A/N: Those of you who haven't read my stories before, for easier understanding, the teal font represents them speaking in English. And I actually ended up rewriting parts of this. So now...there's no ending. This is now probably going to be a two-shot.

“Yeah, yeah. Shut up. I get it, guys. I messed up.” L.Joe continued laughing as he and his fellow Teen Top members continued off the stage and into the back room of the studio.

“Messed up?” Chunji chuckled with a smirk, slinging his arm around the slightly shorter boy’s shoulders as they walked. “Mr. American tried to show off his English skills and ended up asking for a translation himself!” L.Joe just rolled his eyes. He had explained to the older countless times that he had only lived in America for five or so years and that did not make him American by any means. (…For the most part at least.) And after so many times of having to explain, he knew Chunji was just messing with him. Usually he might try to get revenge, or might resort to playful violence, but that was only if it were any of the other members. Not when it was Chunji. Chunji had always been a sort of…exception. And that was where L.Joe could say that America had shaped him in one way.

His uality.

Now that wasn’t to say that America was a giant factory for homouals or something. But even though they still had their own controversies concerning the matter, they were still a lot more open-minded than Korea was. And so, although it felt weird to say, in America he had actually been able to be his true self--even if he was blockaded by the language—whereas back in Korea, he was completely fluent…but not all of him was there. He couldn’t be 100% himself. Which hadn’t been so hard at first.…but then Chunji came along. Since then, each passing day only became more and more difficult.

“Hey! We never really get to see each other much, but I just wanted to say it was nice to be on stage with you guys. Even if I was just a translator.”

L.Joe raised his eyes to the new voice, only to be met with a bright smile and a pair of kind eyes to match. It was…Kevin, was it? Someone from U-Kiss. The young rapper felt bad. He had been so caught up in Teen Top’s promotions lately that even if he had known Kevin’s name as well as his own, he probably wouldn’t have been able to think of it. And the taller male could sense it. Yet instead, he simply smiled wider and bowed slightly to the two in front of him before holding out his hand. “Kevin. Singer from U-Kiss.”

L.Joe let out a sheepish chuckle, bowing back and gave him a hand-shake. “L.Joe. And this is Chunji.” His fellow singer introduced himself as well, but had to excuse himself soon afterwards due to one of the dongsaengs calling his name repeatedly. When the carrot-headed boy looked back towards Kevin, his eyes found that bright smile again…but something was slightly different.

“…What is it?”

That seemed to push the older over the edge. “N-nothing.” Kevin could hardly speak through his chuckles.

“No! Tell me!”

The lanky boy shrugged. “It was just cute.”

“Cute? What was cute?”

Kevin smirked slightly, but somehow the appearance still managed to remain innocent. “Your English.” He spoke, no longer using Korean.

So L.Joe tried his best to respond in English as well. “Hey, I don’t like English, okay? And he used all of these words I don’t know! Or at least I don’t remember.” The carrot-headed boy walked to take a seat on one of the small couches in the room and Kevin followed suit, taking the seat next to him.

“Your English is still pretty good though.”

“Pretty good?” L.Joe raised a skeptical brow at the elder. “I was only there for five years.”

Right away Kevin snorted a small chuckle. “You’re right. For five years your English could be better.”

“Yah!” L.Joe exclaimed, nearly slipping back into Korean and feeling the urge to hit the singer but was unable to bring himself to do so since it was their first formal meeting.

“No need to get angry~” The syllables flowed naturally off the tip of Kevin’s tongue as he cooed the words, casually draping his arm amiably around the rapper’s shoulders.

L.Joe just scoffed, turned to look at the other male..and found himself momentarily captivated. Usually he failed to see the similarities between different artists that some fans proclaimed were there. Like Ricky and TOP for example. And before, he had also failed to see any similarity between Chunji and Kevin. But now… now Kevin felt all too familiar. Those sweet, round eyes. That heart-warming, charismatic grin. That warm personality and their ability to sing…

“Where were you from?”

L.Joe blinked with wide eyes, lucky he even managed to hear the other in his zoned out state. “I-I’m sorry. What?”

