||ᴄʀɪᴍsᴏɴ sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛs|| ᴘᴏɴᴅᴘʜᴜᴡɪɴ ғғ

10

After some time had passed, Joe and Pond sat in the living room of the penthouse, the air thick with anticipation as they waited for Dunk, Gemini, and Joong to arrive. The atmosphere was tense, each man lost in his thoughts about what lay ahead.

The door swung open, and in came Dunk and Gemini, followed closely by Joong. Joong stepped forward, a curious expression on his face. “Aii, why did you suddenly call us? What happened?” he asked, looking between Joe and Pond.

With a sly smirk, Joe gestured for them to follow him. “Come with us,” he said, leading the way down the hallway.

They all trailed behind, confusion etched on their faces. Joe stopped in front of a bedroom door, unlocking it before stepping inside. The others hesitated at the threshold, exchanging glances.

“What’s going on?” Dunk asked, clearly curious.

As soon as they entered the room, everyone’s attention shifted to the figure lying on the bed—Phuwin, still unconscious and vulnerable.

“Hey, who is this cutie?” Dunk asked, a teasing lilt in his voice as he stepped closer.

Gemini, who had been quiet until now, suddenly spoke up, his tone serious. “Phuwin? What is he doing here?” His gaze shifted between Joe and Pond, demanding answers.

Joe raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. “Huh? Do you know him?”

Gemini’s expression hardened. “Just tell me why he’s here, Joe.”

Joe smirked, clearly enjoying the moment. “Why? Is he your lover or something?”

Gemini’s face hardened even more, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “Just answer me, anyone! Why is he here?”

Pond finally intervened, trying to ease the rising tension. “Gem, why are you pressing this? Do you know him?”

“Yes, because he is my cousin!” Gemini snapped, his voice low but intense. “Now, why is he here?”

Pond and Joe exchanged incredulous looks. “What? Cousins? You didn’t even tell us!” Pond exclaimed, his shock evident. “So that police officer is your uncle? Who are you, Gemini? Are you really on our side?”

Gemini flashed a small, reassuring smile. “Don’t you trust me? Have I ever done anything that affected our gang? Tell me.”

Joong, sensing the escalating conflict, quickly interjected. “Okay, okay, stop it now, both of you. Pond, tell me who he is and why he’s here.”

Pond sighed, running a hand through his hair. “He’s the new police officer’s son. We kidnapped him to teach that officer a lesson. He didn’t agree to our conditions, right? But here comes our big surprise—Gemini is related to all this.”

Dunk looked back at Gemini, intrigued. “So you’re saying we’ve got family ties in the police force?”

Gemini nodded, a hint of determination in his eyes,“Yeah.”

Joe crossed his arms, a glint of mischief in his eyes. “Well, this just got a lot more interesting.”

Pond’s mind raced with the implications of what they could do next. “So what’s our plan now?”

As Pond, Joe, Joong, Dunk, and Gemini stood in the room, discussing the unexpected family ties between Gemini and Phuwin, a faint movement from the bed caught their attention. They all fell silent, watching as Phuwin slowly stirred awake. He sat up, rubbing his head as if trying to shake off the lingering effects of the anesthesia. When he finally opened his eyes, he looked around, noticing the unfamiliar faces. Then his gaze settled on Gemini, and he broke into a relaxed smile.

“Hey, Gem,” Phuwin said, sounding genuinely relieved. “What are you doing here? And where am I?” He glanced around curiously. “Do you know this place?”

The others exchanged bewildered glances, slightly thrown off by Phuwin’s calm reaction. Gemini moved closer, sitting down beside him on the bed. “Phu… well, there’s something I need to tell you. I—”

But before Gemini could finish, Phuwin cut him off, smiling knowingly. “I know what you’re about to say.”

Gemini and the others looked at him in shock. Gemini tried to clarify, “Wait… Phu, what do you mean?”

Phuwin’s smile widened, and he spoke confidently, “I know you’re the one who helped me get out of that meeting. I was scared at first, but when I saw you here, I relaxed, figuring you must have planned all this. These are your friends, right?” He looked around at the group with a grateful smile. “Thank you so much for helping me,” he added, nodding appreciatively.

The guys all looked at each other, visibly thrown off by his assumption. Gemini, feeling the pressure of the truth, took a deep breath and held Phuwin’s hand. “Phu… it’s not what you think. I’m not here to help you escape the meeting.” He paused, bracing himself. “I… I’m part of a mafia group, Phu. We’re the Black Shadows. I… I didn’t want you to find out like this.”

Phuwin blinked, clearly caught off guard. “You’re in the mafia?” he asked, a flicker of shock in his eyes.

Gemini nodded, a look of remorse crossing his face. “Phu, don’t be afraid. We won’t hurt you. And if I’d known this plan was going to happen, I’d have stopped it,” he said, casting a brief glare at the others.

Then he turned back to Phuwin, his voice low and earnest. “Please, don’t hate me. We’re not what people think, I swear. We aren’t the monsters people make us out to be.”

For a moment, Gemini’s anxiety was visible as he waited for Phuwin’s response. But then Phuwin broke into a warm smile and chuckled softly, pulling Gemini into a tight hug. “Gem, did you really think I was that oblivious? Did you think I didn’t know your little secret?”

Gemini pulled back, eyes wide. “Wait… you knew?” he asked, completely floored.

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So what did Phuwin know👀👀