2023.05.11 A Random Evening in Chinatown

2023.05.11 A Random Evening In Chinatown
Stella and Sark head out to Chinatown for an evening and run into a new face!
IC Date	05.11.23
Players	Hannah, Sark, Stella
Location	The Tiengong Restaurant, Chinatown - The Yule District

Perhaps later in the evening? Sark is determined to find somewhere new for dinner or at least a snack, and it HAS been a few months since he's been down to Chinatown to run errands, so he has Juan drop him and Stella off in the Yule district with instructions that they will call in a few hours for a lift back to the island. Dressed in VERY casual clothes, jeans, a plain tshirt, and sneakers, he has an arm looped casually with one of Stella's as he looks the business shingles over with the gaze of an upbeat tourist, "I THINK...I've been to the Tiengong before, but its been a while. They had very good chicken. Are you in the mood for something specific?"

Stella, too, is quite casual this evening. "-- lovely idea," she's saying as she takes Sark's offered hand to step out of the Escalade. She's wearing an almost chartreuse shorts and blouse set that are mildly dressed up by the short heels she's wearing. https://i.pinimg.com/564x/72/f8/d2/72f8d24188e5733c17f7d5b8a986c8d7.jpg There is a bag over Stella's shoulder. She tips the sunglasses she's wearing up into her chestnut hair and looks around. "I haven't been to this part of Prospect yet. What are you craving?" There's quite a lot to look at. She stands near Sark as she drinks it all in, visually.

Another evening in Chinatown, the street is busy and Hannah lazily walks the streets with the click of heels on the pavement. Her outfit denoting her as a woman with some money but tonight is more ore less casual with the partially see through black shirt and a skin colored bra to give an illusion of things. Covering her mouth in a yawn, she sees the new comers stepping out of the car and talking about dinner arrangements. "Tiengong is rather good, I have to say that I usually go once a week."

Sark murmurs to Stella, "I USED to come out here often before you came out. Martin had some sort of regular trade agreement with a couple of the merchants here. I deliver them some fresh shark and they'd fix him up with more noodles than he could possibly eat in a week." He chuckles under his breath, attention shifting when Hanna comments on the Tiengong, and grins, "See? Maybe that's a good idea for the day..." More TO Hannah, he slows his pace and tilts his head, "We were considering it...unless we are keeping you from something, I could offer something to drink on me if you'd like to join us?"

Stella listens to the story about past visits with a tease of a smile touches at her lips. "We should bring him some after we finish." Hannah steps up and offers an unsolicited piece of advice. Stella smiles an affable smile. "Thank you for the recommendation," she replies after Sark has spoken. She seems to have deferred to him. She turns her head and tips that same smile up at Sark. "You say that as though lovely women always show up when you're making a decision about recommended options. Back to Hannah, "Yes. Do join us if you are not otherwise committed."

Another hamd comes up to cover her mouth as she checks her phone for the time. "I could use some breakfast before a night of fun." Spoken like someone who hasn't worked a day in her life. "Sure, Ill be happy to join you two. Drinking alone is always a sin if youve got willing company to share it with." Walking closer to the pair with a tired smile. "Unless I'll be intruding on your date, that is." Because thats what the pair looks like their on

Sark grins at Stella and nods, "That's actually a really good idea. Im sure it will make his evening. I know the merchant is open late, so we can stop by after dinner." At Hannah's comment, he grins again and murmurs, "I am always happy to meet someone new, especially if they know more about the place than I do. You never know what you will pick up, right?" With that said, he stops in front of the Tiengong and bows his head, intent to allow both ladies to head in ahead of him.

You move to Tiengong Restaurant - Main Room

Stella tips her head teasingly as she gazes up at Sark as if the suggestion seemed obvious. But she's playful rather than sarcastic. She follows Sark's commentary back to Hannah with a pleasant and inviting demeanor. "I ... don't believe I would call this a date," she says, mildly mysterious, faintly coquettish. "And you certainly won't be intruding. We both enjoy meeting new people. Always something to learn, yes?" Sark dips his head respectfully in a gestures that the ladies should lead the way inside. Thus, Stella catches at the door and tells Hannah, "After you. I, by the way am Stella. And the tall young man with the long hair is Sark." It's amusing that she says 'young' given as they do not look much different in age.

Presumably a host or hostess sees them to a table. Stella glances up and behind them at the little bell that rang. "It's quite lovely," she murmurs quietly. "Do you prefer inside or outside?" She looks from Hannah to Sark and back again.

