sixwordstories | (no subject)

If I have learned anything in my forty-odd years on this planet it's that blind dates never work out.

That sure gives me hope for the future, thanks.

I just--why is it so hard to talk to people in the hopes of finding a relationship somewhere out there?

I'm not exactly known as the love guru, that's for sure. But it's better to know the truth, least I think so.

Because most of the time people are their own worst enemy. As cheesy as it sounds, and Lord knows it's cheesy, you find it when you stop looking.

That does sound cheesy, I'm not going to lie.

Is that how it worked out for you?

I'm discovering a lot of cheesy things that I used to think were utter bollocks perhaps aren't quite so.

It is. To be quite honest I completely given up. I even got my dog thinking 'well, at least I wont die entirely alone.'

I want to reach that point in my life someday, but right now bollocks is still bollocks. You're happy, then? That it found you--I don't know whether to call it love or not.

Maybe I ought to get myself a dog. I imagine they'd be better companions than my television.

Everyone reaches that point in their life at a different time.
I would call it love, though it's not the first time I have loved either. Admittedly this is quite different then before, but it's not the first time, and I am very happy.

They certainly get you out a lot more and, as stereotypical as it sounds, it is a good ice breaker with a lady. Though that isn't the only reason to get one. Lister was quite the puppy.

It feels a lot like I should be having this conversation with you over cold beer in some quiet bar. That's good for you, though. Really good. You can probably feel my half-envy in some form or other, but that's good. I'm not sure if I have the strength to give up blind dates, though. Some tiny part of me still wants to hope.

Lister's the name of your dog? What breed are they?

I'm English, I'm never opposed to a pint.
Perhaps, and I have been there before. Believe me. Only I was having it a lot, lot. Older then you. But I'm a late bloomer, what can I say.
I found I had better luck at activity things but I'm littered with social anxieties. But it's nice to have the distraction of doing things. Some bars do singles paint nights, those are sort of fun. And again something to do in-between those awkward silences.

It is, well "Dave Lister" is his full name but it's a long story. He's a blue nose pit bull and when he was a puppy oh man did he ever chew. Thankfully he grew out of it!

I'm Japanese and I feel just about the same.

What are singles paint nights? As in... painting? While trying to find out about another person's interests and all that? I don't really have much social anxiety as far as actually starting conversations go, but people tell me I get too... intense. Or something.

A blue nose pit bull, huh. If I get a dog I'm thinking of the retrievers; the whole loyalty aspect gets to me like nothing else. But I think they'd chew like hell, too.

I think the moral of that story is beer is swell.

Exactly. You take breaks while paint dries and such so you have time to talk and when they're instructing you can sort of think of things to say and all that. I'm rubbish with making conversation, though I have been called slightly intense before. In the sense of moving too quickly or being to brash?

I always thought I would get something like a maremma. I've always liked them. But I found this dog on one of my evening walks tied to a bark fence and I had been looking to get a dog anyway. It just seemed fitting to keep him, we were both a little abandoned at the time.

It doesn't matter if you suck at painting, right? Because I suck at painting, I'm pretty sure. It might make me look even more unattractive in front of a possible future girlfriend. God.

Is everything in your life a 'finding things when I wasn't looking for them specifically' thing? Even your dog was fated to be your dog! How do I get to live like that?

Oh I do to, but they do a step but they have an instructor who tells you exactly what to do.
I thought I was going to look like a right twat when I did it but all in all it wasn't awful.

It really is, I've sort of learned that I should just give up and let it do what it wants to do at this point. How I got there is a little more bumpy and the easy response is to say I just gave up but that's sort of a depressing answer. Not to mention everyone is different so there's no easy how to guide, though at times I wish there were.

They never do. I think the point of them is just to make you realize you're better off asking people out the traditional way.

Is this from experience, or do you like kicking guys off buildings when they're down?

I seriously hope 'exactly what to do' doesn't just translate to 'capture the fruit bowl as best you can! Don't worry if it doesn't resemble it completely!'.

Do you feel like your life's fuller than before, though? I mean, richer. There might not be a guide on how to get there, but maybe you don't even need it any more.

