Shadows

Reflection

The school day passed uneventfully, but the tension from the morning lingered in the air. Joong kept glancing at the hallway every time they passed the lockers, his shoulders taut with apprehension. Fourth was unusually quiet, though Joong could see the fire in his eyes simmering beneath the surface. Pond, as usual, tried to maintain a sense of calm, but even he seemed distracted.

When the final bell rang, the brothers were relieved to head home. They met Dunk, Phuwin, and Gemini outside the school gates, where the family's driver waited to escort the brothers back to the mansion. Joong felt his chest tighten as Dunk's eyes met his across the car.

The ride back was quiet. Phuwin tried to make conversation with Pond, his charm on full display, but Pond offered only short, polite responses. Gemini scrolled through his phone, oblivious to the tension, while Dunk sat beside him, his gaze flickering to Joong every few moments. Joong ignored him, staring out the window, counting the minutes until they were back home.

Trouble Finds Them

That evening, as the Joong brothers finished cleaning the dining room, Fourth excused himself to grab something from their room. Joong and Pond stayed behind, finishing up their chores in silence.

Joong was wiping the table when Pond spoke up. "You've been quiet today. Are you okay?"

Joong paused, the cloth in his hand stilling. "I'm fine. Just tired."

Pond didn't push, but Joong could feel his brother's concern. Before Pond could say more, Fourth burst into the room, his face flushed with anger.

"You won't believe this," he snapped, his fists clenched. "That jerk from school—he's outside."

Joong frowned, setting the cloth down. "What are you talking about?"

Fourth motioned toward the window. "The guy who poured water on us. He's here with some friends. I saw them near the gate."

Pond's expression darkened. "What are they doing here?"

Joong's heart sank. "Probably looking for trouble."

Fourth's eyes blazed with anger. "We should go out there and teach them a lesson."

"No," Joong said firmly. "We're not here to pick fights. Let's just tell Dunk and his brothers. They'll handle it."

Fourth scoffed. "Since when do we need their help?"

Joong shot him a warning look. "This isn't about pride. If something happens, our father will blame us. We can't risk it."

Reluctantly, Fourth nodded, though the anger in his eyes didn't fade.

A Confrontation

Joong found Dunk and his brothers in the lounge, their expressions curious as Joong explained the situation. Dunk's face darkened as soon as he heard about the bullies.

"They're trespassing," Dunk said coldly, rising to his feet. "No one has the right to come onto our property like that."

Phuwin smirked. "Maybe we should show them why that's a bad idea."

Gemini, ever the peacekeeper, hesitated. "Let's not escalate things. We should just call security."

"No," Dunk said, his voice firm. "I'll handle this."

Joong stepped forward. "We'll take care of it. They're our problem."

Dunk turned to him, his eyes narrowing. "No, Joong. You're under our protection while you're here. Let me deal with it."

Joong opened his mouth to argue, but the steel in Dunk's gaze made him pause. After a moment, he nodded reluctantly.

When they reached the gate, the group of bullies was still there, leaning against the fence and laughing among themselves. Dunk stepped forward, his presence commanding, with Phuwin and Gemini flanking him. Joong and his brothers stayed behind, watching warily.

The leader of the bullies smirked as Dunk approached. "Look who it is. The rich kid. What are you going to do? Call your daddy?"

Dunk's expression didn't waver. "You're trespassing. Leave now, or I'll make sure you regret it."

The bully laughed, his friends joining in. "Oh, I'm so scared."

Phuwin stepped forward, his voice dripping with mockery. "You should be. You have no idea who you're messing with."

The leader's smirk faltered slightly, but he quickly recovered. "Big talk for a bunch of spoiled brats."

Dunk took a step closer, his voice low and menacing. "This is your last warning. Leave, or I'll make sure you never set foot on this property again."

There was something in Dunk's tone that made the bullies hesitate. After a tense moment, the leader spat on the ground and motioned for his friends to follow him. "Let's go. This isn't worth it."

As the group retreated, Dunk turned to Joong, his expression softening slightly. "If they come back, you tell me immediately."

Joong nodded, his gratitude unspoken but evident in his eyes. Dunk didn't say anything else, but the way his gaze lingered on Joong made Joong's heart race.

That night, as the brothers prepared for bed, Pond sat beside Joong, his brow furrowed. "I don't like relying on them," Pond admitted. "But I'm glad they were there."

Joong sighed, leaning back against the wall. "Me too. But we can't let this happen again. We need to be more careful."

Fourth, from his bed, scoffed. "Careful? Those guys wouldn't have stood a chance if we'd handled it ourselves."

Joong rolled his eyes. "And then what? Get in trouble with Dad? Or worse, with Dunk's family?"

Fourth didn't respond, though his sulking expression said enough. Joong glanced at Pond, who looked thoughtful.

"Dunk isn't what I expected," Pond said quietly. "Neither is Phuwin."

Joong nodded, his mind drifting to Dunk's cold yet protective demeanor. He didn't know what to make of it, but one thing was clear—life in the mansion was far more complicated than he'd anticipated.