In the Grip of Jealousy (PondDunk)

Chapter 1

A gentle touch of fingers on his hair, and Pond's heart skipped a beat. His hands involuntarily reached for his phone to capture this moment. He wanted to shout out his love, but instead, he filmed Dunk drying his hair with a smile.

In the interview, Pond was not at all insincere when he called Dunk his best friend. Dunk was truly his closest and most important friend. Pond turned to Dunk for advice first, complained to him about his failures, and always sought comfort and support from him.

They quickly found common ground from the very first meeting. On that day, the sun shone mercilessly, reflecting off the gleaming buildings of King Mongkut Institute of Technology in Ladkrabang, creating an electrifying atmosphere at the "Hot Students" competition. Hundreds of spectators cheered for their favorite participants, who posed like gladiators in front of cameras, hoping to win over the hearts of the judges and audience.

The competition was a true test of nerves, but amidst the chaos, he noticed Dunk. Perhaps his height played a role, but more importantly, his calm and confident demeanor contrasted starkly with the panic of others. Dunk stood there, smiling slightly, as if none of the noise and commotion bothered him at all. At that moment, Pond realized that this man was special.

After the contest, they spent the whole night talking. It turned out that they were united not only by their love for art and desire to express themselves, but also by many other shared interests. They discussed music, movies, books, dreams, and fears. With every passing minute, Pond felt an even stronger connection to this man. He couldn't stop smiling as he remembered that time.

"Why are you being so thoughtful?" laughed Dunk. "Are you getting into character for the fan meeting?"

Pond, without saying a word, put his phone away, looked around, and took Dunk's hand in his. He intertwined their fingers and gave them a gentle kiss. A softness appeared on Dunk's face, an expression that was only meant for him. There were no cameras, just the two of them, together.

For a moment, Dunk let this feeling of closeness between them grow, and then he gently pulled his hand away and tousled Pond's hair.

"Why are you so serious?" Dunk smiled again.

Pond said, "Our anniversary is coming up." As if that explained everything, he added, "I want to celebrate it in a special way."

Dunk paused for a moment, considering his words.
"Time flies," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "We'll come up with something. Let's make our ghost ship happy too." He paused, his gaze lingering for a moment, and then continued. "Sometimes I wonder, are we really that obvious?"

"They'd ship you with anyone you stand next to," Pond said with a smirk, although in the past year, since they'd started dating, those thoughts had begun to worry him.

Dunk laughed, and the jealousy that had taken root in Pond's heart faded away. A laughing Dunk was his source of happiness.

"Jealous that I'll steal your Phuwin, are you?" Dunk teased, raising an eyebrow. Pond just shrugged, clearly not jealous of his filming partner.

Dunk, sensing Pond's unease, leaned in and brushed his lips softly against his. He smiled, watching Pond's reaction. Pond's heart hammered. All he wanted was to shut the dressing room door, shut out the world, and lose himself in Dunk's kiss, to feel Dunk's body pressed against his, but time was a cruel master. He sighed, the longing a weight in his chest.

Dunk was still smiling, his hand lingering on Pond's cheek. Pond snuggled his face into it, a sigh escaping his lips.

A flurry of movement interrupted the moment as the organizer rushed in, throwing a hasty "Fifteen minutes!" their way. Joong trailed close behind.

"Stick to the script," the organizer directed, his eyes flicking between the three men. "Joong, Dunk, after the commercial, you're out. Pond, you follow."

"Yes, Pi," they replied in unison, barely a breath separating their words. He nodded and hurried out.

Joong moved close, settling his hand easily on Dunk's shoulder.

"Ready to light up the stage, boys?" he grinned, a playful glint in his eye. Joong's enthusiasm was always endearing, but in recent months, a small pang of annoyance would shoot through Pond whenever that hand found its way onto Dunk's shoulder, or grazed his knee.

"You bet, Joong!" Dunk grinned, completely oblivious to the undercurrent of tension.

For some reason, Pond was bothered by the genuine smile directed at Joong. He simply nodded, forcing a smile that felt hollow.

Joong pulled away from Dunk, taking a step back and scanning him.

"You're really rocking that look, man," he said, a wink accompanying his words. "I think you might have a fangirl stampede today."

Dunk's laugh came easy, the warmth of his eyes radiating pure gratitude.

"Thanks, Joong, you look fantastic as well."

Pond slumped back in the chair, fiddling with his hair and stealing glances at Dunk and Joong in the mirror. Their laughter and easy banter felt like a tightening vine around his heart, each playful remark from Joong a fresh twist of the barb. He had thought jealousy was beneath him, a foolish, base emotion. What was there to be jealous about when he knew Dunk was his? Yet, it gnawed at him, that constant touch of Joong, outside of the scene, felt like a desecration.

Joong was his best friend, a real riot, a master at keeping things light. It was pointless to be jealous, he told himself. This was just for the show, "Heart Killers" needed the hype, right? But the urge to slap those hands away, to keep them from touching what was his, was a constant struggle.

Pond wanted to believe it was just a temporary phase, that everything would go back to normal once filming ended. But each scene, each stolen moment of intimacy caught on video, seemed to confirm his worst fear. Joong was always too close to Dunk, their playful banter too intimate. It was all a torture he couldn't escape. He tried to focus, to bury himself in his work, but their images lingered, their voices echoed in his mind.

Those casual compliments from Joong, whispered like a shared secret, sent a jolt of pain through Pond, His hands clenched instinctively.

He remembered meeting Dunk at that chaotic competition. Dunk, a beacon of calm amidst the storm, his eyes met Pond's, and something sparked between them, a flame that ignited into passion. But now, watching them, Pond felt that flame flickering, threatened by an icy wind.

"What if I've been wrong all along?" The horrifying thought struck him like a bolt of lightning.

Joong, sensing his strained expression, widened his smile.

"Hey, Pond, why the frown? Worried I'll steal your best friend?" Joong teased.

The lighthearted comment ripped open Pond's insecurities, sending a wave of unease through him. He crossed his arms and offered a tight smile.

"I don't know, Joong. I think you're underestimating how much Dunk loves me," he said, then, as if for emphasis, looked at Dunk. "Right, Dunk?"

Dunk felt the change in the atmosphere and attempted to defuse the tension.

"Alright guys, cut it out, let's hit the stage!"

They stepped onto the stage to a thunderous roar, but Pond felt nothing but a hollowness inside. His mind was consumed by Joong and his words. The glare of the spotlights was blinding, but he only saw Dunk, standing close to Joong. Their smiles were directed at the crowd, but Pond felt they were intended for each other.

He remembered Joong's compliment to Dunk just moments ago, the warmth and familiarity in his voice, and a tightness gripped his heart. "They're just friends," he told himself, but the deafening roars of the fans felt like a cruel mockery.