A Portrait Worth a Thousand Memories✅

[Pt2: EP11]

Joong remembered the first time they met, the smile that Dunk graced him. He remembered his interaction with Dunk when they first started the deal. He remembered the smiles, the laughter and their chats that lasted for hours. There was no barriers between them, everything was just right. But the Dunk that he sees now was a shell of who he was. 

"How did things go so wrong, P'Daou?" Joong sighed. He had no one else to confide in except his trusted butler/ personal assistant. 

" Do you want me to answer honestly, khun noo?" P'Daou raised his eyebrow. Joong nodded.

" When Khun Dunk wanted to draw the line between the both of you once he realized that you like him more than a friend, you got desperate. That's when things went wrong. You can't threaten someone to love you, khun noo. Especially Khun Dunk. He..." he has been through too much between you and your father. There really is only so much a person can take. These were words that Daou didn't dare to say. 

"The tighter you hold, the more suffocating it is. Sometimes the best way to love is to let them go." Daou wondered if Joong could ever do that. Joong clenched his fist at what P'Daou said. 

***

Dunk didn't look quite right when he came out of Off's office. Joong had been observing him as he staggered out. Dunk had felt dizzy. He told himself to put one foot before the other. He would be able to reach Pond's office but his knees started to buckle. The moment Joong saw Dunk collapsed, he rushed over. Dunk was burning to the touch. He had urged P'Daou to drive them to the hospital but Dunk stopped him. 

"Curse... no one will help..." Dunk mumbled. Joong couldn't help but cursed his father in his mind. He asked P'Daou to drive them to Dunk's house and call his family doctor. 

"It's just a fever. Most likely due to lack of rest, too much stress and infrequent food intake. He needs to take these medication, rest more, drink more water. The fever will be gone soon" P'Jimmy said. He didn't expect that it was Dunk that he was attending to. He looks thinner than when he last saw him. When Dunk tried to wake up, Joong and P'Jimmy tried to stop him.

"Gem and Fot are waiting for me." Joong pushed him down

"I'll inform khun Lertratkosum that you are sick." Joong tried to offer.

"That would make them worry more. They would think that you are holding me hostage." Joong couldn't deny that Pond would think that way. 

"Why don't I go?" P'Jimmy offered. Joong nodded his head and urged him to go before Dunk could stop him. 

"Rest." Joong commanded. Dunk could only flop back in bed. Joong gave Dunk a sponge bath before leaving the cooling wet towel on his forehead. Before Dunk could fall asleep, he heard Joong's quiet words. 

"I'm sorry, Dunk. I'm sorry I went too far. I never intended for that to happen." Dunk looked at Joong who had sincere regret written on his face. 

"Please don't torture yourself anymore. Just assume the deal didn't happen. You don't have to do anything that you're not willing. I'm sorry. All I wanted was to love you but apparently I love you the wrong way." Dunk didn't like the way Joong blamed himself even with what had happened. He couldn't take the total blame since he did to choose to do what he did the last round.

"P'Joong... I forgive you." He mumbled before sleep claimed him. Joong had a wet chuckle at what Dunk said.

After all that he had forced him to do, he forgave him.  

***

When a doctor walked into the office asking for Pond, Book got worried. Pond didn't look sick when they left the house. Pond was surprised as well when he saw the doctor. 

"Khun Dunk is sick. He is worried that no one will pick up nong Gem and nong Fot. He asked that I inform you" 

"Dunk is sick?" Pond started to worry as Dunk hadn't been right since he broke down.

"He has fever. A little rest would help. I've given him some medication already. Less stress, more water and no more skipping meals. He looks a lot thinner than the time I saw him when nong Gem was sick." Pond thanked him profusely.  Pond had picked Gemini and Fourth before heading home early. He wondered if he was imagining when he saw Joong's car driving off. Dunk was sleeping when he entered the room. It seemed that his fever had gone down.  Pond sighed in relief. 

***

Dunk got fussed over and reprimanded by the 5 of them until he recovered. He apologized for all that had happened and was back to his old self again. Something about Joong's confession and apology that lifted that darkness within him. Joong was happy to see Dunk's change from afar. Though he no longer demanded Dunk to stick to his end of his deal, he stuck by his. He never cross path with him when it came to business. 

Not until one faithful day. He didn't know how or why Dunk was invited to an event that was organized by the Veeraphakul. He wondered if it was a mistake. Dunk had looked as confused before Joong realized it was a trap set by his father. Someone had tried to attack Dunk with a knife. Joong got sliced by it before he could knock the knife out of his hand. He guided Dunk to the car to get out of there as soon as possible. 

"P'Joong, your arm! We need to get someone to look at it." Dunk said with concern.

"Don't worry, khun Dunk. We'll get the doctor once we reach home." P'Daou tried to comfort him as he speed through the traffic.

*** 

"Don't worry, khun noo. It's not too deep. It'll heal in a few days." P'Jimmy said with confidence that set Dunk's heart at ease. He thanked P'Jimmy before P'Daou saw him to the door. 

"P'Joong, you shouldn't have done that. Do you know how worried I was when you took that knife for me?!" Joong's heart thumped when Dunk mentioned about his concern for him. He heard Dunk sighed as he ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm sorry. I can't stand the notion that you getting hurt because of me." Dunk couldn't explain the fear he felt within him at the thought of losing Joong. He was utterly confused. 

"Neither can I. I know it was a setup. It was most likely my father's" Dunk chuckled at what Joong said. He could have guessed. 

"I was wondering when he would make a move. After all, there's only me left." There was also Phuwin. Perhaps he should ask Phuwin to stay in London instead of coming back. Dunk was surprised when Joong rushed forward to hug him.

"I won't let him hurt you. Never on my watch." Joong said with determination. Dunk felt the warmth of his solid form. It comforted him as crazy as it sounded.  

"It's not within our control, P'Joong." Dunk sighed. He gave him a squeeze before letting go. 

"I know you have been helping me with the business deals. Won't your father get suspicious?" Joong kept quiet at his question. Dunk shook his head. He asked P'Daou for pen and paper before writing names and numbers down. He spoke to him on which business to look into that would help his case. Dunk promised that it doesn't affect Pond's business since they weren't his targeted market but it was lucrative. Joong smiled proudly at how knowledgeable Dunk was and how well he was able to juggle. 

"Dunk, can we start over again?" Joong asked with hope in his eyes. He was relieved to see the nod along with that innocent bright smile once again.  

~Please vote if you like this EP. It drives me forward. Khoorp khun na kha~

Do comment to let me know your thoughts. 😊😊 

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A/N: well... we have to give Joong a chance since it's Joong😅😅 Updating a little later than usual since both are long EPs.