“Where were you from?”

“…Korea?”

L.Joe raised a confused brow but Kevin only rolled his eyes and gave the boy a playful shove. “In the states, silly.”

“Oh! Oregon.”

“Wow. Somewhere not California. That’s neat.” He smiled and L.Joe couldn’t help but smile back. Even though he close despised the language..talking to someone who could respond without using broken English and knew that such a place as Beaverton, Oregon existed was comforting.

The two continued talking for the rest of the night. As more time passed the more L.Joe let himself relax and he tried his best to keep up with the English, Kevin kindly correcting him where needed. Somewhere amongst all their chuckling and conversing though, a sudden “Hey, Mister American!” hit their ears, causing both of their eyes to shoot up, L.Joe’s stomach immediately set on fire. He’d know that voice anywhere. And when that voice used English? Oh fu—“C’mon, we’re heading out.” The Korean language was a relief to his ears. Chunji walked away and immediately L.Joe stood up, intending to follow when a hand suddenly grabbed his wrist, quickly snatching his attention.

“Wait,” L.Joe turned around and looked down towards Kevin, noticing the older pulling out his phone and entering the passcode before holding it out towards him. “Here.”

“What, my number?”

“Mhm. If that’s alright of course.”

The rapper just gave a crooked smile and eventually handed the phone back. “Hopefully I’ll see you around.”

*

From: 555-2089

To: 555-3897

Hey, how are you feeling? Nervous?

From: 555-3897

To: 555-2089

I don't want to talk about it.

From: 555-2089

To: 555-3897

Ouch. Why the cold shoulder? No need to get embarrassed about being nervous. I still get nervous.

From: 555-3897

To: 555-2089

I'm not nervous. Please. Can.. can we not talk about it? 

From: 555-2089

To: 555-3897

Alright. If you insist. I'm here for you for anything you need though.

L.Joe's thumb hovered over the 'send' key, and after reading it for the umpteenth time, he deleted the words 'Don't tell me that.' and slipped the phone back in his pocket. With good timing too, because right as he did, Chunji came bounding over, his arms immediately draping over his shoulders and around his neck, apparently still running off the adrenaline from their performance. "We're not even in the backstage rooms yet and you're already texting someone?" He laughed energetically. But the rapper could only manage a sheepish chuckle in response. As part of their 'fan-service' he and Chunji had been extra...'touchy' on stage. And a bit off stage as well. They were already close friends who messed around--they all were--but Chunji always thought that a little extra "practice" before the performance was good. So then it seemed more natural.

...It just made L.Joe's heart want to explode.

So when the six members of Teen Top walked off stage and passed their seven senior members of U-Kiss who were walking on and Kevin waved casually to the orange-haired rapper, he had seen the look in the younger's eyes. His lips formed a pressed line, his jaw taut. He almost would have looked stern...but then his eyes. The fiery glint he saw there...It changed the feel of the expression entirely.

From: 555-2089

To: 555-3897

Don't go anywhere.

Though L.Joe didn't reply to the text, he agreed. "Are you coming, L.Joe?" Someone asked. "There's food!" He needed a break away from the others anyways. Or at least from one person in particular.

"No thanks," he called back half-heartedly. It wasn't that they were tiresome or anything. He just.. needed some time to regain himself. "I'm going to watch the other groups perform." Once he heard an 'Alright' from whoever was talking to him, he let out a sigh and settled on the couch. The next thing he knew, another group was walking on stage and as U-Kiss scattered throughout the room he somehow found himself following Kevin into another room--an unused dressing room was it?--and the door shut and locked behind them.

"What's wrong?" Initially the sudden frequent use of English had L.Joe's mind all confused. But now that a few weeks had passed since they had first officially met and swapped numbers, using English with Kevin was almost a given. And he no longer felt any problem with it. And even though he still felt no desire to talk about how he was feeling, L.Joe let out a small chuckle. Even when he was trying to be assertive, Kevin's voice would always be more sweet than anything.

L.Joe's voice on the other hand... "Nothing." It could be ice cold and cut razor sharp when he wanted it to.

