too much baggage, i guess

Not that Joon would have minded trying to find the dog’s owner had this man not approached, it wasn’t like he had to be anywhere, but he was glad they were reunited. Joon made sure Clara got the credit for finding the dog since he didn’t come along until after, and once the man left, he turned his attention back to his friend. “Ah, I’ve been okay. I officially quit working at the vet clinic, so I’m a little sad about that. But otherwise, I’ve been trying to mentally prepare myself for classes and interning.” Which was nerve wracking because changes pushed Joon out of his comfort zone. But he needed to be pushed. “How have you been? How’s your sister?”

Despite the fact that she knew she shouldn’t, Clara didn’t like when Joon was nice to her... it made her heart flutter and she didn’t like that at all. She wasn’t expecting him to say that he’d quit the clinic, though. She’d had two shifts that didn’t coincide with his previous times, so she didn’t think it would be that big of a deal, but the thought of not running into him at work actually made her sad----and she had to remind herself not to look sad. “Wow, that’s great, Joon!” Clara offered him a small smile. “Right, you were studying to be an ASL teacher... how is that going?” He’d been super nice to show her the ropes around the clinic, so she was certain they would be an amazing teacher. “She’s good. Doing a better job at math than I did at her age.” She chuckled. “I’m okay, too. Can’t complain. I’m going to miss you at the clinic though...” Clara confessed, her gaze falling to her feet.

Austin chuckled as well, her wording making him entertained. Maybe he should use that in class, see if his students would think it was funny ot not. “Oh really? And how’s that? What do you do there?” He didn’t know much about how animal clinics words, so he wasn’t sure if Clara, as a part timer, did get to do a lot or not, but it was nice to hear she was doing something she liked. “You saying that your boss is not an asshole doesn’t say he’s nice either, is it bad? Or is it a good place to work at?”

“I mostly help around the clinic. I help Noah with shots or if he needs to do a more serious procedure.” Clara shrugged. Maybe she should’ve clarified that she wasn’t allowed to actively participate in those procedures yet, but at the same time, Austin was smart enough to know that it was a given. “I clean, keep track of meds, gloves, etc, etc. I helped giving birth to puppies on my first day. It was pretty dope.” She wasn’t going to say this out loud, but she almost cried. “Noah’s nice. He mostly keeps to himself, which is nice. He’s been a good instructor. I like working there. How’s school?”

“That’s a good call, saves you a lot of disappointments” Sam agreed, although he wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or not. He liked trusting people, but it was mostly because he had great people around him. “Nah, I mean, yes, totally, that’s how kids get thrown into a van, but I like to think I’m smarter than that, you’d have to at least offer me something more than just a candy to get in a car with a stranger”

Since she didn’t really know what to say to that, Clara simply nodded, because yeah, she agreed on that, but she also knew that repeating about how she didn’t trust anyone and hated the world would only make her seem desperate---and desperate she was not. “You know there’s drug-laced candies, right? Or maybe you don’t... it’s not like guys have to worry about being roofied at parties. Anyway... just be careful. You never know when a stranger might show up and lure you to a van.” Clara smirked, winking at him to give him the illusion that she was that stranger that would lure him. Little did he know how harmless she actually was. “Is that the lady you were trying to help?” She asked, motioning her head towards and woman who was sitting not too far from them, looking to the sides a little nervous.

Ri Ahn tilted his head. It wasn’t his thing to get involved in someone else’s business but there were days, like today, where he did things that weren’t too common for him. “Is there anyone I need to punch?” He asked, a silent offer that he meant. Because if Clara was having a hard time because of someone, then Ri Ahn would gladly take care of it.

She had learned from a young age to fight her own battles, and asking for help came hard, so when Ri Ahn offered, she just shrugged and shook her head. “Nah, not really. I just didn’t want to be there. Figured I could take a walk.” She was going to work in the afternoon, so her morning schedule was clear that day. “Want me to get off your hair and leave you alone?” Clara offered, just in case he needed a way to leave.

“—sorry!” Joon couldn’t help smiling, not having meant to spook her if that was the case. “Yeah, I was seeing what you’re expert opinion was on what to do. It doesn’t look like anyone is missing a dog. Or you know, running around in a panic.” Petting the dog’s head again, Joon got back on his feet and glanced around once more. “Oh? That guy looks like he’s headed this way.” An older guy that couldn’t keep up with his dog, that was possible, right?

Clara thought it was the weirdest thing ever to have a crush on Joon. She didn’t know him very well, but he’d been sweet and kind to her without a hint of second intentions, so maybe that was why? But also, he had a boyfriend who seemed like a really nice guy, so even if she wanted to be an asshole and try to make a move, she knew she didn’t stand a chance. “It’s fine.” She chuckled, waving her hand to dismiss his apology, feeling actually stupid to have reacted like that. And for acting like a silly girl right now. “He does.” She nodded, never really knowing how to act around Joon, which was weird and she hated it. And by hate it, she really hated it. The guys in her neighborhood would make fun of her for being such a girly girl. 

A man approached them and crouched down to pet his dog. He thanked Clara and Joon for finding his dog and she smiled back, watching as he attached a leash to the dog’s collar and then he went ahead and left them, which made Clara not know what to do with her hands now that she was no longer holding the dog. “Um---how have you been?”

