Oh Joy: Chapter 2

Kung Jin's POV:

We're all eating dinner, but I can't seem to focus on my stew. It's delicious, but my mind is somewhere else right now. A certain bit of curiosity I guess. Something is up with Takeda. He keeps looking from Jacqui, which isn't a surprise, to me, which is a huge surprise. I figured that my relationship with Takeda was going to get better after all we've been through, but I thought it would be more of a civil type of toleration. In other words, he wouldn't look at me or talk to me at all unless I spoke first. Even then, he would probably just be polite enough for a bit until I got bored and left or pissed him off.

Apparently, I was wrong.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I like the attention. He's hot; there's no getting around that. I may or may not want to throw him against the wall and-

Wait. Stop. Hold it right there. He's got Jacqui. They're dating and happy. I may not be too fond of the girl, but I'm not gonna ruin her just because I may or may not want to screw her boyfriend. Yeah, no. Her dad would rip me to shreds. I like being intact thank you very much.

And he's looking at me again. Why? 'Okay Takeda, what gives? Do I have something on my face, or is it just that beautiful that you can't take your eyes off of it?' I thought, knowing that Takeda could hear it. I raised my eyebrow as he quickly looked down. I could've swore that I saw a blush on his cheeks, but I was probably just imagining it. He would look so cute with a blush though! Cute, and oh so delectable...

I'm doing it again. I just really hope he wasn't paying attention to that. That would be too awkward for me to have to deal with. I have to know why he's staring at me though. I suppose I could just ask after dinner. I set my bowl aside and look around at everybody, but it's not like I'm really paying attention to the conversations around me. Not even as Jacqui nudges Takeda to say something. Nope, not even a little bit. I unconsciously lean forward to better hear what's going on.

Takeda's POV:

We're eating dinner right now, but I can't seem to focus enough to really enjoy it. I can't believe he caught me staring and called me out on it! I had to quickly look down to hide the blush that I knew was coming. I eat just to give myself something to do. Then I feel a tap on my shoulder. I don't really register it though; I just keep eating.

The taps turned into a little nudge. I look up and see Jacqui's slightly concerned face. "What's up Takeda? You're awfully quiet over here." I shake my head. "Thinking. I'm okay, just thinking about something." Jacqui just looks at me. She wants me to tell her what it is I'm thinking about, but I just can't. Not here, not now.

I shake my head again. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing dangerous," I hope, "and I won't get killed for it." Again, I hope. If this goes wrong, she won't understand and she'll go crying to Jax. Well maybe not crying. She'd probably kick my ass and then storm off to Jax, who will probably then kick my ass again before killing me.

I obviously have very little faith in this going well.

I look at Kung Jin again, but he's looking dead at me now. He gives a little smirk and raises his eyebrow. I glare at him and look away, but the blush I got under control earlier came back full force. He's trying to connect with me through thought, but I won't be able to handle that. He'll ask questions in a teasing way, and I won't be able to answer them with a straight face or without sounding too defensive.

Jacqui quickly kisses my cheek and gets up. "I'm done guys. Anybody need me to take their bowls?" She asks and looks around the room. Kung Jin slightly raises his -now empty- bowl in the air. Jacqui rolls her eyes but takes the bowl from him. I stand up. "I'm done too. I'll take them Jacqui." I don't give her any time to argue and take the bowls from her hands." I walk into the kitchen and start washing the bowls. I feel a tap on my shoulder after a few minutes. "Jacqui, I told you I'm fine."

"Not your girlfriend honey. At least, last I checked I wasn't." And of course, it's Kung Jin. "Not now Jin." I'm not in the mood for his questions. He just shrugs and picks up a bowl. "What are you doing?" I ask, slightly suspicious. He shrugs again. "I brought the rest of the bowls. Figured you'd need some help."

I stopped washing and looked at him. "Uh huh, and what brought this burst of nobility on? What's in it for you?" Kung Jin laughs. "Wow, am I really that much of an ass to you?" I nod. "Yes, yes you are. How does your boyfriend put up with you?"

There. That put the question out without even having to sound like I was curious or anything. I didn't even mean for that to come out of my mouth, but I'm glad it worked out that way. He blinks and then looks down a bit. I get the feeling that I just messed up. "Simple really. I don't have one; I never have." He said after some time of silence. "Really?" I mean, he's not the most agreeable guy out there, but there must have been someone that could tolerate him.

He must have read something similar on my face because he sighed. "Look, you found out I was gay through my mind. I thank you for not telling anyone, but you don't understand. Being the way I am is a disgrace, so there isn't exactly time to look for others like me. I'd risk asking the wrong guy and being humiliated in front of everyone. So no, I don't have a boyfriend. No, I have never had a boyfriend. And yes, I have been in love before. Did that cover everything?" He went back to washing bowls.

Yeah, I messed up.