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It was late afternoon when Est found Dunk sitting by the pool, his reflection trembling in the water. The campus was quiet — most students had already gone home.
Dunk sat on the edge. His shoulders were hunched, heavy with something Est could feel even before he spoke.
“Hey,” Est said softly as he lowered himself beside him.
“Hey,” Dunk replied, not looking up. His voice was small, almost drowned by the soft lap of water against the tiles.
Est leaned forward slightly, elbows resting on his knees. “You okay?”
Dunk gave a weak shake of his head. “Not really.” His voice cracked, and he swallowed before continuing. “I’m sorry, Est. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”
“It’s okay, Dunk,” Est said gently. “Really.”
Dunk’s fingers curled around his knees, knuckles turning pale. “I didn’t know he still had feelings for you. If I had, I wouldn’t have told him. I trusted him.”
Est exhaled softly. “Honestly… I don’t think he truly had feelings for me,” he said after a pause. “Maybe he was infatuated, maybe even obsessed for a time. But that wasn’t love. And I think he acted out of anger because we fooled him.”
He turned to Dunk, voice low but steady. “And now he regrets it because it hurt you. What he did today, coming clean in front of everyone… that wasn’t about guilt. That was about you.”
Dunk’s head lifted a little, his brow furrowing as if trying to make sense of it.
Est continued quietly, his tone softer now. “That kind of honesty, that kind of public apology — it’s not something people do for pride or pity. That’s love, Dunk. The real kind. Messy, clumsy, a little stupid, but still real.”
Dunk’s lips parted, but no words came out. He just turned back to the water, eyes glistening faintly. “I don’t know what to believe anymore,” he admitted. “Everything feels… complicated.”
“Have you talked to him?” Est asked, voice almost a whisper.
“He’s been reaching out,” Dunk said after a moment. “Calling, messaging. But I don’t think I’m ready to face him yet.”
Est nodded, understanding. Without saying anything else, he slung an arm around Dunk’s shoulders. “Then take all the time you need,” he said. “Don’t rush it. Let him wait. If he really means what he said, he’ll still be there when you’re ready.”
Dunk didn’t answer right away. The light from the pool shimmered across his face, making his eyes look like they held pieces of the water. Finally, he spoke, his voice small again. “Is William and his friends mad at me? Especially Tui — for telling Joong?”
Est shook his head, smiling faintly. “No. They’re worried about you. If anything, they’re thankful. Because of you, Joong came forward. Because of that, William’s name is cleared. People are seeing him for who he really is now.”
Dunk exhaled, a long, tired breath. “That’s good. He’s a good person,” he murmured.
Est looked at him for a moment before saying softly, “You’re a good person too, Dunk. Don’t beat yourself up for someone else’s choices.”
Dunk just nodded, his throat tightening.
“You want to have dinner with us?” Est offered, tone gentle.
Dunk hesitated before shaking his head. “I’m gonna pass on that. But… can you stay a bit longer? Just for a while?”
“Of course,” Est said without missing a beat.
A faint smile ghosted over Dunk’s lips. “Thanks.”
For a while, neither of them spoke. The quiet was almost healing — two friends sitting side by side, both knowing that sometimes comfort wasn’t about fixing things, but about simply being there.
__
Outside the pool area, William waited, leaning against the concrete wall. His hands were deep in his pockets, his posture calm but taut. Every few seconds, his gaze flicked toward the pool entrance, watching for a familiar figure to emerge.
Then came footsteps. When William turned, the tension hit him instantly.
Joong.
For a heartbeat, neither spoke. William’s jaw clenched. His glare came before he could stop it — sharp, automatic, the kind that used to make people look away first.
Joong didn’t. He raised both hands slightly, palms open, his voice low. “I just came here hoping to talk to Dunk,” he said. There was no defiance in his tone, only something tired.
William exhaled through his nose, realizing how he must’ve looked. “Sorry,” he muttered, his voice losing its bite. “Didn’t mean to glare. I’ve just… gotten used to it every time I see you.”
Joong let out a small, breathy laugh. “I don’t blame you. I’ve been difficult.”
William’s mouth quirked. “That’s one way to put it.”
