Welcome to a secret world that hides beneath the surface of the mundane. It is a world of urban legends and rumors, a world of astonishing deeds and epic battles. Meet its enigmatic inhabitants. Learn their secrets, their desires, their beliefs, their hopes and their dreams. Listen to the tales of pain, injustice, compassion, kindness, courage, teamwork, love, sacrifice and hope. Meet the guardian angels, the warriors, the philosophers, the priests, the phantoms and the wanderers. But remember – once you enter this world, you can never truly leave it.

WALKABOUT: Dancing into the Sunset

It all started a month before my 20th birthday. After two grueling years in medical school, I began to wonder if maybe, just maybe, following the family tradition and becoming a doctor wasn’t really for me. I knew that in the best tradition of proper Korean-American child-rearing, my parents would blow that sort of thing way out of proportion, so I took my car and rode off into the sunset. No goals, no plans, no nothing. 

Hey, I was a college kid. Common sense was not high on my priority list.

At first, my journey was pretty pointless.  I wandered aimlessly from town to town, eventually winding up at a stupid party where some asshole put some body-numbing crap into my drink. To be honest, I was scared shitless. But before anyone could do anything, a short, mixed-looking guy stepped in and, quite literally, carried me out.

We wound up talking for the next few hours. I found out that his name was Tai. Like me, he wanted to get as far away from his usual haunts. Unlike me, he actually had a goal in mind – he wanted to find his older brother. He had very few leads, little money and no car. I had a car, decent sum of money and no goals.

I wasn’t sure who agreed to tag along with whom. All I knew was as soon as the sun rose, we were off, mocking the terrible pop songs, fighting over radio stations and arguing about which restaurant made you fatter. My days of boredom were officially over.

Two days and one evening later, we stopped at what looked like a skating ring converted into some kind of video game café thingy. At first, I wondered if I wanted to stay there, but Tai talked me into giving it a chance. Turned out, it wasn’t so bad. The food was healthy, the tables were clean and the air was breathable. The other customers minded their own business. A calm, trance-like music played in the background. By the time we found a table, I allowed myself to relax. It was all good.   

“My sister is such a bitch,” I whined between bites, “every time she comes home, she always complains about ugly, dirty, fat patients she has to work with. Nobody forced her to become a doctor. She made a choice. She should live with it.”

Tai, who sat across from me, raised his hand.

“Yes?” I rolled my eyes.

“Unless I am missing something,” he smiled wryly, “you don’t get that many career options your family. I mean, that was why you left, right?”

 “Well, she seemed pretty happy about it,” I retorted. I wasn’t used to being corrected.

“You should pity her,” Tai offered as he ate his cheese and sausage sandwich, “she probably nurtured some corny George Clooney fantasy all those years. Imagine how heart-broken she was when she discovered most doctors weren’t nearly as cute as her lab-coated Prince Charming.”

I smirked at such ridiculous assertion: “My sister doesn’t do fantasies. She just leeches onto a cute guy, sucks his wallet dry and moves on to her next victim.”

Tai chuckled: “She sounds like my brother.”

“Really?” my curiosity peaked, “maybe once we find him, we can do some matchmaking.”

“I don't know," Tai smiled wryly, "my brother likes them brainless."

"Oh really?" I teased, "And what kind of girls do you like, Taichi Warden?"

Normally, when I ask this question, guys would blush and babble like idiots. Not Tai:

"Actually,” he gave me a significant look, “I am impartial to tall, strong-willed, sarcastic brunettes."

I chuckled.

He had guts; I had to give him that.

“Hey, babe, what’s shakin’!”

Oh God, now what!

The voice belonged to a rather massive white rapper wannabe. He was flanked by a skinny, snow haired white guy in a brightly colored disco suit and a bunch of people to bland to catch my attention. I rolled my eyes. Who did those losers think they were?

“Say, as this your natural hair color?” Mr. Disco asked

“Sure,” I retorted, my voice thick with sarcasm, “people are usually born with purple streaks hanging out their skulls.”

The flunkies erupted into obnoxious catcall. 

“She is a feisty one, Big A,” Mr. Disco licked his lips. Gross

“Don’t worry about it, Dij” the rapper wannabe spat dismissively, “She thinks she all cool because she got spikes and shit. But on reality, she is just another Asian s…”

Before “Big A” could finish his sentence, I sprang from my chair, ready to give those morons a piece of my mind. Tai beat me to it.

“I tell you what,” he said in a disturbingly calm voice, “How about you guys leave and find someone else to annoy. Deal?”

 The gang snickered.

“Aww, it’s it cute,” Dij mocked, “the little guy is trying to protect his girlfriend...”

The rest of the gang cackled.

 

Tai yawned:

“If your insults are as bad as your pick-up lines, then it’s no wonder you losers can’t get dates.”

“Buuuurn,” the gang assessed unanimously. Big A silenced them with a quick, deadly glare

“I suggest you take it back,” Dij hissed with what little menace he could master.

“Normally, I would love to,” Tai replied, “But I have a problem with guys who think they can treat girls like dirt and get away with it. So, I am gonna go on the limb and say… sure. When hell freezes over.”

What the fuck was he doing, I wondered, those buffoons are going to kick his ass.  

As if to emphasize my point, Big A walked forward Tai, clenching his fist.

Dij stopped him.

“Wait a minute!” he said, “You seem like a smart guy. You wouldn’t pick a fight unless you had something up your sleeve.”

“You are perceptive. Maybe there is hope for your little band yet.”  Tai rubbed his chin, “It’s very simple. If I fight Big A, I’ll lose. No question about it. So how about we even a playing field a little?”

