Sequel:Bloodlines and Betrayals

Chapter 15: The Silent Struggle

The next morning, the house felt different, heavier somehow. Joong couldn't place his finger on why, but something was shifting. He spent most of the morning in his room, sorting through his thoughts while trying to ignore the nagging feeling that Dunk was always just a step behind him. He knew that nothing had changed, but the tension between them had reached a new level. Dunk was still distant, still as cold as ever, but Joong couldn't shake the feeling that Dunk was watching him. The more he tried to convince himself that it didn't matter, the more it ate at him.

As Joong walked downstairs to grab breakfast, his mind replayed everything that had happened the night before. He and Fourth had talked for a while about the status difference between their family and Dunk's. Fourth had been adamant about how they needed to focus on their duty and not get distracted by the world Dunk and his brothers came from. Joong had agreed, but in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but wonder why everything felt so complicated.

Pond was already sitting at the table, quietly eating his breakfast. Phuwin wasn't around, which was unusual. It had become a routine for Phuwin to drop by every morning to flirt with Pond, but today he was absent. Joong couldn't help but feel a little relieved; it gave him time to focus on his brother, to make sure Pond was okay.

"Morning," Joong said as he sat down next to Pond, his voice more neutral than usual.

"Morning," Pond replied, glancing up from his plate. He looked distracted, his thoughts clearly elsewhere. "Did you sleep okay?"

Joong nodded, but before he could respond, the door opened, and Dunk stepped in, followed by Gemini. Dunk's gaze flicked toward Joong for a fraction of a second, before his eyes returned to the food. Joong tensed, unsure of what to make of the look that Dunk had given him. His thoughts raced, but he quickly pushed them away.

"Good morning, Joong," Gemini said softly, his voice gentle as usual. He was the quieter one of the two, always observing but rarely speaking.

"Morning," Joong replied, his tone not as warm as he intended. His discomfort was growing, but he forced himself to ignore it.

Dunk, however, remained silent. He sat down at the end of the table, his posture straight and unyielding. Joong's eyes lingered on him for a moment, and as if sensing his gaze, Dunk's eyes flicked to his. There was no warmth in them, only cold indifference. Yet, it didn't make Joong feel any less unsettled.

The silence at the table was suffocating. Everyone seemed to be lost in their own thoughts. Pond's usual cheerful attitude was absent, replaced by a more contemplative expression. Joong noticed how his brother was fidgeting with his utensils, as if he couldn't find a way to settle his nerves.

"What's wrong?" Joong asked, his voice soft but insistent. Pond seemed surprised by the question.

"Nothing," Pond answered quickly, but Joong could tell it was a lie.

Before Joong could press him further, Fourth came into the room, his usual confident stride accompanied by a wide grin. "Good morning, everyone," he greeted, sitting down beside Joong with a playful shove. His mood seemed to be the only thing unaffected by the strange atmosphere in the room.

Joong forced a smile but couldn't shake the growing sense that something was off. He glanced at Dunk again, who was still avoiding his gaze.

As the meal continued in uncomfortable silence, Joong's mind kept returning to the same question: Why was Dunk acting like this? He wasn't the same person he had been when they first arrived at the mansion. Joong had expected the distance, the coldness, but it was starting to feel like something more.

After breakfast, Joong found himself walking through the mansion's corridors, his mind swirling with conflicting thoughts. He had been assigned to keep an eye on Dunk and his brothers, but lately, he couldn't even focus on that. Dunk's presence was beginning to cloud his thoughts, and he hated it.

He found himself outside Dunk's office—no surprise there. It wasn't like he had been intentionally following Dunk around, but something about the door felt like a pull, as though Dunk were waiting for him to open it.

Taking a deep breath, Joong knocked once and opened the door. Dunk was seated at his desk, writing something on a piece of paper. His expression remained unreadable, but Joong could tell he had been expecting him.

"I need to talk to you," Joong said without preamble.

Dunk raised an eyebrow but didn't look up from the paper. "About what?"

"About why you're so different." Joong stepped inside the room, closing the door behind him. "You've been acting strange lately. I can't figure it out."

Dunk paused, then slowly lifted his eyes to meet Joong's. For a long moment, there was only silence. Joong stood his ground, though the tension in the room felt like it could suffocate him at any moment.

"I'm the same as always," Dunk finally said, his voice steady but cold. "You're just overthinking."

Joong felt a wave of frustration wash over him. "I'm not overthinking. You used to talk to me more. You weren't always this distant."

Dunk's eyes narrowed slightly. "That's because you didn't care. You were always too busy looking down on me."

Joong's chest tightened. "That's not true. I don't look down on you."

"Isn't that what you've been doing this whole time? Always acting like you're better than me, like you don't belong here. The truth is, Joong, you're just like the rest of them. You don't get it, do you? You and your brothers are here because your family owes mine something. You're just... servants."

Joong's breath hitched, the sting of Dunk's words cutting deeper than he wanted to admit. He had tried so hard to separate himself from the reality of his situation, but it seemed like Dunk had seen right through him.

"I'm not a servant," Joong muttered, his fists clenching. "I never asked for this."

"I know." Dunk's voice softened, but his gaze was still distant. "But it doesn't change the fact that it's the truth."

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Joong wanted to say something, to defend himself, but the words refused to come. Instead, he turned and walked out of the room, his head spinning with more questions than answers.

He didn't know how to handle Dunk's words, or what it meant for their future. All Joong knew was that something was changing, and he wasn't sure he was ready for it.