“Playing In a band sounds cool. I would want to be a singer/rapper in South Korea but I’m here most of the time so it would be hard.” Jason thought for a minute of what he did. “I didn’t do that much actually. I just hung out with my friends. We went to a couple pop-up concerts and amusement parks. I did a lot of shopping, that was fun. I also watched a lot of tv. Oh, this is something you probably don’t have here, I went out drinking. It’s legal at my age in Korea if you’re wondering.”
"Really? That's legal in Korea? That's so cool! You had a much more exciting summer than I did." Nate laughed, "If you were a singer or rapper in Korea, what would your music be about?"
“Well technically I’m nineteen in Korea, so, yea..,” Jason laughed. “Probably self struggles everyone deals with. But then again I’m not entirely sure… What’s your music about?”
"Wait…what do you mean you're technically nineteen in Korea?" Nate asked, completely confused by Jason's response. He shook his head before answering Jason's question, "Um…well, it's about a few different things. Right now we're working on a song called Fallout. Uh…it's about a break up and feeling empty and jealous about them moving on, I guess." Nate blushed and looked down, feeling self-conscious about his band's music.
Jason knew Nate would ask that question and he was ready to explain. "In Korea when we are born we are one year old, as we include the nine months we were in the womb. We also age with each new year. It's really complicated, so when asked our age we just say out birth year. I'm born in the year 2000 so I would just say 00 or 2000." Jason listened to Nate talk about his music. "That sounds interesting. Did you just break up with someone or did someone in your group?" Jason paused, mentally cursing himself. "Ah, sorry if that is too personal, it's common culture in Korea."
"No you're fine, don't be sorry. It was me. My girlfriend of almost two years broke up with me because she felt I was being distant. At first I was really upset, especially since she moved on so quickly, but I realize that I was distant for a reason and that I didn't really love her like I thought I did." Nate responded, suddenly feeling insecure. No one knew his secret about him being gay and he wasn't sure if he was ready to come out just yet.
Jason nodded, knowing how he felt from past experiences. "I'm sorry for you. I hope you find someone you love the way you think that you love them. I know it can be hard to find the right person but if you keep looking they will come when you least expect it."
Nate smiled again at Jason, "I hope so too. I don't particularly want to die alone." He joked with another laugh. "Are you dating anyone right now?" He asked, genuinely curious.
"Nope." He shook his head. "I'm what you call here a single pringle." Jason thought about how much he actually would want to tell Nate. He didn't want to just say he was gay but he didn't want to deny it. "If I were to be in a serious relationship I would have to do a long distance at some point and that's a lot of work. And my parents would probably disapprove of whoever I dated." For cultural reasons once again.
"Why might they disapprove?" Nate asked, "Is it because of your culture in South Korea?" Nate didn't want pry, but he was curious. He hoped that someone else in the school was like him, gay, but he wasn't sure that Jason was. Jason didn't really act as you would think someone who was gay would, but then again, neither did Nate. Maybe they were both hiding something.
"Yeah. My parents are really strict, even on top of the strict parent culture there." Jason wasn't sure how exactly to explain everything. Everything he said had been true, just left out that in Korea being gay was practically taboo. And most parents wanted cute grand kids. That's all they worried about, their child finding someone attractive to marry and make cute grandkids. His parents wanted this more than ever, which isn't really possible when Jason was gay.
"I guess I understand that a little. My parents are pretty strict about who I date too." Nate sighed, remembering how they reacted when his cousin had come out as gay. He wasn't sure he was ready to see their disapproving stare directed at him just yet. Maybe he'd wait until college so he didn't have to worry about seeing them every day afterwards.
Jason shrugged. "Strick parents. What can you do?" Well I moved to another country, Jason laughed in his head.
"Right though." Nate agreed. At least he's in a different country away from his family, I'm stuck here with my family. He mentally sighed.
"So did you do anything else this summer?" Jason leaned forward and put his arms on the drums, lightly.
"Not really. My summer consisted of a lot of writing music and practicing with the band. It was a pretty uneventful summer" Nate laughed lightly, "Did you do anything else this summer?"
"Not unless you count sitting on a plane and airport for over twenty four hours." Ah, the airport time. Enjoyable yet so not.
"Okay, that doesn't sound like any fun." I hate long plane rides, I don't think I can even sit still that long
Jason shrugged. “It’s more enjoyable than you would think. Just sit down and relax.”
"I don't think I can sit still long enough to enjoy it." Nate laughed.
“You can just sleep through the plane ride if you really want to.” Jason smiled.
"That I might be able to do." Nate nodded with another laugh. He liked talking to Jason and he wished they talked more often. He was really enjoying this conversation.
Jason laughed. "I'm going to ask you a really random question that's not on topic. Why aren't we friends? I mean I feel like we get along really well."
"I don't know. I think we just ended up in different friend groups." Nate laughed along with Jason. "Although, I do agree, I feel like we are getting along exceptionally well for two people who didn't talk to each other much before."
"Well, I really do hope to be your friend." Jason looked at Nate, nothing how cute he was. Boy was Nate cute… To bad he's straight… Jason thought to himself as he smiled.
