ignore a nickname without a twitch, as he'd been doing these past two weeks. "Japan has little left for me or my family. This place does far more good than the city ever will toward peace of mind." Despite his irritation, he answered honestly and without hiding. It was something he had always done, and he always would if he could help it. Lying was not something he appreciated.

[Min Hee Wang]

"We're going to be working together now it seems. So it's fine for you to call me that in the staff lounge at least. Though I do request that you call me by my surname infront of my students. I'll do the same for you. " though she grinned. "Any other time all bets are off Oushi-san." she teased a bit.

"Well, you've got me on the older part, at least." She teased him as she looked to her cup. Finishing off the coffe within it before giving a happy sigh. One of satisfaction to the taste. "So feel free to call me over if you need help handling any of your students ~ You always did have a hard time keeping them in line." she mocked playfully. Though it was all in jest as she secretly did respect the man.

"Oh come on, don't be such a stiff, " she stated turning her back to the window "Kenjutsushi must have some patience to put up with a man like you. " sitting on the edge of the window seal then she would look up to him with a smile. "Is that so ? Well, just as well, they do need more sense than their father." She stated as she looked to her own hand. The way one would look at hteir nails to make sure they weren't broken.

"Amused? " She questioned in a little bit of surprised. Despite herself Min couldn't disagree, "It is not easy to find peace of mind in that place. Yet everybody and their brother here dreams of going there." she stated casually. "how old are your kids?" she questioned brushing her fingertip inside of her cup. gathering the sugar on the inside of the cup before licking it off her finger almost childishly.

[Vincent Meian]

"If that is your request," the older man replied. He sounded weary, as if dealing with so much exuberance right now was tiring. Granted, it was, but it was more because a body on the mend requires a lot of energy. That, and Lei had to miss today's classes because he was in the infirmary. Students being hurt or ill always made him worry until he tired himself out.


Though, he had to keep from rolling his eyes at the young woman frequently. It almost seemed like she hadn't forgiven him for those years ago. "I can only guess that you are thinking of Lao-san when you say such things," he stated, bringing one hand up to rub at his eyes despite the discomfort. Every other student he'd had at Eisai had been more than productive after he'd spent a month with them, and many had graduated from the school and gone to college. Chan-juan Lao had been the only student of his to not only struggle with his training, but leave his services after an argument.


Indeed she does, he thought, the knowledge casting a slight cloud over his features. His wife tended to be much more patient than he, and usually cleaned up his messes when he let his patience wear too thin. And Min was right; his daughters hadn't gotten into any trouble at all while they were here. Vincent was the only who seemed to step incorrectly everywhere he went.


Drinking the last of his cup as he mused, golden eyes glanced back to the smaller girl. "Appoline is sixteen," he answered fondly. "Cassiopeia will be twelve in a few days." They were going to have a small party at home, but considering the state of his hands the soldier couldn't cook. Thus, they would simply go out for the occasion.

[Min Hee Wang]

"It is." she stated firmly. Observing the man as she dangled her mug on a single finger through it's looped handle. Swinging it somewhat as she leaned against that window's ledge. "So what happened to you anyway? You look a mess. Bandaged and bruised up like you came crawling home from the battle field.Spill the beans, you know I won't leave you alone about it, It's just not me." she stated nosily prying at the issue still.

"Is it that obvious? It is all your doing after all." She stated twirling the mug before stopping it suddenly with a firm clasp around it. It made a small noise while impacting her hand, but then it was silenced, and stilled against her palm. "You weren't aggressive enough." she pointed out.

"See? You can't disagree can you?" she teased him a bit. Exhaling slightly, "serves you right." She stated as she looked back up to the taller man. "my, they're growing up fast, I imagine they'll be bringing home boys soon enough. At least Appoline." She stated with a grin. Enjoying the idea of the other man suffering through his daughter's having bad luck in their romantic lives.

[Vincent Meian]

"There were some complications with a student," he stated, answering honestly for the sake of getting the younger woman to leave him alone about it. She was right, though; if he hadn't answered, she'd have just done digging on her own and come to a bad conclusion. "He lost control of his powers, and I took injuries in the process of calming him. Fortunately, they will fade in time and he is mending well."


"I told her quite clearly that I was married and such a relationship was not appropriate for a trainer and his student," the older man reminded her, giving her a mildly irritated look at bringing such things up. "As I recall, you were the one to tell her that she should try again regardless."


A faint look of distaste crossed Vincent's features, and he removed himself from the window to wash out his empty mug. "It is coming to that time, I suppose," he answered, turning the water on with a mild wince. "Appoline seems to be more interested in her studies, though, so I may have a few years left to think of her as a child."

[Min Hee Wang]

"Oh?" She stated quite interested int he subject now that 'complications' and 'student' were used in the same sentence referring to how he'd recieved his injuries. "That is fortunate. That he is healing well i mean. Unfortunate that it occured. What caused him to lose control so violently? " she pried further--as always.

"You shouldn't have given her any reason to believe there was a possibility for something to develop in the first place. Then she wouldn't have had her heart broken." she smirked a bit. Giving a wave of that handd, "How was I supposed to know it was you she meant? I didn't know she was into the geezers. " she teased him.

"It is. it does for every young woman at that age. You should make sure she knows what to expect, so she doesn't end up like our dear lao-san" She stated in knowledgable demeanor. "You'd be surprised. The wrong sort of guy can lead even the sweetest of girls into the rose bushes with the promises of sweet flowers." she stated before moving to the counter. Leaning beside him to wash her cup after he was finished.

"what if she ends up in the same situation as lao-san?" she stated watching him wash his mug.

[Vincent Meian]

"I do not have the right to say," he stated firmly, giving the younger woman a warning look once again. Lei's emotional troubles were something he wouldn't reveal with anyone, not even Sean. The hemokinetic was a rather fragile boy, and Vincent wasn't even sure that he'd have the right to see him again at this point. Their business was none of Min's.


The tall man sighed heavily, rubbing at his temple despite the ache in his hands. Teenage girls were aggravating, especially when they were actually in their mid-twenties. "Would you like for me to apologize for a matter that was settled nine years ago?" he asked, exasperated. "You seemed to know well enough that day you stormed into my office and slapped me in front of five other trainers."


That day did not have very pleasant memories in his mind.


Moving out of the way to let Min wash her own cup, Vincent placed it on the drying rack and shook his head. "Appoline knows better," he answered, his tone light even though his opinion was firm. "Even still, should something like that happen, then I will treat her as I always have. She is my daughter. I would not turn her away if she came to me for help." Family was far more important to the soldier than anyone could guess. He loved his children too much, he often thought. He loved them enough to bring them here, to keep them safe, to make them happy in any way he could...


He loved them enough to never use his powers again.