do you have a vacancy

Cho knew he wasn't the only one lost for words. Why was Joon here? Did Cho's mother plan this?

"Definitely, not." His mom said she couldn't turn him away. "He's like family."

"So you're saying he's like a big brother to us, even if we haven't seen him in ... forever." Cho sighed as he crossed his arms. He was getting nowhere with his mother who was putting away all the nice dishes, she'd let Ivy use for the Valentines dinner. Joon was in the guest room making himself at home.

Of course, his sister was giving their old friend the silent treatment. Cho wasn't very good at asking questions, but he guessed it would be up to him.

"What happened?" Cho brought Joon some things, he might have forgotten, like tooth paste and soap, along with some fresh towels.

Joon looked at him a little startled, as he was putting his clothes in the empty dresser. The guestroom was practically a motel room..they never used, but there was a chill here as if ghosts might occupy it.

"Why would anything ..have to happen?" Joon did look a little tired. Perhaps, sad.

"You're at the University." Cho remembered, the last he'd read on a post card that Joon's mom sent to Cho's mother.

He only heaved a sigh.

"I flunked out." He wouldn't look at Cho.

"But.." Cho knew Joon was always the top of his class. His mother did have great plans for his future in engineering.

"Look, I didn't come to bother anyone." He'd spent most of his saving to get here. Luckily, Joon was American born, but hadn't been back since elementary school. His father lived in California.

"Shouldn't you have gone to-"

"No, no..he has a new family." He pressed his lips tight as if he'd have to be on his own now.

Cho guessed they were his other family, after all.

"Ivy, looks...really..happy." Joon was so somber as if everyone deserved happiness, but him.

"Yeah, she's doing well in school, in spite of her boyfriend." Cho shrugged.

"What? You don't like him?" Their was a spark in his dark eyes, as if their might be some hope, after all..at least with Ivy.

"I think she must love him. I know he loves her." Cho would have to be on Randy's side. After all, Randy made great strides to improve himself.

Joon was even lipped, once again.

"Oh, and I have boyfriend." Cho didn't think it would matter to Joon.

"What?" He winced as if Cho might have a terminal disease.

Cho's smile was open. He wondered if Joon would console his mom, now.