Shadows

56

The rest of the school day dragged on for Joong. No matter how hard he tried to focus on his lessons, his thoughts kept drifting back to Dunk. It wasn't just the way Dunk stared at him—it was the tension between them, the strange push and pull that Joong couldn't seem to shake. Dunk's cold demeanor frustrated him, but it also intrigued him, and that made Joong uneasy.

When the final bell rang, Joong let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. He grabbed his bag and waited by the door for Pond and Fourth, his mind already racing with relief at the thought of getting away from Dunk, at least for the rest of the day.

"Ready?" Joong asked when Pond and Fourth joined him.

"Yeah," Pond replied, his calm expression as steady as ever.

"Let's get out of here," Joong muttered, already heading for the gates.

The three brothers fell into step as they began the familiar walk back to the Gemini mansion. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows on the pavement, and a faint breeze rustled the leaves of the trees lining the road. For the first few minutes, they walked in relative silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

Then, as usual, Fourth decided the quiet was too much for him. "Did you guys see what happened in biology class today?" he asked, his tone teasing. "That kid in the front row actually fell asleep while the teacher was explaining the experiment."

Joong smirked despite himself, glancing at Fourth. "And I'm guessing you weren't paying attention either?"

"Hey, I was paying attention," Fourth said, grinning. "Sort of. I mean, I still passed the pop quiz, didn't I?"

"You barely passed," Pond pointed out, though there was a trace of amusement in his voice.

Fourth waved him off. "Details, details. What matters is I passed."

Joong shook his head, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Moments like these—when it was just the three of them joking around—were a welcome escape from the tension of their lives.

As they neared the mansion gates, Pond glanced at Joong. "You've been quiet today. Something bothering you?"

Joong hesitated, not sure how much to share. "It's nothing. Just... long day."

Fourth snorted. "Let me guess: Dunk stared at you all day again, didn't he?"

Joong shot him a warning look. "Drop it, Fourth."

"I'm just saying," Fourth said with a smirk. "It's kind of funny how much time he spends looking at you when he barely talks to anyone else. I think someone's got a crush."

Joong groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. "Don't start with that."

"Fourth, stop teasing him," Pond said, though his tone was gentle. "Joong's right. We shouldn't be thinking about stuff like that."

"Fine, fine," Fourth said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I'll drop it—for now."

They passed through the gates and entered the mansion, greeted by the usual quiet elegance of the Gemini household. Joong couldn't help but glance around, half expecting Dunk to appear out of nowhere as he often did.

The brothers headed straight to their shared room to drop off their bags. Once inside, Fourth collapsed onto his bed with a dramatic sigh. "Finally, freedom."

"Not quite," Pond said, setting his bag down neatly. "We still have chores to do before dinner."

Fourth groaned but didn't argue, while Joong sat on the edge of his bed, lost in thought. The mansion's luxurious surroundings served as a constant reminder of their status—servants, indebted to the Gemini family. Yet, Dunk's behavior toward him made everything feel even more complicated.

Joong's thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. It was one of the senior house staff, informing them that dinner would be served soon and reminding them of their responsibilities.

After quickly freshening up, the three brothers headed to the dining hall. As expected, Dunk, Phuwin, and Gemini were already there, seated at the head of the table. Joong's instinct was to keep his head down and avoid drawing attention to himself, but he felt Dunk's eyes on him the moment he walked in.

"Good evening," Phuwin said smoothly, his tone polite but distant.

"Good evening," Pond replied, his voice calm and measured.

Joong glanced at Dunk, who was staring at him with that unreadable expression again. Joong quickly looked away and took his place near the back of the room, helping to serve the meal alongside his brothers.

As the dinner progressed, Joong couldn't help but notice the subtle interactions between Dunk and his brothers. Dunk's cold demeanor softened slightly when he spoke to Gemini, and he seemed genuinely protective of Phuwin. The sight reminded Joong of his own brothers, and for a moment, he felt a pang of understanding for Dunk's complicated nature.

But then Dunk's gaze shifted back to Joong, and the intensity in his eyes sent a shiver down Joong's spine. Whatever Dunk was thinking, Joong wasn't sure he wanted to know.