Ricky watched the rather pretty waiter walk off and then he scooted his plate towards him, trying to avoid looking too eager to dive into the cake. L.Joe noticed however and smiled to himself, adoring how cute Ricky was being. 

Ricky picked up his chopsticks and got a piece of the cake and cutely chewed it. He made a noise of happiness and drank a sip of water after swallowing it. 

"Wow, this is amazing! " Ricky smiled brightly and ate another piece. L.Joe smiled warmly and did the same, nodding in agreement in the process.

"The first time I came in here and had this, I was completely taken away. I still am every time, every little bite sends me into a flood of well missed memories... It continues to dazzle me." 

Ricky thought L.Joe was going a little too deep for one little desert, but he said nothing of the sort. He just continued to eat his little Hot Angel Delight and stare off out the window unknowingly. He finished his last bite without realizing it. He was stuck in a trance, just gazing out for the longest of while, with a warm feeling taken over him. 

It wasn't until L.Joe coughed to get his attention did Ricky notice both plates were gone and a tip had been left out on the table. 

"I told you, this cake always dazzels me. It seems to do the same for you." 

Ricky pondered strongly, trying to see what L.Joe was getting at. He finally put it together, assuming that meant the cake had somehow influenced him to let go of his senses and space out in ease. It was weird, nothing like that had ever caused him to feel such a way. Before he could say anything, L.Joe got up, saying, " Come on, Ricky. Let's take a walk. Then you can go on home and enjoy the rest of your day." 

"Uh- Right, okay. " Ricky quickly stood and followed L.Joe out the door. He walked slightly behind him, just expecting L.Joe to lead the way in silence. However, L.Joe slowed his pace down until he could stand side-by-side with Ricky, smiling at the awkwardness Ricky was showing. 

"So, was the cake amazing or what?" L.Joe half-smirked at his own question.

"Yeah, it was amazing! I never realized a simple food could make me like that.. But it was great! I'm really glad I had it." 

The beginning of a conversation immediately vanished all of Ricky's nervousness and lightened his mood by a ton. However, though L.Joe kept his cool, he grew anxious, afraid of not knowing how to carry on a conversation with whom he didn't know too well. He was anything but a social butterfly, not since his last love did he even care to converse with anyone. 

"..I'm glad you liked it then, Ricky. It's been a while since someone else went with me."

"Oh, jinja? Don't you have friends you hang out with who could go with you?" 

L.Joe looked at the ground as he walked, his pace growing slower. "Nah, not really. I don't hang out with anyone.. "

"Omo! You should hang out with us then! Well, I mean, Changjo and me and our Hyung, Chunji. "

L.Joe looked up at Ricky and smiled, then looked back at the ground an shook his head. "It's alright, I just wanted to see you this once. I won't be bothering you like this again," he said, then sighed lightly.

"Ehh? Why? Come on, I bet they'd love to hang out with you! Er... I mean... I do... So I'm sure they would too." 

Ricky grabbed onto L.Joe's arm, intending to turn him around and lead the way, but he saw L.Joe wasn't as exited as he was and awkwardly let go..

"Uh, oh, sorry... I guess you don't want to meet them.. A-ah, well that's all right.." 

"Ah, no, it's not that.. Uh, I will meet your friends, if they want me to.." 

Ricky smiled brightly. "Of course they want to! Let's go~"

Ricky captured L.Joe's arm again, tugging him into the opposite direction. He let go as they walked together at a normal pace. It was utterly silent, besides the faint noise of the wind blowing past them, their hands slightly brushing against each other. All Ricky could think about was that he wanted to and prayed to take L.Joe's hand in his. Maybe not as a couple, but at least as two people who were  close to each other, who shared everything, perhaps, maybe even their feelings.. Yet the day of that happening, Ricky imagined, would be no time soon..

- - - - -

When Ricky arrived home with L.Joe, it was nearly 6:00pm. Changjo, unfortunately, had left, due to some shopping he had to do with his mom that day. Chunji greeted L.Joe casually, as if they were already acquainted. L.Joe did the same, though it was apparent he didn't feel the same. Regardless, he tried to put some effort in getting along with him. 

"So, did you guys have fun?" Chunji asked as he sat down on the couch in the living room next to Ricky. L.Joe had taken a seat in a chair. (Lol, I wrote Changjo instead of L.Joe and just stared at the sentence for like 3 minutes before realizing that's what was wrong xDD) . Chunji had brought a plate of cookies with him, snaking on one and offering some to the others. Ricky took one and said, "Yea, we had lots of fun," then took a bite of his chocolate-chip cookie. He held the cookie in front of him and examined it.

"Chunji-Hyung, you always make the best cookies... But this one seems a little off.."

Chunji sat the plate down on a small table then gave Ricky a hurt look. 

"Ah, hyung, don't look at me like that! OH! I know why! It's because I just ate the most amazing cake ever~"

"Are you trying to tell me that there's someone out there who makes better deserts then I do?" Chunji asked with an upset playful tone.

