Chapter 2: A Day Out
"Where have you been girl?" Jin bellows as I walk through the door. Ah shit, he hates it when I come back empty handed.
"One of Ginger's guys tried to dine and dash. I, uh, got the money." I dug into my coin purse and pulled out fifteen yuans, basically emptying my pouch.
"Nice work, you're not so useless after all." Jin smirked and trudged back to his room on the first floor.
Fuck, that was all of my last pay, looks like I won't be going to Jiu Ba's this week.
Seeing my downcast expression, Ginger came over to my side.
"You're a lifesaver, kid. Come on, I'll buy you a drink. Xiang! We're heading out," She threw her arm around me and dragged me back out the door.
"Wait! Hang on, let me put on a shirt!" Xiang yelled after us and I heard the clanking of bottles from inside.
We walked the short distance to the bar, Jiu Ba. Once inside, we sat in our usual corner of the bar and Ginger ordered us three cactus juices.
"So what happened out there Kor? You were gone for like a half hour, that's a lot longer than it usually takes you." Ginger asked before taking a sip of her drink.
I chugged my drink down and held it up for another. Hell, Ginger kind of owed me anyways.
I told them what happened including about Asami.
"Korra, you gave up your whole pay for me?" Ginger was so touched she ordered us a round of shots. She did actually look genuinely grateful though, but she wasn't one to say it.
"Wait you got hit by a Satocycle AND you got her number? I'm calling bull. Not even you can be that smooth honey." Xiang just shook his head as we downed our shots.
"Xiang, you're just jealous." I ran my hand through my hair and gave him a wink.
"Oh yea? Why don't you call her then? She probably gave you a fake number," He said, sticking his tongue out at me.
"Fine I will. Julie, phone please?" I asked the bartender as I fished the paper out of my pocket. I stuck my tongue out at Xiang while the phone rang, but really I was nervous as hell. What if he was right?
"Hello?" A woman's voice answered the phone.
"Hi, Asami? This is Korra, the girl you, um, kind of ran over with your Satocycle."
"Oh! I never did get your name. Are you still doing all right? How's your side?"
I actually forgot about my side. I quickly glanced down and lifted the torn material so I could see it better. It had stopped bleeding and was dry.
"It's fine, nothing a bath won't fix. So hey listen, you remember how you said to call you if someone didn't believe me?" I glared at Xiang as I said the last part.
"Yes," she chuckled.
"Well if you don't mind clearing it up for my friends."
"Sure, but it is kind of late. How about we all meet up tomorrow? I'll bring some of my friends and you can bring yours. I'll tell them all about it then."
"Wow yea that sounds great. Where at?"
"Narook's Noodlery around 1pm?"
"Ok Asami, we'll see you later today then."
She laughed at that, "bye Korra," and hung up.
I couldn't help the smile on my face as I handed the phone back to Julie.
"What's with the smile kid?" Ginger asked, obviously bored with the man trying to flirt with her while I was on the phone.
"The girl who ran me over, Asami, invited us out to Narook's tomorrow."
"Like, during the day?" Xiang asked.
"Uh, yea."
"Great, there goes my beauty sleep." Ginger grumbled as she finished her drink and tossed a couple of yuans on the bar.
By the time we returned home, the sun was just breaking dawn and I was feeling the exhaustion from the night. I waved goodnight to Ginger and Xiang and made my way to my shack. Naga was waiting for me outside my door and together we went inside and I passed out, not even bothering to undress.
A few hours later, but not nearly long enough, there was banging on my door yet again.
"Jin I swear to the fucking spirits-"
"Korra, it's almost one! We're gonna be late for your lunch date!" Xiang's voice came from the door and I bolted upright in my bed.
I quickly undressed and, upon noticing my wound again, scrubbed it clean using the water from the basin on my table. I put on a blue tank and my black pants, it was only a slight upgrade from my usual all black work attire.
"Thank spirits Xiang, I probably would've slept right through work much less lunch if it wasn't for you."
"Hey I'm just excited to go to Narook's as you. When's the last time we've been?" He linked his arm in mine as we walked around the building, not wanting to run into Jin.
"It has been a while. Xiang, I hate to ask, but would you mind-"
"Korra, honey, noodles are on me." Xiang said, knowing it was embarrassing for me to even think of asking much less have to say it out loud.
