Off Script (JoongDunk)

Chapter 6: Doubts

Joong woke up and reached for Dunk, but his side of the bed was empty. A sudden worry hit him as he quickly pulled on his pants and hurried to the living room. There, he found Dunk cooking scrambled eggs.

Dunk glanced up, giving him a shy smile. "Good morning. I was too hungry, so I made us breakfast."

Relief washed over Joong, and he leaned against the kitchen counter, exhaling. Dunk chuckled. "Did you think I ran away?"

Joong wanted to come over and hug Dunk, but for some reason, he felt shy and indecisive. He left to wash up, grinning at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, remembering everything from the night before and subconsciously touching his lips. The way they touched and looked at each other, the way they had gone further than he'd ever dared to hope for. "Why do we have to go to the set now?" he muttered, wishing he could freeze time and savor this moment just a little longer.

When he returned to the kitchen, Dunk had already set the table. It was the first time Dunk had ever cooked for him at his condo, and Joong couldn't help but look at him with admiration. "Eat before it gets cold!" Dunk said, his cheeks flushed.

After they finished eating, Dunk quickly cleared the table and headed to the sink to wash the dishes, almost as if he was avoiding Joong.

Joong approached, pressing his chest against Dunk's back and resting one hand on his chest as he kissed Dunk's neck. Dunk's hands weakened, dropping the soapy dish into the sink. He leaned on the counter, automatically tilting his head to give Joong more access. Once again, Dunk was overwhelmed by the power Joong's touch had over him.

"Shouldn't we be getting ready to leave?" Dunk asked, his voice unexpectedly dry.

"Do you want me to stop?" Joong whispered playfully, caught up in the moment, his hand sliding under Dunk's shirt.

"I don't think we should be doing this," Dunk said heavily, without looking at Joong. Fear took over again, and he instinctively pushed Joong away, as if it were easier to protect himself now than risk getting hurt later.

"I meant everything I did and said yesterday," Joong replied, a hint of disappointment in his voice as he stepped back and left the room to change. 

Dunk remained at the sink, gripping the edge as he wrestled with his conflicted feelings. Joong's words felt genuine, but doubt still lingered.

"Let's go," Joong called from the doorway, his voice more strained than he intended. "I'll be waiting in the car."

Joong sat in the car, tapping the steering wheel nervously. He had expressed his feelings, but Dunk's reaction left him confused and unsettled. What if he thinks last night was a mistake? What if I never see that expression in his eyes again? The thoughts weighed heavily on Joong, almost making him feel sick.

When Dunk finally got into the car, the silence between them was suffocating. Joong tried to break the tension by discussing work, asking Dunk's opinions about different scenes, but Dunk's answers were clipped, his focus elsewhere.

Arriving on set, Dunk forced himself to concentrate. Joong seemed to act normally, laughing and joking with the staff, which made Dunk feel even more insecure, as if Joong could move on from what had happened without a second thought.

Today's scenes involved Zo (Dunk) and Joke (Joong) acting as boyfriends—holding hands, hugging, and exchanging loving glances but no kisses. During one scene where Joong rested his head on Dunk's shoulder and gazed into his eyes, the intensity of Joong's stare made Dunk's heart flutter. It felt too real, and he struggled to stay focused, missing lines and stumbling over words. Joong's closeness was distracting, especially the way his lips seemed to linger near Dunk's.

"Cut!" the director called. "Dunk, do you need a break? Grab some water and review the script. We're running out of time."

Humiliated, Dunk rushed to the bathroom, struggling to calm his racing thoughts: Why am I like this? Why does he make me feel this way?

Joong followed shortly after, carrying a bottle of water. He found Dunk standing in front of the mirror, looking lost. 

"Are you okay?" Joong asked, his voice filled with concern. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Dunk glanced away, his frustration spilling over. "I'm not okay, Joong! You're acting like everything's fine while I'm the one screwing up. Are you not bothered at all by what happened last night?"

Joong's face tightened with hurt. He took a step closer but stopped himself. Dunk snatched the bottle from his hand. 

"Thanks. I'll go repeat my lines." With that, Dunk walked out, leaving Joong standing there, a heavy sense of dread settling in.

Joong returned to the set, watching Dunk from a distance. He couldn't understand why Dunk was pushing him away after everything they'd shared. Had he done something wrong? Or was Dunk just scared? Joong didn't know, but he felt the distance growing and was desperate to close the gap between them.

After the shoot, Dunk hurried to the dressing room, hoping to avoid Joong. But Joong entered, collapsing into the chair beside him. "We need to talk," he said firmly. Dunk's heart sank, knowing this moment was inevitable.

"Can you just take me home? I'm really tired," Dunk said quietly.

Joong was trying to be patient, but his frustration flared. He stood up and headed for the door.

Alone in the car once again, Joong's mind raced. Their schedules wouldn't bring them together until Tuesday, nearly a week away. Dunk had his own schedule tomorrow, presenting his new brand, while Joong had to take an exam. And the day after, Dunk would leave for a few days to Japan with his family. Joong dreaded leaving things unresolved for so long, fearing the distance would only widen the gap between them.

When Dunk climbed into the car, he handed Joong an iced coffee, the one Joong normally drank before driving late at night. 

"Let's go home, Joong," he said, his tone softer now. "Can we talk later? I just need some time to clear my thoughts."

They arrived at Dunk's house, where paparazzi cameras lurked in the distance. Joong couldn't kiss Dunk goodbye, so he placed his hand over Dunk's instead. Dunk didn't pull away, and their eyes locked for a moment.

What Dunk really wanted to say was, "I want to kiss and hold you so badly it hurts. I'm going to miss you like crazy these next few days, and I wish we didn't have to part tonight." But he shook off the thought and opened the door. 

"Good night, Joong. Good luck with your exam tomorrow." His voice sounded casual, but his eyes told a different story, conveying a mix of longing and sadness. Joong felt it deeply, a spark of hope rising in his chest as if Dunk's true feelings were reaching out to him. Then Dunk forced a smile and closed the door behind him.

Joong drove away but stopped the car just a block down the road. He dropped his head onto the steering wheel, his hands gripping the leather tightly. Dunk's mixed signals were driving him insane. Yet the uncertainty only made him fall harder, as if every brief glimpse of Dunk's true feelings pulled him in deeper. "Fuck," he whispered, "I'm so screwed..."