A:N/ We've got a long one here....but there's some swearing and...well I think you're kind of expecting some of the content.... Anyway, enjoy! LAst chapter goes up tomorrow... So sad.... But I have another chunjoe story to start posting after that and, yes (since it's me) it's already complete, so no worries about being abandoned, and all the pelasure of continuing your daily updates.....It was a second story I wrote, reworking the three core ideas I had when I made this story, but it plays out very very differently, like they're barely connected at all (so you won't be bored after reading this).....If you're interested that is...

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Chunji sighed as he slid out of the English classroom, intending on making his way to the boys' bathroom. He really shouldn't have had two bottles of juice from the canteen, despite what L. Joe had said. He'd been kind of thirsty and the other boy had mentioned something about the risks of dehydration on a hot day, and how he only had to last another hour and he'd be home again.

Let this serve as a lesson to him; his bladder couldn't handle another hour.

He was in such a hurry as he left the English block, almost running to the bathroom, that he completely missed the hallway's other occupant, if he'd even been there in the first place. He was leaning up against the wall near the classroom, eyes steadfastly fixed on the door. Chunji couldn't help frowning at the sight.

All thoughts of L. Joe's cute smile and intimate company back in the classroom fled from his mind as he stalked over to the unsuspecting man. “Mr Cho?” he questioned, as though he didn't know. The other guy jolted slightly, clearly not having noticed Chunji walking over to him, too caught up in whatever thoughts were racing through his mind as he waited outside of his and L. Joe's English class.

“Ah hello there.” Mr Cho mumbled, sullenly, trying to make out like he'd forgotten who Chunji was. As if Chunji was going to fall for that when the other man seemed incapable of keeping his glare to himself. That was okay, Chunji had no problem being open about his hostility to the other man; he didn't like or trust him one bit.

“Are you waiting to see L. Joe?” he questioned, still maintaining a semblance of manners despite his furiously beating heart. He couldn't tell if he was nervous that L. Joe might overhear anything he was about to say, or angry with the other man for being his rival for L. Joe's affections.

Now where did that thought come from?

“Indeed I am.” the other man stated, his lips quickly forming into an arrogant smirk, daring Chunji to make a comment about his purpose there. That was all well and good with Chunji, he was more than happy to get this over with once and for all.

“Are you sure that's appropriate?” he questioned rudely, putting every bit of attitude he could muster into his tone. If Mr Cho wanted to play this game, he could too. “Your presence here is uncalled for. I think it'd be better if you left, before he sees you.” Chunji stated plainly.

“Well luckily, I'm not bound by the recommendations of his little boyfriend. Because that doesn't interest me in the slightest.” Mr Cho sneered. Chunji blinked at the older man, not having expected the comment despite the obvious dislike the older man felt for him. “I wasn't recommending it because it benefited me in anyway. I was only telling you what L. Joe wants.” Chunji argued.

Mr Cho erupted at the comment, pure rage shining through his eyes. “So you say. As if I'm going to believe anything that comes out of your pretty little mouth. L. Joe and I....I can understand why you'd feel threatened; you should. There's something between us; something real that you can never hope to compete with.” the older man drawled.

Chunji clenched his hand into a tight fist at his side, struggling to suppress his own anger. “Is that so?” he said, gritting his teeth together. “Well I hate to break it to you, but L. Joe has a boyfriend and even though he knows you're back, we haven't broken up. Don't you think maybe you should take that as hint? Whatever you guys shared is gone, and L. Joe clearly doesn't want to be a part of it any longer. You've got to let it go.” Chunji stated knowingly.

“Tch. You really think that means something? You really think you mean something to him? You think you're worth holding on to? Only someone that has no idea about the relationship he and I shared would say something like that. Did he even tell you about me? About us?” Mr Cho interrogated.

“Yeah, of course he did.” Chunji replied stiffly, a little put off by the sudden questioning. Who knew where Mr Cho was planning on taking this matter, or what he might follow that question up with. But his response, far from irritating the older man seemed to please him more. “If you know about our relationship then you must know that you've been well and truly outdone.” he sneered, spitefully.

“Oh really? Then why did you only come up in relation to him telling me how much better I am than anyone else he's ever met?” Chunji questioned, the tightness in his stomach telling him that he wasn't referring to the fact that they were teacher and student. Just what had happened between them?