"I know it's hard to believe, but ask L.Joe! He took me to this little cake shop place and the cake was the best thing I've ever ate."

Ricky and Chunji both looked over at L.Joe, who had kept silent the whole time. "Oh, really? That place must be good then, huh?"Chunji's question was directed to L.Joe.

"Yeah, it's a really nice cafe. I've been going there for years.. Ricky really seemed to like it."

Chunji smirked at Ricky, making him blush. The three males ate cookies while getting to know each other better. Well, mostly just knowing L.Joe better, since Ricky an Chunji could write out a novel of facts about each other. Turns out, L.Joe was Ricky's hyung. He was born and raised in their city, excluding a few years he spent living in America. Due to moving to America, he had been held back a year, explaining why he was just now a freshmen. 

Chunji took the time to explain why he was living with Ricky, though they weren't actual brothers.

At the age of 5, Chunji's parents had gone out on a date to a fancy restaurant, leaving him back at home with a babysitter. An hour later, the babysitter the television to watch the local news. They watched in fright as they saw the breaking horror of a live camera capturing the fire of a nearby restaurant. Not knowing which one Chunji's parents had gone to, the babysitter dug deep into her purse, getting out her cell phone and an emergency contact number. She dialed his parents' number as quick as she could, holding her breathe in despair as the phone continued to ring, no one answering.

" Noona, are umma and appa in the fire?" Chunji asked, pointing to the screen. 

The babysitter held him close in a tight hug, covering his eyes from the screen when she saw familiar faces being loaded onto an ambulance. "No, no, dear, they weren't in the fire... They're going to be just fine..." 

But a call from the hospital an hour later said otherwise...

Chunji whipped tears from his eyes, always getting emotional when he told the story. Ricky rubbed his back, trying to soothe him. "And so, we got the news that they were in critical condition, but it never occurred to me that they could die.. My umma had gotten hit by a falling piece of wood and it broke her leg.. They said that she had been in the smoke longer than my appa, and she died from smoke inhalation. My appa suffered from deep burns, but they weren't too life-threatening.. He stayed at the hospital for just about a week before he was released.. During that time I had stayed with my grandma, but she didn't tell me my umma had died.. When appa got out, no one had told him umma was gone.. When we got the news, he became so different.. He started smoking and drinking, not much, but enough for me to get worried. He neglected me... Neglected to love me... I would beg him to stop, to stop crying, to stop smoking, to stop drinking.. But he never listened.. My 6th birthday grew near, and he seemed even sadder that day.. I found out why.. My grandmother passed away that morning.. Another year came and went, and sure enough my 7th birthday occurred.. It seemed to be the best day of my life, for it was the first time I saw my appa smile in the last two years.. Turns out, it was his last.. He left me a note the next day..." 

Chunji stopped talking for a moment and the boys sat in silence, waiting for him to go on. He sniffled once, and apologized. 

"The note he left said he was sorry.. Sorry that he couldn't do it anymore... Sorry that he didn't know how to show me how much he loved me.. Sorry that he didn't know how to make me happy without umma.. Sorry that he didn't know how to live without umma.. Sorry that he messed up my childhood.. But the truth is, his last smile was all I needed from him.. He didn't mess up my childhood, he did show me he loved me, he didn't need umma to make me happy... But he didn't know... And so, in his last sentence, he apologized for taking his life...."

The room became silent again as all three boys looked down in sorrow. A few minutes later, Chunji continued.

"My umma was gone, my grandma was gone, and now my appa was gone.. I had no family members left, no one would take care of me.. Ricky's umma was best friends with my umma and she immediately offered to care for me when she heared the news... And I've been with them ever since."

Chunji gathered himself after a few blows in a tissue. He smiled wearily, remembering the past always made him down.

"I had met Chunji before that though, we were already friends. He'd even spent the night before, so it wasn't that awkward.."

L.Joe nodded in understanding. He felt a little out, not knowing how to respond to Chunji going so deep so soon. He fidgeted with his fingers and glanced over to a clock.

"It's 7:30 already? .. I should be going home by now," L.Joe exclaimed.

"Ah, okay. Bye, L.Joe," Chunji said.

Ricky got up and went by the door. "I'll go with you," he said. "I think Chunji needs some time alone."

"Okay." 

The two waved Chunji a goodbye and stepped out, to the sky that was getting darker. It seemed to be cooler than it was earlier, and both of them seemed pretty mellow. They walked slowly, neither of them saying a word, until they came to the doorstep of L.Joe's appartment.

"Omo, do you live alone?"

L.Joe shook his head. "No, I have a roomate. His name is Cap." 

Ricky's eyes grew in shock.  "But you're only a freshmen!" 

"I got held back, remember?" L.Joe smiled."Well, I'll see you later then.."

"When?"

L.Joe was caught off gaured by the sudden question. "Um... Tomorrow?"

Ricky's heart fluttered in happiness. "Alright! See you tomorrow~"