Chapter 8: The Breaking Point

                                    

                                          

Phuwin had barely slept since that night. The image of Pond with Dunk haunted him, replaying in his mind like a cruel loop that refused to stop. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw them together, their smiles, their easy familiarity—everything that should have been his and Pond's alone. The pain was unbearable, a constant ache in his chest that made it hard to breathe.
He knew he couldn't go on like this. The silence between him and Pond had grown suffocating, the tension unbearable. Phuwin needed answers, needed to hear Pond's side of the story—even if he already knew what it was.
The opportunity came one evening, after dinner. They had barely spoken through the meal, the conversation stilted and awkward. Pond seemed distracted, his eyes often drifting to his phone, which he kept face down on the table. Phuwin's heart ached with every glance, the doubt and fear gnawing at him until he could take it no longer.
"Pond," Phuwin began, his voice trembling slightly. He put down his fork, unable to pretend that everything was normal any longer. "We need to talk."
Pond looked up, his brow furrowing slightly at the serious tone in Phuwin's voice. "What's wrong?" he asked, concern lacing his words, but to Phuwin, it felt hollow, like a rehearsed line.
Phuwin took a deep breath, steadying himself for what was to come. "I know about Dunk," he said, the words falling heavily between them.
The color drained from Pond's face, his expression freezing in place for a moment before he quickly recovered. "Dunk?" he repeated, feigning confusion. "What do you mean?"
Phuwin's heart twisted at the sight of Pond's attempt to deflect, to pretend like he didn't know what Phuwin was talking about. But he had seen the truth with his own eyes, and there was no going back now.
"I saw you," Phuwin said, his voice breaking slightly. "I followed you the other night. I saw you with him."
For a moment, the silence was deafening. Pond's eyes widened in shock, and his mouth opened as if to say something, but no words came out. Phuwin watched the emotions flicker across his face—surprise, guilt, fear—before he finally found his voice.
"Phuwin," Pond started, his tone pleading, "it's not what you think. Dunk... Dunk is just a friend. We've known each other for a while. He's been going through a tough time, and I've been trying to help him out, that's all."
Phuwin stared at Pond, his heart pounding in his chest. He wanted so badly to believe him, to cling to the hope that there was some innocent explanation for what he had seen. But the memory of the way they had looked at each other, the touch of Dunk's hand on Pond's arm, was burned into his mind.
"Just a friend?" Phuwin repeated, his voice shaking. "You expect me to believe that after what I saw? The way you two were together—it wasn't just friendship, Pond. It was more than that."
Pond's eyes flickered with something—fear, perhaps, or maybe desperation. He reached across the table, taking Phuwin's hands in his, his grip firm, almost as if he were afraid Phuwin would slip away if he didn't hold on tight.
"Phuwin, please," Pond implored, his voice soft, almost breaking. "You have to trust me. I know it looked bad, but I swear to you, it's nothing more than friendship. Dunk has been leaning on me a lot lately, and maybe... maybe I've been too focused on helping him and not enough on us. But that's all it is. I would never do anything to hurt you."
Phuwin's heart ached at the sincerity in Pond's voice, the way he seemed to be pleading for forgiveness for something he claimed he hadn't even done. The part of him that was still deeply in love with Pond, that wanted so desperately to believe in the man he had planned to marry, was ready to accept the explanation. But there was another part of him, a part that had been growing louder and louder, that refused to be silenced.
"What about the way he touched you?" Phuwin asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "The way you smiled at him? That's not just friendship, Pond. That's something more."
Pond shook his head, his grip on Phuwin's hands tightening. "You're reading too much into it," he insisted. "Dunk is affectionate, that's just how he is. But it doesn't mean anything, not in the way you think. I'm with you, Phuwin. I love you. You're the only one I want to be with."
Phuwin's vision blurred with tears, the pain of the situation almost too much to bear. He wanted to believe Pond, wanted to trust him the way he always had, but the doubt was too strong. It wrapped around his heart like a vise, squeezing until it hurt to even breathe.
"I don't know if I can believe you," Phuwin admitted, his voice trembling. "I want to, but... I can't shake the feeling that there's more to this than you're telling me."
Pond's eyes filled with a mix of hurt and desperation. "Phuwin, I swear to you, there's nothing going on between me and Dunk. I should have told you about him sooner, been more open with you, but I didn't want to worry you over nothing. Please, you have to trust me. Don't let this ruin what we have."
Phuwin's heart shattered at the sight of Pond's pain, the tears that glistened in his eyes. This was the man he loved, the man he had planned to spend the rest of his life with. But that life felt so far away now, the future they had dreamed of clouded by uncertainty and doubt.
"I don't know what to do," Phuwin whispered, his voice breaking as tears slipped down his cheeks. "I don't know how to move forward from this."
Pond let go of Phuwin's hands and stood up, moving around the table to kneel beside him. He wrapped his arms around Phuwin, pulling him close, and Phuwin felt the warmth of his embrace, the familiarity of his touch, but it only deepened the ache in his heart.
"We'll get through this," Pond whispered into Phuwin's hair, his voice full of conviction. "I'll do whatever it takes to prove to you that you're the only one I want. I'll be better, I promise. Just... please don't give up on us."
Phuwin sobbed into Pond's shoulder, his emotions a tangled mess of love, hurt, and doubt. He wanted to believe Pond's promises, wanted to hold onto the love they had shared for so long. But the shadow of Dunk loomed over them, casting a pall over everything they had built together.
Pond continued to hold him, whispering reassurances and promises, but Phuwin's mind was a storm of conflicting thoughts. He wanted so desperately to believe Pond, to trust that their love could survive this, but the feeling that there was more to the story refused to leave him.
As the night wore on, Pond eventually helped Phuwin to bed, holding him close as they lay together in the darkness. But even as Pond's steady breathing lulled him toward sleep, Phuwin's heart remained heavy with doubt.
The love he had for Pond was still there, strong and deep, but it was now tainted by the uncertainty that hung between them. And as Phuwin drifted off into a restless sleep, he couldn't help but wonder if their love would ever be the same again—or if it was already too late.