Chunji sighed as he exited the lecture theatre. He was already exhausted, and he knew that he still had several long classes, and a 2 hour break to survive through before he would see L. Joe today. In truth, his day had only just begun, but the knowledge that he would see L. Joe at the end of the day made him anxious.

He liked seeing L. Joe. L. Joe was the only person he spoke to that would acknowledge him; speak to him these days.

Consequently, the day seemed to drag far too long for Chunji's liking.

He started walking, his bag almost sliding off of his shoulder when he had to dive around a couple that had stopped right in the doorway to the lecture theatre. He huffed slightly, annoyed by their selfishness, and suppressed a groan at the realisation of how much the muscles in his shoulder ached from the weight of his bag jolting unexpectedly.

He stumbled a few steps to the side, trying to regain his balance; the unexpected near-collision and his own uneven weight distribution thanks to his satchel bag, compounding one another, to the detriment of his sense of balance. He bumped into a random guy, and he could feel his cheeks darkening in his embarrassment at his own clumsiness, as he mumbled an apology, moving to leave.

He started walking away, but he could feel the other person he'd bumped into, following him. His heart rate spiked, but he tried to force himself to keep calm. Surely there was no way that someone would try and beat him up or steal from him in a public place like this at 10am right? The other person made no move to explain themselves, nor did they make any attempt to grab him, but that did little to offset Chunji's discomfort.

Once he and his follower had left the building, and were out on the main street, Chunji gathered his courage telling himself to confront the other guy. He turned, ready to round on the other guy until he realised how much taller than him the other boy was. The words he'd been going to say, died on his tongue, his fear doubling when he realised that the other boy could probably snap him in two.

Not only was this boy taller than him, but Chunji could clearly see the outline of muscle lining his entire form. Who knew how long the other boy must've spent in the gym to be able to build up that sort of muscle definition? By comparison, Chunji knew his own body was no match; never having managed to gain any muscle on any part of his body.

But then. Chunji wasn't exactly a “body” sort of person. He was smart.

And that intelligence, he was so fond of was screaming at him to back down; to flee. He gulped, seeing the blank look the other boy was giving him. “C-Can I help you with something?” Chunji questioned, surprised to find that his voice hadn't cracked from the fear welling within him.

The other boy shrugged lightly, a polite grin making it's way to his lips as he spoke. “I suppose that depends. You are Chunji right?”

Chunji's heart gave another lurch hearing this boy he'd never seen before in his life, calling him by that name. But by the same token, it felt kind of nice to hear someone calling him that again. The friends that had given him the nickname, were long since gone. In class, his classmates only cared to know the name written on the roll, in the event he was their group mate. L. Joe was the only person he had that even knew about the name, but L. Joe didn't tend to say names when he spoke. He just tended to toss his comments about, unconcerned by the prospect of being misunderstood.

“That's me.” he agreed, hesitantly, wondering whether or not the other boy was planning on punching him once he found out that he did indeed have the right person. That was the only sort of situation he'd ever heard of where this sort of thing happened. But the other boy only nodded, sending him another tight smile as he answered, “Good. My name is CAP.” putting a hand out to the younger boy to shake.

Chunji eyed it for a moment, wondering if this was a trick or something because of the unconventional greeting. People their age didn't shake hands with one another when they first met. Still, he shook the other boy's hand, awkwardly, not used to having to give a greeting of this sort. “Well, CAP. What can I do for you?” he asked again.

CAP shrugged, “Nothing much. I wanted to know if you wanted to hang out for a bit?” sounding completely at ease with the whole situation, despite the fact that he was speaking to someone he'd never met before.

Alarm bells started ringing in Chunji's mind, and he found himself fumbling to try and come up with an excuse so that he could leave this whole situation, without risking angering the guy before him. CAP furrowed his eyebrows, noting how skittish the teen became at his question, continuing, “L. Joe said that you'd like to hang out, since you had a break now.”

A hand flew up to his chest, distractedly as Chunji took a deep breath in relief, “Oh you're a friend of L. Joe's?” he questioned. He was too caught up in recovering from his shock, so the meaning of his own words failed to register in his mind. “In that case, sure. We can hang out, if you'd like.” Chunji responded lightly.

The couple started walking over to the grassy area further down the main street, where people sat at lunchtimes when the weather was good. At this time of day, there wouldn't be many people there, so it'd make a good place to sit and chat for a while. “He didn't tell you that I'd be here, did he?” CAP questioned lightly, shaking his head slightly at his friend's thoughtlessness.

“No he didn't.” Chunji admitted, with a half-laugh. “No wonder you were looking at me so weirdly! You probably thought I wanted to bash you or something, right?” CAP queried with a laugh, making Chunji's cheeks turn pink in his shame at his earlier foolish thoughts.

