It's Just Frustrating [Open]

[Landon Park]

Giving up, that was exactly what he was doing. At the rate he was going there was no point. Yesterday he had been to the mall. It was ridiculously small, not what he was use to. And within the first twenty minutes that he had been there the blond had not filed out a single application for a single store. You would think that since yesterday was a disappointment today would not be. Apparently to have such hope was wrong.

Landon had spent his late morning making his way around the downtown area looking for any store he could finds that would possible hire him. And after two cafes, four restaurants, and two other stores, the young man had only filed at one application. That said application was only filed out due to his desperation because Lan knew that there was no way in hell he would take that job even if he got it. McDonalds was not a job that paid well, and something about working in a fast food restaurant just always irked him. Well okay…maybe he would take the job if he was hired. However, that would only be because he needed one that badly, but it would be grudging acceptance.

The reason for his despondency was obviously due to money. The new arrival was running low on cash. No cash meant no way to survive in without asking his parents for money, something that he did not want to do. It wasn’t for the fact that Landon’s parents would deny him the money. It would be quiet the opposite; they would happily send their son however much that he needed and that they could afford to give him. Landon JaeHwa Park did not want that. There had been more thought behind moving to the States other than to get away from Eisai. The blond could have easily moved back to Seoul with his parents right there for him to depend on. But, he wanted to learn how to be more independent, so America it was.

As much of a hassle it was looking for a job at the moment, he was just glad to be gone from Eisai. The pressure they were putting on everyone to join in the research had put him at his wits end. Coming here and having not a single person trying to convince him of something he had made a decision on long ago every other day was such a relief. Here he was so much more relaxed. Sure not as much went down as Seoul or Tokyo and it did get a bit boring from time to time, but it was a nice change of pass for a bit.

Tired from running around the last couple of hours he went to a café that he had been two a while earlier. He ordered a simple caramel macchiato before taking a seat in the corner table by the window.

He popped in his ear phones and listen to the latest instrumental he had synthesized. He had all the verses and chorus down, but for one part. He knew it needed to be a rap, but all the words that he had come up with this far just didn’t seem to fit the flow.

The small paper cup was raised to his lips as he took a sip before going back to mouthing words silently to himself. “My beautiful girl one two three to the four sho. More like you there ain’t nobody that—“*

Taggs ;; Open to anyone and everyone. =]
Notes ;; *Song lyrics from Beautiful Hangover by Big Bang.

[Lani Hunter]

Lani couldn't say he regretted getting out today. It was too glorious a day not to pull a heist. His employer's representative would be he later in the day and Lani had little to show from his meager efforts. Information was all he had to sell at this point, and even that had to be guarded just in case his employer got wind of where Lani really was. Other than that slight blip Lani was excited. He left shortly before dawn showing the gate keeper a forged note about a job in town. He had realized he had to be more cunning than just hoping a fence to succeed here. He wasn't sure how long if would take them to realize that it was a fake but oh well, it didn't really matter now.

Before the sun rose he hit one store before it opened taking what was left in the rather easy safe, and collected a good stash from a jewelery store. He was on a high from the adrenaline rush and not caring so much what happened for the rest of the day. It would be a good while before anyone noticed anything missing, and at that point they would have no leads. Lani used his power along with gloves to get what he needed and had made sure the cameras were elsewhere. Not only that but while he eating a small breakfast he noticed a woman who was hunting her husband. When Lani offered his services he gained another nice set of bills for going into the office and reassuring the woman that her husband was indeed hard at work.

Feeling rather on top of the world the little thief felt he deserved a reward. But cockiness led to erring. He tripped onto a man and slipped his hand in to take the wallet, when woe to Lani the man realized what happened as Lani apologized for his foul. Fortunately for Lani he was up and running before the man got his baring enough to shout, "Stop thief! Someone stop him!" Lani grinned as he sprinted away finding a nice open door to his liking. He ducked in and walked calmly to the counter. He ordered a peppermint coffee and took a quick sip making sure not to turn to the window as he offered over a few bills from the man's wallet. Lucky day! This man was loaded! Not just with cards and high level ID's but cash. His trick for wallet taking was to get the usable things, likely the man already canceled all his cards. Lani felt a pang of guilt. This man had a military ID. He hated to steal from people who risked their lives like that.

He glanced around, he had to look not suspicious, as he stood there looking through this man's life. He would have to make sure this found its way back to the man. His brow creased as he spotted a strange man at one table. He cocked his head and let curiosity take over him. "Hello," he said pulling out the opposite chair, "I couldn't help but notice you... oh..." He hesitated spotting the earbuds, the man probably couldn't hear a word he said. He needed to lay low but apparently this man wasn't in this world at the moment, "Sorry to disturb you, do you mind if I sit down?" He asked anyways gesturing exaggeratedly with his hands to get the man's attention. He stuck the wallet in his bag to deal with later.

