Page 102 of Scarbound

“How I wish I could tear his blood out of you,” Chung-Hee whispered. “Erase every part of him and leave only you.”

His hand fell to his side. Then the anger disappeared almost as quickly as it had come.

What remained looked far worse.

Despair.

“What’s wrong with me, Noeul?”

Noeul stared at him.

“Why is it so hard for me to let you go?”

He had never seen Chung-Hee like this. Not angry. Not cruel. Not commanding.

Lost.

And suddenly, beneath all the threats and hatred, Noeul recognized something painfully familiar: guilt, confusion, grief.

They were drowning differently, but in the same past.

Noeul should have been afraid of him.

He was.

He should have hated him.

Part of him did.

He should have walked away the moment the elevator opened.

Instead, he did the only thing he could think of.

He hugged him.

Chung-Hee stiffened as Noeul wrapped his arms around him as tightly as his exhausted body allowed. For a moment, he didn’t respond.

Then his arms closed around Noeul.

“I’m sorry, hyung,” Noeul sobbed against him. “I’m sorry for everything that happened. I’m sorry I didn’t see what Haneul was going through. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect him.”

His grip tightened.

“I’m sorry our families ended up like this.”

“Noeul…”

“I wish I could take it all back. I wish you were free of it. I wish we all were.”

Chung-Hee buried his face against Noeul’s shoulder.

Still holding each other, they sank onto the couch. Neither spoke. They cried until there seemed to be nothing left to say.

Eventually, Chung-Hee noticed that Noeul’s grip had loosened and his breathing had softened.

He remained still, afraid to wake him.

His mother’s words returned.