"You're the best."
"Hey! I thought I was the best." Ginger pouted as we met up with her in front of the building and started down the street.
"You are both the best in your own ways. Xiang is the best for being Xiang, and Ging, well you've got great boobs." I glanced at her chest to emphasize.
"And don't you forget it," she said as she pushed her chest out to prove my point.
We joked and teased each other as we usually did on our way to the noodlery. I really don't know how I'd be able to put up with Jin if it weren't for these two.
Outside Narook's was Asami and two boys.
"Hey Korra." She waved to us as we got closer. When we reached them, she motioned us to come inside. We sat at a table, Ginger, Xiang and I on one side, Asami across from me and the two boys on her side.
"So these are my friends Ginger and Xiang, the ones who so wrongly doubted my story." I gestured to the two as we looked over the menu.
"Very wrong of them indeed," Asami tried to sound serious, but there was still a smile on her face.
"This is my boyfriend Mako and his brother Bolin." Mako was the one next to her. He gave me a small smile, but he still had this look of seriousness on his face, and to be honest, he looked a little uncomfortable. Bolin however, was the opposite. He beamed at us and looked as if he wanted to engulf me in a hug if there wasn't a table between us.
Wait, did she say boyfriend?
Thankfully the server came over for our orders and covered up my shock. I guess I shouldn't really be surprised, pretty girl that Asami was.
"Boyfriend huh? How'd you two meet?" Ginger asked for me. I knew she didn't care, but somehow she knew that I was curious.
"Well, my father sponsors their probending team. Whenever I would come home from school on break, I would go see a match and we kind of just hit it off," Asami explained.
"Yea these two lovebirds would write to each other all the time, it was so cute," Bolin gushed trying to fight back giggles.
"Bo," Mako chided as he punched his brother's arm, his face turning a bit red.
"So, how do you three know each other?" Asami asked pink-faced, trying to redirect the conversation.
"We're roommates-", "coworkers-", "drinking buddies", Ginger, Xiang, and I answered at the same time.
"Uhm, we're all three." I gave a nervous laugh. Thankfully, the other two didn't say what we really were. I guess, like me, they didn't want our new friends to know what we do when the sun goes down.
"You must spend a lot of time together," Mako said.
"Yea you can say that," Ginger smirked and I nudged her.
"How about that story Asami?" I changed the subject so they didn't have the chance to prod into what our job was. She told them what happened, earning a laugh from Bolin and a shake of the head from Mako. I may have also stuck my tongue out at Xiang once again. When she finished, our food was served.
There were a few minutes of comfortable silence as I remembered the last time we went to Narook's. It was after Jin's old lady's funeral. This was Madame Di's, as everyone called her, favorite place. I still can't believe the stingy, fat man treated all of us here.
"You guys are Probenders? That's pretty cool, what's your team's name?" Xiang asked after a while, pulling me from my reverie.
"We were the Fire Ferrets," Bolin pouted.
"Were?" I asked.
"We lost our waterbender, Hasook, and we don't know any other waterbenders," Mako said, his eyebrows dipping in worry.
"Hey Korra's a waterbender, why don't you help them out?" Xiang said, nodding at them.
"That'd be a little hard to juggle with work, Xiang." I stared at him trying to convey my meaning. Probending matches usually finished right before we opened for the night, how the hell was I supposed to pull that off?
"Oh Korra, we'd be so grateful if you would." Asami flashed a mesmerizing smile at me as she placed her hands over one of mine. I was distracted by the excitement in her eyes. Why couldn't I again?
"Uh ye-yea ok, sure." I stammered. Fuck, what just happened?
"Yes!" Bolin jumped from his seat and fist bumped the air, causing everyone in the noodlery to stare at him.
"Sorry," he mumbled and went back to eating his food.
When we had finished eating, Mako gave me the times and days they practiced and when their next match was. Ginger looked at Xiang and I like we were crazy, and I couldn't help but agree. It was going to be tricky, but if it kept me away from Jin and the house for a little bit, it might be worth it.
A/N Woo chapter 2, sorry it took so long. Don't be sad about Mako and Asami being together. Just a little reminder that this is a Korrasmi story, so don't worry.
Until next time!