“How do you know L. Joe?” Chunji queried, lightly, intrigued, suddenly realising that CAP was the friend of a friend. The first thing he'd been told about L. Joe was that he didn't have any friends, or didn't make them easily or whatever. He hadn't even been in the country for a full year and yet he was somehow friends with someone at Chunji's university. That meant that CAP was at least a year older than L. Joe. How could a kid that had trouble making friends know someone like CAP?

“We are both involved in this dance troupe a couple of days a week.” CAP explained, making Chunji's eyes widen in surprise. He hadn't realised that L. Joe was a dancer; he'd never given him any indications to that effect. “Wow, really? L. Joe never told me that he was a dancer.” he commented lightly, making sure to keep the slight pang of hurt he felt at that, to himself.

“I don't suppose he would have. It's nothing really. We're not going to make it big or anything. It's just something a few of us get together to do a few days a week.” CAP commented.

“If you don't mind me asking, how did L. Joe get involved with you guys, if it's such a close knit sort of thing?” Chunji enquired, trying to work out why he was so intrigued to find out more about L. Joe from this new guy. How did getting to know more about L. Joe become so important to him all of a sudden?

“A friend of his from school, Changjo is also a part of it. When he became friends with Changjo, and Changjo found out that L. Joe was into music, he invited him to join us. He's been a member now for a good 6 or 7 months.” CAP answered, easily.

“Isn't every teenager into music?” Chunji questioned, mildly. CAP laughed, awkwardly, “Yes well... I don't think I phrased that very well. L. Joe is you know, a dancer and a rapper. It's nice to have another rapper in the group.” CAP commented lightly.

“So then, you're a rapper too?” Chunji questioned, politely intrigued about this curious stranger. CAP nodded. Chunji shuffled slightly, not used to having to make conversation with anyone other than L. Joe. He hadn't realised he was this out of practice at starting things with strangers.

“I didn't realise that L. Joe knew so many people.” Chunji murmured, softly, not really sure what else he could say. Just one look at this CAP person, told him that their mutual friend was going to be the only thing they had in common. He was certain that this buff, dancer/rapper wouldn't have any shared interests with a scrawny, history nerd.

“I'm not sure that I'd describe L. Joe as knowing a lot of people.” CAP said, sounding doubtful. “I mean there's me, Changjo and Ricky, as well as Niel and you... I think we're the only people he knows here.” Chunji's head spun at all of the unfamiliar names. L. Joe certainly knew more people than he did. Maybe their parents organised this because they thought Chunji needed to meet someone, rather than L. Joe?

The thought made him feel a little ashamed. All this time he'd been thinking he was doing L. Joe a favour by speaking with him, when really L. Joe was supposed to be helping him meet people. He felt really pathetic all of a sudden.

“So, CAP. What do you study?” Chunji queried, feeling a little awkward and depressed at the mention of how many friends L. Joe had. It certainly wasn't many friends, but it was more than Chunji had. He felt intimidated by the thought; he felt like he'd been presented evidence of his own pathetic lack of popularity.

CAP laughed at Chunji's hurried change of topic. “I take it, L. Joe hasn't mentioned any of them to you yet. Don't worry, I'm sure he will sooner or later. He's probably planning on introducing you to them soon.” Chunji blanched slightly, confused by the comment. “Introducing me? Why would he need to do that?”

“Because he likes you.” CAP commented, with a slight shrug. Chunji was puzzled by the comment, not sure what CAP meant by it. If he meant it in the sense that L. Joe wanted to be friends with him, then he should feel happy. But what if he meant it in the sense that L. Joe had feelings for him? He couldn't possibly have romantic feelings for him, right? What should he do, if he did? Did he want L. Joe to like him like that or not?

“Likes me?” Chunji stuttered, the words echoing round in his mind. He didn't know how he should handle that comment and thoughts that it conjured up in its wake. “From what I can tell, he already seems to have decided that you're a friend. I don't think I've ever seen him makes friends with someone so quickly.” CAP explained.

Chunji breathed a sigh of relief, deciding to pretend that his earlier concerns that L. Joe might've had feelings for him, had never occurred. He didn't need to complicate things anymore than they already were, regarding their relationship or his feelings for the younger boy. “And I'm an engineering major.”

Chunji's eyebrows quirked, at the unexpected response. He knew that Hanyang University had an engineering program of very high renown. The thought that L. Joe was friends with someone that had managed to get into it, seemed amazing. Chunji had never even seen an engineering student since he set foot on campus, and he had to walk past the engineering sector of the school everyday. “Seriously? That's so cool!” Chunji stated, amazed.

