Beneath The spotlight

Chapter 14: The Message

It had been months since Joong disappeared from the public eye, months since he’d turned his back on the chaotic world of acting, and months since Dunk’s figure had become nothing but a distant memory. Joong had no desire to confront the past—he had been through too much, and besides, he had found something more important to focus on: his son, Kian.

Only one person knew the truth, and that was Fourth. Joong had trusted him, and it was only because of Fourth’s quiet understanding and loyalty that Joong’s secret had remained safe. The world didn’t need to know about Kian. Not yet. Not until he was ready.

Joong’s days were filled with simplicity—taking care of Kian, playing with blocks on the living room floor, laughing at the small things, and keeping everything in the quiet bubble he’d built for them. It was a life he’d dreamed of, a peaceful existence far removed from the drama of his past. But every now and then, the past would tap him on the shoulder. And that past was Dunk.

Despite the years, despite the silence, Dunk’s shadow never quite left Joong. He hadn’t responded to the messages Dunk had sent, or to the calls that occasionally buzzed through on his phone. He couldn’t risk it. He couldn’t allow the past, with its bitterness and unresolved tension, to break through the fragile life he had built. Kian had to come first.

It was a late morning when the phone buzzed again. Joong stood in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for Kian, when the notification lit up on the counter. He saw the name immediately—Dunk.

Joong froze, his heart skipping a beat. The message wasn’t unexpected. It had been weeks since Dunk had tried to contact him, but Joong couldn’t remember a time when he hadn’t avoided him. What was Dunk doing now? Why was he reaching out?

Joong picked up the phone reluctantly, but the tension in his chest only increased as he read the message:

“Joong, we need to talk.”

There it was—the one thing Joong had been avoiding. The one thing he had run from when he left the acting world and disappeared without a trace. He wasn’t ready to face Dunk, wasn’t ready to confront all the things that had happened between them—the tension, the fights, the push and pull of a relationship built on rivalry and conflicting emotions.

The problem wasn’t just Dunk. The problem was Joong himself. He didn’t want to be pulled back into that world, not now, not when he had everything to lose. His son was a secret he was determined to protect, a part of his life he had built away from prying eyes. And Dunk, with all his persistence and charm, would destroy that life without even knowing it.

Joong’s fingers hovered over the screen, his mind racing. He could block the message, avoid the situation like he always had. Or, he could take a risk. He could give Dunk an answer, try to explain himself, though Joong knew it would be impossible to make Dunk understand.

But Kian…

With a soft sigh, Joong set the phone down. He didn’t need this right now. The past would have to remain where it belonged—behind him.

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Dunk’s Frustration

Across the city, Dunk sat in his lavish apartment, his hands gripping his phone tightly. The message had been sent, but Dunk wasn’t sure what to expect anymore. Joong had vanished from the scene without a trace, his absence as abrupt as it was perplexing. Dunk’s calls had gone unanswered, and his messages ignored. Yet, he couldn’t let go of the need to understand.

Despite everything—despite their animosity, despite their history of clashing in front of cameras and behind the scenes—Dunk felt something. It wasn’t the same kind of anger or rivalry he had once felt. It was deeper than that, and it was more than just curiosity. Dunk didn’t know how to process it, but he knew one thing for sure: he wasn’t finished with Joong.

He wasn’t sure if Joong was deliberately avoiding him or if it was something else entirely, but Dunk couldn’t let it go. He needed answers. There had been a tension between them, yes, but it had been something else too. Dunk wasn’t an idiot—he knew Joong wasn’t the same person he’d been back when they had first met. There was something different about him now, a distance that felt almost deliberate. But what was the reason? What had happened to make Joong turn his back on everything, on everyone?

When Joong’s message didn’t come immediately, Dunk’s frustration grew. He couldn’t sit still anymore. He had to get to the bottom of this. He had to know why Joong was hiding.

Was he running from me?

Dunk felt a pulse of irritation at the thought. No one ignored Dunk Archen. But Joong had, and Dunk found himself grappling with that more than he cared to admit.

Determined, he stood up and grabbed his jacket, heading out the door. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if Joong was at the other end of this, but he was done waiting. If Joong wanted to hide, he would find a way to bring him out of the shadows.

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Joong’s Avoidance

That afternoon, Joong was sitting with Kian at the kitchen table, helping him color a picture when his phone buzzed again. He knew who it was before he even looked at the screen.

It was Dunk.

Joong took a deep breath. He had to avoid this. He couldn’t let Dunk into his life again—not when things had finally settled into a rhythm. Not when Kian’s existence was the only thing that mattered.

Kian was humming happily as he scribbled on his coloring book, oblivious to the tension in the room. Joong smiled faintly, trying to push all the heavy thoughts aside. His son needed him—needed him whole, needed him present.

But the message from Dunk kept lingering in the back of Joong’s mind.

“I’m outside.”

Joong’s stomach dropped. His first instinct was to get up, to run—to do anything to avoid this. But he didn’t move. He stayed still, frozen for a moment. Dunk was here.

In the distance, Joong could hear the faint sound of a car door closing, the quiet echo of footsteps approaching his apartment. Dunk had come to him.

Joong’s heart raced, but he didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t let Dunk in. He couldn’t risk it.

Kian’s voice broke through the tension. “Daddy, look!” he exclaimed, holding up his picture.

Joong forced a smile. “It’s beautiful, Kian,” he said softly, but his mind was miles away. His hand reached for the phone again, but it hovered over the screen without making a move.

What now?

The doorbell rang.

Joong’s breath hitched, and Kian looked up, his innocent eyes wide.

Joong’s heart was pounding as he looked down at his son, knowing that whatever happened next, he would have to protect this life—the life he’d built so carefully, so quietly.

“I’ll be right back,” Joong said to Kian softly. He kissed his son’s forehead before walking toward the door.

And as he opened it, he found himself face-to-face with the last person he ever expected.

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