“You lied.” Niel stated simply, drawing his cup to his lips distractedly, seemingly only half-listening to what Chunji was saying to him. Chunji narrowed his eyes at the younger boy, exasperated, “Why is that?” he demanded, crossing his arms childishly, as he sprawled across the tabletop, eyes still steadfastly stuck on the younger boy.

“It's simple. You lied because you said that you didn't care about the 'incident'.” Niel stated knowingly. “I did.” Chunji agreed, eyeing the other boy curiously, “What was wrong with that?” “We're talking about your own feelings!” Niel spluttered, astonished.

“What about my feelings?” Chunji demanded, suddenly feeling very defensive, when Niel raised his voice to berate him for his ignorance regarding his feelings. “You said that you didn't care about what happened, but you were really upset over the whole thing. You say that you didn't care about Mr Kim, which I do believe is true, and you assume that means you weren't upset at all. You idiot! Clearly you were worked up about the fact that L. Joe was involved.” Niel explained.

All the colour drained out of Chunji's face, as he considered what his friend was saying. He wanted to deny it, and say that it wasn't true. He wanted to be able to put it down to Niel's characteristic melodrama, and ignore him. But he couldn't.

He'd realised the same thing when he'd thought about it, that weekend when he shut himself off from L. Joe.

But he'd been trying to pretend the whole thing had never happened since then.

“You want to know my opinion?” Niel asked, rhetorically, knowing full well that Chunji probably didn't but not caring anyway. “I think your feelings for Mr Kim have been fading for ages, and you didn't even realise it. I think they've been going down ever since you met L. Joe. I think you like him instead.” he stated, knowingly.

Chunji scoffed at Niel's words, trying to wave them aside. “I think you've finally gone nuts.” he said, with a laugh. “No I'm serious. I wouldn't be surprised if the next time I see you, you're telling me you're going out, or at the very least having .” he stated, adamantly.

Chunji wished that Niel's words didn't make him want to smile.

“Chunji, where are you?” a loud voice called from somewhere else in the apartment. The moment Chunji heard it, his head dropped, smacking into the surface of the table again. “I'm in here.” he called back, voice muffled slightly by the tabletop. Niel covered a snicker at his friend's expense as he pulled his cup up to his mouth.

“Oh here you are.” L. Joe commented, lightly, wandering into the kitchen. “I want to have a word with you abo— Oh hey Niel. Do you think you could give me and Chunji a minute?” he questioned politely, smiling to the other boy nervously. Niel still intimidated him a little. He didn't want to think about what Niel would do to him if he was intruding on something private.

But thankfully the younger boy just smirked at him, wordlessly leaving the two boys alone in the room, noting with glee the apprehensive look Chunji sent him as he was left alone with the object of his affections. L. Joe didn't notice the look the two boys exchanged, promptly settling into the seat Niel had just vacated, across from Chunji.

L. Joe eyed the doorway suspiciously as though he expected the other boy to return, trying to listen in on what he had to say to Chunji, but there was no indication the other boy was the slightest bit interested in them. L. Joe's eyes met Chunji's, and though the younger boy attempted to smile, Chunji could see that he was nervous.

Chunji, for his part, just looked blankly at the other boy, mind abuzz with what Niel had said to him only a moment before. His heart fluttered uncomfortably as he sat there, L. Joe gazing straight through him. It seemed so strange to see L. Joe so uncomfortable around him again, particularly when he'd seemed so cheery only a second before.

Deciding that L. Joe might need a bit of a prompt to be able to get through what he wanted to say, Chunji spoke, glad that his words broke the unsettled silence that was closing in around them. “You had something you wanted to talk to me about?” he suggested, kindly. L. Joe jumped, a little startled by Chunji's words, his head shifting in a hesitant bob of agreement.

“That's right.” he agreed, his fingers twisting nervously as he tried to answer more fully. “I wanted to know... I mean it's past the weekend and I just.... I was wondering.... Are... Are we...Good?” he enquired hesitantly. Chunji frowned, confused by the question, his answer spilling forth before he could stop himself. “Of course we are. Why wouldn't we be?”

L. Joe's cheeks darkened in a flush, his eyes downcast as his fingers writhed, his nervousness clearly growing thanks to Chunji's forgetfulness. “Well after the motel thing, you said for me to leave you alone if I wanted us to stay friends... I know the weekend passed, but I wasn't sure if that was enough for...You know.” he shrugged, uncomfortably.

“Oh that... Of course we're fine now.” Chunji answered, but his smile was hesitant, not quite reaching his eyes as he considered his own feelings. Could he really say he was okay with everything, when he'd just realised that he loved L. Joe as more than a friend? Didn't love automatically mean that things were definitely not okay in their friendship?

“Are you sure, I mean you seem... Distant... Do you want me to give you some more... Time?” L. Joe suggested, gulping on the last word, as though the thought almost pained him. Chunji thought he could see terror lurking in L. Joe's eyes, at the thought. He couldn't really blame him for being scared, Chunji was a little scared too, though he would wager they weren't scared about the same things.

“No. I don't need anymore time. I'm completely okay with it.” he answered in a tone that broached no argument, but he could still see the doubt lingering in L. Joe's eyes. L. Joe couldn't help scoffing at him, “No one is okay with stuff like this.” he murmured raking a hand thorough his hair distractedly.