The silence that followed wasn’t quite comfortable, but it wasn’t sharp either. It hung there between them — a truce suspended in the humid air.
“Thank you,” William said finally. “For the new article. For telling the truth.”
Joong’s eyes lifted to his. “I did it for Dunk,” he said quietly.
“I know.” William’s tone softened. “Still — you didn’t have to include the truth about me. But you did.”
Joong’s shoulders dropped slightly, the tension easing. “To be honest,” he said after a beat, “I was terrified of you when we first met.”
That drew a faint, amused sound from William. “Really?”
Joong chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “You were intimidating. You always looked like you were ready to throw a punch. Your voice was low and gravelly, heavy with threat. You just radiated that sense of danger.
That image made William laugh — a deep, genuine laugh that surprised even him.
Joong smiled at the sound. “But the thing is, no matter how much I provoked you, you never snapped. You never resorted to violence, never insulted me…” He shook his head slowly. “When Dunk told me the truth — that all those rumors about you were lies — I finally understood. You don’t deserve any of the hate or rumors, William.”
William looked at him for a long moment before saying quietly, “Thanks. That means more than you think.”
Joong gave a small smile. “But, uh, you still look scary, man.”
William barked out another laugh. “Yeah, I can’t fix that. Lego says I have a resting bitch face.”
Joong grinned. “He’s not wrong. But when Est’s around…” He trailed off, tilting his head thoughtfully. “Your face changes. Softer.”
William’s expression warmed, the corners of his lips lifting in something unguarded. “He’s got that effect on me.”
As if summoned by the words, the door behind them creaked open. Est stepped out, eyes landing on them immediately. The faint amusement in his expression didn’t hide the curiosity.
“What’s this?” he asked, crossing his arms. “You’re friends now?”
William straightened from the wall, crossing the short distance to him with easy familiarity. He reached for Est’s hand without hesitation. “Something like that,” he said lightly.
Joong rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly awkward again. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry. For everything, Est.”
Est tilted his head slightly, expression unreadable for a long beat. Then he said plainly, “I hate you.”
Joong blinked — then nodded, no protest, no excuses. “Fair enough.” He glanced at William, then muttered under his breath, “He’s scarier than you.”
William couldn’t hold it in — he burst into laughter. Est shot him a glare sharp enough to silence him halfway through.
“I’m leaving,” Est said, tugging his hand free. But before turning, he looked back at Joong. His voice was steady, clear. “Fix whatever this is with Dunk. Don’t ever hurt him again. That’s when I’ll start forgiving you.”
Joong didn’t look up, only nodded once, the weight of his guilt visible in his posture.
William hesitated a moment before offering Joong a small, sincere smile. Then he turned and followed after Est.
“Hey,” William called softly when he caught up. “Sorry for laughing… when Joong said you’re scarier.”
Est didn’t turn right away. He just slowed his pace, and that was enough for William to reach for his hand. Their fingers found each other easily.
“I’m still mad, you know,” Est muttered, eyes fixed ahead. His tone was meant to sound firm, but the edge had already dulled.
“Good,” William said, his lips curving into a teasing grin. “Makes you cuter.”
Est rolled his eyes, though the corners of his mouth betrayed him with the faintest twitch. “You think that’s going to help your case?”
William laughed quietly, his thumb brushing over Est’s knuckles. “Maybe not. But it’s true. You really do look cute when you’re trying not to smile.”
“Shut up,” Est said, but the words came out softer than intended. His feigned irritation only made William laugh harder.
They kept walking toward the parking lot, their joined hands swinging slightly between them. The air had cooled, the sky painted with streaks of lavender and orange. For a while, neither of them spoke.
Then Est broke it quietly. “Where are we going for dinner?”
William glanced sideways, eyes soft. “My mom wanted us to have dinner at home. I told her I’d ask you first.”
Est’s expression melted, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Let’s go .”
William’s grin widened, boyish and warm. “Great. Can you stay over? It’s the weekend tomorrow.”
Est hesitated, pretending to think, but his pulse had already quickened. “Okay,” he said, giving a gentle squeeze of his hand. They walked on like that — fingers entwined, laughter threading through the soft rustle of the evening breeze.
