It's teacher training day at Niles', so whilst Misi is wishing for quick death in-class at Roesborough, Ki is scrolling through his social media.

He doesn't post pictures of himself (too self-conscious and wary of government AI) but opts to post pictures he takes on his camera. He has a thing for blurry polaroid photos. The genuinety of them and the draw that you never quite know what your photo looks like until it pops out the top of the camera and the white paper fades to coloured. Misi is constantly complaining about how it clogs up his share of the wall (as if she doesn't have her own hoarding issues, tch) with the aformentioned photos pinned to string strung from corner to corner, almost covering his weird black and white striped wallpaper. He doesn't quite know why he chose that wallpaper when he was younger. Or why he decided sticking random things below the stringed photos (which he didn't have so many of at the time) would look nice. He's removed most of the wrappers and other stray items from their glued places on a wall, but a Tesco receipt from 2007 continues to haunt him in his sleep.

He looks up from his phone at the clock. 1:03PM. He should eat when he gets hungry. Phone-scrolling again. Looks up from his phone. 1:07PM. Fuck. He's bored and considers raiding the kitchen to see if his mom hides any alcohol from Misi and him. He's tried alcohol before, back when he'd found it easy to score girlfriend after girlfriend. The last one he had broken up with said he was too antisocial and emotional. Where had he heard that before? 16 year old Ki had decided half a bottle of wine was the way to go. Unfortunately, it didn't haze him enough to numb him from the slaps and yells he got from his mom after she found out.

Where was I again? Ah, yes. Loneliness.

He checked through his social media three more times, constantly pulling down on his screen to reload the page and see if there was anything he'd missed. Nothing. He checked his text messages, exiting and opening the app over and over to see if anybody was online. Nobod-oh?

Issa from P.E - last seen today at 1:06PM

Hell. He'd forgotten he had Issa's number. For a minute he stares at the green circle next to Issa's contact name. He should text him. Maybe. Maybe not.

Text him no i might be disturbing him Text him he might be doing something Text him what if hes taking care of his nan right now? he wouldnt want fucking me to ruin that precious family bonding time of his Stop being a coward and fuCKING TEXT HIM please stop TEXT HIM i dont want to PUSSY oh for fucks sake

Ki: Huh.

Ki: We're online at the same time.

Ki watches as the green circle turns grey.

LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE well im sorry wasnt this your idea YOURE THE ONE WHO SENT THE MESSAGES why are you even talking to me HES PROBABLY JUDGING YOU NOW who am i even talking to WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU TALKED TO HIM HUH i dont know EXACTLY what? UNLESS YOURE CLOSE FRIENDS DONT TEXT ANYONE why not CAUSE YOURE SCARED im aware of that thanks CAUSE YOU ALWAYS KILL A CONVERSATION aware of that too now go away please YOU ALWAYS MESS UP

The grey circle turns back to green again.

Issa from P.E is typing...

Issa from P.E: sry for not replying sooner

Issa from P.E: had to finish washing up dishes

Issa from P.E: or else i wouldnt have anything clean to eat lunch off of

Issa from P.E: :<

Each ping from each reply back Ki smiles a little more. In the way a little kid smiles when they get to stroke a fluffy dog.

Ki: Don't worry about it.

Ki: :>

Issa from P.E: :>>>

Ki: Since when did you grow three chins?

Issa from P.E: ewwwww

Issa: im not mr skant

Ki: How do I know?

Ki: Mr Skant could have snuck into your house and decided to text on your phone

Ki: Or should I say 'Issa's' house and phone

Ki: Mr Skanttttttttt

Issa from P.E: ...

Issa from P.E: why tf would skant randomly break into my house and just start texting

Issa from P.E: like would he not steal a tv or some jewellry?

Ki: Maybe he has a kink for impersonation

He blinks twice in mild surprise at what he texted, wincing.

Ki: May I take that previous message back

Issa from P.E: never. i am scarred.

Issa from P.E: my appetite? ruined

With a flick of his wrist he throws his phone onto his bed to grab lunch. Or at least, whatever he can heat up quickly from the fridge. His mom waves him away from the fridge with a flurry of ticked-off Korean. And thus, the period of starvation begins.

Unless...?

Ki: Is your appetite ruined enough to not want to grab some fish and chips?

Issa from P.E: off the high-street?

Ki: Of course. In all it's greasy, oil-drenched, over-priced goodness

Issa from P.E: im in then. 30 past?

Ki: Make it 20

---------------------------------

Issa runs his finger across the edges of the paper taped to the door of the chippy.