"Im Hannah." The Korean says as she ods to the hostess and the clicks of her heels lead her past the hostess and to a table that she probably considered her own. When they were all seated, Hannah shifts in her chair and crosses her legs uner the table. "Its a pleasure to meet you both. Abd why isn this a date? You two look levely together."

Sark waits until both of them have taken a seat before sliding into the remaining chair and groaning a little as he makes himself comfortable. He nods and grins, "A pleasure to meet you, Hannah...." The amusement warms up on his face when she asks why this isnt a date, and he glances at Stella before looking back at Hannah, "Well, technically, Im her employer. She does a lot of different things for me that I would not be able to handle very well. So, she basically knows everything about my life, but people would look at both of us funny, and probably frown at me, if I said we were dating..."

"Did you hear that, Mr. Goldstein?" Stella inquires of Sark. "She said we look lovely together. And I didn't even consider coordinating our attire this evening." To Hannah, first, "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Hannah. Thank you for joining us. Are there any items on the menu or off of it for that matter that you would find it a crime for us not to try here?"

Stella is quiet while Sark explains more clearly. "Mmmyes," she echoes after Sark. "Still, that assumption is made frequently. It is not offensive." She pauses, sliding a menu to Sark and then one in front of herself. She doesn't presume for Hannah which is meant as a compliment, though subtle. "What about you, Hannah? Two questions, really. Do you have a partner? And also, where is it that you are from, if you don't find it insulting of me to ask." Stella doesn't look down at her menu just yet.

"No one at the moment." Hannah mentions easily as she just waits for the waiter to come around. "The last one was just a one nighter that left once they realized I am a handful." Leaving it vague otherwise. "Im from prospect actually. I spent some time in LA but Im back now."

Sark grins at the commentary and winks at Stella, "YOU look lovely. I always look like someone who washed out of a Hot Topic without enough money." Yay dated references! He cranes his head forward to look over the menu while he continues to listen, finally glancing up at Hannah and chuckling softly, "Well, hopefully at least they were an entertaining one-nighter." A pause, then a shake of his head, "I've kinda avoided LA...just seems too damned packed with angry people..."

Stella simply smiles a charming smile at her self-described employer as he compliments her. The Hot Topic comment, though? "I would never encourage you patronizing --that-- ... establishment. But of course your money is your money should you choose to spend it that way." No. She's not saying she has the right to tell Sark where to shop and where he cannot shop. But it almost seems like a personal insult that it would be a possibility. Still, there's a capriciousness to Stella that doesn't turn any of her comments toward a darker side ... at least not thusfar. She just doesn't present that way. And she is quite comfortable in 'Mr. Goldstein's' company. They seem to know each other well enough. "Nautica, --perhaps--. But that's largely because you like to have your feet in the sand so frequently. And on boats."

Hannah's reply to her first query draws Stella's full, green-eyed attention. "A handful. Well, if you ask me, that sounds like a positive in most cases. Their loss, I suppose." As for where Hannah is from, Stella knows better than to push beyond that.

"When you left Prospect did you expect that you'd be back sooner rather than later, or did things just happen to fall that way? And has Prospect changed much in the interim?" Sark gets a sidelong glance and a quelled smile at the 'entertaining one-nighter' comment.

Ah yes. A waiter. "A pot of the Dragon Eye Oolong, please. And ... I'll have the shrimp dumplings and the vegetable lo mein with extra sweet peas and bean sprouts, but absolutely no broccoli, please. Hmm? Oh, no thank you -- no rice." She offers the waiter a grateful bit of a smile. Her hands are manicured, but her nails are not long and the color is a neutral. Her multiple rings are silvery, though which metal is not immediately obvious. She is also wearing a peridot bracelet and one of her rings also has peridot stone/s. Nothing about her is ostentatious, nor is her speech indicative anything beyond a good education and good manners. Personal Assistant. Estate Manager. Either title would suit her.

To Sark, "I'll take most of my noodles to Martin, also." Would she like a pre-dinner cocktail? "No, I think the tea will suffice for now."

"Mmm... LA is filled with barbarians that think they can lay at civilized. It was an experience that I needed to live through to know anger is not an emotion I'd like to mainline in my life. I much prefer proptiety to anger and rage." Odering some dumplings to start and looking over the pair with some thought that makes her smirk. "Not dating... got it. But such an attractive secretary must make for some tense work... situations."