Mr Cho's face flooded with red, clearly enraged by Chunji's comment. He couldn't restrain his temper, bursting out loudly, “You really expect me to believe that he said something like that? Everybody knows that age brings experience. The things I know; the things I've shown him, you could never even hope to replicate. You're worthless. You're nothing. You're completely incapable, I'm the only one who can satisfy his needs!” he seethed, his words only serving to infuriate Chunji more, the longer he listened to him.

“You're just a boyfriend: a hollow title, nothing more. And now that I'm back, you won't even have that to cling onto much longer.” he commented with a dark bark of laughter, that sent a sharp spark down Chunji's spine. “Stay the away from my boyfriend you sicko!” Chunji hollered, charging at the older man, intending on knocking him flat on his back.

But Mr Cho was quick, bracing himself for the impact of their bodies colliding. His hands gripped Chunji's shirt tightly, using his superior strength to hoist the older boy up off the floor and ram him into the lockers behind him. “Is that all you've got?” he demanded harshly, through gritted teeth, panting slightly from the effort it took to keep Chunji hoisted up in the air.

He looked like he wanted to hit him.

His arm raised slowly, clearly intending on smacking Chunji right in his face, probably hoping to fracture something and mess up Chunji's good looks. Despite the loud hammering of his heart within his ribcage, he forced himself to lock steely eyes with the older man. “Go ahead. Do it. Hit me. But just you wait and see the look on L. Joe's face when I tell him what happened, worse still if he sees it himself. You really think he's going to want to take you back after that?” Chunji hissed.

Mr Cho's eyes flashed with the closest thing to concern Chunji had seen, hidden somewhere behind the swirling anger that seemed to overtake him. But the deafening clamour of the bell going off, just above their heads, was enough to convince him. Mr Cho released him, Chunji's feet colliding with the ground hard in surprise, as Mr Cho covered his ears.

He looked torn between staying put to wait for L. Joe and leaving, Chunji hoped that he'd choose the latter. He was almost certain that Mr Cho could see that in his gaze, and that it might have played a role in the hesitancy he saw lurking in his gaze. But then his eyes locked on Chunji's form, taking into consideration his rumpled clothing, seemingly thinking better of being around when L. Joe laid his eyes on the boy, and fleeing from the hallway, agitatedly.

Chunji smirked slightly to himself, feeling like he'd gotten some sort of small victory from their exchange despite how it had played out. The relief washed over him, sending his body slowly sliding down to the floor, knowing that the older man wouldn't be able to see how he was trembling. He covered his face, thoughts of their confrontation swirling around his mind, making his chest thump painfully.

He might even have managed to get a few tears out if it weren't for the loud yelp of his name, coming from his right. He almost wanted to laugh at how happy hearing the other boy's voice made him feel at that moment, but he pushed the thought aside for the moment. He'd been a little worried about L. Joe walking in on them.

His bag made a soft crash as it collided into the floor beside his hand, as L. Joe dropped to his knees beside him, worriedly. “Are you okay?” he asked, breathlessly, “What happened?” as his hands drifted over him, tentatively the creases in Chunji's shirt, before trailing over to his face, forcing the older boy to meet his eye.

Eye contact, almost seemed to sting him, as he noted the wealth of emotion behind L. Joe's eyes, his attention focused on searching out any wounds, any hairs out of place that might indicate to him what had been going on. Finding nothing, he sighed, relieved, withdrawing his hands rocking back to plop on the floor beside Chunji, resting himself up against the lockers too.

They watched the students clear out of the corridor, no one eager to spend more time in the place than they had to. Except for the two boys; sitting in silence. Chunji felt awkward sitting next to L. Joe and not speaking. Just thinking his name reminded him of the altercation with Mr Cho a few moments earlier. He still hadn't fully come to terms with everything the older man had said, but there was one thing in particular that sunk in to his mind.

L. Joe had slept with his old teacher?

He knew he had no right to be concerned about it; there was nothing about it that was his business. Whatever happened between them had been back when L. Joe was still in the US. But the knowledge that he'd been with someone else; that he might, possibly still have some residual feelings for them, made his heart clench painfully.

He didn't know what to say to the other boy.

He tried to tell himself to push all thoughts of what Mr Cho had said away, but he couldn't seem to banish those undesired thoughts. L. Joe liking older men. L. Joe having had with an old teacher of his. It just seemed so incompatible with everything he thought he knew about the other boy. Niel's earlier arguments to him felt so childish and pathetic to him now.

Mr Cho was right, he didn't compare with him at all. He had no experience he could use to win over the other boy, and he certainly didn't have the correct age to appeal to him. He was too immature for L. Joe to like him. Everything he'd seen and heard and felt that he thought pointed to the contrary had all been a lie.