“I know, right?” CAP grinned. Fiddling with the grass beneath his fingertips. “Being in a dance group, I'd have thought that you would have been part of the Music department.” Chunji commented lightly. “Ah, would that were true. Dance majors are pretty hard to come by at university. Besides, I'm thinking towards the future. Music is just for fun, at least for me.” CAP explained.

Chunji nodded, able to empathise with that sort of reasoning, despite the fact that he wasn't a dancer himself. “What's engineering like?” Chunji enquired. CAP's eyebrows furrowed, as he tried to think of how to formulate a response to that. “It's kind of hard to explain. It's a heck of a lot of work, and it always has projects due. You have a lot of class time for each subject, and it's really challenging but that's kind of the fun of it. You know, trying to work out what's going on.” CAP offered, unsure if his explanation was very good or not.

“How far through it are you?” Chunji enquired, trying to work out how old CAP was, from looking at him, and yet not being able to deduce anything useful. “I'm a second year.” CAP answered, politely. “How about you, Chunji? What are you in?”

“Oh I'm a 1^st year History major.” Chunji stated, uneasily. “Whose History?” CAP queried, perplexed. Chunji shuffled, not having expected the polite enquiry for Chunji to explain what he meant. Normally people just sort of shifted the conversation when he told them he studied History. He wasn't used to someone asking him more about it; trying to find out about what he did.

“A bit of everything I suppose.” Chunji explained, with an uncomfortable shrug. “Because it's first year, I study a little bit of everything to work out where I want to specialise. So I've done some Ancient History; Greece, Rome and Egypt as well as China, Japan and of course Korea. But I've also studied 20^th Century History for both the West and East Asia.” Chunji explained, not used to someone looking at him the way CAP was.

CAP actually looked interested by the thought of what Chunji was saying. “That's a pretty broad span; both in terms of time and geography. You must know heaps of stuff by now.” CAP commented. “Have you decided what you want to specialise in?”

“Umm... Not really. I mean, I enjoy learning about just about anything. But I think I'll specialise in Modern History. I can't see it being easy to get work in Ancient History. People have been studying it for over a thousand years. How could you find something original to say?” Chunji said, feeling a little uncomfortable. No one had ever bothered asking him that before.

“I totally agree with you. Modern History would be way better.” CAP stated, pleasantly.

Chunji couldn't believe that it was already about time that they both left to attend their next classes. He was a little sorry to see CAP go. He was kind of enjoying talking with the other boy. Who knew whether or not they'd speak again after this. Under normal circumstances they would both have left university, never evening knowing the other boy existed. The fact that they'd spoken even this one time, seemed amazing.

“Well, class will be starting shortly, we should probably...” Chunji trailed off, a little reluctant to let this friendly moment end so soon. “Yeah. Hey can I get your number?” CAP queried, sounding hopeful.

Chunji nodded, typing his number into the other boy's phone, while CAP did the same thing into Chunji's phone. “Right, well... I'll see you round?” Chunji stated, hoping he didn't sound like he was desperate for them to hang out again, with his tone. “You know it.” CAP stated, giving the other boy a short wave as he walked off in the direction of his next class, while Chunji turned off in search of his own.

- -

When he started walking in search of his car that afternoon, Chunji was still unsure what he would do when he saw L. Joe. Sure everything had gone okay between him and CAP that morning, but he hadn't forgotten what CAP had said.

L. Joe had set him up and for that L. Joe had to pay.

As he approached his car, he could see L. Joe splayed across the bonnet of his car. It was the same position he always found L. Joe in when he returned to his car on a Tuesday afternoon, and yet today, the sight irritated him. He growled, waiting till he got a little bit closer, before making his presence known to L. Joe. But L. Joe had known that he was coming, and sat up giving him this cocky little grin, and Chunji just lost it.

He pulled his pencil case out of his bag, with a flick of his wrist and hurled it at L. Joe as hard as he possibly could, hoping that the blow would wipe the smirk off of his face.

Unfortunately, that throw wasn't far enough, and the pencil case curved through the air, landing on the ground near the front tire. L. Joe looked down at the thing, unharmed, before sliding off the bonnet, so he could crouch down and pick it up. He held it out to Chunji who had continued to stalk towards him angrily, snatching it out of his hand, only to try swinging it at him again a second later.

L. Joe threw his arms up defensively, as he ducked, smart enough not to mention to Chunji that the older boy had hurt his arm in the process. “I take it you met CAP.” he commented lightly, earning a massive eye roll and ragged breath from Chunji.