Sark does take a moment after Stella orders, to ask for some soup dumplings, pot stickers, and chicken fried rice, as well as a seonc pot of tea. When that PROBABLY gets a look from Stella, he smiles, "If we just get one, Im going to suck it all down and you'll give me that Look, so..."

With a wink, he turns his attention back to Hanna and grins, "She's more of a...property manager? Yes, that's a good name for it. And well, not to be TOO revealing, but my dear Stella has someone she is sweet on, so any desire I might have to rip her clothes off and do depraved things to her is a moot point, hmm?" He just seems overly amused at that idea.

LA and barbarians and anger. Stella listens with some interest. "I can't say that I've spent much time in Los Angeles. But it's easy to imagine what you both say is true, even if you meant to say as much in hyperbole. Hannah's compliment elicits a small, coy smile from Stella that manages to also be mildly modest. "Well Hannah, you do say such lovely things. You should join us for more meals." She's teasing at herself there, playing. There's no passive aggressive disagreement about her looks, nor is there anything approaching arrogance. It's more about Hannah, somehow. And seemingly in a complimentary way. "We've managed to settle into what I would say are our most complementary roles working together, at this point. He teases me about the tea when he fully knows I'll be drinking my own tetsubin of tea entirely on my own, and I strongly suggest retailers for his 'Look'. That and he trusts me implicitly with finances. That makes my life so much easier." Somehow she gives quite an amount of information without really giving anything up -- yet still affable and pleasant, and oh-so curious. A HANDFUL of curious. "Now if I can simply persuade him to say 'estate' rather than 'property'. Little steps."

Stella pauses and asks Hannah, "Do be honest, Hannah. Do we seem tense to you? I'm feeling inquisitive now that you've said something."

Only after Hannah replies does Stella look back to Sark. "You aren't wrong, Goldstein. You would indeed get a Look if you were to drink -my- tea. Ever since you mentioned coming here this evening, I've been looking forward to the tea in particular." Property manager? Stella crosses one leg smoothly over the other with her cloth napkin laid across her lap. "I will be 'sweet on' whomever I choose, none, one, or several," she retorts without much oomph behind it. She lifts a hand to cover her parted lips with a melodramatic gasp, "Rip my clothes off? Depraved things? But Mr. Goldstein, I am quite a HANDFUL." Stella doesn't blush. But she does lower her hand to her lap and turns a serene smile back to Hannah. Her query about the move back to Prospect is sidestepped and she can take a hint. "I look forward to judging you excessively based upon what you order, Hannah. You won't mind so very much, will you?"

"Do as you will. I am very much used to being looked at with funny faces or down upon in my circle of associates. Not everyone appreciates a little 'polite degeneracy' as Ive come to call it." Crossing her arms under her bust, propping it up a little. "Being in business with those who are older than you and hold tradition close to their chest has given me much time to acclimate the judging looks and quiet whisperings behind closed doors." With a slight grin as the pair explain away the potential sexual tension between them. "It makes my /almost/ jealous you can be open wth your boss. Ill do what I do and kccasionally tone myself down for my associates but I wouldnt be where I am if they didnt show up when they did."

Sark grins at Stella's comments and winks, "Aww. See, she'll share lots of other things with me, but dont touch the tea!" He winks at that and pours himself a cup of the two pots that arrive, warming his hands on it as he savors a small drink before continuing, "As well, yes. I do PRECISELY enjoy that fact about you that you are a handful. 'Boring' is something I could never, ever, accuse you of..."

Sark nods slowly a Hannah's talk of presumptions, rumbling a little and smiling, "It IS always interesting to see what people just assume about someone's appearance." Making no mention of the idea that this is exactly why he makes himself look like a 'I dont care' teenager, "HOpefully noone has resorted to violence in that case> Assumptions are one thing. Assumptions that lead to unjustified hate are...disappointing.

Stella is wondering about her query about tension. She never did get to see what Hannah did or did not order. And there is, sadly, no response about the return to Prospect. But she doesn't surrender! Oh no! Her Dragon Eye Oolong shows up and all is right with the world. She, however, allows hers at least five more minutes to step before following Sark's lead for that cup of tea she's been craving. "What is it that you do, Hannah? And how did you end up enmeshed with such associates?"

