That night, the tension in the shared room was palpable. Joong, Pond, and Fourth sat cross-legged on the floor, debating their next move in hushed tones. The faint hum of the mansion’s activities drifted through the walls, but their focus remained on the stranger Pond had seen.
“We have to tell Dunk,” Joong said firmly.
Fourth looked skeptical. “And say what? ‘Hey, we saw someone shady lurking around. Thought you should know’? He’ll just brush us off.”
Pond shook his head. “He won’t. If someone’s watching the house, it’s serious. We can’t let anything happen to them.”
Fourth sighed. “Fine. But if they think we’re being nosy, it’s on you, Joong.”
Joong smirked faintly. “I’ll take the blame. Let’s just make sure we’re doing our job.”
---
The next morning, the Joong brothers intercepted Dunk before breakfast. He stood near the grand staircase, talking quietly with Gemini and Phuwin. His commanding presence made the air around him feel heavier, but Joong swallowed his nerves and stepped forward.
“Dunk,” Joong began, his tone measured. “We need to talk.”
Dunk raised an eyebrow, his sharp eyes scanning the three brothers. “About what?”
Joong hesitated but pressed on. “Someone was outside the gate last night. Pond saw them. They were watching the house.”
Dunk’s expression didn’t change, but Gemini shifted uncomfortably beside him. Phuwin, on the other hand, narrowed his eyes.
“Did you recognize them?” Phuwin asked, his voice low but pointed.
Pond shook his head. “No. They ran off before I could see their face.”
Dunk crossed his arms, his gaze unreadable. “And you’re sure about this?”
“Yes,” Joong said firmly. “We thought you should know.”
For a moment, Dunk said nothing. Then he nodded slightly. “Thanks for telling us. We’ll handle it.”
Joong exchanged a glance with his brothers. “Do you want us to keep an eye out? Just in case?”
Dunk considered this before nodding again. “Fine. But don’t do anything reckless. If you see anything suspicious, come to me or Phuwin immediately.”
“Got it,” Joong said, relief washing over him.
As Dunk and his brothers walked away, Fourth muttered under his breath, “I can’t believe they actually listened to us.”
Joong smirked. “Maybe we’re more useful than you think.”
---
At school, the tension from the morning still lingered. Dunk and his brothers seemed more on edge, though they hid it well. Joong, Pond, and Fourth kept their distance, observing from the sidelines as instructed.
During lunch, the Joong brothers sat outside under the shade of a tree, eating in silence. Fourth broke the quiet with a dramatic sigh.
“Why do I feel like we just got dragged into something way bigger than us?” he asked, poking at his food.
“Because we probably did,” Joong replied, his tone dry.
Pond frowned. “Do you think Dunk and his brothers know who that person was?”
Joong shrugged. “Maybe. Or maybe they’re just as clueless as we are. Either way, it’s not our place to dig into their business.”
“But we’re still supposed to protect them,” Pond pointed out.
Joong nodded. “Exactly. So we do our job, and we don’t ask questions unless we have to.”
Fourth sighed again. “I liked it better when our biggest problem was cleaning the mansion.”
Pond couldn’t help but laugh softly. “Me too.”
---
That evening, the mansion was quieter than usual. Dunk and his brothers spent most of their time in the study, leaving the Joong brothers to focus on their chores.
As Joong scrubbed the marble floors of the main hall, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. He glanced toward the windows, half-expecting to see someone lurking outside.
“Joong,” Pond’s voice broke through his thoughts. “You okay?”
Joong nodded, forcing a small smile. “Yeah. Just thinking.”
Pond crouched beside him, his brow furrowed. “About last night?”
“Yeah,” Joong admitted. “I can’t help but feel like this isn’t over.”
Pond placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “We’ll handle it. Together.”
Joong nodded, grateful for his brother’s steady presence. “Thanks, Pond.”
From across the room, Fourth called out, “Are you two going to finish that section, or am I doing all the work?”
Joong and Pond exchanged a smile before returning to their task.
---
Late that night, while the house was silent, Joong was jolted awake by a faint sound. He sat up, straining to hear. Footsteps echoed faintly down the hall.
He glanced at his brothers, who were still fast asleep, before slipping out of bed. He crept to the door, opening it just enough to peek outside.
To his surprise, he saw Dunk walking toward the study, his movements purposeful but quiet. Joong hesitated, torn between following him and staying put.
Before he could decide, Dunk disappeared into the study, the door clicking shut behind him.
Joong stood there for a moment, his mind racing. What was Dunk doing up so late? And why did it feel like the Gemini mansion held more secrets than anyone cared to admit?
He returned to bed, his thoughts swirling. Whatever was going on, one thing was clear—protecting Dunk and his brothers was going to be more complicated than any of them had anticipated.
YOU ARE READING
Shadows
Fanfiction(P.s this is Dunkjoong, fourthgemini and Phuwinpond) In this story, Joong and his brothers-Pond and Fourth-work as servants and protectors for Dunk and his brothers, Phuwin and Gemini, as part of their father's debt to the wealthy family. Despite th...
