Beneath The spotlight

Chapter 34: Unspoken Words

The next few days passed in a haze for Joong, each one blurring into the next as he navigated the delicate balance between his growing responsibilities as a father and the looming presence of Dunk in his life. Kian, completely unaware of the tension between them, continued to ask about Dunk frequently, even asking if Dunk could come over to visit again.

Joong found himself caught in a tug-of-war between the life he had carefully constructed for Kian and the unpredictable chaos Dunk brought into their world. Dunk’s insistence on being involved in Kian’s life was undeniable, and Joong couldn’t deny the pain it caused to see how naturally Dunk had slipped into his son’s world. Kian adored him, and it wasn’t just a passing infatuation; there was a genuine bond forming.

As much as Joong wanted to shield Kian from the complications of their past, he couldn’t ignore the fact that Kian had a right to know his father—and that Dunk had every right to be part of his life, no matter how much Joong resented it.

That evening, after putting Kian to bed, Joong sat on the couch, a glass of wine in hand, his thoughts swirling. He had become a master of evading his feelings, pushing them down whenever they threatened to surface. But tonight, they seemed impossible to ignore.

There was a knock on the door, sharp and insistent. Joong didn’t need to check the peephole; he knew who it was. With a sigh, he put down his glass and walked to the door, opening it to reveal Dunk standing on the other side.

“What now?” Joong asked, the exhaustion in his voice evident.

“I’m not leaving until we talk,” Dunk said, his tone more serious than Joong had heard in a long time.

Joong didn’t argue. He stepped aside, allowing Dunk to enter. Dunk looked around the apartment, his gaze lingering on the photo of Kian on the mantle. Joong watched him closely, his heart pounding.

“We need to figure this out,” Dunk said, breaking the silence as he turned back to Joong.

Joong leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed. “I thought we had already talked, Dunk. You’ve been over enough. You’re a part of Kian’s life now. What more is there to say?”

Dunk’s eyes darkened. “This isn’t just about Kian. It’s about us, Joong. We can’t keep pretending like there’s nothing between us.” His voice was low, steady, but filled with a tension Joong couldn’t ignore.

Joong’s stomach tightened. “There is nothing between us, Dunk. There never was.” He tried to make his voice firm, but a part of him—deep down, beneath the anger—knew that wasn’t entirely true.

“You can keep telling yourself that, but I know the truth.” Dunk took a step closer, his gaze softening. “You haven’t let me in, Joong. And I get it. You’ve been doing this on your own for so long, but I’m not going to walk away just because it’s inconvenient for you.”

Joong swallowed hard. “I’m not asking you to walk away. I’m just asking you to stop making this harder than it already is.” His voice was barely above a whisper, betraying

not going anywhere. I’m here for Kian, yes, but I’m here for you too. You don’t have to do this alone anymore.”

Joong’s breath hitched as Dunk’s words sank in. The air between them grew thick with unspoken emotions, and Joong could feel his resolve beginning to crack. He quickly pushed those feelings down, forcing his voice to stay steady. “You’ve always been good at pretending like things are simple, Dunk. But you don’t know anything about what it’s been like for me. Raising Kian on my own, keeping him safe, protecting him from—” Joong’s voice faltered, and he clenched his fists. “From you.”

Dunk’s brow furrowed, his expression darkening. “I didn’t ask you to do it alone, Joong. You’re the one who shut me out.”

“Because I couldn’t trust you,” Joong shot back, his voice thick with frustration. “You don’t get it, do you? You think this is all so simple, that I could just let you waltz in and be some kind of father figure for him. But you weren’t there. You never were. And now, suddenly, you want to be part of it?”

Dunk’s face tightened, a flicker of hurt flashing in his eyes before it was masked by his usual composure. “I’m not asking for you to hand over the reins, Joong. I just want a chance to be part of his life. And I want a chance to be a part of yours. I know it won’t be easy, and I know you have every reason to be angry with me, but I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

Joong swallowed hard, the rawness of Dunk’s words hitting him like a wave. He wanted to argue, wanted to tell Dunk that it was too late, that there was no place for him in their life anymore. But as he looked at Dunk—really looked at him—he saw something he hadn’t in years: sincerity. There was no pretension in his eyes, no hidden agendas, just a man who was trying, however imperfectly, to make up for the past.

“Why now?” Joong whispered, his voice softer than he intended. “Why after all this time? Why now?”

Dunk took another step closer, his gaze unwavering. “Because I’ve had six years to think about it. To regret it. To realize that no matter how hard I tried to push you out of my life, you and Kian were never really gone. I’ve always cared, Joong. I always have. And I know you’re angry, but I want to make it right. I don’t care how long it takes.”

The silence that followed was heavy. Joong felt his heart race in his chest, his thoughts swirling, but he couldn’t find the right words. The truth was, part of him had always known Dunk would come back eventually. And now that he was here, Joong wasn’t sure if he was ready to face the storm that would inevitably follow.

Kian’s voice cut through the tension, calling from the hallway. “Daddy?”

Joong’s head snapped up, and he quickly wiped at his face, realizing how close he was to breaking. He cleared his throat and turned toward the hallway, his heart aching. “It’s okay, Kian. Come here.”

Kian appeared at the door, rubbing his eyes sleepily. He looked between the two men, sensing the tension in the air. “Is Mr. Dunk staying?”

Joong’s heart twisted. He glanced at Dunk, who gave him a small nod, his expression softening as he crouched down to Kian’s level.

“I’m just here to visit, buddy,” Dunk said, his voice gentle. “How about we play some games tomorrow?”

Kian grinned, nodding enthusiastically. “I love games! We can play soccer in the yard!”

Joong forced a smile, trying to hide the exhaustion that had settled deep in his bones. “Sure, we can do that.”

Dunk stood back up, looking at Joong once more. “I’ll let you get back to him,” Dunk said quietly. “But this isn’t over, Joong. I’m not walking away.”

Joong nodded stiffly, his throat tight. “We’ll see.”

Dunk lingered for a moment, as if he wanted to say something more, but he didn’t. Instead, he turned and left, the door clicking softly behind him.

Joong stood in the middle of the living room, the weight of the conversation still hanging heavily in the air. Kian, oblivious to the complexities of the situation, crawled into Joong’s lap, smiling up at him.

“Mr. Dunk is nice,” Kian said, his small hands playing with the fabric of Joong’s shirt.

Joong’s heart clenched as he held his son close. “Yeah, he is. He’s a good guy.”

Kian yawned, resting his head on Joong’s chest. “Can he come over again?”

Joong hesitated, his mind racing. He wanted to say no, to keep Kian safe from whatever might happen, but instead, he simply nodded. “Maybe soon, buddy. We’ll see.”

Kian drifted off to sleep in his arms, the weight of the world pressing down on Joong. As he gazed down at his son, Joong realized that the fragile peace they had built might not last much longer. Dunk was back, and no matter how much Joong tried to keep him at arm’s length, he was determined to be part of Kian’s life. And Joong... Joong wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep pretending that he didn’t want the same thing.

But for now, he would protect Kian. That was his priority. The rest? It was still too complicated to face.