It had been fluffy and sweet, and everything he associated with a relationship, that was why he'd really listened to what Niel had been saying. But it all seemed so naive compared to what L. Joe apparently wanted: what he was looking for. He'd never entertained the notion that he might not be it.

But apparently he wasn't. The realisation made his throat go dry, his eyes pricked with tears he refused to shed while L. Joe was sitting next to him. Images of his confession being accepted, and the two of them being happy burned right before his eyes, leaving only charred remains: remnants of a dream destined forever to go unsatisfied.

Why was it that no one ever returned his feelings? Was he destined to experience only unrequited love? Was he cursed?

“What happened, Chunji?” L. Joe demanded softly, not turning to look at the older boy as he spoke, knowing he wouldn't like what he saw if he did. Chunji just sat there, staring blankly around himself, his mind worlds away, probably considering whatever had happened. “Nothing.” Chunji commented, shaking his head slightly, and even chucking on a half-hearted attempt at a grin to try and convince L. Joe that he was being truthful.

He wasn't buying that for a second.

Chunji stood, raising his bag up onto his back, sticking his hand out to pull L. Joe up from his spot on the ground. The younger boy looked up at Chunji, the older boy's smile never wavering, despite the fact that it failed to reach his eyes.

He grinned slightly, feeling like he had to return the look, even if he couldn't banish his concerns so easily. The last thing he wanted was for Chunji to get angry with him; then he'd never find out what had happened, and he'd be unable to fix it. Whatever it might be. “You've done nothing but sit here, staring off into space for the last 10 minutes and I'm supposed to believe nothing happened?” he questioned, knowing that the older boy would realise how ridiculous his actions would sound aloud.

Chunji paled slightly, a guilty look flashing across his features at L. Joe's comment. He did have a point. When he put it that way, it did sound like a painfully obvious lie. But he couldn't exactly tell L. Joe the truth, now could he? “Sorry. I didn't realise it took that long. I was just thinking about something is all.” he commented with a dismissive wave.

L. Joe wanted to bite back something about how a thought couldn't make his clothing get all wrinkled like that in the course of the few minutes he was out of class, but he bit his tongue. They both knew Chunji was lying, he didn't need to point it out; it'd only make the other boy more agitated. He didn't want to fight.

“What were you thinking about?” he asked instead, wondering whether Chunji had been lying to him about that as well as what happened when he left the classroom half an hour ago. But Chunji didn't even still his motions. “Nothing too interesting. Love stuff. You know, the usual for me.” he commented with a slight laugh.

Something ached painfully in L. Joe's chest at the statement, wishing that Chunji had said anything other than that at this point. He'd made up with Chunji from his little blow up about Chunji's feelings for CAP the other week. But he still loathed the fact that Chunji's affections for the other boy persisted despite everything. The knowledge that they persisted even now, this time conjured up a heartfelt ache thrumming through him rather than pulsating anger, but it affected him nonetheless.

“What about it?” he enquired, trying to keep his tone light, so Chunji wouldn't realise how melancholic his words made him feel. “Are you sure you really want to know?” Chunji enquired, a stunned look on his face. L. Joe wrinkled his nose up in confusion. “Why wouldn't I?” Chunji looked at him like he thought L. Joe was an idiot who had forgotten something incredibly important.

“You know after last week, I just assumed I'd been bugging you about my love life too much, that you were trying to tell me in a not-so-subtle way that you'd had enough of listening to me.” Chunji mumbled sounding a little embarrassed. “What? No way! That wasn't it at all.” he spluttered, horrified.

“I was just.... I'm sorry I was really not in a good mood and I snapped at you and there wasn't really anything behind it at all. I like it when you talk to me about this stuff.” L. Joe explained, sheepishly. “Oh?” Chunji questioned, a cheeky smile perched atop his lips, making L. Joe groan in shame. “You just get so happy when you talk about something you're passionate about. It's very cute.” he explained, even chucking a teasing wink at the end of his words, in the hopes it'd make Chunji's face flame and draw the other boy's attention away from his own warm cheeks.

The two boys wandered in silence for a moment before L. Joe finally spoke up again. “So, are you going to tell me?” he asked, not sure whether Chunji would acquiesce voluntarily or if he'd need further prodding and teasing.

“I was just thinking, about how naive my feelings are that's all.” he stated airily. “Your feelings aren't naive.” L. Joe disagreed. “Yes they are. They're childish and immature and I've only just realised it.” he sighed.