[Landon Park]

Fingers tapped against the table top to the rhythm of the song. He still hadn’t gotten passed those few lines even after listening to the track on loop for the past half hour. At this point it was a fact that today was just not meant to be his day for anything at all. Landon reached out to take a sip from his cup of half drunken coffee only to have the urge to spit it out, but having to swallow it. It had gone cold. And as much as he loved the cold and hated the heat…cold coffee just didn’t cut it for him. It just didn’t have the same taste. Usually lukewarm coffee tasted best to him, hot coffee was something he endured, but cold coffee was just crap.

Being totally distracted at this point he let out a sigh. His attention was no longer held by his music. Instead he noticed someone running up the block, only to slow down to a walking pass to enter the small shop he was in. The kid look like he was naturally blond, not the fake and achieved by dye that Lan’s hair was. Lan knew this one had to still be in high school based on his appearance. And seeing it was a Friday and this one wasn’t in class he knew he had to be cutting school or something. The Asian shook his head and went back to trying to do what he had been doing.

The volume from his iPod was low enough for Landon to hear the screeching of the chair as it was dragged across the flow over to his table. However, he choice to ignore the person who had done so.

When he saw that the kid was making a fool of himself with his arms waving around he actually looked up and pulled out an earbud to show that he was actually paying attention.
“You know there is no need to make yourself look like an idiot. If you want to have a seat no one is going to stop you.” He knew he was coming across as slightly rude, but it didn’t bother him. He had been irritated all day as is, so coming across to a total stranger as a bit snappy did not concern him one bit at the moment.

"Only thing I want to know is why aren't you in school. You look like you still belong there and today is a Friday isn't it?"

[/blockquote][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Lani Hunter]

Lani was taken aback by the rudeness of the person, oh well, he just needed to kill a little bit a of time. He took a seat quickly before he could draw any more attention to himself. Great, he thought, just two seconds into conversation and he already made himself look like an idiot, wonderful. "Thank you none the less," he replied glad to see that the ear phones were out, which at least meant he had the man's attention. Lani took a sip of his coffee and enjoyed the sharp snap it sent through his mind. He never used to like coffee but staying sharp in mind and awake helped significantly with his powers and needless to say he had grown to like it. It gave him a moment to look over the person across from him, Asian with blond hair. It had to be died, he had never known an Asian with blond hair.

Lani tossed the man a shocked glance at the question about school. Well it was true it was Friday, but had been able to get out for the day for a job. It wouldn't be too much longer, probably until someone realized that Mr. Hunter didn't have a job, as far as the school knew, and was missing his classes. But then the gatekeeper got all sorts of things like that so she had just waved him through. He smiled at the man taking another sip of his coffee to think of a good but believable lie. "Mhmmm, yeah, I should," Lani hesitated, "but I have a doctor's appointment today and so I figured, I'm not missing anything important so, what the hell, sleep in a little, eh?" He smiled, he had certainly done something similar back at his old school. More likely when his sister had a doctor's appointment but either way.

"What about you," Lani said curiously, "Do you go to the college around here or something?" He didn't look that much older than Lani, but then looks can be deceiving. He knew there was a community college around here somewhere because when talk of his future came out that seemed to be where he was headed whether he wanted to or not. But once he reached that wonderful eighteenth birthday he would pack his bags and never look back. But until then, wreak havoc and gain skill. Why not? College certainly wasn't going to be a very practical idea for someone like Lani, who cared very little for school. He was technically on academic probation, but what did it matter anyways he had a job, so to speak, and a future despite the awful power that turned his life upside down. Lani blinked bringing himself back to the present, he hated zoning out. He took another drink to get himself grounded.

[Landon Park]

Landon didn’t know if the look he was getting was for his hair, now that the boy had gotten a better look at him, or for his question; probably both. Even though his question was out of nowhere, it was his Asian upbringing that brought it about. He remembered watching G.O.D. or Sechskies perform on TV and all the kids that were suppose to be in school always had their faces covered with their scarves or hands so they wouldn’t be caught on camera. Back home in Korean, or even when he was at school in Japan, you didn’t cut school. And if you did you made sure to not be scene by anyone and everyone. For if word got back to your parents or teachers there would be hell to pay. He just found it surprising that this kid in front of him wouldn’t worry about something like that, but then again this was a different country with a different culture.

He just nodded at the explanation that he was given. His thumb pressed the paused button on his iPod so he could have a proper conversation. Shrugging as he answered, “No, I graduated from school last year in Japan with a degree in Music. Just moved here actually.”

After asking the question though it seemed that the green eyed boy was lost in thought. That just made him wonder why he even attempted to have a random conversation with a stranger who seemed to not care much for conversation at all. Still knowing no one was starting to make him feel the affects of being isolated, especially since even when he went out he rarely spoke more than a few words to anyone other than to ask a question or place an order. Knowing that he might not actually have a really conversation with anyone else anytime soon after this he rather make the most of his time. To get up and leave now would just lead to him working hopelessly on the lyrics for the song.

“I’m Landon by the way.” He gave the natural blond in front of him a smile. His hand reached out across the table for a handshake.

His change in demeanor and tone as weird, but that was just him. He was more of the friendly than the closed off rude type anyways.