“I like to think Alma wouldn’t hide these things from me but heck, you never really know, it could totally happen in the future” And it was precisely because of that that Austin didn’t want to make a big deal out of her new boyfriend, just giving Alma the space and respect she had always deserved. “Oh we talk about sex, it’s not a taboo at home or anything” It had been weird at first, sure, but he liked to think Alma trusted him enough to ask and talk to him about it. “How’s school going for you? Have you had any great teachers like the amazing literature guy you had in high school?”

In her world, kids kept things from their parents all the time, but it was none of her business to break Austin’s heart like that, right? When he had been one the few reasons to have made her stay in school all those years ago. People needed some sweet dose of ignorance, she guessed... or else, life would just get bitter and they’d an older version of her. Or younger--depending on who they were. “It’s going good. No one as lit as you--” She smirked, chuckling at her own joke. “Wow I’m so dumb. Anyway... it’s going good. I’m a part-timer at this animal clinic in Esperance now, so it’s been nice to put into practice what I’ve been learning these years. My boss is not an asshole, so that’s a plus too.”

“Why wouldn’t you trust me?” Sam totally knew why, he was a stranger, but still, he had always thought he looked like the friendly neighbor, and the lady was literally close waiting for her dog. He ended up shrugging and chuckling. “Sure, we can, if we are lucky the old lady might give us a candy or something, not like I would accept candies from strangers but still, it would be a nice gesture, I like candy”

“I don’t trust anyone.” Clara replied easily. She knew she didn’t owe anyone explanations, but it was just how she’d been built---with a sharp tongue and an attitude difficult to handle apparently. She looked at him. An apparently-sweet white boy like would be such a treat in her neighborhood it was almost sad in a way that made a small smile appear on her lips because she didn’t even know how that would feel like. The sweet innocence she wanted her sister to have for many years to come. “Dude--that’s how you get thrown into the back of a van, you know?”

“Nah” Ri Ahn dismissed her offer, since it wasn’t a big deal “It looks much worse than it is” And maybe he should have said yes because he sucked at keeping his wounds clean and he couldn’t afford and infection, but his natural answer, his first instinct was to reject help because he wasn’t used to have it. “What are you doing here?”

Clara just shrugged. She didn’t think much when it came to Ri Ahn---or anyone in their neighborhood, for that matter. Outcasts like them tended to be a little brash, so she didn’t take it personally most of the times. Did it make it hard for her to consider checking in on others a normal thing? Definitely, especially since she didn’t have many friends to begin with. “Just didn’t want to go home, that’s all.” But she could leave him alone if he wanted to.

“He’s cute but he’s not mine. Mine’s hopefully behaving at home.” Joon tilted his head as he looked down at the dog Clara had found. He’d recognize her sea of curls anywhere, so of course he had to redirect his path to see what was going on. “There isn’t anything on his collar?” Joon took a seat in the grass, offering a hand towards the dog to let it sniff him. “Someone nearby’s gotta be missing you, huh?” Once he received a few licks in response, he gave the dog’s back a little scratch before looking around to see if he could spot anyone looking a bit frantic. “What do you think, Miss Vet Student?” Joon glanced up at her with a smile.

“Oh, shit--” Clara practically jumped back when she realized who was the one talking to her. It wasn’t like Joon scared her in a any way, but she had an innocent, yet stupid crush on him, so sometimes it was hard for her to act normal around him. “Um...” She tried to pretend like she didn’t just startled herself by lowering her gaze to the dog’s collar and then shook her head. “No, just his name.” When he smiled, she smiled back. Her chest felt a little warm, but she did her best not to pay attention to it. “What do I think about---? You mean someone must be looking for him? That’s for sure.”

“I should really do that, right? It’s not like there’s anything I can do anyways” He agreed with Clara, smiling. “I technically can’t advice her to kick another student because the school board might fire me, but hey, you’re more than welcome to advice her to do just that, just don’t tell her I agree”

“Yeah. I mean... she’s already out with the kid. Plus... it could’ve been worse. She could have hidden him from you, so just bask in the fact that she wanted to include you in that part of her life and move on. And if she asks you about sex, don’t act like it’s something from another world or that she shouldn’t know about. It’s better for her to be informed than not.” Clara would know. Her mom had her when she was around Austin’s kid’s age, so yeah, she was way too glad that she had broken that cycle. Hopefully her sister would do too. “I wouldn’t worry much about it. I’m sure one of her girlfriends will advise her to do that. Just... relax, you know? Kids grow up eventually.”

Sam was following the dog for what felt like ten blocks by now but he had probably been running just a few meters. Still, he was exhausted. “No, not mine, I’m not allowed to have pets” He explained, panting a little. “This dude belongs to that old lady there, she dropped the lash by accident and asked me to run after him and… dude,  this dog can really run fast”

Clara chuckled when that guy approached her and it was weird that he’d mentioned he was not allowed to have pets. Kind of like a child telling someone their mom didn’t let them have pets. But then again, he might still live with his parents---Clara still lived with her mom. “He really can. No offense, but I don’t trust you so if you want we can return him to his owner together?”

“It’s too fucking early” He complained, because he was definitely not a morning person and he wasn’t fully functioning yet. “Definitely, fucking won the fight” He said proudly, because it had been a real task to win and he was very satisfied with the money he had earned. “Fucking hurts too, though, what about you?”

What about her? Clara had never been good at replying to these questions because she never really knew what to say. Most of the times, she’d just shrug whenever someone asked her. On the good days, she would put on a smile and try to face the day with a positive attitude, but good days had been very scarce lately. “Want me to clean them and put on some band-aids on you? I have Hello Kitty ones because those are my sister’s favorite.”