"Closed because of several cases of food poisoning? Bloody hell!" He kicks at the wall, making Ki wince as Issa retracts back his leg in pain and regret of his action.

"I mean if diners were getting ill because of the food, I'd say it was good the place went. Don't want anyone else getting sick."

Issa lifted up his foot and swivelled it in the air, "Fair point. So, you up for a Maccy's?"

"Lord, anywhere but there," Ki grumbles, casting his eyes up the highstreet, "I know we came here for oily food but Macdonald's is a whole new low."

"Are you one of those people who prefer non-chain,independent restaurants because 'mom-and-pop places gotta stick together'?"

"...Yes," Ki says relucatantly, "I kind of am."

"Aha! I was able to connect the dots!" Issa wags his finger at Ki, then taps the side of his head.

"You didn't connect shit."

"I was able to use my brilliant mind to figure out you were one of those people. I've connected them."

Ki searches the buildings around them for a CCTV camera to blankly stare into. He secures one and manages to stare into it for three seconds.

"Let's find some fancy independent coffee shop to eat in, for your convenience of course."

"I can sense you're gonna bully me on that," Ki sighs, mildly speed walking away and dragging Issa with him.

He retucks his shirt into his jeans, "Of course I am. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity to prod at an unpopular opinion of yours."

"What do you mean unpopular? I'm pretty sure a fair amount of the population is down to supporting independent businesses."

"Yeah, but people also like the price tag on a 99p burger."

"Burgers are trashy."

Issa blinks in shock, "Your taste in food is trashy!"

"You telling me Korean food is trashy?" Ki clicks his tongue with a shake of his head, "You've clearly never had it."

Issa's stomach grumbles, "Well, no. I haven't actually. "

"One point to me," Fingerguns galore, "Guess I'm going to have to give you a taste of what you're missing out on then. Come on."

----------------------

They walk into Ki's favourite joint to the immediate greetings of 'Annyeonghaseyo' from the staff. The place is packed with elderly, unsurprisingly since it's a weekday, and some even smile and nod at Ki upon recognising him. He stops to talk with some of them, glancing every so often at Issa in despair whenever one of the halmeoni comes up and pinches at his cheeks.

His face is sore by the time they snag themselves a booth in the corner of the restaurant. He rubs at his reddened skin as Issa scores his eyes over the menu.

"I'm not recognising anything here except for the pancakes, Kiwi. Could I maybe request a lifeline here?"

"Those pancakes are called haemul pajeon - they have seafood and scallion. Kimchi jigae, one of my favourites, you gotta have some white rice and lots of water on the side when you eat it though. Beef bulgogi is the best thing they have here as far as I'm aware. It's cooked crazy tender and is somehow sweet, savory and smokey all at once," He points at the pictures with a sparkle in his eyes.

Issa nods, "So which of these you think I should try?"

"Why not all of them? May as well, since this is your first time," Ki waves down one of the waitresses and almost immediately his glances away in regret when she turns around.

The waitress slows down when she sees Ki, almost considering whether to just ignore him. She decides against it and greets her teeth as she walks up to their table, "So, who's this then?"

Ki picks at a grove in the table's wood, bouncing his leg nervously. He notices Issa looks towards him in concern, taking note of how tense he is.

"The name's Issa. Ki's my friend," He gives a weak wave and a thin smile.

"Nomi, I'm a friend of Ki's too, if you look at it from a certain angle."

Issa tilts his head slightly, not quite catching on to the uncomfortable air.

Ki rubs a temple and looks at the wall, "She's my ex."

"Ah," Issa nods and keeps on slowly nodding through the awkward gap in the threadbare conversation.

"Didn't know you dated around."

"Secretly." Nomi nodded.

"Her parents didn't approve."

"I know what that's like."

Nomi raises an eyebrow, "I thought you were gay?"

Some of the aunties in the nearby booths turn to look at us. As if a non-Asian in a Korean restaurant wasn't already controversial.

"...I am." Issa shrugs. Ki winces as some of the onlookers turn around and start talking in hushed voices.

"So the friendship dynamic is gay and dumb of ass."

"I am not dumb of ass." The dumbass retaliates.

She shakes her head, "I dated you for a year and a half Ki. You are very much dumb of ass."

"A year and a half?" Issa relaxes a bit, "How did you survive?"

"Hey!"

"I'll tell you my secret," She leans closer into our booth so others are less likely to hear, speaking her next words with a nod of confidence, "Underage drinking."

(part 1)