__
When Dunk stepped out of the pool building, he froze at the sight of Joong waiting. His face looked tired and small.
Dunk sighed, shifted his bag on his shoulder, and walked past without a word.
“Dunk, please,” Joong called after him, voice breaking slightly.
That made Dunk stop, though he didn’t turn. His fingers tightened around the strap of his bag.
Joong took a shaky breath and spoke again, each word raw. “I’m sorry. I just… I need you to know that I love you. And I’m not going anywhere. I’ll wait—no matter how long it takes. Just please… don’t give up on me yet. You don’t have to talk to me, or forgive me now. Just—let me stay close. Let me be beside you, even if it’s in silence.”
The words hung heavy in the air, fragile and trembling.
Dunk swallowed hard, his throat tight. For a moment, he said nothing. Then, without looking back, he murmured, “I’m eating dinner. If you want to come… just keep your word about not talking to me.”
Joong blinked, eyes widening as tears spilled down. He took a few quick steps forward, stopping right in front of Dunk. His voice cracked. “Thank you, Dunk.” His tears glistened in the dim light, falling freely now.
Dunk looked at him finally—at the red-rimmed eyes, the trembling hands. Something in him softened. He gave a short nod and started walking again, slower this time, leaving enough space for Joong to follow.
Joong did, silently—just like he promised.
___
Dinner at the Jakrapatr’s household was warm and easy, laughter echoing between spoonfuls of food and teasing remarks.
“Thank you for accepting my invitation for dinner, Est,” William’s mom said, smiling as she reached for more rice. “I’ve missed seeing you here.”
“We’ve just been busy, Mae,” Est replied with a polite smile. “Our schedule’s been a little crazy.”
William grinned. “Don’t worry, Mae. Est’s staying for the whole weekend.”
Est turned his head sharply. “Whole weekend? I agreed until tomorrow.”
“Oh, okay,” William said smoothly. “Then I’ll just stay at yours tomorrow night until Sunday.”
Before Est could respond, William added with a smug little smirk, “And nope, that’s not a question. So it’s either you stay here, or I stay there.”
Est groaned dramatically and turned to William’s parents. “Mae, Por, your son is impossible. Did you really raise him to be this clingy?”
William’s dad laughed. “That he got from his Mae.”
William’s mom shot him a playful glare, and everyone burst out laughing. The room filled with that rare, effortless warmth.
___
Later that night, the house was quiet. Est lay with his head on William’s shoulder, tracing absent shapes against his chest while the dim bedside lamp painted soft gold across their faces.
Est spoke, his voice low and thoughtful. “I haven’t asked… how do you feel now that everyone knows the truth about you?”
William was silent for a while, eyes fixed on the ceiling. “Relieved, I guess. I’m happy people finally know I’m not what they thought. Not some… dangerous person, or whatever ridiculous thing they came up with.”
Est chuckled softly, the sound vibrating against William’s chest. “Yeah, people are actually brave enough to greet you in the halls now.”
William smiled faintly, almost sheepishly. “That’s the part I’m not sure I like. I’m not good at… small talk. Do I have to smile all the time now? Pretend I’m friendly?”
“You don’t have to do anything, Willy,” Est said gently, lifting his head just enough to meet his eyes. “Just be yourself. That’s enough. Always has been.”
William turned to him then, eyes soft in the low light. He reached up, brushing a strand of hair off Est’s forehead before pressing a slow kiss there. “You’re the only one I want to impress anyway.”
Est’s lips curved slightly. “You’re sappy.”
William chuckled, his breath brushing against Est’s hair. “You like it.”
Est smiled, curling closer until their legs tangled beneath the blanket. “Maybe I do.”
William tightened his arm around him, resting his chin atop Est’s head. The rise and fall of their breathing soon fell into rhythm, calm and steady.
Outside, the night deepened, and the world went on turning. But neither of them noticed how quickly things were shifting beyond those quiet walls.
William’s cleared name was spreading fast—his story twisting into fascination, admiration, even obsession.
By Monday, people wouldn’t just be greeting him.
They’d be watching.
And for the first time, that attention would come with its own kind of consequence.
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