“What made you 'realise' your feelings were immature?” L. Joe questioned, making sure to use quote marks around the word realise so that Chunji would know he still didn't believe him. “I found out about something. Something I don't think I'm supposed to know, and it just hit me like a train you know? I mean I've always known people our age did stuff like that, but it never seemed real. Everyone else is running around doing that and I'm..... I'm.... not.” Chunji finished lamely, his cheeks darkening to an almost painful hue, ashamed.

L. Joe stared at him, confused, trying to work out what Chunji could possibly have been referring to. He might even have been preparing to ask him to be more explicit, the thought of which drove Chunji's head down until his chin nearly touched his chest. Something about the way Chunji's face was so red and the way he was refusing to meet his eyes, made the words click in L. Joe's mind, his face lighting up with realisation.

He considered what Chunji was saying for barely a few seconds, before he shook his head furiously from side to side. “That sort of stuff doesn't matter. Everyone else goes around doing it to fit in; to find out what it's like, to be be reckless. They're doing it out of lust. You, on the other hand, have genuine feelings. When you eventually decide to do that it'll be so much more meaningful. Doing things rashly, is immature. But your feelings? They're like the epitome of mature. Don't worry about it.” L. Joe advised, his fingers drifting down to grip Chunji's cold hand lightly in his own.

Chunji's eyes trailed over their joined fingers; caressing L. Joe's hand, though his fingers remained still. He sighed, letting L. Joe's words wash over him. He probably didn't realise how much hope he was inspiring in him. If he realised that Chunji's feelings were for him, he probably wouldn't have said anything so supportive, he chided himself.

He dragged his hand out of L. Joe's loose grip, hoping the delay would make it less obvious he was doing it because he didn't want L. Joe to touch him right now. He feared that L. Joe might interpret his actions as disgust or something akin to it; that he didn't want L. Joe to touch him. While it was true he didn't want to be touched, it wasn't out of disgust. Far from it. It was because it made him so happy that he was afraid he'd refuse to let it go again when it was time for them to go their separate ways.

“Exams are soon.” he mused, eyes sliding over to L. Joe beside him. L. Joe groaned, rubbing at the dark circles surrounding his eyes. “Don't remind me.” he complained. “Just think, a few weeks time and it'll all be over. We'll be sitting in the hall waiting for our graduation certificates before we leave once and for all.” Chunji mused aloud.

“Ah I can't wait to leave all this behind.” L. Joe mumbled, rolling his shoulders to try and stretch them out, the weight of his bag obstructing his attempts to relieve the tension locked within his muscles. “All of it?” Chunji questioned, intrigued, his slow steps coming to a halt as they approached the side gate, through the teacher's car park, a far too familiar figure resting up against the side of one of the cars parked there.

“Not you guys. You'll be coming with me of course.” L. Joe explained hastily, worried that his hasty words might've implied he intended to leave Chunji and Niel and the rest of them behind. Even if Chunji was still in love with CAP, and planning on fighting for him one last time for the best grades in their shared units, so he could come top of the grade. None of that mattered. He always wanted to be by Chunji's side. He was always going to be there for him.

“What about Mr Cho?” Chunji questioned, his tone sounding so flat it nearly made L. Joe flinch. “What about him?” he questioned confused, gaze flipping around them wildly trying to work out if the man was nearby, thus prompting Chunji's sudden question.

“Do you want him to come with you too?” Chunji asked, gaze kept steadfastly down to the leaves beneath their feet. “No.” L. Joe whispered, the word rushing out of him without any thought. He could see the way his question had made Chunji quirk his lips, in amusement.

“I see. Maybe you should tell him that.” Chunji suggested softly. L. Joe swallowed, hard, kind of wishing he could be a coward and refuse to go. The other man still wasn't aware he was there, but his heart clenched painfully knowing that Chunji was right. He'd been avoiding Mr Cho for too long. It was time he told him where he stood on the matter. It wouldn't do to leave the matter up in the air.

He nodded once, his confidence strengthening the more he considered the idea. He was going to put Mr Cho in his place once and for all. Chunji sent him a watery smile, giving him a slight shove in the direction of the parking lot, waving him off and wishing him luck. L. Joe sent him a crooked smirk over his shoulder, eyes resting steadfastly forward; on his target.

It wasn't until after the whole conversation was over, and the adult had left the campus thoroughly disappointed, that he even realsied Chunji was gone.