Shadows

53

Later that evening, Joong sat in the small room he shared with Pond and Fourth. The quiet hum of the mansion surrounded them, but the tension between the brothers was palpable. Fourth was lying on his bed, flipping through a magazine about cars, while Pond sat cross-legged on the floor, sketching something in a small notebook.

Joong stared at the ceiling, his thoughts drifting back to Dunk's cold voice and piercing gaze. No matter how much time passed, Dunk's attitude toward him never softened. It was always commands, rules, and icy stares.

"What's eating you?" Fourth finally asked, breaking the silence. He leaned back, tossing the magazine aside and turning his head to look at Joong. "You've been quiet all day."

Joong didn't respond immediately. Instead, he let out a sigh and rubbed his temples. "Nothing. Just tired."

Pond looked up from his sketch, his usually soft expression furrowed with concern. "Tired or fed up?" he asked gently. "You've been distracted for days. It's not like you."

"I'm fine," Joong insisted, though the sharpness in his voice betrayed him.

Fourth snorted, crossing his arms. "Yeah, sure. You're clearly fine. That's why you've been brooding and staring off into space like a heartbroken character in a drama."

Joong shot him a glare, but Fourth just grinned, unfazed. "What's the real issue? Dunk again?"

Joong groaned, sitting up and running a hand through his hair. "I don't get him. One moment, he's looking at me like I'm an annoyance he has to tolerate. The next, he's staring at me like..." He trailed off, shaking his head. "It doesn't matter. I shouldn't even be thinking about it."

Pond frowned, setting his notebook aside. "You're right. You shouldn't. We're here because of Dad, because of his debt. Dunk and his brothers aren't our friends. They're our... employers, I guess."

"Employers?" Fourth scoffed. "That's a nice way of putting it. They treat us like furniture—something they own."

Joong looked down, his fists clenching at his sides. "It's just frustrating. Dunk acts like I'm invisible unless he's giving me orders or staring holes through me. And yet, for some stupid reason, I can't stop thinking about him."

Pond's eyes softened, and he reached over, placing a reassuring hand on Joong's arm. "It's hard, I know. But you've got to keep your focus. We don't belong here. No matter how much Dunk stares at you or how close Phuwin gets to me, we're still outsiders in their world."

Joong nodded reluctantly, appreciating his brother's steady presence. Pond was always the voice of reason, the one who grounded them when things felt too chaotic.

"Well," Fourth said, leaning forward with a smirk, "if Dunk keeps staring at you like that, maybe you should just call him out. Ask him what his deal is."

Joong rolled his eyes. "Yeah, great idea. I'll get myself fired and thrown out on the street."

"Or you'll finally get some answers," Fourth countered. "You're always overthinking everything. Sometimes, you've just got to say what's on your mind."

Joong didn't respond, but Fourth's words lingered in his mind. As much as he hated to admit it, his younger brother had a point. Maybe it was time to stop dancing around the tension between him and Dunk and confront it head-on.

A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. All three brothers turned their heads as a servant's voice called out from the other side.

"Dinner is being served in the dining hall. You're expected to join."

Joong sighed, standing and stretching. "Guess we're back to pretending everything's fine."

Fourth snickered. "Aren't we always?"

The brothers made their way to the dining hall, where Dunk, Phuwin, and Gemini were already seated. The table was laden with food, but the atmosphere was as cold as ever. Joong tried not to meet Dunk's eyes, but he could feel the weight of the older boy's gaze on him, sharp and probing.

As they sat down, Joong couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to change. Whether it was for better or worse, he had no idea. But one thing was certain: the tension between him and Dunk wasn't going to disappear anytime soon. And deep down, he wasn't sure if he wanted it to.