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The keys jingled softly as Joong unlocked the apartment door, his shoulders heavy from a grueling twelve hour day at the office. All he wanted was to drop his briefcase, wrap his arms around Dunk, and collapse into bed.
Instead, he walked into a living room bathed in the low glow of the TV. On the couch sat Pond, dressed in oversized lounge shorts, swallowed whole by a fleece blanket. Dunk was perched on the armchair opposite him, arms crossed, looking thoroughly exhausted.
Joong paused in the entryway, shifting his gaze from Pond to Dunk in silent, bewildered question.
"Hi, roomy," Pond said, waving a limp hand from beneath the blanket.
Dunk rolled his eyes so hard it looked painful. "Phuwin kicked him out."
Joong’s eyes widened. "OMG! What happened?"
"Apparently, a bunch of Phuwin’s friends sent him pictures of Pond with a girl," Dunk explained, gesturing toward the couch.
Joong’s expression hardened instantly. He took a sharp step toward Pond. "Did you cheat on my best friend, Pond? Because if you did—"
"Hey, calm down," Dunk interrupted quickly, holding up a hand. "He didn’t cheat on Phuwin. Those photos were just him going in and out of a property with the same woman. Pond says she’s his realtor. He’s been looking for a house."
Pond groaned from beneath his blanket, rolling his eyes at the ceiling. "Who knew Phuwin’s friends were everywhere, acting like a private intelligence agency spying on his boyfriend?"
"Phuwin is an influencer with hundreds of thousands of followers, and he posts a million pictures of you!" Dunk fired back. "Of course people recognize you!"
"And honestly, how poor do they think I am?" Pond sat up, gesturing dramatically. "In and out of an empty house with a giant 'FOR SALE' sign in the front yard with a girl? If I were going to cheat, I could easily book a five star hotel!"
Joong rubbed his temples. "Did you explain that to Phuwin?"
"I can’t!" Pond threw his hands in the air. "The house is supposed to be a surprise! I’m planning to propose to him, and buying the house is part of it."
"Pond," Joong said slowly, giving him a deadpan look. "Will there even be a proposal if Phuwin breaks up with you first?"
Pond’s eyes went wide as the reality of those words sank in.
"Why can't Phuwin just trust me?" Pond muttered, burying his face in his hands. "I would never cheat on him. I've never even been attracted to anyone else. I didn't even want to date Dunk back in high school after we kissed! And people literally say Dunk looks like Phuwin!"
The room went dead silent.
Dunk froze, glaring daggers at Pond.
Joong snapped his head toward Dunk, his dark eyes ablaze. "You kissed Dunk?!" (A/N: Yes, referencing the 1 second mistake from 'When Dunk Met Pond ' 😂)
Dunk immediately buried his face in his hands, groaning in sheer frustration. "It was for one second! The most regretful second of my life! Pond, stop dragging me down with your sinking ship!"
"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Joong demanded, looking back and forth between them.
"Because it meant nothing!" Dunk pleaded, peeking out through his fingers. "It was a high school experiment when we were seventeen and stupid and thought we were the only two gay guys on earth!"
"Guys," Pond interrupted, waving a hand pathetically. "I don't mean to be rude, but please focus on me. I am having a major life crisis here."
Dunk glared at him again, while Joong shot Dunk a look that clearly communicated 'this conversation is far from over.'
"Fine," Dunk sighed, turning back to Pond. "So what's your plan?"
"I can't tell him about the house," Pond mumbled, his voice dropping into a shaky whisper. "And honestly... I'm hurt. I'm upset that he didn't even trust me enough to ask. He's my first love, Dunk. He's my only love."
A moment later, Pond was softly sobbing into his blanket.
Knowing how stubborn Pond could be and refusing to let two of his closest friends ruin their future over a misunderstanding, Dunk took matters into his own hands the next afternoon.
He arranged to meet Phuwin at a quiet café near the studio. Phuwin sat across from him, looking pale, tired, and visibly heartbroken, nursing an untouched iced Americano.
"He's not cheating on you, Phuwin," Dunk said gently, skipping the small talk.
Phuwin looked up, a sharp mix of hurt and frustration in his eyes. "Dunk, my friends sent me clear pictures. Multiple times this week—"
"Because he's house hunting," Dunk interrupted softly. "The woman in those pictures is a licensed real estate agent. Pond has been spending his weekends looking at properties because he's buying a place for the two of you. He wanted to surprise you with a proposal."
Phuwin froze. His mouth opened slightly, but no sound came out. The harsh, protective wall he had built up over the last twenty four hours completely shattered.
"A... a house?" Phuwin whispered, his eyes suddenly glossing over with tears.
"Yes, a house," Dunk smiled warmly. "He was so hurt that you thought he would cheat, and he was devastated that his surprise was ruined. He's currently sulking on our sofa, convinced his life is over."
Phuwin wiped a stray tear from his cheek, a small, emotional laugh escaping his lips. "He's such an idiot. Why didn't he just tell me?"
"Because he's Pond," Dunk said. "And because he loves you enough to want everything to be perfect."
Phuwin set his cup down, a sudden look of determination taking over his face. "If he wants a grand gesture... then I'm giving him one first."
Later that week, after closing hours at Navori, the high end restaurant was silent save for the soft ambient lighting. Joong had conveniently lured Pond out under the guise of "grabbing a late night drink" to lift his spirits, while Dunk stayed behind to set everything up.
When Joong pushed open the doors to Navori, Pond stepped inside, looking around in confusion.
"Why are we here? Is Dunk still working?" Pond asked, pulling his jacket close.
Then the lights dimmed further, leaving only a warm path of fairy lights illuminating the main dining room. At the far end of the room stood Phuwin, dressed impeccably, holding a small velvet box in his hands.
Pond stopped dead in his tracks. "Phuwin...?"
Phuwin walked toward him step by step, stopping right in front of the stunned man.
"You are the most stubborn, dramatic, secret keeping person I have ever met," Phuwin said, though his voice was thick with affection. "You tried to plan a massive surprise for us, but you forgot one thing: we're a team. You don't have to carry big steps like our future all by yourself."
Pond blinked, completely speechless for once in his life.
Phuwin opened the ring box, revealing a simple, elegant band. "I don't need a finished house to know I want to build a life with you. So... let's go house hunting together. Will you marry me, Pond?"
Pond didn't even answer with words. He pulled Phuwin into his arms, kissing him deeply as Joong and Dunk clapped and cheered from behind the kitchen counter.
"Yes," Pond choked out against Phuwin's neck, laughing through his tears. "Yes, of course, you idiot."
"Now," Phuwin whispered with a grin, pulling back slightly to look at him. "Show me the listings you picked out."
THE END