Page 295 of Scarbound

Noeul’s mouth twisted. “That sounds ominous.”

“I think you’re exhausting.”

Noeul stared. Ji-Woo blinked.

Then Duri continued. “You overthink everything. You decide what other people feel before asking them. You try to save everyone. You’re stubborn as hell.”

Noeul’s lips parted.

“And sometimes you’re an idiot.”

“Duri,” Ji-Woo said, almost laughing.

Duri ignored him. “But none of that has anything to do with what Gong did to you.”

Noeul went quiet.

“Or Chung-Hee.” Duri looked at him steadily. “You’re still you.”

Noeul shook his head faintly. “You don’t know that anymore.”

“I do.”

“How?”

“Because you still worry whether Ji-Woo slept enough.”

Noeul blinked.

“You cooked Rouladen because you remembered something I complained about when I was thirteen.” His eyes softened. “And when you were the one bleeding, you still asked me whether I was okay.”

Noeul stared at him. Duri’s throat tightened.

“Do you remember that?”

A faint crease appeared between Noeul’s eyebrows. “The chair?”

“Yes.”

The memory surfaced slowly. Gong shouting. Duri standing too close. A chair leaving Gong’s hands. Noeul moving before he had time to think.

Then pain. Blood. Hospital lights.

Noeul swallowed. “You remember that?”

“I remember everything about that day.” Duri’s voice weakened. “I remember the chair hitting you. I remember how much blood there was. I remember thinking I’d killed you because you got hurt protecting me.”

Noeul’s expression softened. “You were a kid.”

“So were you.” Duri looked down briefly. “When you woke up, the first thing you asked me was, ‘Are you okay?’”

Noeul didn’t answer.

“That’s the person I fell in love with.” Duri’s eyes lifted again. “Not because you saved me. Not because you’re some perfect hero.” A faint smile touched his mouth. “You’re definitely not perfect.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”