Fallen for him

Part 37

Dunk looks up from the letter, his expression a mix of shock, disbelief, and a simmering anger. He stares at Joong, struggling to comprehend the words, the betrayal.

Dunk: (voice tight with disbelief, his eyes burning with hurt)
"Joong… your father… he did this? He… he made my grandma’s death just another pawn in his game to tear us apart?"

Joong: (his voice thick with guilt and regret, unable to meet Dunk's gaze)
"I warned you, Dunk. I tried to tell you about him. I told you to stay away from me. I didn’t want you to get involved in my mess, but now look. He did this to us, to you, to me. He wanted you gone."

Dunk: (his fists clenched, voice trembling with anger)I didn’t think he would do this… I didn’t think it would go this far. He’s made it all a game. And I… I didn’t know how deep it ran. I thought you were just angry at him… but this?"

Joong: (voice cracking, eyes watering but holding back his tears)
"He’s always hated me for not being what he wanted, for not following his plan for me. He’s always tried to control me, and now he thought he could take you away. You were the one thing I had, Dunk. The only thing he couldn’t control."

Dunk remains silent for a long moment, his mind racing. The pain of betrayal weighs on him, but a midst the anger, there’s a part of him that refuses to walk away from Joong. He slowly puts the letter down and looks at Joong with a mix of confusion, anger, and sadness.

Dunk: (quietly, voice heavy with emotion, but his eyes filled with resolve)
"I won’t let him take you away from me. I don’t care about your father’s games. I won’t leave you, Joong. You’re all I have now. I can’t lose you too."

Joong's  heart stutters in his chest. For a moment, his whole body goes still, and his eyes widen as he looks at Dunk. The weight of Dunk's words settles over him, and something inside him unravels. For so long, Joong had thought he wasn’t worthy of love—especially after everything with his father. But now, hearing Dunk’s promise, something shifts in him. He steps closer to Dunk, his voice soft, raw with emotion.

Joong: (voice trembling, barely above a whisper, but full of vulnerability) thinking that it was the right time
"Dunk... I… I love you. I’ve loved you for so long, even when I pushed you away. I couldn’t stand the thought of you getting hurt because of me, but… but I can’t hide it anymore. I need you to know that. You mean everything to me."

Dunk stands frozen, his heart pounding in his chest. He stares at Joong, the words hanging in the air between them. Dunk is overwhelmed—by grief, by the weight of Joong’s confession, and by the feelings he’s been trying to suppress for so long. He doesn’t say anything, not because he doesn’t care, but because there’s too much happening inside him all at once. His mind is still processing everything that’s happened, and his heart is too raw to respond immediately. He looks at Joong—his face filled with a complex mix of emotions.

Joong watches him, his heart sinking. The silence feels like a rejection, but Joong refuses to pull away, afraid that if he does, he might lose Dunk forever. But Dunk doesn’t pull away either—he stays still, holding Joong’s gaze, lost in the quiet storm of emotions they’re both feeling.

Finally, Dunk steps forward, gently placing a hand on Joong’s shoulder. He doesn’t say anything, but the gesture speaks volumes. He doesn’t push Joong away, and though he hasn’t responded with the same words, he’s not rejecting him either.

The silence stretches on, but it’s not filled with tension—it’s filled with the weight of everything they’ve been through. Dunk doesn’t have the words yet, but he knows one thing for certain: he’s not going to leave Joong. Not now, not ever.