"Don't lie to me, Byunghun. I know you better than that."

At that statement the rapper scoffed. It had only been how many dozen days since they started talking? And yet because of all the back-and-forth texting in strictly English--neither of them inputing the other's name in their phone--and the two groups' schedules suddenly frequently coinciding...what Kevin said was true. They had gotten to know each other quite well. Too well almost. So well L.Joe didn't even mind Kevin using his birthname. Even when they were speaking English. And for the two of them.. that was just about all the time.

The rapper bit his lip and Kevin caught himself staring. "Really, Kevin.." Suddenly the acrimony had left. "C-can we not talk about it..?" That adorable stuttering. It drove Kevin up the wall.

"L.Joe.." The boy kept his eyes away, focusing on god knows what. "Look at me." Nothing.

Kevin sighed. He had been trying to let L.Joe get around to it on his own.. but he couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't watch the younger do this to himself. And so a small smirk slipped on to his lips, a playful tone coating his voice. "I know how you feel about Chunji." Even though he still refused to look at him, Kevin could easily see the astonishment take over his face and whether it was L.Joe's heart pounding or his own, he had no idea.

"H-how- -"

"It's kind of obvious really."

"W-"

"But only because I've been there."

L.Joe turned his body towards the singer, but kept his eyes focused on the floor, not daring to look up. His face was hot, he knew without a doubt that his cheeks were red. It was too embarrassing. He didn't think anyone was able to tell. Not even Chunji. And if someone realized it, he damn well thought it was going to be him. "What do you mean?"

"We're not 'together', but.." L.Joe could hear the lightheartedness in Kevin's voice. "Eli and I are a lot closer than you realize." The Californian watched the younger's body closely and noticed it lose some of its tension. "Look at me, please." He spoke gently this time, taking a seat on a small cushioned stool in the room. But again, nothing. "L.Joe." And finally the rapper raised his head.

Instant. Regret.

Right away he was captured. Right away his own eyes locked with the pair across from him and he could feel the elder peering right into him, feeling like any thought that passed his mind was being revealed. A shiver traveled down his spine and his eyes slipped down to the singer's lips, catching sight of the smile that sat there. That sweet, charismatic, and yet..slightly..smug smile. It was making him think of things. Think of people. Of a person. And when he looked back towards Kevin's eyes, the look he saw there sent him over the edge.

It was like he was watching his own body move forward. Like he was somewhere else and simply peering in as he placed a hand behind Kevin's head before leaning down to capture his lips. ...And yet he did nothing to stop it. Quickly, desperately almost, the action was returned and L.Joe lost himself in it. His eyes slipped shut, lips working at the soft pair pressed roughly to his, his heart racing and out of control. It was all relieving. And it all felt good. Too good.

Byunghun's eyes snapped open, the realization of what he was doing hitting him like a train and so he quickly broke the kiss, shoving the older male away slightly as he stumbled backwards. "I-I'm sorry. I don't know w-what came over me." His eyes darted around the room, probably looking for some way to escape. "I shouldn't have. I didn't even ask you- -"

"L.Joe"

His mind was too frazzled to even use English with Kevin like he usually did. Instead Korean just kept pouring out. "I was inconsiderate. You're right. About my feelings for Chunji. You're right. At least you were. Lately it's been- -"

"L.Joe."

"we've just been talking a lot, and you and him- -"

"L. J o e."

"but now- -"

"Byunghun."

"What?"

"Do you regret it?"

"R-regret what?" Kevin just raised an amused brow at him, a silent 'you know exactly what I'm talking about', causing the rapper to timidly look away. "..................................No."

The singer rose to his feet, his height suddenly overly apparent, and as he walked over to the smaller male, he only had one word to say. "Good."

This time it was Kevin who had his hand running through dyed hair, the other hand grasping the collar of L.Joe's jacket and pulling the boy against him as he pressed him into the wall.

And soon enough....this became an accustomed occurrence as well.

* * *

"How the hell did this happen again?" L.Joe chuckled as Kevin looked up at him, craning his neck to kiss his chin. The rapper sat on the floor, his back pressed to the wall, one knee outstretched and the other propped up, providing the perfect cradle for Kevin's lengthy body to stretch out and cuddle into.

