Omo Omo omo....I think the next chapter will be rated.....

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“He's not here you know.” Niel commented lightly, observing L. Joe from his perch on the lounge. The older boy had been sneaking around the apartment, as though searching for something. Niel knew odds were good, that the older boy was looking for Chunji.

L. Joe froze, raising himself up slowly, as though doing so would make Niel forget that he'd been sneaking about their apartment. He raised his arm behind his head, eyeing the other boy nervously, feeling a little embarrassed for his earlier behaviour. “Who's not here?” he questioned, deciding that it'd probably be safer to play dumb.

“Chunji.” Niel stated simply. L. Joe jolted slightly in recognition of the name, trying to tell himself that he wasn't feeling the tiniest bit disappointed. “I wasn't looking for Chunji.” he denied, but Niel carried on as though he hadn't said anything. “He went to do the shopping. He should be back soon.”

“Oh.” L. Joe stated, not really sure what else he should say in response to Niel's comment. He stood still, awkwardly trying to figure out what he should say. Finding out that Chunji wasn't there, he kind of wanted to go home and come back later, but to do so would only make Niel think the only reason he was there was to see Chunji. He wasn't sure why, but it felt like he'd regret it if he let Niel know about the fact that he really was there to see Chunji.

Niel gestured to the end of the lounge next to him, but L. Joe hesitated, feeling uncomfortable in the younger boy's presence. Despite his lower age, the boy exuded confidence and charisma, that left L. Joe feeling awed. Not wanting to make a fool of himself, L. Joe rushed over, only to bang his knee into the coffee table as he sat down, making Niel chuckle slightly at his expense.

“You haven't done that in a while.” Niel commented lightly, conversationally. Niel had never bothered to talk to him that much before, L. Joe couldn't work out why Niel seemed so intent on talking to him now. He felt awkward, but he was still surprised by Niel's comment. “I've been doing stuff like that all the time. Just not when you're around.” L. Joe explained, nervously.

“Yes well, you do seem to spend most of your time with Chunji these days.” Nile commented lightly, seemingly unfazed by his little faux pas. L. Joe shifted uncomfortably at the sentence, a rush of panic quickly sweeping through him at the thought Chunji had seen him be clumsy all the time. Could all of this be Chunji's non-confrontational way of trying to get him to leave him alone? Did he think they spent too much time together and wanted L. Joe to give him some space but couldn't bring himself to ask him in person?

“I wouldn't worry about it, if I were you. Chunji thinks its cute.” Niel stated, apparently having picked up on L. Joe's nerves. His gaze was pointed as he looked L. Joe dead in the eye, unnerving him further, “You like Chunji, don't you?” he asked, though the words were more a statement than a question.

L. Joe froze at the question, his heart racing erratically in his chest. “Of course I do, we're friends.” he answered quickly, hoping Niel wouldn't catch his hesitation. He wasn't even sure why the question made him pause. Niel shook his head swiftly from side to side, “Not what I meant.” he stated, blankly.

L. Joe shifted slightly in his seat, seriously considering getting up and leaving before the conversation could go any further. “I think you have feelings for Chunji. I think you want to ask him out.” Niel stated, pointedly. L. Joe's head shook from side to side rapidly, his hands waving in front of him, hoping to disabuse Niel of that notion. “No I don't. Chunji and I are just friends.”

“Are you worried he won't return your feelings?” Niel pushed making L. Joe frown. “Why aren't I allowed to have no romantic feelings for Chunji?” he questioned, a little irate. Niel's questioning was making him feel flustered and uncomfortable. He didn't want to be talking about this, let alone with Niel of all people.

“No you are. But I'd have to be as blind as Chunji to be able to miss all the cues you're giving out.” Niel stated bluntly. “What cues?” L. Joe demanded, feeling more nervous at the thought he'd been to obvious about his feelings. Though what feelings they were, he wasn't sure. Why did he feel like Niel had hit the mark with his line of questioning?

“Oh let's see. There's the fact that you're always over here hoping to see him. You're always talking about him. You worry and fuss over him, and try to look after him. There's the fact that you seem like you'd rather go home than be anywhere doing anything without Chunji with you. The fact that I suspect you'd get jealous if anyone else seemed interested in Chunji. The fact that you looked like you were about 5 seconds away from jumping him when he got dacked by Changjo at the pools and to top it all off, the fact that you've been blushing since I first started this conversation, with a silly little grin on your face.” Niel finished, ticking all of his points off on his fingers.

L. Joe gulped uncomfortably, feeling cornered. That was a lot of fingers. “Not true. Chunji and I are just friends. That's the sort of stuff friends do and feel for one another.” he explained, his explanations sounding flat event o his own ears. “And I wouldn't be jealous.” he added on, childishly.

“Please, you so would. I'll prove it. The second Chunji walks through that door, I'm going to go kiss him, smack bang on the mouth. Chunji won't do anything about it, and I'd be prepared to bet you feel something at the sight. I know it'll just eat you up inside.” Niel commented with a vicious grin. L. Joe wanted to argue with him, but he could see from the glimmer in Niel's eye that he'd already decided he was going to do just that.

“You're just going to have to own up to the fact that you're in love with him.” Niel commented, relaxing back into the lounge with a smirk plastered across his face. “You think I'm in love with Chunji?” L. Joe questioned, dumbly. Niel threw him an irritated look, “Duh. All of us think so. Well, except for Chunji.”