Experience. Lots, and lots, and lots of experience. My coworkers like to try to meddle in my love life. And I appreciate that they're attempting to help, it's just... well, attempting is the key word, there.

Ah, is that it?

Why not say you're not interested? Or are you?

I'm interested. And I never seem to meet anyone the traditional way, so I guess it's like the lottery. I just keep waiting for it to work out one of these times.

Would you say you've had a lot of blind dates?

Twenty two of them, yes. Across various places, at the recommendation of various co-workers. If you think it's bad for you, imagine knowing it hasn't worked out on three seperate continents over the course of that many tries. It's like a falcon punch to the self esteem.

... did you speak all the languages your blind dates did?

And, well, you know--wouldn't it have become a long distance thing if the whole three separate continents shebang worked out? That stuff's hard as hell.

Yes. I'm a professional linguist, so I can't blame a language barrier for the failures. Trust me, I'd like to.

True, but some part of me always thinks that somehow, it'd work out. I guess I'm an optimist at heart, even when reason says I shouldn't be.

Nothing wrong with optimism. I mean, I keep trying, so I know. But what constitutes a successful date for you?

Hmm... a date where it's not all talk about work and they aren't angling to get in with my boss. A good conversation, hopefully some of my jokes make them laugh and vice versa, and no attempts to get into my pants on the first date. Neither myself or my date should be the sole focus of conversation, I think - nobody wants to be under a microscope and no one wants to just listen to someone else talk without ever getting a word in.

Is that asking a lot? [She asks awkwardly, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose with two fingers. Honestly, she feels a little picky when she has to list it like that. Maybe she's the problem, here...]

I don't know much about 'asking a lot', but it sure sounds like the ideal. I'm just happy if I get someone's number at the end of the night--which I've never succeeded at, so you know how that goes.

Maybe blind dates aren't good for you. You know how someone talks about you to your date before you actually go on the date? I'm pretty sure that makes talk about work and your boss called for, for one thing.

[Kaoru's no expert and he tries to talk without sounding like one. He rubs the back of his neck and offers a small smile.] Maybe you ought to give something spontaneous a try.

I usually get numbers until I make it clear I'm not putting a good word in for them with my boss. Then I get told not to call.

[Ovdotya blushes, if only out of the stupidity of what she wishes he were implying, biting her lip for a moment in thought, but nods, timidly.] Yeah. Well, if anyone ever spontaneously asks me out, I will. But... back when I tried asking people out, the best I got was a gentle letdown. I'm no good at the whole 'cool and confident' act. Or any act, actually. I'm just me.

I'm the same! [That gets a laugh. There's something strangely comforting in having the same shortcomings as someone else.] Ah, I wish I wasn't--but I'm the same. I also get told I'm 'too intense'. What is that? Just 'cause I call people out for lying to me when it's obvious they're telling me I'm insensitive and rude, but when you're on a first date and the first thing they do is lie to you...

[The smile Kaoru has is wider and a little crooked when he offers it the woman's way, his arms crossed over his chest and his head cocked.] What's your name, anyway?

I've never understood the point of lying on a first date. Withholding super personal information, sure; if someone asks something impolite then I don't see why I shouldn't just tell them it's not first conversation material. But lies are always found out. And I'm kind of terrible at them, anyway...

Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. [At least he's smiling, so she knows her forgetfulness and tendency to ramble aren't bothering him too terribly.] My name is Ovdotya Kogai. It's nice to meet you, Mr...?

Inoue. Kaoru Inoue. [More out of habit than anything, he bows with his hands on the sides before standing again.] The pleasure's mine. I'm going to hope the name you gave me isn't a lie, Ovdotya Kogai.

I have a proposition, though--if you'd like to hear it.

[With a sigh, she switches to Japanese, to explain her odd name (that will never stop being a headache, apparently) in his native language. Considering how much business Krei Tech does with Japan, she's fairly fluent.] It's not a lie. I'm Koryo-saram; that is, I'm from Russia, but Korean by ethnicity and heritage. Kogai was originally Ko, from what I could find in the government records. My parents thought a Russian first name would make it easier for me as a child. It... didn't. [To put it extremely, extremely lightly.] If I were going to make up a lie of a name, I think I would make it something common. Something unremarkable and easy to spell and say.

