[Thoth] Housewarming Party

@"Thoth"

Heng didn’t have a lot of things with him when he left Cambodia. Most of his clothes and other personal items fit into one box, and a travel bag held most of his things. Moving into the dorm wasn’t too difficult.

He hadn’t met the dorm parent yet, and didn’t know what he looked like. He still thought it would be in good form to get settled before wandering around. In he tottered in his room, carrying a cardboard box that partially obscured his vision, but not unbearably heavy. The travel bag was already in there, thanks to someone else in the dorm who helped out.

The desk seemed like the best spot to set his things down, so down they went. The room was mostly empty, save for a plain desk, a wardrobe, and a bed. It was a lot larger than the room he shared with the other children at the orphanage. It looked comfortable, but also strangely lonely without anyone to share it with. Maybe that would change if I meet the other people in the dorm, Heng mused to himself. At any rate, he thought it would be best if he started unpacking, so he reached for the box and unopened it, taking out books, pencil cases, and more of his belongings.

Heng was in the middle of organizing the folders in his box when a soft knock echoed from the door. Visitors, and while he was still getting settled? It seemed as though this dorm was filled with friendly people.

"Coming!" Heng dropped a stack of brown folders into the box and strode towards the door. He still wasn't used to the door, or the several strides it took to get there from the desk. Once he had reached the door, he wrenched it all the way open, accidentally snagging the rug that lay behind it.

"Ah... hi!" Heng greeted brightly, before getting a good look at the person. Automatically, he switched his gaze to an area above the stranger's right shoulder.

To be honest, the person behind the door didn't look too friendly, or healthy, for that matter. Judging by his apparent age, he was the dorm parent too. Oops. He also looked vaguely Khmer, but could anyone be too sure? At any rate, out of habit, Heng put his hands together and bowed from the waist.

["I'm Heng...? I'm Heng! I'm so sorry I couldn't find you earlier, I would have told you I was here.] A quick eye was cast over the room behind himself. [And I'm sorry about the mess in the room.]

Though Makara looked like he wasn’t in the best of health, Heng wasn’t too jarred. Back in Cambodia, he was expected to be respectful to a host of people: Madam Chhet, the headmaster, all the teachers, the local police... it was more or less a habit until he moved. He still wasn’t used to the different way people spoke to others in this place. It wasn’t bad, just different. And difficult at times. He still wasn’t sure how to speak the dorm parent.

[“Thank you, Lok Som,”] Heng addressed, cautiously straightening up. He knew that he couldn’t hide the mess in his room, so he stood there, feeling a bit awkward. [“If I invited you in, would that be rude? I mean it’s a mess and... would you like to come in?”] Heng stepped aside and gestured to the mostly-empty half of the room. The other half, the half with the bed in it, was covered in neatly-stacked clothes and items. Not necessarily messy, but not completely neat either.