LION KING

Matthew reached out for the towel gently and draped it all over his head to wipe the sticky clotting off his hair. Therefore, his suit is in complete wreckage. He sighed deeply, knowing that there’s nothing he could do about it especially that he’s too tired to be angry over untimely accidents. “Merci,..” he muttered lowly.

"He's still pretty small. Will he get any bigger or will he forever stay like this?" Crouching down, Michael took a closer look at the unfamiliar animal. He had never seen a polar this close, let alone touched. "It's cool. He's so small, I didn't see him. I just hope I haven't hurt him anywhere when I tripped over him." The blond refrained from reaching out even though he really really wanted to, in fear the bear might bite his hand off.

Hearing the other’s comment, Michael laughed. “Not quite. But I guess I do make good coffee.”

"ah si" he laughed "I’ve never taken a walk on this side of town but I can assure you it won’t be the last"

"Nah, I'm only working for that old geezer. A really nice guy." Michael smiled. "But if I had the chance, I'd like to open a coffee shop, too... Well, maybe I will once I've finished my study and can't find a proper job."

If she were still back in Japan, she would have used the appropriate term to address a senior at school, but ever since coming to New York, she had completely got rid of the habit. It didn’t really work that way here and no one would ever understand. “It’s nice to meet you too, Michael. You wouldn’t mind if I called you Mike?” She didn’t want to suddenly jump to using nicknames out of the blue, even if he did tell her, she still felt the need to ask for his approval. “Hm… You could say I’m a new immigrant. I came here right after high school to study.”

"Yeah, sure. That's why I told you my moniker, no?" Michael had raised an eyebrow, lightly confused by her question, but decided to shrug it off. "I see. I'm surprised that you apparently don't suffer from culture shock? The differences between your homeland and America must be confusing and overhelming at first." Chuckling silently, he remembered the first few weeks after he had moved from Germany. "You could say I'm quite the same, yes. Though I moved to America after my bachelor degree and I've almost finished my master."

Goddamnit, busted.

…..

Your mirror must be broken. Not that it would surprise me. I suppose every mirror would rather shatter than reflect your existince.

Goddamnit, busted.

"Eh?" She tilted her head slightly, wondering why she would need one as well. "I don’t really— a-ah, wait up!" Chi hadn’t even been able to reply when he had turned his back and began walking towards the exit. She ran up behind him and followed quietly. Was this even the way to the infirmary? They were clearly on their way out of the campus though. Maybe he’d get the ice from somewhere else?

Lien was startled with the German’s sudden outburst of German words and a bit of a curse. She watched the man compose himself again as if it was usual to see someone reacts like that. After that scene he just sat there as if nothing happened. ”Uh.. Oh thank you but really this coffee is enough” she said as the Asian still tries to refuse the blonde’s offer.

Michael chuckled briefly. "Yeah, I hear that often... That I can be quite stubborn, that is."

Carefully, she patted the handkerchief around the spot that had been bleeding, gently cleaning the blood away and revealing the bruise that had started to darken on his skin. It made her feel a little guilty for getting him involved and hurt because of her. It always left a bitter taste in her tongue whenever someone else had to get hurt on her behalf, no matter how much they tell her it was nothing and that she shouldn’t blame herself. Whichever way she looked at it, she was still not vindicated from it.

Mentally, Matthew is erupting like a volcano and screaming profanities that will make Buddha’s ear bled. However, once he heard the person apologized for bathing him with coffee. His brain gears started working and his usual silent aggressiveness turns into passive. Looking at the floor,realizing that it was only an accident. The steam evaporated as fast as it was conjured. 

"A what--? A polar bear?!" Michael repeated in disbelief and locking his eyes on the ball of white and brown mess to his feet before hearin the other's request. "Oh sure! Let me get you one!" Quickly back on his feet, he then walked over to the bar, exchanging a few words with his colleague and getting the towel the Canadian had asked for. 

Antonio ended up nodding as the other talked before looking down at the coffee before sitting it

Hearing the other's comment, Michael laughed. "Not quite. But I guess I do make good coffee."

"Oh sure…" she gave a small smile to the German as she watch him take a sit. She took a sip from her cup before she started talking to Michael "Though I really dont think that you owe me a debt at all, I am just happy to help and a simple thank you is enough for me." She tilts her head and gives him a reassuring smile. 

"AH!!!" He jumped off his seat, taking a hasty look at his watch. "Scheiße!" A mix of incomprehensible grumble and some German words here and there escaped the blond before he let himself fall back onto the seat again, a hand clasped over his face. "Fuuuuuuck..." He mumbled and let out a sigh. Apparently he didn't really care that much after all. "Whatever. I won't be able to get there in time anymore anyway, so I guess I have some free time now." Looking back at the girl next to him, he smiled. "Thank you for your kindness, but I won't rest until I've repay you. May I use my newly gained time to treat you to something?"

She couldn’t really believe what was happening in front of her right now. She had heard about things like this to be something common even in schools, but it never crossed her mind that she’d be involved— well, partly at least— in one.

"Hm?" The young man looked at his hands - or rather at the smear of blood - before feeling the soft fabric meeting his bruised face, causing him to turn his attention to the girl. "Yeah, sure. This is nothing." He smiled, letting her do whatever she wanted. Well, it was nothing compared to other kind of pains he had already been through, though that didn't mean it didn't still hurt. But there was no way he'd let her know that.

A bit startled from the sudden retort of the young man Lien looks at the man a bit concerned whether she made something that would make him mad. “uhhh I dont really think that you owe me anything… I just did what I think is right.” She paused for a moment before she answer the next question. 

"Michael." He flashed her a content smile. "Or Michael since that seems the way English speaking people pronounce my name." The German opened the lid to check the content of the cup and taking a sip. "No matter how you look at it, I do owe you something." He then turned his attention back to the Vietnamese. "You see, it's not really common to receive that much kindness. Everyone is pretty selfish these days. Especially in a busy and big city like New York. Everyone has their own problems and no time to care for others."

It hasn’t been that long since she had started her college life in New York and Chi was already struggling through it. Her classes weren’t particularly difficult— probably because she was still her freshman year— but she wouldn’t say she was enjoying them either. Classes were long and boring, not to mention her limited knowledge on the English language would sometimes get in her way. She had made an embarrassing scene during her previous class when she used a wrong word while trying to answer one of the professor’s questions.

It was a 3 versus 1 fight, but Michael wasn't in a disadvantage at all. His whole life he had been living like a thug, fighting wherever he was. Half of the times, he didn't even intend to but the other half... well... this was probably one of those 'exceptions'. Nevertheless due to that fact, he had been able to gather experiences in real close combat situations and increase his endurance level, not to mention that he was older and sturdier.