By six in the evening, Nina was getting ready to go out. She was meeting Emmi, a girl from Berlin. Emmi was on a several-month break from work – traveling the world. Since she wasn't staying in Bangkok permanently, Nina tried to make the most of their time together while she was still there. Emmi was just the right mix of grounded and carefree that Nina liked in a friend. They could discuss the most serious topics one moment and laugh until tears the next.

Nina decided to wear her favorite floral dress with geometrically designed straps and soft brown sandals. Due to the usually freezing temperatures on the train, she also grabbed a dark brown faux leather jacket and a large creamy scarf from the hanger. She slung her handbag over her shoulder, double-checked for her wallet and phone, and locked the door. Emmi had earlier sent the location of a Japanese restaurant, and Nina, with her stomach growling, was looking forward to noodles and a cozy conversation with her friend. She was also eager to tell Emmi about her meeting that morning and hear her balanced opinion.

With the tunes of Prodigy in her ears, the journey flew by, and soon she was sitting across from her new friend. Emmi looked as fresh as if she'd just stepped out of the shower, her light brown hair pulled back into an elegant low bun, wearing her usual dark ensemble.

After quickly ordering their food and drinks, Emmi sighed, shrugged her shoulders, and looked at Nina intently.

"Come on now, I'm dying to know—how did it go? Did they like the presentation?"

Nina chuckled, remembering her earnest presentation prepared in the late hours of the night. She wondered how Bo would react if she had opened her PowerPoint and started discussing how Good Gamut was a firm with ambition and stern business practices.

"The presentation? We didn't really get into that," she said as the waiter brought their drinks—red wine for Emmi and Tiger beer for Nina.

"You didn't? Why? What happened? Wait, did you meet at Z-Coffee as you planned?"

"Yes, we did meet there. But that guy, his name is Bo by the way, wasn't quite what I expected. I mean, I don't know what I was expecting. Someone normal I guess, serious. Someone opening an accounting service maybe."

"Okay, but on the contrary a bear appeared?" Emmi chuckled. "Comon, spill the beans."

Nina smiled and took a sip of her beer.

"It's not so easy to describe him, everything about him was just so unexpected. First off, he arrived on some beast of a motorcycle. You know, the kind where you practically lie down on the road around curves. At least that's how it seemed to me."

"Okay, interesting, and? What does he do, let me guess! Bike rental business!"

"Bike? Haha, no, not exactly. He's a tattoo artist. You should see him; he must be the best possible advertisement for his business."

"Really, so he has nice tattoos? How old is he? Chinese, you said?" Emmi stared at her, wide-eyed.

"Honestly, I didn't get a good look at them individually, he has so many... On his neck, chin, even his forehead and a tiny one below his eye," she said while pointing to her own face and neck. "It was all together a bit overwhelming. But then, when he introduced himself, he had a surprisingly gentle voice." Nina said thinking back. 

"And his smile was also kinda nice. As soon as we started talking, I relaxed easily. He seems to know exactly what he wants but he's not arrogant. He actually turned me down in a very polite way." Nina paused. "I think he's about thirty, maybe a bit older. Hard to tell," she concluded.

"He turned you down? But why?? And he didn't even see the presentation? Didn't Noah say he really liked your work? Honestly, I thought it was practically a done deal," Emmi frowned, leaning back.

"It's because I don't have a tattoo!" Nina was still a bit irritated by the reason for Bo's refusal to collaborate.

"What, how does that matter? I don't get it. Well the guy's obviously an idiot. Maybe he'll change his mind. Give him a few days. Send him more of your work. Or make a draft. Why are you smiling?"

"I don't know why, but I think even the best draft in the world wouldn't help. The guy thinks it's important to have experience with tattoos. It's crucial to him. Anyway, he suggested I come in for my first tattoo. If I do that and create a good draft, I have the job. But I've already said no. No way."

"Excuse me? What a bizarre client. And you said no? Good for you. But wait, hadn't you mentioned wanting to get a tattoo in Bangkok just the other day, didn't I talk about that with you? Or was it someone else?"

"Well, yes, I would like to do it like.. someday, but I hadn't given it enough thought and preparation. And anyway, I don't want him to do the tattoo, not sure why. Like, he'll see me in a very vulnerable moment and then become my client? I don't know, it's just weird, right?"

Emmi looked over Nina's head and then leaned forward on the table as the waiter laid down two huge bowls of steaming udon noodles. The vegetables inside were so delicately sliced and carefully arranged that Nina felt sorry to disturb the perfect harmony. 

Emmi took out her phone and after an obligatory selfie said: "It might be a bit unusual, but you said he was pleasant, right? And Noah said his business is doing well, so he's obviously good at what he does. Maybe you're luckier than you think to have run into him. Shouldn't you reconsider?"

For what seemed like the hundredth time, Nina imagined Bo with the tattoo machine in his hand. Before touching the device to her skin, he looked at her with a dark, piercing gaze to check if she was ready. She suddenly felt hot. Surprisingly, she realized she no longer felt only fear towards Bo. There was something else, something that wasn't altogether unpleasant. She quickly dismissed those thoughts and refocused on the conversation.

"I'll think about it some more and make a decision tomorrow. Anyway, how did your date go? Was there any action?" Nina asked. Having finished unburdening her thoughts, she was now fully prepared to spend the evening savoring udon noodles and listening to Emmi.

"Action, are you crazy? I don't even know if I want action." Emmi had been on her first date with a woman. If someone had asked her about her sexual orientation just a month ago, Emmi wouldn't have hesitated for a second. Now, on the other hand, things were a bit more complicated.

It all started with a friendly gathering with two local women from Bangkok. Tan and Tran took her to a hip rooftop bar with a fantastic view of the city lights, and Emmi was surprised at how quickly she relaxed with them. It probably helped that the two Thai women were long-time friends, and the opportunity to practice English with a foreigner was quite natural for them. Emmi enjoyed her time, and noticed Tran looked at her seductively when they were saying goodbye. The next morning, she got an Instagram message from her, inviting Emmi to hang out, just the two of them this time. Nina still hadn't heard how that second date went.

"Well, I'll just say, it was great. Excellent. I mean, if I hadn't met Tran and Tan, I would never have seen Bangkok this way. I have to take you to that place sometime, you'll like it. It's basically an abandoned parking lot a little outside the city, but they've fixed it up nicely. At first it looks a bit seedy, but people get dressed up, and there's just all kinds of folks. The music is eclectic, and the atmosphere in general is amazing. You can see those big shiny skyscrapers from there, it has a kind of cyberpunk feel to it."

"Okay, alright, stop talking about how cool the place is and start talking about what it was like with Tran!" Nina said.

"It was nice! She didn't try to make a move or anything, just was very pleasant towards me. At one point we danced together. There it got a bit... uh... warmer," Emmi said with a smile that touched her eyes.

"Warmer? What happened, out with the juicy details!"

"Well, just the way we danced and looked at each other, it definitely wasn't friendly."

"And, did you want more?"

"Well... actually, yes. I did. But nothing happened. While we danced I was completely lost in the moment, we had a few drinks, then Tran called a taxi, and we each went our way. It was nice, I have no idea what will happen next, to be honest. We didn't arrange another meeting."

"Well, now you have to invite her, I guess. I have no idea how it works between two women. Do what you want to do! Make your dreams come true," she said, laughing "If you want to see her, invite her on a date!"

"I just have no idea where to take her. I'm a stranger to this city, and she's lived here for thirty years. Do you have any ideas?" 

Nina didn't, but she was glad to be able to concentrate on something other than work, tattoos, or intimidating black-haired strangers with a serious, murky gazes.