[Lani Hunter]

Lani waited for an answer and willed himself to stop getting distracted. There was a difference between distracted and aware. He could be aware and focused he did it all the time. Lani smiled, "Music wow! So are you like a singer or something?" He asked curious. "Japan, I can't say I've even been across the states." He shook his head, Vermont was actually as far west as he had ever gone. "What's it like?" Lani asked leaning forward intrigued. He had always wanted to travel, that was part of why he still continued this job. He wanted the freedom, go abroad and never return. Lani certainly loved it here but he was always curious. And curiosity was something that devoured Lani, he couldn't resist finding out more information, which made him such a good messenger.

"Why would you move here?" Lani asked wrinkling his nose in disdain. It wasn't just Hammel that he hated here. It was the closeness, the smallness, the just closed in feeling that this entire place had. He decided to close his mouth for a while, or at least fill it was coffee. He had a bad habit of asking a million questions when he first met someone he found interesting. Kind of hypocritical he knew. He hated his personal life being questioned but he could hardly resist. Lani switched the coffee to his other hand to take the man's hand. His brow rose at the change in attitude but he didn't read too much into it. It could be anything really. Lani grinned, "I'm Lani, nice to meet you."

When Lani released his hand he leaned more on the table a soft smile playing on his impish lips as he glanced out the window. This had already become a much more pleasant experience. He turned back to Landon, he had been expecting to lay low for a while with someone unpleasant and then skipping out as soon as the coast was clear. Now he was pleasantly surprised. Nothing he had expected, it made him curious and he did love to meet new people.

[Landon Park]

“Nah, not yet. Aspiring to be one though.” Yeah, a dream he wasn’t going anywhere with fast. It was frustrating, but he knew things like this did not happen overnight. It required a lot of hard work and determination. Especially in Asia, you had to have the personality as well as the talent to make it. And if you did not know your manners nor had any respect forget it your career was over. The netizens over in Korea were the worse they picked out the follows of all newcomers and only the best survived through the criticism. However Landon was ready for that, he was just waiting for his big break. And while doing so expanding his horizons. “Japan it’s nice. Tokyo is like any other major city in the states. A lot like New York except way more crowded.”

Lan shrugged. “Needed a change of scenery. I’ve seen places in Asia and wanted to know what America was like.” That and to get away from Eisai and their research program, he added in his head. Given the Hammel was located in a small town, something that Landon wasn’t that keen on, but it was where a lot of meta humans could be found in the States. Finding himself in a new place he wanted to be in a place where he could possible relate to people more.

“So, did you grow up around here? Or are you from the city and wishing you could get away from here?” Landon didn’t really know what to say. Their conversation was not really going anywhere, and he did not want it to die. The was good to get to know someone around here for once.

[/size][/justify]


Notes ;; Sorry for the taking a bit to reply and it being short and bad, no muse for writing right now.

[Lani Hunter]

((Sorry sorry sorry!!! I will try to be on more in the future! I'm so sorry you've had to wait so long ))

Lani nodded, "That's awesome none the less." He grinned, he hated being in the public eye but he always wondered what it would be like to be famous for something. His lip twitched, oh yeah, I am for being the best at something else. He couldn't imagine trying to make it as a singer, he liked quite a few artists but he never thought about what it would take to get to where they are. Well, they would see if Landon had what it took to make it to the top. He took another sip of the drink and worked on getting his nerves hyped again, the morning started fast and it was starting to catch up with him and he was getting tired again. He nodded, "Wow, more crowded than New York?" He raised a brow skeptically. "I went there once, it'll chew you up and spit you out if your not careful." He acknowledged, "Why aren't you there?" Lani asked after a few moments, if you wanna become famous it was basically a rule that it was either New York or California.

Lani nodded, "Its nice, but I know how you feel, I would love to travel. Leave all this behind and never look back." Yes, Lani had severe case of 'get me out of here so I can live life.' It wasn't just his power, he had always wanted out, and since he found himself trapped he wanted it even more. Lani hated being tied down, hated being told what to do and where to go. So Lani would fight tooth and nail. Like today, he had learned that cleverness ruled over his skill. If he really wanted to he could use his power to get out of the school and out of any situation, but then people would get hurt. He couldn't live with that. He shrugged, "Oh well, I'll graduate soon enough and get outta here."

"Nah," he shook his head at the question, "I'm from Providence, Rhode Island. Its big but not too bad." He shrugged, "My parents sent me out here, thinking the city was bad for me. They think it'll help to get away." He had no tone of bitterness in his words and the lie sounded truth. It sounded rather like he was a kid who didn't like it but knew his parents wanted best. After all, what better excuse than an almost true one. And it wasn't like he could say he went to Hammel, everyone knew what it was, and while people here didn't look down on it too much Lani had detected a little bit a fear. "But you are right, I cannot wait to get out, a little town like this is no place for someone like me." He couldn't do his job very well, to few people, to few places. That was what was wonderful about large cities just enough places that you never had to hit the same place twice. "So how long have you been State side?"