L. Joe wasn't sure why but the thought that Chunji didn't know about his feelings actually made him feel a little disappointed. Crap. That meant he really did have feelings for Chunji, didn't it? Which meant that Niel was right. But he still couldn't bring himself to completely accept what the other boy was saying. So what if there was evidence that supported the conclusion. He'd know if he'd feel jealous about someone else kissing Chunji, better than anyone else, right? Niel couldn't read his heart. And as long as he didn't care if someone else kissed Chunji, then it meant he didn't have feelings for him. And he wasn't going to feel bad if someone else kissed Chunji.

“You're pouting. Don't think I don't know it's because you wanted Chunji to know you were in love with him.” Niel stated with a Cheshire cat grin.

Damn it.

Before L. Joe could argue with Niel any further, despite how futile his attempts would be, the sound of keys jingling in the lock resounded throughout the room. Niel's smirk only got wider, as the door swung open, revealing a slightly tired looking Chunji, carrying at least 10 shopping bags on his arms.

“Hey guys, sorry I'm late. You wouldn't believe the number of pensioners shopping on a Wednesday morning. The lines were terrible.” he complained, not paying either boy any attention as he rushed to put the bags down in the kitchen.

Niel sprang up from his perch on the lounge to go shut the door to the apartment, quickly padding over to join Chunji. As Chunji made his way out of the kitchen, into the lounge room to ask if L. Joe would like something to drink, Niel made his move.

He pounced on the older boy, quickly attaching their lips together. Chunji, for his part looked a little confused, but allowed his eyes to slide closed, nonetheless.

L. Joe felt so awkward and uncomfortable as he sat there on the lounge watching the action go down. It didn't take much to convince himself that he didn't need to see the kiss. His heart had started racing and his eyes filled with tears, despite the fact that he knew he shouldn't be taking it all so seriously. Niel was only doing this to teach him a lesson: to make him see that he'd feel jealous if someone else kissed Chunji.

It was working.

All L. Joe could see, burned into his eyelids was an image of them kissing. He could almost feel the softness of Chunji's lips, the slight pressure against his own lips, as though the two of them were the ones kissing. All he could think about was the fact that he couldn't believe Chunji allowed someone to kiss him. The fact that L. Joe was there to see it only made it hurt more, even though he knew it shouldn't.

He knew the fact that his first thought at the sight was the most incriminating. He'd only started feeling so depressed, when he realised that he'd been hoping Chunji would stop Niel from kissing him, or would break away or something. He'd wanted Chunji to feel like he owed it to him, not to kiss anyone else, despite the fact they were only friends.

Niel was right. He did love Chunji. He loved him. He wanted to jump up from the lounge and rip them apart: he wanted to keep Chunji and all of his kisses for himself.

But he didn't do anything like it. He stayed where he was, eyes downcast to avoid the heartbreaking sight. He didn't need to look, and he didn't want Chunji or Niel to see the tears b his eyes over it. That'd be the last blow: he still had his pride after all.

Niel drew back, and Chunji's eyes fluttered open, taking in his friend's self-satisfied smirk. His eyes flashed over to where L. Joe was sitting, reminding Chunji that L. Joe was in the same room as the two of them. His cheeks darkened considerably, as he shyly looked over in L. Joe's direction, wondering what the other boy must've thought about what just happened.

He frowned in his sorrow, noticing the way L. Joe's eyes were being fixed on the floor, like he couldn't stand to look at him anymore. He glared at Niel but all the other boy did was to shrug proudly, and strut out of the lounge room, leaving the two other boys in silence.

Chunji wandered over to the lounge, sitting down beside L. Joe, trying to work out what he should say to try and overcome the awkwardness. It stung more than he wished it would, when L. Joe recoiled slightly, shuffling backwards trying to put some distance between them. L. Joe must've been disgusted with him over what happened.

“I'm sorry about that.” Chunji murmured, hoping that L. Joe would be able to accept his apology. He didn't want things to remain this tense, and he certainly didn't like the thought of the other boy avoiding him like he was diseased for the rest of their lives. He'd only done it for a minute now, and already Chunji felt close to shattering.

“Why'd you let him do that?” L. Joe demanded, sulkily. The tone caught Chunji by surprise, but he said nothing of it. “I've long since learned you just let Niel do what he's going to do. If Niel wants to kiss you, its just easier to let him do it and get it over with.” he answered, flatly.

“What if you were in a relationship? Would you just let him do that, then?” L. Joe pushed, feeling childish and hurt by what he'd witnessed. The initial betrayal was gone, but he still felt flustered and angry, though he wasn't sure who his feelings were directed at. Although it was at least partly directed towards Chunji for letting Niel kiss him, it felt more like he was angry at Niel for touching his things.

Chunji was his. How could it have taken him so long to notice he felt so possessive of the other boy? How could all these feelings have been there, lurking behind his every action and thought, without his ever realising where they came from?

“No that would be completely different. But I'm not in a relationship, now am I?” Chunji questioned, his head lolling back to rest against the back of the lounge. L. Joe frowned deeply at the comment, and he just looked so serious Chunji felt like he had to lighten things up or else risk something bad happening. “Why, did you want a kiss too?” he asked, with a laugh.

L. Joe looked stunned, sending Chunji a look like he thought he was crazy or something, which only increased Chunji's giggles. He paused, taking a deep breath, the mirth no doubt still shimmering in his eyes as he gazed at his friend. “I'm sorry that I let Niel kiss me. I'll try to make sure stuff like that doesn't happen again, so you don't need to be so tense and uptight.” Chunji assured him, hoping his words might take the edge off of the other boy's rigid form.

Indeed, L. Joe seemed to loosen up a bit after his words. “Do you need some help putting the shopping away?” L. Joe offered, politely. 'That'd be nice.” Chunji agreed, both boys slowly making their way over to the kitchen.