Secrets, JoongDunk

1

Bangkok, Thailand
Chulalongkorn University – Faculty of Engineering

The midday sun burned against the concrete walkways of campus, but the students of the engineering faculty moved through it like machines on autopilot. Midterms were near, and there was no room for heat or fatigue. Coffee cups, laptops, tangled headphone cords — all part of the uniform.

Joong Archen walked among them like he belonged — like he owned the very ground they walked on. It wasn't arrogance. Not exactly. It was control. Presentation. He always had to be on point. He wore a crisp white button-up tucked into fitted dark jeans, not a hair out of place. On the surface, Joong was the perfect student: calm, clean-cut, confident. He has to be perfect.

Inside, he was a forest fire under glass.

"Joong, you spacing out again?" a voice broke through.

Joong blinked and turned toward Pond Naravit, his best friend since high school. Messy hair, oversized hoodie, a laptop bag slung casually over one shoulder — Pond always looked like he rolled out of bed and into genius. Joong never said it out loud but he had always been jealous of Pond's freedom. His ability to always be himself no matter who was around.

"I'm listening," Joong said coolly, even though he hadn't been. He wasn't even sure what they were talking about.

"You know," Pond said, dragging his words, "at some point, I'm just gonna collapse on the floor and die in the middle of CAD lab. And you'll be responsible."

Joong glanced at him, amused. "How exactly is that my fault?"

"Because you convinced me engineering was a good idea." Pond pointed at him dramatically. "You and your stupid genius brain. You ruined me."

"I think you ruined yourself," Joong said with a smirk. "I just held the door open."

As they rounded the corner toward the engineering building, Joong caught a flash of a tall figure sitting at a table under a tree. He was talking about something with a shorter boy, Joong recognized them.

Dunk Natachai, and his best friend Phuwin.

Joong's eyes lingered for a second too long.

There was something about Dunk that always stuck. The way he held himself — confident, easygoing, never trying too hard. Joong had never actually spoken to him. They'd shared a few classes, sat near each other in labs, exchanged obligatory nods during group project assignments. But nothing beyond that.

Still, he noticed him. Joong always noticed him.

Joong tore his gaze away.

Pond didn't miss it.

"Oh?" Pond tilted his head, catching the direction of Joong's gaze. "Staring at Dunk again?"

Joong blinked. "I was not, and what do you mean again?"

"You were." Pond elbowed him. "Come on. Do I smell a little crush developing?"

Joong rolled his eyes. "He's just... tall. Distractingly tall."

Pond snorted. "Joong, you're gay."

"I'm straight Pond." The words came out too fast, too firm.

Pond raised an eyebrow, grinning. "Okay, okay. Relax. I know I'm just messing around."

Joong laughed a little too hard. "Yeah, sure. Just because someone looks at another guy doesn't mean it's like that."

"Alright," Pond said, drawing the word out. "Just... remember you said that."