Shadows

An Uneasy Morning

The next day, Joong awoke with a heavy heart. Fourth's confession weighed on his mind, and he found himself unusually irritable. As the brothers prepared for school, Fourth was humming cheerfully, his good mood painfully obvious. Joong couldn't help but snap.

"Can you stop that?" Joong growled, pulling on his shirt.

Fourth froze mid-hum, turning to his brother with a frown. "What's your problem?"

"My problem is you acting like everything's perfect when you're playing with fire," Joong retorted, his voice low but sharp.

"Joong," Pond interjected, stepping between them. "Not this early in the morning, please."

Fourth scowled but bit back whatever retort he had ready. He grabbed his bag and stormed out of the room, muttering under his breath.

Joong sighed, running a hand through his hair. Pond shot him a disapproving look. "You didn't have to be so harsh."

"You don't understand, Pond," Joong said, lowering his voice. "If Father or anyone else finds out, we're all in trouble. I'm trying to keep him safe."

Pond shook his head. "You're pushing him away instead. Maybe you should think about that."

Joong opened his mouth to respond but decided against it. Instead, he grabbed his bag and followed Fourth out the door, determined to keep a closer eye on his reckless younger brother.

The school day started uneventfully. Joong and his brothers stuck to themselves, as usual, sitting at a corner table during lunch. Dunk and his brothers were across the cafeteria, their table surrounded by admirers as usual. Joong couldn't help but glance at Dunk, who seemed as aloof as ever, though his eyes occasionally flicked in Joong's direction.

"Are you going to eat, or just stare at him all day?" Pond asked, nudging Joong with his fork.

"I'm not staring," Joong snapped, quickly looking down at his food.

Fourth snorted. "Could've fooled me."

Joong glared at him but didn't respond, focusing on his meal instead. His peace was short-lived, however, as an unwelcome commotion drew his attention.

Across the room, Dunk was standing, his expression cold and commanding. A student who had apparently bumped into Gemini was stammering out an apology.

"Watch where you're going," Dunk said icily, his voice loud enough to silence the surrounding tables.

Joong felt his chest tighten. Why does he have to be so intimidating? he thought. He glanced at Fourth, who was smirking.

"What's so funny?" Joong asked.

Fourth shrugged. "Nothing. Just wondering what you'd do if he ever used that tone with you."

Joong rolled his eyes. "That's not going to happen. Unlike you, I know how to stay out of trouble."

Later that day, Joong found himself walking alone through the school courtyard, heading to retrieve his bag from the lockers. He was about to turn a corner when he froze, hearing voices nearby.

"...you don't have to be so harsh, Dunk," came Gemini's soft voice.

"It's necessary," Dunk replied firmly. "People need to understand their place."

Joong peered around the corner and saw Dunk leaning against the wall, his arms crossed. His brothers were standing nearby, Gemini looking nervous while Phuwin appeared indifferent.

"And what about Joong?" Gemini asked suddenly, catching Joong completely off guard.

Dunk's expression didn't change, but his eyes narrowed slightly. "What about him?"

"You keep watching him," Gemini said. "Don't think we haven't noticed."

Phuwin smirked. "You've been obvious, Dunk."

Dunk glared at his brothers but said nothing.

Joong quickly stepped back, his heart pounding. What does that mean? Why is Dunk watching me? He shook his head, trying to push the thoughts away. There was no way Dunk actually cared—right?

That evening, back at the mansion, Joong couldn't focus on his chores. His encounter earlier played on repeat in his head, and Dunk's cold demeanor left him feeling more unsettled than ever.

After dinner, Joong found himself in the garden, seeking a moment of peace. He wasn't alone for long, however, as Fourth appeared, his mischievous grin firmly in place.

"What do you want?" Joong asked, not in the mood for his brother's antics.

"Just checking on you," Fourth said, plopping down beside him. "You've been weird today."

Joong sighed. "It's nothing."

"Is it Dunk?" Fourth asked, his grin widening.

Joong's head snapped toward him. "What? No!"

Fourth laughed. "Relax, Joong. I'm just teasing." He paused, his expression softening. "But seriously, if something's bothering you, you can tell me."

Joong hesitated, the weight of his thoughts threatening to overwhelm him. "It's just... I don't know. Everything feels off. Like something's about to happen, and I don't know if we're ready for it."

Fourth nodded, his usual playfulness replaced with uncharacteristic seriousness. "Whatever it is, we'll handle it. Together."

Joong smiled faintly, grateful for his brother's reassurance.

But deep down, he couldn't shake the feeling that their time at the mansion was only growing more complicated—and that their relationships with Dunk and his brothers were about to change in ways they couldn't predict.