"I don't even know. Does it matter?" He replied with a grin, already knowing the answer.

"No. I guess not" L.Joe chuckled. Relaxing in the warmth of the elder's body, his arms curled around the singer's thin frame with Kevin's own hands resting atop of his. It was true though. How the two of them happened, neither of them knew. They didn't even know what to call i or how to define whatever it was that was going on between the two of themt. All they were fully aware of was that after that one night in the dressing room a few weeks before, 'this' had been happening whenever it possibly could. 'This', all of their texting...and more. (Phone calls, however, had never been  shared between the two. And without saying a word about it, they both knew somewhere in the back of their minds that it never would)

It was then that one of their phones let out a small jingle and Kevin groaned, arm half-heartedly flailing around as he searched for the device to read the incoming message. It was one of the U-Kiss members searching for him. With a sigh, he reluctantly heaved himself up off the floor. "Time to head back.."

"When will I see you again?"

Kevin smiled lovingly and bent down to place a kiss on the younger's lips. "I don't know. But knowing you, it will be soon. And until then, you know how to reach me"

* * *

"B-Byunghun.." A seductive chuckle from the addressed boy followed the shakily breathed name. Among the shallow, erratic, breathing, and wanton moans unable to be restrained, the sound of a phone or two beeping and vibrating could be heard. But neither boy paid any attention to it. They were much too occupied. "Please.." The sounds crawled through every inch of the room, bouncing off the walls of the barren area. And when the mass influx of text messages finally decided to stop, only to be replaced with the ringing of an actual call, the rapper was merely further beckoned to quicken his pace. And so he did.

"!"

The bodies fell to the floor and after a few exhausted moments, Kevin crawled over to and ontop of L.Joe, a small but drawn out moan still lazily being pulled from his throat as his lips tiredly, yet desperately searched for the rapper's. L.Joe smirked and returned the quick, but fervent kisses being placed on his lips as he wrapped his arms around the , sweat glistened body. Their breathing gradually began to slow and return to normal as they enjoyed the wordless company of each other, but of course, it soon had to be interrupted. Just as the younger's phone began ringing for the umpteenth time, Kevin's vibrated another incoming text. Each of the boys half-heartedly reached out an arm to grab their phones and answered.

"Hello?" L.Joe asked after clearing his throat, so the fatigue wouldn't show through.

From the Pigeon:

Yah! Where are you? We're going to leave soon! You better get your over here! The manager's not going to be happy.

"YAH." A grimace formed on his lips and he pulled the cell away from his ear, still able to hear the desperate yelling loud and clear. "IT'S ABOUT TIME YOU ANSWERED. WHERE ARE YOU?! WE GO ON IN A FEW MINUTES- -"

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be there- -"

"Don't 'yeah, yeah' me, L.Joe. We've all been trying to call and text you! Really, what's been up with y- -"

"I'll see you soon, alright, Chunji?" And with that he ended the call, already feeling Kevin leave his side to shrug on the clothes that were carelessly tossed aside when they had first entered the room. The goodbyes were quick, but accustomed, and soon they were both out the door, running in opposite directions.

* * *

L.Joe rushed into the backstage room, still adjusting his jacket, tucking his pants into his boots, hands haphazardly trying to fix his hair. Dammit, he wouldn't have to reapply make-up now, would he? Trying to get by unnoticed, he hurried over to one of the vanities and tried to make sure he looked as freshly prepared as the other five and not like...well, not like he had just got back from having .

"Hey, what's been up with you?"

L.Joe's eyes shifted, taking notice of Chunji standing behind him in the mirror, but ultimately he just continued what he was doing. Because of the few seconds pause that had taken place, the singer almost thought he wasn't going to get an answer. "What do you mean?"

The elder shrugged. "You've been..different. I kind of noticed you acting differently a while ago. Like you were hiding something. But I didn't think it was that big of a deal. But it kept getting worse and worse." L.Joe just nodded along, eyes focused on fixing up his own reflection. "It almost felt like you were trying to avoid me."