“Well I am.” Chunji countered, “Or did you not see the text I sent you about me going to see Mr Kim for you?” he enquired, recalling how disappointed he was over the fact that he'd never received a reply from the other boy. Or any form of contact whatsoever, now that he thought about it. Ever since he dropped L. Joe off at Ricky's place, they hadn't been in contact before today.

Even now, his chair was set back several centimetres from where it had been when Niel had occupied it only moments before. The thought that L. Joe was trying to keep away from him, irritated him a little.

At least he now knew why, thanks to Niel, he thought to himself, his cheeks warming slightly at the reminder.

“I saw it.” L. Joe assured the other boy, a relieved if embarrassed look crossing L. Joe's features. He looked so cute when he looked like that, Chunji thought to himself idly. “You could have sent a reply. You had me worried that you might've changed your mind about the whole thing.” Chunji commented jumping slightly at the sudden, almost violent shake of L. Joe's head in return.

Eyes wide, he looked almost frightened, “I didn't. I just wasn't sure if you'd wanted me to reply or not.” he replied, hastily. Chunji disliked the thought that he'd made L. Joe so worried, that he hesitated over every move, afraid Chunji might abandon him if he weren't cautious. He hadn't intended to worry the other boy so much, and the thought that he had filled him with guilt.

“I always like getting replies.” Chunji murmured sulkily. “I know, but I figured an apology after we were friends again would be better than a short text ending our friendship altogether.” L. Joe explained, the tension draining out of his form, allowing him to relax in his seat for the first time since he sat down.

“So, did you tell Ricky?” Chunji asked, curiously. “I couldn't exactly leave him out of the loop, now could I?” L. Joe snorted. “Sorry you couldn't keep it a secret between us.” Chunji offered, his guilt doubling at the knowledge that it was his fault L. Joe was at Ricky's house in the first place. If he'd just swallowed his pride and brought L. Joe back to the apartment with him, or at least driven him home, he could've kept his privacy.

L. Joe chuckled darkly at the comment, “There was never any chance of that.” L. Joe stated. Chunji sent him a questioning look, and L. Joe sighed, revealing, “Before I called you I tried calling CAP. I don't think I gave him the full story, but I'd undoubtedly have to fill him in on the rest sooner or later. Then with you taking me to Ricky's place, and all, I just assumed that I'd have to accept the fact that everyone would find out.” L. Joe explained softly.

“Well that makes me feel a little bit better at least.” Chunji murmured, despite feeling a little sullen that he wasn't the first person L. Joe had called that night. “How so?” L. Joe enquired, amused by the little put-out pout adorning Chunji's lips as he thought about what L. Joe had said. “Because Niel already seemed to have some idea what happened between you and Mr Kim, before I even told him about it, and I wasn't sure how. I was afraid I'd told your secret.” Chunji confessed.

“Wouldn't bother me if you had.” L. Joe said, eyes looking at Chunji intently. Chunji started at the comment, surprised eyes jerking up to meet L. Joe's to try and work out what L. Joe had meant by the comment. “You're my best friend. It's your choice what you say about me to other people. Especially with this incident: this wasn't just my secret, it was partly yours as well. Tell whoever you like.” L. Joe stated quietly.

The two boys drifted off into silence for a few moments, before L. Joe suddenly burst out with another unexpected comment. “I'm going to repay you for this, you know?” he stated, seriously. “Repay what? There's nothing to repay.” Chunji spluttered, hesitantly. “Yes there is! I have to make this up to you.” L. Joe said, adamantly. “There's nothing to make up.” Chunji repeated again, trying to make the younger boy forget about the whole thing.

L. Joe eyed Chunji incredulously, as though he couldn't believe what he was hearing from the older boy, “Nothing to make up? You're my best friend, and I slept with the guy you liked. Then, as if that weren't bad enough, I betrayed you a second time by making you see what I'd done, and asking you to fix everything for me. But you call that nothing?” he demanded, outraged. “What I did is unforgivable: no one else would ever even speak to someone that did that to them. But what do you say? You want 48 hours to mull it over and then we're all good again, as though it never happened. You don't think that needs repaying?” he continued, his voice getting progressively louder, the more angry he got with himself over what he did.

Seeing L. Joe beat himself up over what happened, made Chunji's heart throb painfully. Would L. Joe be so desperate for forgiveness: for repayment if he knew that Chunji was upset over L. Joe's involvement with someone else, rather than L. Joe taking Mr Kim? Probably not. “It's not a big deal, L. Joe. It's fine. I didn't like Mr Kim that much anyway.” he stated, trying to dismiss L. Joe's concerns.

“It doesn't matter how much you liked him at the time: all that matters is that you did.” L. Joe stated, monotonously. His upset gaze, hardened with resolve once more, as he met Chunji's eye across the table, “I mean it. I'm going to repay the care you've given me. I'm going to look after you the way you've tried to care for me.” he stated, tone hard as steel. “That really isn't necessary, I can take care of myself.” Chunji stated, quietly.

“I know you can. I just don't think you should have to. I mean it Chunji, anything you need my help with: any favour whatsoever, no matter how big or small, I'll do it. I'll do whatever you tell me to.” he affirmed. Chunji wanted to argue with him further, but he could see in L. Joe's eyes that the other boy wouldn't budge on the matter. With a deep sigh, he nodded, “Okay. If I need your help, or a favour I'll ask.” he agreed finally, noting the way L. Joe's features lit up with a victorious grin at his words.

“I just won't need anything from you.” he mumbled to himself, knowing that L. Joe wouldn't be able to hear what he said.