Beyond The Kiss | JoongDunk

Fifteen: Denial

[ JOONG ]

"Should I get this for him?"

I whispered to myself, staring at the carefully made egg custard. My brother had perfected it, though I'd like to think I helped a little.

Fourth has been strange lately. For some reason, he suddenly wanted to learn how to cook. He has been practicing baking for a few weeks now since he believed that he should be a "wifey or hubby material" for his future husband. So cheesy!

I’m not sure what’s gotten into him, but I don’t really mind. As long as he’s happy, I’m fine with it, but just no relationships for now!

A small, hopeful smile tugged at my lips as I imagined Dunk's reaction. "I hope he likes this," I thought, my heart fluttering as I made my way toward the library.

Wait—food wasn’t allowed inside the library.

I stopped in my tracks, my heart sinking. How was I supposed to give it to him now? My teeth sank into my lower lip as uncertainty clouded my mind. His phone was probably off too—why didn’t I think of that before?

A wave of frustration washed over me. Stupid. I’m so stupid. What do I do now?

I kept pacing, trying to come up with a solution, but nothing worked. I heaved a deep sigh, leaning against the cold wall by the library’s entrance, feeling utterly defeated.

Wait!

My heart skipped a beat as I spotted a familiar figure. Without thinking, I bolted toward him, my pulse quickening with renewed hope.

"First!" I called out, my voice breathless with excitement.

He turned around, confused, his brows knitting together as I came to a stop in front of him, panting. I smiled, trying to steady my breathing.

"Can you call Dunk from the library? I want to give him this." I lifted the plastic bag, showing him the custard.

He glanced at the bag, but something was off. His eyes darted away, his expression tightening. Why wasn’t he saying anything?

I lowered the bag slowly, confusion gnawing at me. "Is... he not there?" I asked, my voice shaky.

First hesitated, biting his lip, then mumbled, "Uhm..."

Something was wrong. Panic rose inside me like a tidal wave. What if....

"Is Dunk okay? Is he alright?" I asked, my voice trembling with fear.

First blinked, taken aback by my reaction, but how could I not be worried? His silence was killing me, making my worst fears feel like reality.

"He’s at Lyria Café," he finally whispered.

I froze. Lyria Café? That’s in the Business Management building. What could he possibly be doing there?

"Why—"

Before I could finish, First suddenly bolted, leaving me standing there with a million unanswered questions.

What the hell?

I shook my head, trying to clear the confusion. Don’t dwell on it, Joong. At least you know where Dunk is now.

I hurried toward the café, my mind buzzing with a mixture of hope and unease.

"This is it, Joong,"

I muttered as I stood outside the café, nerves creeping up on me. "Please, I hope he's not allergic to this." I whispered to myself.