One of Mako's favorite things about working at Narook's was the fact that it was a fairly quiet place. As the clock ticked closer to closing time – 10 o'clock – things began to wind down in the store. Patrons slowly made their way out, most ignoring Mako's half-hearted wishes for them to have a good night, and Mako spent this down time studying.

The evenings spent at Narook's typically went down like this and Mako couldn't have been any more satisfied with the hosting job he secured at the small Water Tribe noodlry a little over eight months ago.

As a criminology major whose intentions were to enroll in the Republic City Police Academy right after graduation, Mako spent most of his days buried in textbooks, studying why criminals did bad things. He found it to be all too interesting and was quite thankful to have found a job that didn't distract him too much from these interests. Mako's boss, Narook, was very supportive of Mako's goals and didn't seem to be bothered with his main host leaning over a textbook most of his shift.

It wasn't like there were so many customers that Mako had to remain on his feet all six hours of his shift.

"Another good shift, Mako?" Narook asked the 19-year-old who was wiping down the last set of tables for the night.

"Not bad," Mako answered, prompting the older man to grin widely at his best worker. Out of the four employees Narook had hired for his small restaurant, Mako seemed to be his favorite.

The boy was mature and reliable, not to mention a hard worker with a good ear. During his eight months working, Narook and Mako had learned a lot about one another due to the fact that Mako was always willing to stay the latest out of all his coworkers.

Those late nights allowed Narook a glimpse into Mako's life when he wasn't working. Mako had a younger brother who wished to enlist in the Armed Forces as soon as he graduated from high school; he was raised by his grandmother due to being orphaned at the age of eight; he planned to enroll in the Beifong Police Academy as soon as he secured his degree from the university.

In return, Mako too learned about his boss. Narook lost his wife and children in a fire over a decade ago; his recipe is a well-kept family secret from the Southern Water Tribe; Narook has a sister back home in the Water Tribe and a niece who started college at the University of Republic City that semester. As time passed, Narook began to talk more and more about his niece, Korra.

"She's kind of abrasive when you first meet her, but she grows on you really quickly," he promised.

Mako could tell that Narook's love for his only niece ran very deeply. From what Mako learned, Korra was an athlete who somehow managed to train a while polar bear dog. She was an only child who had always wanted a taste of the city life and was finally getting it. Nothing else in particular stood out to Mako until Narook approached him two months ago.

"Wait, what's wrong with Korra?" Mako asked, sweeping up broken piece of chopsticks left on the floor.

Narook sighed forlornly and sat down on the stool closest to Mako, "Her girlfriend just broke up with her. They'd been together since high school and my sister tells me that Korra isn't doing too well."

"That's…that really sucks."

Mako had never been one to console those who were mourning over something, especially the loss of a significant other. 'How can I even sympathize, I've never even dated before?' he thought bitterly to himself before turning back to Narook, "Well, I hope that she…um, recovers from this soon. She seems like the type that can bounce back quickly."

"I hope so," Narook said, "I mean, Korra really loved Asami. When Asami went away to school in the Earth Kingdom, that crushed her. It took a full three weeks for Korra to get over that, and that was when they were together! Imagine how long it'll take for her to get over it now!"

After that conversation, Mako had expected to hear news of Korra's recovery soon after, but none came. Two months later, Narook spoke again.

"I hired Korra to start working here," he told Mako. Mako stopped sweeping to look up at his boss.

"Really?"

"Really. She isn't getting any better and her mother is worried sick. We figured that this might be good for her."

Mako thought about it for a moment and nodded, "I mean, yeah, but don't you think you guys are moving too quickly. You said it yourself: she really loved…uh, Asami, was it?"

"Yes, but we also want to teach her how to stand up and move on her own," Narook answered. "She's going to start tomorrow. Mako, could you do me a favor when she comes here and…I don't know, make friends with her? Or try to at least? She's been alone in that apartment of hers since the breakup and I don't think she has anybody to talk to."

The teen stood at his full height, leaning his elbow against the broom, "Narook…I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Please, Mako! I'm begging you. I hate to see her hurting like this and maybe if she were to make friends with someone her age for a change, she'll start to feel better. Can you just do this one thing for me? Please?"

Mako was really good at reading people and by the way Narook looked at him, earnest and pleading, he could tell how important Korra was to him. He was vaguely reminded of the time his younger brother begged him to keep their fire ferret, Pabu. Mako knew he was going to cave.

Sighing, Mako nodded.

"I'll see what I can do."