Shadows

51

Joong walked out of the room, his mind racing, his thoughts a jumble of frustration and confusion. The further he moved away from Dunk, the more he could feel his anger bubbling up inside him. He had been trying so hard to fit into the role his father had forced upon him—being a servant, a protector—but Dunk's cold, indifferent attitude made it hard for him to keep up the act.

His heart still ached from the sting of Dunk's words. You're here because you have to be. It was a reminder that no matter how much Joong tried to change the situation, he would always be nothing more than a servant.

He paused in the hallway, leaning against the cool wall, trying to steady his breath. His fingers curled into fists at his sides, and he had to remind himself to keep his composure. This wasn't the first time Dunk had been harsh, but it felt different today. Maybe because Joong had hoped, for just a moment, that there might be a crack in Dunk's armor—a glimpse of something more than the cold indifference he had shown.

But no. Dunk would never let him get that close.

Joong heard footsteps approaching, and he turned to find Fourth walking toward him, a look of concern crossing his features. Fourth was always the observant one, the one who could sense when things were off, even if Joong tried to hide it.

"Joong?" Fourth's voice was soft, like he was hesitant to intrude, but he could clearly see the tension in Joong's posture. "Is everything okay?"

Joong didn't answer right away, his gaze fixed on the floor. He didn't want to talk about it—not now, not when he wasn't sure how to even explain what was going on in his own mind. Instead, he gave a small nod, trying to keep his emotions in check.

"I just..." Joong started, then stopped, his voice catching in his throat. "I don't know how much longer I can do this."

Fourth frowned, stepping closer. "What do you mean?"

"I mean..." Joong's voice grew shaky. "It's like no matter how hard I try, it's never enough. Dunk... he doesn't care. He doesn't care about me or my brothers. We're just here to do his bidding, to be in the background of his life, and I—I can't keep pretending like it's okay."

Fourth reached out, putting a hand on Joong's shoulder, giving him a comforting squeeze. "I get it, Joong. I do. But remember, we're doing this for Dad, for our family. You know why we're here."

"I know," Joong muttered, feeling his throat tighten. "But it doesn't make it easier. I want to be more than just a servant. I want... something more."

Fourth didn't answer right away, and for a moment, they stood in silence. Joong felt the weight of the situation pressing down on him—his family's debt, their obligations, the constant reminder that they were at the mercy of Dunk's family. He couldn't shake the feeling that they were never going to escape this life, that they were always going to be stuck in this cycle of serving people who would never see them as equals.

"Maybe..." Fourth started, then hesitated, as if he wasn't sure how to continue. "Maybe there's a way to change things. But it's going to take time. And it's not going to be easy."

Joong gave a hollow laugh. "Time. That's all we have, right? Time to keep waiting, time to keep serving, and maybe—just maybe—someday things will change. But right now, it feels like we're just stuck in this never-ending loop."

Fourth sighed, clearly frustrated but trying his best to comfort Joong. "We'll figure it out. We always do. You're not alone in this, Joong."

Joong managed a small smile, appreciating Fourth's words, but the weight of his frustration still hung over him. He knew his brother was trying to help, but Joong wasn't sure how much longer he could keep pretending that everything was okay when it felt like everything was falling apart inside of him.

As they stood in the hallway, Joong couldn't help but glance back toward Dunk's room, knowing that the distance between them was growing with every passing day. Dunk's coldness, his indifference—it was all starting to take its toll. Joong didn't know how to break through the walls Dunk had built, but deep down, he wondered if Dunk would ever let him in at all.

"Maybe I'll just go for a walk," Joong muttered, turning away from Fourth. "I need to clear my head."

"Okay," Fourth said, giving him a reassuring pat on the back. "Just don't go too far. We still need to keep an eye on things."

Joong nodded absently and headed toward the door, stepping out into the night air. The cool breeze did little to soothe the turmoil inside him, but at least it gave him a moment of escape—just a moment to breathe, to think.

But even as he walked down the street, his mind kept circling back to Dunk. Would things always be like this? Would they always be nothing more than servants to a family that didn't see them, that didn't care?

The questions weighed heavily on Joong's heart, but he wasn't sure if he was ready to face the answers. Not yet.