||ᴄʀɪᴍsᴏɴ sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛs|| ᴘᴏɴᴅᴘʜᴜᴡɪɴ ғғ

19

Phuwin was in his room, fingers flying over his laptop as he worked on a program. He had a hidden side that no one, not even his father, knew about—his hacking skills. Only Gemini and Fourth, his closest friends, were aware of this secret. Tonight, though, his thoughts kept drifting back to Pond’s words, making him zone out until, at some point, he drifted off into sleep.

The next day, Phuwin and Fourth were shopping at a busy mall. As they stepped onto the down escalator, Phuwin’s eyes were drawn to the escalator going up—there was Pond, heading in the opposite direction. Phuwin froze, eyes locked onto Pond without blinking, as though he were caught in a trance. Pond, feeling someone’s gaze on him, turned and met Phuwin’s eyes, holding his gaze with equal intensity.

Neither noticed the world moving around them, their gazes locked, as if time had slowed. Suddenly, Fourth nudged Phuwin, breaking him out of his daydream.

“Phu!” Fourth whispered, shaking him.

“Huh? Ai, Fot, what was that for?” Phuwin said, snapping out of his daze. He glanced around, a bit disoriented, then quickly looked back up toward Pond, only to see that he’d already turned and was heading out of sight.

He sighed, then turned back to find Fourth watching him with a suspicious expression.

“What? Why are you staring at me like I stole your favorite plushie or something?” Phuwin asked, pretending not to understand.

Fourth raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Well, that looked interesting. What are you hiding from me, huh? You looked like you’d seen your first crush or something!”

“Wh…what? Hiding? Me? Absolutely nothing,” Phuwin stammered, laughing nervously before walking forward quickly. “Come on, you’re being ridiculous.”

Fourth followed, still eyeing him with suspicion, but Phuwin changed the topic fast, trying to divert Fourth’s attention.

In the days that followed, Phuwin found himself crossing paths with Pond repeatedly, almost as if by fate. Sometimes he’d spot Pond from a distance and watch him for a few seconds, then slip away silently before anyone noticed. Other times, he’d encounter Pond up close, his heart pounding each time, but he’d try to play it cool and keep his distance.

One evening, Phuwin was on a quiet walk when he heard a loud gunshot nearby. Startled, he turned in the direction of the sound and froze—there was Pond, shooting someone on the side of the road with a calm, cold expression. Pond’s movements were precise and unhesitant, and he turned away with an air of authority, moving off in a smooth, calculated stride.

Phuwin’s heart raced, but he couldn’t look away. There was something powerful and commanding in the way Pond carried himself, a quiet strength that drew Phuwin in even more. Without realizing it, he found himself admiring Pond’s every move, captivated by the man’s aura.

“Wow…” he whispered to himself, a small smile tugging at his lips.

After few days...

Phuwin woke up earlier than usual, his heart racing at the thought of finally confessing his feelings. This wasn’t just admiration anymore—he’d fallen, and he’d fallen hard. He felt a warm blush creeping up his face as he admitted it to himself, but the nervousness melted into determination. He quickly messaged Fourth, letting him know he’d be late for college. This was something he had to do alone.

After grabbing his bike, he sped toward a nearby flower shop. The early morning sun cast a gentle light on the quiet streets, making everything feel almost dreamlike. As he reached the shop, he took a deep breath and walked in, eyes scanning the colorful display of flowers. He immediately knew what he wanted: a bouquet of black and white roses—elegant, striking, just like Pond.

Holding the bouquet in his hands, Phuwin couldn’t help but smile. This was it. He patted his chest, trying to calm his racing heart. Come on, Phuwin, he thought, this is your moment. You’ve got this. It’s just a confession…to a very intimidating, very handsome mafia boss…but you’ve got this.

He took another deep breath, closing his eyes to center himself. The cool morning air, the light scent of roses—it all felt right. As he opened his eyes, he caught sight of a familiar black car passing slowly along the empty street.

Is that… Pond’s car? His eyes widened as the realization hit him. Without a second thought, he sprinted toward the car, waving and shouting, “Hey! Wait! Stop!”

Pond, seated in the passenger seat, noticed Phuwin running toward him in the rearview mirror. He raised an eyebrow, intrigued, and ordered the driver to stop. As the car slowed to a halt, Pond opened the door, stepping out just as Phuwin reached him, slightly breathless.

Pond’s gaze shifted between the bouquet and Phuwin’s flushed face, amusement flickering in his eyes. “What happened now, huh?” he asked, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

Phuwin took a deep breath, steadying himself. He met Pond’s intense gaze, his voice calm but resolute. “Well, like you said…I thought about the matter clearly. I took a calm look at everything,” he began, gesturing with the bouquet as he continued, “and I’ve thought about it more than three times.”

He lifted his foot and gave a little stomp, adding with a confident smile, “See? My feet are on the ground. I’m steady and in a calm state of mind…and I’ve found my right one.”

Pond’s eyes glinted with interest, his smirk softening into something warmer. “Oh? Good. So…who’s this ‘right one’ you’ve found?” he asked, crossing his arms as he studied Phuwin.

Phuwin’s heart skipped, but he kept his gaze locked with Pond’s. With one final, deep breath, he said, “You. You’re my right one.”

For a brief second, Pond’s expression faltered, caught off guard. “…Huh? What?”

Phuwin chuckled nervously, then steadied himself. “You, Nara,” he repeated, voice filled with warmth. “I love you. Don’t ask me how or when, because I don’t know either. But my heart… it only beats for you, and I’m sure of it.”

Pond looked at him, stunned, his usual cool demeanor replaced by an uncharacteristic surprise. His eyes flicked to the black-and-white bouquet in Phuwin’s hands, and he seemed to be at a loss for words.

“Don’t look so surprised,” Phuwin teased lightly, stepping closer. ““I…I got these for you. Black and white roses. They reminded me of…well, you. You’re so composed, so mysterious…and I just—”

He paused, gathering his thoughts as he looked into Pond’s piercing gaze. “I realized that…I don’t just admire you. I’ve fallen for you,” he admitted, voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t know when it happened, but it did. And I wanted you to know.” He held out the bouquet with a small smile. “I’ll be waiting for you.”

Slowly, almost in a trance, Pond took the bouquet from Phuwin’s hands, unable to break eye contact. His fingers brushed against Phuwin’s briefly, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face.

“Phuwin…” Pond murmured, still visibly caught off guard. But before he could say anything more, Phuwin gave him a parting smile, his own heart racing with a new, giddy hope. Turning, he walked away, feeling lighter than he had in days, a wide grin spreading across his face as he left Pond standing there, bouquet in hand, looking almost hypnotized.

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