𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐞

Episode 51

The sterile air of Chiang Mai airport hung heavy as Dunk shifted the weight of their luggage. A restless energy thrummed beneath his skin. Just yesterday, they'd been caught in the whirlwind of Win's wedding, and now, they were on the cusp of returning to their familiar life in South Korea.

Phuwin, ever the optimist, had whisked him off to the airport first thing in the morning.

Now, as Dunk waited for his brother to return from the washroom, his mind replayed yesterday's encounter on a loop.

The image of the injured man, his eyes widening in recognition at the picture on Dunk's phone, sent a shiver down his spine. It was a bizarre moment, a fleeting glimpse into a world Dunk didn't understand.

A sardonic chuckle escaped his lips. Fate, it seemed, had a cruel sense of humor. Here he was, yearning to see Joong again, and yet, when faced with the opportunity – albeit under strange circumstances – he found himself running away.

Dunk's gaze drifted to his palm, the lines etched there like a map of his life's journey.

Was love truly not in the cards for him? Was he destined to wander through life alone? A wave of despair threatened to engulf him, a familiar ache settling in his chest.

Just then, Phuwin's cheerful voice broke the silence. "Ready to go home,  brother?"

Dunk forced a smile. "As ready as I'll ever be," he replied, the words sounding hollow even to his own ears.

As they boarded the plane, Dunk stole a glance out the window. The bustling city below gradually shrunk into a miniature landscape.

He knew returning to South Korea was the right decision, a chance to rebuild their lives. Yet, a part of him couldn't help but wonder what secrets the encounter with the stranger held, and how it might be connected to the tangled web of his past.

The journey home had just begun, and with it, a new chapter filled with both uncertainty and a flicker of hope.
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The plane soared through the air, the rhythmic hum of the engines lulling Dunk into a restless sleep. Dreams, a kaleidoscope of memories and anxieties, flickered across his mind. Phuwin, however, remained wide awake, his thoughts fixated on Pond, his lost love.

The wedding festivities had stirred up a potent mix of emotions, a yearning for a past that could have been.
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Meanwhile, in the opulent offices of Johnson Industries,

Joong and Pond concluded their meeting with a sigh of exhaustion. They slumped onto a plush couch, the weight of the day visibly etched on their faces.

Suddenly, a notification buzzed on their phones. It was a message from their father, Mark, demanding they return home immediately. Confusion furrowed their brows. What could be so urgent?

Before they could ponder further, another notification on Pond's phone caught his eye. It was a flurry of messages from Vanessa, his ex-fiancee. Her voice, filled with anguish and betrayal, echoed through the lines. "Why did you do it?" she cried.

Pond's heart hammered against his ribs. "Do what?" he stammered, bewildered.

"Break off the engagement!" Vanessa's voice, heavy with tears, echoed through the phone. "Your father just called off the wedding half an hour ago!"

Pond's mind reeled. A cold dread settled in his stomach. He hadn't the faintest clue what Vanessa was talking about. But by the time he tried to explain himself, the call had ended, leaving him adrift in a sea of confusion.

Frustration gnawed at him. His father held the key to this sudden turn of events. With a determined glint in his eye, Pond stood up. "We need to go home now," he announced to Joong, his voice laced with urgency. "Dad clearly has some explaining to do."

Joong, sensing his brother's distress, mirrored his resolve. Together, they raced out of the office, the weight of the unknown hanging heavy in the air. As they sped toward their home, the pieces of the puzzle remained scattered.

But one thing was certain - a storm was brewing within the Johnson household, and Joong and Pond were about to be caught in the eye of it.
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An oppressive silence hung heavy in the air of the Johnson mansion. Mark, his face etched with worry, paced the living room, his wives, Maya and Susan, clinging to his arms for answers.

Joong and Pond, who had just arrived, stood frozen in shock, their questions hanging in the air.

"What's going on, Dad?" Joong finally blurted, his voice tight with confusion. "Why did you break off Pond's engagement?"

Mark slammed his fist on the table, the sudden noise startling everyone. "Quiet!" he roared, his voice raw with suppressed emotion. "There's a lot going on, things I can't explain right now."

The tension in the room was palpable, thick enough to choke on. Mark's phone buzzed, momentarily breaking the silence. Relief washed over his features as he answered the call, his voice softening into hushed tones.

An inaudible conversation followed, punctuated by nods and muttered affirmations.

Hanging up, Mark turned to his family, a resolute glint in his eyes. "Three days," he declared, his voice heavy with authority. "That's the timeframe. Joong, Pond, you're both getting married."

The room erupted in chaos. Maya and Susan gasped, their faces a mask of disbelief. Joong and Pond, their initial shock evolving into anger, protested in unison.

"Married?" Pond roared, his voice laced with outrage. "To whom? Why? This makes no sense!"

Joong echoed his brother's sentiment, frustration coloring his voice. "Dad, you can't just spring this on us! We-"

Mark held up a hand, silencing them with a steely gaze. "There's a reason for all of this," he interrupted, his voice low and strained. "A reason I can't disclose at the moment. It's a promise I made long ago, one I have to keep."

He looked at his sons, a flicker of pain crossing his eyes. "I need your support in this. Trust me, sons, I wouldn't do this if it wasn't absolutely necessary. When the time is right, I'll explain everything. But right now, I need your obedience."

Joong and Pond exchanged a bewildered glance. The situation was surreal, an incomprehensible plot twist thrown into their carefully planned lives. With a heavy heart, Mark left the living room, the weight of his secret threatening to crush him.

Maya and Susan, their eyes overflowing with unshed tears, approached their sons, their arms outstretched in a comforting gesture. The brothers, their initial anger melting into a maelstrom of confusion and hurt, leaned into their mothers' embrace.

As the night deepened, a somber mood settled over the Johnson mansion. The looming forced marriages cast a dark shadow over their lives. Joong and Pond, caught in the crossfire of their father's secret, knew a storm was brewing.

They had no choice but to follow their father's orders, but a burning question gnawed at them – what was the truth behind these sudden, life-altering decisions? And who were the mysterious brides waiting for them at the altar? The next three days promised to be a whirlwind, a race against time to unravel the secrets their father desperately tried to shield.