RP: Pick the flower when it is ready to be picked.
Date: 30 March 2003
Characters: Su Li
Location: London (in the Underground)
Status: Private
Summary: A chance encounter on the London Undergrounds reminds Su of her upcoming birthday and her deal with her parents...
Completion: Complete
After Su's unfortunate encounter with the girl from the Ministry at the Mellow Mushroom, she ate some of the pizza under a tree in Annwn and people watched. After she had had her fill, she threw away the rest of the pizza and Aparated back to London. Her flat was clean and she really didn't relish going home during her day off, so she headed to the London Underground, intent on going to Hyde Park. She loved it there. It was easy to find peace there despite the crowd that was normally gathered.
The Tube was full of people, but she easily squeezed her way into the car, clutching her bag to her chest. She would hate to get it stolen. Venturing into London was one of her favorite things to do, but she was always weary of the crowds. The person behind Su shoved her when she wasn't paying attention and she flew forward, right into the back of someone. Her purse dropped the ground, spilling at bit. Luckily her wand was tucked safely in her robes.
Bending down, she quickly started to gather her things as she muttered an apology. The man she had bumped into turned to her, looking down at her. "It's alright." He even started to help her gather the few things that were still rolling away from her. "Here," he said, handing her a rogue pen.
She dropped it in her bag without looking up at him and looked around for anything else that might still be on the ground.
"Su Li?"
Su jerked her head up, looking up to see a familiar face. "Oh! Xin Wong!"
The man staring at her as a smile spread across his face looking a bit bashful. Xin's parents had been friends with hers for years. Since before she could remember. Her mother actually had it in her head that they would marry someday and continuously set them up on dates. But she hadn't spoken to him in months and seeing him on the Underground seemed strange. It felt out of place to see him here. Normally their interactions took place at her parents', his parents', or somewhere in Beijing when they were visiting.
While neither family has actually resides in China anymore, family traditions of both are clearly the old ones. The only reason her mother had not actually insisted on an arrange marriage because Su had begged her to give her until she was twenty-three to find herself settled. Her mother had tried to give her only until twenty, and Su had tried twenty-five. Her father had jumped in the middle - always wanting his only daughter to be happy - to get them to negotiate to twenty-three.
"Su! It's so good to see you," he said, bowing to her courteously. She did the same but with out the excitement. "I've been awhile. Māmā still talks about you and your family all the time. Apparently your mother told that you had become quite a reclusive."
"I have?" Su was shocked. She was anything but a reclusive these days. "I’m just… trying out new adventures of life."
"Oh? Aren't you happy at the Ministry?"
"Of course I am. I'm very happy. It's not that." She smiled tightly at him. He was being so polite. Too polite. Seeing that a stop was coming up shortly, she said in a forcefully regretful voice. "This is my stop."
Xin frowned, obviously disappointed. "Well, do you have somewhere to go?"
"No, I just-"
"Great! Why don't we go get coffee? I know this terrific little shop about a half a block away."
Su bit her lip. She didn't have anywhere to go, but she still didn't want Xin to get the wrong idea. Their parents had tried to push them together for so long she was worried he still thought she was still an option. She wasn't. Even when her twenty-third birthday came - and it would be in only a few days - she didn't care. "Coffee, sure."
Taking her arm politely, he guided her out to the street without saying a word. She felt lost in the silence. Until she had seen him she hadn't really thought about her upcoming birthday. Bloody hell, what am I going to do? Surely Māmā wouldn't expect me to follow through. I don't want to get married now. Her mother had owled her two weeks ago, requesting to see her, but she kindly declined by claiming to be buried with work. She would have to go see her parents on birthday.
Characters: Su Li
Location: London (in the Underground)
Status: Private
Summary: A chance encounter on the London Undergrounds reminds Su of her upcoming birthday and her deal with her parents...
Completion: Complete
After Su's unfortunate encounter with the girl from the Ministry at the Mellow Mushroom, she ate some of the pizza under a tree in Annwn and people watched. After she had had her fill, she threw away the rest of the pizza and Aparated back to London. Her flat was clean and she really didn't relish going home during her day off, so she headed to the London Underground, intent on going to Hyde Park. She loved it there. It was easy to find peace there despite the crowd that was normally gathered.
The Tube was full of people, but she easily squeezed her way into the car, clutching her bag to her chest. She would hate to get it stolen. Venturing into London was one of her favorite things to do, but she was always weary of the crowds. The person behind Su shoved her when she wasn't paying attention and she flew forward, right into the back of someone. Her purse dropped the ground, spilling at bit. Luckily her wand was tucked safely in her robes.
Bending down, she quickly started to gather her things as she muttered an apology. The man she had bumped into turned to her, looking down at her. "It's alright." He even started to help her gather the few things that were still rolling away from her. "Here," he said, handing her a rogue pen.
She dropped it in her bag without looking up at him and looked around for anything else that might still be on the ground.
"Su Li?"
Su jerked her head up, looking up to see a familiar face. "Oh! Xin Wong!"
The man staring at her as a smile spread across his face looking a bit bashful. Xin's parents had been friends with hers for years. Since before she could remember. Her mother actually had it in her head that they would marry someday and continuously set them up on dates. But she hadn't spoken to him in months and seeing him on the Underground seemed strange. It felt out of place to see him here. Normally their interactions took place at her parents', his parents', or somewhere in Beijing when they were visiting.
While neither family has actually resides in China anymore, family traditions of both are clearly the old ones. The only reason her mother had not actually insisted on an arrange marriage because Su had begged her to give her until she was twenty-three to find herself settled. Her mother had tried to give her only until twenty, and Su had tried twenty-five. Her father had jumped in the middle - always wanting his only daughter to be happy - to get them to negotiate to twenty-three.
"Su! It's so good to see you," he said, bowing to her courteously. She did the same but with out the excitement. "I've been awhile. Māmā still talks about you and your family all the time. Apparently your mother told that you had become quite a reclusive."
"I have?" Su was shocked. She was anything but a reclusive these days. "I’m just… trying out new adventures of life."
"Oh? Aren't you happy at the Ministry?"
"Of course I am. I'm very happy. It's not that." She smiled tightly at him. He was being so polite. Too polite. Seeing that a stop was coming up shortly, she said in a forcefully regretful voice. "This is my stop."
Xin frowned, obviously disappointed. "Well, do you have somewhere to go?"
"No, I just-"
"Great! Why don't we go get coffee? I know this terrific little shop about a half a block away."
Su bit her lip. She didn't have anywhere to go, but she still didn't want Xin to get the wrong idea. Their parents had tried to push them together for so long she was worried he still thought she was still an option. She wasn't. Even when her twenty-third birthday came - and it would be in only a few days - she didn't care. "Coffee, sure."
Taking her arm politely, he guided her out to the street without saying a word. She felt lost in the silence. Until she had seen him she hadn't really thought about her upcoming birthday. Bloody hell, what am I going to do? Surely Māmā wouldn't expect me to follow through. I don't want to get married now. Her mother had owled her two weeks ago, requesting to see her, but she kindly declined by claiming to be buried with work. She would have to go see her parents on birthday.