Shadows

50

1 year had passed since Joong and his brothers had become even more entrenched in their roles as servants and protectors for Dunk and his brothers. Their lives had settled into a strange rhythm of obedience and duty, but there was an unspoken tension in the air that neither Joong nor Dunk could ignore.

It was a cool evening when the air in the Gemini mansion felt heavier than usual. Joong found himself once again in the position where his duties crossed paths with Dunk's cold indifference. The mansion had a vast, sterile quality, its dark wood panels and gold accents only making Joong feel more out of place.

Tonight, Joong was supposed to be assisting Dunk in whatever way his family deemed necessary, as part of their obligation to repay their debt. Yet, there he was, perched uncomfortably on Dunk's lap in the large living room, the mansion eerily quiet except for the distant ticking of a clock. Dunk remained still, his gaze cold and unwavering, as though he was doing his best to ignore Joong's presence entirely.

Joong, on the other hand, wasn't sure how to handle the discomfort. Normally, he would have made a joke, lightened the atmosphere. But tonight, it felt different. Dunk was making no effort to engage, leaving Joong in an awkward limbo. Despite being in the very lap of the person who was supposed to be the one he was serving, Joong's unease only grew.

"Why are you so quiet today?" Joong asked after a long pause, attempting to break the silence. His voice came out lighter than he felt, trying to keep things casual, but the frustration was evident in his words. "You can't be mad at me for sitting here."

Dunk's lips barely moved as he responded, his voice as cold as ever. "I didn't ask you to sit here."

Joong's smile faltered. "Well, if I'm going to serve you, I should at least make myself comfortable, right?"

Dunk's gaze flickered for a moment before returning to its distant focus. His posture stiffened, and he did his best to not acknowledge Joong's attempt at humor. It was clear that Dunk had no interest in anything Joong had to offer.

"You're here to serve," Dunk replied, his voice hard, "not to get comfortable."

Joong's fingers gripped the armrest of the chair, trying not to let his frustration get the better of him. "I know my place," he muttered, his voice quiet, but the weight of the words seemed heavier than they were intended. "But that doesn't mean I can't make conversation."

There was a beat of silence before Dunk's eyes met his. For just a moment, Joong thought he saw something—anger, or perhaps something more complicated, lurking beneath Dunk's cold exterior. But it was gone just as quickly as it appeared.

"You're still a servant," Dunk said, his tone biting but factual. "And I'm still your charge. Don't forget that."

Joong looked at him, a mix of disappointment and resignation settling in his chest. He had been trying so hard to maintain a semblance of normalcy, to at least find some form of connection with Dunk, but it seemed that Dunk would never view him as anything more than someone beneath him.

Joong shifted uncomfortably on Dunk's lap, the coldness of the situation pressing down on him. He wanted to move, to say something that would break through Dunk's walls, but something stopped him. It wasn't fear, it was more like the understanding that no matter what he said, he couldn't change the reality of their situation.

"You act like you don't care," Joong finally said, his voice quieter, but full of emotion. "But... you must feel something. Anything."

Dunk's expression didn't change. "Feelings are for people who have the luxury of choice. You don't have that. So don't pretend."

Joong looked at him, his heart pounding, the frustration threatening to boil over. "I don't get you," he said, almost a whisper. "One minute you're pushing me away, the next you act like I'm nothing to you, but you don't even let me go. You want me to stay close, but you won't let me in. What do you want from me, Dunk?"

Dunk's lips pressed together as though he were considering something, his gaze finally shifting from distant to slightly more focused on Joong. But the coldness never left.

"I want you to understand your place. You're here because you have to be. Nothing more, nothing less."

Joong's heart sank. The words stung more than they should have. He knew their situation was complicated—his family's debt, their forced servitude—but hearing Dunk say it so bluntly made it all the more real. He wasn't just some kid trying to make light of things. He was a servant, nothing more than a piece in this game of debt and power.

Joong slid off Dunk's lap slowly, standing up straight. His eyes didn't meet Dunk's as he took a step back, suddenly feeling much smaller than he had moments before. "Fine. I get it. I'll just go."

As he turned to leave, he caught a glimpse of Dunk's face. For the briefest of moments, there was something there—a flicker of something Joong couldn't name. But by the time Joong looked again, Dunk's face was unreadable once more.

"Whatever," Dunk muttered, his voice low but carrying a hint of something softer. "Just... don't make a scene."

Joong didn't respond. He didn't need to. He knew his place.

As he walked away, the tension in the room seemed to cling to him, thick and suffocating. He wasn't sure how long he could continue to serve, to exist in the shadow of this coldness. But one thing was for sure—he wasn't going to forget how Dunk had made him feel. The weight of his words, the indifference... it was something Joong couldn't shake.

And in that moment, he wasn't just a servant anymore. He was someone who was tired of being treated as nothing.