A/N: Ugh... I'm really so sorry... I know I always say this, but I really didn't think it would take this long... Inspiration is lacking and I really need to finish this soon, before I lose interest in it completely... I think I'm going to stick to one-shots for a while after this, since I apparently at chaptered fics.. Also, I appologise in advance; this chapter's kinda crappy and kinda from Zico's POV (Still about GTOP, though, don't worry :P)... Anyway... On with the story...

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Jiho walked into the staffroom before school and sighed sadly as he saw Jiyong was once again sitting on his own looking solemn; his face was pale and his eyes had large dark rings around them. The man had been like this for a whole week now and Jiho would be damned if he was going to let his friend sulk for this long.

“What’s wrong?” He spoke, noticing how the older man stiffened before realising who had just spoken and looking up at him, a blank look on his features as he opened his mouth to deny anything was wrong. Zico rolled his eyes and sat down across from Jiyong, still holding his gaze.

“Don’t try to deny it G; you’ve been moping around for a week now…” Jiho purposely chose slightly harsh words in an attempt to get a response from the other teacher, who was biting his lip nervously and avoiding his eyes once again. “C’mon Jiyong, you know you can tell me anything.”

Jiyong looked up at the man in front of him, seeing nothing but sincerity and concern on his face. With a sigh, the older teacher opened his mouth to speak before he stopped himself and looked around the staffroom. There were only a few other teachers in there, but there was no way he could risk it. He stood quickly from his seat and mumbled at Jiho to follow; heading to his classroom since he knew it would be empty.

On the way there, Jiyong wondered if this was a good idea. Sure, Zico had been his best friend for years now, but would the other man just be okay with the idea of his relationship with a student? As quickly as the thought had entered his mind, he forced it out. Jiho wouldn’t judge him; the younger man knew all of his secrets except this one and had never once said anything even remotely judgmental. Zico was the first person he told he was gay, and the younger teacher had just laughed it off, like he already knew and Jiyong was being overly dramatic.

Even after all of his self-assurance, as they reached his classroom, the nervousness had started to creep in again. Five minutes later they were once again sitting in silence inside the locked classroom, only this time Jiho wasn’t going to break it; knowing that once Jiyong had decided to tell him, he just had to let him say it in his own time.

“I-… We-…” Jiyong stuttered, not sure how to start, before taking a deep breath and trying again. “Th-There’s this student…” Jiho’s head tilts slightly in confusion, waiting for Jiyong to elaborate. “Well, actually it’s Seunghyun… You know; Choi Seunghyun…” Jiyong waited for the other teacher to nod before he attempted to continue, not really being sure how to put into words what happened between them; even he wasn’t sure how much of it had even been real, or if he’d imagined it himself. “Well, I was… He… Actually… Well, long story short… We ed…” Jiyong had winced slightly, expecting a dramatic reaction from his friend, but Jiho did nothing other than quirk an eyebrow and continue to look at him expectantly. “So… Yeah, then we were like dating… I think… But then he disappeared for like two weeks…” Jiyong paused, thinking about what had happened next. “When he came back… He ignored me until I made him stay after class… Then… He said he didn’t want to see me anymore and left…”

Tears had started to form in Jiyong’s eyes as he spoke, and, as much as Jiho wanted to comfort him; he was in shock. He’d known Seunghyun since last year and the boy had been nothing but kind to everyone he spoke to in that entire time. In between sobs he heard his friend say something about the student only wanting and was snapped out of his trance.

“No.” Jiyong looked up tearily at his friend. “No, Jiyong… Seunghyun wouldn’t do that… He wouldn’t do anything with anyone he wasn’t serious about; let alone a teacher… For him to take that kind of risk… It must have meant something. I’m sure of it.” Jiyong felt a spark of hope in his chest sparked by Jiho’s assuredness, but he quickly forced it to disappear, burying his face in his hands once more.

“I don’t know what to think anymore…”

Jiyong’s words kept replaying in Jiho’s head for the rest of the day. Since they’d been friends, Jiho had seen the other teacher go through a lot, but never once had he sounded that defeated. Jiho found it difficult to concentrate on his classes for the rest of the day. Luckily, today is the day where he teaches the year 12 music classes, and they were all preparing for their final assignments, so he didn’t need to do anything other than supervise them.

Jiho was pulled from his thoughts when he noticed, in the corner of his eye, one of his students with their head on their desk. As he turned to look at the student, he quickly realised it was none other than Seunghyun; who was normally one of his most enthusiastic students. Brows knitted in confusion; Jiho continued to watch as Seunghyun hardly moved aside from the slight rising and falling of his shoulders with every breath he took. The teacher momentarily considered the possibility that the student was asleep, until Dongwook went over to check on him; looking concerned. When Seunghyun lifted his head to respond to his friend, Jiho’s eyes widened at how bad his face looked. His dark hair was sticking up in all directions, his face looked thinner and paler than normal and his eyes were bloodshot and sunken-looking. What surprised the teacher the most, however, was how similar his expression was to that of his best friend. There was no longer a doubt in Jiho’s mind; this had definitely meant something to Seunghyun. But the question of why he would have broken up with Jiyong weighed heavily on his mind.

The bell rang to signal the end of class and Jiho was quick to ask Seunghyun to stay behind. The teacher waited until the other students had left before approaching the student and sitting on the desk in front of him as Seunghyun looked at him expectantly.

“You don’t look too good, Seunghyun, are you okay?” Jiho acts like he doesn’t already know just to see if Seunghyun would tell him the truth. The teenager lips curled in what he thought was probably meant to be a smile, but there was no conviction behind it.

“Just…” Seunghyun started, not knowing why, but feeling like he could tell Mr Woo at least part of the story. “I just broke up with someone…” Jiho continued his dumb act in order to find out what he wanted to know.

“Really? But, if you’re than one that broke up with them… Why are you so upset about it..?” Jiho saw how Seunghyun chewed on his lip as tears began to form in his eyes.

“… I didn’t want to…” His voice was barely above a whisper, but Jiho heard it loud and clear. His confusion quickly turned to frustration and he decided to drop the false pretences and outright ask.

“Why? What reason could you possibly have for dumping Jiyong?” He saw Seunghyun’s eyes go wide as he looked up at him, obviously scared. “Oh, don’t look like that; I’m not going to get my best student or my best friend in trouble.” Seunghyun looked so relieved, but still didn’t answer the question. Jiho took a deep breath and tried again with a softer tone. “Seunghyun; you’re miserable. Jiyong is too. What unsolvable problem could possibly mean that you too had to suffer like this instead of being happy?” The teenager in front of him sighed before looking in his eyes.

“If I tell you; you have to promise not to tell anyone… Especially not Jiyong…” Seunghyun waited for Jiho to nod before finally telling the teacher what he needed to know. “My father… He found out about us… Jiyong could lose his job… Or worse…” Jiho’s eyes widened as he heard that; assuming that Seunghyun’s dad was in the mafia or something and Jiyong’s life may be at risk.

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Concerned Zico is Concerned