||ᴄʀɪᴍsᴏɴ sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛs|| ᴘᴏɴᴅᴘʜᴜᴡɪɴ ғғ

17

In his bedroom, Pond sat cross-legged on the bed, focused intently on his laptop. The glow from the screen illuminated his face as he clicked through files, searching for something with a furrowed brow. After a moment, he shut the laptop, sighing as if he hadn’t found what he was looking for. He stood up and headed toward his walk-in closet.

As he stepped into the closet, Pond dug deep into a drawer, rummaging through it until he finally pulled out a small wooden box. He opened it carefully, revealing a delicate, silver bracelet with intricate details, shimmering faintly even in the dim light of the room.

He walked out onto the balcony, the cool night air brushing against his skin as he stood shirtless under the moonlight, his messy hair falling loosely over his forehead. The moonlight cast a soft glow over the scene, making the bracelet sparkle in his hand.  Pond gazed at the bracelet in his hand, turning it over gently as the memory of that night flooded back.

Flashback to that night...

It was close to midnight, and Pond was driving back after closing a successful deal. The streets were dark and mostly empty, with only the headlights guiding his way. After giving orders for his men to follow him in another car, he wanted a moment of solitude. But as he drove down a quiet stretch of road, his car suddenly skidded uncontrollably.

Before he could grasp what was happening, the sharp sound of gunshots echoed. Instantly alert, he reached into the glove box, pulling out his gun and scanning his surroundings. He stepped out of the car, cautiously looking around. Another series of gunshots rang out, and he saw several men aiming right at him.

With sharp precision, Pond fired back, taking down several attackers. But as he ran low on bullets, he was forced into close combat, wielding his knife. Suddenly, a sharp pain exploded in his leg as a bullet tore through his flesh. He let out a groan, biting back the pain. Realizing he was outnumbered, he staggered away, dialing Joe for backup while fending off anyone who got close. Eventually, he ducked into a narrow alley, finding a shadowed spot where he leaned against the wall, breathing heavily, his leg throbbing.

Meanwhile, Phuwin was out on one of his late-night rides with Fourth, enjoying the peace of the quiet roads. After dropping Fourth at his place, Phuwin was heading home when he noticed a wounded man running into an alley with several men in pursuit. His curiosity piqued, he parked his motorcycle on the sidelines and quietly followed.

The alley was dark, with nothing but faint moonlight illuminating parts of it. Phuwin moved silently, his eyes scanning for any sign of the wounded man. Suddenly, he heard a low groan nearby. He turned toward the sound, spotting a man slumped against the wall, his head down, breathing heavily. Phuwin approached, crouching beside him.

Phuwin whispered urgently, his hand reaching out to steady the man, "Hey...are you okay? What happened? Don’t close your eyes, stay with me."

The man groaned, half-conscious. Phuwin’s hand instinctively went to the wound on his leg, pressing down gently to assess the bleeding. Pond winced, his hand reaching out and gripping Phuwin's wrist, his bloody fingers wrapping around tightly.

"Shhh... I know it hurts," Phuwin whispered, trying to reassure him. "But I need to stop the bleeding, alright? Just hold on a little longer." He took his kerchief, tying it tightly around the man’s thigh as a makeshift tourniquet. "I’ll call someone to help, just hold on."

Before Phuwin could dial for help, he noticed the assailants were circling back, searching the alley for the wounded man. He felt a surge of protective instinct. Not knowing the details but determined to shield him, Phuwin picked up a heavy wooden block nearby and held his breath, crouching in the shadows. Just as one of the gang members stepped too close, Phuwin swung the block with all his strength, hitting the man squarely in the head. The attacker collapsed to the ground, and Phuwin exhaled, his heart pounding as he glanced down at the wounded man.

The sounds of approaching footsteps broke the silence, and Phuwin’s heart raced. He peeked out, seeing the men lying on the ground, taken down by some men, dressed in full black suits, who were finally arriving. Phuwin watched as the new arrivals hurried to the wounded man, lifting him onto a stretcher and carrying him away to an ambulance. Realizing they were allies, Phuwin took a deep breath and quietly left the scene.

After reaching home, Phuwin took a long shower, trying to calm his nerves. As he lay in bed, his hand brushed over his wrist, and his heart sank. His bracelet—gone.

Panic washed over him as he scanned the bed and his room, muttering to himself, "Oh no… where’s my bracelet? It’s so important to me. I can’t lose it…" Frantically, he searched his bedroom, his mind racing back to the alley. A pang of despair hit him as he slid down to the floor, rubbing his face with his hands, his voice barely a whisper, "How could I lose it…?"

Back in the present, Pond let out a sigh, gazing at the bracelet as it sparkled in the moonlight. Holding it close to his heart, he whispered, "Where are you, huh? Why can’t I find you?" The weight of that night pressed on him, the memories intertwined with a longing he couldn’t fully understand, but one that lingered every time he looked at the bracelet.

Meanwhile, in his own bedroom, Phuwin stood in his balcony, gazing at the moon with a soft smile on his face. The memory of Pond lingered in his mind, making his heart feel light. He leaned against the railing, his thoughts spilling out quietly as if he were speaking to an old friend.

“You know,” Phuwin murmured, eyes fixed on the moon, “today, I felt… happy. Really happy. And it was all because of him. Whether he did it knowingly or unknowingly, he helped me.” A gentle smile played on his lips as he thought of Pond’s face. “Thank you, Nara…” he whispered softly, the name slipping from his lips with a warmth he hadn’t fully acknowledged until that moment.

Phuwin’s gaze softened as he stayed there, lost in his thoughts, the moonlight casting a gentle glow over both men, each holding onto the other in silence and distance, bound by memories that neither could fully articulate yet.