Casting your gaze way out to no man's land

Which was-- good! Nemo was glad that Appa was embracing life in a way he never used to, not when Nemo was younger. This should be a fresh start for both of them...Nemo embarking on adulthood and Appa getting that same chance, in a way-- but the fun parts, rather than having to take care of a child.

"That's great, Appa. I'm glad Hatter is supportive of all that," Nemo said, acknowledging all three things, really. "It's a lot to look forward to, huh?"

"I think it's more he's just glad to see me doing things that I want to do, finally." Mu-yeol said. "Even if it's something stupid like going to see The Mountain Goats three times in October, or if it's me getting all of his siblings in a group chat to secure Noah Kahan tickets, or involves him shelling out thousands for uni fees, or means he gets dragged across Southeast Asia just because I want to go."

A beat.

"He doesn't know about the Thailand and Vietnam thing yet, I haven't presented my well-researched master plan yet. But he'll say yes. Because I asked him to go with me, he'll go."

It had something to do with David loving him and being glad Mu-yeol wanted to share these experiences with him, even though he himself had no great desire to travel to all corners of East and Southeast Asia. He'd go because Mu-yeol would be going.

"I budgeted it out and we can afford the airfare and hotels for Bangkok, Da Nang, and Seoul for well under 4,000 pounds and that's if we stay in nicer places, I have an even cheaper figure. For someone who hates math, I'm sure willing to do a lot of it to convince my husband that he wants to spend three weeks in Asia just because."

Hatter had no idea what had been said to him, otherwise he would have told Mu-yeol that this wasn't a friend of Mrs. Sherman's directly. More like the woman who had married a friend of her niece's friend who had left Swynlake to go to school but was moving back into the area and–

He was going through the motions, mind occupied, walking over to the side of the truck to start loosening the ratchets he had strapped everything down with. It wasn't until Mu-yeol's inflection indicating he'd asked a question registered in his mind that had Hatter looking over at the other man.

Okay, a little weird, considering David was usually so tuned in to whatever he said at all times, but not deeply concerning. They were busy.

"Oh, I just asked where we should start. Like, what first."

But...

Ugh. Why the heck was he thinking but?!

Nemo shook his head, trying to clear the anxiety. "I-- uh-- yeah, talk about something else. I dunno, I gotta let the other thing sink in," he said, rubbing his cheek.

"Did I tell you that I went a little crazy and bought tickets to three different tour dates for The Mountain Goats this autumn?" Mu-yeol said. "Granted, they were less than 50 pounds each. But one of the shows is in Belgium."

Mu-yeol shrugged.

"Never been, and it's just a 3 hour train ride from London to Ghent, so why not? Me and disposable income is frightening. I'm also working on a detailed itinerary to propose to David for next summer for a trip to Vietnam and Thailand -- with a quick hop to Korea because we can't be in Asia and skip seeing my parents. I wanted to go to Korea for Chuseok this year, but with starting university classes I think that may be for over winter break."

He wasn't sure what to talk about so he gave Nemo a few things in rapid succession to choose from.

She wasn’t the only one looking for something to wear, evidently. Hera looked up from where she had been parsing through the formalwear, accidentally making eye contact. “Looking for promwear?” She guessed. “Have you picked a dream to dress for? I’m not sure I even know where to begin.”

"Prom? Oh, no, something wedding-guest appropriate. My husband and I don't usually do town events." Mu-yeol said. "We take the quiet night in."

He nodded to her.

"What about you? You think of a dream to dress for?"

Nemo-- had a job. Kinda sorta! Here it was, finally, after so many months of absolutely nothing. Sure, it was technically a temporary position that lasted only through the middle of September and then he'd be right back where he started but that was kind of most dance jobs-- they revolved around projects, like shows and videos and tours! Barely anything lasted forever.

So..........

This was good!

"I-- I dunno!" Nemo blurted. He was still ogling his phone. "I mean, yeah I, I guess it is! But also I-- I didn't think I'd end up in Denmark!" Nemo exclaimed.

Even if he liked it-- it was one thing to visit a place and another thing to relocate there for months.

Mu-yeol resisted, still, to ask 'are you doing to take it?' Of course Nemo didn't know yet. He'd only just found out he'd gotten it.

"It's...a lot closer than Korea." He knew he'd sent some audition tapes that direction. Thank goodness Denmark called first.

"Do you want to talk though what you can do with the offer? Or do you want to sit with it a little and finish eating? I can talk about something else so you can eat."

One of the perks of being married to Swynlake's caffeine dealer was never having to pay for your tea or coffee again. On his third cup of tea, the first two consumed during his monthly Vietnamese-only talk with Andre Tran, Mu-yeol was studying the notes Andre gave him about his speaking in his Vietnamese notebook.

Buiness had picked up around him, and he didn't notice until he spotted a man looking for a place to sit.

"I'm almost done, you can sit here," he said, gesturing to the seat across from him.

He could go upstairs and let the other man enjoy his time alone in a minute.

In truth, Hatter had been staring at the spot a spark of a reagent that had flashed into existence from the woman. It had been like the dots left behind from looking at a bright light directly. A brief but strong shot of admiration. It had been the result of hearing Mu-yeol refer to him under his new moniker. 

And Mu-yeol had said it so easily and casually, like he hadn’t even had to think about it. It was just…a default. 

“Yes,” he said. It was mostly true and it wasn’t as if it was anything bad. The opposite really. He stood there for another second, his brain trying to get back on track. 

What were they doing? 

…

Furniture. 

Right. 

He followed after him.

"She's a bit younger than I thought she'd be, friends with Mrs. Sherman and all. More our age." Closer to David's than his exactly, but still.

He gestured to the stuff in the truck.

Was he in for another rejection? Ugh, he wished it hadn't shown up right this minute. He would have rather gotten it later, in private, so he could get rejected and then cry on his pillow by himself. He didn't want Appa to see the disappointment wash over him.

But he couldn't NOT look at it. Appa would pester him.

So he unlocked his screen and clicked his email.

He froze again.

"Omo..." Nemo uttered. He glanced up at Appa, looking frightened. "They-- they're offering it to me."

That was opposite of what he wanted to hear, but it was what he wanted to happen. More importantly it's what Nemo needed to happen.

He knew better than to ask right away, 'so you're gonna take it?' because he'd yell at him to slow down.

So he just said, "Oh...well that's good, right? That's good."

He imagined a callback for a stage show versus something for a tour or even a music video had to be kinda different, right? But until he got the opportunity for those things, then that's all it was-- his imagination, making things up.

He sighed a little, then his eyes darted toward his phone when the screen lit up.

Nemo froze.

"Omo. Omo, I just got an email from them."

A tinge of anxiety shot through Mu-yeol at that. And it shouldn't have, not this badly anyway.

A dance career was what Nemo wanted, he should want that for him too. He was married now, he should want time alone with his husband and be glad his son might move out soon to chase his dreams.

But he'd never been apart from Nam-min, not properly, not like he would be if his son moved to Copenhagen. Or even London. Of course. Copenhagen was a temporary gig. He'd probably come back to Swynlake for a bit unless he found a new gig right away...and Mu-yeol should hope that he does, not for the other way around.

So he put on a smile, because deep down he was hopeful for him, and nodded to Nam-min's phone.

"What's it say?"