Beyond The Kiss | JoongDunk

Twelve: Catching Feelings

"Dunk, where are we?"

As soon as the car came to a stop, I quickly gathered the food we had bought along the way and stepped out. Joong trailed behind me, carrying the rest of the plastic bags.

"Would you like to join me for a picnic?" I asked with a warm smile.

He tilted his head slightly, a look of confusion crossing his face. "On a mountain?" he asked, clearly puzzled.

I couldn't help but chuckle at his reaction. "Why not? Let's go."

With no other choice, Joong nodded and followed my lead. The mountain wasn't particularly high, so the climb was manageable. As we reached the top, I heard Joong gasp in awe.

"Dunk, this is stunning," he said, his voice filled with amazement as he took in the view.

I glanced at him for a moment before turning my gaze to the horizon. From up here, the city sprawled out below us, looking so serene and distant. But what truly stole the show was the breathtaking sunset-a glorious blend of orange and yellow hues painting the sky in rich, warm tones.

A wide smile spread across my face. I've missed this place.

"How did you find this?" Joong asked, still mesmerized by the scenery as he turned to face me.

I shifted my focus back to him, returning his gaze with a smile. "My dad used to bring me and my younger brother here on our birthdays. Sometimes we'd come up here just to lie on our backs and stargaze. It's always been a special place for me."

Joong smiled warmly. "You have a great dad, Dunk," he said, complimenting him.

But my smile quickly faded, and I let out a bitter scoff. "He was great," I whispered, turning my gaze back to the scenery.

Joong's brow furrowed in confusion. "What happened?"

I sighed deeply, the weight of my emotions pressing down on me. "My dad is the reason Khaotung and I met. He kept encouraging me to be with him, and eventually, I fell in love. But then, out of nowhere, he decided that my brother and I should go to Germany-and that I needed to break up with Khaotung. He never explained why, and every time I asked, he refused to tell me," I paused, feeling the frustration welling up inside me.

"So, I rebelled. I told him I wanted to stay here and study architecture instead. He got furious and said that if I didn't follow his plan, he wouldn't support me financially and that I'd have to live on my own. Then he took my younger brother away, and I haven't seen or heard from them since."

I sniffled a sob. "His pride is too high-he treated me like a stranger for the past five years, like I'm not even his... son." I bit my lower lip, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill over.

"Believe me, I tried so many times to reach out to them, but his heart was too hardened. He has no idea what I've been through, how I've managed to survive on my own. And now, the one person who was my reason for staying here, Khaotung, has betrayed me and left as well." I scoffed bitterly.

"It seems like everyone I care about ends up leaving me."

I startled slightly when I felt a warm hand grasping mine. Surprised, I looked down at our hands before meeting Joong's eyes. He was smiling at me with sunlight on his face and glowed even more, highlighting his features beautifully.

"I'm so proud of you for not giving up, Dunk," he said softly.

His words struck a chord deep inside me. Before I knew it, my eyes filled with tears, and a tightness gripped my chest. W-why did...he e-even...say t-that?