I'm listening, Kaoru-san.

[The smooth transition to Japanese shocks him enough for Kaoru to tilt his head in wonder and look at Ovdotya like he's never met anyone like her. He listens, of course; the way he was made leaves no room for him not to. And he nods because he understands.

It's the fact that he's never met anyone like her, though, that has him offering a crooked grin as he says something that was perhaps highly predictable from the beginning.]

Let's have dinner or something.

[A little laugh escapes him as he rubs his hands together in an attempt to still his nerves.]

Ovdotya--it's a nice name, though. I was just teasing when I said I was hoping you weren't lying, you know! What with the topic we were on and everything. I mean, I can see how it'd be difficult and it must've sucked sometimes, but... it's some special kind of unforgettable. Or at least it is compared to a name like Kaoru.

[When linguistics is one's job, every language in her limited repertoire became a skill that had to be honed and kept sharp, ready to be deployed at all times. She's been translator, interpreter, amateur etymologist all in one career. It only looks easy; hours of practice go into this.]

I'm sorry I got defensive; I have had a lifetime of questions about my name. At this point my first reaction is to explain it. [She holds up her hands in surrender, even as her cheeks redden from embarrassment.] I'm bad at telling when people are teasing. So, dinner can be on me. It's only fair.

And Kaoru is a perfectly good name. It suits you.

Ovdotya suits you, too. A special name for a special gal. I'm sure your parents must've put a lot of love into that name--we'll honour it, okay?

Maybe you'll get used to my teasing one day. [Here he's trying to be confident, but shoving his hands into his pockets and laughing sheepishly isn't helping his cause any.] You know, if we go on more da--dinners.

In any case the blush looks good on you.

I'll honor it as far as not changing it goes. But that's it; it's been too much of a headache to put on Korean and Japanese paperwork for me to like it.

Maybe. And maybe you'll get a little more used to me taking everything far too seriously. Who knows what miracles the future holds?

...um. [She cringes, pushing her glasses up out of nervous habit. Well, this is awkward.]

[Now Kaoru's laughing. He doesn't mean to, really, but the look on Ovdotya's face is priceless enough. Ah, he always was a shitty conversationalist.]

I'll lay off the compliments. I got it, I got it. [Hopelessness is hopelessness, he supposes, and he takes it with another amused laugh.] But, uh... it's hard to write your name? In Japanese?

It'd just be katakana, though. We've got enough characters for it, I'm sure.

It is when the government insists you pick kanji for official paperwork. [That'd been an interesting test of her patience. Her only solace had been knowing that her boss was having an even worse time of it trying to get 'Krei' to both sound like Krei in Japanese and have some kind of tech-related meaning.] It's why I mostly go by my surname when I'm abroad on business trips.

And for laughing at me, I'm picking the restaurant now. I hope you like Hungarian food.

The only Hungarian I've had is the sausage, so please take care of me. [Kaoru dips his upper body in a small bow, his hands at his sides.]

They won't let you use katakana, though? There're kids in Japan named George and Lisa popping up a lot more these days, and the government's fine with katakana for their names.

You're a special one, huh.

That's a shame. There's a lot of really good Hungarian food out there; just never order the wine. Good as it is, it has a... unique smell, to be polite.

Those are native-born children, and not people working with the government. Different rules and regulations apply. My boss cheered when he found out he didn't have to put his middle name down. Even in katakana, Huitzilihuitl wouldn't have been a fun thing to memorize writing.

Everyone has something that makes them special.

So you're required to have kanji?

What do you put, then? For Ovdotya. Did you pick the characters yourself--and how did you?

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i wanna watch bh6 now ive never seen it but i want to for who i assume is a minor char rip

She's in one scene; watch BH6 for the main cast or you'll go away feeling disappointed.

why do films like to do this to me w/ minor characters omg... what made you pick her though?

I like minor characters that haven't had their background expounded upon. /shrug

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