TWISTED TIES | JoongDunk

2

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Dunk woke up in the clinic, he feels his stomach having this gooey feeling. He took a peek and find an amount of cream. There's a red blotch of red there.

It doesn't hurt anymore. He had this dream that Joong took him to the clinic, he felt a little giddy. He was certain Pond and Phuwin took him because how and why Joong would do that for him. Anyhow, he's feeling happy just by dreaming of Joong. He has this big grin when he left the clinic bed.

He was surprised when he the nurse gave him supplements because it turns out he was anemic, he fainted not because of the hit of the ball whatsoever. That explains the dizziness. That was kinda embarrassing.

He left and as he expected, he saw Phuwin at the bench outside of the clinic.

"I finished the design and passed it, without your help. You're such a useless project partner."

"And you're welcome, i saved your life."

"You didn't save my life."

"I did. I was your hero."

"Then you're welcome for giving you a chance to get carried by Joong. You owe me."

"Joong didn't carry me here. Stop lying."

Phuwin looked at him, confused. "Don't tell me you forgot? Did you actually had concussion?"

"No?"

"You're crazy. He did carry you here. And you stared at him with heart eyes the whole time. I thought you're gonna start eating him or something. "

Dunk stared at him in disbelief. The moment the information sank in. He went to the nearest wall, hide his face and shout.

" AAAAHHSHHGGGG. "

Phuwin shook his head.

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The next days, Dunk was back at his daily routine of ways to secretly show his admiration towards Joong. He would put snacks on Joong's chair. He would put post it notes on his locker and bring him lunch which he would give Pond to give to Joong.

Sometimes, he would bring his camera and take pictures of him. Other times he would sabotage other admirers of Joong. Call him petty, he gives zero fuck.

"Don't you realize that you look like a creepy stalker?" Phuwin is crossing his arm as he watched his friend go through the pictures he took today on his camera. They're at the cafeteria with his only two friends.

"Not if my intentions are pure."

Pond shook his head finding his friend totally lost it when he spot familiar faces coming their way.

"Shit. Joong and my teammates are coming." Pond slapped the camera out of Dunk's face.

Dunk scrambled to hide his camera.

"Naravit!" one of Joong's friend, Dunk remembers him as Pepper, fist bumped Pond. "Hey, can we join you?"

Unlike him and Phuwin, Pond has a couple of other friends especially from his football team. He remembers Pond talking about Pepper, they're quite close in the team. Then the other one is Pawin. Pawin is the school's social butterfly, everyone is his friend. Joong as well.

Dunk wonders why Pond and Joong is not that close when they're in the same circle of friends. Although knowing Pond is also as introvert as him, it's still a little bit odd.

To be very honest, Pond also shares quite a popularity unlike him and Phuwin who are total nerds. It's nice that he still sticks with them despite that.

"Hey dude." Pond answered, "Ask these two if they don't mind, I won't."

Dunk was only confident when he's with his friends but he's not very good at socializing. Especially if there is Joong who keeps his heart running a thousand mile per hour.

"Whatever." Phuwin answered boredly.

"Do you mind?" Pepper asked Dunk with a smile.

"Uh, no. Don't worry." Dunk says avoiding eye contact with Joong who seems to be looking at him. He's probably trying to grasp where he have seen him before, when in fact they're classmate in 5 subjects in the last 3 years! Dunk is still bitter with that fact.

They sat at the other side, Pepper beside Pond as they chat with each other. Thankfully (or not) Joong sat far from Dunk who's internally panicking.

They give each other's name for formality. Although Dunk and Phuwin already knows them because of Pond while Joong is just simply popular. Noone is unaware of his existence.

"Phuwin." Phuwin sipped at his strawberry shake coolly.

"I'm Dunk." he put his palm together to do a small wai with a small blush.

Joong suddenly points at him.

"Hey, I remember you. The one who got hit by the ball I kicked at the field?"

Finally! He remembered. Although that was embarrassing, that was a first.

"Y-yeah."

"Hey, I didn't happen to apologize because you pass out. Are you okay? Does it still hurt?"

"No. It's okay. I'm okay. "

It's not their first conversation but Dunk feels like there's this wild pterodactyl in his stomach. Joong remembered him!

"Thank you for taking me to the clinic."

"It's fine. Tell me if it still hurts, I'll take responsibility. It was my fault."

He'll take what???

"N-no. It's okay. R-really."

"Hey dude! Stop making him nervous." It was pepper who has this blinding friendly smile. "Tell me if he ever hurt you again. I'll beat his ass. "

"You can't beat his ass." Pawin. "You lying shit. Maybe he'll beat your ass. "

"If he hurt a pretty boy again. I'll surely beat his ass!"

"Ohhh, so that's what it is! You're flirting! You never stop hitting on everyone. Literally, everyone you see walking with 2 legs!"

Pepper glared at Pawin and turned back to Dunk. "He's lying, i don't hit on everyone. I rarely do that I swear."

"You're so lame!" Pawin.

"Uhm." Dunk look at Joong and he's just smiling while he watch his two friends bicker.

Joong must have felt there are pair of lost eyes on him and Dunk was caught red-handed. It was too late to look away.

Joong smiled at him and Dunk blinks away. He can feel his cheeks burning.

Joong would be the death of him.

"Please don't fight. I'm alright, don't need to beat anyone." He says when the bickering starts to get annoying.

Funny cuz if anyone would even dare to lift a finger on Joong, he'll probably punch them in the face.

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