The tension in the mansion grew thicker as the night went on. The Joong brothers stayed confined to their room, but curiosity gnawed at them.
“Who do you think that guy was?” Fourth asked, sitting cross-legged on his bed.
“Someone important,” Pond replied. “Dunk’s father probably sent him.”
Joong frowned. “If he was just another employee, they wouldn’t have been so tense. Did you see the way Phuwin kept glancing at the door? He looked ready to bolt.”
Fourth shrugged. “Maybe he’s just shy.”
Joong shook his head. “No. This is something else.”
“Does it matter?” Pond interrupted. “We’re here to protect them, not investigate their personal lives. Let’s just focus on doing our job and staying out of trouble.”
Joong didn’t respond, his mind racing. Something about the stranger felt off, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.
---
Late that night, Joong couldn’t sleep. He sat by the window, watching the moonlight cast eerie shadows across the lawn.
A soft knock at the door startled him.
“Who is it?” Joong asked quietly, moving toward the door.
“It’s me,” came Fourth’s voice.
Joong opened the door to find his younger brother fully dressed, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“What are you doing?” Joong whispered.
“I saw Dunk leave the house a few minutes ago,” Fourth said. “Alone. Aren’t you curious where he’s going?”
Joong hesitated. “What if it’s nothing?”
Fourth smirked. “Then we’ll know. But what if it’s something? Don’t you want to find out?”
Joong glanced back at Pond, who was fast asleep, before nodding. “Fine. But we have to be careful.”
---
The two brothers slipped out of the mansion, sticking to the shadows as they followed Dunk down a quiet road.
Dunk walked with purpose, his posture rigid and his eyes scanning the area.
“Where do you think he’s going?” Fourth whispered.
“No idea,” Joong replied. “But he’s on edge.”
They trailed him for several blocks until he turned down an alleyway. Joong and Fourth hesitated, peeking around the corner to see Dunk standing with the man from earlier.
Joong strained to hear their conversation but could only catch bits and pieces.
“…not safe here… too many eyes…” the man was saying.
Dunk’s reply was curt. “I’ll handle it.”
The man frowned. “You’re too confident. If they find out…”
“I said I’ll handle it,” Dunk interrupted, his tone sharp.
The man sighed, handing Dunk a small package wrapped in brown paper. “Just make sure this doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.”
Dunk nodded and tucked the package into his jacket before turning to leave. Joong and Fourth quickly ducked out of sight, their hearts racing.
“What do you think that was?” Fourth whispered.
“I don’t know,” Joong admitted. “But it’s definitely not normal.”
---
Back at the mansion, Joong and Fourth slipped into their room just as Pond woke up.
“Where were you?” Pond asked, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.
“We followed Dunk,” Joong said, keeping his voice low.
Pond frowned. “Why would you do that? If you got caught—”
“We didn’t,” Fourth interrupted. “But something’s going on. Dunk met that guy from earlier and took some kind of package from him.”
“What kind of package?” Pond asked.
“Couldn’t tell,” Joong said. “But whatever it is, it’s important enough to meet in secret for.”
Pond sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I told you two to stay out of it.”
Joong crossed his arms. “And I told you, we can’t. If Dunk’s involved in something dangerous, it’s our job to know.”
Pond shook his head. “You’re going to get us all in trouble.”
“Maybe,” Joong admitted. “But we can’t just ignore this.”
---
The next morning, Dunk and his brothers were quieter than usual. Phuwin and Gemini exchanged uneasy glances during breakfast, and Dunk’s sharp eyes darted around the room as if searching for threats.
Joong watched them closely, trying to piece together the puzzle.
“They know something’s up,” Fourth whispered, leaning closer to Joong.
Joong nodded. “The question is, what?”
Dunk’s gaze landed on him, and for a moment, their eyes locked. Joong felt a chill run down his spine but refused to look away.
Dunk’s expression was unreadable, but his voice was calm as he spoke. “Joong, can I talk to you for a minute?”
Joong hesitated before nodding. “Sure.”
Dunk stood and motioned for Joong to follow him into the hallway.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Dunk turned to face him. “Stay out of my business.”
Joong’s heart raced, but he forced himself to remain calm. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Dunk stepped closer, his voice low and dangerous. “You think I don’t know you’ve been watching me? Following me? Whatever you’re trying to find out, stop. It won’t end well for you.”
Joong swallowed hard, refusing to back down. “I’m just doing my job.”
Dunk smirked, but there was no humor in it. “Your job is to protect us, not spy on us. Remember that.”
Without another word, Dunk turned and walked away, leaving Joong standing in the hallway, more determined than ever to uncover the truth.
-----
This is supposed to be romantic but I've lost all the romance in my body
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...