“What do you have in mind?” Dij asked

"Can you play DDR?"

"I don't play," Dij snorted, "I win."

"Good. How about you and me go for eight rounds. No cheats. If I win, you and Big A will apologize to my friend for insulting her and leave this place for the rest of the week. But if you win, I will apologize and leave this place for the rest of the week. "

“Best overall score?” Dij asked, suspicious

“Yeah,” Tai nodded

“You’re on!” 

That’s when it hit me. Tai was trying to defend my honor!

The very thought made me want to puke. It was stupid, sexist, cheesy and desperately cliché.

And yet, one some level, I was touched. I couldn’t remember the last time anyone ever done something noble for me. I never…

I didn’t have time to dwell on this thought. Now that the deal was made, everybody rushed to the gaming area. I followed, trying to catch up with Tai.

“What the hell is DDR?” I demanded

“Dance Dance Revolution,” Tai replied nonchalantly, “It’s a dancing game”

“Huh?”

“Computer gives directions, you follow them,” Tai explained quickly, “you screw up, you lose points.”

 Before he could elaborate, we reached the gaming area.

“Make way, make way,” cried one of Big A’s lesser flunkies, “the Master is here.”

The people who were playing quickly scurried out of the way.

It didn’t look like much. Two carpets lied in the middle of a small stage. They were decorated with arrows that pointed in all directions. A huge bed sheet of a screen hung a few feel away from the carpets. Looking closely, I noticed there were several wires coming from the carpet.

This was becoming more and more interesting by the minute. 

“Chikas and gentleguys,” the flunky squealed, “what you are about to see is a challenge of unrivaled proportion. Dij, the all-time champion of this DDR arcade will go up against a challenger from out of town….what’s your name, dude?”

“Taichi Warden”

“Yeah… what he said. So, come on down, as those mighty warriors do battle!”

I didn’t know if I should roll my eyes or giggle.

Unfazed by all this silliness, Dij and Tai came up stage and took their places on the carpets. The crowd quickly gathered, encircling the area like a deadly hurricane. It was multi-colored, cheerful, and, to be honest, a little preppy.

 Great, I thought, a Wisconsin Goth in the La La Court. I can feel the joy already. 

The shrill flunky climbed onto the stage, raised his hand in the air and cried:

"Ready! Set! Dance Dance Revolution!"

And they were off.

I wasn't sure what the hell happened. One moment, Tai and Dij were standing still. The next, their feat moved all over the carpets. Loud, upbeat techno filled the building. The screen filled with psychedelic patterns and arrows identical to the ones drawn on the carpet. The audience cheered.

Eventually, I realized that Tai and Dij weren't just stomping their feet. They were dancing. And, I had to admit, they were good.

As the time passed, the tunes changed, the arrows scrolled faster and the dancing became more furious. Dij was starting to sweat and stumble. But Tai... My traveling companion actually got better and better. He was completely calm and focused. Realizing that he might loose, Dij kicked into high gear. Tai followed.

I couldn’t help myself. From the top of my lungs, I cheered: “Go Tai!”

Normally, I would have freaked out. I’ve always believed that cheering should be reserved for brain-dead, sugar-high preppies. Yet… This time, it just didn’t seem so bad.

The crazy dance continued. Big A's cronies cheered for their guy. But with every passing second, more and more people cheered for Tai.

And then, suddenly, without any warning, the dancing stopped. Dij collapsed on the floor, defeated. Tai bowed to the public and walked down the stage.

And that’s where his agility ran out.

Just when his feel were about to touch the floor, he tripped. Naturally, I couldn’t let my hero hit the floor.

"Thanks," Tai smiled wearily.

"No problem," I smiled back, "Besides, I am the one who should be doing the thanking."

For the first time in my memory, Tai actually blushed.

“Just to let you know,” he mumbled, “I am not good at the whole Knight in the Shining Armor thing.”

“Tai, my friend,” I smiled, “the Knight in the Shining Armor got nothing on you.”

A minute passed without a single sound.

“Awesome," Tai finally pronounced, "now, fair lady, take me to the water fountain.”

I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, Your Slackership."

I didn’t actually take carry him, of course. I have pride. Tai and I just leaned on each others’ shoulders and dragged each other to the water fountain.

We drank to our heart's content.

"Hey, you!"

We looked up from the fountain.

"Damn," moaned Tai, "I don't wanna dance again."

Big A looked like he was about to explode:

"You can't just beat my friend and think that nothing will happen," he proclaimed pompously

"Oh yes we can!"  I cried, delivering a precise kick between his legs. Before he had a chance to recover, I sent a spinning kick right into his jaw.

Did I mention that I wore very, very heavy boots?

Tai let out an admiring whistle:

"Damn...."

“That’s right.” I beamed sadistically, “Next time, they’ll know better then to mess with a Korean Goth girl.”

“For their sake,” Tai nodded knowingly, “they better.”

We never saw Big A, Dij or any of their henchmen again.

It was already dark outside, so we stayed a few more hours. The owner was so glad that someone put Dij and Big A in their place he gave us free meals for the entire night. Every once in while, people came up to us to get autographs. We ate, drank and were very merry until the place closed and we got kicked out.

In the end, I don't think Tai ever understood what he did for me. With a strange, yet touching act of chivalry, he gave me that a glimpse of what could be.  He showed me that, perhaps, it's OK for a bitter Goth girl to feel joy. He gave me hope that, someday, I might have a good, happy life. And for that, I am eternally grateful.