Shadows

Chapter 8: Unseen Threads

The rest of the school day passed in a blur. Joong couldn't shake the lingering unease that clung to him like a second skin. Pond was quieter than usual, and although he’d regained his composure after Fourth’s outburst, Joong could tell his brother was still rattled. It was rare for Pond to freeze up like that, to let someone get under his skin so completely. Joong couldn’t help but feel responsible—he should’ve protected Pond better, but the situation had unfolded too quickly.

Fourth, on the other hand, seemed to be handling the aftermath better. His anger had dissipated, but the fire in his eyes hadn't completely gone out. He was always the hot-headed one, quick to defend his family, and Joong admired that about him. But it was moments like this that made Joong realize just how deep they were in this situation.

At the end of the school day, Joong, Pond, and Fourth made their way toward the gates, their school uniforms still damp from the water attack earlier. Despite the chaos, they had no choice but to return to the Gemini mansion. That’s where they lived now, after all—no escaping it.

As they walked, Joong couldn’t help but notice the way their classmates had begun to act. There were whispers behind their backs, and even a few pointed looks. No one dared to say anything directly, but Joong could feel the judgment in the air. The Joong brothers were rich, yes—but they were here as servants, to repay their father’s debt. No one knew the full story, of course, but that didn’t stop the rumors from spreading.

When they arrived at the mansion, the tension only deepened. The house was as grand and imposing as ever, but this time, Joong felt a sense of foreboding in the air. It wasn’t just the mansion itself—it was the people inside. Dunk and his brothers were unpredictable, their coldness hard to decipher. Phuwin’s charm felt insincere, and Gemini’s silence only made things more unsettling.

“Home sweet home,” Fourth muttered dryly, his tone laced with sarcasm as they stepped inside the foyer.

“Let’s just get through today,” Joong said, trying to push his worries aside. “We have to lay low, avoid trouble, and do our jobs. We can’t afford to cause any more problems.”

They were halfway up the stairs when Dunk appeared at the top, his cold, watchful eyes locking on them. Joong’s stomach churned. It wasn’t as though Dunk had done anything overtly threatening, but the weight of his presence alone made Joong uneasy.

“You three should clean yourselves up,” Dunk said coolly, his tone as sharp as ever. “The family will be expecting you for dinner.”

Pond stiffened at the sound of Dunk’s voice. Joong noticed it right away, and he gently placed a hand on his brother’s arm to steady him. “We’ll be right there,” Joong said, trying to keep his voice neutral.

Dunk gave a curt nod and disappeared back into the hallway, his footsteps echoing through the house like the ticking of a clock counting down to something inevitable.

Joong didn’t need to say anything for Pond and Fourth to understand the weight of the situation. They all knew the rules of the house—they were there to serve, to protect, and to keep their heads down. Dinner would be another round of uncomfortable silence, where they would be expected to act like they belonged, even though they didn’t.

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Dinner was as strained as expected. The dining room, despite its grandeur, felt suffocating. Joong and his brothers sat at one end of the long table, a few feet away from Dunk and his brothers, who were already deep in conversation with their parents. Phuwin was animated, talking with his usual charm, while Gemini stayed quiet as always, looking down at his plate.

Joong could feel the tension between them, the unspoken divide that neither side was willing to bridge. It was a delicate balance—Joong and his brothers were here because of their father’s debt, but Dunk and his brothers were the ones in control. They were the ones who called the shots.

“So,” Phuwin said, breaking the silence with his smooth voice, “how was school today? Did you three make any new friends?”

Joong didn’t look up. He knew that Phuwin was trying to get under their skin, but he wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. Instead, Joong kept his eyes on his food, the silence between them growing thicker with each passing second.

Pond, however, shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “It was fine,” he replied softly, not meeting anyone’s gaze. “Just… the usual.”

“Just the usual,” Phuwin repeated with a knowing smile. “That’s what you always say, Pond. You never let anyone in.”

Joong’s hand tightened around his fork, but he didn’t say anything. Pond wasn’t one to engage in these games, and Joong wasn’t about to let Phuwin provoke him further.

Fourth, sensing the tension, broke the silence. “We’re just here to do our job, Phuwin. Not here to entertain you.”

The table fell silent for a moment, and Joong could feel the shift in the atmosphere. Phuwin’s smile faltered just slightly, but he quickly recovered, leaning back in his chair. “I’m just trying to make things easier for all of us. You know, we’re all in this together.”

Joong knew it was a lie. They weren’t in this together. They were playing two very different games, and while Dunk and his brothers held all the cards, Joong and his brothers were the ones forced to play by their rules.

Just then, the door opened, and Dunk stepped in, his presence commanding attention in an instant. His eyes swept over Joong and his brothers before turning to Phuwin.

“Enough talk,” Dunk said, his voice cold and direct. “Let’s finish dinner and get back to business.”

Phuwin gave a dramatic sigh but didn’t argue, and the room settled back into a tense silence. Joong’s stomach twisted at the subtle command in Dunk’s voice, but he knew better than to resist. Dinner would be over soon, and then they would retreat to their rooms—away from Dunk and his brothers, away from this house, and away from the constant reminder of their father’s debt.

But as Joong looked up at Dunk across the table, he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something much bigger was at play. Something they were all being drawn into, whether they wanted to be or not.

And Joong was beginning to realize that no matter how much they tried to keep their distance, they couldn’t escape Dunk and his brothers. They were already too deep, and the threads that bound them together were only getting tighter.