As the room started to relax after Phuwin successfully resolved the hack, Dunk’s eyes wandered over the monitor screen. Suddenly, his jaw dropped, and he shouted, “Wowwwww!”

Everyone turned towards him, startled and confused. Joe furrowed his brows. “What’s with the shout, Dunk? Did we get hacked again?”

Dunk didn’t respond right away, still staring at the screen with wide eyes. He slowly turned to Phuwin, pointing at him accusingly. “You’re Tangwinnie! Aren’t you?! The legendary hacker who even Gemini can’t beat! No wonder—no wonder I should’ve guessed earlier when Gem said you’ve been teaching him skills.”

Phuwin, who had been leaning casually against the desk, smirked lightly. He crossed his arms and tilted his head. “Took you long enough, Dunk. Yeah, I’m Tangwinnie.”

The room went silent for a second before Joe stood up straight, frowning. “Wait, what? You’re Tangwinnie? The hacker we’ve all heard about? Why the hell didn’t you tell us before?”

Phuwin shrugged, giving them a soft smile. “Where’s the fun in that, Phii Joe? I wanted to see how long it would take you guys to figure it out. Turns out, it took a crisis for Dunk to connect the dots.”

Dunk narrowed his eyes but couldn’t help the grin spreading across his face. “Aii, Phuwin, you’re too sneaky for your own good. Do you know how many times we’ve mentioned Tangwinnie in front of you without a clue?”

Gemini rubbed his forehead, muttering, “I tried so hard to keep it under wraps. Thanks a lot, Dunk.”

Joong leaned back in his chair, looking amused. “So, all this time, we had the legend right under our noses, huh? And he didn’t bother to say a word.”

Joe raised a hand. “Okay, but seriously, why keep it a secret? You know we could’ve used your skills way earlier.”

Phuwin laughed softly. “If I had told you, where’s the challenge in that? Plus, it was more fun watching you guys scramble around trying to figure it out. Besides, I wasn’t sure if you’d actually trust me with this.”

Dunk rolled his eyes, still grinning. “Trust you? After today, you’ve basically solidified your spot in our team. You’re stuck with us now.”

Joe, however, still looked skeptical. “You’re not off the hook yet, Phuwin. We’ll talk more about this later. For now, let’s celebrate saving our system, thanks to Tangwinnie.”

Phuwin smirked, leaning forward on the desk. “Don’t forget to thank Dunk for finally solving the mystery.”

Dunk laughed. “Yeah, yeah, you’re welcome. Drinks on Phuwin tonight, though. Tangwinnie or not, he’s buying.”

Phuwin raised his hands in mock surrender, grinning. “Fine, fine. Drinks are on me. But next time, don’t take so long to uncover a mystery.”

The room erupted into laughter as they teased each other, the tension from earlier finally dissipating. Pond stood quietly in the corner, watching the scene unfold, his lips curling into a small, proud smile. So there’s even more to you than I thought, he mused silently. Interesting.

The mansion’s club room was alive with laughter and music, everyone enjoying their drinks and celebrating the evening’s success. But Pond wasn’t there. He stood alone in his room, staring out of the window, the moonlight casting a soft glow on his sharp features. His mind was restless, thoughts swirling in silence.

Meanwhile, Phuwin, who had kept his drinking minimal, decided to call it a night. Bidding goodbye to the group, he exited the club room and walked through the mansion’s quiet living room, scrolling through his phone absentmindedly.

Suddenly, he bumped into someone, the impact catching him off guard. He stumbled back, losing his balance, but before he could hit the ground, strong arms wrapped around his waist, steadying him.

Phuwin blinked, looking up to find Pond staring down at him. For a moment, time seemed to pause. The intensity in Pond’s eyes made Phuwin’s heart race, but he managed a light smile.

“Hey, Mafia,” Phuwin said softly, teasing. “Why didn’t you join the drinking party?”

Pond released his hold on Phuwin, stepping back once he was steady. “Not interested,” he said curtly, avoiding Phuwin’s gaze.

Phuwin straightened himself and adjusted his shirt, still smiling faintly. “Ohhh, not interested, huh?” He paused, tilting his head. “Alright, then...what do you think about your feelings?” His voice softened, a hint of hope laced in his words. “What’s your answer?”

He looked at Pond expectantly, his eyes wide and earnest, like a child waiting for a promise to be fulfilled.

Pond’s jaw tightened, and he turned his head away, unable to meet those hopeful eyes. “I already told you,” he said coldly. “I don’t have feelings for you. Just focus on your own business and stay out of mine.”

The words cut through the air like a blade. Without waiting for a response, Pond turned on his heel and walked away, his footsteps echoing in the quiet hall.

Phuwin stood there for a moment, his shoulders slumping as he exhaled heavily. His lips curved into a bittersweet smile, and he turned his head, watching Pond’s retreating figure disappear down the corridor.

“Stubborn Mafia,” he muttered under his breath, shaking his head slightly. He sighed again, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he made his way to the door. Without looking back, he left the mansion, the faint sound of music from the club room fading behind him.

---

Hey stars...

I know I've made you all wait for a long time, but sorry even now I can't give you regular updates, whenever I can I'll try to post new chapter....

Enjoy😍