“Seriously L. Joe? What the hell? You don't just invite some random dude to stalk me!” he exclaimed, unable to work out what on earth L. Joe must've been thinking when he decided to organise this whole thing.

“You make it sound so much worse than it really is.” L. Joe countered, sullenly, but Chunji could see the beginnings of a grin twitching at the corner of his lips. He gave the younger boy a hard shove, before stalking over to the driver's side door.

Chunji just shook his head, “I'm leaving you here. Don't get in my car.” he stated, sitting down in the seat making no moves to unlock the other boy's door. But he also made no moves to leave. He might not be happy with L. Joe, but he only got to see him one day a week. He was reluctant to let the moment go, just because L. Joe had been a pain.

L. Joe stood outside, knocking on the window patiently, trying to convince Chunji to open the door out of guilt. He knew that Chunji would feel bad, seeing him standing there, looking unhappy.

Sure enough. Chunji let him into the car, a few moments later with a sigh. “Was it really that bad?” L. Joe pushed, wondering if he should feel guilty for setting Chunji up like he had. “No.” Chunji grumbled, reluctantly, slumping down in his seat, childishly, “But I mean seriously, I thought he was going to beat me up or something!”

“CAP doesn't beat people up. His muscles come from the gym not from hurting people. I don't think he's ever hit anyone in his life, and he definitely wouldn't start by hitting you.” L. Joe retorted, disbelievingly.

“It's all well and good for you to say that; you know him. I didn't! So I just saw this really tall guy with lots of muscles, come up to me, clearly already knowing who I am, since he knew my name and was waiting out the front of my class. Do you have any idea how scary that is?” Chunji pressed, still seething a little, about the whole thing.

“Did you guys talk?” L. Joe enquired, continuing the conversation, as Chunji started the car, preparing to take L. Joe home as per usual. L. Joe's hand fell on the steering wheel, forcing Chunji to halt his attempt at reversing the car, to observe him, when he nodded. “What about?”

“I dunno. His major, my major, you... just stuff.” Chunji answered, with a shrug, “Now let go.” he ordered, and L. Joe withdrew his hand, an arrogant smirk worming it's way onto his face. “You guys were talking about me, hmm? What about me?”

“The 14 year old girl you got knocked up when you were back in the States, that your avoiding child support for. None of your business, that's what.” Chunji chided, unable to suppress his own amused grin, when he saw the displeased look that overtook L. Joe's features at his first comment. “So never happened.” L. Joe muttered, curling into his seat, like normal.

“Duh. Just you know, how he knows you, that's all.” Chunji sighed, clearly hearing the slight whine in his tone, that told him that L. Joe would bug him until he knew what they'd said about him. It really wasn't worth the effort it'd take to fight with him over it.

“How did he even know how to find me?” Chunji murmured, still confused about the whole thing. CAP had said that L. Joe had arranged the whole thing. That made more sense, since he did, in fact know L. Joe, but he still had no idea how L. Joe had known when and where his classes were. He'd certainly never asked.

L. Joe shrugged, “I checked your schedule and wrote some stuff down.” nonchalantly. “But how did you get my schedule?” Chunji pressed, L. Joe's answer both answering his question and simultaneously not answering it as well.

“You put it in your phone. A phone which you left unattended for some time on Friday evening.” L. Joe explained. “Ugh, you went through my phone? Stalker!” Chunji commented, nose crinkling in distaste, but it didn't really bother him at the same time. He didn't have anything interesting on his phone anyway.

It's not like L. Joe could have found something incriminating.

L. Joe ignored the statement, groaning to himself lightly. “Ugh, I don't want to go home today.” he whined, turning to observe Chunji lightly. “Take me to your place.”

“What? No way!” Chunji exclaimed, unable to see any good reason why he should do that. Why did L. Joe insist on saying things like this, that made him feel uncomfortably aware of how much older than the other boy, he was. Those 6 months might as well have been 6 years.

“You always say no to stuff. Can't we go somewhere or something?” L. Joe pushed, childishly whining to try and get his way with Chunji. “Your mother will be worried about you.” Chunji said, trying to reason with the younger boy.

“No she won't. She's working late this week too. She wouldn't even realise that I wasn't there.” L. Joe countered, sending a little pout Chunji's way to help bolster his case. “Pretty please? Can't you even take me out for something to eat? I'm starving.”

“Not tonight L. Joe.” Chunji stated firmly, trying to convey to L. Joe that he was serious. He knew the younger boy was looking at him; he knew that L. Joe could tell he was being serious. He heard him sigh as L. Joe caved in, and a teasing smile made it's way to Chunji's lips. “But I will get you some dinner, how's that?” making L. Joe get excited, as he thanked Chunji for being so generous.