"I never tried to do that." ...A bit of a lie. He never wanted to do that. But admittedly, he had tried a few times.

"That's what I tried telling myself. But then after we visited Singapore... it was like you changed completely." Chunji sighed and crossed his arms, casually observing the other boy as he continued to speak. "Every break we get  you run off and no one has any idea where. Not even me. You suddenly pay a lot more attention to your phone."

"We all do, Chunji."

"Yeah. So the fact that I'm pointing that out should tell you something." L.Joe could hear Chunji's voice gradually grow more and more stern. "Do you... Do you have a girlfriend?"

L.Joe's eyes immediately widened, freezing him in place, and Chunji easily noticed, a smirk growing onto his lips. "N-no. I don't. Why would you even say that?"

"Oh? Then who are you texting in English?"

"What the- - How do you- -"

"Look. I may not know English like you do, but I can still read some words like 'babe' and 'love you' and whatnot." He chuckled as if he found the whole situation humurous. Almost like he was relieved. But L.Joe did not share the same attitude by any means. "Why didn't you tell me?--"

"I'm not dating anyone." L.Joe nearly snapped, turning around to face the elder.

"Oh?" Chunji stepped closer, a silent threat to corner the rapper against the vanity. "Well you're clearly interested in someone. And I bet you've been sneaking off to see them." Another step closer.

"No. I haven't- -"

"Is that.." Chunji leaned down slightly, holding his nose near the rapper as he inhaled deeply. L.Joe could only swallow nervously, trying his best to remain calm. "..perfume?" Chunji let out one of his melodic chuckles. "How ironic. So- -"

"Come on, guys." Minsoo suddenly interrupted, practically appearing out of nowhere. "We're on."

* * *

Kevin heard the soft footsteps of someone walking closer, and before he could question who it was, a friendly voice offered an answer. And if it wasn't the voice that let him know who it was, the use of English definitely did. "So, Kevin.." Just Eli. "Have you been doing alright?"

"Of course." He responded lightly, adjusting his clothes and zipping up his bag. "Why do you ask?"

Behind him, Eli simply shrugged. "Just thinking I guess."

"Thinking? What about?"

"It's been a while.."

Kevin raised a brow. The way Eli trailed off.. he knew he was getting to something. "..been a while since..?"

"You know, since we've...done anything."

Those words stopped Kevin in his tracks. Thank god he and Eli could speak English. The others could as well, but on varying levels. "O-oh. It has, hasn't it?" He tried chuckling nonchalantly.

"Mhm. Almost like...you've found someone else." That's it. There's no way Eli wasn't teasing. He wasn't the type to get jealous either. And why should he? They were nothing more than good friends. Good friends with benefits at that. And apparently Eli had noticed that the whole 'benefits' part had been lacking.

Kevin simply walked over to a mirror and casually tried fixing his hair, trying to keep his attention elsewhere. But through the reflection, he could still see Eli standing in the background. "Well I haven't. I guess it just hasn't been on my mind lately. We've been busy."

"Oh please, Kevin. Hasn't been on your mind? I know you better than that. C'mon, don't make me go through the trouble of figuring it out. It won't be that hard you know." Just by listening to the tone of his voice, the smirk on his lips was crystal clear.

"Please. Elaborate." Oh ...

"Well I'll bet you they're an idol. You always disappear when we're not on stage during events. And..." Kevin could tell Eli was about to pull something out of his sleeve. "..how many idols can speak English? That narrows it down a lot, you know."

Kevin spun around in shock, but what he saw was answer enough. "How did you- -"

"You really should be more careful with your phone, you know." Eli laughed with a cheeky grin, scrolling through the singer's phone as if it were his own. "So, who is it?"

"Who is who?"

This time both of their faces dropped at the intruder's voice. English had been a sort of safe-haven for the two. Something that they could call their own, something that brought them closer together. But now there was a third person. AJ. And neither of them were too happy about it.

"Nothing." Eli spoke simply, using Korean again, and handed Kevin's phone back to him.

* * *