The brunette with the sunglasses atop her head that haven't been needed since they got on the ferry at sunset to cross to the mainland and head toward Chinatown flickers a thoughtful green gaze from Hannah to Sark and back again. She doesn't seem to have much to say about Sark's revelation about his wardrobe. She agrees with him, "The tea is sacrosanct. Revolutions have been started over such things, if one were to make far too sweeping generalizations." She looks wryly from one dinner companion to the other. "It's in my best interest to share --just-- enough to keep you fascinated, Sark." Yes. It is the first time since she made introductions that she's used her employer's first name. "Perhaps more than a handful. I haven't yet explored the limits of how handfull-y I can get away with." She looks amused at her own wording. "Oh dear. How much mention of hatred is going to precede my dumplings? Or is this one of those subtext situations and I am missing another complete conversation?" She's not smiling but those green eyes are twinkling. It's probably the colored glass decor.

"I own various property throughout Prospect and that comes with it certain associations with various legal entities that require regular upkeep of professional relatioships." Saying basically nothing "Many regulations and all that. Ive found maintaining personal relationships over just going fhrough a lawyer /very/ helpful." Quieting to pop a dumpling in her mouth. "Sometimes I feel like I need to snort a line just to stay awaake through those meetings. But otherwise, they are... close enough that I..." Cutting herself off. "Suffice it to say that Its not a party at all." Looking between hem. Puposefully changing the direction of conversarion. "How log you two been in business together.?'

Sark hehs softly under his breath and winks at Stella, "Mmmhmm. Well, you know where I sleep, so..." Some of the food begins to arrive, and he pauses long enough to offer the steam basket of the soup dumplings to both women before gingerly snagging one for himself. It takes him a moment to actually devour the piping hot thing, but when he swallows, he addresses Hannah, "If I did not get along so well with Miss Green, I doubt we would have such a very good professional relationship. Since she knows where I go and what I get into, personally, it makes it easier for her to anticipate my expenses and what I might end up getting into." The question about how long they have been working together has him glancing back at Stella before offering, "Maybe six months? Something like that."

"Only six months?" Hannah's tone is a bit lazy as she pops another dumpling into her mouth and chews it. "Thats a bit short for her to know /everything/" With a teasing wink. "about you. I imagine it makes her boyfrindss jealous."

Sark chuckles softly at the comment, pausing when Stella's phone chirps at her and she has to abruptly take the call outside so she isnt That Person taking a loud call in a nice restaurant. Sark watches her go, then settles back with his tea and rumbles, "Her girlfriend and I are on very good terms. Nothing like THAT, but enough to make it clear I have no concerns about anything they get up to, and she knows I am no competition for her. Makes this very...relaxed, most of the time. And sometimes comical as we've had an evening where they took ME out for dancing and I made a bit of a fool of myself."

"Do you nt know how to dance or are you the flailing type? " Leaning back in her chair and shifting which legs are crossed. "I had some minimal formal classess due to my associates."

He smirks at the question and nods his head slowly, "I was never the 'go dancing at the club' type, so 'moving to the beat' was never a skill I picked p very well. But I tried! And they did offer some advice, so I didnt stand out TOO badly by the end of the night."

"Have you ever thought about taking things that .might help you enjoy a club more?" Looking at the nans subtle transformations with a small squint, not being very subtle. "I have to compliment you on your tan. It takEs skills to get one without burning yourself like so many do."

Sark mmms and slowly shakes his head, "Oh, nonono. If Im going to lose control or surrender to the evening, I'll do that at home where the damage will be contained." He winks at that, then sets his chopsticks down to shft his arm around to look down at it, before murmuring, "Lots of naked sunbathing...", and winks, "It helps to have large meadows you can sprawl out on and know noone is going to disturb you."

"You must prefer the farmland then?" Assuming his property was such. "Im too much a city girl to be able to be out that far unless its for a specific reason." Waving her sticks around. "Youre missing out. Feeling the lightning in your veins or the open love of the universe with the base thrummiing...its pretty amazing..."

Sark rolls a shoulder, "I wouldnt say that. I just like to relax quietly from time to time. If I prefered the pastures, I wouldnt ever come exploring in the city, hmm? I love coming and spending the day here and see what people get up to, while Stella takes care of anything so I dont have to learn the mountains of paperwork it takes to keep the ranch going." He devours another soup dumping while he listens, swallowing before he adds, "Mmm, yeah, I dont need any of that. Life is fascinating enough as it is without enhancement for me, at least."